[682] The Apostles'.
[683] The false Apostles.
[684] i.e., self commendation.
[685] Rec. text, Christ, [which is certainly correct.]
[686] [Chrysostom seems to understand this clause in the way given in the Auth. Vers., but all modern critics take the aorist strictly and hold the meaning to be, not that all were previously dead, but that all died in his death (Rom. vi. 8.). Christ's death was the death of all his people. C.]
[687] aphormai.
[688] tosautes.
[689] anothen.
[690] katastasin.
[691] i.e. creation.
[692] ["They are" Rev. Ver., in accordance with the best authorities. C.]
[693] haplos.
[694] Literally "the promise." Elsewhere St. Chrysostom uses the expression for the promised land. See Hom. xxxix. on St. Matt. Oxf. Trans. p. 563. "We must not only be delivered out of Egypt, but we must also enter into the promise."
[695] alogou.
[696] [It is clear that Chrysostom did not favor the view given in the A.V., which connects the substantive verb with the phrase "in Christ," and separates it from the participle. He rather agrees with the Rev. Version which obliterates the comma after Christ, and makes the emphasis to lie on the reconciliation effected in or through Christ, and not on the fact that God was in Christ,--a proposition true enough in itself, but not before the Apostle's mind at this time. C.]
[697] hauthentai.
[698] tithenta ten hiketerian tauten.
[699] dikaiologoumenos.
[700] autodikaiosunen.
[701] [The comparison here made shows clearly how the author understood the closing words of the fifth chapter of the Epistle. Indeed his treatment of the weighty 21st verse is very satisfactory. He does not with Augustin and others take amartian in the sense of a sin-offering, a sense which it is very doubtful if the word ever has, and one that here would be inconsistent with the use of the same word in the clause immediately preceding as well as with the evidently designed antithesis between "sin" and "righteousness." But he regards the abstract as used for the concrete, which is certainly the true view. The phrase is, as Beet says, "practically the same as, but stronger than, made to be a sinner. By laying upon Christ the punishment of our sin, God made him to be a visible embodiment of the deadly and far-reaching power of sin." But Chrysostom shows by his comments his acceptance not only of the vicarious atonement, but also of the gratuitous justification, as set forth concisely yet distinctly in this pregnant utterance. There are passages in these and other Homilies which look as if the author held to justification by works, but here he is outspoken to the contrary. Justification comes by grace, not merit, and the righteousness required is the free gift of God. C.]
[702] daknometha.
Homily XII.
2 Cor. vi. 1, 2
And working together with Him we intreat also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. For he saith, At an acceptable time I hearkened unto thee. And in a day of salvation did I succor thee.
For since he said, God beseeches, and we are ambassadors and suppliants unto you, that ye be "reconciled unto God:" lest they should become supine, he hereby again alarms and arouses them, saying: "We intreat that ye receive not the grace of God in vain." For let us not,' he says, therefore be at ease, because He beseeches and hath 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 constraineth us," (ch. v. 14.) that is presseth, driveth, urgeth us, that ye may not after so much affectionate care, by being supine and exhibiting no nobleness, miss of such great blessings. Do not therefore because He hath 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 urgeth them continually. Wherefore he saith also elsewhere, "For now is our salvation nearer." (Rom. xiii. 11.) And again; "The Lord is at hand." (Philip. iv. 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 saith, "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 passeth 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 Cor. iii. 9.) in this way, saith he, to save men. Again, "We entreat also." For he indeed, when beseeching, doth 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 ye 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 calleth; he adds these words, requiting that earnestness which respects the life. For, for one who hath been freed from sins and made a friend to wallow in the former things, is to return again unto enmity, and to "receive the grace in vain," in respect of the life. For from "the grace" we reap no benefit towards salvation, if we live impurely; nay, we are even harmed, having this greater aggravation even of our sins, in that after such knowledge and such a gift we have gone back to our former vices. This however he does not mention as yet: that he may not make his work harsh, but says only that we reap no benefit. Then he also reminds of a prophecy, urging and compelling them to bestir themselves in order to lay hold of their own salvation.
"For," saith he, "He saith,
"At an acceptable time I hearkened unto thee,
"And in a day of salvation did I succor thee:
"behold, now is the acceptable time: behold, now is the day of salvation."
"The acceptable time." What is this? That of the Gift, that of the Grace, when it is appointed not that an account should be required of our sins nor penalty exacted; but besides being delivered, that we should also enjoy ten thousand goods, righteousness, sanctification, and all the rest. For how much toil would it have behoved us to undergo in order to obtain this "time!" But, behold, without our toiling at all it hath come, bringing remission of all that was before. Wherefore also He calls it "acceptable," because He both accepted those that had transgressed in ten thousand things, and not acceded merely, but advanced them to the highest honor; just as when a monarch arrives, it is a time not for judgment, but for grace and pardon. Wherefore also He calleth it acceptable. Whilst then we are yet in the lists [703] , whilst we are at work in the vineyard, whilst the eleventh hour is left [us], let us draw nigh and show forth life; for it is also easy. For he that striveth for the mastery [704] at such a time, when so great a gift hath been shed forth, when so great grace, will early obtain the prizes. For in the case of monarchs here below also, at the time of their festivals, and when they appear in the dress of Consuls, he who bringeth a small offering receiveth large gifts; but on the days in which they sit in judgment, much strictness, much sifting is requisite. Let us too therefore strive for the mastery in the time of this gift. It is a day of grace, of grace divine; wherefore with ease even we shall obtain the crown. For if when laden with so great evils He both received and delivered us: when delivered from all and contributing our part, shall He not rather accept us?
[2.] Then, as it is his constant wont, namely, to place himself before them and bid them hence to take their example, so he does in this place also. Wherefore also he addeth,
Ver. 3. "Giving no occasion of stumbling, that our ministration [705] be not blamed," persuading them not from considering "the time" only, but also those that had successfully labored with them. And behold with what absence of pride [706] . For he said not, Look at us how we are such and such,' but, for the present, it is only to do away accusation that he relates his own conduct. And he mentions two chief points of a blameless life, "none" in "any" thing. And he said not accusation,' but, what was far less, "occasion of stumbling;" that is, giving ground against us to none for censure, for condemnation, "that our ministration be not blamed;" that is, that none may take hold of it. And again, he said not, that it be not accused,' but that it may not have the least fault, nor any one have it in his power to animadvert upon it in any particular.
Ver. 4. "But in every thing commending ourselves as ministers of God."
This is far greater. For it is not the same thing to be free from accusation; and to exhibit such a character as in everything to appear "ministers of God." For neither is it the same thing to be quit of accusation, and to be covered [707] with praises. And he said not appearing, but "commending," that is proving.' Then he mentions also whence they became such. Whence then was it? "In much patience," he says, laying the foundation of those good things. Wherefore he said not barely "patience," but "much," and he shows also how great it was. For to bear some one or two things is no great matter. But he addeth even snow storms of trials in the words, "In afflictions, in necessities." This is a heightening of affliction, when the evils are unavoidable, and there lies upon one as it were a necessity hardly extricable [708] of misfortune. "In distresses." Either he means those of hunger and of other necessaries, or else simply those of their trials.
Ver. 5. "In stripes, in imprisonments, in tossings to and fro [709] ."
Yet every one of these by itself was intolerable, the being scourged only, and being bound only, and being unable through persecution to remain fixed [710] any where, (for this is in tossings to and fro,') but when both all, and all at once, assail, consider what a soul they need. Then along with the things from without, he mentions those imposed by himself.
Ver. 5, 6. "In labors, in watchings, in fastings; in pureness."
But by "pureness" here, he means either chasteness again, or general purity, or incorruptness, or even his preaching the Gospel freely.
"In knowledge." What is "in knowledge?" In wisdom such as is given from God; that which is truly knowledge; not as those that seem to be wise and boast of their acquaintance with the heathen discipline, but are deficient in this.
"In long-suffering, in kindness." For this also is a great note of a noble soul, though exasperated and goaded on every side, to bear all with long-suffering. Then to show whence he became such, he added;
"In the Holy Ghost." For in Him,' he saith, we do all these good works.' But observe when it is that he has mentioned the aid of the Holy Ghost. After he had set forth what was from himself. Moreover, he seems to me to say another thing herein. What then is this? Namely, we have both been filled with abundance of the Spirit and hereby also give a proof of our Apostleship in that we have been counted worthy of spiritual gifts.' For if this be grace also, yet still he himself was the cause who by his good works and his toils [711] attracted that grace. And if any should assert that besides what has been said, he shows that in his use of the gifts of the Spirit also he gave none offence; he would not miss of his meaning. For they who received the [gift of] tongues amongst them and were lifted up, were blamed. For it is possible for one even in receiving a gift of the Spirit, not to use it aright. But not so we,' he saith, but in the Spirit also, that is, in the gifts also, we have been blameless.'