Homilies on Second Corinthians — Homily 21

St. John Chrysostom

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

Now I Paul myself entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am of good courage toward you: yea, I beseech you, that I may not when present show courage with the confidence, wherewith I count to be bold against some, which count of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

Having completed, in such sort as behooved his discourse of almsgiving, and having shown that he loves them more than he is loved, and having recounted the circumstances of his patience and trials, he now opportunely enters upon points involving more of reproof, making allusion to the false apostles, and concluding his discourse with more disagreeable matter, and with commendations of himself. For he makes this his business also throughout the Epistle. Which also perceiving, he hence oftentimes corrects himself, saying in so many words; Do we begin again to commend ourselves? [[2 Corinthians 3.1]] and further on; We commend not ourselves again, but give you occasion to glory: [[2 Corinthians 5.12]] and afterwards; I have become a fool in glorying; you have compelled me. [[2 Corinthians 12.11]] And many such correctives does he use. And one would not be wrong in styling this Epistle an eulogium of Paul; he makes such large mention both of his grace and his patience. For since there were some among them who thought great things of themselves, and set themselves above the Apostle, and accused him as a boaster, and as being nothing, and teaching no sound doctrine; (now this was in itself the most certain evidence of their own corruptness;) see how he begins his rebuke of them; Now I Paul myself. Do you see what severity, what dignity, is here? For what he would say is this, 'I beseech you do not compel me, nor leave me to use my power against those that hold us cheap, and think of us as carnal.' This is severer than those threats towards them uttered in the former Epistle; Shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of meekness? [[1 Corinthians 4.21]] and then again; Now some are puffed up as though I were not coming to you; but I will come, and will know, not the word of them that are puffed up, but the power. (ib. 18, 19.) For in this place he shows both things, both his power, and his philosophy and forbearance; since he so beseeches them, and with such earnestness, that he may not be compelled to come to a display of the avenging power pertaining to him, and to smite and chastise them and exact the extreme penalty. For he implied this in saying, But I beseech you, that I may not when present show courage with the confidence, wherewith I count to be bold against some which count of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For the present, however, let us speak of the commencement. Now I Paul myself. Great emphasis, great weight is here. So he says elsewhere, Behold I Paul say unto you; [[Galatians 5.2]] and again, As Paul the aged; Philemon 9 and again in another place, Who has been a succor