Часть первая – теоретическая (2Кор. 1:12–7:16)

First, Apostle 1) explains why he changed his travel plan (2 Cor. 1:12–24, 2:1–11). Then 2) he talks about the height of Christian revelation and the entire economy of salvation, setting out how it is established on earth (2 Cor. 2:12–7:1). Finally, 3) expresses the joy and consolation brought to him by the arrival of Titus and everything that he saw in Corinth and that he conveyed to him (2 Cor. 7:2-16). Why these objects were included here will become clear in the interpretation itself. 1. The reason for the change in travel plan (2 Cor. 1:12–24, 2:1–11) There were talks in Corinth: I was thinking of coming to us, but now things are going differently. What kind of changeability? This is ease. Such empty speeches should be attributed to the third part, where the Apostle is engaged in dispelling idle talk about him. But he singled out this speech from the sum of others and occupied himself with it primarily because, in connection with it, others cast a shadow on the immutability of the gospel itself, the dignity of which for the Apostle Paul was highest on earth. Why does he put this subject in first place? His train of thought here is as follows: a) I always and everywhere acted with a clear conscience; This is how it worked for you too; and you should be well aware of the sincerity of my speeches (2 Cor. 1:12–14). b) Based on this, you should not have misinterpreted the fact that I wanted to come to you this way, but now I am going differently, as if it were easy, as if there was some kind of conference according to the flesh (2 Cor. 1:15-17). c) But that’s nothing, I’m afraid that you might go further and, on the basis of this, begin to entertain thoughts about the instability of the gospel. Oh no; the word of our gospel was immediately accompanied by action - you received the anointing. Therefore, your word was yes (2 Cor. 1:18–22). d) From this alone you should have concluded that there was a reason for the change in my plan that was worth attention. And I announce it to you. This was a desire to avoid the sorrowful necessity of personally administering judgment and reprisals against those who have saddened us all (2 Cor. 1:23, 24). e) You did well by treating him as I wrote; but as soon as he repents, he can be accepted into the community again (2 Cor. 2:1-11). This last word is added here only so as not to return again to the same subject; but what was said about him should have been said. a) Apostolic sincerity (2 Cor. 1:12–14) 2 Cor. 1:12. For this is our praise, a testimony of our conscience, as in the simplicity and purity of God, [and] not in the wisdom of the flesh, but by the grace of God we live in the world, and we abound among you. Ahead, the holy Apostle expressed the hope that God had both delivered them and would always deliver them from all troubles. But such hopes cannot be entertained by someone who has a bad conscience. Only purity of conscience gives such boldness to hope, and without it it freezes, like a flower in the frost. This is what the Apostle is talking about now; but this same thing served as his starting point for explaining what he intended to talk about further. “For this is our praise,” he says, “this is.” “Praise” is what he said before this: “even more... by hope, that he will deliver again” (2 Cor. 1:10). To boast in this way, I have a basis in the testimony of my conscience. Praise here, therefore, is the same as boldness. Theodoret writes: “Boldness gives us (to hope for deliverance from dangers) the testimony of conscience.” Or praise means inner consolation. God has delivered and will deliver; but until deliverance comes, for there is a term for this, we are supported, we are given courageous and complacent enduring of sorrows by the consciousness that we suffer innocently. Saint Chrysostom says: “Here the Apostle reveals to us another, not only not unimportant, on the contrary, very important means of consolation, which can encourage the soul and when it is suppressed by adversity, shows yet another of his virtues. Which one? - The one that we, says, wherever we lived, we acted everywhere according to a clear and sincere conscience. And this serves no little to our peace and consolation. This is what the Apostle says to the believers in order to teach them not to lose heart in sorrows, but to rejoice if only they have a clear conscience. “Our praise,” he says, “is evidence of conscience,” that is, when our conscience has no reason to condemn us as criminals persecuted for bad deeds. For, he says, even if we suffered countless disasters, even if we were threatened from everywhere by attacks and dangers; For our consolation, one testimony of a clear conscience is enough that we suffer these disasters not for any crime, but for the sake of pleasing God, for virtue, for true wisdom and for the salvation of many. So, the first consolation that the Apostle spoke about above came from God, and this, which he now speaks about, came from themselves and was the fruit of their pure life. And because this latter was the fruit of their virtue, he calls it his praise.” What exactly was the praise, and what did conscience testify to? “For I live in the simplicity and purity of God.” “Zhihom”, ανεστραφημεν, revolved among others, kept themselves in relations with others and acted on them and before them. “In simplicity”, απλοτητος, as it happens in children, artless, not hiding any plans, open as is. “In purity”, ειλικρινεια, sincerely, both in the soul and outside, not a word, not a deed, not a mine and nothing external of us differs from what is in our heart. “Godly” - or Godlike, or pleasing to God (Theophylact), or given by God and as manifested before God. So, the Apostle says here: “They did nothing insidiously, or hypocritically, or feignedly, nor out of flattery, or maliciously, or for deception and deception, or for other similar motives; but they always acted with all freedom, simplicity, truth, in purity and kindness of heart, sincerely, from the soul; because they had nothing that needed to be hidden, nothing shameful” (St. Chrysostom). "Not in the wisdom of the flesh". The flesh here is life, which the fathers call external; The wisdom of this life is to manage in every possible way to maintain good relations with others and family well-being, disguising yourself and carefully covering up your goals, which are all focused on always living for your own pleasure, pursuing your own interests and not losing your face, sparing no one or anything that comes across as an obstacle on the way, covering, however, even this with appearances. This wisdom does not mean either virtue or the glory of God, but only the satisfaction of egoism, which gives birth to it, nourishes it, and perfects it. She is cunning in words, and even more cunning in the conduct of her affairs. If all its intricacies were revealed in just one case, they would be amazed and would not believe that a person himself could manage to do so. That’s why we have a saying: the evil one taught him. This saying is not without reason; it expresses the truth. Could such wisdom appear in the spirit of the Apostles, filled with the Spirit of God? Saint Paul denies this, saying: “We have not always acted in the wisdom of the flesh,” that is, without deceit and guile, without refined words and cunning reasoning. So, what the false apostles were proud of, it is precisely the Apostle Paul who rejects and despises, clearly showing by this that carnal wisdom is unworthy of praise and that he himself not only does not seek it, but is also ashamed and disgusted with it” (St. Chrysostom). “But by the grace of God we lived in the world,” that is, we lived as God’s grace inspired us, as it guided us and as it acted in us. Life “in grace”, εν χαριτι, is the opposite of the previous life according to carnal wisdom. The Holy Fathers distinguish three degrees, or classes, of life in which the same person can move from time to time. One is carnal life, as indicated before: it is called a life below natural, and even unnatural; the other is a virtuous life, according to the demands of conscience, possible even outside of grace: it is called natural; the third is a life of grace, beginning, maturing and manifesting itself in various ways through the action of God’s grace alone: ​​it is called supernatural and is possible only in true Christianity, constituting its distinctive feature. It is completely opposite to living according to the wisdom of the flesh. In it nothing is done for oneself, but everything is for the glory of God and the good of others; nothing is also done according to one’s own thoughts, but everything is done according to the inspiration of grace, and whatever is done is done not by one’s own strength, but by grace, which takes a person’s own strengths only as instruments for the manifestation of its actions. Those who have it live with their consciousness and heart in the one God, who, living in them, acts through them and outside of them. But where God is, there the limits of nature give way; that is why such a life does not exist without miracles. Especially the Apostles could not have it without it. Why is it that when Saint Paul says: “I live by the grace of God,” he means not only height, purity and moral detachment, but also the manifestation of the power of God through them. Saint Chrysostom says to this: “What is “the grace of God”? - That is, with the wisdom and power given to us from God, proving them with miracles, and with the victory that we won over sages, rhetoricians, philosophers and kings, we, rude people who have not borrowed anything from human wisdom. And it was not in vain that the Apostles were comforted and boasted of this, when they were confident in themselves that they did not act by human strength, but by the grace of God they accomplished everything, and not only in Corinth, but throughout the entire universe. For he says: “The world is dead, but yours is multiplied.” What does “multiply with you” mean? - That is, “by the grace of God I live.” For with you, he says, we performed more miracles and signs, we observed greater caution and took special care to behave in such a way as not to deserve reproach from you. For the Apostle also attributes this last thing to the grace of God, attributing his own actions to it. For it is known that in Corinth he renounced his rights regarding the maintenance of preachers of the word of God (1 Cor. 9) and, sparing the weakness of the Corinthians, preached the Gospel without any retribution from them.” It turns out, according to Saint Chrysostom, “the abundance you have” does not only refer to “the grace of God,” but also to the simplicity and purity of God and not to the wisdom of the flesh. Since he produces the last features from the grace of God, he said in general that “increasing among you” our life was distinguished and shone by the grace of God. 2 Cor. 1:13, 14. For we write to you not otherwise, but even as you honor and understand: I trust that you will understand to the end, just as you also understood us in part, for we are to your praise, as you are to us, in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. “We are writing,” he speaks not about the previous writing, or about writing in general, but about this very thing that is now writing. We write not something else, he says, but we hold something else in our thoughts, and we have the same thing in our thoughts that the written words express. Whatever concepts the words you read excite in you are the same ones we have. The words “read” and “understand”, αναγινωσκειν and επιγινωσκειν, are often put together by consonance, although sometimes one thing needs to be expressed. So here, too, Saint Paul wanted to say: what we write, you know it yourself, from our stay with you, and, reading what is written, you immediately see that it is so. Why do Ecumenius and Theophylact by αναγινωσκειν mean not “read”, but “remember”. The Greek word gives this right: αναγνωσις – ανωθεν γνωσις. - It will be: what we write is nothing more than what you yourself remember and what you know. So does Saint Chrysostom: “He brings the Corinthians themselves as witnesses to what he says to them. Let no one, he says, think that my words are self-praise unjustified by deeds. For I convey to you only what you yourself know, and that I do not lie, of this you must be witnesses to me before others. For, reading our messages, you see that they contain the same thing that you actually know about us - and that our testimony about ourselves in our messages not only does not contradict our deeds, on the contrary, what you previously knew about us is completely in agreement with what you read about us in the messages.” The words that follow: “I hope that you will understand us to the end,” it is better to read in connection with: “Even as you understand us in part.” From the experiences of our presence and action among you, you partially understood us; I hope that you will always understand this way. He wants to say that just as until now we have not given you any reason to think about us that we are crafty and insincere, so you will not encounter such reasons in the future; as we were, as we are now, as we will be; and our word and our way of acting have always been the same, is and will be. We do not convey our own, we do not introduce our own, but God’s; God is unchangeable and His truth is eternal. He who preaches and introduces his own, can now speak and act one way, and tomorrow another way. We are God’s instruments: God is active in us. The words: “you will understand in part” and “you will understand completely” can also be understood as an indication of the degree of knowledge. In part you have known and understood us; I hope that you will reach complete knowledge of us and understand us completely. It is natural for human knowledge and understanding to grow. “For we are to be praised, as you are to us, in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” - This is not a subject of understanding, not an indication of what the Corinthians understood in part in the Apostles and what they will fully understand, but a new confirmation of the apostolic sincerity. He wants to say: what we say to you and write, what we teach you and what we institute among you, we do all this as if we were to stand before God’s judgment. And I assure you that on the day of the Lord, that is, on the last day of judgment, we will be your praise. The all-righteous and all-knowing judge will praise you for following our word and sincerely believing it; - and then you will be our praise, for this faith our Judge will not subdue us, but will praise you. Our word is so undoubtedly true that even if in other respects we turned out to be unworthy of praise at the trial, the most righteous Judge will praise us for the fact that we conveyed this word to you and made you faithful to Him. “Look,” St. Chrysostom cries, “how he raises the Corinthians to the highest and accustoms them to wisdom, when he directs his thoughts to that great day of the Lord. Then, he says, we will be glorified in you, and you in us, when it is revealed that you had such teachers who did not teach anything human and, leading an immaculate life, did not give any reason for temptation; and we had such disciples who acted differently from ordinary people - they did not hesitate, but readily accepted everything and did not oppose anything. And now this is revealed to those who have the mind of Christ, and then it will be revealed to everyone. So, although we are grieving now, we have no small consolation both from a good conscience and from the revelation expected then. Now our conscience alone knows that we act in everything by the grace of God, just as you know this and will also know; and then all people will know both our and your deeds, and will see that we are glorified for each other.” He says, “We will be your praise on the day of the Lord, and you will be our praise.” But he said about himself that, just as he had always been faithful to the truth of God, he would never cease to be so. Therefore, according to the correspondence of the speech, it leads the Corinthians to a promise and a decision - just as they have hitherto been faithful to the word received, so they will continue to be faithful to it, and not only to the extent of their knowledge of it in which they have become partakers of it hitherto, but also to whatever extent they have come to know it. And there was no difficulty for the Corinthians to understand that this is an inevitable condition in order not to be disgraced at the trial. Teachers will be glorified for one thing that they taught; and the disciples cannot be glorified simply by hearing and accepting their teaching. This will lead to even greater condemnation if the acceptance of the teaching is not accompanied by adherence to it, sincere and unwavering to the end. b) The unfoundedness of the interpretation for the worse that the Apostle changed his plan (2 Cor. 1:15-17) 2 Cor. 1:15. And with this hope I wanted to come to you first, so that you may receive the second grace. “With this hope,” that is, the one expressed above, that the Corinthians will fully understand him as a man who speaks sincerely; but what he means here is not that he himself trusts from the Corinthians, but that the Corinthians would see in him to the end, as he trusts, that is, the speech is always sincere. “This hope” will be: in such a mood, sincerely, truthfully, without deceit. When I wanted to come to you before, that was truly my desire; and when he informed you about this, he spoke the absolute truth. But when is this? “That’s right, Saint Paul, before he wrote his first letter, where he writes that he is coming to them through Macedonia, he informed them through faithful persons that he would come from Ephesus directly to them, from them he would go to Macedonia, from Macedonia he would return to them again, and from them he would go to Judea. When news reached the Apostle about the discord among the Corinthians, and especially about the incestuous man, he changed this plan; He sent Saint Timothy there in advance, and after him he prepared to go through Macedonia himself. In his first message he wrote about this. Hearing this, some began to say: this is what he is like, today it’s like this, tomorrow it’s different. Saint Titus conveyed these speeches to him upon his return from Corinth, and Saint Paul now begins to speak about them. This, he says, was my absolute desire and intention to come to you in advance. "Yes, the second grace and mate." – “Grace” he calls the visit to the Corinthians, both because of the joy and consolation that was brought to them, and because of the spiritual benefits that they were granted through it: for with the Apostles there always came abundant grace and the words of the anointed one, and the overshadowing of believers with an influx of grace, or also the appearance of grace-filled healings, deliverance from demons, and the manifestation of other powers. But what does it mean: “yet second grace to you”? “According to the said meaning of grace, so that you may be worthy of my second visit.” How's that? – It would be more straightforward to put it this way: you had the first grace during my first stay with you, and this visit would have been the second grace. But our interpreters do not take this word in this sense, but understand it this way: the first grace would be when I arrived directly to you, and the second would be when I, having visited Macedonia, returned to you again. Theodoret writes: “may you have second grace,” that is, the extreme joy of receiving me twice.” 2 Cor. 1:16. And you will go to Macedonia, and again from Macedonia will come to you, and you will be led to Judea. In order not to see a contradiction in these words of Saint Paul with what he wrote in the first epistle, one must bear in mind that this was the plan, as the Apostle said, before the first epistle; but then he changed it and wrote that he was going to them through Macedonia. This change gave some reason to accuse the Apostle of changeability. One can only ask why Saint Paul did not say this in his first letter? He sets out the reason why the plan is changed below, namely, the reluctance to personally deal with the incest; but, as everyone can see for himself, there was no need to write about this. Moreover, when he wrote: “I am passing through Macedonia” (1 Cor. 16:5), as if he wanted to say: know that what was promised was canceled, and canceled not without reason. 2 Cor. 1:17. But what about food or ease of action? Or even as I take counsel, I take counsel according to the flesh, so that it may be between her and her, and between her and her? This passage will not be entirely understandable and coherent with the previous and subsequent ones, if you do not supplement it with the thought that the Apostle is speaking here about a change in the travel plan. All our interpreters do this. Here are the words of Saint Chrysostom for everyone. “Here the Apostle already directly rejects the reproach of himself for not fulfilling his promise to come to the Corinthians. For the meaning of his words is this: I wanted to come to you. Why didn't you come? Is it not due to frivolity or inconstancy? (For this is what the words mean: “what is food for the ease of deeds”?) No. Why? Because “even though I take counsel, I do not take counsel according to the flesh.” What does it mean: “I do not take counsel according to the flesh”? Not as a natural man; - “let me have a hedgehog for her, for her, and a hedgehog neither, nor.” But this is not clear either. What is he saying? A carnal man, he says, that is, chained only to the present, always living in the present and not under the influence of the Spirit of God, can walk everywhere and wander wherever he pleases; on the contrary, one who is subordinate to the Spirit of God and led and controlled by Him cannot always be the master of his own will, depending on the power of the Spirit. The same thing happens to him as to a faithful slave who knows only to carry out the orders of his master and has no power over himself, and does not know rest even for a short time; - he sometimes promises something to his comrades, but then does not fulfill his promise when it turns out to be contrary to the will of his master. This is what the words of the Apostle mean: I do not “consult according to the flesh,” that is, I am under the control of the Spirit of God and do not have the power to go wherever I want: I am subject to the authority and commands of the Spirit of God, and His voice controls and guides me. That's why I couldn't come to you; for this did not please the Spirit of God. (Similar things are often said in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 16:6-9). The Apostles intended to go to a different place, but the Spirit of God commanded them to go to a completely different place). So, that I did not come to you, despite my promise, it did not depend on my frivolity or inconstancy, but on the Spirit of God, to whom I am subject and must obey. So what? - someone will say. Didn’t the Apostle promise to come at the inspiration of the Spirit of God? - No, not by the inspiration of the Spirit. This promise was a labor of love between him and the Corinthians.” The thought of Saint Chrysostom is that whoever deliberates according to the flesh, when he decides what to do, no matter what it costs, he strives to do it in such a way as to put it on his own, so that he has yes-yes, and no-no. Blessed Theodoret expresses the Apostle’s thought this way: “I am not enslaved, he says, to passion, in order to fulfill my desire one way or another. He who follows the desires of the flesh is carried away by his own thoughts, even if they are extremely absurd; and whoever chastely thinks about something, even if the plan was something good, as soon as he notices that it does not bring benefit to others, he does not bring his intentions to fruition. And that we, as soon as we see that it is useful for you, with zeal, do not hesitate to offer it to you - this is evidenced by the sermon; because repeatedly, having offered this to you, they did not change their words.” The last words of Blessed Theodoret serve as a transition to the next words of the Apostle. c) This change does not cast any shadow on the immutability of the Gospel truth (2 Cor. 1:18–22) 2 Cor. 1:18. God is faithful, as our word came to you, never to be. One might think that if he has yes - no yes, and no - no no, then it turns out that he has yes and no about the same thing. What if his Gospel is the same?! Preventing this, he says: no, don't think like that; My gospel is always faithful, just as God is faithful. So Saint Chrysostom: “Here the Apostle refutes the objection that arises. For they could say to him: if you first promised to come to us, and then change what you said before, if you don’t have “she, her” and “neither, nor”, ​​then woe to us! Didn't the same thing happen in the sermon itself? So that they do not think this and are not embarrassed, he says: “God is faithful, even as our word comes to you, it will never be.” In a sermon, he says, this cannot happen; but this happens only on intentional journeys. In preaching, our words are always true and unchanging. For here he calls preaching “word.” He further presents indisputable evidence of this, relating the work of preaching to God. And his words have the following meaning: the promise of the coming was mine, that is, I promised it on my own; the preaching is not mine and not human, but God’s; and what is from God is inaccessible to lies and deception. That is why he said: “God is faithful,” that is, true. So, do not suspect anything about what comes from God; for there is nothing human here.” 2 Cor. 1:19. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached to you by me and by Silvanus and Timothy, was neither here nor there, but was in Himself. He proves the unchanging fidelity of his word by his very deed, by the very production of his sermon. When, he says, we preached Christ the Savior among you, did it happen that we said one thing, but it turned out something else? - No; but whatever we said, everything was justified by deeds in you and on yourself. We said: believe in the crucified Son of God and receive remission of sins, through baptism you will receive new life, through the laying on of our hands (the same as chrismation today) you will be granted the gifts of the Holy Spirit and be filled with strength to overcome all sin, all passion and all enemy violence. Did it happen as we said? - It came true, and you know it. So do not think or say that Christ, whom we preached to you, was yes and no: for you clearly see that everything in Him is yes. Whatever we say about Him, it is all true; and whatever you expect from Him, when you approach Him, you receive it all in full and in abundance. “Everything we preached about Christ turned out to be true with complete accuracy” (Ecumenius). Bringing with him Silvanus and Timothy, with whom he first planted the faith in Corinth, the Apostle leads the Corinthians to remember what they were before accepting the faith and what they became after accepting it. He seems to be saying: remember what you were before communing with Christ the Lord and what you became later; but what you became later, we promised you this before you became Christ’s. Christ, the Son of God, preached by us among you, therefore, was - yes. “Silas is here called Silvanus, for he shared ties with Paul at Philippi (Acts 16:25). Leaving him in Beria the Macedonian, Paul went to Athens (Acts 17:14). It was he, together with Timothy, who arrived to Paul in Corinth and became his collaborator in preaching” (Theodoret). 2 Cor. 1:20. For great is the promise of God, in this is it and in this is amen: to God for glory through us. All the promises of God, he says, in Christ Jesus our Lord, are fulfilled with complete accuracy - in Him they are true and amen. The promises of God were spoken in the Old Testament through the prophets. They concerned the face of Christ the Savior, the time, place and other circumstances of His appearance, - they especially related to the work of salvation that was to be accomplished by Him, that is, how He would suffer, sin for our sakes, die on the cross, rise, ascend into heaven and sit at the right hand of the Father - how the Divine Spirit would be sent down from the Father to renew spiritual life in the human race through faith and grace, to thus prepare the sons of the eternal kingdom. All these promises, foreshadowed in the prophecies, were completely fulfilled and are being fulfilled in Christ Jesus the Lord. Those who approach the Lord by faith immediately experience the fulfillment of all the promises related to the matter of salvation: they experience remission of sins, as their relieved conscience witnesses; they experience renewal, as witnessed by the consciousness of new life perceived in the font; experience the influx of the grace of the Holy Spirit, as evidenced by the moral strength they feel to overcome all passion and all sin; experience sonship, which is witnessed by their inner feeling of sonship to God, warmed by the Spirit, as a result of which they cry out: Abba, Father. Another part of the promises to believers relates to the future life - this is the resurrection and eternal bliss with Christ. These have not yet been fulfilled, but that they will undoubtedly be fulfilled is confirmed by the already fulfilled promises, which the Apostle combines all in the gift of the Spirit, calling this gift a betrothal, or the deposit of an inheritance. From this it directly follows that all the promises of God in Christ Jesus are “yes and amen.” "To God for glory through us". How are God's promises about Christ Jesus fulfilled? – Through the Apostles. For in order to become a partaker of them, you must believe. How can one believe without preachers? The Lord arranged them. He himself sat down at the right hand of the Father; Instead of Himself, He sent down the Spirit of the Comforter and, clothed with the power of His Apostles, sent them over the entire face of the earth to plant faith and establish salvation in people. The multiplication of those who work for salvation is the glory of God on earth - the final goal of the fulfillment of all the promises of God in the Lord. For her, the coming of the Lord in the flesh, for her the apostolic sermon, for her faith, for her future bliss, so that the one God may be glorified with all lips and all deeds - both by the Apostles, and by believers, and by the deeds of both. Saint Chrysostom, in his conversation on this place, focuses primarily on future promises. “Many promises,” he says, are contained in the Gospel sermon, and the Apostles proclaimed and preached about many promises. For they spoke about the resurrection, and about sonship, and about immortality, and about great rewards in the future life and unspeakable blessings there. The Apostle calls these promises immutable. If the promises of God are immutable and there is no doubt that God will fulfill them, then all the more faithful is He Himself and the word about Him is firm: and it cannot be said that sometimes He exists, and sometimes He does not; but there is always the same one. What does it mean: “in this is her and in that amen”? - By this he shows that the promises of God will certainly come true, for their fulfillment depends on God, and not on man. So, there is nothing to be afraid of. For it is not a man who may be suspected of unfaithfulness who promises, but God, who speaks and does.” 2 Cor. 1:21, 22. Know you and me into Christ and anoint us, O God, who sealed us and gave the betrothal of the Spirit into our hearts. “Lime”, βεβαιων – approver; but not simply affirming, but affirming with conviction, imparting to us unshakable confidence in the firmness of faith and promises in Christ Jesus the Lord. - “And anointed,” that is, filled us with the Holy Spirit, by whose power the perfections that were represented in the ancient high priests, prophets and kings are communicated to our spirit. This anointing is not an external sign, but an internal infusion of the signified. That the promises of God are not false is confirmed by this anointing. This is how God Himself arranged and does this in us. - “You and me,” that is, both the Apostles and the believers: for it is said that it acts equally in both; and the Apostles in this regard have no advantage over believers, for this belongs to the general order of faith and the work of salvation. The following words: “who also sealed us” explain the anointing; a - “to give the betrothal of the Spirit into the hearts” indicate the basis for notification. “Sealed” means he put the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit in us. The gift of the Spirit is God's seal on us. The seal on the wax gives shape to it; The seal in our spirit is its formation according to the action of the received Spirit of grace. This means both rebirth and blessing. The apostle wants to say in a word: it is sealed that all this is not a name and a sign, but power and life. - “Grant the betrothal of the Spirit into our hearts.” Imprinting by the Spirit is the giving of the Spirit into the hearts, or His indwelling in our inner man. This infusion is a betrothal, that is, a pledge, a deposit, to certify that all the promises that have not yet been fulfilled will undoubtedly be fulfilled. The certificate is based on the fact that the deposit is given so large. If the deposit were small, it would be appropriate to still doubt, as usually happens in everyday life; and when it is as great as the gift of the Spirit, who can doubt that everything in the future will be fulfilled exactly? Saint Chrysostom says: “From what has happened (that is, what has come true), the Apostle affirms the truth of the future. For if God Himself confirms us in Christ, that is, does not allow us to waver in our faith in Christ, and He Himself anointed us and gave the Spirit into our hearts, then how can He not grant us the blessings promised in the future life? How will he not give us these blessings after he has already given us the beginning and foundation, the root and source of them, that is, true knowledge of Him, and the communion of the Holy Spirit? Truly, if the real blessings that we enjoy have already been given for the sake of those that we still expect, then the One who gave the real ones will surely also give the expected ones. And if He gave us these benefits we received when we were still His enemies, then all the more He will give us future ones when we have already become dear to Him. Therefore, the Apostle did not just say: “Spirit,” but added: “betrothal,” that is, a pledge, in order to further assure and reassure us that we will receive everything promised by God. Indeed, if God did not want to give us everything that he promised, he would not have been pleased to give us a pledge, so as not to destroy it in vain and in vain.” Thus, he says that our word was not in you and neither, and that, on the contrary, everything we proclaimed to you is invariably true, of which you have tangible confirmation in what has happened to you and in you and has been received by you. Therefore, do not dare to cast a shadow of doubt on this because I changed the plan. On the contrary, from the faithfulness of the work of salvation accomplished in you, you should have concluded that if I changed my plan, I did not change it due to any frivolity or changeability, but for important reasons. I'll tell you them now. d) The real reason for changing the travel plan (2 Cor. 1:23, 24, 2:1–4) 2 Cor. 1:23. I call upon my soul as a witness of God, for sparing you who did not come to Corinth. “I call upon my soul God’s witness,” he says, not exposing himself to God’s punishment, but simply presenting God as a witness to the truth of his words. He says as if: I speak as before God, who sees my soul. Blessed Theodoret writes: “The Divine Apostle, wanting to assure that his words were true, called Him who sees our thoughts as a witness.” God is my witness, he says that “I did not come to spare you” - that is, I did not go straight to Corinth, as promised. Things went like this. The apostle said that he intended to come to Corinth directly from Ephesus, but before he could do this, bad news arrived. Having received these messages, the Apostle postponed his intention to go straight to Corinth, but wrote a letter, urging the Corinthians to correct everything that was faulty themselves before his arrival, so that when he arrived, they would be happy to meet him as already in good order, and he would only rejoice, seeing their good working order. If he had gone straight to Corinth, he himself would have had to correct what was wrong; and no matter how you soften it, it cannot but be bitter both for the one who corrects and for those being corrected. This is what he means when he says: “sparing you.” Self-correction is easier and has its own pleasant side, in anticipation of approval from the Apostle who noticed the malfunction and wanted correction. Saint Chrysostom says: “What does it mean: “sparing you”? “I heard, he says, that some of you committed fornication, and therefore I did not want to come to you, so as not to sadden you.” For, if I were with you, I would be forced to sort out and investigate this matter myself and punish many. So, I thought it best not to be with you, in order to give you time to repent, rather than coming to you, punishing you and suffering even greater sorrow from you.” 2 Cor. 1:24. Not as we possess your faith, but [as] we are companions of your joy: for by faith do you stand. He said above: “spare you,” but did not come to you. This “sparing” could seem in another way to be too domineering, as if he considered himself entitled to do whatever he wanted with them and their faith. You might think: “What is this? Did we believe in order to accept slavery and so that you would punish us as a ruler?” (Theodorite). Preventing this, the Apostle writes: I did not say this to rule over your faith; faith is a matter of freedom; Believe it if you want, or not. “Who has the power to force someone who does not want to believe to believe?” (Saint Chrysostom). But when you have entered the realm of faith, you must be faithful to faith in everything. And I am the guardian of this fidelity. Due to my duty, I cannot leave you without correcting your faults. Everything that I taught you and that I brought from you is not mine, but God’s; I can’t give up any of that. As soon as you turn out to be faulty, I have to correct you, and this is bitter for you. I don’t want to be the cause of your sorrow, but I want something joyful to always come from me personally to you. This is the sense in which I said: “sparing you” does not mean to upset you, but on the contrary, to always promote your joy to everyone. For when you are corrected from one of my admonitions in absentia, there will be nothing sorrowful for you; on the contrary, you will feel the joy of self-willed correction; and when after this I come to you, I will be happy to see you in good order, and you will be happy to meet me and see me rejoicing over you. So I spared you, that I might be a companion of your joy. “I did not come to you so as not to plunge you into despondency, in order to give you a chance to rejoice at your correction only from my threat in absentia. We do everything for your joy, that’s all we care about” (St. Chrysostom). “By faith you stand.” The idea is clear; but in what connection it stands here is not clear. Theophylact writes: “As for faith, you stand in it (εστηκατε - established, firm). In other respects you have faltered; and if those guilty of this remained unreformed, I would have to lean on them and thereby sadden them (and you all) and myself.” So is Ekumenius. Saint Chrysostom does not express this, but, holding the same thought, introduces the Apostle’s intentions as to why he said this: “Look with what caution he speaks again; I did not reproach them again, because I had already denounced them very well in the first message, and after that they already showed some change in their lives. If, after this change, they heard the same reproaches as before, then this could destroy them (plunge them into despondency or despair). That is why this epistle was written with greater meekness than the first.” So, the Apostle said this to encourage the Corinthians and raise their spirits, approving them in this main respect. But perhaps the Apostle has such a thought here, as if he were saying: after all, you are believers; Faith gave you enough motivation and enough strength to correct all the problems to your own satisfaction and to my joy. That is why I was sure that I would be an accomplice to your joy if I left you to correct yourself, remembering only the faults. By this I definitely showed mercy to you; but why I did this is because I am confident that you stand by faith. 2 Cor. 2:1. Judge this within yourself, so that sorrow will not come to you. I didn’t want to come to you before you corrected yourself, seeing that by doing so I would cause grief to both you and myself. I decided within myself, or with myself, not to go to you directly from Ephesus, but first to write to you so that you could correct everything yourself, and so that when I come after this, I would come to you not for sorrow, but for joy. My hope that this will happen is based on your faith; for in the faith you are strong. 2 Cor. 2:2. If I bring sorrow to you, then who is it that makes me happy, then accept sorrow from me? This place is a little dark, but, in connection with the flow of speech, one cannot help but see that St. Paul here justifies the manner of his action by success, attributing it to the praise of the Corinthians. since it was necessary to correct it, this could not be done without grief. It was a matter of prudence to do this with as little grief as possible or with almost unnoticeable grief. That’s what I did: I wrote to you, reproaching you and urging you to improve. Of course, this could not but be sad, not only for those who were exposed to the reproof, but for all of you. But what did this grief lead to? - For correction, and correction for making me happy. Who can cheer me up more than the one who accepts sorrow from me with such strength? So, if I create sorrow for you, both by my non-arrival to you and by my accusatory message, let sorrow happen: it is healing; those who have accepted sorrow will correct themselves, having corrected themselves, they will make me glad, but my joy will again be reflected on you, and we will have common joy. Theodoret writes: “For what amuses me so much as the sensitivity of the accused? She shows me the benefit produced by the accusations.” In order to see the connection of these words with the previous ones, it is necessary to put an additional thought between them: I did not personally decide to bring grief to you, and if it was absolutely impossible to do without it, I limited myself to plunging you into grief through a message. In the next verse he expresses this directly. Saint Chrysostom speaks to this place: “I did not want, he says, to come to you, so as not to upset you with new reproaches, indignation and disgust. True, I was not without grief when I was forced to reproach you and see your grief because of it; but this same thing also gave me pleasure. For this was a sign of your greatest love for me, when I meant so much to you that even my indignation could consume you. No one pleases me as much as the one who is consumed by my words and grieves when he sees me upset. True, it would be better to say this: if I insult you, then who can make you happy? But he does not say this and, wanting to correct the Corinthians, he turns this speech and says: although I make you grieve, however, consumed by sorrow from my words, you give me great joy.” 2 Cor. 2:3. And I wrote these things to you, so that I may not accept sorrow upon sorrow, for it is fitting for us to rejoice, trusting in all of you, as my joy is for all of you. This more fully and accurately defines the idea of ​​the previous dark place. “For this reason, my coming is preceded by a message, so that it will serve as a healing for you, and in store for me joy, in which you will also participate, recognizing my joy as your own” (Blessed Theodoret). This is the meaning of my message to you. Then he wrote so that you would correct yourself and so that, having come to you before the message and before your correction, I should not accept sorrow upon sorrow. I already had grief that you had considerable problems; Yes, having come to you before your correction, he should have accepted new sorrow, personally exposing those who were faulty and correcting them. And this final sorrow would be increased by the fact that, while I should have found you at the highest degrees of perfection and rejoiced at that, I would have seen you completely faulty. This is the third sorrow, and, moreover, the most sensitive one - when you accept sorrow because of those who should have brought joy. This is the reason why I did not come to you directly from Ephesus myself, but sent a message in advance, so that, having received the message, you would correct yourself and I, coming after this, would only rejoice with you. I acted this way, “hoping”, in full confidence that “my joy is for all of you,” that is, that you will be jealous to bring me joy by correcting all the faults, considering my joy to be the common joy of all, wanting to see me rejoicing, so that from seeing the joy on my face you yourself will be joyful. Saint Chrysostom expresses the Apostle’s thought as follows: “I wrote to you first, so that, to my regret, I would not find you uncorrected. I am sure that you rejoice if you see me rejoicing, and you yourself will be filled with sadness when you see me sad. I did this with your benefit in mind, not mine. Although I receive considerable pleasure from your grief when I see you caring so much about me that you yourself grieve when you see me grieving, despite, however, this disposition of my spirit, since I have your benefit in mind, then when “I wrote this to you, so that I will not accept sorrow,” and in this again I was looking not for my own, but for your benefit. For I know that you yourself will grieve when you see me grieving, just as you will rejoice when you see me rejoicing. Note how the Apostle also said this: “It is fitting for us to rejoice in them.” For this testifies to his sincerity and great love for them. This is what some father could say to his children, for whom he did a lot of good and worked hard. So, he says, if I am only writing and not coming to you myself, then I am not coming because I am doing something better for you, and not out of hatred for you, and not because I am disgusted with you, but because I love you very much.” 2 Cor. 2:4. Out of many sorrows and tight hearts, I wrote to you with many tears, not that you would be offended, but that you might know the love that the Imam showed to you in abundance. “The Apostle sensitively touched upon them in his former epistle; Therefore, he declares that he wrote this not just with the intention of upsetting them, but with the intention of healing those who had sinned, for whom he suffered a great illness (of the heart), and sent his message with hope for them, showing to those what kind of disposition he has towards them” (Theodoret). “Since the Apostle said that he rejoices when they grieve (in feelings of repentance and correction), so that the Corinthians would not say to him: so you only care about this so that you yourself can rejoice and show everyone how great the power you have among us - for this he added: “Because of sorrow there is much,” and so on. What soul could be more tender and more child-loving than this one who says so? The Apostle not only no less, on the contrary, he grieved much more for those who sinned than how much the sinners themselves grieved. For he does not just say: from sorrow, but “from much sorrow”; not only with tears, but with “many tears,” and from “tightness of heart,” that is, I was suffocated and suppressed by sadness, and, unable to bear the pressure from this cloud of sadness any longer, I decided to write to you—not, however, to upset you, but so that you would know the love that I have in abundance for you. It should be said this way: not to offend you, but to correct you, for this is why I wrote, but the Apostle does not say so; on the contrary, in order to make his speech more pleasant and bind the Corinthians closer to himself, instead of reminding them of correction, he assures them of his love, by which he does everything. And he doesn’t just say: I have love for you, but “I am the imam who loves you abundantly,” wanting to attract them to himself, showing that he loves them more than anyone else and is disposed towards them as chosen disciples. Thus, the Apostle, although he spoke with anger, but this anger came from great love and sorrow. For, while writing the epistle, he says, I grieved and suffered not only because you sinned, but also because I was placed in the need to grieve you, and all this out of love, like a father who, having been placed in the need to cut off and cauterize the rotten members of his beloved son, suffers doubly, both from the idea of ​​his son’s illness, and from the need to cut off the diseased members himself. Therefore, what you consider a sign of ill will toward you serves as a sign of the greatest love for you. If I was excited by love to upset you, then all the more rejoice when I see your sorrow. This is how the Apostle defends himself. He often defends himself like this, and is not ashamed of it. For if God also does this when he says: “My people, what will I do to you” (Mic. 6:3)? then all the more could Paul do this” (St. Chrysostom). e) Pardon for a repentant incest (2 Cor. 2:5–11) 2 Cor. 2:5. If someone insulted [me], insult no less, but in part, let me not aggravate all of you. “From defending himself, he now moves on to defending someone who has fallen into fornication” (St. Chrysostom). This text definitely stands at the transition from the previous thought to the next expression of mercy to the repentant sinner. I said above that if I wrote to them strictly, then I wrote with sorrow and tears, and I wrote so not in order to sadden them, but in order to express love. What is love? - The fact is that, pronouncing a strict sentence on the sinner, he protected them, removed the stain from them, cleansed them and made them happy. For, he says, this one, who committed such an unheard-of crime, saddened not only me, but partly also you, partly, I say, not to say a heavy word, but my thought is that he saddened you no less than me (St. Chrysostom). So, pronouncing a sentence on him, and, moreover, through your or public decision, I satisfied you, I stood for you, I wanted to drive away your grief. “And recognize my love in this.” But in this very presentation of the matter, the Apostle prepared the Corinthians to accept the following saying about pardon. 2 Cor. 2:6. This prohibition from many is sufficient for such a person. Having learned about the fall that happened among you, I grieved and lamented about it. When I exposed this obscenity, you were grieved by it no less than me. Therefore, they unanimously pronounced the sentence I had prescribed for him. And now he is excommunicated and bears the sorrow that burdens us. We are happy, but it is difficult for him. He is heartbroken and sad. As for me, looking at this repentant sorrow of his, I am consoled: for this means that he is alive spiritually. I am pleased with his obvious desire to be in fellowship with us a partaker of the great promises of believers about Christ Jesus. But I want you, just as you grieved with me because of him, to also join in my joy because of him. I wrote strictly so that you may know my love, having in mind to show this love to the sinner if he repents. Here he is repenting; Let's show him love! - Saint Chrysostom says: “The Apostle begins to speak about this to the Corinthians at the same time when he praised them in advance for the fact that they alone have joys and the same sorrows with him, and said in advance: “For my joy is all of you.” If my joy is also your joy, then you should, he says, rejoice with me now, just as you grieved with me then. For just as you brought me pleasure and joy through your sorrow then, you will make the same thing your joy now, if you only take part in my joy.” All sins committed before baptism are washed away by baptism and forgiven freely. Sins after baptism require cleansing punishment. It was also required for the Corinthian sinner. The Apostle says: as for the cleansing punishment that should be imposed on the repentant, then in relation to our repentant, this prohibition that has already taken place “from many” is enough, that is, this excommunication pronounced by the assembly of believers, “because everyone began to turn away from him, as the Apostle commanded” (Theodoret). The prohibition, - επιτιμια, - embraces everything that was imposed on the sinner, despite his repentance. Here is the beginning and basis of our church penances and the very manner of their use, that is, pronouncing them in all severity and then shortening them, depending on the feelings of contrition of the repentant person. It is remarkable that here, as in the first letter, the Apostle does not remember the name of the sinner, nor the name of his sin. Saint Chrysostom speaks about this: “He does not say: to one who has fallen into fornication, but, again, as in the first letter, to “such a one,” although for a different reason. Then he said this out of disgust from the sin he had committed, but here out of condescension towards the sinner. Therefore, here he does not mention the sin committed, because the time was already to protect the guilty one.” 2 Cor. 2:7. Moreover, let you bestow and comfort the opposite, so that such a person will not be consumed by much sorrow. “The Apostle commands here not only to allow the due punishment, but also to return the guilty person to his previous state. For if someone, having punished a guilty person, simply lets him go without any consolation, he is not doing him any good. But look again how the Apostle restrains the guilty person, so that, having received forgiveness, he does not become worse. For, despite the fact that he confessed his sin and repented of it, the Apostle allows the guilty person to see that he receives forgiveness not so much for repentance as for mercy and condescension; that’s why he says: “may you grant and comfort.” This can be seen from the following words. For he does not say: I allow you to forgive the guilty person because he is worthy of it or because he has brought sincere repentance, but because he is weak. That’s why he added: “But no matter how much sorrow he will be sacrificed.” By saying this, the Apostle testifies to the great repentance of the guilty person, and does not allow him to reach despair. What does it mean: “will be sacrificed”? - Or that he can do the same thing that Judas did, or that he can do worse in his lifestyle. For although, he says, he is not such that he can no longer endure the torment of prolonged punishment, but, having lost patience and hope, he can easily encroach on his life or indulge in greater wickedness. Therefore, we must be careful so that the wound does not become more severe and dangerous, and so that by immoderation in punishment we do not destroy what we have already done good. In saying this, the Apostle wanted, as I noted before, to both curb and admonish the guilty person, so that, having received forgiveness, he would not become even more negligent. For, he says, I accepted such a one into my former favor, not because he was completely cleansed from the filth of the sin he had committed, but out of fear that he would do something worse. From here we learn that the measure of repentance must be assigned not only according to the nature of sins, but also in accordance with the nature of the spirit and the state of the sinners themselves. This is what the Apostle did then, for he too was frightened by the sinner’s weakness. That’s why he said: “Let him not be devoured,” as if by some beast, or by waves, or by a storm.” 2 Cor. 2:8. I also pray that you strengthen your love for him. “Approve”, - κυρωσαι, - decisively give a definition, sign what is being approved. Perhaps the Apostle also means that by a general verdict they should return their love to him, or he wants to mean one thing, that this love should be strong, complete, irrevocable. He says, as it were: “Attach a member to the body, attach the sheep to the flock, show warm affection for it” (Theodorit). “He no longer commands, but asks the Corinthians, not as a teacher, but as an equal, and, leaving them to sit in the judge’s seat, he himself took the place of the defender. For as he had already achieved what he wanted, he did not know the extent of his humility from joy. What are you asking for, tell me? - “Approve love for him,” that is, with sincere and strong love, and not just and as it happened, accept him. By saying this, the Apostle again assimilates to the Corinthians a very high virtue. Those same ones who had previously shown such love for their brother and defended him so much that they were proud of it, later had such an aversion to him that it cost Paul the great to force them to accept the culprit into their former love. This is a commendable quality in students, this is perfection in a teacher: when the students are so obedient, and the teacher forms such obedient students! For no one should be loved unreasonably, nor should anyone be repelled without reason. If it were so now, then those who sin would not be so indifferent and insensitive to their sins” (St. Chrysostom). 2 Cor. 2:9. That’s why I wrote, but I mean your art, if you are obedient in everything. “Pisach”, - εγραφα, - wrote, which can be attributed to both the previous message and the words preceding here. Previously, writing about the punishment of the guilty, the Apostle already had in mind to have mercy on him if he repented. One thing, he says, they did; do other things too. By this you will show “art” - rationality in obedience, that you show obedience not according to your calculations and thoughts, but according to obedience itself, having this virtue and acting on it regardless of everything. In this he prescribed for them an irresistible incentive to fulfill his desire, placing them in the state of students undergoing testing, whose whole concern is to respond in such a way as to gain the approval of the tester. Saint Chrysostom says: “Yes, I understand,” he says, “are you obedient, that is, not only in cutting off the guilty from the believers, but also in joining them. You see how here, too, the Apostle presents the Corinthians with the need to decide on this feat, for just as when the guilty one sinned, the Apostle presented to them how dangerous it would be for them if they did not cut him off, saying that “a little leaven leaves the whole mixture” (1 Cor. 5:6) and much more; in the same way, here he presented to them all the danger of disobedience, and said almost the following: just as before I had to take care not only of the guilty person, but also of you, so now I am no more concerned about him than about you, so that no one would consider you to be stubborn, inhumane people and not obedient in everything. For the removal of a guilty person from your society might seem to some to be a matter of hatred and cruelty; on the contrary, accepting him into your love will especially prove the sincerity of your obedience, and at the same time your readiness and ability for acts of philanthropy. For good and intelligent students obey their teacher not only in his first requirement, but also in another, even if he orders something contrary to the first requirement. Therefore, the Apostle said: “in everything,” in order to show that the Corinthians, in case of disobedience, would shame themselves rather than him, earning the glory of disobedience. He does this in order to induce them to obedience, as these words also show: “For this reason I wrote to you.” Although the Apostle did not write for this purpose, for his main goal was the salvation of the sinner, he nevertheless says: “for this purpose,” in order all the more to dispose the Corinthians in favor of the guilty one. However, he himself does not harm himself in achieving the main goal, and favors the Corinthians. Having said: “in everything,” he thereby reminds them of their first obedience and puts it on display here, with the intention of praising them (and praising them for their previous obedience to incite them to a new one).” 2 Cor. 2:10. To him, if you give anything, and I: for if you give anything, to him you will give, for your sake, in the face of Jesus Christ. He places himself in the closest connection with the Corinthians, so that where they are, there he is. And he lets them go ahead, and imagines himself walking after them, showing them his obedience, so that they too can cut off any guilt of disobedience. He had already expressed pardon to the guilty before, when they had not even thought about it; but he spoke with a view to their benefit, their good, their common salvation; “Gifts,” he says, “for your sake.” He did not do this by demonstrating and exercising his power, but he borrowed the impetus for such a deed from you, as if he had received a command from you. “You see,” says Saint Chrysostom, “how again the Apostle humiliates himself before the Corinthians, putting them in first place, and himself in second; and all this in order to soften hardened souls and bend unyielding hearts. But so as not to give the Corinthians a reason to think that the whole matter is left to their power, and so that they do not persist in forgiving the guilty, the Apostle, limiting their power, says that he himself granted forgiveness to the guilty: “for even if I have given freely, it is for your sake,” that is, I did this very thing for you. And the first time, when the Apostle commands the Corinthians to cut off the guilty man, he did not give them the power to forgive him, saying: “I have already judged... deliver such a one to Satan,” and then allowed them to participate in this judgment when he said: “to those who have gathered together... deliver such a one” (1 Cor. 5:3-5). He did this with two important things in mind: to pronounce the sentence, and (to pronounce it) not without the consent of the Corinthians, so as not to upset them. He does exactly the same thing here, for he says: “I have granted” forgiveness to the guilty, I, who in the first letter condemned him. Then, so that the Corinthians would not be offended, as if despised by the Apostle, he says: “for your sake.” What is this? Did he really forgive the sinner for the people? - No; for this is why he added: “about the face of Jesus Christ,” that is, either according to the will of God, or for the glory of Christ. - Theodoret writes about this as follows: “So that no one would think that the Apostle, out of pleasing people, neglected justice, he added: “about the face of Jesus Christ,” that is, I do this when Christ sees this and is pleased with what has been done.” It can be done this way: in the order of salvation, according to the principles of salvation. For Christ Jesus is the Savior; and he who works for true salvation works in His face. Or because he said so, because he, like all the Apostles, always acted as they spoke and acted before God in Christ, neither having themselves in mind, nor being guided by pleasing people. Below, Saint Chrysostom speaks about this: ““About the face of Jesus Christ,” either for the glory of Christ, or because Christ Himself commanded to forgive the sinner. These last words were especially convincing for the Corinthians. For they were already afraid to refuse forgiveness, which served for the glory of Christ and was pleasing to Him.” 2 Cor. 2:11. Let us not be offended by Satan: we do not fail to understand his intentions. “Let us not offend”, - let us not be taken advantage of, let our manner of action not serve him in favor, let him not derive benefit from it. How? - If, having closed our eyes with jealousy as if in truth, he does what we allow our brother to die. Satan intervenes everywhere with his advice. He does not always directly suggest bad things, but often good things, but he always has the same goal - our eternal destruction. In the present case, he could inspire the Corinthians: how can you tolerate such a thing? You are a holy tongue, people of renewal; is there a place for him to be among you? Drive him away. And he could speak other words to him: you are already lost; there is no salvation for you! Drop them; do you see what they are like? Go back to the pagans and live as you please. – The Apostle puts himself among those offended by Satan. Of course, he also tries to profit from them, for his shamelessness has no measure when he even approached the Savior. But the Apostles, enlightened by the Spirit of God, saw his machinations and immediately cut through all the knots and intricacies of these machinations. That’s why he says: “We are not foolish to understand his intentions.” We, he says, clearly see and understand what he is leading to and how he can use it to his advantage. Understanding this, we cannot allow him to have success in anything. This is the final conviction to forgive the culprit. For he makes it clear that if they do not do as he suggests to them, then instead of Christ the Lord they will fulfill the will of Satan and instead of a saving step they will take a step that is detrimental to themselves. Saint Chrysostom says: “The Apostle points out to the Corinthians a common harm for all in the event of their disobedience, for he says: “Let us not be offended by Satan.” Here he very appropriately called Satan an offender and a kidnapper. For he no longer takes what is his, but steals what is ours. Don’t just think about the fact that one sinner could become the prey of this beast, but also imagine that the whole herd is in danger by reducing its number, and especially now, when Satan has the opportunity to return what he has lost. “We do not understand his plans,” that is, Satan can lead to destruction through piety. For not only can it lead to fornication, but on the other hand, through immeasurable sorrow during repentance, it can plunge one into destruction. Thus, if Satan, along with his property, seizes ours, when he destroys both the one whom he leads to sin, and the one to whom we prescribe saving repentance, he steals from us, then how can we call this if not offense and theft? For it is not enough for him that he overthrows us through sin; he does the same through repentance if we are not careful and circumspect. Therefore, the Apostle very rightly called the case when Satan defeats us with our own weapons theft and offense. For it is characteristic of him to take possession of us through sin, and not through repentance, which is our weapon, not his. So, if Satan can take possession of us through repentance, then judge for yourself what a shameful humiliation this is for us! How he mocks and mocks us as powerless and weak, defeating us with our own weapons! And truly, it is very funny for him and extremely shameful for us that he inflicts wounds on us with our healing. That is why the Apostle said: for we do not understand his intentions, that is, how cunning, insidious, malicious, malicious intent Satan hides even against our very piety. Considering all this, we should never despise anyone who sins. Equally, when we ourselves sin, we should not give in to despair, but, again, we should not remain careless; on the contrary, let us heartily repent of our iniquities, not only repenting of them in words (but also by deed showing both pain over sins and true correction in them).” 2. About the height of Christian revelation, or Gospel truth, with an account of how it is established on earth (2 Cor. 2:12–7:1) Having finished his speech about changing the travel plan, the Apostle wanted to set out what happened to him on this path, that is, from Ephesus through Macedonia, in order to reach the return of Titus, and about this, and especially about what he said, to give the necessary instructions (chap. 8, 9) and admonitions (chap. 10-13); but he only reached the point of returning to Macedonia (2 Cor. 2:12, 13), when, before he could speak about the coming of Titus, he was taken by the Spirit to contemplate the power, glory, lightness and wonderful actions of the Gospel truth, and began to express his contemplations in flowing and inspired speech, until he poured out everything that the Spirit gave him to preach at that time (2 Cor. 2:14–7:1). Having finished this, he again begins the interrupted speech and says how delighted he was with the arrival of Titus and with everything that he conveyed to him (2 Cor. 7:2-16). Here with the Apostle it was the same as with the prophets when the Spirit lifted them up. “Take the Spirit from me” (Ezek. 3:12), they said. The Spirit took Saint Paul and showed him in his mind what he was saying about the Christian revelation, or the truth of the Gospel. Everyone immediately sees this when reading the epistle: for the talk about this begins unexpectedly. Verses 12–13 will thus be an introduction to the conversation about the truth of the Gospel, as giving rise to it. In terms of content, they are in direct connection with what is written after 7, 2 and further and are one and the same. 2 Cor. 2:12, 13. Having come to Troas with the gospel of Christ, and the doors that were opened for me in the Lord, having no rest for my spirit, I did not find my brother Titus, but denied him, and departed to Macedonia. The Apostle headed to Troas from Ephesus, perhaps by land, and, having visited the Churches lying on the way, had the idea of ​​preaching the Gospel in this city; for on the second journey, when he was led by the Spirit of God to Macedonia through this city, it is not clear that he stopped there to preach. Meanwhile, as you can see, this was an inevitable transition point from Asia to Macedonia and back. This disposed the Apostle to plant faith here. The door for preaching was open: they listened to the Apostle willingly and believed with complete submission to the word of grace. If, therefore, the door was open, and open in the Lord, then preaching could do a lot in one day. It acts instantly, and the same speech, received by thousands of ears, could convert thousands. Therefore, when the Apostle says after this that, having no peace, due to the non-arrival of Titus, he had to leave them, this does not mean that he left the matter unfinished, but just that he could not be with them for a long time. The work of the gospel is both seeded and mature. It usually and everywhere itself matures under the influence of grace. The Gospel is not verbose, but contains a comprehensive system of knowledge, which can then develop by itself in the minds and hearts of humble believers. This truth is confirmed by the entire initial apostolic sermon. So it was in Troas; therefore, when the Apostle arrived here on his way back from Hellas through Macedonia, he found faith here in full bloom and spent whole nights in sweet conversations with believers (Acts 20:7). The fact that Saint Paul had no peace, not even a shadow, does not represent the worries that we usually experience due to any personal dangers and losses. He was concerned about the cause of God. If Titus was punished, having completed everything assigned in Corinth, to hurry to Troas, and according to the timing he should have already been there, but he was not, then the Apostle could naturally assume accidents that would be ruinous for the cause of the Church and the Gospel. The Apostle lived only for the welfare of the Church and for the success of the Gospel. Touching these objects is the same as touching the apple of his eye. So he is confused and has no peace. He was tormented by the uncertainty of what was happening in Corinth; The Spirit of God did not deign to reveal this to him, or to fill his heart with trust, leaving it to the natural flow of human feelings under the influence of external circumstances. This forced him, not having found Titus in Troas or not having waited for him soon, to rush to meet him. Why, having said goodbye to the Troadians, “denied them”, he went to Macedonia, for his further path lay there, and Saint Titus was supposed to return to him through that country. This is where the story ends. What news Saint Titus brought and how Saint Paul was delighted with them, he writes about this below, 7, 2 and further; here one memory of that delighted his spirit; and he, without having time to say a word either about the coming or about the news of Saint Titus, was taken by the Spirit into contemplation of the power and glory of the Gospel truth and, crying out: “Thanks be to God,” he began to express his contemplations in inspired speech. This speech can be called a conversation about the same subject, but without a specific, deliberate plan; ideas in it are replaced by one another, exhausting their subject, but not adhering to the custom that one comes out of the other. It is possible, however, to indicate three turns in it and with them to indicate its division: a) first, the Apostle sets out the properties and actions of the Gospel truth, or Christian revelation (2 Cor. 2:14–4:6); b) then he says that with all the height of this revelation, the bearers and distributors of it throughout the earth are extremely humble, they are meager vessels, they act, however, zealously, inspired by hope for the future (2 Cor. 4:7-18, 5:1-10); finally, c) he sets out how the sermon itself goes, with an application to the Corinthians (Cor. 5:11–7:1). a) About the properties and actions of Christian revelation, or Gospel truth (2 Cor. 2:14–4:6) The word of the gospel: aa) self-testified, spreads like a fragrance (2 Cor. 2:14–17, 3:1–3); bb) it is not ours, but from God, and is glorious, more glorious than the Old Testament (2 Cor. 3:4-11); cv) it is light and enlightening (2 Cor. 3:12–18); d) it acts irresistibly when the god of the age has not blinded anyone’s mind, just present it to the conscience in its pure form without any admixture (2 Cor. 4:1-6). In all these points, the Apostle speaks about himself and in general about the Apostles, since they were the organs of the gospel, but what he says, obviously, can only be attributed only to the Gospel itself, and not to its bearers. aa) The word of the gospel is self-attesting (2 Cor. 2:14–17, 3:1–3) The Apostle says: we, the bearers of the gospel, are the fragrance of Christ, which to some is life, and to others death (2 Cor. 2:14-16). Nothing depends on us here, for we do not add anything of our own to the gospel; it itself acts this way (2 Cor. 2:17). That’s why we don’t bring letters of recommendation anywhere and don’t take them from those we enlighten in order to introduce ourselves with them further; but the gospel itself recommends us, and the converts themselves replace letters of recommendation. They look at what our gospel has done and are convinced of its truth (2 Cor. 4:1-3). Such thoughts are hidden in the words of the Apostle, although at first they are invisible. In presenting them, we do not think of doing violence to the word, but only wish, as much as we have the strength, to enter into the spirit of the apostolic witness. 2 Cor. 2:14. But thanks be to God, who always conquers us in Christ Jesus, and who shows us the stench of His mind in every place. Thank God! He called out this after he imagined in his mind what his message had done in Corinth, as Saint Titus conveyed to him about it. The sinners repented, all the faults were corrected, the confusion was dispelled, and everyone expressed their complete readiness to follow the word of the Apostle. His word turned out to be completely victorious, and he could rightly recognize himself in the position of a winner, making a triumphal procession after some famous victory. That’s why he cried out: “Thanks be to God, who makes us conquerors!” - “Winners to the creator,” - θριαμβευοντι, - who arranges a triumph for us, who places us on a triumphal chariot. “Always” winners are those who create - the Lord always does this for us, that when everything seems to rebel against us and everything we have done seems to be disintegrating, He again restores everything in power and returns full glory to His truth. And now everything seemed to be upset in Corinth - in Asia I was burdened beyond my strength, in Troas I had no peace, in Macedonia it was no better; and when Titus came and said what happened in Corinth, I could not help but see and before everyone confess the victorious power of God accompanying our word, whether oral or written. Why “for everything we glorify God, who, ruling us wisely, leads us here and there, making us known to everyone and through us spreading the knowledge of piety” (Theodoret). The Apostle says that God makes them, the Apostles, conquerors; In fact, the word of the gospel of truth is victorious, and the glory of victory falls on them only as on the organs of this word. Why does he further say that God makes them victorious about “Christ,” and precisely because they everywhere show “the stench of His mind,” that is, they spread everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of God and Christ the Lord, the Savior, calling this knowledge a fragrance, because of its sweetness and because of the willing, with joy and pleasure, acceptance of it by all who are capable of it. “Having pointed to the Giver of victories, he further says the reason for these victories, adding: “about Christ,” that is, through Christ and preaching about Him. “The stench of reason” he calls the knowledge of Christ. We, he says, are like a royal censer, because we go everywhere, carrying with us heavenly ointment, from which comes a spiritual fragrance. He said this to show the power of preaching” (St. Chrysostom). This stench of reason is victorious. Like the bride in the Song of Songs, so the souls who heeded the word of the gospel of Christ the Savior could cry out: “The stench of Thy world is more fragrant than all... We flow after Thee into the stench of Thy world” (Song. 1:2, 3). They flow after the Lord, like crowds of people behind a triumphal chariot of victors. Was it not this similarity that gave the Apostle the reason to use the aforementioned metaphor: “the stench of the mind”? 2 Cor. 2:15. For Christ’s fragrance is God’s in those who are being saved and in those who are perishing. “We,” he says, “are the fragrance of Christ.” If you perfume some material or clothes with any aroma, then wherever you bring them in, they spread their aroma everywhere, and no other smell can be heard from them, although they have their own natural smell. So the Apostles, filled with the knowledge of Christ, wherever they appeared, they appeared knowing nothing else but the Lord Jesus Christ. Their word was only about Him, they revealed powers only about His name, they sanctified believers in His name, they gave commandments in His presence, they built churches for His glory, and everything that came from them was all about Christ, for Christ, from Christ. They were so palpable the fragrance of Christ! And this is both for those who are saved and for those who are perishing. “Those who are saved” are those who believed, were sanctified by the sacraments, were reborn to a new grace-filled life and began to walk in this newness of life. “Those who are perishing” are those who turned away from the word of the gospel and were hostile both to it and to the Good One and to the evangelists. For both they were the fragrance of Christ. To both, they clearly, convincingly and tangibly represented that there is no other salvation than in the Lord Jesus Christ; both of them understood well the power of this word of the gospel; but some accepted him and were saved, while others turned away from him and remained in their destruction. There is nothing fatal in the fact that there are those who are being saved and those who are perishing, although from experience one can see how others uncontrollably strive towards destruction, despite all the concerns for their salvation, while others remain firmly on the path of salvation, despite the unfavorable conditions of salvation surrounding them. Without God there is no salvation; and He wants to save everyone, but does not force anyone into captivity. Therefore, if there are those who are perishing, it is because they do not want to be saved. Although we are unable to explain why others do not want to; however, it is certain that the final reason for this is their will. 2 Cor. 2:16. I smell the stench of death in death, and I smell the stench of the animal in my stomach. And who is happy with this? “We offer the fragrance of Christ to everyone, but not everyone who smells it receives salvation. For for painful eyes, light is dangerous and hostile; however, it is not the sun that causes harm. They say that the vulture bird runs from the fragrance of the world, but the ointment remains the world, although the vulture runs from it. So the saving sermon brings salvation to believers, but causes destruction to unbelievers” (Theodoret). There are foods that one person takes with pleasure, but another cannot even bear the smell of them, and when he smells it, he experiences a tremors throughout his whole body. The nature of the dishes is the same; the fact that they act so oppositely on both depends on the random moods of their organism. Christ the Lord is the essential life for all of us; and the gospel of Him contains essentially life-giving principles for everyone; meanwhile, according to random moral sentiments, for some it is life, for others it is death. “But whether someone is saved or perished, the preaching of the Gospel always retains its dignity. Like light, even though it blinds the weak with vision, it remains light, although it blinds; or just as honey, even if it seems bitter to the sick, does not cease to be sweet in its essence, in the same way the gospel of Christ always has its characteristic fragrance, although those who do not believe this gospel perish; for it is not the gospel that destroys them, but their own bitterness. And to the destruction of the wicked the fragrance of preaching is revealed even more. Thus, the power of the gospel is revealed not only in the salvation of the good, but also in the destruction of the wicked, for the sun especially blinds the eyes of the weak because it shines very clearly. Likewise, the Savior, although “lies... for the fall and rising of many” (Luke 2:34), however, does not cease to be the Savior even when countless people fall. So, the gospel is always a saving fragrance; but, smelling this fragrance, some are saved, while others perish - so, however, that if someone perishes, he himself is to blame for his own destruction” (St. Chrysostom). “And who is happy with this?” Saying that the saving word of the gospel for some is a stink into death, and for others a stink into the stomach, the Apostle naturally raises the question in everyone: how can this be? Assuming this question has already been proposed to himself, he answers it: “Who is happy with this?” Who can explain how this happens? God desires one good thing and gives one good thing; Christ the Lord is our Savior and Life, and the gospel of salvation in Him is the life-giving word. Where can harm come from? Unless only from us. But what about us? Perhaps only in this case, if we began to mix our own wisdom into the gospel and therefore preach it uncleanly. But this, he says, cannot be said about us, as can be seen from the next verse. Therefore, why the word of the gospel has such contrary effects remains incomprehensible. Who is happy (able) to understand and explain this? This understanding of these words and their connection with those that follow seems most straightforward if we take into account the twofold effect of the gospel. And if we look at the previous speech in this way, that in it the Apostle only hinted indirectly that the gospel can lead to death, but his main goal was to present the life-giving and victorious nature of the word of the gospel; then in the words: “and whoever is pleased with this,” the Apostle obviously wanted to reject from himself any honor of participation in this victory and attribute everything to God. That the word of the gospel goes through the world like a conqueror on a solemn chariot, this is not from us; no one among people could do this. It itself is so victorious by the power of God, hidden in it, or accompanying it and imparting all-effectiveness to it. So Saint Chrysostom: “Since the Apostle said so many great and extraordinary things, appropriating universal triumph for himself, he again tries to moderate what he said, referring everything to God. He says, as it were: all this is Christ’s, and nothing is ours. The false apostles boast of their preaching as if it were their own; on the contrary, the true Apostle credits himself with the fact that he calls nothing his own. Why does he say: “And who is pleased with this?” From where it already followed by itself: and if we ourselves are not satisfied with this, then everything that happens to us and through us is a work of grace.” In this case, the following words will already have the following meaning: everything in the gospel is the work of God, the work of grace; There is nothing of ours here and there cannot be. Our entire concern is not to mix anything of our own into the word of the gospel, but to convey it pure, as received, giving it the opportunity to act without hindrance with all the fullness of its inherent power. 2 Cor. 2:17. For we are not like many preaching the word of God uncleanly, but as from purity, but as from God, we speak before God in Christ. “Those who preach the word of God uncleanly” - καπηλευοντες - those who corrupt the word of God. In order to have more income, innkeepers add water to the wine, and so that this mixture does not lose the color and taste of the wine, they mix something else into it and, thus, sell it as if it were real wine, but it is no longer real: it does not have that strength, and it is harmful to health. Similar to them are those who mix their own wisdom with the pure word of the gospel. Even if such wisdom were not false, but were added in the form of an explanation of the matter according to the principles of the mind, then they, expanding and dividing the word unnecessarily, weaken it and take away from it the power and healing that are characteristic of it in its unalloyed integrity. If lies are mixed in, then everything is already distorted and the words of the gospel become evil news. The Apostle says: we do nothing of the kind - not only lies, but also we do not apply any of our own wisdom to the word of the gospel, passing it on in its natural purity - as we received it from God - as persons conscious that we are speaking before the eyes of God Himself, we are speaking in Christ, by His power, by His protection, to His glory, or as doing His work. Saint Chrysostom says to this: “Although we, says the Apostle, proclaim many great and extraordinary things, however, we do not appropriate anything to ourselves, on the contrary, we attribute everything to Christ. We do not want to imitate the false apostles who take much for themselves, for this would mean acting like an innkeeper when he counterfeits wine or sells for money what should have been given freely. Indeed, it seems to me that the Apostle here skillfully ridicules the covetousness of the false apostles and hints at what I said before, that is, that they preach the Divine with an admixture of their own. Exposing the same vice, Isaiah says: “Your nurses mix wine with water” (Is. 1:22). Although this is said about wine, it is not wrong to apply this to teaching. That’s not how we act, he says; but what we ourselves have believed in, we offer the same to others, and we teach pure teaching, without any admixture. That’s why he added: “but as from purity, but as from God, before God, in Christ we speak,” that is, we do not preach in order to deceive you, as if giving you something of our own, or by introducing and mixing something from ourselves, “but as from God,” that is, we do not say that we are giving you anything on our own, but we affirm that we have received everything from God; for the expression: “as from God” means not to boast of anything as one’s own, but to attribute everything to God. “We say in Christ,” that is, we speak everything not from our wisdom, but enlightened by the power of Christ.” And Theodoret in this place points out the main idea that the Apostles conveyed the word of the gospel as it is, in its natural purity: “The Apostle makes it known that he himself offers teachings inspired by the grace of God, and opponents muck with the word of God, turning it into a fable by mixing their own thoughts with grace, as those who mix pure wine with water do.” Let us give the opinions of our other interpreters on some sayings: “but from purity”, - εξ ειλικρινειας, - from sincerity, without guile, - “from a pure and ingenuous heart (with childish simplicity)” (Theophylact). “But as from God” - “as they received from God and were taught by God” (Ecumenius) - that’s what we say. “Before God,” the Apostle said this, to show the straightforwardness and goodness of his heart. Our heart, he says, is so pure in this matter that we dare to present it to the eye and judgment of God” (Theophylact). “In Christ,” “that is, we speak, proclaimed and taught by Christ. This is the truth and purity, according to the testimony of the Apostle, of the word of the gospel delivered to us!” (Ecumenius). Thus, if our word of the gospel is effective and victorious, all that belongs to the gospel itself and the power of God that accompanies it, and not to us. We only try to convey it in all its purity and unadulteration from any wisdom and our own considerations. 2 Cor. 3:1. Do we begin to inform you again? Or do we demand, like no one else, notification messages to you, or notification messages from you? The apostle speaks in relation to the custom and use of letters of recommendation. Wanting to meet with a favorable reception in some place, another takes a letter of recommendation from a famous person and goes with him to that place; then, having established his business there - trading, and sometimes teaching - he takes an approving certificate from the inhabitants of that place in order to find a similar reception in another place. The Holy Apostles did not appear anywhere with such letters, but with one word of the gospel and with the power of the Spirit of God and Christ accompanying them. This replaced any letter of recommendation for them. The power of the word of the Gospel and the signs that accompanied it confirmed to everyone that they were truly messengers of God. From this confirmation faith was born, and all the gospel was received by faith; this was followed by sanctification and renewal by grace and the communication of special gifts. From that moment on, it was not the external, but the internal confirmation of the heavenly dignity of the gospel that began to dominate; and this is not only for those who accepted the gospel and were renewed by it, but also for all outsiders. When outsiders saw spiritual renewal in any locality, they were amazed and themselves came to the conviction that the gospel they had received was heavenly, Divine, and worthy of reverent attention and faith. Thus, this update in one place served instead of a letter of recommendation for the Apostles in all other places. This course of progress in the gospel is what Saint Paul now reminds the Corinthians in several expressions. He said above that they do not mix anything with the word of their gospel, but, passing it on in its natural purity, leave it to act as it is peculiar to it. Now he reminds them: remember, we came to you with one word of the gospel, and it itself made you into what you are now. By His power you eat what you eat. You know it; and here is the closest confirmation for you that the word of the gospel is self-effective and all-conquering, as I said above! Here is a letter of recommendation for us, both to you and to all others. - But Saint Paul expresses this with the figure of correction, as if saying: but what are we? – As if we are again beginning to recommend ourselves to you, as strangers, as if entering into intercourse with you for the first time? – There is no need for us to recommend ourselves to you or present ourselves, as there is a custom, letters of recommendation from others to you and from you to others. You replace everything like this yourself; you yourself are our recommendation both to you and to others. - “Notify”, συνιστανειν, introduce someone to someone, or recommend. Blessed Theodoret writes in this sense: “Shall we begin to inform?” It is not for us to say this, but for you, who know exactly what concerns us (and the work of the gospel among you).” Ecumenius conveys the Apostle’s speech in this way: “Who will not say that we are stating all this, wanting to recommend ourselves to you or introduce ourselves to you? - No; Do we really need, like some others, letters of recommendation to you or from you? - Not at all; you are our letter of recommendation.” 2 Cor. 3:2. You are our message, written in our hearts, known and read by all people. You - our letter of recommendation, an open letter that all people know and read - see your faith and a life good according to faith, they find out, or directly know, where you have such a change, and, having found out or knowing that all this has produced our gospel in you, they begin to revere it, look for an opportunity to hear it, so that they themselves can taste the fruits of it. Such a mood spread everywhere through you is better than any letter of recommendation for us. How this epistle is written is explained below by the Apostle in verse 3, saying that they are the epistle of Christ, written by the Holy Spirit; and what he says here: “written in our hearts,” then the Apostle only wants to say: everyone reads you as our message, but you are not alien to us, just as we are to you - we carry you in our hearts. So that no one says: here we have a letter of recommendation for you, and you left this letter openly - anyone who wants to read it - the Apostle says to this: let them read you openly, but we value you no less than anyone else values ​​a letter of recommendation. He wraps up his letter and puts it safely in his bosom, and we carry you in our hearts, you are written there with us. Where necessary, we ourselves read it to others, and from us people know no less about you than through seeing you yourself. Saint Chrysostom says: “Here the Apostle expresses not only his love for them, but also testifies to their virtuous life, that is, that with their virtues they can prove before everyone the dignity of their teacher. For this is what his words mean: “You are our message.” Whatever your letters would do, in which you would approve and glorify us, you fulfill this with your life according to faith, which everyone sees and hears about. For the virtues of the disciples serve as the best adornment for their mentor and approve of him better than any letter. “Written in our hearts”, because we carry you with us everywhere and keep you in our hearts. As if he were saying this: you serve as our approval before others, and we always have you in our hearts and preach about your virtues before everyone. Therefore, we have no need for letters of approval from you to others; you serve as our approval. If we need to recommend ourselves to others, we will put you up for Wednesday instead of a letter of approval. He said this in his first letter: “For you are the seal of my apostleship” (1 Cor. 9:2).” Blessed Theodoret writes: “We have no need for messages, our very deeds bear witness to us, and we have an animated message that speaks to you and everyone in our favor - this is your faith, glorified everywhere, both on land and at sea, because we, having delivered you from error, led you to the light of knowledge of God.” 2 Cor. 3:3. We show that the message of Christ served by us is not written in ink, but by the living Spirit of God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of the heart of flesh. There he only said that the Corinthians are their message, which everyone reads, either by seeing them, or by what the planters of faith in them themselves say about them, carrying them written everywhere in their hearts. Now he explains what kind of message they are, how such a message is written and where. This is the main thing in the Apostle’s speech, for he has one goal - to say how high and self-approving is the word of the gospel, through which the Corinthians became what they are. “We appear”, you appear before everyone, it clearly happens to everyone who recognizes you that you are “the message of Christ”, a message written by Christ Himself and about Christ, that is, a message testifying to salvation in Christ, or written in the spirit and on the subject of the economy of salvation in Christ Jesus. You can see for everyone how the work of salvation begins, how it is established, how it is sung, with what it is painted (the gifts of the Holy Spirit) and with what it is crowned; you are the picturesque law of life in Christ Jesus. Saint Chrysostom says: “Raising them to a higher understanding, he calls them the message of Christ, as having the law of God written in them (about Christ Jesus). What God has deigned to reveal to everyone (through our gospel), all this, he says, is written in your hearts.” Theodoret writes: “And what do I say: “ours”? You are the message of our Savior Himself, the sayings of His very preaching.” Ecumenius and Theophylact interpret: you are the message of Christ, “because His law and His commandments abide in you and are kept by you.” "Served by Us". Christ wrote you by the Holy Spirit, “but we are only servants of the writing” (Theodoret). “We have prepared you to receive these letters. As Moses prepared the stones and tablets, so we have prepared your souls” (St. Chrysostom). “Thus, through preaching, we were ministers only of your faith and your conduct of the work of salvation” (Ecumenius and Theophylact). Faith itself and knowledge itself and everything else that brings about salvation was not written in your hearts by us. Apart from us, although during our service to you in word and action, the Holy Spirit wrote all this in you. “It was not written in ink, but it lives by the Spirit of God.” He wants to say that their writing was done not externally, but internally, not externally, but internally. Usually written on paper with ink. He who wants to know what is written reads, understands and accepts: so it goes inside him - into consciousness, and there he understands it with his mind, feels it with his heart and enters into the rank of a stimulator of desires and active energy. With you, he says, it was not so: the Spirit of God directly penetrated into your hearts and there painted the truths of salvation, which transformed you and then went into action. Together with the word of the gospel, spiritually moving and spirit-bearing, the Spirit of God passes to the inner man and arouses him to attention. He who listens, accepting idea after idea through words, finally sees what is the matter and what is required. Upon seeing this, not without the assistance of grace, he must decide whether he agrees or disagrees. The spirit of grace withdraws at this: the decision belongs to freedom. But when agreement is expressed within, it is fixed in the essence of the soul by grace, and everything heard from the mind, where it was collected by attention, passes into the heart and is imprinted there with vitality. This is the first - the initial scripture. It contains a program for a new life, the demands of which come from here, but are not suddenly recognized and accepted. Christianity is not a theory, but a life. He who expresses his consent to accept it accepts an obligation and lives by it. These demands of life immediately enter the consciousness and are accepted by the conscience as law. But for all that, this is a new process of inner spiritual life. The Spirit of grace helps to clearly imagine everything required and again retreats so that freedom itself spontaneously expresses consent to this. When this agreement is pronounced, the Spirit of grace, everything conscious, as a condition of Christian life, then impresses on the conscience and heart: and behold, the painted tablets of the law of life about Christ Jesus! This is the second scripture. The third scripture continues uninterrupted throughout life. None of this is done without the Divine sacraments: the first scripture ends with holy baptism; the second - by holy confirmation, and under the Apostles - by the laying on of hands; third - throughout life, repeating the sacraments of repentance and communion. Thus, whoever believes, is reborn, enters a new life and leads this life - all through the action of the Spirit of God. If all this is precisely the writing of Christ, then it is self-evident why it is considered to be written not in ink, but by the Spirit of the living God. “Not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of the heart of flesh.” The Apostle moved from letters of recommendation to living scripture, through the gospel imprinted in the Corinthians, and this led to writing by the Spirit in the hearts, in contrast to writing, although by the finger of God, but outside, on tablets of stone. So this whole section on the superiority of the New Testament revelation is compiled by St. Paul, just as a chain is knitted, link clinging to link. Moses prepared stone tablets. God, with His finger, wrote on them the commandments of His law. This is a great symbol depicting the moral order of the Old Testament. The tablets are outside the lawful man. Reading them, he understood what was required, and since under the law there was an answer in blood for non-fulfillment, he was forced to do it. But it came from outside, and lay on him like an external yoke. In Christianity, the law of life about Christ Jesus is written by the Spirit of God, alive in the inner man, in the heart, the very source of life, and, proceeding from there and embracing consciousness and freedom, fills all the sources of life and appears outwardly in deeds, as a natural manifestation of what has taken place and matured within. This is the great and significant difference between the Christian law and the Old Testament law. There the law was read on the tablets, entered into consciousness and fell on the conscience; here it comes from the heart along with consciousness and conscience, and directly excites and disposes to deeds that are willingly done, and not, as it were, from under the yoke. “On the tablets of the heart of flesh,” Theophylact and Ecumenius rearrange it this way: on the tablets of flesh, that is, on the tablets of the heart, or in the heart. The heart is the tablet of the Law, when it is all imbued with the commandments, or the will of God alone, so that it shows neither sympathy nor disposition for anything other than the commandments, or other than that on which there is the seal of the will of God. Then the heart is inseparably combined with conscience, united with it, and conscience becomes a clear and precise determinant of the law of life about Christ Jesus both in general and in particular. The Apostle presents the matter in ideal perfection, which is nevertheless achievable. In order for the heart to reach such perfection, we need a lot of work and deeds. This state is modern with purity of heart. That’s why the prophet prayed: “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right Spirit in my womb” (Ps. 50:12). The spirit of righteousness is renewed together with purity of heart, or through purity of heart. The right Spirit is in the womb and it is by the Spirit of God that the scripture of the law of life about Christ Jesus, written on the tablets of the heart, lives. – All the saints of God had this goal in mind and by the measure of achieving it they measured the degree of their ascent to perfection. bb) The word of the gospel is not ours, but from God and is glorious, more glorious than the revelation of the Old Testament (2 Cor. 3:4-11) 2 Cor. 3:4, 5. This is the hope of the imams of Christ towards God, not that we are content with ourselves, but that our contentment is from God. Although ahead the Apostle attributed everything to the word of the gospel and the grace of the Spirit, which was painted on the hearts of the Corinthians; However, I could not keep silent that both of them existed and served for salvation through them. They were the instruments closest to the Corinthians of the Divine influence of grace on them. And the Corinthians knew this from the case itself. From their mouths came the victorious word of the gospel; through baptism, either by themselves, or through their guidance, rebirth to a new life was given; through the laying on of their hands the gifts of the Holy Spirit descended. The Corinthians were in charge of all this. Therefore, when the Apostle so magnified the work of God, manifested in them and on them, he could give them a reason to think about him and the other contributors to him more than how much they are. That’s why I thought it necessary to stipulate this and present the matter as it is. He says, as it were: exactly, and here we act and act with complete boldness, with complete confidence in God through Christ the Lord; and He never disgraces our hope, but always acts through us in the fullness of the Divine actions, which He intended to take place in people according to the economy of salvation. But don’t think anything unnecessary about us. Despite all this happening through us, we are nothing here. Not only can we not come up with anything on our own that will have a better effect on people, but we also don’t understand how everything works. The actions that come from us for salvation turn out to be complete, and we seem to be fit and capable of performing them, but this fitness and ability is not from us - “our contentment is from God.” He works through us in Christ Jesus by the grace of the Holy Spirit. “Hope - imams”, - πεποιθησιν, - we have confidence in God that He will not refuse to act through us in this or that case, as He promised and intended, and we have this confidence through Christ the Lord, for we act in the order of the economy of salvation perfected by the Lord. Theodoret writes: “We boldly trust in the God of all, because Christ gave us this boldness; “We don’t think highly of ourselves and offer a sermon not out of our own thoughts.” – Saint Chrysostom says: “Again he attributes everything to God and calls Christ the culprit of everything. He did not say: “This is the hope of the imam,” according to which we assimilate one thing to ourselves and another to God; on the contrary, “this is” with which we cast everything on God and impute it to Him: for our contentment is from God.” Here is the Ecumenical word: “The hope of the imam,” we dare, he says, we completely place our trust in God, through Christ we are filled with inspired boldness towards Him; On our own we are not at all content to work worthily in this service; We cannot even comprehend the greatness of the deeds, let alone understand anything about it.” 2 Cor. 3:6. And the servants have pleased us to be in the New Testament, not by writing, but by the Spirit: for writing kills, but the Spirit gives life. “What does it mean: “please us”? – That God made us capable of such service. For it is a great thing to communicate to the universe such tablets and writings that are much more important than the first. Therefore he added: “not to writing, but to the Spirit.” This is the difference between the old and new tablets! Moses did not bring the Spirit, but a letter, and we have been entrusted with the teaching of the Spirit” (St. Chrysostom). “The God of all things has given us power sufficient to serve the grace of the Spirit. For we do not offer the old writings of the Law, but the new gift of the Spirit” (Theodoret). “God pleased us, filled us with His power, made us ministers suitable for such a great and Divine work, ministers of the “New Testament, not of writing, but of the Spirit.” And the Law was spiritual, but it did not give the Spirit, as the New One gives. We, he says, have been entrusted with the teaching not of writing, like Moses, but of the Spirit. The apostles did not teach only the doctrine of the spiritual and the Divine, but gave the Spirit, laying hands on the believers” (Theophylact). This is the essence of the New Testament - the spiritualization of believers. The word that came from the mouths of the Apostles was the same as the Old Testament; and if the apostolic ministry were limited to preaching alone, then the New Testament would not be higher than the Old, even if the concepts imparted to preaching were higher than the Old Testament. The power of the New Testament is not in concepts, but in the grace of the Spirit. The word of the gospel only prepared for the reception of the Spirit; but the work of the New Testament was accomplished by the Spirit, accepted through the Divine sacraments, of which the Apostles were the first ministers. The Spirit, having entered the heart, did not only write the New Testament, but accomplished it, transforming the inner man according to the spirit of the New Testament. The Spirit did everything: He imagined faith; He also arranged a new life; He directed the path of life. And here the Apostle does not announce something new, but indicates the fulfillment of what was foretold by the prophets of old. The prophet Jeremiah predicted: “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, and I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not according to the covenant that their father commanded... giving my laws in their thoughts, and I will write them on their hearts” (Jer. 31:31-33). The prophet Ezekiel complements this prophecy: “And I will give them a different heart, and I will give them a new spirit, and I will pluck out the stony heart from out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My commandments, and keep My justifications, and make Me a people, and I will be their God” (Ezekiel 11:19, 20). These predictions were fulfilled when the Lord poured out His Holy Spirit on the holy Apostles, and then, through the instituted sacraments of God, on all believers. The believers all received the Spirit and became new in the very beginnings of life. This is how it always happens to everyone who sincerely believes and unfeignedly follows the path of faith. Behold, he says, the covenant with which God has pleased us to be ministers is “not by writing, but by the Spirit”! “Writing kills, but the Spirit gives life.” “The apostle spoke about both, looking at the end, because the law punished those who transgressed, but grace gives life to believers” (Theodoret). “Here he calls by letter the law, which threatens punishment for transgressors of the law, and by the Spirit, grace, which, through the sacrament of baptism, gives life to those who have died in sins. First he said that one covenant was written on tablets of stone, and the other on hearts of flesh. But it seemed to him that such a difference was still small, and therefore he added that the old Testament was written in letters and ink, and the New - in the Spirit. But just as this difference could not yet fully excite his listeners, he points out something else in them that was strongly inspired by them, that is, that “the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” What does this mean? – According to the old law, the sinner is punished, but according to the new law he resorts to baptism and becomes righteous; and having become right, he comes to life, freed from the death of sin. The law, if it catches a murderer, condemns him to death; and if grace befalls a murderer, it sanctifies and revives him. But what am I talking about the killer? The law also seized and stoned him who was gathering wood on the Sabbath (Num. 15:32–36). This is what it means: “letter kills”! On the contrary, grace catches countless murderers and robbers and, having washed them with the waters of baptism, frees them from their former evils. This is what it means: “The Spirit gives life”! The law makes someone alive from a living person, but grace makes a criminal from a dead person (spiritually) alive. Through the grace of baptism, sins are washed away, former iniquities are smoothed over; a person comes to life, and all grace is imprinted on his heart, as on a tablet” (St. Chrysostom). By now, Christianity is all contained in writing. The spiritually moving word of the apostles constitutes our New Testament revelation; the spirit-bearing sacraments are furnished with splendid ritual; the guiding beckons of the Spirit are fulfilled in the relationship between shepherds and their flock. And all this is determined by the charter. But the charter is a letter, a letter; its execution is an external form. In all this there may not be a spirit of life. It is possible to move in life forms without life. You can know and understand the entire New Law by heart, and not have the Spirit that enlightens you through living faith; one can strictly fulfill all the rites of the church and not have the quickening Spirit, or not have spiritual life; It is possible to remain in complete submission to shepherding, without encountering guidance that truly comes from the Spirit. Truly spiritual life moves in all these orders, but is not necessarily presupposed by them. We all live according to an established order; but some are spiritual and others are not. Of the two standing in the church, and even operating, one may be spirit-bearing, and the other not. So how? And then the letter kills? - A letter, a letter, a form has the same price everywhere; and when the Spirit is not with them, they are nothing. But the spirit breathes wherever it wants, and do not know where or how it comes from (John 3:8). It does not come without faith and sacraments; but they can also be corrected only in form, without the manifestation of inner strength. That all this is so is confirmed by experiments everywhere. They are before our eyes. But we can’t figure out how and why this is done. With a great secret, the Lord closed the birth and growth of life from the Spirit. It is His will; His will is holy, and righteous, and good. One consolation: “seek and you will find” (Matthew 7:7). 2 Cor. 3:7, 8. If the ministry of death written in stone, formed in stone, be in glory, as if the son of Israel had no power to look upon the face of Moses, the glory for the sake of his face ceases: how much more will the ministry of the Spirit be in glory? The Apostle has already sufficiently demonstrated the superiority of the New Testament over the Old, especially in that the Old Testament was inscribed in dead letters on stone, while this New Testament is depicted by the life-giving Spirit in the heart, which is why the one is deadening, and this one is life-giving. Now he wants to present the glory of the New Testament, darkening the glory of the Old, and for this he uses an indication of the glory reflected on the face of Moses when he came down from the mountain after a conversation with God. Here he comes to the following conclusion: how much more excellent is the economy of salvation that we proposed to you and accepted by you than the Old Testament, you know this from your own experience; you have received the life-giving Spirit, who has given you new life, who has sanctified you and who has tangibly revealed the sign of his presence in you (in extraordinary gifts). The Old Testament ministry did not provide anything like this. But look, what glory accompanied its establishment? Moses, coming down from the mountain with his mark, shone with glory. Conclude from this that if that service, so inferior in comparison with ours, was so glorious, then how much more glorious is our service? The purpose of such a speech by the Apostle seems to be this: I am explaining to you the superiority of the new grace over the Old Testament ministry; at the same time, another may come to the thought: but what about Moses, he shone with glory; and what do we see here? The Savior is in humiliation, the Apostles are all unostentatious, and all believers have the same unglorious fate. Be careful not to be tempted by such a thought; on the contrary, from the very fact that that Old Testament ministry was so glorious, conclude that ours is incomparably more glorious. For you have already experienced its power and bear the evidence of its superiority within yourself. If what you receive from this service is incomparably superior to what that service gave, then do not doubt that the glory of our service is more brilliant than the glory of that service. Don't look at appearances; The visible is temporary, the invisible is eternal. Are you visible what you have from the Spirit of grace? - Invisible. But is it really any less so? - Not at all less; for it is not something external that tells you about this, but what you yourself feel and experience within yourself. So - if this is certain, although invisible, do not doubt that the glory of our ministry is indeed more brilliant than the glory of the Old Testament ministry, although no one sees the brilliance of this glory. - The Apostle instills this truth in them through inference, for he could not point out this glory so that even bodily eyes could see it, as the Israelis saw the glory of Moses - he could not say: look, what glory! And with intelligent eyes this glory is not contemplated as some kind of light, but is only accepted in the certainty of the conviction that it exists. This certainty of conviction is its light. Glory itself is the superiority of his dignity, clearly recognized. Yet this was built on the undoubted fact that the economy of salvation gave the Spirit of grace, imparted new spiritual life and was crowned with special gifts. This revival experienced by everyone from the Spirit, this spirituality and spiritual mobility inherent in everyone, gave the Apostle’s conclusion an unshakable fulcrum and strength capable of reflecting all perplexities. Saint Chrysostom sees this structure of thoughts in the Apostle, and after him all of us. He says: “The Apostle said that the tablets of Moses were of stone and written with letters or writing, but the tablets of the New Testament were of flesh and were written by the Spirit; He also said that “the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” Finally, it remained to add to this comparison something else, no less important, namely about the glory of the face of Moses, which glory no one saw in the New Testament with bodily eyes. That is why the first seemed to be a great glory, for it amazed the senses and was contemplated by bodily eyes, although at the same time it was inaccessible. And the glory of the New Testament is spiritual. But the comprehension of this superiority of the latter was inaccessible to the weak, therefore the Old Testament glory more admired and attracted them to itself. So, since he had already allowed such a comparison (of the New Testament with the Old), he decided to show the superiority of the New Testament glory. since this was very difficult due to the weakness of the listeners, then look at what he does and what method he uses to achieve this goal: he shows this difference and superiority through the conclusions that he draws from what he said above. If the Old Testament ministry, he says, was the ministry of death, and the New Testament ministry is the ministry of life, then, without a doubt, the glory of the latter ministry is greater than the glory of the first. since he could not imagine the New Testament glory to physical eyes, he shows its superiority through inferences.” The Apostle builds these three conclusions, the starting point for which is, on the one hand, the glory of the face of Moses, and on the other, the spiritual perfections of the New Testament ministry. The production of inferences is the same everywhere: sometimes it’s less, but it’s so nice; How then will this better and greater not be incomparably superior? He puts in advance what is less and what is more, and from here he draws the obvious conclusion: if what is less is glorious, then, of course, this greater is incomparably more glorious. The following features are compared: this is the “ministry of death” (dead), and this is the “ministry of the Spirit” (living and life-giving) (2 Cor. 3:7, 8); this is the “ministry of condemnation”, and this is the “ministry of righteousness” (2 Cor. 3:9, 10); this is “that which ceases”, and this is “that which endures” (2 Cor. 3:11). Who doesn’t see that if the first is glorious, then the second must be incomparably more glorious? After this, the content of these verses 7–11 is clear. It is, however, necessary to make the necessary comments on some statements. What is meant by service here? – Not the Mosaic agency and Apostleship, but the dispensation of salvation under the law and grace, in their comparison of one with the other. So Saint Chrysostom and all ours. Theodorite only points to one thing or another. And in the course of speech it is better to understand the latter. The Apostle in this section talks all about the superiority of the New Testament and puts it on display, but hides and obscures himself in every possible way. Before this I only said that in themselves they are nothing. Is it appropriate to assume that after such a word he immediately displays the glory of the Apostleship? “If the ministry of death of writing was formed in stone, it would come to glory.” - “Educated” - εντετυπωμενη, printed in letters on stone - on two stone tablets. Only the ten chapters were written on these tablets; By the ministry of death we mean the entire Old Testament institution. The Apostle embraces it all with the one thing that was written on the tablets, because the decalogue was the focus of the entire Old Testament institution, and because glory appeared on the face of Moses for the first time when he took down the tablets, and perhaps also because writing in letters on stones very well expresses the essential features of the Old Testament. The words: “to be in glory” indicate the glorification of the “vision of the flesh of the face” of Moses when he came down from the mountain. This glorification was so great that Aaron and all the sons of Israel could not bear its brilliance, and were “afraid to approach” Moses (Ex. 34:29, 30). This is what the Apostle expresses when he says: “For the children of Israel have no power to look upon the face of Moses.” Moses himself at first “did not know that the form of the flesh of his face was glorified,” but when he found out, he began to put a veil on his face (Ex. 34:33) in order to freely enter into communication with the sons of Israel in the matter of establishing the entire Testament. As he ascended the mountain, Moses took off his veil to talk with God. This glorification of the face was a consequence of the vision of the glory of God, its reflection; why, after the end of the whole matter, the arrangement of the cherished order probably ceased. Why did the Apostle call this glory perishable? The sons of Israel, he says, could not look at Moses, “because of the glory of his face.” But why is this institution called “the ministry of death”? “The apostle called the ministry of the law the ministry of death, because the law punished (death) criminals” (Theodoret). “By the ministry of death the Apostle means the law, although the law was not the author and originator of death. The cause of death is sin. It led to breaking the law; and the law discovered it and condemned it for sin. He revealed evil more clearly and only punished evil, and did not encourage evil; and served not to produce sin or death, but to punish the one who sins. And thus he was also the destroyer of sin. For when he showed sin to be so terrible, then, without a doubt, he forced him to run away, or tamed sin with fear of punishment” (St. Chrysostom). The law kept us from the works of sin, and the power of sin remained in action and with it. since the power of sin is a deadening force, and it was irritated by the law, which meanwhile did not provide help to resist it, then it kept those under the law in the deadening area of ​​sin. “The law was nothing more than writing. But the letters did not provide any help to those under the law, as, on the contrary, happens in baptism; but the tablets and inscriptions brought death to those who transgressed the writings” (St. Chrysostom). That is why the law is the service of death! Or perhaps the by-law institution was called the ministry of death in the sense that it was a dead ministry, that is, a written, lettered, statutory, external ministry, without the inner power of life. The Law did not give the Spirit, but prescribed only works. Things were done in the usual way, but there was no spiritual life inside, for it was given by the Spirit, which the law did not communicate. In the New Testament, on the contrary, the first thing is the gift of the Spirit, which, reviving to new life, depicted in the heart the laws of this life, giving the power not only to outwardly suppress, but to destroy sin. Why, contrasting the New Testament institution with the Old Testament, as the ministry of death, he called it the ministry of the Spirit, making it clear that the ministry of the Spirit, according to him, is the same as the ministry of life, that is, living, emanating from the heart, not determined by external prescriptions, but emanating from within, as a need of the heart. But this ministry is such only because it itself is the fruit of the grace of the Holy Spirit. Realizing the superiority of such a ministry, everyone with the Apostle will cry out: “How will the ministry of the Spirit not increase in glory?” 2 Cor. 3:9. If the ministry of condemnation is glory, much more abundant is the ministry of righteousness in glory. The Old Testament institution was a ministry of condemnation, because the law only exposed sin and condemned the sinner as a sinner in the knowledge of the sinner, and left the sinner there, did not lead him further. The sinner could not help but recognize the righteousness of condemnation and would like to escape from it and not be subjected to it anymore, but he could not, because the law did not give him the strength to do so. Thus, the law always kept those under the law under condemnation, without giving any outcome from it. On the contrary, the covenant of grace, although it also opens with a comprehensive condemnation of those called to it, says: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you... for the remission of sins: and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). That is, in it, from the first step, remission of sins is given, which the law condemns, and a new life is imparted, strong to unswervingly walk in the commandments of God - the right spirit is renewed in the womb, imparting to those who receive it inner rightness, or righteousness. Why is he the ministry of truth, - δικαιοσυνης, - righteousness, holiness and integrity, not in name, but in essence. So, if the ministry of condemnation is glory, that is, glorious, then the ministry that gives righteousness and holiness is not even more abundant in glory, although this is not visible to sensual eyes, as it was seen on the face of Moses? 2 Cor. 3:10. For what was glorified in this part was not glorified for the glory that surpasses it. An explanatory thought has been inserted on the previous conclusion. As if an objection was heard: how can this be? Surely that institution of ministry is so obviously glorified?! - The Apostle answers: let it be glorified, but know that it is glorified not at all in the sense that nothing could be more glorious than that, but that it is the highest glory, above which nothing else can be expected. Και γαρ ουδε δεδοξασται, - for what was glorified was not glorified in this part, that is, in the dispensation of the Old Testament ministry, - ενεκεν της υπερβαλλουσης δοξη, - for the sake of this, or in the sense that it was the most excellent glory. This was not a glory of the last degree, but a moderate one, and was given only to impress the sensual sons of Israel, given for the time of the establishment of the law, so that on it they would always see the reflection of heavenly origin. When the establishment of the law ended, that glory also ceased. The next verse just fits with this thought: “if the glory ceases.” If now this things that pass away are glorious, how much more glorious must those things that remain be! Understanding this place in this way, we remain focused on Mount Sinai, before Moses with a glorified face, and measure his glory there by the same yardstick that the subsequent course of affairs gives it. But you can put that glory in front of the glory of the New Testament institution and understand this passage this way: that which is glorified and glory does not appear before the Gospel, for the sake of the superiority of the glory of this latter, “like the light of a lamp, and strong in itself, becomes inconspicuous at midday before the light of the sun” (Theodoret). Saint Chrysostom says: “First the Apostle showed that the ministry of justification is in glory, and not only in glory, but also abounds in glory. Now he already shows how great this superiority is, saying: if I compare this glory with the Old Testament, then the glory of the Old Testament will not even be glory.” Theophylact adds: “And the law was glorious in itself, in its measure, but because of the excess of the glory of the Gospel, it is no longer glorious.” 2 Cor. 3:11. For even that which ceaseth be in glory: much more is that which abideth in glory. The third “inference, showing in another way the superiority of the New Testament, borrowed from time. For the Old Testament ministry has come to an end, but this continues forever” (St. Chrysostom). “The Apostle called the law “perishable”, as having lost its power with the coming of the Lord Christ, and the gift of grace “abiding”, as a gift that will have no end. Therefore, if the law, he says, was worthy of glory, then, of course, the gift of grace will be worthy of many times greater glory” (Theodoret). “If the law, which had to pass away, was given accompanied by such glory, how much more will the New Testament, which will always be, be in glory?” (Theophylact). With such comparisons and conclusions, the Apostle found out that the New Testament economy of salvation is more glorious than the Old Testament. But how? Is there or will there be? – The Apostle’s thought is that it is more glorious, only this glory is not visible, but mentally contemplated, spiritual. It will be revealed visibly at the second coming of the Lord, but until then it will remain invisible, although nevertheless real. The Corinthians already recognized it in the wondrous actions of the Holy Spirit, but these actions were like the flash of passing lightning, and although they left confidence in the glory of the Gospel dispensation, without visible, however, the constant manifestation of this glory. In the Church of God this invisible inner glory is constantly present. But the reality of the Spirit is tangible only in persons who through long labor and then cleanse themselves of passions. The glory that the Apostle speaks of is not, in any case, external, visible, such as, for example, the glory of the Church under Constantine the Great. These glories are always accidental, they come and go, and one should not dwell on them, much less measure the dignity of the kingdom of grace by them. Truly, it must be judged that whether these external glories are present or not, for the cause of God there is no harm or profit from this. This is important and must be valued so that the Church always has the effectiveness of the Spirit and always has zealots in it, zealous to flow to such a measure. Their impoverishment is the impoverishment of the spiritual glory of the kingdom of Christ, and their cessation is the dimming of glory. Where this is, there the ministry of death and condemnation is established, with all the appearance of the ministry of spirit and truth. cv) The word of the gospel is light and enlightening (2 Cor. 3:12–18) Having clarified the great glory of the Gospel dispensation in comparison with the glory of the Old Testament dispensation, marked by the glorification of the person of Moses, the Apostle dwells further on this last circumstance. Moses with the glorified face hidden under the veil is a great symbol expressing in the most accurate way the meaning of the Old Testament. Just as the face of Moses was glorious, but hidden, so that others no longer saw this glory, so the Old Testament is glorious, but its glory is hidden. His glory is Christ the Lord hidden in all his ranks and decrees; but this glory is covered with materiality, so that if you look at appearance alone, then the entire Old Testament dispensation represents nothing but spontaneous service with sacrifices, incense, and washings. In essence, all this is only a shadow, but the body of this shadow is Christ the Lord. Only a believer in the Lord can see this body and, therefore, understand what the Old Testament dispensation is. He penetrates through the outer cover and sees the light hidden there. Such, says the Apostle, are we believers. We directly see the Lord and His glory, and we ourselves are more and more enlightened by the same glory. 2 Cor. 3:12. Having this hope, we act with much boldness. “Hope” here is close to the meaning of perfect conviction; He called belief “hope” because it embraces both the present and the future. He spoke of the glory of the New Testament economy. This glory already exists, inherent in both those who preach about this covenant of grace and those who enter into it - although it is invisible to the eyes of the body, it is only mentally contemplated and felt in the heart. It is inherent in such a way that, having begun, it never ceases, and in the next century it will appear in all its splendor and outwardly. Embracing all this with equal conviction, he called it hope, intending, perhaps, that the gaze of the one who “would like to see this glory with his own eyes should be turned towards the future age” (St. Chrysostom). With such conviction, he says, “we act with much boldness.” – “We act”, – χρωμεθα, we use boldness, we use boldness. “We”, the Apostles, preachers of new grace, boldly offer this grace to everyone, being confident that we are offering a truly glorious thing, more glorious than which there is nothing more glorious in Divine institutions, and not just in human ones. “We know the greatness of glory and do not doubt at all, but with boldness we show the superiority of grace (Theodoret). Saint Chrysostom says: “If you have it,” he says, “such is your hope.” “It’s like this” – which one? - That we are worthy of more than Moses, and not only us, but also all believers. “We walk with much boldness.” Before whom, tell me? Before God or before the disciples? “Before you,” he says, to whom we preach, that is, we preach everywhere with freedom, without hiding anything, without any pretense, without fearing anything, but speaking clearly and without fear, lest we smite your eyes, just as Moses smote the eyes of the Jews.” 2 Cor. 3:13. And not as Moses put a veil on his face, for he was not strong enough to look upon the end of the passing of the Son of Israel. Let us repeat this story in the words of St. Chrysostom. “First, it is necessary to tell the story itself, for the Apostle himself does not let it out of sight. What does this story say? When Moses, having received the tablets another time, came down from the mountain, a certain glory emanating from his face shone so much that the Jews could not approach him or speak to him until he put a veil over his face. This is written about in the book of Exodus (Exodus 34:29–34). Pointing to this story, the Apostle says: “not as Moses put the veil on his face.” His words have this meaning: we do not need to cover ourselves like Moses. For you can behold this glory, although it is much greater and higher than that of Moses.” Theodoret writes about this: “We do not need a veil, like Moses, because we talk with believers, and believers use a ray of intelligent light. Saying this, the Apostle makes it clear that the Divine Moses, foreshadowing the unbelief of the Jews, put a veil over his face, teaching that they would not be able to see the end of the law, because the end of the law is Christ, for the justification of everyone who believes. - This is what the Apostle said: “For the sake of the loss of power, the son of Israel should look at the end of what is passing away.” For the law is said to cease, that is, to lose its power, and the end of that which ceases is to be preached under the law, that is, Christ.” Our other interpreters interpret the main terms of this text: the covering of the face of Moses and the end of the deceased, as follows: Ecumenius: “Why is it, as someone asks the Apostle, that you do not preach covertly and do not obscure your words like some kind of veil? For what? – Firstly, because of the confidence in the purity of the sermon, and then because you can see the beauty that exists in the sermon. For you are not blind, like the Jews. The higher the New Testament dispensation, the more excellent are those who are taught it. They could not look at the face of Moses, whose glory was about to end. Wanting to show the short-term nature of that glory in comparison with the glory of the New Testament, which will always remain, he says that they could not “look at the end of what is passing away.” The Israelites could not look at that glory, and Moses covered it up, and when he covered it, it ceased for the Israelites, it was more invisible to them than it meant that it was passing away. It was so short-lived that as soon as it began, it immediately ceased (having been covered).” Theophylact: “We do not need a covering, for you can see the glory of the Gospel, that is, understand its sacraments, the sacraments of God; and we do not need to cover them with gloominess, like some kind of cover. The Israelites, being rude, could not see that the law had an end, that it must cease. Covering up means coarsening the mind and heart.” Let's put everything that has been said together. The apostle wants to say that the time for covering up is over; now we should speak openly. That the law would cease was in its essence and purpose; but it was impossible to say this directly to the Israelis when it was first established; for, not being able to understand why this should be so, they could not bear this word without harming themselves and the law. Meanwhile, it was necessary to mean this. It is symbolically indicated in the covering of the face of Moses, signifying the hiddenness of some wondrous light under the spontaneous ministry of the law, indicating that when that light appears, the law will cease. This is not said in words, but an intelligible symbol is presented, and those who are capable afterwards could discern its meaning. The apostle makes it clear that now that light has appeared and we have no need to hide it. The old veils, elemental service, must be torn, and we openly show everyone the true light. So, Moses used such a symbol because the children of Israel could not bear the direct word about the end of the law, or the end of its force and obligation. But to limit the Apostle’s thought, when speaking about the end of the law, to this alone, would be very insufficient. For the real end of the law is Christ the Lord. Whoever speaks about the end of the law cannot but have Christ the Lord in mind. The Israelites could not accept the direct word about the end of the law because they could not understand that Christ is the Lord, although He was the body for the shadow of the law. If they could understand this, there would be nothing to hide and the end of the law. But they could not understand this due to the coarseness and density of their minds. So, the Israelites could not look at the end of the passing away because they could not see Christ the Lord in the law. The following words: “the end of what ceases” directly suggest the thought of Christ the Lord, the end of the law, as Theodoret points out. 2 Cor. 3:14. But their thoughts were blinded: even to this day, the veil in the reading of the Old Testament does not remain openly, but ceases to be about Christ. The symbol of the covered, luminous face of Moses meant that under the materiality of the spontaneous Old Testament ministry, intelligent light was hidden. But it is not hidden so that it remains hidden forever, or is inaccessible to everyone. No; it was covered for a while, and those who were capable saw into it and clearly understood the meaning of what was hidden, as can be seen from the holy prophet Isaiah and many others, or all the prophets and righteous people, who each in their own measure recognized what was hidden under the canopy of the law and perceived this light emanating from under the canopy. For the majority, the veils of the law remained impenetrable, and this not only before the coming of Christ, but also after He had already come and illuminated with His light the meaning of the Old Testament dispensation. This is what the Apostle shows here, placing the blame not on the law, but on the blindness of those who adhere to it. They are blinded, he says, and they do not see the light hidden in the law. For them, a hitherto impenetrable veil lies over the law, as it lay over the face of Moses. And they will not receive their sight within until they believe in Christ the Lord. As soon as they believe, the veil will be removed and they will clearly see everything that was hidden in the law. St. Paul speaks from experience. How everything became clear to him in the law is shown by his interpretations of the chief institutions of the law, scattered throughout his epistles. Saint Chrysostom says: “Look where he directs his speech. What Moses did once then remained in his law forever. However, what was said does not refer to the accusation of the law, nor to the accusation of Moses that he then covered himself, but to the denunciation of the rudeness of the Jews. Why does he say: “their thoughts were blinded.” But what is the connection between this blindness and the veil of that time, someone will say? - That it foreshadowed the future. For not only did they not see the law then, but now they do not see it, and they themselves are the reason for this, for blindness depends on their insensitive and coarse hearts. And only now we see the law, and not only grace is hidden from them, but also the law itself. “To this day,” he says, “the veil in the reading of the Old Testament does not remain openly.” That is, the Jews do not know that this veil has been destroyed, because they do not believe in Christ. “The knowledge of Christ ceases.” For if it was destroyed through Christ, as indeed it was destroyed by Him, as the law itself had previously predicted, then those who did not accept Christ, Who abolished the law, how can they know that this law has been abolished? And without knowing this, they obviously do not know the power of the law itself, which speaks about this. You ask: where did the law say that it has an end in Christ? “Listen to the legislator himself, who says this: “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet from your brethren, like me: Hear him according to everything that He speaks to you: it will come to pass that every soul that does not listen to the Prophet will be consumed from men” (Deut. 17:15-18; Acts 3:22, 23). Do you see how the law showed that it had an end in Christ? For this Prophet, that is, Christ the Lord in the flesh, whom Moses commanded to be heard, abolished the Sabbath, and circumcision, and all the Old Testament rites. And David, foretelling the same thing, said about Christ: “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek” (Ps. 109:4), and not according to the order of Aaron. Therefore, Paul, interpreting this passage, clearly said that “the priesthood that is assigned is changed according to need and law” (Heb. 7:12). Besides these, many other testimonies can be cited from the Old Testament, which show how the law should receive its end in Christ. Now, when you leave the old law, then you understand the law well; if you continue to adhere to the law and do not believe in Christ, then you do not know the law itself.” 2 Cor. 3:15, 16. But even to this day, whenever Moses is venerated, a veil is placed over their hearts: whenever they turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away. The same idea is expressed by referring only to universal experience. Everyone, he says, experiences this, that when they read Moses, that is, the law, without faith in the Lord, they see nothing there; “a veil lies over their heart,” it would be possible to see, but the eyes of the heart are closed by unbelief, therefore when they see they do not see and when they read they do not understand. As soon as they believe in the Lord and “turn to Him, the veil is taken away” from the heart, their spiritual eyes are opened by faith, and they clearly begin to see everything hidden in the law. Saint Paul himself experienced this spiritual miracle and saw it on all other Jews who truly believed. By faith, the same thing is seen differently, read differently, and understood differently. Parfeny Guslitsky says about himself how he read one place in a book about faith a hundred times and it did not give him any thought; but when he began to lean toward faith, this place suddenly, like lightning, illuminated the eyes of his heart, and he clearly saw the rightness of the Church and the lie of the schism. This happened with the Jews; Until they believed, they did not see Christ the Lord in the law, and when they began to believe, He was clearly seen by them in everything. The heart, compressed by unbelief, kept the mind in a numbness, and did not allow him to expand his intelligent horizons; when disbelief subsided, the horizon of the mind expanded, and everything seemed clear. Everyone experiences something similar when reading Divine Scripture, although not from unbelief, but from life’s unpreparedness to contemplate more than what the letter of Scripture represents. Saint Chrysostom says: “Since the Apostle said that even hitherto “the veil in the reading of the law does not remain openly,” so that no one would think that these words mean the darkness of the law, he even before, although in other words, tried to show the injustice of this. For when he said: “their thoughts were blinded,” he clearly showed that the Jews themselves were to blame. He shows the same thing in the present place, saying: “a veil lies over their heart,” that is, this happens because of the rude and carnal understanding of the Jews, because they are not able to understand Moses, to see the glory of his face. “Whenever they turn to the Lord, the veil will be taken away.” It also shows medicine, or a method of correction. Although he did not say directly: when they leave the law, he clearly indicated this, saying: “they will always turn to the Lord.” Thus, he endured the story to the end. For Moses, when he spoke to the Jews, covered his face; when he turned to the Lord, he took off his veil. And this foreshadowed what was to come later, that is, when we turn to the Lord, then we will see the glory of the law. Do you see how strongly he attracts the Jew to faith? He shows that he who comes to grace can not only look at Moses, but also become on the same level with this lawgiver, for not only, he says, will you contemplate the glory that you did not see then, but you yourself will partake not only of the same glory, but also much better. How? “Because you, having turned to the Lord and received grace, will enjoy such glory, in comparison with which the glory of Moses is so small that it is not even glory.” 2 Cor. 3:17. The Lord is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. This place is a little difficult, especially in the words: “The Lord is the Spirit.” The Spirit here is obviously the Holy Spirit; for its meaning here should be the same as in the following words: “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom,” but here it is clearly talking about the Holy Spirit. The word “Lord” should mean the Lord Savior, the Son of God incarnate: for before this it is indicated that the veil will be lifted when they turn to the Lord, and above it was said a little that it ceases about Christ. Therefore, according to the flow of speech, the Lord is Christ the Savior. But when we put these terms in the position: “The Lord is the Spirit,” we obtain an incongruous expression, namely: the Lord Savior, the Son of God incarnate, is the Holy Spirit. To speak so contrary to the dogma of the Most Holy Trinity: one cannot say of any person of the Most Holy Trinity that it is another person; for example, the Son is the Spirit, the Spirit is the Son, the Father is the Son or the Spirit, and vice versa. Although they are equal, consubstantial and co-throne, each person is the same person as it is, and not another. Therefore, it is imperative to take either the word “Lord” in the meaning of the Divine in general, or the word “Spirit” in the meaning of spirituality in general. That is, to recognize that it is said here either about the Lord, that He is Spirit, that is, by nature, Spirit, or about the Holy Spirit, that He is Lord, that is, God. Both in terms of context and grammar, both are possible. What to take? – It is better to accept what is closer to the flow of thoughts. Before this, the Apostle said that the veil is removed from the hearts when they turn to the Lord. The natural question after this is how is this accomplished? And the answer to this is direct - what? – By the grace of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, if we assume that verse 17 speaks of the Holy Spirit, then we will assume something that is completely consistent with the flow of thoughts. The apostle points here to the way in which the eyes of the heart are opened and the veil is removed from them. Therefore, if we accept that in the words: “The Lord is the Spirit” it is said about the Holy Spirit that He is the Lord, then we will accept a thought that is completely in agreement with the flow of thoughts of the Apostle. At the same time, we may not be able to speak well, but this is not a reproach to the received thought. Our interpreters all understand this expression in such a way that it speaks of the Divinity of the Holy Spirit. Saint Chrysostom says: “Some say that in the sense in which Scripture says, “The Spirit is God,” in the same sense it is said here, “The Lord is the Spirit.” But it's not fair. The Apostle does not express that the Lord is the Spirit, but that the Spirit is the Lord. And there is a big difference between this and that combination of words. About whom the Apostle said everything that he said above, for example, when he said: “writing kills, but the Spirit gives life”, and again: “it is not written with ink, but lives by the Spirit of God” - did he say this about the Son or about the Spirit? – Obviously, about the Spirit; for to Him he leads the Jews from the scriptures. But lest anyone, having heard about the Spirit and reasoning with himself that Moses talked with the Lord, and this one with the Spirit, should think from here that the Apostle (New Testament dispensation) is lower than Moses (Old Testament dispensation), he, warning such a thought, says: “The Lord is the Spirit,” that is, the Spirit is the Lord. And so that you knew that he was talking about the Comforter, he added: “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom”; so you can no longer say that his words mean the same thing as where the Lord is.” Blessed Theodoret expresses the same thing: “In the words: “The Lord is the Spirit,” the Apostle showed the equality of God and the Spirit; for Moses looked to God, but we look to the Spirit. But he would not have mentioned the Spirit, intending to show the superiority of the new over the old, if he had known that the Holy Spirit is a creature; for if He is a creature, according to the teachings of Arius and Eunomius, and we approach the Spirit, and Moses approaches God and the Father, this means that ours is much lower than the old. If not lower, but higher, and much higher, then it follows that the Holy Spirit is not a creature, but is equal in power and equal in honor to the Father. But, driven by shamelessness, the heretics say that here the Lord is called the Spirit, and not the Spirit Himself the Lord. This is full of foolishness and shamelessness, for the divine Apostle made a complete comparison of writing and the Spirit; says: “it was not written with ink, but it lives by the Spirit of God”; and again: “not by writing, but by the Spirit”; and then: “the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life”: and again: “How else will the ministry of the Spirit be in glory”? Therefore, it is clear that the divine Apostle called the All-Holy Spirit Lord. This is also evidenced by what follows; for the Apostle says: “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” If he called the Lord Spirit, he would say: “where is the Lord” (Lord of the Lord). But that's not what it says; on the contrary, the Apostle here named the Spirit of the Lord Himself, because by Him the grace of the Lord is taught. And so that no one would consider the Spirit to be of service, I necessarily added that the Spirit is the Lord.” So are Saint Damascus and Ecumenius and Theophylact. Let's settle on this thought. Hitherto the Apostle brought to the revelation of what is hidden in the law. When, he says, they turn to the Lord, the veil is taken from the heart and what is hidden is seen, that is, the entire economy of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. Here he tells how this is done. Those who believe in the Lord receive the grace of the Holy Spirit, which breaks all the veils and all the bonds of their spirit and heart. This is directly stated in the words: “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” But the words: “The Lord is the Spirit” must be understood in relation to this. It is as if there is a thought hidden in them: the Lord, to whom one turns by faith, gives the Holy Spirit, as one who is consubstantial with Him and co-throne - and the Spirit of the Lord already resolves all bonds. Or: The Lord is essentially one with the Spirit, consubstantial with Him and inseparable; so where the Lord is, there is the Spirit, or what the Lord creates, the Spirit also creates, according to the unity of the persons of the Most Holy Trinity. Or better yet, let us admit that we do not know how to handle this speech. “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom”—complete, all-round freedom. Blindness binds the mind, a veil lies over its eyes; The Holy Spirit comes, anoints the eyes of the mind with His collurium, and it begins to clearly see (Apoc. 3:18) God, and itself, and how to remain in a living union with Him, and what everything created is, and how to relate to Him. The heart is knitted by addictions to sweets and earthly pleasures; the Holy Spirit comes, cuts it off (circumcises it), and it begins to only seek the things above and strive only for the things above. Our active forces are bound by passions; The Holy Spirit comes, breaks these bonds, puts in completely opposite principles for desires, undertakings and deeds, and a weak person, like a powerful lion, begins to walk along new paths of life, breaking all forms of life that previously held him in chains. The Spirit of God leads the spirit of the believer into the spiritual realm, where no statute, no letter binds him. There he is led by the one Spirit of God, like a son and freedom. All this is accomplished when someone cleaves to the Lord by faith and receives the grace of the Holy Spirit through the sacraments. The Holy Apostle seems to speak about freedom only in relation to the Old Testament, that is, “in contrast to the former slavery” (St. Chrysostom), or the yoke under the law (Ecumenius). But in fact, his thought embraces all aspects of freedom; for before this he only said about the veil over the spiritual eyes, which is a connection; Above, he spoke about the lifelessness of serving letters, due to the remaining and yet deadness of sin and passions. Therefore, it must be assumed that, proclaiming freedom through the Spirit, he had in mind to delight everyone with complete freedom, although his thought was mainly attached to freedom from the law. Theophylact writes: “In the Law there was a yoke and slavery; in the law of the Spirit of the Gospel there is freedom; so that those who are worthy of this look freely and unhindered at the glory of the Lord.” 2 Cor. 3:18. We all behold the glory of the Lord with our revealed face; we are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. “But we are all,” not only the Apostles, but also all believers, “with a revealed face,” not of the body, but of the spirit, from which the veils that darkened him, the bonds that bound him, the yoke that weighed him down were removed, - who, having received justification and having accepted a new life with a readiness for all sacrifices, had the boldness to ascend to the Lord and look directly at Him, - “beholding the glory of the Lord” - or the glory of the Divine, or the glory of the Lord Savior, glorious both in the incarnation and death on the cross, and not only in the resurrection and ascension, the glory as the Only Begotten of the Father, who laid the solid foundations of the kingdom of grace, now invisibly glorious, but having to shine with wondrous glory and clearly, after the second coming of the Lord and the restoration of all things - “in “we are transformed into the same image,” - into the same image that we contemplate, into the image of the Lord, according to which we were recreated, in this re-creation having received, as it were, a blueprint according to which the reconstruction that has begun must proceed to the end, - so that it is nothing more than our transformation, the transformation of us from one image into another, - “we are transformed,” - we put aside one thing, we accept another, and our nature, and all the forces of nature remain the same and with the same urgency laws that are natural to them, but everything takes on a different direction, a different spirit, a different image, not in the image of the old, but in the image of the new Adam - we are transformed “from glory to glory” - for the pattern according to which we are transformed is infinite; therefore, the transformation according to it cannot have an end, but must go further and further, ascending from one degree to another, from glory to glory, as a result of which the firstfruits is glorious, and each new degree is glorious, and what is ahead is even more glorious, so that it is inevitable to forget what is behind, like what is darkened before, and to extend into what is before, - “as from the Spirit of the Lord” - yet this is accomplished in us, as the Spirit of the Lord is pleased; This glorious life is born by Him, is sung under His influence and gestures, and everything that is in it is from Him. “Looking at the glory of the Lord,” – κατοπτριζομενοι, – which means – “and seeing clearly,” as in a magnifying glass, compiled according to the laws of catoptrics, “and clearly reflecting in oneself,” this glory and then seeing it. The last thought is visible in all our interpreters. Theodoret writes: “This is characteristic of those who have acquired a pure heart. For just as clear water imprints the faces of those who look, and the circle of the sun itself, and the vault of heaven, so a pure heart becomes, as it were, some kind of imprint and mirror of God’s glory. So the Lord said: “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8). “From glory to glory,” the Ecumenius means this: “Into the same, he says, luminosity we are transferred, for the reason that the transformation comes from the glory of the Spirit into our glory; that is, we achieve the kind of glory that is typical for one who is illuminated by the Spirit of the Comforter and who reflects the image of His glory on himself.” Theophylact adds: “We are transformed from the glory of the Spirit into our glory, and, moreover, such as is characteristic of those illuminated by the Spirit of the Lord, subordinate to no one. Being the Lord, He also has the Lords of illumination. For all believers are filled with the Holy Spirit through baptism, and their soul shines with light.” Saint Chrysostom says: “What do the words mean: “beholding the glory of the Lord, we are transformed into the same image”? – This was clearer for the believers of the apostolic times, when the gifts of miracles were in effect; However, he who has the eyes of faith will not be difficult to understand this even now. As soon as we are baptized, our soul, purified by the Spirit, becomes brighter than the sun; and we are not only able to look at the glory of God, but we ourselves also receive some illumination from it. Just as pure silver, lying opposite the rays of the sun, itself emits rays, not only from its own nature, but also from the brilliance of the sun, so the soul, purified by the Spirit of God and made more brilliant than silver, both receives a ray from the glory of the Spirit, and reflects a ray of the same glory from itself. That is why the Apostle says: “Beholding the glory of the Lord, we are transformed into the same image from the glory of the Spirit into our glory, which we are worthy of—into the glory that is due from the Lord’s Spirit.” Just as bodies that have the ability to receive and reflect light, illuminated by self-luminous bodies, and themselves reflected in them, light is poured onto other bodies closest to them; the same thing happens to the faithful. And when they achieve this, they leave everything earthly and live only in heaven. What about us? “We can only groan, for having been awarded so many blessings of God, we do not even understand what they tell us about them. And this is because we soon destroy everything spiritual in ourselves and become attached to only the sensual. This ineffable and terrible glory remains in us for no more than one or two days, and then we extinguish it again, overwhelmed by everyday affairs and obscuring its radiance with the density of passionate clouds. For the affairs of life are storms, and even more severe than the storms themselves.” d) The word of the gospel is self-effective (2 Cor. 4:1–6) Having been chosen to spread the word of the gospel, says the Apostle, we pay all our attention to not mixing anything with it, but to presenting it to everyone’s conscience in its purity. Having been accepted by the conscience, it itself already carries out its work; develops repentance and leads to the Lord, in whose name remission of sins is given. This is how the conversion of the pagans proceeds. The Jews are converted through the law and the prophets, if their minds are not darkened by superstition, and the pagans are converted by the action of conscience and the fear of God lying in the spirit of man, if these elements of God are not drowned out by the action of the god of this age. - This is the secret of the action of our gospel, which the Lord has now deigned to shine in the darkness of this age, as he originally commanded the light to shine out of darkness. 2 Cor. 4:1. For this reason, we who have this service, as if we had received mercy, do not feel cold. For this reason: because of such glorious fruit in believers produced by our gospel, we, “having this ministry,” that is, the ministry of the gospel entrusted to us by the mercy and love of God, “do not become cold,” we do not lose heart, we are not burdened by the difficulty of the matter, we do not stop in the face of obstacles, we willingly do everything that depends on us, for the sake of the fact that such good comes from it for you and all believers. The purpose of the Apostle is to keep attention on the heavenly origin of the gospel, in order to have a basis in the end to say that if such a light of knowledge is now being poured out, it is because God, who originally commanded the material light to shine, has shone. “For this, he uses such a turn of phrase, which shows that everything depends not on his own perfections, but on God’s love for mankind; that is why he says: “having this service,” that is, we have not brought anything of our own, we are only servants of God and executors of the instructions given from Him. Therefore, he calls his apostolic work not leadership or leadership, but only ministry. But not yet satisfied with this, he further says: “as if he had received mercy,” that is, the very thing that we have been appointed ministers (of the gospel), and this depends only on the mercy and love of God. “We are not cold,” that is, that we do not lose heart, and this should be attributed to God’s love for mankind. For the words: “as if I had mercy” should refer both to the service and to these words: “we do not suffer from the cold.” He says by this that whoever has been rewarded with such great and many benefits, and has been rewarded only by the mercy and love of God, does nothing great, no matter how much he works, no matter what dangers he is exposed to and no matter what temptations he endures. That is why we not only do not lose heart, he says, but we also rejoice and dare” (St. Chrysostom). 2 Cor. 4:2. But let us renounce secret shame, not walking in wickedness, nor flattering the word of God, but presenting the truth to every conscience of mankind, before God. This is the main point in this section. We are only concerned, he says, with presenting the pure truth to everyone’s conscience, pure as before God, and it will do its work on its own, as long as it is accepted. In order for the truth of the gospel to be preserved pure, we avoid everything bad in our intentions, in the manner of our actions and in the very presentation of the truth. “But let us renounce secret shame.” We have renounced everything that is shameful, not only outwardly, but in the very secrets of our hearts we have renounced everything that is shameful—everything that is shameful, no matter what its kind. We do not mean any honor or glory, no benefits of any kind, or seeking only what is pleasing to ourselves. One love for truth, one submission to the will of God guides us. False teachers outwardly appear to be saints, but inside they leave untouched the passions by which someone is enslaved. We are not like that at all, but we keep our hearts pure from all sin and all uncleanness, knowing that the truth will not be retained in an unclean soul. Saint Chrysostom says: “The false apostles were glorified as uncovetous, and yet they took gifts, only secretly; They were revered as saints, but in fact they had many vices. We, he says, rejected all this, that is, what he calls “secret shame.” The ecumenius continues: “We have also renounced doing in secret what openly brings shame. Hints at the false apostles who appeared in the form of piety, while secretly being evil. And we, he says, don’t allow anything shameful in secret. So, “we are not cold” in sorrows, as you see; but not only externally, but also internally we do not allow any thought that could shame us in this regard; We do not allow any cowardice, no hesitation, no grumbling, no ingratitude, and no other thought in our secrecy that could disgrace ours: “we are not cold.” Thus, with the words: “Let us renounce secret shame,” the Apostle said: we have a pure and immaculate heart, alien to everything shameful, on the contrary, full of truly holy moral and religious feelings. “Not walking in wickedness” - μη εν πανουργια. We do not act in such a way that one thing is in words and in deeds, and another in the mind; We do not entangle anyone with speeches, we do not lure anyone with seemingly good plans behind which an ambush is hidden; We act openly, and what our words and deeds reveal is what they are in practice. There is nothing evil in the way we act. Saint Chrysostom says: “We do not proclaim, he says, that in words we promise many things, but in deeds we show something else, as the false apostles do, but we are the same in deeds as we show ourselves to be in words; we have nothing ambiguous. We really are what we seem to be, and we have nothing secretive or crafty, either in our life or in our preaching itself. We do not do as others do, covering up their affairs in order to deceive and entice.” The Apostle denies all cunning methods for attracting disciples, and at the same time all measures of prudence that their own wisdom could invent. We do not contrive, but act as the Spirit of God inspires, always openly and in simplicity of heart, expecting fruit not from our ability to act, but from God’s blessing and all-effect. “Nor is the flattering word of God” - μη δολουντες. This is similar to what he said above: “not twisting the word,” not counterfeiting (2 Cor. 2:17). We convey the word as it is: when it is strict, we do not allow ourselves to soften it arbitrarily, out of human-pleasing; if there is something in it that is inconceivable for human wisdom, we do not close it or shorten it in the hope of reconciling it with this wisdom; whether it is simple or extremely high, we never mix our own considerations into it, so as to elevate some as seeming low, and bring others down as seeming unattainably high. We do not even allow ourselves these apparently innocent methods, for fear of deceiving the word of God; and to add any lie to the word of truth, and moreover deliberately, this does not even occur to us. And we do not surround the words of our gospel with flattering hopes, we do not say: just believe, and happiness will flow to you like a river, but we openly reveal that sorrows, attacks and all kinds of deprivations await believers. And in general we do not mix anything with the word of the gospel, but offer it as it is, in its natural nakedness and purity. Theophylact writes: “Not only, he says, is our life simple, pure, and without cunning, but our word is also unflattering. For we do not mix into it anything from external wisdom, we do not surround it with flattering speeches, we do not adapt it to times and persons, and therefore we do not teach it one way now, another way tomorrow.” “But the manifestation of the truth is presented to every conscience of mankind before God.” This is similar to what was said above about letters of recommendation (2 Cor. 3:1). We do not appear with letters of recommendation, he says, among people in different places, but with one truth. She alone represents us everywhere and recommends us. How? - One appearance of her. We reveal it in all its purity, as it is, and it itself certifies those who hear that we are not liars and that the word of our gospel is the immutable truth. How is this done? - Through conscience. There is in everyone’s soul an intercessor for the truth of the gospel—a spirit with its inherent fear of God and conscience. These spiritual elements are of the same kind as the word of the gospel and are immediately recognized with it, as long as they are not drowned out by the spirit of this age. The word of the gospel says that we are irresponsibly sinful before God, and our conscience is aware of this; the word of the gospel assures that every sinner will face impartial judgment and condemnation, and the fear of God confirms this truth. If the word of the gospel only stopped there, it would only plunge everyone into despair, without attracting anyone to itself, but it goes further and offers a reliable outcome to those oppressed by conscience and fear of judgment, saying: the Son of God came to earth, became incarnate, suffered on the cross and tore up on it the handwriting of the sins of the whole world; Believe in Him, and you will receive remission of sins, and the grace of the Holy Spirit for a new sinless life, which, having preserved pure to the end, from now on you will be accepted into heaven for eternal indescribable bliss. What unsuppressed spirit could resist the power of this gospel?! That is why the word of the gospel found a reception in every place, for everywhere there were persons in whom the fear of God and conscience, the natural elements of our spirit, were alive. They immediately accepted the gospel as something familiar, which had always been hoped for, but was not found, and is now such a joyful guest from heaven. Those who received the word of the gospel were sanctified by the sacraments, reborn to a new life, received the gift of grace, and from that moment already had a testimony within themselves not only for themselves, but also for everyone around them. This acted on the suppressed spirit of these latter, awakened it and led it to faith. Renewed, they, in turn, with their single presence excited others and attracted them to faith. So, in a short time, all those who were fit for the faith were attached to it and formed a small or large society of slaves faithful to the Lord. Saint Paul experienced this in every locality, and in the words cited he says about this that they everywhere presented only themselves to the consciences of people as the manifestation of pure truth, pure as before God, and it turned to faith; and they were only supposed to guide those who were applying to the faith. Photius in Ecumenius says: “The false apostles presented themselves not as a manifestation of the truth, but as a counterfeit mask of truth, and not before God, but to please only those whom they deceived.” Of course, those who were deceived by them were deceived because they were first possessed by a flattering spirit.” 2 Cor. 4:3. Even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing. The thoughts stated before this directly lead to the question: why did not everyone accept the word of the gospel? - Because not everyone had a spirit in motion with the fear of God and conscience. Those who had it on the move immediately accepted the gospel; in whom the word of the gospel could not awaken the spirit, in those it was awakened by the action of a wondrous, grace-filled change that took place in those who believed; Those whose spirit was so clogged that neither these nor other emergencies awakened it, remained and stagnated in unbelief. The word of the gospel remained hidden for them, because there was no body to receive it. Their natural spirit was so clogged that there was no way for the exciting gospel to reach it. The Apostle calls them perishing, not because they were doomed to destruction, but because they, by the way of their life, as it has developed until now, have put themselves in such a state that the gospel is inconceivable for them, it is hidden, they cannot understand anything in it, in no way does it cling to their soul, and the soul does not find anything in it that could interest it. That is why he does not accept it and, since salvation is possible only under the condition of this acceptance, remains outside the realm of those being saved, in the midst of those who are perishing. This is who the Apostle means by those who are perishing. But today or tomorrow, somehow their spirit will awaken, reeking of the gospel, and they will join the society of those being saved. Saint Chrysostom says that in these words the Apostle expresses the same thought that he had previously expressed in the words: “For the stench of death is in death, and the stench of animals is in the stomach” (2 Cor. 2:16). The ecumenium gives the following speech to the Apostle: “It is not our fault that for others our gospel is hidden; the reason for this is their own blindness and destruction.” 2 Cor. 4:4. In them, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unfaithful, so that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of the invisible God, will not shine upon them. “God of the age” here means the same thing as in other places “the prince of peace” (John 12:31, 14:30), “the ruler of the darkness of this age” (Eph. 6:12), “the spirit who works in the sons of disobedience” (Eph. 2:2). He is the God of this age, because those who live according to the spirit of the age submit to him, willingly listen to his suggestions and diligently act according to his principles. This power is not natural to him, but accidental, based on the oversights of people who are greedy for carnal life in self-indulgence. Those who submit to him do not directly submit to him, but are only devoted to self-indulgence, and their self-indulgence opens the door for him to enter their souls, where, having entered, he rages, dragging them into evil and shameful deeds, depending on the degree of self-indulgence of each. He himself rarely gets involved. His personal work was the seduction of his first parents, the temptation of Christ the Savior and will act in the Antichrist. Usually he acts through a horde of demons who scurry around everywhere and interfere in everything, whether something bad can be done somewhere. Some of them settle in people’s bodies, in those parts through which the passion to which one is devoted primarily acts. Those in whom the violence of the demon is visibly revealed are not the only ones who are possessed. In the majority of the possessed, demons live peacefully, only through suggestions, guiding them with passionate deeds and intensifying their activity at the time when someone decides to repent and reform. Others have several demons; it is among those who work for many passions. It is through them that the god of this age rules. The pagans worshiped him, turning passions into a deity; now they bow to him, bowing before the drives of the passions he inflames and guides. How does he blind the minds of the unbelievers? - Completely obscuring God and the order of Divine things from them and shackling their consciousness with only the visible and tangible, as if nothing invisible and intangible existed. They sometimes have God on their tongues, but this word passes through their lips without leaving a trace; There is also talk about death, but as if this matter does not concern them. Usually they are their own god, look after themselves, protect themselves, arrange their own fate, relying in everything on themselves alone and on the means and methods at their disposal. Their goals do not go beyond the boundaries of real life. They plan to turn this one into a heavenly life, and this is all they care about, all plans are directed here, all enterprises are directed towards this. Their goal is to live in contentment, with honor and with the greatest measure of consolation and sweetness. Conscience is not taken into account here, and the fear of God does not penetrate into this sensual darkness. True conscience has been trampled upon; its place was taken by the rule of holding oneself as considered the best among others and judging by them, meaning not to lose face. God exists as an external something, and satisfaction with the external image of religious customs is considered quite sufficient in order not to fear Him; as if neither He cares about our soul, nor our soul cares about Him. Not only thieves, robbers, fornicators, drunkards and other obvious sinners belong to this circle. These and they are not in good standing. A peaceful life usually flows sedately, with a visible gloss of orderliness, dignity and majesty. Her spirit is contrary to God, and it is he who causes the eyes of the sons of the age to be closed to see the light of the gospel. The gospel belongs to one region, but they, in their entire formation, belong to another. They have nothing in common with the gospel; it is incompatible for them. The beginning of the action of the gospel is a disturbance of conscience, and the sons of this age are self-satisfied: they do not recognize any guilt and do not understand what kind of demand it is when they say: “Repent, the kingdom of God is at hand” (Matthew 3:2, 4:17). The action of the gospel is completed by the fear of God's judgment, but the son of the century says: a sacrifice has been made (in our case, a candle is lit, a prayer service is served), and what else? Death and judgment are far away; we'll still live. And the idea that judgment will fall on him with the full weight of the truth does not instill in him. The promised paradise—eternal bliss—encourages us to follow the gospel; but the sons of the century think that they already have paradise, always living for their own pleasure and wallowing in the visible and tangible, and cannot perceive any sympathy for the invisible paradise and bliss in the intangible. These three moments, so significant in the mood of the sons of the age and so contrary to the principles of the gospel, make the gospel for them covert, indistinct, and inconceivable. Everything about him is foreign to them; they cannot understand anything in it properly; no sympathy breaks out of their chests for his broadcasts: hearing they do not hear, seeing they do not see; thicken the hearts of these people. And this is the real meaning of the words - “the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers”: the spirit of the sons of the age, acting in them under the influence of the god of the age - Satan - made them unable to heed the gospel, understand its beneficialness and accept it. Without saying anything they say to the evangelists: move on; This doesn't concern us. “Be blind,” says the Apostle, “so that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ will not shine upon them.” The light of the gospel, when heeded and accepted, shines like a brightly shining lamp instantly lit in a dark place. For the one who listens, it illuminates everything and makes everything clear to him: he clearly sees the hopeless doom in which he finds himself; and the suitability of the way out of it offered by the gospel; why he clings to him with all the strength of his nature. When he tastes his healing power in deed, then the spiritual light shining in him has no measure. With one glance he embraces the past, the present, the future, heaven and earth, and sees everything as encompassed by one God in the Lord Jesus Christ by the grace of the Holy Spirit. The starting point of light is the face of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God incarnate, glorifying our poor nature in Himself and seating us at the right hand of God the Father. The gospel illuminates everything, but most of all it illuminates the face of Christ the Savior, for it all rests on Him. Why is there “the gospel of the glory of Christ”. Non-believers do not see any of this, for they have closed their intelligent eyes with unbelief. The door of the mysteries of God is not opened for them, and their light does not shine upon them. The god of the age keeps them in darkness and does not allow the light of God to shine in them. He does this not as a ruler, but maliciously managing to seduce the sons of the century. Walking in delusion, they do not notice their darkness and are content with the darkness, deceptively believing that it is light. But no matter how thick the darkness of blindness is, there is nothing compelling here. They want to, and they are blind; they will want to, and they will open their eyes; for the light of God is all around. The God of the age is trying in every possible way to keep them blind; but he does this by presenting them with blinding elements, which they themselves willingly accept and become blinded. The god of the age has no direct power over anyone or anything and does not dare to rape anyone. We ourselves are to blame for everything. Saint Chrysostom says: “What happened to the Jews under Moses, the same thing happens to all the infidels during the times of the Gospel. For the sake of the thickening of their hearts, “the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ” is hidden for them, that is, they do not see that the cross is the salvation and glory of the universe, that the One Crucified on it wants to come again with great glory - and everything else, present and future, visible and invisible, the ineffable manifestation of expected benefits, remains hidden for them; it was hidden because they themselves did not want to believe it first.” “Who is the image of the invisible God.” The Apostle called Christ “the Image of God,” as God from God, because Christ shows the Father in Himself, which is why He says: “He who has seen Me in the form of the Father” (John 14:9)" (Theodoret). God will always remain invisible and hidden. He deigned to reveal Himself more tangibly through the incarnation of God the Son. In His eyes, through deified humanity, rational creatures, Angels and saints, can come face to face with the Divinity and, as it were, touch It. Outside of this, It is hidden and is comprehended only through the influence of It to the extent of the acceptability of creatures. For those who do not know, the Son and the Father are unknown and will remain forever. Saint Chrysostom says: “In order to show that those who have not known the “glory of Christ” do not know not only the glory of Christ, but also the glory of the “Father,” the Apostle added: “Who is the image.” “Invisible God.” But you cannot stop at Christ alone, because just as you see the Father through Christ, so, without knowing the glory of Christ, you will not know the glory of the Father.” 2 Cor. 4:5. For we preach not to ourselves, but to Christ Jesus the Lord: but for your own sake, Jesus [the Lord], your servants. Having explained why the gospel remains hidden in those who are perishing, in the unbelievers, he turns again to pointing out the mystery of the action of the gospel in the conscience of those capable of accepting it. This secret is that in our gospel we do not present ourselves - neither in the form of words, nor in the form of action, nor in goals (2 Cor. 4:2) we are not visible at all - Christ the Lord stands in front, we foreshadow His face before the consciences of men, and they themselves recognize in Him the Savior from destruction, the Healer of infirmities, the Giver of all strength to the powerless. Therefore they cleave to Him with all their souls. This is the secret of the work of the gospel! We ourselves are only instruments, only workers, your servants, servants of your salvation, for the Lord’s sake. Theodoret writes: “He wrote the same thing in his first letter: “Let man hate us, as the servants of Christ and the builders of the Mysteries of God” (1 Cor. 4:1). And here he spoke about himself even more humbly, for he called himself a slave not only of Christ, but also of all believers, out of love for Christ; for this is what the words mean: “For Jesus’ sake.” Saint Chrysostom, on the other hand, looked at the Apostle’s speech from a slightly different angle: “Since the false teachers strongly rebelled against the Apostles and attacked them from all sides, he says: by arming yourself against us, you are not rebelling against us, but against what we preach, for we are not preaching ourselves. We are slaves and servants even to those who accept this preaching; we work for another, that is, for the Lord, and we do everything for His glory, so that those who are hostile to us rebel against the Lord. We are so far from seeking any benefits for ourselves from the preaching of the Gospel that we do not refuse to be your slaves for Christ, when He was pleased to honor you so much, when He loved you so much and did everything for you. That’s why he says: “For Jesus’ sake, you are your servants.” Do you see a soul that does not care at all about fame? He says: not only do we not appropriate to ourselves what belongs to the Lord, but we even serve you for Him.” 2 Cor. 4:6. Like the river God, from darkness the light will shine, which has risen in our hearts, to enlighten our minds with the glory of God about the face of Jesus Christ. In conclusion, the Apostle draws everyone's attention to what is now being given through the gospel, which is being spread over the face of the whole earth. He said that there was a veil over the hearts of the Jews, and they did not see the light hidden in the law; all the pagans walked in darkness, and no one saw the light of God. But the Lord Jesus Christ came, and the light of reason shone upon the world. The enlightening power is the Holy Spirit descending on the Apostles. Enlightened by Him, guided and taught by Him, they walk throughout the world and proclaim the light of truth to everyone. The Spirit of God, enlightening them, enlightens the hearts of believers, and they clearly begin to see the light of reason of the glory of God. Thus, in the midst of the darkness that covered the whole world, the light of the knowledge of God has now shone. Now the same thing is happening in the moral world that happened on the first day of creation for the material world, when God with His word commanded the light to shine out of darkness. “God said: let there be light. And there was light” (Gen. 1:3). The same God now speaks through us to everyone: “Repent and believe in the Gospel” (Mark 1:15). And this word shines light in the hearts of believers. Those who receive it clearly begin to see the indescribable glory of the infinite God in the face of Jesus Christ. The face of Jesus Christ makes it clear that the great and admirable God is our compassionate Father, Who did not want to leave us in our fall, but was wondrously pleased to arrange for us an image of salvation in His Only Begotten Son, Who, having come to earth, was incarnate, suffered and died on the cross, was resurrected, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God and the Father, there drawing all believers and the elect in salvation, and where He is, they will all be. This is the face of Jesus Christ! What perfections of God are not reflected in this face?! Here is boundless goodness and infinite truth, here is unthinkable wisdom and immeasurable omnipotence, here is all-caring providence and all-encompassing omnipotence. And the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is luminously reflected in the same face. God the Father pleased, the Son perfected, the Holy Spirit completes what is perfect in the Son in believers. “For through Christ we know God the Father, just as through the Spirit we are brought to Him” (St. Chrysostom). This is how the light of reason (knowledge) of the glory of God about the face of Jesus Christ shone into the world through shining in the hearts of believers. “With the radiance of this light, we see not things that are subject to the senses, but God Himself through Christ” (St. Chrysostom). Theodoret writes: “Who in ancient times brought the nature of light into existence with a word and said: “Let there be light,” He now, not with that, but with His own light, shone our minds, so that through Christ Himself we could see His glory. And this: “about the face of Jesus Christ” we have the following meaning: since the nature of God is invisible, then It becomes, as much as possible, visible through the perceived humanity, illuminated by the Divine light and emitting a lightning-fast radiance.” Ecumenius continues the same thought: “He who commanded the light to shine out of darkness in the beginning, has also shone in our hearts. He shone forth, enlightening us and revealing to us the knowledge of His glory, and this is “about the face of Jesus Christ.” For only through the Son have we received true knowledge of the Father, as He Himself says in the Gospel to the Father: “I have revealed Your name to man... and have glorified You on earth” (John 17:6, 4). And through Christ Jesus it was only revealed to us that the Father no longer wants to be honored with incense and blood, but with spiritual sacrifices, and that true God-readers must worship God only in the Trinity, consubstantial and equal in power.” b) Treasure of grace in scanty vessels (2 Cor. 4:7–18, 5:1–10) Having outlined how great a treasure the New Testament economy of salvation is, the Apostle now says how unostentatious and humiliating in appearance are the ministers of the gospel about it. Moreover, first aa) indicates the providential goals of this order of affairs, which are the glory of God and the favoring of the faith of those proclaimed by the gospel (2 Cor. 4:7-12); then bb) states that to endure labor in this order, ministers of the gospel are inspired by the certainty of glorification with the Lord in the future (2 Cor. 4:13-15). But, having touched on this subject, he, due to its importance, c) decided to dwell on it longer and with this purpose reveals how glorious the future is (2 Cor. 4:16-18); β) how desirable it is (2 Cor. 5:1–5); and g) how one should prepare for it (2 Cor. 5:5–10). These last points are revealed by the Apostle, although in his own person, not without relation to the apostolic ministry, but in features common to all Christians. aa) The goals of the humble state according to the appearance of the bearers of the gospel (2 Cor. 4:7–12) 2 Cor. 4:7. Imams, this treasure is in meager vessels, so that the abundance of power will be from God, and not from us. “Treasure” the Apostle calls what he spoke about before this, that is, the word of the gospel with the fullness of the grace of the Holy Spirit for the establishment of the spiritual kingdom of Christ on earth, or His Holy Church. This treasure, so great, so glorious, so powerful, we have, he says, or carry “in scanty vessels,” meaning by this a weak body, with the implication of our external position, always humiliated and shy, as he depicts after this. Why is it arranged this way? Couldn’t the Lord have done this so that the Apostles, by their mere appearance, or by their ostentation, would already influence people? “I could, but I did not deign to do so, so that, he says, so that in our actions nothing of ours would be visible, so that nothing of ours would be conspicuous, but everything would be attributed to the power of God.” Looking at us, so weak and humiliated, no one can even think that when either a strong word comes from us, or some extraordinary deed is accomplished by us, this and the like depended on us, but all this is directly attributed to the power of God acting through us. This power cannot be obscured by anything on our part; she is seen in all her nakedness and completeness. If so, then everyone should have concluded with the words of the Lord: if they do all this by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon us; one must submit to their word and believe, so as not to be God-fighters. Saint Chrysostom says in this place: “This is especially surprising, and it is the greatest miracle of God’s power that a meager vessel can contain such light and store such a treasure. “Yes, there will be great abundance,” he says, “of the power of God, and not from us.” For both the greatness of the gifts and the weakness of those who received them show the power of God, both in the fact that God bestowed such great blessings, and especially in what he gave to weak people. By a meager vessel he means the weakness of our nature and the weakness of our flesh, because our flesh is not at all stronger than a meager vessel; it is just as easy to crush and is just as easily crushed by death, and illness, and air changes, and other countless reasons. And he said this both in order to shame the arrogance of those who were proud of themselves, and in order to show everyone that there was nothing human in the works of his ministry. For then the power of God is especially visible when it accomplishes great things through weak instruments; as this is clear from what the Lord said to this same Apostle: “For My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). - So, sending only twelve people, He conquered the universe, and moreover, when these twelve themselves were persecuted. Let us marvel at the power of God in this, let us marvel at it and worship it! Let us ask the Jews, let us ask the Greeks: who convinced the entire universe to abandon their fatherly customs and change their way of life? Are they not fishermen, are they not screen-makers, are they not publicans, are they not bookish and ordinary people? How could this have happened if the power of God had not worked through them? Moreover, what did they say when they convinced? - Be baptized in the name of the Crucified One. Which one? - The One Whom they did not know and had not seen. And yet, despite the fact that they said and preached this, Christ nailed to the cross attracted everyone to Himself. Where does this power of persuasion come from? - From nowhere more than from the power of God. The news of the preaching was disgusting to everyone, and the preachers were from a people despised by everyone, poor and unlearned. How did they conquer the universe? Doesn't this clearly show that they had God as their helper? For it is not human power to produce such actions, but the omnipotent power of God.” 2 Cor. 4:8, 9. In everything we are sorrowful, but not cold; we have no hope, but we do not despair; we persecute, but we do not abandon us; we cast down, but we do not perish. I said above that they carry God’s great treasure in scanty vessels, so that through this everyone would confess the power of God acting in them. Now he paints pictures of the blows they receive from everywhere, and yet they remain unharmed. With such defeats, the meager vessels should be crushed and the treasure they contain should be bent, but they remain unbroken and the treasure is preserved. Isn’t this the manifest power of God? “Not only is it wonderful, he says, that we keep this treasure in scanty vessels, but also that, being exposed to countless disasters and being struck from everywhere, we preserve it and do not lose it. For even an adamantine vessel could not resist such slander. But now the meager vessel remains unharmed by the grace of God, and the treasure is preserved” (St. Chrysostom). “If all this had not come to us, the greatness of God’s power would not have become apparent. But since we are likened to plants that bloom in fire, then by the very fact that, while suffering, we remain unharmed, we preach the power of God who protects us” (Theodoret). “Everything is sorrowful.” “In everything,” “at every time and in every place, from everything and from everyone” (Theophylact). “From enemies and from friends, from enemies and from our own, from the lack of necessary needs and from other things that we need” (St. Chrysostom). "Mournfully", θλιβομενοι. We endure not only external hardships and troubles, but sorrows that strike the heart. They cause us grief, they sensitively wound our souls, they inflict wounds on our hearts; but we don’t get cold, ου στενοχωρουμενοι. It does not constrict the chest, does not take your breath away, does not compress your heart. We are not insensitive to these sorrows, but God sends such breadth to our hearts that they do not oppress or choke. “We are not cold, because God expands our hearts” (Theophylact). “In order not to be overcome by sorrows, this is a work of God’s grace” (Ecumenius). This grace of God and God's help to the heart should have been seen and confessed by all third-party witnesses to the apostolic sorrows, when, by all calculations, they should have been killed in spirit, but they reveal complete complacency in their gaze, words, and actions. Or, perhaps, ου στενοχωρουμενοι - we are not constrained, refers not to the internal constraint of the heart, but to the external. The Apostle perhaps wants to say: but this does not restrict the range of our activities; despite any sorrows, we do our job without hesitation. Sorrow does not discourage us from acting in our rank, it is not a hindrance to us. “Nechaemy”, απορουμενοι, “but not despairing”, ουκ εξαπορουμενοι. Απορια - defeat of the mind by chance and unusualness, so that it comes to its senses and cannot figure out anything. Εξαπορειν - to get confused. We, he says, are in such circumstances that we can’t figure out what to do, we are in a hopeless situation. But we do not lose our presence of mind, knowing that God is with us and that no one can do anything to us against His will. And it always happens that God arranges for us a way out of extremes that is unthinkable for us. Not knowing where and how help comes and gives us freedom. “Let us not despair,” that is, we do not lose hope. For although we often grieve, it is not so that we have lost hope” (St. Chrysostom). “In hopeless circumstances, we find saving solutions for ourselves” (Theodoret). “It often happens that you can’t figure out how to deal with attacks from everyone and oppression from everywhere; but this does not strike us so much that we become lost, that is, lose heart, it does not kill us” (Ecumenius). “Falling into extremes and hopelessness, we do not despair and do not fall under their weight, but stand cheerfully, and God arranges our outcome and reveals us as winners” (Theophylact). “We persecute, but we do not abandon.” We are being persecuted, but despite all this we cannot be talked about: these are people abandoned by everyone. God does not abandon us. “God allows such temptations to befall us not in order to abandon us, but in order to perfect and elevate us” (St. Chrysostom). “People persecute us, but God does not abandon us. This is not His permission for us to be defeated, but to give us the opportunity to enter into the struggle and emerge victorious by His power” (Ecumenius). “God allows this to train us, to teach us to win” (Theophylact). Perhaps, “we are not abandoned,” the Apostle means, by people, that is, by believers. Some are driving, while others are with us, on our side. The part of God, hidden in the mass of humanity, always cleaves to us and is one with us. Here we always find shelter and warmth. Those who persecute us cannot boast: well, now they have driven us away; for we are inseparably with our own, and our own with us. “We are cast down, but not destroyed.” It happens that our enemies completely bring us down; They would celebrate their victory, but we turn out to be safe and alive, we do not die. This is very reminiscent of the circumstance of how Saint Paul was stoned and thrown out of the city, and then he appeared alive and well (Acts 14:19, 20). “Judging by the greatness of the temptations, one should say: well, they perished; but by the grace of God we all do not perish. And in mortal extremities, God opens to us the door of salvation” (Ecumenius). “In body and external position, it happens that enemies completely overthrow us; but our soul and our zeal for the work of God always stand firm, and God preserves our very body” (Theophylact). The apostle depicted the increasing power of disasters, taking the example of those who were struggling. Of those fighting, the weakest first receives blows and wounds, then becomes exhausted and does not know what to do, then gives in to flight, and is finally defeated and overthrown. We, he says, always appear at some of these degrees of weakness before those attacking us, but even when brought to the last deposition, we are not defeated. Who will not see the power of God in this? Our meager vessel should have been broken into pieces, but it is intact; and not only is it intact, but is not even afraid of being broken in the future. Temptations can be strong, but the consequences never justify them. St. Chrysostom says: “Although temptations befall us, we do not comprehend the consequences of these temptations; and all this happens through the action of the power and grace of God. In other places he says that such temptations are allowed by God in order to both humble ourselves and warn others. Thus, “let me not be arrogant,” he says, “the evildoer of the flesh has been given to me” (2 Cor. 12:7), or: “yes.” Let us not trust in ourselves” (2 Cor. 1:9). And here he says: “let the power of God be in abundance, and not from us.” Do you see the benefit of temptation? Through them, the action of God’s power and grace becomes more obvious, for he says: “My grace is sufficient for you; for My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). They led some to humility, while others at least forced them to moderate their pride and made them more generous and forgiving. For “patience,” he says, “makes art, and art is hope” (Rom. 5:4). For those who were subjected to countless calamities and were freed from them only by hope in God, thus learned in every other case to hold on to this hope most of all.” 2 Cor. 4:10. Always bearing the death of the Lord Jesus in the body, so that the life of Jesus will appear in our body. “The Deadness of the Lord” - troubles, sorrows, suffering, mortal dangers. As the Lord suffered, so we suffer. “I die all the days,” he says in another place (1 Cor. 15:31). But when it is so obvious that we should be struck by death, and we are all alive, then it is also obvious that every day we appear, as it were, alive from the dead. This is completely similar to how the Lord was crucified and put in a tomb, and then sealed, but He rose again: death could not hold Him. His belly swallowed death. The same life of Jesus is now active in us, and we are living preachers about Him. We demonstrate that the Lord Jesus is alive and is the source of life; for when we undergo countless deaths for His cause, we all remain alive and each time we go out with new strength to serve for His glory. What else does this show if not that the belly of Jesus is at work in us? So Saint Chrysostom: “What does the “death of the Lord Jesus” that they wore mean? – Various kinds of death threatening every day, which also pointed to the resurrection. If anyone does not believe, says that Jesus died and rose again, let him be convinced of the truth of the resurrection by seeing us dying and rising daily. When the Lord rescues us from the dangers of death, then through this “the life of Jesus appears in our body.” So the very thing that, on the one hand, shows the apparent powerlessness of the Apostles and their abandonment from the Lord, on the other hand, clearly preaches His resurrection. For His power would not be so visible if we had never suffered anything than now, when we suffer, but remain invincible.” So it is with Ecumenius and Theophylact. It is impossible not to see that, in the course of speech, the appearance of the life of Jesus in the constantly seemingly dying body of the Apostles is the same as: “let the exceeding power of God be, and not from us.” Only in the present place does he reduce the manifestation of the power of God in general to its manifestation in relation to the word of the gospel. For here the all-conquering principle is confirmation that the Crucified is alive, and not only alive, but also gives us the strength to live, despite all the destructiveness of the onslaughts on us from the outside. From here onwards you can carry out the Apostle’s thought, namely: we demonstrate that the Lord lives, and this is the beginning and source of faith that life-giving your souls. Consequently, it is as if the spirit of life in Christ Jesus emanates from our constantly dying bodies. God intentionally arranged this so that the treasure hidden in our poverty, the word of the gospel and grace, would become more easily available to you, so that you would partake of their powers and through this partake of the life of Jesus Christ. A vessel that is too strong and tightly closed would make it difficult to find out what is in it, but a vessel that is fragile and constantly seems to be cracking and being repaired will inevitably reveal what is in it. 2 Cor. 4:11. Ever since we are living and given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus will appear in our dead flesh. He repeats the same thing that he said before, so that the thought he expressed can be more clearly imagined in the minds of those reading; and this was necessary in order to more accurately understand what is said in the next 12th verse. Saint Chrysostom says: “Saint Paul, when he says something unclear, he always adds an explanation of his words. He did this in this place, explaining what was unclearly said. For this, he says, “we surrender ourselves into death for Jesus’ sake,” that is, we bear His death, so that the power of His life may be revealed in us, when He does not allow our mortal flesh, which suffers so much, to be overcome by a multitude of evils.” This is a direct thought. It seems that the holy Apostle did not think about the future communion of the life of Jesus through the resurrection. His attention is still limited to the real work of preaching and the manifestation through it of life-giving salvation in Christ Jesus. What the Apostle says: “let the life appear,” ινα φανερωθη, does not indicate the future, but the present: let the life of Jesus be revealed or we are showing now. Therefore, transferring his thoughts regarding these words to the future co-living with Christ, Saint Chrysostom says: “It is possible to understand the words differently.” After him, our other interpreters began to repeat: it can be done this way, making it clear that this is a possible, but not direct thought. Saint Chrysostom says: “You can understand these words even differently. How? - Just as he says in another place: “even if we die with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him” (Rom. 6:8). For just as we bear His deadness and decide to die alive for Him now, so He will deign to revive those who have died then. If we, neglecting life, go to death, then He will lead us from death to life.” Theodoret does the same: “So the Apostle says in another place: “Even though we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him” (Rom. 8:17). Therefore, we ourselves, with love for the Lord, face deadly dangers in order to become partakers of His life and, sacrificing temporary life, receive for that the incorruptibility of the flesh.” One can also read another side thought in these words of the Apostle, namely, that it is impossible to become a participant in the saving life of Jesus Christ in all its power except through compassion for Him. In baptism we are mysteriously buried with Him, and in life we ​​are then grafted into the life-giving tree of His suffering and death on the cross, through involuntary suffering and arbitrary deprivation, or various kinds of feats of self-sacrifice and self-mortification. Through this deadness, or dying for the sake of the Lord Jesus, the power of His life appears in our nature. There is no other way; he alone is cramped and deplorable. A comfortable life of contentment and joy places one outside the circle of participants in the life of Christ. 2 Cor. 4:12. Moreover, death acts in us, and the belly in you. “Death acts in us,” that is, sorrows, troubles, constant mortality, which is all that we are meager vessels. “And life,” he says, “is in you,” that is, the treasure hidden in us, the word of the gospel and grace, through the very fact that we die all the days, becomes your property and imparts to you life, which acts in you. Convinced from our weakness and poverty—from the fact that we are dying and are all alive—convinced from this that the power of God is at work in us, you believe the word of the gospel, believing, you are quickened by the grace of the Holy Spirit through the sacraments and begin to live a new life, unknown to anyone else, in Christ Jesus, a life that, having begun here, has to endure eternally, introducing you into endless bliss. Theodoret writes: “For the sake of your salvation, we are exposed to dangers, because at the risk of ourselves we teach you the teaching (which gives true life). And it turns out that since we are in poverty, you enjoy true life.” The same is true of Ecumenius: “As if the Apostle said this: we die because of the gospel, so that you, having believed through it in Christ, may be worthy of true life, which is both incorruptible and eternal life.” In him, Photius says: “Sorrows, sufferings and deadly troubles act in us, but faith and piety, in which is true life, in you. Life is faith with piety, because one acquires incorruptible, endless and eternally blessed life in heaven.” Let us conclude our speech with the words of Theophylact: “We are in danger; But from these dangers you reap the fruit of life, believing in the Gospel we preach, through which you begin to live an eternal life.” bb) At the same time, the Apostles are inspired by the confidence in their future glorification with the Lord Jesus (2 Cor. 4:13–15) The Apostle revealed that they are meager vessels, so that the power of God acting in them would be clearer, and through this the faith of those called to salvation would increase and the life of Christ Jesus would act more abundantly in these latter. The question might be heard: what do you want? Will only death act in you? “No,” he says, “more than one death.” We are confident that he who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up in glory. This faith inspires us, and we, believing this way, do not stop speaking. 2 Cor. 4:13. Having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written: we believed, we said the same things: and we believe, we also spoke the same things. He said: “death works in us.” Now he continues, as it were: but this does not prevent us and does not take away our zeal to continue the work of preaching the Gospel. There is faith that inspires us. And in this case we find ourselves in the same position in which the prophet David was when he said: “In faiths, in the same words, and in verbs” (Ps. 116:1). A similar spirit of faith fills us; having it, we believe and, believing, we speak. Verb, that is, we continue the gospel of the Gospel for the salvation and life of all, although from everywhere we are surrounded only by deaths. What exactly the spirit of faith is cannot be deduced from the example of St. David. The Apostle takes only one circumstance, that Saint David, from the strain of faith, could not hold his tongue, and spoke. In the same way (he says) our tongue is driven by the irresistible power of faith. What was the meaning of faith for the Apostle? – Judging by the previous speech, this will be an unshakable confidence that we are correcting God’s work for the glory of God and the eternal good of all people. The following words: “knowing” - that God will raise us up, etc. - represent what this faith is replenished and revived; for without this it would not seem to have a final point, or would be without end. But since this is such a point that can be called the focus of faith, it is very likely that the Apostle, speaking about faith, meant precisely this object of faith. Saint Chrysostom says: “Having proven that disaster is not a sign of powerlessness and abandonment from God of those who suffer disasters, the Apostle turns to faith and directs everything towards it. And to confirm this faith, he again points to the resurrection of Christ, saying: “and we believe, and we say the same.” What do we believe? - “For he who raised up Jesus will also raise us up.” Theophylact says the same: “We believe, and therefore we say that just as Jesus was resurrected, so here we will be delivered from all the dangers of mortals, and there we will be co-resurrected with Jesus.” 2 Cor. 4:14. Knowing that He raised up the Lord Jesus, He will also raise us up with Jesus and present us with you. The co-resurrection of the Lord in glory is the most inspiring and exciting subject in the Christian confession. How much consolation there is for those who suffer for their faith! How much support there is for those who strive in life according to the spirit of faith! But the Apostles, in enduring their labors in planting faith on earth, drew moral strength from the same truth. Our poor nature is so glorified in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus - is it for Him? – No, this is the image, foundation and power of the resurrection of all believers to glory in the face of Jesus Christ. Contemplating this, the Apostle had also said before: “I live for no one.” And here he says the same thing: let death be all around; we believe that the belly that no death can capture belongs to us. We stand in possession of this life and, without fear of death, we boldly carry out the work of the gospel. "Leading". since this knowledge stands here as an interpretation of faith, then it must be recognized as one that embraces the entire consciousness and, as it ruled the entire life of the Apostles, one that covered all other objects of knowledge and always stood in front. “For He raised up the Lord Jesus,” - God the Father, together, no doubt, with the Holy Spirit. God the Son incarnate has risen; but the resurrection was accomplished by the unity of the Most Holy Trinity. “And he will raise us up with Jesus.” “And us” - the Apostle speaks about himself, about the Apostles, that is, those who constantly die in the work of evangelizing and teaching grace to everyone; of course, not having the idea that he will only erect them, but that he will erect them with everyone. The Resurrection of Christ laid the foundation for the general resurrection of all people. Now it is necessary for everyone to be resurrected. The only difference will be in why and in what form someone will be resurrected. Some will be resurrected in light and glory, while others will be resurrected in darkness and torment. And those who have risen brightly will appear in more than one degree of lightness. What kind of lordship will the Apostles be surrounded by?! They had a presentiment of this. And this is the source of inspiration that the Apostle is talking about here! “He will raise up with Jesus,” δια Ιησου, through Jesus. The power of Christ's resurrection will then pass from Him to everyone. Now she is concentrated in Him alone and acts only spiritually in others. When by faith they are reborn in the baptismal font, they at the same time receive the seed for the glorious resurrection. The gift of the Holy Spirit strengthens this hope more significantly. On this basis, anyone who is baptized can make an unflattering confession: I too will be raised to glory if I retain the grace of baptism or return what was lost through repentance. This faith, common to all, in the Apostles rose to the highest degree for the sake of the fact that they more essentially became partakers of the death of Christ, for it says: “we are ever given over to death for Jesus’ sake.” Just as in the Lord death and resurrection were inseparable, so the Apostles also recognized their resurrection through the Lord with their dying for Him as inseparable. - “And he will present it with you.” Who will he put it in front of? If before oneself and before one’s throne, this will lead one to think about the judgment that will take place after the resurrection. But just as the Apostle’s thought is about the inspiring glory of the future, it will be closer: he will present him in the blissful kingdom, or where the Lord promised His servants to be. “With you,” he added to remind the Corinthians that this is also the subject of their faith, and so that, focusing on the glory of the resurrection of the Apostles, they would not lose sight of their resurrection with them and would not forget the obligations corresponding to this hope. Blessed Theophylact writes: “He will raise you and me to receive endless benefits. By this he inspires them to keep the faith and to be zealous for a good life corresponding to the faith.” 2 Cor. 4:15. All for your sake, so that the multiplied grace may abound with abundant thanksgiving to the glory of God. It shows that he did not exaggerate in saying: “He will raise us up and present us with you.” In saying this, I am not extending a word of flattery to you, but because I say this, it must be so: for all things are for you, “for you” - not only the Corinthians, but also all believers - “all things”, the whole economy in Christ Jesus is here and all the indescribable blessings there. Theodoret writes: “For your sake,” that is, believers; for he spoke not about the Corinthians alone, but about all those who accepted the sermon. God, providing for the common salvation of all, accomplished the economy of the Lord Christ.” Saint Chrysostom says: “For you His resurrection and everything else. For He did not do so much for one man only, but for everyone.” “Let grace multiply,” that is, become the property of many. The Lord arranged the salvation of all and established the Apostleship, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit throughout the entire earth, in all languages ​​and societies, it would lay the foundations for the common salvation of all people. This is what we do. The word of the gospel is spreading; along with him grace flows, reviving him to a new life, as a guarantee of endless bliss in eternity. Those who partake of this grace taste the joy of the Holy Spirit, moving their lips to thanksgiving. The more participants in grace, the more grateful lips there are. Grace abounds, thanksgiving abounds; the abundance of thanksgiving abounds to the glory of God. The glory of God is the final goal of the whole economy in Christ Jesus. The angels will go out and praise God; People were created for the same praise. But their song of praise broke down at first. It had to be restored. In order to restore, the Son of God, having become incarnate, descended to the last degrees of humiliation and then ascended as humanity to the last degrees of glory. By imparting to him all possible glory, He made him again capable of rendering the highest possible glory to God. Those who partake of the good things in Christ Jesus taste the glory of God and glorify God. Doxology is a sign of tasting the joy of life. That’s why it became the goal of everything, because God wants to make everyone happy. God wants everyone to taste spiritual blessings, everyone to rejoice, and for this they thank and glorify Him. The Apostle speaks of enjoying grace in abundance and giving thanks in abundance, because not everyone wants what God wants. cv) Contemplation of the future life (2 Cor. 4:16–18, 5:1–10) Having expressed the truth that the Apostles are inspired in the labors of the gospel, in the face of constant mortality, by the undoubted conviction that they have the resurrection of Jesus Christ in glory, Saint Paul decided to hold our attention longer on this subject, because of its extreme importance in the matter of arranging salvation. In moral terms, the most influential, the most educative, the most stimulating truth is the truth about the future life. Those who are established in contemplation of it do not sin, but in the works of good deeds and asceticism they almost know no limits. The Apostle decided to pay more attention to her. He says in his face: we, us, ours, perhaps more so because he himself experiences the feelings that he portrays; but his reasoning in content does not have an exclusive relation to the apostolic ministry, but is the essence of reasoning that applies to all Christians in general. He represents them all in his own person when he says: we, us, ours. α) The future life is glorious (2 Cor. 4:16–18) 2 Cor. 4:16. In the same way, we do not feel cold: but even if our outer man decays, yet our inner man is renewed all day long. The Apostle was transported into the future life by the thought of his incessant mortality. The speech now begins with the same thing, and as if on a ladder, it leads us from the corruption of the outer man to the renewal of the inner, from there to the measure of future glory, and, having thus ascended to the invisible and eternal, leaves us there, wanting us not to leave from there to see what is in our earthly house. “In the same way, we don’t feel cold”: we don’t get bored, we don’t feel burdened, we don’t express any dissatisfaction. And at the beginning of the chapter he said the same thing: “having this service, let us not be cold.” There - after he said that in the economy of the New Testament everyone is led into the contemplation of the glory of God with a revealed face, in order to be transformed into the same image from glory to glory, with the following thought: how can one not willingly serve such a glorious cause, not paying attention to all external inconveniences? Here the same thing is suggested after he expressed confidence in glorification with the Lord after the resurrection. Having in mind such a glorious fate in the future, we, he says, “do not feel cold,” despite the sorrows, troubles, and mortal dangers that surround us. “We do not grieve, we do not indulge in cowardice, but we endure everything courageously” (Theodorit), “knowing the power of God, which now delivers us from all troubles, and in the future will raise us up in glory” (Theophylact), “and seeing how everything we do and endure turns into an increase in glory and thanksgiving to God” (Ecumenius). But all this that we undergo does not remain without relation to the future life. The future life will correspond to spiritual prosperity here. External sorrows perfect the spirit. Let the outer man smolder! From this, or at the same time, the inner one is renewed “all day long.” “External man” is a body with what is necessary for it and with its participation; “internal” – spirit and soul (Theophylact, Ekumenii). The inner man is the same as the “hidden man of the heart” (1 Pet. 3:4), a self-conscious and free spirit, with its functions - the fear of God, conscience and dissatisfaction with anything created. This is how it is in the natural order. Under the influence of grace, he reverently stands before God, contemplating Him with love in serenity, walks unswervingly in the commandments of God, having the law of his God in his heart, and for this he is filled with joy about the Holy Spirit, tastes how much good the Lord is and loses the taste for everything that is not the Lord. All these manifestations of the spirit under the influence of grace begin from the first minute of birth into a new life; but they grow and become stronger gradually, more from beneficial influences, but also a lot from the external states of a person. External well-being can greatly hinder its improvement; External sorrows help him a lot, keeping the spirit detached from everything and giving him the opportunity to fully accept beneficial influences and direct all his efforts to self-growth, without being distracted by anything extraneous. This is what the Apostle means when he says that while the outer man decays, the inner man is renewed all the time. Saint Chrysostom says: “How does the outer man “smolder”? - When he suffers scourging, persecution and other countless disasters. And how is “internal” “updated”? - By faith, hope, jealousy. The more the body suffers, the more the soul has good hopes and the more it becomes enlightened, like gold, much tempted by the action of fire.” It goes without saying that the said corruption of the outer man renews the inner man not unconditionally, but under the condition of grace, faith and life by faith. For renewal does not actually come from it, but is promoted by it, having its own special source. The corruption of the outer man either happens involuntarily, or is arbitrarily arranged, but its meaning and effect are the same: it contributes to the renewal of the inner, nourishing the fear of God in the soul, enlightening the conscience and detaching from everything created, from all earthly attachments. The decay of the outer man, in addition to troubles and sorrows, is also accomplished by the reduction of food and drink, sleep and rest, removal from the entertainment of the senses through solitude, suppression of worries and, in general, exhaustion of the body and contentment with the most extreme measure of what is necessary, with the removal of oneself from much rebellion. This order of life already presupposes the emergence of the inner man; suggests, but does not directly indicate it: for all this can be done externally. The true inner man is born by grace and nurtured and renewed by it. When this exists, then the corruption of the outer man is necessarily required, and only in this case does this corruption contribute to the renewal of the inner. And without this, through the corruption of the outer man, the inner man is never truly renewed. 2 Cor. 4:17. Even though our sorrow is now light, when it multiplies into success, the burden of eternal glory will become for us. “Even now”, - το παραυτικα, - present, instantaneous. “Slight sorrow” – mild sorrows. No matter how great, he says, what we endure, so we should rightly be called suicide bombers; despite all this, these are only sorrows, light and fleeting, if you look at them from the point of view of future glory. What is this life before eternity, and is it worth taking into account if you had to suffer continuously all of it? Sorrows can also be very sensitive; but as they all pass, and the past sadness is no longer heavy, then they are all, in the proper sense, light. Sadness that has no end, even if it is small, cannot help but seem overwhelming. “By increasing to prosperity,” - καθ υπερβολην εις υπερβολην, - by excess to excess, - wants to say: there is no measure in any excess, “in the greatest excess” (St. Chrysostom); “future glory has an exceedingly abundant greatness” (Theophylact). “The burden of eternal glory”, - αιωνιον βαρος, - the eternal burden of glory. In contrast to fleeting light sorrows, eternal heavy glory is placed - representative, full-fledged glory. “The Apostle contrasts the light and convenient with the heavy, that is, with great value” (Theodoret). “He will do it for us,” he prepares for us; we endure here, and there it is already formed that follows what is endured here. They walk in a modern way: here is a slight regret, there is a guarantee of complete glory. “See how he takes away the strength from the sorrows of this life; when the present is opposed to the future, the temporary - to the eternal, the light - to the full, sorrow - to glory. He puts the whole matter in hope” (St. Chrysostom). External sorrows through faith and grace bring the sufferer into close communion with the suffering and death of Christ. That is why they are conductors of the life of Christ, which renews the inner man. But the same communion in the suffering and death of Christ the Lord, already glorified, serves as the basis for the glorification of those who suffer for His sake. From this it follows that sorrows, which renew the inner man, serve together as a guarantee of eternal glorification. Therefore, the Apostle supplies internal renewal with future glorification in some causal connection: “even more.” – They converge through sorrows in one source, the glorified Lord the Savior, who spiritually renews those who communicate with His suffering and death with the power of faith and grace and prepares for them the glory with which He Himself is endowed, seated at the right hand of the Father, as the conqueror of death and hell. 2 Cor. 4:18. For those who do not look at what is visible to us, but what is invisible: what is visible is temporary, but what is invisible is eternal. The Apostle sets out the condition under which the corruption of the outer man renews the inner man and a slight sorrow brings to us the burden of eternal glory. Under the condition, he says, if we do not look at the visible, but at the invisible, or under such a moral system in which we do not look at the visible, but only at the invisible. This goes without saying. Look at the sun, and you will be filled with its luminosity (your inner being will be renewed). Also, rise higher, and everything on earth will seem petty and insignificant. – Saint Chrysostom says: “He shows the way how the weight of sorrow becomes light. How? - “Those who do not look at us,” he says, “visible, but invisible.” If we turn our gaze away from what is visible, then the present will be easy for us, and the future will be great.” Ecumenius sees the same connection in these texts: “Since he called grief light, even though it can be heavy, he now explains how present grief can be light. If, he says, we do not look at the visible, but at the invisible. For just contrast what is there with what is here, and you will see how everything here seems easy. For this is all temporary, otherwise it is eternal.” “Not looking” - μη σκοπουντων. On the lists, - σκοπος, - the mark that everyone had to reach first in order to receive the reward. Those running on horses or on their feet fix their entire gaze on this meta, not paying attention to anything outside, even if there are mountains of gold here. The Apostle expresses that those who are being renewed spiritually and awaiting eternal glory must not only not have anything visible as a goal, but also not pay attention to it, and be as towards it as if it were not there; the goal where their gaze, bypassing everything, should be directed, is exclusively the invisible. It alone is the subject of their desires, aspirations and hopes. As long as a person lives with body and soul solidified, until then the invisible seems to him something illusory, indefinite, as if it does not exist. When grace comes and awakens the spirit, then among the first requirements for the perception of a new life is a renunciation of appearances, from supports, hopes and pleasures given by visible things and faces, and an appeal to the invisible, in order to place there one’s hopes and the objects of one’s searches and hopes. This requires a blood sacrifice, but it is necessary. He who realizes this breaks himself, no matter how painful it may be, and makes the required sacrifice. She opens the door of entry for grace that forms a new man. Having been born under such alienation from the visible, the inner new man, if he develops correctly, no longer returns here, but lives there entirely in the invisible. It alone becomes truly existing for him; what is visible is ghostly and disappearing, as it really is. Why in the words of the Apostle: “to those who are not seen by us” can be seen such a meaning: this is such an order, or the law of life about Christ Jesus, that we do not look at the visible, but only at the invisible. -What is this invisible thing? – God, worshiped in the Trinity, and all that He gives to those who approach Him to taste. It is not complicated, but it is vast, and one thing satisfies; whereas there is a lot of visible, but it does not satiate, but only irritates the taste. What is this visible thing? – Everything that a person devoted to this life considers good: contentment, sweets, honor, predominance, power, breadth of enterprises and success in them, and the like. “The visible is temporary, but the invisible is eternal.” Does not concern other features of the visible and invisible, because these are more obvious. To someone who is addicted to visible things, no matter what you say about it from an unfavorable angle, everything will not be entirely clear; and that all this is temporary is clearly visible, for before his eyes it flows like a river and cannot stand. He who has renounced the visible and combined with the invisible, although he could understand many other features of this invisible, except for eternity, but since he already tastes them and in this tasting sees the bliss of a life detached from everything, then the most comforting thing for him is to hear that the invisible, the sweetness of which he began to taste, is eternal and that, therefore, there will be no end to the sweet bliss he has begun. So the Apostle, in a simple word, gave strong admonition to some, and extremely comforting encouragement to others. Saint Chrysostom says: “He did not say that only sorrows are temporary, but everything visible, even if it were sorrow, even if it were joy; so that we do not relax in joy and are not burdened by sorrows. Therefore, speaking about the future, he did not say: the kingdom is eternal, but “the invisible is eternal,” even if it were a kingdom, even if it were torment, so that we would fear this latter, but strive for it. So, since the visible is temporary, and the invisible is eternal, we will stretch our gaze to the invisible. If we prefer the temporary to the eternal, then how can we excuse ourselves? Let us assume that the temporary is pleasant, but it is short-lived, and the torment for it will have neither end nor mercy. What answer will those give who, having been awarded the Spirit of God and having already tasted so much of God’s gift, then turned their gaze downward and fell to earthly things?” β ) Why is the future life especially desirable? (2 Cor. 5:1–5) Because there we will put on a heavenly body, pure, light, bright. This body, the real one, is heavy, burdensome, requiring a lot of care for itself, and itself rewards us with resistance to our spiritual aspirations for the heavenly. So we want to throw off this gross body in order to put on something spiritual. This sighing in us is from God, who gave us the betrothal of the Spirit, who prefigures for us the future bright state and certifies with Himself its reality. Hence the sighs. 2 Cor. 5:1. We know that even if our earthly church of the body is destroyed, the creation of the imams is from God, the church is not made by hands, eternal in heaven. "Wemy bo". The present period of our existence is transitional and was created as a result of the fall. We should be aware and feel this. But, having taken root, we usually put up with being on earth and living in the body. The aspiration for another life appears in our most vague and precarious form. The grace of God, giving birth to new life, also revives the aspirations of a future life, presenting it in certain outlines. This is what the Apostle expresses when he says: “we know.” He had this clear knowledge. We know about this from his words; but they are obliged to know just as he knew, because they have been granted the same grace of the Holy Spirit. Those who are pure in heart, in whom the grace of the Spirit appears in effect, have such knowledge. “Even if our earthly church of the body is ruined.” - “If” - he does not say in this sense: in case he goes bankrupt, but in this sense: when he goes bankrupt, expressing that this is a desired and undoubted moment of liberation from this earthly burden that weighs us down and chains us to the earth. “Earthly church of the body”, - οικια του σκηνους, - our earthly dwelling is tabernacle, or skin-like. “The apostle says this about our body. Calling it a tabernacle, he pointed out its destructibility and the short duration of life here” (St. Chrysostom). This body, or such, is the house of the soul, but only earthly, temporary, supplied for a while, like a tabernacle, or a tent, which by its very appearance makes it clear that now it stands here, but in a few days and even hours it will not be here. The body is a transitional dwelling. When it goes bankrupt, “the creation of God is an imam, a church not made by hands, eternal in heaven.” “Creation from God”, - οικοδομην εκ θεου, - a building built by God, a God-created house. The Apostle does not mean eternal abodes, but our future body, calling it after this “church not made with hands.” The reason for calling it not made by hands was perhaps a comparison with the tabernacle; His thought is that the real body is constructed through the natural process of birth, as a result of which it is a burdensome dwelling in many respects, and by this very burden it arouses the desire to be freed from it in order to accept something new; the future body will be a dwelling built by the creative power of God, therefore free from everything that makes the present body so heavy. As a result of this, the church - the future body - will be “eternal”, for it will be composed not of rough elements, the very way of their combination predicting destruction and decomposition, but of incorruptible elements, or from one element of heaven. With such a body it is no longer possible to live on earth; his proper place is heaven; or the earth will have to be turned into heaven. – In the word: “in heaven” the Apostle meant where our stay with the future body will be. But the body itself will be perceived on earth, for it is a resurrected body, and the resurrection will follow on earth. Elsewhere, the Apostle says that those who are worthy to be with the Lord after the resurrection will soar to meet the Lord in the air and will not return from there to earth, but will always be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:17). The Apostle says that when the earthly church of the body is destroyed, we have in heaven a God-created, eternal church. We have it as if immediately after the removal of this mortal body by death; whereas, according to God’s dispensation, there is a gap between one and the other, which can end at any moment, but still continues, and no one can assign a specific limit to it. The Lord waits until all who can be saved come to know Him and enter His flock. Why did the Apostle say this? - In order not to make side, untenable suggestions from his words, one must keep in mind that the Apostle had only two moments in his attention - life in this body, difficult and burdensome, and life in the future glorious body, bright, heavenly, desired, which will undoubtedly be received. He only wanted to say: let’s throw off this body, temporary, and get something eternal, heavenly. What happens between these moments is not his concern; it was not part of his reasoning in the present case. 2 Cor. 5:2, 3. For we sigh for this, desiring to be clothed in our heavenly dwelling; even though we have clothed ourselves, we will not be clothed. This is the reason why we sigh! She who desires to be clothed in our heavenly dwelling, in a body incorruptible and not made by hands. We know for sure that it exists and that it is incomparably better than the real body, or that it is the real body that we should have; that is why we desire him. - “Desiring”, επιποθουντες, having a strong, uncontrollable desire. That’s why we “sigh” στεναζομεν—we sigh with groaning. The strength of desire also corresponds to sighing. Saint Chrysostom says: “Tell me, in what dwelling (do we wish to be clothed)? - Into an incorruptible body. Why are we sighing now? - Because this body is much better. “Heavenly”, το εξ ουρανου, he calls it because of its incorruptibility, and not because it seems to descend from heaven on us; from heaven it will receive only life-giving grace (incorruptibility), which revives it.” “He did not say: ενδυσασθαι - put on oneself, but επενδυσασθαι - change oneself, change one’s clothes, because we will not put on another body, but this perishable one will put on incorruptibility” (Theodoret). What kind of groaning is the Apostle talking about here? - About that which is common to all pious Christians, who do not live to please the flesh, but are worthy of their name, following the Lord with the cross of self-denial. Everyone knows that there will be another life, but not everyone has the desire for it, because not everyone has complete self-sacrifice. Works of self-sacrifice give boldness to desire that life, and the testimony of conscience supports it with the assurance that they will meet God’s mercy there. Everyone is like that and wants to be resolved and be with Christ. This desire intensifies to the point of lust with groaning from the felt and constantly felt burden of the body, and especially from the fact that the enemy often uses it to seduce and entice into inappropriate things, or to place one in an unwanted state of relaxation, drowsiness, fatigue, immobility. Or is it not this groaning that St. Paul means, which is heard in all people, that we are exiles on earth, but our fatherland is not here? That’s why everyone has a certain heaviness, a kind of homesickness. Outside of Christianity, this longing remains vague, but in Christians it receives a precise and definite meaning. “Even if I am clothed, I will not find the Nazis.” If “not nazi” is understood in relation to the body, that is, “not found without a body,” then there will be no thought in this verse. For what is the point of saying: if only having put on a new body, we will not find ourselves without a body? If instead of “having put on”, ενδυσαμενοι, there was “having taken off oneself”, εκδυσαμενοι, then the thought would be this: we wish to put on a new body, and to be unclothed, that is, we want to be unclothed, but not in such a way that, having been unclothed, we remain without a body, naked. St. Chrysostom had such a thought, probably from the reading he encountered - εκδυσαμενοι. He says: “That is, although we lay aside this body, we will not appear there without a body, but with this same body, which will then become incorruptible.” But reading - εκδυσαμενοι is not justified, and it is customary for everyone to read ενδυσαμενοι. When reading: “having been clothed,” one cannot give this text a different meaning than the one that our interpreters give it, that is, “do not teach” from good deeds and glory. For only under this condition is it desirable to put on a new, incorruptible body, and without this it is not only not good, but is the beginning of extreme suffering, and therefore cannot be desirable. The Apostle says: we groan in the desire to put on a new, heavenly body, but, of course, with this application: unless, having put on it, we find ourselves naked from the glory, grace and favor of God. St. Chrysostom, after the above opinion, continues: “Some people give a different meaning to the words: “even though we have put on the Lord, we will not find ourselves”, and very judiciously; that is, so that believers, in the hope of the resurrection, do not give in to carelessness, the Apostle said: “even if we have put on”, that is, incorruptibility, and received an incorruptible body, “we shall not find” (we shall not be deprived of) glory and eternal salvation. For although the resurrection is common to all, the glory is not for all. Some will rise to honor, and others to dishonor; some for the kingdom, and others for torment.” Theodoret writes the same thing: “Although every person will be clothed in incorruptible clothing, not everyone will become partakers of the Divine glory. Therefore, he calls naked those deprived of Divine glory, among whom the Apostle counts himself, and the Corinthians, and all people, thereby teaching modesty.” This expresses the fact that those who are condemned after the resurrection will feel themselves to be in naked shame, like those who are exposed to shame naked before a large gathering of people. How natural this is, it goes without saying. Speaking about this, the Apostle wanted to preface the suggestion: strive not to be naked on that day, so longed for in yourself. He directly expresses this suggestion below: “let us strive to be acceptable to the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:9). 2 Cor. 5:4. For we who are in this body groan with heaviness, for we do not want to be deprived of ourselves, but to be deprived of the flesh, so that the life of death may be consumed. Explains in what sense we want to throw off this body and for what reason. This body is heavy, he says, and requires a lot of care: feed it, give it something to drink, dress it, give it a restful bed, and this every day, and give it something else several times a day; so you spend a whole century toiling for the sole reason of taking care of your body. Meanwhile, for life according to the spirit, it not only does not provide help, but, on the contrary, serves as the first obstacle, until the last breath. It happens that all the enemies fall silent, but it still drags it down. That is why “being in this body”, we “sigh”, we sigh, “being” “burdened” by it. But do not therefore accept the false thought that we want to get rid of the body in order to be completely without a body. No; we sigh for freedom from such a body, and not from a body at all. It is ordained for man to have a body by creative wisdom according to the order of creation, and it is unnatural for him to be without a body. Without it, he cannot help but feel incomplete, impoverished, deprived, and therefore cannot taste the full joy of being, even with the confidence that it is well-being. Therefore, when we want to take off this body, we do not want to be without a body, but only to change clothes. (Be shone, επενδυσασθαι, re-brightened.) And exactly how? - “Let him be devoured with a deathly belly.” That's what we want! So that deadness is taken from this body: corruption and passion, and in their place incorruptible, pure, bright, heavenly life is infused into it; This life would have entered into him and swallowed up that deadness and completely transformed him. “We sigh, not wanting to get rid of the body, but having the desire to become free from its passions, for we desire not to be stripped of the body, but to be re-clothed with incorruption” (Theodoret). Saint Chrysostom says: “We are not sighing for that, he says, to be freed from the body, for we do not want to completely lay off our bodies, but we only want to free ourselves from the corruption that is in it. That is why he says that we do not want to put off the body, but only to put on the immortal. Then he himself explains how this is possible: “let the dead be devoured with the belly.” For many, the removal of the body might seem painful, but he, contrary to the general voice, says: we sigh because we want to be freed from it. Another could say to this: if the soul hurts and suffers so much, being separated from the body, then how do you say that we sigh because we cannot free ourselves from it for a long time? Anticipating this objection, he says: and I do not say that we sigh about laying down our body, for no one lays it down without sorrow; but we sigh for how to clothe it with incorruptibility. We are burdened by the body, but not because we carry a body, but because we carry a corruptible and passionate body. This is what produces sorrow in us. But the life to come will destroy and destroy corruption—corruption, not the body.” “As rising light dispels darkness, so undying life destroys corruption” (Theodorite). 2 Cor. 5:5. God, who created us in this present time, also gave us the betrothal of the Spirit. For such an incorruptible life, he says, we were originally created, but we fell and through sin were subject to corruption. The Lord and Savior destroyed corruption, trampling death by resurrection. Mysteriously, we become partakers of this resurrection in baptism, laying aside the old life and putting on the new. But this is only the guarantee, the beginning and the foundation for the future resurrection in glory, like the resurrection of the Lord. Here it works mysteriously by faith and grace in the spirit; and at the general resurrection we will by our very deed be clothed with incorruption. And that this will be so, let the inherent goodness of the Holy Spirit assure everyone of this. He is the guarantee of the inheritance of imperishable life. God was pleased to arrange it this way. Saint Chrysostom says: “The life to come will destroy corruption; but don’t ask about how this will happen. God will be at work here. Don't experience this. That’s why he added: “God created us into this present time.” By this he shows that this was previously determined about us, for not only now did God reveal this to us, but in the beginning, when he formed us from the earth and created Adam, for he did not create him so that he would die, but to make him immortal. Then, to further confirm this, he added: “Who also gave us the betrothal of the Spirit.” For just as then He created man for this end, so now through baptism He recreated him for the same purpose, and in confirmation of this he provided us with an important guarantee of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle often mentions this pledge and betrothal, both in order to show that it is owed to Him by everyone, and in order to thereby convince the stubborn and hardened in heart of the truth of his teaching.” γ) What should one do in order to be worthy of a glorious future life? (2 Cor. 5:6–10) To do this, we must try in every possible way to please the Lord. I said, he says, that we are burdened by life in this body and want to throw it off. Now I will show you why this is especially difficult - because the body prevents us from seeing the Lord. We are breaking out of it to be with the Lord. But if so, then while we are alive, we need to be zealous about pleasing the Lord, for those who do not please Him will not meet with Him for their own joy, but only to hear a condemnation sentence for themselves. 2 Cor. 5:6–8. We always boldly and knowingly, as if living in the body, we depart from the Lord: for we walk by faith, and not by sight: we dare and deign, rather, to depart from the body and come to the Lord. “Daringly”, and then “we dare”, seem to mean here nothing more than the decisiveness of that mental action that the verb that follows expresses. So “daring and leading” means decisive leadership, with conviction that does not allow any doubt; “we are bold and willing” means a decisive desire that does not allow any hesitation. Ecumenius paraphrases these words as follows: “boldly and knowingly”, θαρρουντως ειδοτες, boldly knowing; and “we are bold and willing”, θαρρουντως ευδοκουμεν, - we are boldly pleased. That is why the Apostle says: knowing without a doubt that, while living in this body, we are departing from the Lord, we strongly desire to be “departed from the body and brought into the Lord.” The words: “for we walk by faith, and not by sight,” constitute an introductory statement that explains by experience that it is precisely the body that separates us from the Lord. Theodoret expresses the general idea of ​​these texts this way: “The Apostle does not say that we are alienated from the Lord (or alien to the Lord), being still associated with this mortal body, but that now we do not see Him with our bodily eyes, but then we will see and be with Him. For now, he says, we do not see the most expected things, but we see them only by faith. That is why we ourselves want to be “departed from the body and brought into the Lord.” Saying: “we boldly know that while we live in the body we depart from the Lord,” the Apostle makes it clear that such knowledge requires a bold mind. Likewise, the words: “we are boldly pleased to depart from the body and come to the Lord” makes it clear that such a benevolent desire requires a courageous spirit. In fact, to those who endure persecution, bitterness and constant danger of death for the Lord’s sake, outsiders could say: what are you doing? You endure, but you do not see Him for Whom you endure. And similar thoughts could come to those who endure. A daring thought, inspired by faith, could boldly answer these thoughts and the words of others: yes, we do not see; but nevertheless He exists and is nearby, only we do not see, but feel. The reason why we do not see is this body of ours. “By living in the body we depart from the Lord.” “Living”, ενδημουντς, wandering, as if in a foreign land. “We are strangers and strangers in it” (Ecumenius). “He did not say: existing, οντες, in the body, but ενδημουντες, because we are in it, like travelers in an inn” (St. Chrysostom). We wander in the body as if in a foreign land; our fatherland, our home, is where the Lord is, or with the Lord. Thus, while wandering in the body, we naturally separated from our native home and from the Father of the Lord Himself. “The body has become a wall between us and the Lord” (Ecumenius). So, what, shouldn’t this wall be broken down forcibly and arbitrarily? - No. It pleased the Lord Himself to establish such an order, so that we would first live by faith and, having already been faithful in everything to the Lord by faith, would enter into such an order of life where we would walk before the Lord in vision and be with Him face to face. Now is the period when “we walk by faith and not by sight.” For it does not happen that we, having first been before the Lord, pass into the body as into someone else’s house. No; we are born in the only way known to God and, already in our existing body, we become related to the Lord through rebirth in the baptismal font, in His image. Having become so close to Him, we feel that the body fences us off from Him, but we must remain in the body until the time determined by the Lord in order to strengthen in this new life, grow for another and show our loyalty before the Lord when He remains hidden from us. Now by faith we know Him, by faith we approach Him and are guided to remain in spiritual, mysterious communion with Him. Having endured ourselves as we should during this period of testing and education, under the guardianship of faith, we will then enter another, in which we will be with the Lord face to face. With all this, however, we cannot be indifferent to that blessed moment when we leave the body and appear before the Lord. This is a precious moment. Why “knowing what coming to the Lord brings, we boldly deign to be separated from the body, or we wholeheartedly desire this” (Ecumenius). - “We dare and deign, even more, to be taken away from the body and brought to the Lord.” We are boldly willing, he says, because this kind of benevolent, willing and joyful desire requires a courageous spirit. Life in the body, and with a strong consciousness of its inconveniences, has its own attractions that attract people to it. It is impossible to become completely alienated from her without breaking oneself, and such a turning point cannot take place without daring determination. And then constantly keeping oneself in such a mood means a soul inspired by courage. That is why the Apostle said: “we are bold and willing,” that is, we boldly and courageously desire this. Reading the history of the martyrs, we cannot help but see their justification of the words of St. Paul. They longed to go to the Lord, and they desired with uncontrollable desire and courage. - Saint Chrysostom speaks to these words: “You see how the Apostle, having kept silent about the unpleasant names of “death and demise,” replaced them with the most desirable name - “residence with the Lord”; and, on the contrary, bypassing the names of life that seem pleasant, he used the unpleasant, calling life here “moving away from the Lord.” And he did this so that no one would not only not enjoy the present, but, on the contrary, would also be burdened by it; and so that no one, approaching death, grieves, but rather rejoices, because he moves on to enjoy the best blessings.” 2 Cor. 5:9. In the same way, those who strive, whether entering or departing, may He be pleased to be. “But whether we are there or here,” he says, “our business is only to take care of living in accordance with His will. For this is our main duty, so after this you are without a doubt the heir of the kingdom of heaven. since, with all the desire to come to the Lord, one can easily deviate from the intended path, the Apostle also points out what is most necessary on this path. What is this? - That is to please the Lord, for it is not just good to leave here, but to leave having pleased God; Through this, the last will also be good. Just as it’s not just hard to “live here,” but it’s hard to live while offending God. So, do not think that one weaning from the body is enough for eternal life. Virtue is needed everywhere. Therefore, just as when speaking about the resurrection of bodies, he did not allow one to rest on the mere knowledge of it, saying, “even if one has put on one who is not the Nazis”: so, speaking about being taken away from the body, so that you would not think that this alone is enough for you to be saved, he added that you must also become pleasing to God” (St. Chrysostom). 2 Cor. 5:10. It is fitting for us all to appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that everyone may receive what they have done with their body, either good or evil. “Having aroused the jealousy of the Corinthians with many different benefits, the Apostle did not forget to motivate them with the fear of threatening evils. For our blessedness consists both in the acquisition of goods and in the avoidance of evils, that is, in the acquisition of the kingdom of heaven and in the avoidance of Gehenna. But the fear of torment has a stronger effect on us. For others, perhaps, would agree to be punished by alienation from the inheritance of eternal blessings, but hardly anyone would agree to endure torment. Of course, the first should be considered more intolerable, but for many, due to their weakness and attachment to earthly things, the latter seems more intolerable. - So, since many are not so much excited by promises of benefits as by threats of punishment, the Apostle considered it necessary to conclude his speech here like this: “For it is fitting for us all to appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” But again, having frightened and aroused the listener with a reminder of this judgment, here too he did not leave sorrow without consolation, but dissolved the bitter with the sweet, saying: “Let everyone receive either good or evil whatever he has done to his body.” Saying this, he strengthens the good and pious, and yet the persecuted, with hopes; and he excites the faulty and careless with fear to correction, and at the same time confirms his teaching about the resurrection of bodies. For, he says, a body that has served virtue or vice will not be excluded from participation in rewards; but together with the souls, some (bodies) will be given over to torment, while others will be crowned with rewards” (St. Chrysostom). c) How is the preaching of the Gospel going (2 Cor. 5:11–7:1) aa) God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself and gave us the word of reconciliation; We go around convincing everyone to be reconciled with God. And we also say to you, adding advice: take care that you do not miss the time favorable for salvation (2 Cor. 5:11–21, 6:1, 2). bb) We do our job, taking every possible care not to be a stumbling block to anyone, but on the contrary, to encourage everyone to turn to faith (2 Cor. 6:3-10). cv) Take care to do your own thing—forsaking all ungodliness and lawlessness, cleave to God, that you may be God’s (2 Cor. 6:11–18, 7:1). aa) God in Christ reconciled the world to himself and gave us the word of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:11–21, 6:1, 2) God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself: in this α) the essence of the New Testament (2 Cor. 5:11–18). And he established proclaimers of this reconciliation and inviters to it: in this β) Apostleship, a necessary institution in the economy of salvation (2 Cor. 5:19–21, 6:1, 2). "α) Being of the new covenant (2 Cor. 5:11–18)" We, the fallen, are condemned to death. The Son of God, having become incarnate, died for everyone and saved us, satisfying the righteousness of God and putting new life in us (2 Cor. 5:14-18). At the transition to the presentation of this subject, from the previous word about universal judgment, the Apostle briefly points out his sincerity in the work of preaching (2 Cor. 5:11-13). 2 Cor. 5:11. Knowing the fear of the Lord, we exhort men, but we are manifested by God; we trust that we are manifested in your consciences. Like some light, the holy Apostle carried away from the contemplation of the future life, judgment and reward for deeds - a sobering fear. We know, he says, the fear of the Lord, and having been imbued with it, we exhort people as having to give an account to God in every word and deed. We offer a word of exhortation in this way, as we realize that God sees us. Here the Apostle expresses the same thing as before: “we say before God in Christ” (2 Cor. 2:17). God sees and says that in our word there is no lie, no deceit, no flattery. We are sure that you understand us no differently, for we are not known to you outwardly, but are obviously known by your very conscience. “Leading fear”, not imagining it with your mind, but carrying it in your heart. “We exhort people,” πειθομεν, - we convince. What? - What they are sent to convince is that they believe, are sanctified by the sacraments and through them receive the grace-filled power to live according to the commandments of God, so that at the coming of the Lord they will appear pure and blameless. This embraces the entire content of the apostolic exhortations. But often they were forced to deal with side issues that arose; It was especially often necessary to certify believers of the truth and sincerity of their words. Some unkind thoughts about the Apostles crept into the midst of believers and upset them. The effect of faith in their souls was then reduced or stopped completely. The apostles considered it their duty to dispel such thoughts in order to give scope to the action of faith. Our interpreters mean exactly this by the word: πειθομεν in this place. Theophylact writes: “We admonish people” - stands instead: we heal temptations. “For even though you have not done anything bad, if, having given some reason for suspicion and having the opportunity to dispel the temptation, you do not dispel it, then you are subject to condemnation.” Theodoret says the same: “We try to correct those who have false opinions about us and provide information about ourselves as to what we really are.” So does Saint Chrysostom: “Thus, says the holy Apostle, knowing this, that is, this terrible judgment, we do everything so as not to give you any reason to even falsely suspect us of the insincerity of our actions. Do you see the strict precision in the performance of duties and the caring nature of the soul, caring for the good of others? For, he says, we are subject to condemnation not only when we actually do something bad, but we are also subject to it when, having done nothing bad, we are suspected of evil and, being able to remove the suspicion, do not care about it.” “To God I have appeared.” “God knows everything; He has nothing to prove to us of his sincerity” (Ecumenius). We are open before God; He sees the pattern of our action; and we should not offer Him any explanations, as if He had accepted something tempting about us” (Theophylact). The Apostle’s purpose in this word is not to present God’s omniscience and all-vision, but to say that their conviction in God’s omniscience does not allow them to admit anything insincere in themselves. We walk, speak and act with the consciousness of the presence of God, and this consciousness keeps us pure in everything, like the prophet David, who says: “I have seen the Lord before me, for he is at my right hand, let me not move” (Ps. 15:8). “Let us hope”, ελπιζω, I hope; as if he were expecting, and yet expresses his complete confidence and with this confidence dispels any bewilderment, if it were still lurking in them. He says, as it were: “You have no need for our certificates, knowing exactly our goal” (Theodoret). “As we really are, that is how you know us, and you know us exactly, in a pure and clear conscience” (Ecumenius). “You know everything we have well; we are open to you; and we are not supposed to disperse your temptations and suspicions” (Theophylact). This is what the Apostle says about most of them, about the body of the Church of Corinth; and that there were some bad-minded people there, the Apostle speaks about this in the last part of the letter. 2 Cor. 5:12. We do not again praise ourselves before you, but we give guilt to you for praising us, so that we may bring praise to those who boast in their faces, and not in their hearts. “We don’t just praise ourselves,” we represent, we recommend ourselves to you. There is no real need for this, because we are well known to you. But we say this, we clarify the whole matter, we reveal to you our feelings and the mood of our spirit with the purpose of giving guilt to praise about us, so that you, knowing everything about how we act, do not blush because of the teachers, but, on the contrary, can boast about us when need requires it. The Apostle’s thought was not that they should praise them without any need, but that they should have ready solid grounds to repel complaints against them from ill-wishers, and thereby both defend the truth and protect their conscience, for it means a lot to maintain an unshakable conviction in the high and inviolable dignity of those who taught the Lord’s teaching. Saint Chrysostom says: “See how he always warns against suspicion of imaginary self-praise, for nothing offends the ears of listeners more than telling something great and extraordinary about oneself. But since he was forced to say something like this about himself, he corrects himself, saying: we do this for you, and not for ourselves, so that you have something to boast about, and not us; but you also would not boast without reason, but because of the false apostles. “We say this not so that we will be praised, but so that you can freely speak for us, and not so that you can boast only about us, but so that you are no longer deceived.” This understanding of the Apostle’s thought is fully justified by the following words: “Let us treat those who boast in person, and not in heart. “Yes imate” - what about imate? - “What to boast about” (St. Chrysostom), “what to answer and what to say in our defense” (Ecumenius), “so that you learn how you should defend the teacher and expose the false speeches of opponents who wear a double mask, they think one thing and say another” (Theodoret). “To those who boast in person, not in heart.” So that you have something to say before these who boast of outward representativeness, but in their hearts do not have those virtues that they show for show. In appearance, they showed the zeal of God, and love for the Corinthians, and, as it were, self-sacrifice; in reality, in the soul, all this was not as it appeared. Saint Chrysostom says: “Yes, have something to boast about in front of those who boast.” And this is also not simply and not without any need that he commands them to do, but when the false apostles become exalted. He says this not for his own glory, but to stop the mouths of false teachers, who, to the detriment of the Corinthians, boast in their deeds, “boasting in person,” that is, in outward deeds performed for show. But the false apostles were really like that and did everything out of curiosity; and being empty in soul, although they had the appearance of piety and seemed worthy of respect, they were alien to good deeds.” 2 Cor. 5:13. If we are astonished, O God: if we are chaste, to you. The Apostle calls “amazement” what he said great things about himself, which in other places he calls “madness” (St. Chrysostom); and “chastity” – humble speech about oneself (Theodoret). These concepts are the same for all interpreters; but in what respect the first “Gods”, and the second “you”, are understood differently; from which came the different periphrases of this text. And Saint Chrysostom brings them to three, without giving to see which one should be preferred. From this it is clear how difficult it is to indicate a definite thought of this place. “If I am astonished,” if I seem to someone to have lost their temper, to say who knows what, because I am talking about my special election, about the revelations that have been made to me, about the signs of God that I have performed, and about other similar things; then, speaking about this, I do not attribute anything to myself, but attribute everything to God; I glorify not myself, but God, for I proclaim to everyone everywhere that “by the grace of God I am” (1 Cor. 15:10), and that although I worked harder than anyone else, it was not I who was active here, but grace. So, “even if we are amazed, O God.” One could reproach me for why I am saying this, and in this sense: let them themselves find out who needs it, from the outside, and not from your lips. But I could not remain silent; I must tell everyone that I am God’s ambassador, and indicate the signs so that, seeing my humiliation, no one will humiliate and despise my preaching, reject it and perish (St. Chrysostom). That’s why, although I know that I’m crazy, I seem to lose my temper when I say this about myself, I say it, however, because from this God is glorified both by my word and by the salvation of others. Even if they think I’m crazy for this, I endure it with joy for God’s sake. “If anyone considers us crazy for this, let him know that we are so crazy for God” (St. Chrysostom). “If we are chaste, for you.” “If we say anything humbly and humiliatingly, we do this for you, so that you may learn to be humble; or this way: if anyone considers us humble, let him himself learn humility from us” (St. Chrysostom). “I do both,” he says, “with the right thought” (Theodoret). 2 Cor. 5:14. For the love of God will sustain us who have judged this: for if one die for all, then all die. Moves on to a word about the essence of the New Covenant of grace. One can put this speech in connection with the previous one like this: although the specific thought of the Apostle in the previous text is not clear, one cannot, however, fail to see that he wanted to express his constant zeal to do everything for the glory of God and the salvation of people. What inspired him to do this? - Love. Blessed Theophylact and the word: “we are amazed”, we went into a frenzy, interprets it in such a way that the Apostle was in a frenzy from strong love for God; she made him forget himself, so that he knew no limits in outbursts of self-sacrifice. What was this love fueled by? – Contemplation of the death of Christ the Savior for all people. When I think about this, he says, God’s love embraces my soul, I enter into a feeling of God’s love, and I also light up with love. But in further interpretation of the Apostle’s words, it is better not to put them in relation to the previous speech, because this can limit his sublime teaching about the essence of the Covenant of Grace. It is better to recognize the previous one only as a reason, or transition, to the presentation of this teaching. “The love of God”, του Χριστου, the love of Christ, the love that Christ the Lord showed, deigning to die for all, for he died out of one love. But just as in the word “love of God” one often understands Divine love, or God-like love, so in the expression “love of Christ” one hears Christ-like love. The verb “hold” also leads to this, συνεχει, grasps, embraces. In order for the love of Christ to grasp and embrace us, it is necessary to perceive it into our senses. If anyone accepts the love of Christ with all the fullness of his heart, he cannot help but be aflame with the same love, and it will combine both a warm feeling of gratitude to the great Benefactor, and a self-sacrificing readiness for everything for His sake, especially to do every kind of good to everyone, and because this is more pleasing to Christ the Lord than anything else and out of a sense of brotherhood with them in Christ. Thus, the love of Christ, if it holds anyone, is immediately Christ-like. This love will support us, who have “judged this,” discussed it, weighed it, and embraced it with our minds as much as possible. It is impossible to be inflamed with the love of Christ without recognizing it, without imagining all its immensity and greatness. Contemplation of the love of Christ, reflected in the heart, ignites its love. Thinking about this love always brings this fruit. Judgment here does not mean comprehension, but consciousness of the incomprehensible greatness of Christ’s love, and especially from that side to which the Apostle points here, precisely for the sake of Christ’s death for all, which took away the power of the death of all. “For what greater love is there than to die for the whole universe, which lies in evil?” - says Saint Chrysostom. Blessed Theodoret writes: “We are flaming,” says the Apostle, with love for Christ, reasoning that when we were subject to death, He alone accepted death for us, so that life might be acquired for all of us.” “If one dies for all, then all die.” The power of the word: one died for all, which means everyone died. Otherwise it would be impossible to say that he died for everyone. The death of Him alone combined the death of all. In His death all died. If it were not so, “if all in Him had not died, then Christ would not have died for everyone” (St. Chrysostom). In what sense this is, the Apostle does not explain here. In the Epistle to the Hebrews he says that the Lord Jesus Christ “tasted death for all by the grace of God” (Heb. 2:9); and in the letter to Timothy he explains that this “grace” is determined for us from “eternal years” and that the Lord, having tasted death, “has destroyed death” (2 Tim. 1:9, 10). Taking these words literally: “destroyed death,” everyone “died in Him,” one would expect that after the death of the Lord no one should die. since everyone dies, the word of God is not false; then we must assume that there is a meaning according to which death is destroyed by the death of Christ and everyone has already died in Him, and yet everyone must still die as they die. This leads us to a brief outline of the mystery of the whole economy of salvation. God do not create death; she entered the world through sin. God told the first parents that if they break the commandment, they will die. They committed crimes and died. Death immediately took effect. That they died mentally was then revealed in their attempt to hide from God and in covering up sin and blaming it on one another. That we did not die bodily immediately is due to the grace determined upon us from eternal years. This grace entered into the plans of the world. The angels fell and were left in their fall due to their extreme stubbornness in evil and resistance to God. If they all fell, this link would fall out of the chain of creation and the system of the world would be upset. But since not all fell, but a part, a link of them remained and the harmony of the world remained indestructible. Man was created alone with his wife in order to give birth to the entire number of persons who could form a human link in the system of the world. When he fell, this link fell out, and the world lost its order. As this link is necessary in the order of the world, it was necessary, either by putting to death, as defined, the fallen, to create new ancestors, or thereby provide a reliable way of restoration to the first rank. since the fall did not occur due to, let’s say, the failure of the first creation, but because created freedom, especially the freedom of the spirit physically united with the body, combined within itself the possibility of a fall, then, having begun to repeat the creation, it would perhaps be necessary to repeat it endlessly. Therefore, the wisdom of God, guided by boundless goodness, decided to arrange a different way for the fallen to revolt. In the arrangement of this method, the first place was to be occupied by the execution of the sentence of eternal righteousness: “You shall die by death” (Gen. 2:17); it was necessary to bring death, equivalent to the death of all people, so that by virtue of it everyone would be considered already dead, or having paid the debt of death, and through this they would receive the right and come to life with hope of life. For this, the Son of God and God had to take upon Himself human nature, with all the infirmities, except sin, and die by it. This death, like the death of God in the flesh, should have had an infinite price and all-embracingness, and, like an innocent death, could be imputed to others under sufficient conditions. In this is grace, destined for us from eternal years. This definition entered into the plans of the world and, where necessary, was active in providential power; but its execution actually has its own time. Halfway through the sixth thousand years, the Son of God came from the fall, became incarnate and died on the cross. God died by human nature and in this one death truly united the deaths of all people. One died - all died. Contemplating this, the Apostle cried out: “The love of Christ will support us who judge this.” But if everyone died, then death is destroyed? - So this is it: God, having died by human nature, destroyed death (2 Tim. 1:10), for on the third day he rose again in glorified humanity and from that moment remains in this resurrection. Humanity has already tasted the glory and greatness of the resurrection. If, when one died, all died; then, when one was resurrected, all were resurrected. The power of the resurrection of Christ is truly such that in it lies the foundation of the resurrection of all. This power does not pass on to everyone by imputation, but by deed itself will be tasted by everyone; everyone will personally taste this power and be resurrected. But this has its time. Just as there was a time for the appearance of the Son of God in the flesh, to die in it and to be resurrected, so there was a time for everyone to taste the resurrection. When this is accomplished, then what is written will come true: “Where is the sting, O death? Death was sacrificed in victory" (1 Cor. 15:55, 54). But to be resurrected, one must die; To die, you must be born a suicide bomber. This is how it is supposed to be, so that the ancestors do not die immediately after the fall, but remain to live for a while, like suicide bombers, so that they can give birth to suicide bombers. Hence, the period of mortality and decay entered the order of the world, as a path to imperishable and immortal life. People are born death row, each individually, but all people are destined to rise in incorruption together, so that everyone suddenly appears in the glory predetermined for them. The angels were all created together; people will appear in a similar rank to them all together after the resurrection. since people do not all suddenly come into the world, but are born as the all-ruling wisdom of God determines for whom, then everyone, dying as a death row, must wait for the general resurrection. Hence, for everyone, a period of existence in separation from the body is inevitable in the hope of resurrection. If we look from the outside, we will see death and corruption reigning on earth; If we walk with our thoughts into the secrecy of existence, we will see human souls, in countless numbers, living as God determined for them, in the hope of union with resurrected incorruptible bodies. They sigh, wishing to be clothed in the heavenly dwelling. This is not a complete human life. Living in the body, we cannot understand what the actual impoverishment or diminishment of life without the body consists of, but it must be and is, as it was revealed to the Apostle, who said above: “We do not want to be deprived of ourselves, but to be deprived of ourselves.” The sorrow of this deprivation is absorbed by love, for everyone knows that this way of being was established and lasts in order for all those who have to be partakers of the resurrection in incorruption to be born. The law of self-sacrifice permeates all levels of human existence. Although, however, the resurrection is still awaited, it is so certain that it seems to have already happened. All partake of the resurrection through hope, as if they had already been resurrected. Let him not exist yet; but it is already ours. This is how all in Christ died, and are still dying; and were raised in Him, and remain not yet raised. It remains to be seen what this temporary life is for? - Then, so that in this short time you can come to life in spirit. The ancestors, having fallen, died spiritually. This is evident from the fact that they thought to hide from God after the fall and that the guilt of sin was blamed on one another. The severe sentence of righteousness struck them, but the promise of the Deliverer quickened their spirit. That is why, after being expelled, they cried and lamented, but were not consumed by despair. The hope of deliverance revived and resurrected their spirit. They received this revival in spirit, being dead both spiritually and physically. But, having been revived by the hope of deliverance in the spirit, they thereby attracted upon themselves the power of the all-embracing death of the Deliverer and became partakers of the resurrection in incorruption. They became death row survivors so that in due time they would receive the resurrection in incorruption. And this is for the sake of quickening the spirit through the promise of the Deliverer. What they have become now is how all people were born from them: born dead physically and dead spiritually, so that, having come to life in spirit like them, they would have the hope of resurrection in incorruption, despite death. The whole work of this life, therefore, is revival in spirit in the order of promised deliverance. Saint Paul puts it this way: 2 Cor. 5:15. Christ died for all, so that those who live do not live for themselves, but for him who died for them and rose again. Revival by the spirit in the order of promised deliverance, as the goal of life, is essentially the same, but it did not manifest itself in the same way: differently it acted before the law, differently in the law, otherwise it began to act in grace. The apostle speaks of the latter. The One has already died for all and risen again. And all in Him died and rose again; but both are in the order of dispensation, according to which they must die in their own time, and then wait for the resurrection in incorruption, which is to take place in due time. As a result, they still live in the ordinary order of life. The question is, how should they live? - Those who live are now destined not to live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was Risen. This is the purpose of life, this is the revival of the spirit, which initially became the goal of life. The Apostle does not mean only believers, but all people living at any time. Everyone must live for the Lord alone. If they don't live, it's their fault. To what extent ignorance excuses someone, God will judge; but this is an urgent law, that after the Lord died for everyone and rose again, everyone must live for Him. This is the norm of human life. The fact that we have this temporary life with ways of being quickened by the spirit is because the Lord died for everyone; and the fact that after death, being separated from the body, we will live in the hope of resurrection in an incorruptible body, it will be so that He was resurrected by our nature. If, therefore, everything essential in our life comes from Him, then the law of truth commands no one to live, but Him alone. Saint Chrysostom says: “The Apostle said that we should not live for ourselves, and he presents an obvious reason why we should do this: that is, if we live by the One who died for us, then we should also live for the One by whom we live. And although what he said apparently contains one reason, if we carefully consider, we will find the following two: the first is that we live only in the Lord; the other is that He died for us. And each of them, taken separately, is sufficient to make us submissive to Him. How much should we owe to Him when we put both together? But there is also a third reason hidden in his words, namely, that for you the Lord resurrected and ascended to heaven the firstfruits of our nature; That’s why he added: “to him who died for us and rose again.” What is required by the obligation to live not for oneself, the Lord defined as follows: “Whoever wants to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Mark 8:34). What is required by the commitment to live for the Lord, the Lord said about this: “He who loves Me, keeps My commandments” (John 14:21). Blessed Theodoret writes: “We recognize it as fair to live for Him and lead a life according to His commandments, because our duty to Him obliges us to do this.” But such requirements are obviously fulfilled only for those who know the Lord, believe in Him and cling to Him with all their souls. Therefore, although the Apostle said that all living people are obliged to live not for themselves, but for the Lord, he put it this way in theory; but I intended to stop at this particular point the attention of the believers, those to whom I wrote, and after them, everyone. For if all people are obliged to this, then believers are even more obliged, because, having accepted the obligations, they also received the strength to fulfill them in the grace of the Holy Spirit. Those who believe in the Lord, approaching Him, reject ungodliness and worldly lusts, initially in intention, desire and determination of the will; but when in the font of baptism they are reborn to a new life, they receive grace-filled power, which in fact frees them from wickedness and lusts and directs them to a chaste, righteous and pious life. Thus, living not for oneself, that is, not according to the selfish aspirations of the flesh, but for the Lord, that is, according to His holy, pleasing and righteous will, is an integral part of true Christian believers. In relation to them, the Apostle’s word means: this is how it should be, and it cannot be otherwise, when you are what you should be. 2 Cor. 5:16. In the same way, from now on we also do not know a single thing according to the flesh: even though we understand according to the flesh of Christ, but now we do not understand anyone. “From now on” - from what point in time? – After the Lord the Savior died for everyone and rose again. From that time on, he says, “not a single person according to the flesh.” Who is this “not a single one”? - Maybe not a single person. Just as above, “living” can mean all people, so here, “not a single” means not a single person. The apostle looks at people according to an idea drawn from the economy of salvation. All people, he says, we now understand not as flesh and blood: born, lived and died, but as persons destined to receive into themselves the principles of divine life, as a guarantee of resurrection and glorious life in incorruption. In this sense, Blessed Theodoret writes: “Having learned that death has been destroyed by the Lord’s death, we no longer recognize any of the people as mortal; because, although the Lord Christ Himself had a body subject to suffering, yet through suffering He made it incorruptible and immortal.” The work of life in Christ Jesus, or the spiritual revival of humanity in Him, had only just begun under the Apostles; Only leaven was put into the mass of humanity and penetrated only the nearest layers, but since it was destined to penetrate everything, Saint Paul in this beginning of the revival of humanity could contemplate all of it already revived, just as someone who puts leaven into a mixture of flour can see all of it already leavened and reason about what will come of it. He speaks about him, with attention, however, resting and confirming what he says about him, pointing to those who have already believed, who have renounced the flesh and begun to shine with spiritual life through rebirth to it by the grace of the Holy Spirit. In this sense, Saint Chrysostom says: “If everyone has risen, they have risen through the washing of rebirth and the renewal of the Holy Spirit; then the Apostle rightly says that we do not know any of the believers according to the flesh. For what does it matter if they are still in the flesh? But the former carnal life has already ended, and we have been reborn from above by the Spirit, and have come to know another dwelling, and abiding, and life, and dispensation, namely, the heavenly one.” Or this: no outside respect is valuable in our eyes: neither origin, nor wealth, nor learning, nor power. What is important is the perception of new life in Christ Jesus through the grace of the Holy Spirit. The measure of the manifestation of such a life determines the significance and weight of this or that person, and not anything carnal. No matter how someone is seen in the flesh, he is nothing unless there is life in him from the Spirit. What anyone is according to the flesh does not seem to exist for us, and we do not look at it; Our whole gaze is directed to this, who is what is in Christ Jesus, not according to the flesh, but in the spirit. He who has the last is only for us; we know him; there are no others. “Although we understood according to the flesh of Christ, now we understand no one.” The Apostle takes the face of either all the Apostles, or all the believers who clung to the Lord during His earthly sojourn, and says that when Christ the Lord turned among us, looking at Him as He appeared with all the infirmities of human nature, we understood Him according to the flesh, we judged Him according to this appearance; and although they understood Him highly, everything was not as it should have been, not as we understand now, when our minds are illuminated by the light of the grace of the Holy Spirit. Now that appearance completely disappears in our eyes; we see in Him the greatness of God incarnate, the Restorer of fallen man, who raised him in His person to deification; we contemplate Him seated at the right hand of the Father, clothed in the glory of incorruption and holding in his hands the reins of the entire world government. Saint Chrysostom says: “When applied to us, “according to the flesh” means the same thing as being in sins; and “not according to the flesh” is the same as not being in sins. By attachment to Christ, “according to the flesh” means nothing more than to be a participant in the infirmities of human nature, such as: thirst, hunger, fatigue, sleep, except sin; and “not according to the flesh” means that He was now freed from those infirmities of the flesh, and not that He was now without the flesh. For with flesh, only no longer involved in suffering and immortal, He will come to judge the universe.” 2 Cor. 5:17. Moreover, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the ancient past is now all new. Here we are talking directly about believers. Everyone, he says, is destined to live not for themselves, but for the Lord; everyone must live a spiritual life; but in reality only those who are in Christ are such, that is, they believed in Him and, united with Him in the baptismal font, began to live a new life, warmed in them by the grace of the Holy Spirit. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” “Whoever, he says, believed in the Lord became a new creation, for he was born again through the Spirit. And therefore, he says, we must live for Christ not only because “we are not our own” (1 Cor. 6:19) or because He died for us and resurrected the firstfruits of our nature, but also because through Him we have passed into another life” (St. Chrysostom). “In order to further explain what was said and show how we become a new creature, he says: “The ancient mimoidosha, behold, it was all new.” What is ancient? – Either sins and various types of wickedness (paganism), or all Jewish rituals, or better yet, both together. “Behold, everything was new” (St. Chrysostom). A new way of looking at everything that exists and happens is taught, new orders of life are introduced in all its manifestations; the basis of everything is a significant renewal of life in its very origins, hidden in the spirit and heart; the hidden person of the heart is born, who begins to rule everything in the soul, in the body, and in external relationships. Look - it’s like the same person, the same powers of spirit, soul and body, but life is no longer the same. This planting is not earthly, it does not breathe earthly air, it does not feed on earthly elements. Why is it that the one above is wise, and not the one on earth, and his life is hidden with Christ in God. Saint Chrysostom, under the next verse, returns to this subject and says: “Now they (those who are in Christ) have a new soul, for it is cleansed, and a new body, and a new service, and new promises, and a covenant, and life, and a meal, and clothing, and everything in general is new. because instead of earthly Jerusalem we received the highest throne city, instead of a sensory church we saw a spiritual church, instead of stone tablets we received fleshly tablets, instead of circumcision - baptism, instead of manna - the Body of the Lord, instead of water from a stone - blood from the ribs, instead of the rod of Moses or Aaron - a cross, instead of the promised land - the kingdom of heaven. Presenting all these and similar benefits, the Apostle said: “all is new.” And all this is from God through Jesus Christ and His grace.” 2 Cor. 5:18. Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. Yet all this, all the blessings counted, comes from God. This is how He deigned to arrange, this is how He destined to establish the economy of our salvation, such is the grace destined for us from eternal years. All things are from God, worshiped in the Trinity of Persons, who saves us “according to the vision of God the Father, in the holiness of the Spirit, in obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 1:2). In the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity, it was ordained from time immemorial for the second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, God the Son, to incarnate in due time from the Ever-Virgin and, having died on the cross, to tear up with Him the handwriting of our sins and, thereby satisfying the eternal truth of God, to reconcile us with God; It was also ordered that the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Most Holy Trinity, should descend to those reconciled in this way, and Jesus Christ would make those justified by sprinkling the blood righteous and holy, renewing their inner life with His grace. This is the essence of the New Covenant of grace, or the economy of salvation in Christ Jesus. The Apostle here primarily highlights only reconciliation in Christ the Lord, who died for all, but He also points to the good will of God the Father, who reconciled everyone to Himself, and to the grace of the Spirit, who acted in the ministry of reconciliation through the Apostles. Saint Chrysostom says: “Everything is from God.” Nothing from us. For the remission of sins, the adoption of sons, and the imperishable glory have been given to us from Him. Thus, he arouses the Corinthians to virtue not only with future benefits, but also with the present ones that they have already received. Look how. He said: we will rise one day, pass into incorruption and receive an eternal church. But since the present has more power to convince those who do not so much believe as they should believe in the future, he shows them what they have received (in the present as a guarantee of the future). “Everything,” he says, “comes from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ”: because all blessings are given to us through Christ. He who made us His friends is the author of all the other blessings that God has bestowed on His friends; for He did not leave us as enemies, He rewarded us so much, but by making us His friends. But when I (the Apostle makes this clear) call Christ the author of our salvation, I also mean the Father; when I say that the Father gave it to us, then again I mean the Son. For “all this was” (Jn. 1:3); therefore, He is the culprit of this action. For it was not we who turned to God, but He Himself reconciled us to Himself. How? “The Death of Christ.” – Blessed Theodoret continues this speech, saying: “The Apostle depicted God’s inexpressible love for mankind. Although He was offended by our crime, He (not completely angry) deigned to reconcile us to Himself, not using man as a mediator, but making the Only Begotten Son the mediator of peace.” “And He gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” When he says: “who reconciled us,” then by “us” he means all people; when he says: “who gave us the ministry of reconciliation,” then by “us” he means the Apostles. “Here he points to the dignity of the title of apostle, showing how great the work is entrusted to them and how great is God’s love for us (in the institution, that is, the Apostleship)” (St. Chrysostom). The work of reconciliation in the person of the Lord Savior was completely accomplished; but the assimilation of reconciliation to the people being saved had to be accomplished not through imputation, not mechanically, not externally, but required certain moral changes in those being reconciled, as urgent conditions for the extension of the power of reconciliation to them. In order for this to be fulfilled, it was necessary to announce these conditions to people, to tell them what they must present on their own in order for reconciliation to take place; It was also necessary, after understanding the conditions, they expressed their readiness to fulfill them, to grant them the strength to fulfill them, because in their nature they could not find them. For this purpose, the Apostleship was established, an essential member in the dispensation of the salvation of people. The apostles, having been filled with the Holy Spirit who had descended on them, had to walk around the world and proclaim to everyone the good will of God about the reconciliation of everyone with God under the condition of repentance, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for all, and selfless readiness to walk steadily from now on in the will of God, or in His commandments; those who were inclined to listen to this sermon, to baptize in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and finally, through the laying on of hands, to bring down on them the grace of the Holy Spirit. This is the essence of the apostolic ministry, and in this way reconciliation with God of each person was accomplished. The establishment of the Apostleship fulfilled what was predicted in the depiction of the works of Wisdom - how she, having created a house for herself and prepared a meal, sent her slaves to call everyone to the cup with great preaching - both the foolish and the rational (Prov. 9:1–5), and what the Lord depicted in the parable about the marriage of the king’s son, saying that when everything was ready, the king sent servants to invite everyone to the feast, first those who had previously been given knowledge about it, and then those who knew nothing about it. And the servants went, he says, through the streets and squares, along crossroads and crossroads, along highways and country roads, and called. – This is the Apostleship: God’s servants walk around the world and call. Saint Chrysostom points out a special aspect for the purposes of God when establishing the Apostolate. He says: “After people did not listen to the Intercessor who came, God did not reject or abandon them, but does not cease to call them, both Himself and through others. Who can worthily marvel at such long-suffering and care of God for us! The son who came for reconciliation; The sincere and only-begotten Son was killed; but the Father, even in this case, did not reject those who killed Him and did not say: I sent My Son to carry out My embassy, ​​but they not only did not want to listen to Him, but also killed and crucified, therefore it is righteous to reject them. But he did the exact opposite: after the departure of the Son from us, He entrusted us with the work of reconciliation, for he says: “who gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” β) Apostleship is an essential member in the economy of salvation (2 Cor. 5:19–21, 6:1, 2) The work of the Apostleship is to call to reconciliation with God those who have turned away from God and have angered Him, and, according to the calling, to bring grace. The Apostle now says: this is what we do, we call everyone: make peace with God, and we teach grace to everyone. So you too were called and made partakers of grace. We pray that you do not receive such grace of God in vain. 2 Cor. 5:19. Because God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their sins to them, and placing in us the word of reconciliation. He repeats what was said before, according to the importance of the subject, in the desire to impress it more fully and deeply. It only depicts more clearly the image of reconciliation in Christ. Christ the Lord “beared all our sins in His body on the tree” (1 Pet. 2:24); He took their handwriting from the environment and nailed it to the cross (Col. 2:14), so that for the truth of God these sins and with their handwriting seemed to no longer exist. She is quite satisfied. People can only retreat into the shadow of the cross so that the truth of God does not see their sins on them. This, he says, is what we now explain to everyone, convincing and begging everyone: “be reconciled with God.” “Do you see the love of God,” says Saint Chrysostom, “surpassing not only every word, but also every mind? Who was offended first? - God. Who came first for reconciliation? - He is the same. But, you say, He sent the Son, and did not come Himself? – Yes, He sent the Son, but it was not the Son alone who called us, but the Father acted with Him and through Him. Therefore, the Apostle said: “God reconciled the world to Himself in Christ,” that is, through Christ. He seems to be saying: do not think that we are the culprits of this matter, we are only ministers: the culprit of all this is God, who reconciled the universe to Himself through His only begotten Son. How did He reconcile? For it is amazing not only that He became a friend, but even more so that how He became a friend. How? - Leaving them their sins. Because otherwise there would be no friend. That is why the Apostle further said: “not imputing their sins to them.” And if He wanted to demand an account of our sins, then we would all perish. But with such a multitude of our sins, He not only did not demand punishment for us, but also reconciled with us; He not only forgave our sins, but also did not impute it to us. “And putting in us the word of reconciliation.” For, he says, we have not come now to proclaim something heavy and terrible, but to make everyone friends of God. since, says the Lord, they did not believe Me, then do not stop admonishing them until you convince them.” 2 Cor. 5:20. We pray according to Christ, as we pray to God, we pray according to Christ: be reconciled to God. “We pray in Christ” - υπερ Χριςου πρεσβευομεν - in the name, or in the name of Christ, we pray. But in church language: πρεσβευε υπερ ημων, pray for us. Such a turn of phrase, as if the Apostles are asking everyone for Christ’s sake not to abandon His work, for the sake of what they have accomplished, so that it does not turn out to be fruitless or raised in vain. “As I pray to God with us”; “I pray” παρακαλουντος. It is as if God Himself, through us, earnestly asks and begs you. For God provided for us the remission of sins through the death of Christ, and as a result of this He prepared all other blessings; having prepared everything, he asks and begs through us to come and enjoy these blessings. Not only did God arrange everything for our salvation, out of goodness alone; but He extends His love to us to such an extent that He considers it a favor to Himself if someone uses it for their own salvation. This is what happens when a good householder, having prepared a feast, begs the guests to come to the feast, considering it a favor to himself if they consume everything prepared: otherwise it would be in vain. So here too, God prepared everything in Christ Jesus and sent the Apostles to ask everyone to take advantage of these benefits for their salvation. According to “Christ we pray” - υπερ Χριστου δεομεθα - we also ask in the name of Christ, or we pray for Christ, do Him a favor, or pleasure, or honor - taste the good He has acquired for you. Which one? - “Make peace with God.” God in Christ has reconciled you to Himself; Now you must enter into this reconciliation. What is needed for this? - “repent and believe in the Gospel” (Mark 1:15). “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of the Lord Jesus for the remission of sins: and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). Saint Chrysostom says in this place: “Look how he exalted his speech, introducing Christ Himself as asking for this, and not only Christ, but also the Father Himself. For the meaning of his words is this: the Father sent His Son to exhort people, and to carry out an embassy in His name to the human race. But since He, having been killed, departed from here, now this embassy has been transferred to us, therefore we ask you in the name of Christ and His Father. The human race is so dear to Him that He gave up His Son for it, knowing in advance that He would be killed, and made us Apostles for you. “We pray according to Christ,” that is, instead of and in the name of Christ, for His office has been transferred to us. If this seems magnified to you, then listen again: further he says that they do this not only instead of Him, that is, Christ, but also instead of the Father, for for this reason he added: “as I pray to God with us.” “Us” - for not only through the Son does God call people, but also through us, to whom His work is committed. So, don’t think, he says, that we ask you; Christ Himself asks you through us, and even the Father of Jesus Christ Himself. What goodness can be higher than this goodness? So ungratefully offended for the countless benefits given to us by Him, He not only did not condemn us, but also gave His Son in order to reconcile us to Himself; and when those to whom He came not only did not reconcile, but also killed Him, He sent other messengers to be called, and through them He Himself asks. What is he asking for? - “Make peace with God.” He did not say: reconcile God with yourself; for it is not God who is at enmity against us, but we against Him. God never quarrels." 2 Cor. 5:21. For he who knew no sin, commit sin for us, so that we may be God’s righteousness toward Him. This is how much God waited, preparing for those who were called a feast of faith and love, justification and holiness. The Apostle seems to be saying: there is something for you to accept the work for and come! Do you see what's prepared? – The Lamb is immaculately slain; come, taste and be satisfied with the righteousness of God. Or this: everything is already ready; your sins are taken away and taken up by others; all you have to do is proceed and, having received remission of sins, receive the truth of God. In general, the Apostle wants to express with these words that on God’s part everything has been done for your salvation. All you have to do is get started. The Apostle here calls the work of salvation reconciliation. Above, he already said that God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself. Here shows how He did it. “He who knew no sin,” he says, “commit sin for us.” “Knowing no sin”, not only did not create or think anything sinful, but also did not know what sin is, and did not experience the attacks of sin that require struggle. For the unclean does not attach itself to the pure. God made such and such a Most Pure One a sin for us, that is, He treated Him as a sinner, as if He Himself had committed all those sins of which all people collectively are guilty. Only through this could the truth of God be satisfied. She was satisfied, and God made peace with people. But this is only half of the economy of salvation. It is still necessary for people to assimilate this reconciliation of God and taste its fruits. But this cannot happen without the participation of people. That God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself, He did this without people. But in order for people to become participants in reconciliation, this requires their corresponding action. That is why, he says, we appeal to everyone: “be reconciled to God.” For the economy of salvation is not only that God “made sin for us who knew no sin,” and thereby reconciled the world to Himself, but also that we become “the righteousness of God about Him.” God does not want to do this with the power of His power. The participation of people's free will is necessary here. This is the meaning of our prayer: “be reconciled to God.” Do what depends on you, enter into a covenant of peace, undertake the terms of reconciliation, and you will immediately become the truth of God in Christ Jesus. That is, repent, believe in the Gospel, promise to live blamelessly, proceed to holy baptism, accept the gift of the Holy Spirit. When all this is accomplished in you and over you, you will become “the righteousness of God,” that is, you will not become externally righteous, but you will possess internal righteousness, or righteousness of spirit and holiness, Divine or God-like righteousness. Saint Chrysostom speaks to this place: “He who knew no sin, commit sin for us.” If He had not done anything else, but only done this, then think about what this one thing is, that He gave up His Son for those who insulted Him? And He did many other good deeds for us and, moreover, He condemned the one who had not committed any unrighteousness to suffer for the unrighteous. But the Apostle, bypassing all other good deeds, mentioned only this one thing, much greater and more important than all, that “he who knew no sin,” the One who is self-existent truth, “create sin for us,” that is, He allowed Him to be condemned as if he were a sinner, and to die as if he were cursed, because “cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” (Deut. 21:23 ). For to die on a tree meant much more than to die simply, as pointing out in another place, he says: “Being obedient even to the point of death, even death on the cross” (Phil. 2:8). Such a death was not only considered a punishment, but also a dishonor. So, think about how much God has given you. For it is a great thing when a sinner dies for someone; but when a righteous man suffers in this way and dies for sinners, and dies unjustly, but dies like a villain; and not only is he imputed with the evildoers, but also by His death he gives us great benefits that we did not expect, for he says: “that we may be the righteousness of God in Him,” then what word, what mind can worthily embrace and depict this? For, he says, God made the righteous man a sinner, that he might make sinners righteous. But He said not just that, but much more: for He placed this Righteous One not only along with sinners, but also with sin itself, for He said: not a sinner, but “thou shalt create His sin”; and not only did not sin, but also “knew no sin, so that we too may be”, he did not say - righteous, but “righteousness”, and “the righteousness of God”. And indeed, this truth is God’s, when we are justified not by works, but by grace, which alone destroys all sin. And this, at the same time, keeps us from pride, when everything has been given to us from God, and shows the full importance of what has been given to us. For the first truth comes from the law and works; and this last one is “God’s truth”. 2 Cor. 6:1. We earnestly pray that you do not receive the grace of God in vain. Above we talked about how the Apostles, by God’s command, go everywhere and beg everyone to enter into a covenant of peace with God, which He established for their salvation. Now his word addresses those who have already entered into this covenant, those who have already believed, repented, been baptized and accepted the gift of the Holy Spirit. He says, as it were: we not only invite you to enter into a covenant of peace with God, but we do not abandon those who have already entered into it, but continue to take care of them, begging them so that, having been granted such great grace, they would otherwise conduct themselves worthy of it, so that it would not be accepted in vain by them, but would bear fruits worthy of it. It is not only important to enter into this covenant and accept the grace associated with it, but especially to fulfill its terms exactly. “Therefore, listen to us, and do not accept the grace offered to you in vain; that is, so that they do not think that reconciliation consists only in believing in the Caller, He also requires the correction of life. For, having received forgiveness of sins and reconciled with God, living as before is the same as starting hostility again and accepting grace in vain. Grace will not save us in an unclean and dishonest life; on the contrary, it will harm us even more and aggravate our sins if, after such knowledge and gift, we return to our former iniquities. However, the Apostle does not say this clearly, so as not to make his words heavy; but he only says that otherwise we will not receive any benefit” (St. Chrysostom). With this thought about the content of this text, the word: “prosperously”, συνεργουντες, can also have the following meaning: as we continue our work and our work, we pray that you do not receive grace in vain. It turns out: “prosperous” - for you; for we, he says, help you more than God, from whom we were sent. He has no need for anything; all salvation is yours. However, this does not deny that the Apostles were companions of God, as he says in another place: “To God... we are companions” (1 Cor. 3:9)” (St. Chrysostom). So does Theodoret: “He makes it known that those who are embassying help them, those who beseech them, to take advantage of Divine grace and not make the economy vain and futile if they show their lives to be contrary to it.” Theophylact allows both, believing that the Apostle, when he said: “prospering,” meant the promotion of both God and people. “We will help, he says, both to you and to God: may you be saved; God, may His desire to save us be fulfilled.” 2 Cor. 6:2. The verb is: in a favorable time I listened to you, and on the day of salvation I helped you. Now is the time favorable, now is the day of salvation. He continues to convince us not to make the received grace in vain. Hurry, he says, to take advantage of the time; now it is very favorable to salvation; if you miss, you will die. Time, he understands, is the time of this life for everyone and the time until the second coming for all people. So Saint Chrysostom: “Do not indulge in carelessness, try in every possible way to please God and collect spiritual treasures; so that after so much God's care, by giving in to carelessness and not showing anything good, you will not be deprived of such great benefits. Do not think that this belittling will continue forever. It will continue only until the second coming of the Lord. He will beg and call as long as we are here, and after that - judgment and torment. This, he says, prompts us to beg you. He excites believers not only with the abundance and height of blessings and God’s love for mankind, but also with the shortness of time, and not only with the shortness of the given time, but also with the fact that this is the only time favorable for salvation. “Behold now,” he says, “the time is favorable, behold, now is the day of salvation.” Let us not waste favorable time, but let us show the care worthy of the grace given to us. Therefore, he says, we ourselves are in a hurry, knowing the shortness of the favorable time. "The time is favorable." What time is it? - A time of gift and grace, in which they do not demand an account of sins and do not pronounce condemnation, but with the forgiveness of sins they offer countless benefits for enjoyment, justification, sanctification and all others. How much did you have to work to get such time? But now, without any labor on our part, this time has come, bringing with it the remission of all former sins. That is why he calls it favorable; because the Lord now accepts the greatest sinners, and not only accepts them, but also honors them with the highest honors. For the coming of the king is not a time of judgment, but of mercy and salvation. That is why, again, he calls the time favorable while we are in labor, while we are working in the vineyard, while the eleventh hour remains. So, let's begin the feat, show a virtuous life; for it is easy and convenient for one who struggles to receive a reward at a time when so many gifts and so much grace have been poured out. And among earthly kings during celebrations, when they appear in royal robes, and those who have worked little receive great gifts; and at the time when they judge, great service and great effort are required to get anything. Therefore, we too will strive in such a favorable time now, in which everything is given freely. For now is the time of grace, God’s grace, in which we can easily receive crowns. For if God accepted and forgave us when we were burdened with such great sins, then will he not even more accept us, who have already been forgiven, even when we bring something of our own free will.” The Apostle gives this lesson along with the prophetic word. Our interpreters do not stop at the words of the prophet, but directly take the general idea of ​​the text and explain it. From this it is clear that whether we properly understand the word of the prophet, there, during the prophetic speech, and here, during the apostolic speech, or whether we do not understand it, the lesson of the Apostle will remain in equal force. The apostle takes the words of the prophet Isaiah: “The word is bo” (Isaiah 49:8). Who is speaking? – The prophet Isaiah says directly: “Lord.” “Thus says the Lord.” To whom does the prophet speak? - To the one about whom He said above: “Behold, I have given you for a covenant of generations, for a light of the tongue, so that you may be saved even to the last of the earth” (Is. 49:6). It is obvious that this is talking about Christ Jesus, the Lord Savior. The words quoted by the Apostle are also read by the prophet: “in a favorable time I listened to you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.” – “Poslushakh” presupposes prayer on behalf of the Savior to God the Father, and “help” – hearing the prayer and granting everything asked. When did the Lord Savior pray so earnestly that it was foretold by the prophetic spirit? - The same Apostle says about this: “Who in the days of the flesh made His supplications and prayers to Him who was able to save Him from death, with a strong cry and with tears, and was heard with reverence,” and so on. (Heb. 5:7). From this it is clear that the prophet calls the time favorable and the day of salvation the time when the Son of God, having become incarnate and suffering, thereby opened all the treasuries of Divine grace to the human race. Death on the Cross was His prayer and supplication, not in word, but in deed, and it attracted all God’s mercies to us. This intercessory prayer, having begun, does not stop, but stands and always rises to God with a strong cry for mercies to us. Hence, the time is favorable and the day of salvation is as long as this petition is in force, and it will cease only when the one Intercessor instead of the petition comes to judge; all the time from the first coming of Christ to the second is the time of the establishment of the kingdom of Christ on earth, the kingdom of grace. The prophetic indication of this is very clear; for he says after “helping you to build the earth”, and further: “saying to those in chains: come out, and to those in darkness: open yourself.” “Those in chains” are entangled in sins, and “those in darkness” are immersed in the darkness of ignorance. The apostles did nothing else but, on behalf of Christ the Savior, spread freedom from the bonds of sin and enlightenment with the light of Divine knowledge everywhere. Therefore, Saint Paul could not help but see in his time the exact fulfillment of the prophetic word. He says, as it were: the favorable time prophesied by the prophet has come; hurry to them take advantage, for if there is a favorable time, it means that there is also an unfavorable one; and who can say when it will come?! “Behold, now is the time of salvation.” And tomorrow, perhaps, it will not be possible to say so. bb) How did the Apostles help ensure that believers did not receive grace in vain (2 Cor. 6:3–10)? 2 Cor. 6:3, 4. Not a single one gives a stumble in anything, so that the service will be blameless, but in everything we imagine ourselves as God’s servants, in patience, in sorrows, in troubles, in hardships. We do our job, he says, as it should, with all diligence. In order to help you progress in a life of grace, we, on our part, use everything: we not only convince you with words, but we also control ourselves in such a way, so as not only not to cause anyone to stumble, but, on the contrary, to provide everyone with an example of how God’s servants should live. Looking at us, no one can seriously think that we are not servants of God, and, therefore, suspect our word of untruth. By nurturing the conviction that our word is not false and accepting it as completely true, you have an incentive to faithfully fulfill it; and how to fulfill it, our life will teach you this. Saint Chrysostom says: “Since the Apostle has the habit of exposing himself to the environment so that an example can be taken from him, he does this here too, saying: “Not a single one causes any stumbling block, so that our service may be blameless.” He borrows conviction not only from time, as he did above, but also from the example of those who labored as they should. And look how modestly he does this. He didn’t say: look at us, and this is how we are; but, as if defending himself against the accusation, he enumerates his exploits and virtues. He posits two distinctive signs of an immaculate life: the first is “not a single cause of stumbling in anything”; did not say: accusation, but, what is much less important, “stumbling,” that is, without giving anyone a reason for slander and reproaches against us, “let our service be blameless,” so that no one would reproach this service; and he did not say again: so that no one would blame or accuse, but so that it would not provide even an accidental reason for anyone to blame it for anything. The second sign: “but in everything he imagines himself to be God’s servant” (2 Cor. 6:4), which is much higher than the previous one. since it is not the same thing to be free from accusation and to arrange ourselves in such a way that from everything it is clear that we are God’s servants. Equally, it is another thing to avoid blame, and another to be praised. He did not say: showing oneself (φαινομενοι - appearing in appearance), but “presenting oneself” (συνιςωντες), that is, in fact and from the heart, presenting oneself, or being such. Then he talks about how they became so. What kind? “In times of patience, in sorrows, in troubles, in tribulations.” He laid patience as the foundation of blessings, which is why he did not simply say: in patience, but “in many patience,” in order to show the measure and scope of it: for to endure one or two misfortunes is not yet a great thing; That’s why he lists many sorrows and temptations, saying: “in sorrows, in troubles.” “In sorrows”, not in such cases that are burdensome only externally, but in those that strike and wound the heart, and are truly painful sorrows. “In troubles”, αναγκαις, in needs and extremes, from which the sorrowful is felt even more sorrowful. “Extremeness intensifies grief, presenting the evil that oppresses a person as inevitable” (Theophylact). “For sorrow usually intensifies when it is impossible to avoid misfortunes, and, as if some inevitable necessity requires suffering” (St. Chrysostom). - “In cramped conditions.” Crowding is the last degree of extreme; evil has seized and oppresses, like a beast seizing its prey. He means “crowdedness from hunger and necessary needs, or simply cramped temptations in general” (St. Chrysostom), “such a sorrowful situation from which there was no convenient way out” (Ecumenius). 2 Cor. 6:5. In wounds, in prisons, in disorder, in labor, in vigils, in fasting. “In wounds”, of course from blows. Before the time of this writing, the stoning of the Apostle in Lystra (Acts 14:19), which could not have happened without wounds, and the beating of him with sticks in a large number of blows in Philippi (Acts 16:22, 23) are known. He himself testifies about himself that the Jews gave him five times 39 blows and that three times he was beaten with clubs (2 Cor. 11:24, 25). - “In the dungeons”. Having beaten him with sticks quite a bit in Philippi, they threw him into prison together with Silas; and in general, as he himself says, he had to be “excessive” in prison (2 Cor. 11:23). - “In disorder”, ακαταςασιαις, when persecution arose against him, with noise and confusion, forcing him to run from one place to another. For the most part, such storms were raised against him by the Jews. This happened in Iconium (Acts 14:5), in Thessaloniki (Acts 17:5), in Beria (Acts 17:13) and in Corinth itself towards the end of his stay there (Acts 18:12). Saint Chrysostom says: “And each of these (three) temptations separately is hard: it’s hard to endure scourging, it’s hard to be in chains, and it’s hard to have no peace from persecution - for that means “in disorder”, but when all these sorrows and all together comprehend, think what kind of soul is needed for this! “In labor”: the hardest labor - traveling, mostly on foot; then work - work to support yourself and yours; and teaching required labor, and the establishment of order in the newly established Christian Churches. - “On vigils”, when he spent his nights in prayer or talking with converts. So in Philippi, he and Silas around midnight, praying, sang praises to God (Acts 16:25), and then began to instruct and baptize the prisoner and the whole house and spent the whole night without closing his eyes. So then in Troas he spread the word until midnight; After the revival of the young man who had fallen from the window, Eutychus talked until dawn, until the hour came to leave the city (Acts 20:7, 11). The same thing, of course, happened in all other places. “In fasting”, when it was not due to lack that he did not take food, but voluntarily deprived himself of it, as an aid to prayer and propitiation of God, in preparation for any fight against lies and delusion. Fasting is a strong moral remedy and a valuable feat in the eyes of God. Saint Chrysostom says: “Here he adds to the external (involuntary) sorrows those that actually depended on him, pointing to the labors with which he burdened himself, moving from place to place and doing with his own hands; for those nights on which he taught or worked for himself, and at the same time not forgetting fasting, although these feats alone were worth more than one thousand fasts.” 2 Cor. 6:6. In purification, in intelligence, in long-suffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in unfeigned love. “In purification”, εν αγνοτητι, in purity, in purity. Here he means either chastity (bodily and heartfelt), or purity in everything (moral, purity of motives, purity of conscience in general), or non-covetousness (Theophylact - selfish non-gift-receiving), or the fact that he preached the Gospel for free (St. Chrysostom). - “In the mind”, εν γνωσει, in the knowledge of Divine things, seeing everything clearly and strong to resolve all bewilderment. Saint Chrysostom asks: what is “in the mind”? And he answers: “In the wisdom that descends from God, which truly is knowledge and understanding. The supposed sages who boast of external education do not have this understanding.” - “In long-suffering”, εν μακροθυμια, in generosity, which, despite all the troubles from others, does not lose its peaceful and kind disposition towards them. “This is an important testimony of a courageous and noble soul - to generously endure defeats and blows inflicted from everywhere” (St. Chrysostom). “It is characteristic of the adamantite soul, when it is upset and hurt from everywhere, not only to endure it complacently, but also to be kind to the offenders” (Theophylact). - “In goodness”, εν χρηστοτητι, in mercy, when they have a heart merciful to everyone, ready to do every good to everyone, drive away every sorrow, avert every misfortune - a heart that cannot see with indifference either the need or the sorrow of another and calm down until it exhausts all means and eases his fate. “In the Holy Spirit,” not in the grace of the Holy Spirit common only to all Christians, but in that which abundantly filled the Apostles, communicating to them everything useful for establishing the faith of Christ on earth. This embraces the fullness of the spiritual apostolic gifts. From her are all the countless feats, and virtues, and every success in spreading the faith. Saint Chrysostom says: “Through Him, he says (that is, through the Holy Spirit), we do all this. But look where he placed help from the Holy Spirit - after he had already counted his exploits. I think he wanted to show Sim something special. What is it? Rightly, he says that we are richly filled with the Holy Spirit, and we justify our Apostleship no less by the fact that we have been rewarded with spiritual gifts; however, they themselves, he says, were not indifferent to this: our conditions, labors and exploits gave scope for God’s grace to act through us. If anyone thinks that, in addition to what has been said, the Apostle also expresses with these words that they, in using the gifts of grace, did not give anyone any temptation, I think that he will not sin against the meaning. Indeed, some of the Corinthians, having received the gift of tongues and become proud of it, gave rise to self-condemnation, for those who have received spiritual gifts can abuse them. But we, he says, are not like that, we remained blameless in the Spirit, that is, in spiritual gifts.” - “In love there is no hypocrisy.” Love is an all-embracing virtue; and all the above-mentioned virtues and exploits flow from it, as the Apostle outlined it in the first letter, ch. 13. It is poured out into hearts by the Holy Spirit; which is why it was placed by the Apostle immediately after the words: “in the Holy Spirit.” What he added: “unhypocritical,” then he added to distinguish it from works of love that are manifested in visible activity. Deeds of love can be performed through reasonable, well-intentioned or ill-intentioned self-compulsion; and the path to acquiring love is voluntary labor in doing deeds of love, until finally the grace of the Spirit fills his whole heart. It is about this latter that the Apostle says that it is not only his visible deeds that are loving, but his very heart is full of love. “This is what was to blame for all the blessings he acquired; This is what made him such and preserved the Spirit in him, through whose action everything came to perfection for him” (St. Chrysostom). 2 Cor. 6:7. In the word of truth, in the power of God, in the weapons of righteousness with the right hand and the soul. “In the word of truth”, in the true word, one in which there was no deception, no counterfeit, no flattery, no guile. Just as we accepted it, as we are convinced, so we pass it on, in full consciousness that we pass it on exactly without any admixture. “He often mentions this, that is, that we proclaim the Word of God without deception and without counterfeiting” (St. Chrysostom). - “In the power of God.” In the words: “in the Holy Spirit” generally meant the entire fullness of the apostolic gifts; here it means primarily the signs and wonders that accompanied the preaching of the Gospel. The manifestation of the power of God was so integral to the word of truth that without it this latter could not have taken root in the minds and hearts of men. It aroused and rooted faith; the word only said what one should believe. The presentation of objects of faith, no matter how clear and strong, does not always strongly generate faith. The power of God alone, in signs and words, conquered minds and hearts and inclined them to faith. Theophylact writes that with the words: “in the power of God,” the Apostle wants to say: “In the preaching of the Gospel and its successes there is nothing of mine, everything here was accomplished by the power of God, signs and wonders, punishing or beneficial power.” Saint Chrysostom here means all supernatural help to the Apostle in life, in preaching, and in his works: “As he always does, that is, he does not attribute anything to himself, but assimilates everything to God and attributes all his actions to Him, so he does so here. He assimilates to the Holy Spirit and God both the fact that he proclaimed great truths, and the fact that he led a life blameless in everything, and showed high wisdom in himself, for all this was extraordinary. If it is difficult for someone living in silence to become virtuous and immaculate, then think about what kind of soul should be in someone who, although overwhelmed by so many sorrows, always shone like the sun. And it’s not only amazing that he remained carefree, overwhelmed by such waves, and bravely endured everything, but also that he endured all this with joy.” - “Weapons of truth with the right and wrong hands.” “Weapons”, δια των οπλων. The preposition is changed, but the meaning of the speech is still the same. The apostle continues to point out in what and how they presented themselves as true servants of God. This is how we imagined ourselves, he says, in the use of the weapons of truth, right and wrong. He presents himself by the power of God as an inspired warrior and fighter. A warrior, going out to fight, takes some weapons in his right hand, others in his left hand - in the left, for example, a shield, in the right, a sword, a spear - and when the fight begins, he uses one or the other, as is better and more suitable. Truth has the same weapons: with some it defends itself, with others it defeats its enemies. The Apostle says: we used both defensive and destructive weapons against the enemies of righteousness in such a way that through this we represented ourselves as servants of God. He calls his just cause righteousness - the faith of Christ, the economy of salvation, which he introduced and confirmed everywhere; weapons - and your word, and your works, and all help from above. By everything with which we defended the just cause of God and with which we attacked lies, wickedness and corruption, we let everyone see that we are servants of God. The desina and shuia weapons are the same as all-round weapons. 2 Cor. 6:8. Glory and dishonor, detestation and praise: like flattering, and true. "Glory and dishonor". And when something happened that glorified us, and when something happened that covered us with dishonor in the eyes of others. In Lystra, for example, Saint Paul and Barnabas healed a lame man, and everyone came running to give them honor as if they were gods. This is for glory. But then there was outrage there: Saint Paul was stoned and thrown out of the city. This is to dishonor and shame (Acts 14). The same thing happened in Philippi: Saint Paul and Silas were publicly beaten with sticks - this was to shame; but then all the city authorities go to see them in prison, apologize and no longer persecute them, but ask them to leave the city; it is to glory (Acts 16). This was probably repeated in many other places. - “By desecration” (reproach, curse) “and praise”, δια δυσφημιας και ευφυμιας. Of course, there were speeches about them and those that reached them. Some praised, others slandered, both behind the scenes and in front of them. In all these incidents, he says, - both when they praised us and slandered us, and when something happened to our glory or dishonor - we behaved like servants of God, we were not exalted by the first and did not fall in spirit from the last. Saint Chrysostom says: “What are you saying? Do you consider it great that you enjoy fame? “That’s true,” he says. Why? It would seem that to endure dishonor is a great thing; But to enjoy glory does not require a great soul? - On the contrary, great and very great, so that, taking advantage of glory, you do not fall into pride. Therefore, he thinks the same way about glory as about dishonor, for he shone equally in both cases. And that dishonor and slander are very striking and complacency in them requires a courageous soul - there is a lot of evidence for this. Jeremiah endured many temptations generously, but when they slandered him, he said: “I will not prophesy, neither will I remember the name of the Lord” (Jeremiah 20:9). And David often complains about slander. And the Lord, comforting His disciples, said: “When they reproach you... and they say all kinds of evil things against you who lie, for my sake: rejoice and be glad, for your reward is abundant in heaven” (Matthew 5:11, 12). He would not have given such a reward if this struggle had not been difficult. And for Job the wounds and worms were more bearable than the reproaches of his friends (Job 19); for no, there is nothing more painful than a word that stings the soul. Many of the Jews did not want to believe in the Lord only for fear of losing glory among the people; They were not afraid of executions, but of not being kicked out of the congregation (John 12:42). Therefore, the Lord said: “How can you believe, receiving glory from one another” (John 5:44)? And many could be pointed out who, having overcome all temptations, were overcome by the fear of losing glory.” In what greatness therefore must the righteous character of St. Paul and the other Apostles be presented, when they behaved themselves equally worthy of their title “in glory and in dishonor, in abomination and praise”! “Like the flatters and the truths.” Again a new turn of phrase; but its meaning is still the same. The Apostle continues to depict how they have always shown themselves to be worthy servants of God; just as before he spoke about glory and disgrace, abomination and praise, now he clarifies this as if with examples, exposing a number of opposites, what they were considered to be and what they were in reality. “Like the flatters and the truths.” - “The flatterers” are on the side of those who slander, and the “truths” are on the side of those who praise (St. Chrysostom). “Ladders”, πλανοι, means those who themselves are mistaken and mislead others. This is what their enemies thought of them. The Iconian Jews ran to Lystra and armed those there against Saint Paul and Barnabas, saying: “they say nothing true, but they all lie” (Acts 14:19). The same thing was done in other places. Meanwhile, those who were of the truth listened to them (1 John 4:6), and nothing could shake their conviction that the Apostles both stand in the truth and preach the real truth. Both happened before the eyes of the Apostles. 2 Cor. 6:9. As we are unknown, and we are known: as we are dying, and yet we are alive: as we are punished, and not killed. “As we are unknown and known.” Some said: we don’t understand what kind of people they are, or, looking at them and seeing how unostentatious they are, they said: is it worth paying attention to them, getting to know them and finding out what they are talking about? And others, on the contrary, immediately recognized them and understood what their business was and what their word was leading to, clung to them, began to value them highly and consider them dear persons. Saint Chrysostom says: “For some they were known and respected; for others they are unworthy even to know them.” - “As we die, and behold we live.” It seems that Saint Paul took this from an actual event, for in Lystra they stoned him and dragged him out of the city, considering him dead, but when the disciples gathered around him, he stood up (Acts 14:19, 20). How not to say after this: as if he had died, and yet he was alive. Moreover, in how many mortal dangers he was in, about which he spoke: he did not expect to live, but God delivered (2 Cor. 1:8-10)! After they had passed, he himself and others could not help but testify: life was in the balance, and here he is alive. Saint Chrysostom says: “Like dying,” that is, sentenced and condemned to death. And he said this in order to show both the unspeakable power of God and the height of their patience. Considering, he says, how and to what extent our enemies were malicious against us, we would certainly have to die. That's what everyone thought; but God saved us from destruction.” - “As if we are punished, not killed.” This opposition is added to the explanation of the previous one, why it happens that death is about to happen, but we are all alive. Therefore, he says, God allows such mortal extremes to happen to us not in order to put us to death, but to teach and admonish us, especially to convince us that we should rely on His all-powerful right hand in everything. A similar confession is heard from the lips of Saint David: “The Lord chastened me, but did not give me over to death” (Ps. 117:18). So - Saint Chrysostom and all our interpreters. 2 Cor. 6:10. As one who mourns, yet one who always rejoices: as one who is poor, yet one has riches; as one who has nothing, but yet contains everything. “As one who mourns, yet one who rejoices always.” “Others, looking at us, think that we are grieving; we, on the contrary, feel the highest pleasure. He didn’t just say, “rejoicing,” but added, “ever and again,” that is, always, constantly rejoicing. What can compare with a life in which joy multiplies and increases with misfortunes?” (Saint Chrysostom). This happened to them because they carried within them the Comforter Spirit, whose first fruit of love is joy (Gal. 5:22). “Like the poor, the many become rich.” That the Apostle Paul never had anything and was literally poor was known to everyone everywhere, but how did he make so many rich? If we understand this in a spiritual sense, then he really enriched all the believers, of whom he converted many, and they all recognized themselves as spiritually rich. For they were enriched by knowledge, virtues, and grace-filled powers. If we understand this in a material sense, then nothing else comes to mind than the fact that he collected alms and delivered them in abundance to the poor believers in Jerusalem. This can be called enrichment because for the poor it is already wealth when he has something to feed himself. But perhaps the Apostle is pointing out here that for the loving reception of his poor homes God blesses them with wealth. Although this is not recorded in Acts, there is no doubt that this happened. For it is known that God often blessed houses for the sake of the saints of God. If this happened for their sake, why not admit that it happened for the sake of the Apostles? In confirmation of this, we can take the real word of the Apostle, that, he says, I was always poor, but I enriched many, meaning by this that God enriched many houses for his sake. As if he has nothing, but contains everything.” And this “containing all things” can also be understood spiritually, that is, that the Apostles were rich in the Spirit and possessed all spiritual blessings in such abundance that they would have been enough for the entire universe, for they bore the Almighty Spirit. This can also be understood in a material sense, namely: the believers, feeling what spiritual good they had been granted through their service, were ready to do everything for them, so that the property of all believers was as if in the hands of the Apostles, all houses and all treasuries were open to them. Saint Chrysostom says: “And this can be attributed to their wealth that they miraculously had all the houses open for themselves everywhere. If it still seems amazing to you how it is possible for someone who has nothing to have everything, then I will present as an example St. Paul himself, who had great power over entire nations and was lord not only of their property, but also of their very eyes. “Even if it were mighty,” he wrote to the Galatians, “your hair would quickly run wild” (Gal. 4:15). So, what was it that St. Paul possessed when he says: “For he has nothing, but contains all things”? - Earthly and spiritual blessings. For who was received by the cities as an angel, for whom they were ready to pluck out their eyes, for whom they were ready to lay down their heads - how could he not be the master of everything that belonged to them? - If you want to see his spiritual blessings, you will see that he was rich in them too. For who was so close to the King of all things that the Lord of the Angels told him the innermost secrets, how did he not surpass everyone in the abundance of spiritual blessings, and how did he not have everything? Otherwise, the demons would not have obeyed him, and diseases and illnesses would not have run away from him with such haste.” Saint Chrysostom concludes this section with the following instruction: “The Apostle says this in order to teach us not to be embarrassed by human judgments about us, even if they call us flatterers, even if they don’t want to know about us, even if they consider us criminals, condemned to death, even if we are mourning, poor, and have nothing; at least they consider us to be in despondency even when we are content and rejoice, because the sun does not shine for the blind, and the pleasures of the wise are unknown to the foolish. Only the faithful and pious know how to value deeds justly; and they rejoice and mourn not about what others do. If someone, not having any idea about military ceremonial games, saw a fighter, although adorned with a crown, but having wounds, then, not knowing the pleasure that the crown brings to the fighter, of course he would begin to think only about the illness he experiences due to his wounds. So they know only what we endure, they see only struggle and disasters, but do not see awards, crowns and rewards for exploits. Therefore, if we bear anything for Christ, we must bear it not only courageously, but also with joy. If we fast, we will be joyful, like those who feast; if we endure reproach, we will behave as if we were showered with praise; if we are waiting for property, we will try to be in such a state of mind as if we were increasing it; If we give something to the poor, we will think that we are gaining. And not only when distributing alms, but also in any other virtue, think not about the severity of labor, but about the sweetness of rewards, mainly keeping in mind our Lord Jesus Christ, for Whom you are undertaking certain deeds, from which you will be more willing to go out on deeds and spend the whole time of your life in pleasure.” cc) Obligations of those who have heeded the gospel (2 Cor. 6:11–18, 7:1) Saint Paul explained how the Apostles were entrusted with the word of reconciliation and how they spread it everywhere, taking every care not to cause anyone to stumble, but on the contrary, to contribute in every possible way to the success of the gospel. Now he turns his word to those who heard and accepted the gospel and points out what they need to pay attention to in order to be worthy of the title. God, he says, has reconciled us to Himself; you have accepted the word of reconciliation; see, keep the conditions, that is, flee all lawlessness and shun all wickedness. If you adhere strictly to the accepted rules, you will appear clean. As if you were pure, God will dwell in you and take you into Himself, which is the last highest goal of rational creatures (verses 14 ff). He sets out these instructions, turning to the Corinthians, and as a transition to them, he expresses his special broad disposition towards the Corinthians, demanding from them mutually wide attention to his words, in order to fully accommodate them (2 Cor. 6:11-14). 2 Cor. 6:11. Our mouth has opened to you, Corinthians, our heart has expanded. The preceding speech, especially towards the end, proceeded, as can be seen, with some movement. The Apostle was drawn into such frankness by his special affection for the Corinthians; as if he was still ready to continue the word in the same direction, but the power of feeling stopped him and forced him to open what set his tongue in motion: “his heart expanded,” which is why “his lips opened.” Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. “We do not want,” he says, to remain silent in front of you, but we always want to speak and talk with you, and this is the custom of those who love. And what an embrace of hands is for the body, a friendly conversation is for the soul. Along with this, he also hints at something else. What is it? “He says that we talk openly with you, as with lovers, without hiding anything from you and without hiding anything.” – And the very name “Corinthians” expresses his great love, affection and ardor for them. For it is known that we love to often repeat the names of those we love. “Our heart expands.” Just as warmth and heat expands the thing in which it is contained, so love tends to expand the heart, because it is such a virtue that is both hot and inflames. She opened Pavlova's lips and enlarged his heart. For it is not only with my lips, he says, that I love you, but with my lips my heart also agrees. That is why I speak so boldly, with open lips and from the bottom of my heart. For there is nothing on earth larger than Paul’s heart; it, like someone else, loved all the faithful so ardently, not splitting its love into parts and therefore weakening, but remaining in each one entirely. And is it surprising that Paul had such love for the faithful when his heart embraced the whole universe and even the most unfaithful? That’s why he didn’t say: “I love you,” but much more expressively: “Our mouth was opened, our heart was expanded”; we have everyone in our hearts and not just somehow, but with great spaciousness and convenience. For in this case, the beloved is placed in the heart of the lover without any danger” (St. Chrysostom). 2 Cor. 6:12. You do not fit tightly into us, but you are cramped in your wombs. “You do not fit tightly into us” means: we embrace you with broad love; “You are oppressed in your bellies,” means: but you do not love us so widely. Gentle reproof! “See how he spares even in the most reproaches! And this is a characteristic of those who love deeply. He didn’t say: you don’t love us, but: you don’t love us as much as we do; for he does not want to reproach them too much. He says the same thing at the end of the letter: “even though I love you too much, I am loved by you less” (2 Cor. 12:15) (St. Chrysostom). But what exactly this reproach concerned is not clear with certainty. “For in the same letter he says that not only does he love them, but that they also love him. When he says that Titus came “telling us your desire, your mourning, your zeal for me” (2 Cor. 7:6, 7), then this testifies to their love for him” (St. Chrysostom). – “Your desire”, – επιποθησιν, means the disposition of a very loving heart. How is this a reproach? Perhaps the Apostle understands that not everyone loves him as much as he loves them. I, he says, love you all widely, but not all of you. There are those among you in whose hearts there is no spacious place for me. Thus, taking into account the majority, it was true to say that they love very much; and hinting at a minority, one could correctly say that they are oppressed and loved less. 2 Cor. 6:13. The same retribution, as I say to a child, will spread to you too. As I love you widely, in equal retribution, expand your love for me; or, just as I love you all together and each one, so you all together and each one will love me with complete love. “I say like a child,” this is a gentle impulse that cannot be refused. I gave birth to you, you are my spiritual children: what children do not love their father? And how hard is it for children to love him? And I don’t impose any yoke on you, but only point out what you should naturally have. Saint Chrysostom sees in these words the most subtle shades of the Apostle’s thoughts. “And although it is not the same thing - first to be loved, and then to love others; because the one who loved after, even if he paid in equal measure with love, but as the one who loved after, he himself already stands lower than the one who preceded him with love; However, I don’t go into a strict search for this, he says; It’s enough for me if you, taking my example, show the same measure of love with which I love you. Then, to show how necessary this is for them and how his words are alien to any kindness, he adds: “I say like a child.” What does it mean: “like a child”? - That is, I ask nothing more from you except your love, like your father. Do you see what prudence and humility there is here? He no longer talks about the disasters that he endured for them; he is silent about his labors, about the dangers of death, even though he could talk a lot; so he is alien to pride! But he speaks only about his love and asks them for mutual love, because I am your father, he says, and I love you very much. Someone who enjoys the love of another is sometimes very irritated by the fact that the lover reminds him of his good deeds towards him, for he considers this a reproach for himself. Therefore, Saint Paul does not do this, but only says: love me as the children of the father, which is much closer to human nature and constitutes the duty of everyone in relation to the father.” Having thus explained how his heart was expanded and his lips were opened, denouncing that the Corinthians were oppressed in their wombs, and encouraging them to expand in accordance with the breadth of his heart, the Apostle begins to offer lessons: “do not be unequally yoked,” and so on. Putting this together, one involuntarily comes to the conclusion that the dissemination that the Apostle demanded is nothing more than a breadth of attention and heart for the acceptance of the proposed teaching. Hence the entire previous speech is presented in this form: my heart expanded and my lips were opened. I am full of high and important truths and am ready to pour them into your souls. Expand your mind and heart to accept them. I say: expand; because you are not so broad to understand the truth. So, as a father to his children, for your good, I say: spread out and listen! - This is how Blessed Photius argues in Ekumenia. 2 Cor. 6:14. Do not be [comfortable] subject to another yoke like unfaithfulness. What has righteousness to do with lawlessness? Or some kind of communication between light and darkness? “Do not be [comfortable] subject to another yoke like infidelity” or “infidels.” Μη γινεσθε ετεροξυγουντες απιςοις. Ετεροξυγειν means to become one yoke in pairs with another. The Apostle says: do not be yoked together with the unbelievers. Word for word can be translated as follows: “do not be yoked together with infidels.” It goes on to explain why this should not be the case; because, he says, you are not at all a couple with them, but differ from them to the point of opposites. – The reason for this suggestion could have been the participation of some Corinthian believers in meals from meats sacrificed to idols, and perhaps in some other pagan everyday customs. The Apostle’s intention is to completely remove them from everything that bore the stamp of paganism: “come out from among them and do not touch their uncleanness.” According to his thoughts, any such contact with the pagans is the same as tying oneself into the same yoke with them, in order to pull the same weight and follow the same path. Saint Chrysostom introduces the Apostle with this turn of phrase: “Here the Apostle says, as it were, to them: do not deviate from their path. Look at the distance between your nobility and the baseness of those. This comparison made his speech more convincing and attractive to the Corinthians. If someone said to a son who disrespects his parents and indulges in depraved people: “What are you doing, child? You despise your father and prefer to him people who are depraved and mired in lawlessness. Don’t you know how much better and nobler you are than them?” - then it would be better for him to reject him from communicating with them than - if he began to praise only his father. So, if he said: “Don’t you know how much better your father is than they?” - then the sim would have done little or nothing. But when, having bypassed the father, he prefers his son to them, saying: “Don’t you know who you are and who they are? How can you not think about your nobility and free origin, but about their baseness? What do you have in common with such thieves, adulterers, robbers? - then, as if inspiring him with these praises, it will easily dispose him to leave the community with them. He will not accept the first admonitions so easily because the father will no longer serve such a son with honor, but with the accusation that he insults the father, and, moreover, such a respectable father; here he won’t hear anything like that. Besides, who doesn’t like praise? And therefore the reproof itself, combined with the praise of the listener, is more acceptable. For it softens, elevates his spirit and makes him abhor association with bad people. But what is surprising here is not only such a distinction, but also the fact that he portrayed it so strongly to arouse fear in the Corinthians. First, he conducts his speech through questions, which usually happens when he talks about something known and obvious to everyone; then he distributes it with many and different names, for not one, not two, not three, but many names of compared things puts before the eyes of the listeners, in order, on the one hand, to depict the height of virtue (the faith of Christ), and on the other, the extreme baseness of vice (paganism), and through the great, even infinite, distance between them shows that the matter no longer requires any proof.” “What has righteousness to do with lawlessness? Or some kind of communication between light and darkness? Verse 15. “What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or which part will I return with the infidel?” Verse 16. “Or some kind of laying down the church of God from idols? For you are the churches of God who live, just as God said: for I will dwell in them and walk around, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” “Look how many simple words he uses, and yet sufficient to turn the Corinthians away from the yoke of the infidels” (St. Chrysostom). The words are simple, but they embrace the objects being compared from the most essential aspects. Firstly, from the moral side. “What has righteousness to do with lawlessness?” Just as righteousness is opposite to iniquity, so are you to the pagans: do not be yoked with them. He calls believers righteousness, because their previous sins were washed away by baptism, and in order not to fall into new ones, they set the intention and made a vow, proceeding to baptism, in which they received new life, which by the grace of God is strong for the creation of all righteousness and for remaining in purity and holiness. He calls the pagans lawless because sin reigns in paganism. Just as they are born in sin, so they live in it: self-indulgence rules their entire life. The best personalities among them cannot free themselves from its bonds and even have no idea what should do so. And even if they understood, what would they do? One must be born again; and this they are deprived of. And therefore the essence is in lawlessness, which seems to be the spirit of their life: that is, to sacrifice everything for themselves, or to turn everything into a means for their own personal goals. “Or some communication between light and darkness?” This, secondly, is a comparison from the mental side. As light is opposed to darkness, so are you to the Gentiles. Just as light has no communion with darkness, so you should not have it with the pagans in anything pagan. Believers are light, according to the lightness of their knowledge, which embraces everything that exists and happens, beginningless and infinite, time and eternity, and defines everything with the accuracy and clarity possible now. They know where they come from; why on earth, what awaits them beyond the grave and how to make their stay there blissful. They know God, the Creator and Provider, the Savior and Comforter, they know how to enter into communication with Him and always remain in Him, which is the final goal of rational creatures. Knowing all this, they live as they walk in days. The pagans, on the contrary, do not know anything like this, the most essential questions for them remain unresolved, and they live as they live, weaving along the general rut, not being able to give themselves an account of where they are going and how their path will end. A thick darkness of ignorance covers them. That's what they are! Why, says the Apostle, should you climb into the same yoke with them?! 2 Cor. 6:15. Some... agreement between Christ and Belial? This, thirdly, is a comparison according to the leaders. You are Christ's, those are Belial's. Just as Christ’s agreement with Belial is impossible, so it should not be between you and the pagans. Christ the Lord is the Head of Christians; They put on Him when they are baptized and, having received grace, they are then transformed into His image through the labors of their whole lives, so that, having become one with Him here, they will be honored in another life to be where He is, in indescribably blessed glory. Belial is Satan, the first to enter into the fight against God in the spirit of pride; then he taught his first parents not to obey God, promising them mountains and depriving them of everything; then he deceives all people, drawing them into deeds of self-indulgence in opposition to conscience and God. He has no power over anyone or anything, but falsely calls himself a king, because people, seduced by his ghosts, rush to self-indulgence and serve him through him. The purpose of his efforts is to make more people perish; and in fact there is no profit for him from this: for the same fire is prepared for him. He works so hard, just so that he is not alone with his minions to suffer forever. So, you see, the Apostle seems to be saying, what opposites! Christ the Lord is essentially the Savior and the Giver of undoubted salvation; and beliar is destruction, a cunning seducer, out of malice luring everyone into destruction with the bait of the sweets of self-indulgence. Is it fitting for you, who have partaken of Christ’s salvation, to be with those who are troubled in the delightful destruction? “Or which part will I return with the infidel?” This, fourthly, is a comparison between the beginning of life and the end of it. The faithful heard the word about salvation and accepted it with faith; by faith he willingly submitted to the conditions of salvation and remains faithful to them, and for the sake of this fidelity he has the confidence that Christ the Savior will crown his course with a good end, making him worthy of endless bliss in His kingdom. This is the part of being faithful! It is undoubted, for it is based on the faithfulness of God. An infidel walks around in hopelessness and cannot promise himself anything true in this life, much less in the future. His conscience, always offended, allows him to foresee a gloomy picture of his fate; and when the door to it is opened by death, this moment always strikes him with excruciating fear. Do you see what is the fate of the infidel? Why would you pair up with him? 2 Cor. 6:16. Or some kind of laying down the Church of God from idols? This, fifthly, is a comparison according to the last goal of religion, which is Communion with God. The soul that has perceived God, in communion with Him, becomes the church of God. Believers, through communion with the Lord Jesus Christ, enter into communion with God and are essentially the church of God. The Apostle says: “You are the churches of the living God.” This does not speak about everyone in general, but about each believer in particular, for it says: you are churches, not the church. So, look, he says, what an incongruity emerges when you take part in something pagan. Here the same thing happens, as if someone took a pagan idol and placed it in a Christian temple. Just as the latter action is incongruous with anything, “for the church of God was built on idols,” so it is incongruous with anything when one of you, through participation in paganism, introduces something pagan into his soul, in which God is pleased to dwell. Saint Chrysostom says: “And why do you, carrying God within yourself, run to idols with which God has nothing in common? Is such an act worthy of an apology? Think about Who lives in you and dwells with you.” Having exposed such a series of opposites, the Apostle, as if taking him by the hand, leads the believers away from everything pagan. Since the top of all differences between right and wrong is true communion, living communion with the living God, the Apostle pays special attention to this advantage, proving it with prophecies and through them depicting it from different sides. The evidence cited from the Old Testament, word for word, is not read in Scripture, as they are given by St. Paul, but was collected by him from different places and combined into one harmonious speech. “You,” he says, “are the churches of the living God.” And that this is so, listen to what God promised Israel. “I will dwell in them and walk around,” “that is, I will dwell in these churches and walk in them, thereby showing great favor towards them” (St. Chrysostom). “And I will be their God, and they will be My people” (Lev. 26:12). I am their God, they are My people. This expresses communication on the part of God. But when God announced this to those people and those people accepted it into their hearts, then they began to have God as their God and themselves as the people of God. This is communication from people. This is how it was in Israel, the prototype of the believers, and that communication was educational. It all happened externally. True Communion with God has already been accomplished by the Lord the Savior, first hypostatically in His Person, and then graciously and morally in all believers. All believers, becoming one with the Lord, become truly and essentially one with God. This is how the Lord Himself prayed: “that they all may be one: as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us” (John 17:21). And the Lord’s Prayer becomes a deed in every believer. But this is not done nominally, but in action. Believers are reborn by the grace of the Holy Spirit and, having become pure through the rejection of the passions of self-indulgence and through the perception of all virtues, are a ready and God-befitting church for God, who dwells in them and, dwelling, leads them in the paths of life, or walks in them, as of old the pillar of cloud walked among Israel. What was accomplished externally in ancient Israel, is accomplished internally in the new Israel, in souls and hearts. For the Lord says: “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word: and My Father will love him, and I will come to him, and make our abode with him” (John 14:23). 2 Cor. 6:17. Therefore, come out from among them and separate yourself, says the Lord, and do not touch uncleanness, and I will accept you (Isa. 52:11). The promise is expressed above; here a condition is proposed upon the fulfillment of which by Israel depended the fulfillment of the promise by God. “Come out,” he says, “from among them,” that is, the pagans, and “separate yourself,” completely separate yourself from them, so that you become strangers to them and they to you. “And do not touch uncleanness”; “uncleanness”, ακαθαρτου, do not touch anything unclean, nothing that is defiled by idolatry. This is how ancient Israel was structured: both by its external life and by laws it was separated from the pagans and everything pagan. But what was then accomplished and maintained externally, in the new Israel must be accomplished internally, through moral changes and decisions. What is idolatry there is self-indulgence with all passions. To leave the midst of the pagans, here to leave all the things done to please oneself and passions; That there is no impurity to touch, here there is rejection and non-admission of passionate thoughts and self-indulgent feelings. Here the condition is: “If anyone wants to follow Me, let him deny himself...” (Matthew 16:24) or: those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts” (Gal. 5:24). Saint Chrysostom says: “He did not say: do not do uncleanness; but, demanding greater precision from them, he said: do not touch or approach her. He understands all uncleanness, both carnal and spiritual. Carnal impurity consists of fornication, adultery and all forms of carnal knowledge; and spiritual - unclean thoughts, voluptuous gaze, memory malice, deceptions and the like. He wants us to be clean from both this and other uncleanness. Look, here is the reward for that – union with God.” “And I will accept you.” First he promised: they will be Mine, then, offering conditions, he says: if you fulfill them, then “I will accept you” - you will become Mine. I will accept you, both under my protection and as my property. I will take you in my arms and warm and cherish you, like a mother’s beloved child. This is how it happens: whoever, having rejected everything, is appropriated to God, God appropriates him to Himself and watches over him like the apple of his eye. Look how widely used free will is! The promise is given and proclaimed; but in order to improve it, it is necessary to make the required movement free will. As soon as this movement follows, the fulfillment of the promise will immediately come to it. This is clearly illustrated in the parable of the prodigal son. The father saw his son approaching from afar, ran out to meet him, fell on his neck and kissed him. This is how God accepts sinners who come to Him in repentance. But he accepts it when they come running. Take care of their work, and when it is completed, there will be no stopping for God’s acceptance. 2 Cor. 6:18. And I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty (Jer. 3:19; Hosea 1:11). This is how God always had Israel; and when he turned out to be faulty, as a reproach to him, he presented His patronymic and his sonship to Himself. “They gave birth to sons and raised them up, but they rejected Me” (Is. 1:2). And is not the same promised to the new Israel in the most perfect sense and in the most essential sense? For it is said: “the little ones received Him (the Lord the Savior, by faith and love), and gave them the right to become children of God, who believe in His name, who were not born of blood, nor of the lust of the flesh, nor of the lust of men, but were born of God” (John 1:12, 13). This is what makes every believer a Christian, that he is born again by water and the Spirit and at the moment of this birth he becomes a son and daughter of God. At one moment, a Christian becomes a Christian and enters into the rank of son or daughter of God. “You see, the prophet long ago predicted about our true nobility, that is, about rebirth by grace” (St. Chrysostom). 2 Cor. 7:1. Sitseva, having the promise, O beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, creating holiness in the passion of God. This is what the Apostle was leading his entire speech to; to this is the fivefold contrast between the high dignity of the faithful and the worthless insignificance of the attention of the infidels; to this are the sublime prophetic promises, which are all essentially fulfilled only in those who cling to the Lord Savior with faith and love; to this, on our own behalf, we will add the entire economy of salvation, and death on the cross, and the descent of the Holy Spirit, and the apostolic preaching, and the structure of the Church, with all the wondrous phenomena in it both at the beginning and throughout its entire existence. All this means that all believers, through works of good deeds and deeds of self-sacrifice, with the help of God’s grace, “cleanse themselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, creating holiness in the passion of God.” For only in this case will they truly become sons and daughters of God and living churches of the living God. “Sitseva is a possession of promises.” “What are these? “Those that we have become churches for God, His sons and daughters, and we have Him as our God and Father” (St. Chrysostom). Mysteriously, all this is already with us and is ours. It remains up to us, through our will, deeds, words, thoughts and feelings, to reveal ourselves as such as we are not only called, but also mysteriously created, for the grace of rebirth already abides in us, and, consequently, everything associated with it. The Apostle wants to say: look and behave as is characteristic of the sons and daughters of God, or such persons who are the church of the living God living in them. What is needed for this? “Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit.” “Let us not touch the uncleanness of the flesh and that which denigrates the soul” (St. Chrysostom). “Bad flesh” he calls both carnal sins and all “lawless deeds” (Theodoret) committed by the body. “The filthiness of the spirit” is sinful thoughts, feelings and dispositions, but the main root of everything is self-indulgence, or selfishness. To cleanse oneself of all this means to repent of all previous defilements and henceforth not to allow oneself not only unclean deeds, but also thoughts and any unkind movements within, and moreover, the eradication of self-indulgence, on which all unclean things are based and by which everything is generated. This cleansing is accomplished in the same way as unclean linen is washed. This latter is soaked, steamed, rinsed, crumpled, beaten, dried, rolled or ironed, and it becomes white and takes on its real form, making it usable again. The purification of the soul is not accomplished without difficulty: everything related to this is combined in experiences of good deeds and in feats of self-sacrifice. How everything goes was demonstrated by the saints of God, who in all generations achieved high purity and tangibly showed to everyone that they truly are churches of the living God, sons and daughters of Him, who watches over them and does everything pleasing to them. “Creating holiness in the passion of God.” The work of internal purification, and through it also external, begins with the fear of God. Having arrived, he awakens the conscience and gives irresistible power to its voice. Then together they give birth to zeal for the achievement of salvation, and this already creates repentance, and the determination to drive away everything unclean and sinful, and all the orders of good deeds, and feats of self-sacrifice. She, having received power in the sacraments, and in deed, with the help of the grace of God, accomplishes everything planned and, maintaining the constancy of labor and action, brings to the perfect intentional purity of flesh and spirit, characteristic of the sons and daughters of God. The fear of God, as the beginning, remains the vigilant guard of all this work. This is why the Apostle said: creating something holy, that is, purifying oneself, or ascending into purity, through the fear of God. Saint Chrysostom says to this: “The Apostle was not content with saying: do not touch uncleanness, but added also: “creating what is holy in the passion of God.” For mere non-touching of the unclean does not make it clean; In order to become saints, something more is required, that is, zeal, vigilance and piety. And it was not in vain that he said: “in the passion of God.” For one can maintain chastity not in the fear of God, but for vain glory. However, he also meant something else when he said “in the passion of God,” namely the way in which holiness is achieved and preserved. For no matter how great the power of lust, if you protect yourself with the fear of God, you will overcome its fury. By “holiness” he here means not only chastity, but also alienation from all sin. For the one who is pure is holy, and the one who is pure is not the one who does not commit fornication only, but the one who is alien to the love of money, envy, arrogance, and vanity, especially vanity.” 3. Expression of joy and consolation brought by the return of Titus and all that he saw and met in Corinth (2 Cor. 7: 2-16) Saint Paul began to talk about this above (2 Cor. 2:12, 13). But as soon as he began, he was taken by the Spirit to contemplate the power and glory of the New Testament gospel. Having outlined everything that the Spirit gave him to communicate about this, he now returns again to the interrupted story. It starts with verse 5; a) verses 2–4 represent transitional speech; Verses 2 and 3 seem to be closer to the previous one; and verse 4 to the next one. In the legend itself he talks about how he was delighted and consoled at first by b) the arrival of Titus, verses 5–7; then c) by what the first letter produced in Corinth, verses 8-12, finally d) and by the reception that Titus received in Corinth, verses 13-16. 2 Cor. 7:2. Accept us: not a single offense, not a single waste, not a single covetousness. "Include us". Directly reminiscent of the previous word: “you are oppressed in your bellies... spread out” (2 Cor. 6:12, 13). Theodoret writes: “Contain” - he says to those who were oppressed; He said this above: “you too will spread.” Saint Chrysostom says: “He did not say: love us, but, as if propitiating, he says: “accommodate us.” Before he said: “you are oppressed in your bellies,” and here he expresses the same more clearly with the words: “contain us.” And this again attracts them to himself; because it most inclines towards love when the lover inspires the beloved that he strongly desires his love.” Theophylact directly paraphrases this word in relation to what was said above: “receive us more spaciously, and may we not be cramped in you.” The ecumenium recalls the thought of Blessed Photius, according to which the Apostle asks to include not only himself, but even more so his word and teaching. This thought is not contrary to the flow of speech. “Not a single one has been wronged, not a single one has been corrupted, not a single one has been greedy.” “He points to the false apostles” (St. Chrysostom). Such, he says, who do all this to you, you accept (he points out this below (2 Cor. 11:20)); the more willingly you should accept us, who did nothing of the kind to you. Saint Paul could point out the good that they received from him, first spiritually and then materially, for the modest Christian life could not but have an influence on external life. But this could not be as strong as this comparison of the Corinthians’ attitude towards themselves with their attitude towards others, from whom they received no good, and only one thing was bad. “He is silent about his good deeds, but in another way he softens and at the same time strengthens his word. He does not say: we have shown you such and such benefits, but as it were: even if we did not do any benefit for you, then you should not run away from us, for you cannot accuse us of anything big or small” (St. Chrysostom). “Not a single person was offended” ηδικησαμεν, no one was wronged, in whatever respect; for a year and a half we lived among you quietly, peacefully, honestly; not only in deed, but also in word, no one is offended or offended by us. “Not a single one was corrupted,” no one was corrupted by a bad example, no one was led astray by evil teaching: “they did not use flattering words, embellishing lies” (Theodoret); “they did not mislead anyone, damaging the mind with wicked dogmas” (Theophylact); “They deceived no one and did not corrupt anyone’s mind, deceiving simplicity, as the serpent deceived Eve with his wickedness” (St. Chrysostom). “Not the same as covetousness” - they did not gain anything from anyone. “They did not deceive anyone of anything by acting treacherously” (St. Chrysostom); “they did not trade in the word of the gospel, turning it into a means of enrichment” (Ecumenius, Theophylact). These words appear in Saint Paul without explanatory additions, therefore there is no need to deviate from their direct meaning. The reason for which this is said, one can less think that it was that the ill-wishers of St. Paul spread such judgments about him, but rather the one, as St. Chrysostom pointed out, that some false teachers actually acted this way among the Corinthians, that is, they became selfish, and corrupted their minds with lies, and left a bad example, and they did not tell the truth, holding themselves high, which could not do without insults. It is impossible not to notice what high praise it is to the shepherd if he can say such words in front of the entire flock. Or were Samuel the prophet and Saint Paul alone?! - No; At all times, the eye of God truly sees not seven, but several times seven thousand pastoral souls who did not bend the knee to lies, flattery, untruth and mammon. 2 Cor. 7:3. I do not speak of condemnation: first we decided, as it is in our hearts, to die with you and to live together. “Feeling that what he said may seem cruel, he again softens his word” (St. Chrysostom). The previous word could not help but resonate with strong bitterness in the hearts of the Corinthians. The rebuke was made painfully, although not directly. Since they were not without guilt, an alarmed conscience could expect punishment or rejection. This anxiety had to be averted. He turns away, saying: “I speak not to condemn you.” Don't be afraid; I do not call down punishment from heaven on you, (κατακρισις is a court verdict determining punishment), I do not expose guilt in order to reject you. I love you so much that I cannot live without you and, except for good, I wish you nothing. But instead of saying: I love you with strong love, he used a paraphrase of love: “before I decided, as in our hearts, to die with you and live together.” Word for word, he did not express his love for them in this way, but he expressed it in other equally strong words when he said: “Our heart expands. You do not fit into us too closely” (2 Cor. 6:11, 12). To tell someone that I can die and live with you is the same as saying: I embraced you with wide love and will never part with you. Saint Chrysostom says: “Truly, such great love is that, even if we are despised by them, we are ready to die and live with them. The Apostle does not simply say: “you are in our hearts”; but in such a way that, as has been said, we are ready to live and die with you. For it is possible to love and run away from dangers (which threaten because of the beloved), but we do not love like that. If, he says, some disaster befell you, then I am ready to endure everything for you. For me, neither death nor life, in themselves, are important, but being where you are is preferable to me; With you, death is better than life, and life is better than death. Many people sympathize with their suffering friends; when friends prosper, they do not rejoice with them, but still envy. We are not like that, says the Apostle. If you are exposed to disaster, we will not be afraid to share your misfortune with you. If you prosper, we will not envy you.” 2 Cor. 7:4. I have much boldness towards you, I have much praise for you, I am filled with joy, overflowing with joy over all our sorrow. These words express what burst out of the Apostle’s soul after Titus told him how he was received in Corinth and what effect the Apostle’s message had on the believers there. For they repented of the shortcomings, grieved over them and decided to certainly correct everything according to the instructions of St. Paul, and they testified their love and deep respect for him. Bringing all this to mind, the Apostle says: “I have much boldness toward you.” You have shown by your deeds that I can confidently address you with any word, in the confidence that you will listen to me in everything. This speech fits in with the previous one in this way: there he expressed that he loves them with strong love, but here he seems to explain: and how can I not love you? “I have much confidence in you.” Now I see that I can rely on you in everything. You showed that you treat me like students treat a teacher, like children treat a father. This inspires me to work among you and for you: I know that it will not be useless. “I have many praises about you.” You have given me many reasons to praise you and boast about you. I always boast about you before others, but now you have added to my desire to do so, and have discovered much in yourself that is commendable compared to the previous commendable qualities. “Be filled with joy.” I was grieving, but as soon as Titus came and told about you, the sorrow went away and I was filled with joy. “What joy? - Which one I received from you; You, having corrected yourself, consoled me with your deeds” (Saint Chrysostom). “I overflow with joy.” “Again he reveals the ardor of his love for them. She was so insatiable! For even small mutual love from those we love brings great joy, because of our strong love for them. Speaking about consolation, he said: “we are fulfilled,” that is, we received what was due; and speaking of joy, he said: “I am abundant,” that is, I was afraid a lot for you, but you sufficiently satisfied and consoled me, and not only took away my pretext for sorrow, but also brought me abundant joy. Expressing how great this joy is, he not only expresses this with the words: “abundant with joy,” but also by adding: “with all our sorrow” (επι παση). Such is the pleasure given to us that it was not eclipsed by great sadness, but on the contrary, with the excess of its greatness it overcame all the sorrows that befell us and does not allow us to feel them” (St. Chrysostom). 2 Cor. 7:5. For when we came to Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but in everything it was sorrowful: outside of war, inside of fear. “Having mentioned sorrow above, he says what kind of sorrow there was, and presents it in a greater form, wanting to show how great the consolation and joy they brought, which dispelled such sorrow” (St. Chrysostom). “For those who came”; from Greek - “for those who came.” Through “for” speech is connected with what immediately preceded, and through “and” - with what was said in (2 Cor. 2:12, 13). “It said: in Troas I had no rest for my spirit.” It says here: but even when I came to Macedonia, “our flesh had not a single rest.” There “spirit”, here “flesh”, one cannot think that they were used with a special meaning, but as a descriptive addition to the speaker’s face. Both there and here I had no peace. - “But in everything it is sorrowful” - must be supplemented with “bykh”. Sorrows surrounded us on all sides, or in every way. From exactly which sides and in what relationships the words: “outside” and “inside” indicate. What do they mean? - Saint Chrysostom says: “Beyond the battle,” that is, from the infidels; “within the depths of fear,” that is, for those who are weak in the faith, lest they be carried away into error, which happened not only among the Corinthians, but also among others.” Ecumenius and Theophylact - “outside the battle”, also understood from the infidels, whom, according to Ecumenius, the Apostle usually calls external. “And fears within” - also refers to believers who are within the fence of the Church, but not in the same sense: Ecumenius - “fears because of the faithful, lest temptations crush them,” and Theophylact - because of the weak faithful, “lest false brethren lead them astray.” Theodoret writes: “We were not only constrained by the struggle with our opponents (outside of battle), but also caring for the weak was exhausted, because I was afraid of them changing for the worse.” 2 Cor. 7:6. But comfort the humble, God comfort us with the coming of Titus. Sorrow and anxiety, as said above (2 Cor. 2:12, 13), began because Titus did not return so soon. And the beginning of consolation lies in the arrival of Titus. Before he said anything, I was already consoled by his mere arrival. Because of the long wait, Pavel seemed to despair of ever seeing him, so he considers his arrival as a message from heaven. It is common for the living God to attribute every event, both large and small, to God, just as it actually depends on Him. Why does the Apostle confess in this arrival of Titus the great mercy of God and, looking at him from the face of God's providence, says: God, who comforts the humble, that is, those who are humble and crushed by grief and sorrow, comforted us with the arrival of Titus. “But, of course, it was not just this arrival that delighted the Apostle so much that he immediately forgot all the burden that lay on his soul, but even more so what Titus brought.” Why continues: 2 Cor. 7:7. Not only with his coming, but also with consolation, with which we can be comforted about you, telling us your desire, your sobbing, your jealousy for me, so that we may rejoice even more. “Having returned, he delighted us with pleasure when he told us so many pleasant things about you” (St. Chrysostom). By all accounts, Saint Paul is expected to say: with the consolation with which he comforted us; and he says: with the consolation with which Titus himself was comforted for you. It must be assumed that Saint Titus, going to Corinth, did not expect to meet there what he met. The Apostle sent him there in concern, and Titus really wanted the Corinthians to be the same in relation to the Apostle as the Apostle himself wanted them to be. Since Titus strongly wanted this, he was afraid that something contrary to his expectations and desires might happen there. Therefore, when he saw that the reception of the message and himself exceeded his very expectations, he was extremely pleased and delighted; I was consoled both by the fact that the Corinthians turned out to be like this, and by the fact that this would greatly please and comfort the Apostle. He forgot about himself, that is, how well he was received: he was pleased with the service of the Corinthians and the consolation from that Apostle. “This joy could not help but express itself both in the gaze and in the first speeches. The Apostle wants to say: he was pleased with his arrival, but I already saw in his eyes that he was comforted by what he met with you and brought me good news. This is the second moment of joy. And when he, he says, told me what he had met with you, I rejoiced even more. - What did he tell you? – “your desire”, – επιποθησιν, warm disposition towards the Apostle, “your sobbing”, – οδυρμον, painful contrition and sorrow for having bothered him so much with your faults, – “your zeal for me”, the decision to zealously correct everything that is faulty, to do everything according to the instructions drive him out, the incestuous one, and force the detractors of St. Paul to remain silent. Saint Chrysostom says: “Take comfort in you” Titus. What did you console yourself with? - Your virtue, your correction. Therefore, he adds: “telling your desire, your sobbing, your jealousy for me.” This is what consoled and pleased Titus! You see, he also represents him as being very well disposed towards the Corinthians, since he considers their good reputation a consolation for himself and, having come, boasts of it before Paul as his own good. And look with what fervor the Apostle expresses this: “your desire, your mourning, your jealousy.” For they should have wept and grieved that blessed Paul was so angry with them and was not with them for so long. That’s why he didn’t just say: tears, but “sobs”; and not just - desire, but “strong desire” - επιποθησιν; and not irritation (in the sense: my spirit was irritated), but zeal - ζηλον - and zeal for the Apostle, both against the fornicator and against those who condemned Paul. Having received my message, says Paul, you have been inflamed and inflamed with jealousy. He is “abundant with joy, filled with joy” because he touched them greatly. But it seems to me that this was said not only for consolation for the past, but also for greater excitement for those who fulfilled what was required. For I think that some were subject to previous reproofs and did not deserve such praise; but he does not separate them, on the contrary, he praises and reproaches them all together, leaving the conscience of the listeners to choose their own. And in this way, reproaches were made bearable, and praises aroused greater jealousy.” 2 Cor. 7:8. Even if I offended you with the message, I will not repent; “Yako”, – οτι, – for. He said above that when Saint Titus told him everything that happened in Corinth, he was very happy about it. But who could have thought, how could this be? Those mourn bitterly, but he rejoices? The Apostle now explains how it turns out that they cry, and he rejoices. I rejoice, he says, not because you are sad, but what came out of it - your repentance and correction. But this explanation is set out in somewhat more detail, starting with what was in his soul until he received the news about the effect of the message. Saint Chrysostom says: “Since the Corinthians made amends for their sin and therefore could speak more kindly to them without fear, the Apostle apologizes to them for the severity of his previous message, but also shows its benefit. He did the same above, saying: “For I wrote to you out of much sorrow and heaviness of heart, not that you should be offended, but that you might know the love that I have shown you in abundance” (2 Cor. 2:4). He does the same thing here, but only expresses himself more expansively about this.” For, he says, although I “offended”, – ελυπησα, saddened you, with the “message”, – εν τγ επιςολη, in the epistle, with the words of the epistle, by what was said in the first epistle; but “I will not repent,” - ου μεταμελομαι, - I do not repent, “even if I had repented,” although I did repent. Now, he says, I don’t repent that I brought sadness into your soul, but I repented, or began to repent. When is this? - Until Saint Titus came. Having written reproachfully and threateningly, Saint Paul could not help but believe that his word would bring grief to the Corinthians. He wrote this because it was necessary. But then, when he saw that Titus was hesitating, he correctly assumed that the letter had given the matter an unfavorable turn, and therefore began to grieve and repent for having written so strictly. This is what he says now: although I repented, or began to repent, now I do not repent, looking at the good fruit of your sadness. Saint Chrysostom, however, gives the following meaning to this word: “even if I had repented”: although I should have repented that I wrote too strictly, beyond measure, I do not repent because of the benefit from it. Here are his words: “Even if what I wrote was such that it exceeded the measure of proper reproof and demanded repentance from me, the great benefit that came from it does not allow me to repent. “He said this not because he really rebuked them beyond measure, but in order to increase their praise,” showing: you are so humble and obedient that no matter how strictly you write, you accept it with contrition and readiness to correct yourself in everything; so all I can do is boast about you. Isn’t this understanding closer to the flow of speech? “I see that it is a message, even if it’s time to insult you.” I should repent, he says. Why? “For I see that that message saddened you, even if only for a short time.” Seeing this, I should have repented, but I do not repent: “for the sorrow was brief, but the benefit came out everlasting” (St. Chrysostom). Why continues: 2 Cor. 7:9. Now I rejoice, not because the sorrow was quicker, but because I was offended in repentance: for you were offended by God, but you will take nothing away from us. Not only, he says, do I not repent, but on the contrary, I rejoice; I rejoice not because you are saddened, but in what spirit and with what fruit you were saddened. “I rejoice when I see not the sadness itself, but the fruit of sadness, because this sadness has produced praiseworthy repentance” (Theodoret). “When a father sees his son being cut, he rejoices not because his son is in pain, but because he is being healed. Saint Paul rejoices in the same thing. Notice that he attributes all the success of the business to them: he attributes the sadness to his message, and credits them with the benefit from it. For he did not say: I rejoice that the letter corrected you, although this was in fact the case, but “because you were offended in repentance” (St. Chrysostom). They were saddened, he says, but not because of this they became angry and indignant at the one who saddened them, but they blamed themselves, admitting that they were worth the reproaches, repented of their guilt and decided to correct themselves. This kind of sorrow is sorrow for God. Why does he say: “you are offended by God,” - κατα Θεον, - in the order of divine demands, or a godly life, in the order of pleasing God and salvation, or out of the fear of God, looking to God, and not outwardly reasoning about the current. Regarding our reproof, we remembered God and His judgment, and hastened to correct what was wrong. For God always requires one thing: that everyone be correct, and those who are faulty, that they repent. He who remembers God, if he is correct, thanks God, and if he is faulty, he repents and hastens to correct himself. Whoever acts this way acts according to God, according to how God wants, as the reverent thought of Him demands. “Yes, you will get rid of us for nothing.” Thanks be to God, he says that He arranged it in such a way that He instilled in us the idea of ​​reproaching you more severely, and aroused in you a disposition to repentance. He arranged it this way so that you would not suffer any damage in your spiritual progress, or any harm in the matter of salvation through our fault. If we had not exposed you, you would have remained in your defect and, therefore, would have suffered harm. But if even after you had been convicted, the Lord had not turned your feelings towards good, even that would have been bad. Now I see that everything has worked out for the better, and I can’t help but rejoice. “Notice,” says Saint Chrysostom, his ineffable prudence! If we had not done this, he says, we would have harmed you; and the correction attributes to them, and to himself, the harm that would have occurred from his silence. If we had not rebuked you when it was possible to correct you by reproof, then we would have caused you harm, and the damage would have been not only for you, but also for us. For just as someone who does not give a merchant the means to sail harms him, so we would harm you. If they had not given you a reason to repent. Do you see that not rebuking sinners is harmful for both the teacher and the student? 2 Cor. 7:10. Sorrow, as according to Bose, brings unrepentant repentance to salvation; and [this] world’s sorrow will make death. “Therefore, he says, although I repented before I saw the fruit and benefit of the message, I do not repent now, or the fruit was sadness for God” (St. Chrysostom). Sorrow for Bose is what produces: salvation. Sadness for God is sorrow and painful contrition of the heart, when, when thinking about God and their relationship to Him, they recognize themselves as unrequitedly guilty before Him. Such consciousness strikes with the fear of judgment and condemnation; This fear forces you to look for the right way out of your bitter situation. Since there is no other outcome other than heartfelt repentance with a firm determination to live unswervingly according to the known will of God, then those who grieve for God come running to Him; and this means the same as stepping on the right foot on the path of salvation. That is why the Apostle said: “sorrow for God will bring unrepentant repentance to salvation.” “Unrepentant repentance” means repentance with a firm determination not to go back; or repentance, the commission of which no one repents, despite the considerable sacrifices that it requires, because he immediately learns by experience how great a good it brings with it. Saint Paul contrasts this saving sadness with worldly, murderous sadness, saying: “but the sadness of [this] world makes death.” The sadness of the world is sadness due to the loss of glory, honor, property, pleasures, disruption of everyday or civil affairs, in general because of anything earthly, limited to this life, but not concerning salvation and eternity. All these sorrows kill with grief and amaze with joylessness. When earthly goods are taken away, the one deprived of them feels so bad that it’s as if his soul is being taken out of him. For God, the one who grieves, although he is also struck by deep sorrow, but this sorrow is always dissolved by the hope of pardon: for the whole world knows God’s readiness to accept the repentant. That is why sadness according to Bose does not kill, but revives, does not cause death, but extracts it from death and transfers it to the stomach. Saint Chrysostom discusses these two sorrows at length. “What does the sadness of this world mean? – When you grieve about property, about fame, about the deceased; all this is the sadness of the world, and therefore causes death. He who grieves over glory is envious and often comes to inevitable destruction. Cain and Esau grieved with such sorrow. So, by the sadness of the world he means that which harms the mourners themselves. For sorrow over sins alone is beneficial, and this is clearly evident from the following. He who mourns the loss of wealth does not compensate for the loss; one who grieves for a dead person does not resurrect him; a person who grieves because of an illness not only does not get rid of the illness, but also intensifies it. Only he who grieves over sins gains benefit from grief: for it exhausts and destroys sins. Sorrow is a medicine prepared for this one case; Here only it has power and provides benefits, but in other cases it harms. Is it true that what is heavier than sadness? But when it is sadness for God, then it is much better than worldly joy, for this joy turns into nothing, and that “sadness makes unrepentant repentance into salvation.” What is also worthy of surprise in it is that none of those who mourn it ever repent, while repentance is most characteristic of worldly sadness. For what is more lovable than your own son? And what is more sad than his death? However, the fathers, who during their intense grief did not accept any consolation and tormented themselves, later repent of the fact that they grieved beyond measure; and not only did they not receive any benefit from it, but they upset themselves even more. This is not sadness for Bose! It has a twofold advantage: it does not make you repent of what you grieve about; turns the very same sadness into salvation. Worldly sadness lacks both of these advantages. In it they grieve to their detriment, and after great sorrow they become indignant at themselves; and this serves as the strongest proof that, when they grieve, they harm themselves. The consequences of grief according to Bose are completely opposite. No one will blame themselves for grieving, crying and lamenting over sin.” 2 Cor. 7:11. Behold, this very thing, even if you were offended by God, how much diligence has it created in you? but the answer? but indignation, but fear, but lust, but jealousy, but vengeance? In everything, imagine being pure in things. Saint Chrysostom says: “Blessed Paul, speaking about the good fruits of sorrow for God, did not need to give extraneous examples to confirm what was said, but points to the Corinthians themselves and from what they did, borrows evidence in order to, praising them, both instruct them and attract more to themselves. “Behold,” he says, “this is the very thing that God has offended you, how much diligence has made you?” That is, your sadness according to God (the fact that you, having come into the fear of God, were contrite and repented), look how it has made you concerned about yourself (about appearing correct in everything before God, your conscience and before the holy Apostle). And these are the signs of such care! “But the answer” (“But”, αλλα, in all these provisions stands instead of “and” - Ecumenius), απολογιαν, an apology to me (expressed, perhaps, to Titus and conveyed to him by the Apostle); “but indignation” at the sinner; but “fear” (“You came into the fear of God.” Theodoret), for such zeal and very quick correction showed that they were very afraid (maybe of St. Paul. Ecumenius, Theophylact). And lest you think that he is praising himself, look how he immediately softens his speech, saying: “but lust”, that is, for me [“and they loved us more ardently than before,” - Theodoret. - “For, he says, loving me and not wanting to upset me, you hastened to correct yourself” - Ecumenius; “so that it does not seem that, pointing out fear, he gives himself some dominance over them, he is in a hurry ward off this thought by pointing to “lust,” επιποθησιν, a warm disposition towards oneself, which is a sign of love, and not of subordinate subordination” - Theophylact]; but “jealousy”, that is, for God (“filled with just jealousy, you mourned the broken laws” - Theodoret, “either about God, or about me before those who reviled me). false apostles” - Ecumenius); but “vengeance”, for they punished those who violated the law of God (“they armed themselves with indignation against those who sinned” - Theodoret). “Consider being pure in everything,” that is, not only because you yourself did not commit the same crime, but also because you did not condone the one who did it. 5:2); Therefore, here he says: you cleared yourself of this suspicion when you not only did not praise the sinner, but punished him and were indignant at him.” 2 Cor. 7:12. Even if I wrote to you, not for the sake of the offended, less for the sake of the offended, but for the hedgehog to appear in you to our diligence, hedgehog for you before God. Who is the offender and who is the offended? - Theodoret says: “The Apostle calls the one guilty of fornication the offender, and his father the offender, because even after death he was offended by the desecration of his bed.” Ecumenius and Theophylact think that these are the ones who have gone astray, because they have both offended themselves and are offended. Saint Chrysostom does not touch upon this issue. But whoever they are, the power of speech does not lie in the definiteness of the concept of them, but in indicating the intention with which such strict decisions were written in the first epistle. It’s not written for them, he says. It’s not that he wants to say that when he wrote, he didn’t have them in mind at all; but that I did not write primarily for them, but mainly for you, so that one after another and you all would not become infected with the same evil. Now they are being corrected, and you are filled with jealousy and indignation for such sin. But even if they did not correct themselves, but only such indignation was revealed in you, the purpose of the message would have been achieved. It was dictated by my concern for the entire body of the Church. I showed them the care I have for all of you before God. It is such before God as it is shown before you. The apostle seemed to hear their objection from the outside: when we are clean, then why did he reprove us? – Now it is, but then I could not have imagined it; and fear for you, caused by love for you, forced me to be strict. Saint Chrysostom says: “He makes one feel that he was afraid for the whole Church; for he was afraid that evil would spread and, going further, would embrace the entire Church. That’s why he said: “A little kvass leaves the whole mixture leavened” (1 Cor. 5:6). But he said it then; now, when they have corrected themselves, he expresses the same thing not in this way, but in a different way, and although he has the same thought, he offers it with greater pleasantness, saying: “for the hedgehog to appear in you to my care for you,” that is, so that you can see how much I love you. Since I love you very much, I was afraid that you would not suffer harm from this tempting example and would not be forced to grieve for yourself.” 2 Cor. 7:13. For this reason, we were comforted by your consolation: we rejoiced even more over the joy of Titus, as his spirit rested from you all. “For this reason we are comforted by your consolation.” About consolation - επι, on the occasion, or because of, your consolation, not the consolation that you received, but the consolation that you brought to us by your correction of everything and everything that turned out to you as a result of my message. Saint Chrysostom says: “Let us be comforted”; because we showed our care for you, and everything was fulfilled according to our wishes. Just as in another place he said: “We are now alive, if you stand in the Lord” (1 Thess. 3:8). For the success of students for a prudent teacher is life, consolation, and joy. And nothing shows the good side of a boss as much as his love for his subordinates.” “Let us rejoice even more over Titov’s joy.” “See how the Apostle again praises the Corinthians and expresses his love for them! For, having said above about his joy that his first message was such a success and brought such benefit, and having expressed his love for them, he now presents another feature of their goodwill, which also brings them great praise and shows the sincerity of their love: “we rejoiced even more over Tito’s joy.” Titus is comforted by you; but I rejoiced not so much for Titus as for you” (St. Chrysostom). Titus was at peace with you not in body, not because there was something to eat or to have a restful bed, but in spirit. His spirit rested, and not from one or another, but from all of you. The fact that the equal-to-the-apostles spirit of Titus found peace among the Corinthians is evidence of their high perfection in spirit. For a spiritual person, as Titus was, cannot find peace among those who do not have movements and manifestations of spiritual life, and by calming him in relation to the body it is impossible to satisfy his spirit so that he feels at peace. 2 Cor. 7:14. For even if he boasted about you, we were not put to shame: but as all that was truly said to you, so our praise, which was directed to Titus, was truly true. “If only he could boast about you.” “Great is the praise when a teacher boasts (by his students) and rejoices that his praise turns out to be true, for he says: we are not put to shame. Therefore, I rejoiced that you showed yourself to be the best and actually justified my words. This gives me great consolation: you have shown yourself to be more perfect, and I have not been a liar against the truth; “But just as everything was truly said to you, so is our praise to Titus true.” Here he also implies something else, namely: how he spoke one truth to you, and, probably, he praised Titus a lot; Likewise, what I said about you to Titus turned out to be true” (St. Chrysostom). So that in the words: “for all things in truth were spoken to you,” the Apostle understood his praises of Titus before the Corinthians, Saint Chrysostom considers it only probable. So are all ours. The direct thought here is that a lie never came from the lips of the Apostle, no matter what his speech concerned, especially that his preaching was true. Theodoret writes: “We never tolerated telling lies, but we also taught you true teaching, and adorned your praises with truth.” So did Ecumenius and Theophylact: “Just as what I preached to you is true, so my word to Titus about you turned out to be true.” 2 Cor. 7:15. And his womb is overflowing to you, remembering all of you obedience, as if you received it with fear and trembling. “And his womb is overflowing for you.” “This already applies to Titus’s praise that he is disposed and attached to them” (St. Chrysostom). “For this purpose, he introduces Titus to them in such a way that they will mutually love him, as being connected with them from the heart and having a warm affection for them. That’s why he said: “his womb is for you,” to show the depth and fervor of his sincere love for them” (Theophylact). “Then he gives, as he does everywhere, the reason for such a disposition, so as not to seem caressing, but on the other hand, so that the Corinthians themselves can be encouraged to do more by giving them all the praise and showing that they themselves gave Titus the reason and reason for such love. For having said: “His womb is overflowing for you,” he adds: “He who remembers the obedience of you all.” - “Remembering”. This Apostle expresses gratitude to Titus, who separated from them, imprinting everyone in his soul, and always remembers them, constantly has them in his mouth and heart; and at the same time he praises the Corinthians even more for releasing Titus, having given him such a zealous reception. Then he reminds them of their obedience: “who remembers your obedience,” thus arousing jealousy” (St. Chrysostom). Obedience to both the word of the Apostle in the epistle, which (obedience) was so pleasant for Titus to encounter, and, perhaps, to the word of Titus himself, with which he accompanied the reading of the epistle, adding his advice and suggestions to what was written. So Theodoret: “And he is very kind to you and keeps an unforgettable memory of you, telling how you submitted to his advice.” - “As if you took it with fear and trembling.” “That is, not only with love, but also with great honor. Do you see how he testifies to their deep virtue, that is, that they loved Titus as a father, and were afraid as a leader, that in them neither fear darkened love, nor love weakened fear? (Saint Chrysostom). And obedience, and fear, and trembling were shown in the person of Titus to the Apostle himself, and he, out of his usual modesty, attributes everything either to Titus or to the kindness of the Corinthians. The last words suggest this idea: 2 Cor. 7:16. I rejoice because I am confident in you in everything. “Do you see that there is more joy in them? For he says: you have not disgraced your teacher in anything and have shown yourself worthy of my testimony about you. Consequently, he rejoiced not so much that Titus received such an honor as that they showed such goodwill towards Titus. But lest he be considered rejoicing any longer for Titus, see how here he presents the reason for the joy. As he said above: “for even if he boasts about you, you will not be put to shame”; So now he says: “For I am confident in you in everything.” Should I reproach you, I am not afraid that you will be put off for this; Should I boast about you? I am not afraid of being accused of vain praise. “I am bold in you,” whether I will praise you as submissive, or as loving, or as zealous. I said: cut off, and you cut off; I told Titus that you are great, worthy of admiration and know how to honor teachers, and you have proven this in fact; he learned this not so much from me as from you. Therefore, he returned to me, filled with strong love for you, since you showed in practice more than what I told him” (St. Chrysostom). You might be interested in: