Translated using ChatGPT.
2 Cor 6:1 “Now helping, we also exhort that you do not receive the grace of God in vain.”
The Apostle first spoke to the perfect Corinthians, who did not need direction in various matters; second, he addressed those willing to be corrected but slow to respond with exhortations; here begins the third principal part of the discourse, in which he speaks to those already corrected and repentant, which continues up to chapter 10.
In this section, therefore, he exhorts those corrected toward progress: first with respect to works of justice and necessity in the present and following chapter; second with respect to works of mercy and piety in chapters 8 and 9.
In the first, while admonishing them toward works of justice and necessity, he first exhorts them by a reason taken from the grace already given; second from the grace promised (chapter 7).
In the first, he principally exhorts them to the doing of good; second to the avoidance of evil (“do not be yoked…”). For these are the two parts of justice: to turn away from evil and to do good.
In the first, he first exhorts them to the use or exercise of the grace received; second to its manifestation (“giving no offense”); third to its preservation (“through the armor of justice”); fourth to its abundance (“our mouth is open to you”). For a man ought to use grace for merit, show it for example, preserve it for reward, and multiply it for progress.
First, therefore, he exhorts them to the good use of grace; second, he alleges the opportune time, saying: he himself says, therefore, “Helping,” as if to say, thus he reconciled the time and did not merely make ministers; indeed we help you by word, example, and prayer. By these three ways he helped: great is the help of word, greater of example, greatest of prayer.
“We exhort you not to receive the grace of God in vain,” that is, the remission of sins from pure grace, not from works. The ordinary gloss says here that grace is received in vain when a man, after the forgiveness of sins, does not exercise himself in good acts (cf. 1 Cor 15:10, “the grace of God in me was not void”; Heb 12:15, “looking diligently lest anyone fail…”).
2 Cor 6:2 “Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
Note that one receives the grace of God in vain in five ways.
First, when one does not give thanks; according to Bernard, ingratitude extinguishes the love of God, is the ruin of salvation, the breath of the asp, the burning of the soul, the wind of pestilence, corrupting the drops of piety, drying up the streams of grace and mercy.
Second, when one attributes to oneself the good one has from grace (cf. 1 Cor 4).
Fourth, when one believes grace without the law does not suffice, as the Apostle says: “If you be circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing” (Gal 5:2).
Fifth, when one is envious of grace in others (Job 5:2, “envy slays the little one”).
“For he says: In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Here he brings forward the opportune time, namely the time of grace. First he sets down the prophecy; second he explains it: “behold, now is the time.”
In the prophecy he touches two things: first the opportunity for obtaining what is asked; second for performing meritorious works — “and in the day of salvation.”
He says therefore, “he says,” as if saying: do not receive in vain the grace which you have indeed received. For the Lord says in Isaiah 49:8, speaking of the time of grace: O man, in an acceptable time — to me for mercy or to you for salvation — I have heard you, delivering you from evils (cf. Gal 4:4, “when the fullness of time had come”).
“And in the day of salvation,” namely when salvation was born into the world, that is Jesus (“you shall call his name Jesus,” Matt 1:21), or in the day of salvation in which man can work out his salvation, I have helped you by giving assisting grace (Ps 124:8, “our help is in the name of the Lord”).
Here he explains the prophecy: first touching the opportunity of withdrawing from evil; second of advancing in good — “behold now the day.”
He says therefore, “Behold,” as if saying: thus the Lord said, in an acceptable time, etc., and behold now is the acceptable time for delivering from evils — the gloss says, wherein medicine of saving grace is poured into spiritual diseases (cf. Sirach 4:23).
Behold now the day of salvation for helping in good; also now is the acceptable time because of the opportunity of meriting, and the day of salvation because of the opportunity of reward — for now immediately after death salvation is given to the faithful, not deferred to tomorrow (Luke 23:43, “today you shall be with me in paradise”); but under the law and before the law it was deferred (Gen 30:33).
Thus he touches the character of time: “behold” — its availability; “now” — its brevity and irreversibility; “acceptable” — its usefulness; likewise “day of salvation.”
2 Cor 6:3 “Giving no offense to anyone, that our ministry be not blamed.”
Here he admonishes concerning the manifest caution or display of grace received, in a fourfold apostolic way: first by avoiding scandals; second by enduring adversities; third by doing good works; fourth by behaving well toward others.
First he warns to avoid scandal; second he threatens danger — “lest it be blamed.” He says therefore “to no one,” as if saying: we exhort you, giving offense to no one, that is scandalizing no one by word or deed, so that our ministry — namely of our apostleship — may not be blamed. Ambrose says the ministry would be blamed if what they taught in words they did not show by deeds.
Or thus: do not receive grace in vain — giving no offense (cf. 1 Cor 10:32, “be without offense to Jews and Greeks and the Church of God”), lest through you our ministry be blamed, which would happen if you behaved badly (Sirach 22:3).
2 Cor 6:4 “But in all things let us exhibit ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience…”
Here he admonishes to endure adversities through patience, which is continuous, voluntary, and universal.
He says therefore: in all things let us present ourselves voluntarily as ministers of God, in much patience — of heart, speech, and work — for a man’s doctrine is known by patience (Prov 19:11).
“In tribulations, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in prisons, in tumults.” Here he touches the matter of patience: tribulation in general, then in particular. Tribulation arises either from lack of good (necessity), or from infliction of evil — in soul (distress), body (stripes), composite (prison), or cause (tumult).
Thus: in tribulations of whatever kind; in necessities — lack of food and clothing (1 Cor 4:11); in distresses — anxiety and fear; in stripes — bodily beatings (2 Cor 11:24); in prisons (Acts 12); in tumults — uprisings of the people (Acts 19).
Therefore we ought to minister to God in all things willingly, presenting ourselves faithfully as ministers, humbly in patience, steadfastly in tribulations.
2 Cor 6:5 “In labors, in watchings, in fastings; in chastity, in knowledge, in long-suffering…”
Here he exhorts to good works, noting six conditions of a good worker: laborious (against idleness), vigilant (against sloth), sober (against gluttony), pure (against lust), discerning (against folly), constant (against instability).
Every meritorious work includes three: doing good (labor and vigilance), fleeing evil (fasting and chastity), expecting reward (knowledge directs, long-suffering leads).
Thus: in labors — manual work (2 Thess 3:8); in vigils — attentive to ministry (Acts 20:7); in fastings voluntary or forced (1 Cor 4:12); in chastity of mind and body; in knowledge of Scripture (Prov 14:35); in long-suffering awaiting reward (James 5:7).
2 Cor 6:6-7 “In kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in sincere charity; in the word of truth, in the power of God.”
Here he notes right conduct toward others through four acts: gentleness in behavior, charity in heart, truth in speech, usefulness in action.
Thus: in kindness of affability, in the Holy Spirit — not like those who deceive by sweet words (Rom 16:18); in sincere charity (1 John 3:18); in the word of truth in preaching (Sirach 37:20); in the power of God, trusting not in yourselves but in God (Isa 40:31), or by working miracles for usefulness not vanity.
Since God is a gentle Lord (Ps 34:8), a faithful friend (Sirach 6:14), a teacher of truth (Matt 22:16), and the power of God (1 Cor 1:24), to appear as ministers of God we must have gentleness in conduct, charity in heart, truth in speech, and power in work.
On the phrase “in the power of God.” Power is necessary for seven kinds of people: rulers (power of direction), preachers (power of discernment), worshippers (power of devotion), fighters (power of fortitude), penitents (power of perseverance), the advancing (power of vigor), laborers (power of charity), for charity endures all things (1 Cor 13:7).
“Through the weapons of righteousness on the right hand and on the left.”
Here he urges toward the preservation of the grace received. He does this in three ways: first by holding fast to justice; second by tolerating the reproaches of men “through honor”; third by despising their false opinion about others, as when they are called deceivers.
He says therefore “through weapons,” as if: let us present ourselves as ministers of God, and this through the weapons of righteousness — that is, through justice which, like armor, protects (Eph 6:14, “put on the breastplate of righteousness”). “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but powerful in God for the destruction of strongholds, destroying counsels” (2 Cor 10:4).
These weapons protect on the right — prosperity, lest we be lifted up in good fortune — and on the left — adversity, lest we be broken. Thus the right is taken in Psalm 91:7, “a thousand shall fall at your side and ten thousand at your right.”
2 Cor 6:8 “Through honor and dishonor, through evil report and good report.”
Here he exhorts to endure human reproaches, which he touches first as they imply the defect of punishment, second as they imply the defect of fault — through dishonor and infamy.
He says therefore: through honor not to be sought from men — that is, that we should not be concerned about human glory or dishonor. Cicero says: glory is frequent fame with praise.
Or “through honor,” that we preach glorious things of Christ and even those that seem ignoble (1 Cor 1:23, “we preach Christ crucified”).
Through evil report and good report — whether we are defamed or praised — let us neither be exalted by praise nor grieved by false accusation. For the just are to some “the odor of death unto death,” to others “the odor of life unto life” (2 Cor 2:16).
2 Cor 6:8 cont. 2 Cor 6:9 “As deceivers and yet true; as unknown and yet well known.”
Here he exhorts to despise every false reputation about them — first concerning spiritual goods, second bodily, third temporal.
First he touches reputational defect regarding neighbor — “as deceivers” — and regarding God — “as unknown.”
He says therefore: let us present ourselves as reputed deceivers, yet in truth sincere. The gloss says: called deceivers by some, which is false; thus he does not simply say deceivers, but “as deceivers,” according to false opinion, yet truly truthful. For the Lord, who is truth, was reputed and called a deceiver (Matt 27:63).
“As unknown,” that is, rejected by men, yet “well known,” approved and familiar to God (Eph 2:19, “fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household”).
2 Cor 6:9 cont. 2 Cor 6:10 “As dying, and behold we live; as chastened, yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.”
Here he touches reputational defect regarding bodily goods. He notes three grades of affliction: sorrow, scourging, death — placing first what is greatest.
He says therefore: as dying bodily and spiritually in the estimation of men (Ps 44:22, “for your sake we are killed all the day long”), yet behold we live both bodily and spiritually.
As chastened — by scourges and pressures, that we might cease preaching (Acts 4:18) — yet not killed, neither ceasing to preach nor dying.
As sorrowful in tribulations according to human estimation, yet always rejoicing (Acts 5:41; Phil 4:4).
According to the gloss, it says “as sorrowful,” not simply sorrowful, because joy is a certain reality whereas sorrow passes like sleep; just as one says in a dream “as if I sat, as if I spoke.” Thus some add “as,” “like,” or “as it were” to things that pass, while the contrary realities are stated without qualification.
“As poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing all things.”
Here he touches reputational defect regarding temporal goods — first in use, second in possession.
He says therefore: as poor in earthly goods (Heb 11:37–38), or poor in the estimation of men, yet enriching many — for they were rich in virtue (Sirach 44:6), sowing riches in poverty.
As having nothing — either materially or in human estimation — yet possessing all things, according to the meaning that they sit above all things, forgetting what lies behind and stretching forward (Phil 3:13). This was the glory of the Apostles: to possess nothing, yet more truly to possess all, since all was laid at their feet (Acts 4:35).
Questions raised
On the phrase “lest you receive the grace of God in vain”: the gloss says grace is remission of sins. Objection: remission occurs through grace. Response: grace is taken here for the effect of grace, not the habit — a definition given through the cause.
Again, the gloss says one receives grace in vain who does not exercise good works afterward. Objection: then one who repents or is baptized at death gains nothing. Response: this is said of those who have time to act.
On “behold now the day of salvation”: the gloss says salvation is given immediately to the faithful at death. Objection: not all enter immediately. Response: by the nature of the time of grace it is immediate, though sometimes impeded by special condition.
On “that our ministry be not blamed”: objection — must a preacher do all he preaches? Response: one must do what is preached as obligation, not necessarily every counsel of a particular state.
On “in much patience”: objection — even Christ was moved by suffering. Response: it refers to movement of vice (impatience), not natural sorrow.
On “in labors”: objection — Christ promises rest (Matt 11:28). Response: labor is external in the body; rest is internal in hope and love of reward.
On “charity unfeigned”: objection — if later lost, was it false? Response: “feigned” here means fragile, not counterfeit.
On “in the power of God”: objection — many saints do no miracles. Response: either hypothetically, or they can insofar as merit disposes.
On “through evil report”: objection — Jerome says neglecting reputation is cruel. Response: care for reputation for others’ edification, not self-praise; if it cannot be preserved, a good conscience suffices.
On “as sorrowful”: objection — earlier they were truly sorrowful. Response: there it was natural sorrow; here sorrow of vice is denied.
CONTINUE
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