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2Cor.6:1. We, as companions, beg you so that the grace of God will not be received by you in vain. We say, we will help both you and God: for you, so that you may be saved, and for God, so that you may fulfill His will, that is, for your salvation. We “beg” instead of Christ, even until His second coming, and as long as we exist in this life, so that you do not receive the grace of God in vain. For what is the benefit of receiving freedom from sins by the grace of God, and then again being filled with them through your carelessness? Enmity appears again, and grace towards us becomes vain. So, do not think that faith alone constitutes reconciliation; life is also needed. 2 Corinthians 6:2. For it is said: in an acceptable time I heard you and on the day of salvation I helped you. Behold, now is the favorable time, behold, now is the day of salvation. What is this auspicious time? A time of grace in which sins are forgiven and justification communicated. A favorable time is one in which God accepts us, listens to us and saves us. For during the judgment He will neither listen, nor help, nor save. So, we must strive in this time of grace because we will easily receive rewards. 2 Corinthians 6:3. We do not cause anyone to stumble in anything, so that the ministry is not reproached. We pray, he said, and we will make haste. How? A blameless life. In the very course of the story, he advises them to pay attention to him. For, he says, I organize my life in such a way that I don’t give anyone a reason - I’m not talking about accusation, but also in ordinary reproach, and even more so in temptation, so that our service would not be blamed. Again, I did not say: so as not to fall under accusation, but so that my work and my service would not receive even accidental reproach. Some explain it this way: so that the censure does not transfer to the sermon, for he calls it his ministry. When I live poorly, preaching is subject to contempt and censure. It also imperceptibly hints to them that when they live badly, the blasphemy is directed at Christ and the faith. 2Cor.6:4. But in everything we show ourselves as servants of God, This is much higher: not only to make oneself clean from accusations and censures, but also to show such a life that it can be seen from it that he is a servant of God. He didn’t say: we show ourselves, but we “reveal ourselves,” that is, in fact we show ourselves as such. He also talks about the way to become such, that is, through patience, and not just through patience, but through “great patience.” For it is not enough to endure one or two misfortunes, but one must endure to the end. The highest degree of grief is when a person is oppressed by hopeless misfortunes. in difficult circumstances, This word means hunger or simply temptation. 2 Cor.6:5. under blows, in dungeons, And blows and prisons: look how much evil there is! Each of them is very difficult in itself. That is, in persecution, when someone does not have a place to stay, being persecuted from place to place. in labors, in vigils, in fasting, Having spoken about external disasters, here he speaks about his own, to which he voluntarily subjected himself, about labor, that is, about the work of his hands, with which he nourished himself and others, and at the same time he stayed awake and fasted. This is what he calls chastity or purity in everything and non-covetousness and gratuitous preaching. That is, in the wisdom of God, which truly is knowledge, but not external, like that of the false apostles. in generosity, in goodness, This is a sign of an indestructible soul when someone, being struck and wounded from everywhere, not only endures long-suffering, but also does good. Shows how he did all this, precisely by the Holy Spirit. When he showed his exploits, then he already provided the help of the Holy Spirit. Here we also mean spiritual gifts, for with them we prove that we are servants of God, because we perform miracles. Otherwise: we did not cause stumbles “in the Holy Spirit,” that is, in the gifts of the Spirit. For many of those who were proud of the gift of tongues they received did not use it as they should. But Paul is not like that. This is the source of all good things, this is the reason, therefore the Spirit abided in him. 2 Corinthians 6:7. in the word of truth, That is, without distorting the words of God. Nothing, he says, is mine, but all this was accomplished in the power of God, or in signs and wonders and in punishing and beneficial power. with the weapon of truth in the right and left hand, The weapons of righteousness in the left hand mean everything that is deplorable, and in the right hand everything that protects us and brings us to safety. In the left hand are sorrowful ones, according to many, for the Lord also commanded us to pray not to fall into temptation, and in the right hand are joyful ones. So, Paul showed himself impeccable in both, not losing heart in sorrows, and not being exalted in joys, but making all this a weapon of righteousness. 2 Cor.6:8. in honor and dishonor, He interpreted to us that the weapons in the right and left hands mean glory and dishonor. How does fame serve as a weapon of truth? Because the glory of teachers attracts many to piety. So what? Is this a Pauline virtue? Of course, because he, being in glory, was not proud, and dishonor, making patience, made him skillful and contributed to the success of his preaching. with blame and praise, And enduring censure is a great feat. For it greatly disturbs the soul. That is why the Lord calls those who suffer reproach blessed. In torture, the body shares the torment along with the soul, and in reproach, the whole burden falls on the soul. Therefore, for Job it was harder than all other blows. we are considered deceivers, but we are faithful, “They are considered deceivers” because of the censures, “but we are faithful,” which is proven by the blessings. 2 Corinthians 6:9. We are unknown, but we are recognized. For some they were respected and known, but for others they were unworthy to know them. This corresponds to what was said: “in honor and dishonor.” we are considered dead, but behold, we are alive, That is, as sentenced and condemned to death, and, in the opinion of those who arrange feats for us, dead; but by the power of God we live. we are punished, but we do not die, God allows this, he says, in order to enlighten us; for even before future rewards, in the present life there is a lot of benefit from punishment. This is taken from David, who says: “The Lord punished me severely, but did not put me to death” (Ps. 118:18). 2 Corinthians 6:10. they upset us, but we always rejoice, Although in appearance, he says, we seem to be grieving, we enjoy the most complete joy; for it does not happen that sometimes we rejoice and sometimes we do not, but we always rejoice. We are poor, but we enrich many, The Apostle enriched many with both spiritual and sensory wealth. For, having everyone's houses open to himself, he was the richest and could provide and feed others, such as the saints in Jerusalem. The same thing is shown further. we have nothing, but we possess everything. Not tied to anything in life here, he has everything. “If it were possible,” he says, “you would pluck out your eyes and give them to me” (Gal. 4:15). How could such people spare property for him? I listed all this for the purpose of not being embarrassed by anything that seems regrettable. 2 Corinthians 6:11. Our lips are open to you, Corinthians, our hearts are enlarged. Having listed his exploits and shown the Corinthians in order of narration how they should imitate him, he finally wants to expose them as not loving him too much. But first of all, he shows them his own love and says: I always want to talk and talk with you, and moreover, freely and boldly; for this is what the words mean: “our mouth is open.” He says this because he wants to make them feel better, showing that courage in speech is a sign of the greatest love. And I express love not only with my lips, but also with my heart, I have it expanded for you. For the flame of love opened my lips, and enlarged my heart, and made it spacious to make room for you all. Therefore he adds the following. 2 Corinthians 6:12. You are not cramped in us; but your hearts are tight. You, he says, do not fit tightly in my heart, a spacious heart, no matter how many of you there are. But there is great crampedness in your hearts, and you cannot accommodate me spaciously, although I am alone. That is, I love you to the highest degree, and although you love me and have me in your hearts, it is cramped, not spacious. 2 Corinthians 6:13. In equal retribution, I say, as to children, you too will spread. Show the same reciprocity and equality of friendship, and you will spread just as I spread. Shows that this is how it should be; for he says: “I speak as to children.” I don’t ask for anything great when, as a father, I want to be loved by my children; for this is the duty of children. 2 Corinthians 6:14. Do not be unequally yoked (έτεροζυγοΰντες) with the infidels. So that it does not seem that he is saying this for his own benefit, he shows that he needs their love for their benefit, saying as it were: loving me means that you do not mix with the infidels and do not deviate to their side. He did not say: do not mingle, but: “do not be unequally yoked,” that is, do not offend justice by bending and joining with those you should not join. For the word έτεροζυγεΐν is used when speaking about incorrect scales, when one weighing pan outweighs another. For what fellowship does righteousness have with iniquity? Here he makes a distinction not between himself and the infidels, but between the virtue and nobility of the Corinthians and the baseness of the infidels. As a father, seeing his son in relationships with vicious people, says to him: what kind of communication is there between your nobility and their badness; So the apostle says: you are absolute truth, and they are iniquity: therefore, what do you have in common with them? What does light have in common with darkness? 2 Corinthians 6:15. What agreement is there between Christ and Belial? Wanting by all means to induce them to lag behind the infidels, he did not say: what kind of communication do those in the light have with those in darkness, or: the followers of Christ and the children of Belial, but in the place of persons he put the very things themselves - light and darkness; which expresses much more; also Christ and Belial, which means an apostate. Through this he made his speech more formidable. Or what is the complicity of the faithful with the infidel? Here I recalled the persons, so that it would not seem that he was blaming only evil or praising virtue. 2 Corinthians 6:16. What is the relationship between the church of God and idols? For you are the church of the living God, The infidels are churches of idols, or even idols themselves, and you are the church of God, not the one about whom they talk fabulously, but the living one. So, what is the “togetherness”, that is, the similarity, the similarity between you and them? as God said: I will dwell in them and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they will be My people. Lest it seem flattering, Scripture confirms that they are the church of God. The dwelling of God in us is determined by purity of life, and His walk in us is acquired by diligence. For God lives in a person when he is pure, and when He prompts him to do some other work, it is said that He walks in him; this means: when God becomes his God, then he enters the rank of patriarchs. 2 Corinthians 6:17. Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord, and do not touch the unclean; and I will receive you, He didn’t say: don’t do stupid things, but: don’t touch them. Uncleanness comes in two forms: physical and mental. The spiritual includes unclean thoughts, unclean views, rancor, deception, and the like; and bodily uncleanness includes: fornication, adultery and all carnal knowledge. So, he wants us to be clean from both impurities. “Come out from among the infidels and separate yourself,” that is, live separately and be pure, and then I will accept you. For when you retreat from vices, then you will unite with God. 2 Corinthians 6:18. And I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. You see how the prophet foretold long ago about the present regeneration and adoption taking place in us through baptism. You might be interested in: