Homily XIII.
2 Cor. vi. 11, 12
Our mouth is open unto you, O ye Corinthians, our heart is enlarged, ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own affections.
Having detailed his own trials and afflictions, for "in patience," saith he, "in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, (v. 4, 5.) in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumult, in labors, in watchings;" and having shown that the thing was a great good, for "as sorrowful," saith he, "yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things;" (v. 10.) and having called those things "armor," for "as chastened," saith he, "and not killed:" and having hereby represented God's abundant care and power, for he saith, "that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not of us;" (c. iv. 7.) and having recounted his labors, for he saith, "we always bear about His dying;" and that this is a clear demonstration of the Resurrection, for he says, "that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh;" (c. iv. 10.) and of what things he was made partaker, and with what he had been entrusted, for "we are ambassadors on behalf of Christ," (c. iii. 20.) saith he, "as though God were entreating by us;" and of what things he is a minister, namely, "not of the letter, but of the Spirit;" (c. iii. 6.) and that he was entitled to reverence not only on this account, but also for his trials, for, "Thanks be to God," saith he, "which always causeth us to triumph:" he purposeth now also to rebuke them as not being too well minded towards himself. But though purposing he does not immediately come upon this, but having his discussion of these things. For if even from his own good deeds he that rebuketh be entitled to reverence; yet still, when he also displayeth the love, which he bears towards those who are censured, he maketh his speech less offensive. Therefore the Apostle also having stepped out of the subject of his own trials and toils and contests, passes on into speaking of his love, and in this way toucheth them to the quick. What then are the indications of his love? "Our mouth is open unto you, O ye Corinthians." And what kind of sign of love is this? or what meaning even have the words at all? We cannot endure,' he says, to be silent towards you, but are always desiring and longing to speak to and converse with you;' which is the wont of those who love. For what grasping of the hands is to the body, that is interchange of language to the soul. And along with this he implies another thing also. Of what kind then is this? That we discourse unto nothing.' For since afterwards he proposes to rebuke, he asks forgiveness, using the rebuking them with freedom as itself a proof of his loving them exceedingly. Moreover the addition of their name is a mark of great love and warmth and affection; for we are accustomed to be repeating continually the bare names of those we love.
"Our heart is enlarged." For as that which warmeth is wont to dilate; so also to enlarge is the work of love. For virtue is warm and fervent. This both opened the mouth of Paul and enlarged his heart. For, neither do I love with the mouth only,' saith he, but I have also a heart in union. Therefore I speak with openness, with my whole mouth, with my whole mind.' For nothing is wider than was Paul's heart which loved all the faithful with all the vehemence that one might bear towards the object of his affection; this his love not being divided and therefore weakened, but abiding in full entireness with each. And what marvel that this was so in the case of the faithful, seeing that even in that of the unfaithful, the heart of Paul embraced the whole world? Therefore he said not I love you,' but with more emphasis, "Our mouth is open, our heart is enlarged," we have you all within it, and not this merely, but with much largeness of room [729] . For he that is beloved walketh with great unrestraint within the heart of him that loveth. Wherefore he saith, "Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straightened in your own affections." And this reproof, see it administered with forbearance, as is the wont of such as love exceedingly. He did not say, ye do not love us,' but, not in the same measure,' for he does not wish to touch them too sensibly. And indeed every where one may see how he is inflamed toward the faithful, by selecting words out of every Epistle. For to the Romans he saith, "I long to see you;" and, "oftentimes I purposed to come unto you;" and, "If by any means now at length I may be prospered to come unto you." (Rom. i. 11, 13, 10.) And to the Galatians, he says, "My little children of whom I am again in travail." (Gal. iv. 19.) To the Ephesians again, "For this cause I bow my knees" for you. (Eph. iii. 14.) And to the Philippians, [730] "For what is my hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? are not even ye?" and he said that he bare them about in his heart, and [731] in his bonds. (Philip. i. 7.) And to the Colossians, "But I would that ye knew greatly I strive for you, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; that your hearts might be comforted." (Col. ii. 1, 2.) And to the Thessalonians, "As when a nurse cherisheth her children, even so being affectionately desirous of you, we were well pleased to impart unto you, not the Gospel only, but also our own souls." (1 Thess. ii. 7, 8.) And to Timothy, "Remembering thy tears, that I may be filled with joy." (2 Tim. i. 4.) And to Titus, "To my beloved [732] son; (Titus i. 4.) and to Philemon, in like manner. (Philem. 1.) And to the Hebrews too, he writes many other such-like things, and ceaseth not to beseech them, and say, "A very little while, and he that cometh shall come, and shall not tarry:" (Heb. x. 37.) just like a mother to her pettish [733] children. And to themselves [734] he says, "Ye are not straitened in us." But he does not say only that he loves, but also that he is beloved by them, in order that hereby also he may the rather win them. And indeed testifying to this in them, he says, Titus came and "told us your longing, your mourning, your zeal." (2 Cor. vii. 7.) And to the Galatians, "If possible, ye would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me," (Gal. iv. 15.) And to the Thessalonians, "What manner of entering in we had unto you." (1 Thess. i. 9.) And to Timothy also, "Remembering thy tears, that I may be filled with joy." (2 Tim. i. 4.) And also throughout his Epistles one may find him bearing this testimony to the disciples, both that he loved and that he is loved, not however equally. And here he saith, "Though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved." (2 Cor. xii. 15.) This, however, is near the end; but at present more vehemently, "Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own affections," You receive one,' he says, but I a whole city, and so great a population.' And he said not, ye do not receive us,' but, ye are straitened;' implying indeed the same thing but with forbearance and without touching them too deeply.
Ver. 13. "Now for a recompense in like kind (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged."
And yet it is not an equal return, first to be loved, afterwards to love. For even if one were to contribute that which is equal in amount, he is inferior in that he comes to it second. But nevertheless I am not going to reckon strictly, [735] ' saith he, and if ye after having received the first advances [736] from me do but show forth the same amount, I am well-pleased and contented.' Then to show that to do this was even a debt, and that what he said was void of flattery, he saith, "I speak as unto my children." What meaneth, "as unto my children?" I ask no great thing, if being your father I wish to be loved by you.' And see wisdom and moderation of mind. He mentions not here his dangers on their behalf, and his labors, and his deaths, although he had many to tell of: (so free from pride is he!) but his love: and on this account he claims to be loved; because,' saith he, I was your father, because I exceedingly burn for you,' [for] it is often especially offensive to the person beloved when a man sets forth his benefits to him; for he seems to reproach. Wherefore Paul doth not this; but, like children, love your father,' saith he, which rather proceeds from instinct [737] ; and is the due of every father. Then that he may not seem to speak these things for his own sake, he shows that it is for their advantage even that he invites this love from them. And therefore he added,
Ver. 14. "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers."
He said not, Intermix not with unbelievers,' but rather dealing sharply with [738] them, as transgressing what was right, Suffer not yourselves to turn aside,' saith he, "For what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity?" Here in what follows he institutes a comparison, not between his own love and theirs who corrupt them, but between their nobleness and the others' dishonor. For thus his discourse became more dignified and more beseeming himself, and would the rather win them. Just as if one should say to a son that despised his parents, and gave himself up to vicious persons, What art thou doing, child? Dost thou despise thy father and prefer impure men filled with ten thousand vices? Knowest thou not how much better and more respectable thou art than they?' For so he detaches him more [readily] from their society than if he should express admiration of his father. For were he to say indeed, Knowest thou not how much thy father is better than they?' he will not produce so much effect; but if, leaving mention of his father, he bring himself before them, saying, Knowest thou not who thou art and what they are? Dost thou not bear in mind thine own high birth and gentle [739] blood, and their infamy? For what communion hast thou with them, those thieves, those adulterers, those impostors?' by elevating him with these praises of himself, he will quickly prepare him to break off from them. For the former address indeed, he will not entertain with overmuch acceptance, because the exalting of his father is an accusation of himself, when he is shown to be not only grieving a father, but such a father; but in this case he will have no such feeling. For none would choose not to be praised, and therefore, along with these praises of him that hears, the rebuke becometh easy of digestion. For the listener is softened, and is filled with high thoughts, and disdains [740] the society of those persons.
But not this only is the point to be admired in him that thus he prosecuted his comparison, but that he imagined another thing also still greater and more astounding; in the first place, prosecuting his speech in the form of interrogation, which is proper to things that are clear and admitted, and then dilating it by the quick succession and multitude of his terms. For he employs not one or two or three only, but several. Add to this that instead of the persons he employs the names of the things, and he delineates here high virtue and there extreme vice; and shows the difference between them to be great and infinite so as not even to need demonstration. "For what fellowship," saith he, "have righteousness and iniquity?"
"And what communion hath light with darkness?" (v. 15, 16.) "And what concord hath Christ with Beliar [741] ? Or what portion [742] hath a believer with an unbeliever? Or what agreement hath a temple of God with idols?"
Seest thou how he uses the bare names, and how adequately to his purpose of dissuasion. For he did not say, neglect of righteousness [743] ,' [but] what was stronger [iniquity [744] ]; nor did he say those who are of the light, and those who are of the darkness; but he uses opposites themselves which can not admit of their opposites, light and darkness.' Nor said he those who are of Christ, with those who are of the devil; but, which was far wider apart, Christ and Beliar, so calling that apostate one, in the Hebrew tongue. "Or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever?" Here, at length, that he may not seem simply to be going through a censure of vice and an encomium of virtue, he mentions persons also without particularizing. And he said not, communion,' but spoke of the rewards, using the term "portion. What agreement hath a temple of God with idols?"