Homilies on Second Corinthians — Homily 12

St. John Chrysostom

1. 0. Greeting
2. Chapter 2
3. Chapter 3
4. Chapter 4
5. Chapter 5
6. Chapter 6

And working together with Him we intreat also that you receive not the grace of God in vain. For he says, At an acceptable time I hearkened unto you. And in a day of salvation did I succor you.

For since he said, God beseeches, and we are ambassadors and suppliants unto you, that you be reconciled unto God: lest they should become supine, he hereby again alarms and arouses them, saying: We intreat that you receive not the grace of God in vain. 'For let us not,' he says, 'therefore be at ease, because He beseeches and has sent some to be ambassadors; nay, but for this very reason let us make haste to please God and to collect spiritual merchandise;' as also he said above, The love of God constrains us, [[2 Corinthians 5.14]] that is presses, drives, urges us, 'that you may not after so much affectionate care, by being supine and exhibiting no nobleness, miss of such great blessings. Do not therefore because He has sent some to exhort you, deem that this will always be so. It will be so until His second coming; until then He beseeches, so long as we are here; but after that is judgment and punishment.' Therefore, he says, we are constrained.

For not only from the greatness of the blessings and His loving kindness, but also from the shortness of the time he urges them continually. Wherefore he says also elsewhere, For now is our salvation nearer. [[Romans 13.11]] And again; The Lord is at hand. [[Philippians 4.5]] But here he does something yet more. For not from the fact that the remainder of the time is short and little, but also from its being the only season available, for salvation, he incited them.

For, Behold, he says, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. Let us therefore not let slip the favorable opportunity but display a zeal worthy of the grace. For therefore is it that we also press forward, knowing both the shortness and the suitableness of the time. Wherefore also he said; And working together we intreat also. Working together with you; 'for we work together with you, rather than with God for Whom we are ambassadors. For He is in need of nothing, but the salvation all passes over to you.' But if it is even with God that he speaks of working together, he repudiates not even this [interpretation]; for he says in another place, we are God's fellow-workers: [[1 Corinthians 3.9]] in this way, says he, to save men. Again, We entreat also. For he indeed, when beseeching, does not barely beseech, but sets forth these His just claims; namely, that He gave His Son, the Righteous One that did not so much as know sin, and made Him to be sin for us sinners, that we might become righteous: which claims having, and being God, He displayed such goodness. But what we beseech is that you would receive the benefit and not reject the gift. Be persuaded therefore by us, and receive not the grace in vain. For lest they should think that this of itself is reconciliation, believing on Him that calls; he adds these words, requiti