He grants a pardon to the incestuous man upon his doing penance.
Prosecuting the true cause vvhich in the last chapter he gaue of his not comming, 6 he pardoneth novv after some part of penance, him that for incest he excommunicated in the last epistle, requiring them obediently to consent therevnto. 12 Then, of his going from Tro•• into Macedonia, God euery vvhere giuing him the triumph.
1But I determined this with myself, not to come to you again in sorrow.Ho determinato meco stesso di non venir di nuovo da voi per attristarvi.AND I haue determined vvith my self this same thing, not to come to you againe in sorovv.Statui autem hoc ipsum apud me, ne iterum in tristitia venirem ad vos. 2For if I make you sorrowful, who is he then that can make me glad, but the same who is made sorrowful by me?Imperocché se io vi contristo: e chi è che rallegri me, fuori di chi è stato da me contristato?For if I make you sorie: and who is it that can make me glad, but he that is made sorie by me?Si enim ego contristo vos: et quis est, qui me lætificet, nisi qui contristatur ex me ? 3And I wrote this same to you: that I may not, when I come, have sorrow upon sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice: having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.E questo stesso ve lo ho scritta, affinchè venendo io, non riceva tristezza sopra tristezza da quegli, da' quali doveva io avere allegrezza: fidandomi di tutti voi, che abbiate tutti per vostro il mio gaudio.And this same I vvrote to you: that I may not, vvhen I come, haue sorovv vpon sorovv, of the vvhich I ought to reioyce: trusting in you al, that my ioy is the ioy of you al.Et hoc ipsum scripsi vobis, ut non cum venero, tristitiam super tristitiam habeam, de quibus oportuerat me gaudere: confidens in omnibus vobis, quia meum gaudium, omnium vestrum est. 4For out of much affliction and anguish of heart, I wrote to you with many tears: not that you should be made sorrowful: but that you might know the charity I have more abundantly towards you.Imperocché in grande afflizione, e ansietà di cuore vi scrissi con molte lagrime: non per contristarvi: ma affinchè conosceste la carità, che io lo abbondantissima verso di voi.For of much tribulation and anguish of hart I vvrote to you by many teares: not that you should be made sorie: but that you may knovv vvhat charitie I haue more aboundantly tovvard you.Nam ex multa tribulatione et angustia cordis scripsi vobis per multas lacrimas: non ut contristemini, sed ut sciatis, quam caritatem habeam abundantius in vobis. 5And if any one have caused grief, he hath not grieved me: but in part, that I may not burden you all.Che se alcuno fu cagion di tristezza, non recò a me se non parte di tristezza: affinchè io non faccia aggravio a tutti voi.And if any man hath made sorovvful, not me hath he made sorovvful, but in part, that I burden not al you.Si quis autem contristavit, non me contristavit: sed ex parte, ut non onerem omnes vos.
6To him who is such a one, this rebuke is sufficient, which is given by many.Basta per questo tale questa riprensione fatta da molti:To him that is such a one, this rebuke sufficeth that is giuen of many:Sufficit illi, qui ejusmodi est, objurgatio hæc, quæ fit a pluribus: 7So that on the contrary, you should rather forgive him and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.Onde per lo contrario voi usiate indulgenza, e lo consoliate, affinchè per disgrazia non sia da eccessiva tristezza assorto questo tale.so that cōtrariewise you should rather pardon and comfort him, lest perhaps such an one be svvallovved vp vvith ouer great sorovv.ita ut e contrario magis donetis, et consolemini, ne forte abundantiori tristitia absorbeatur qui ejusmodi est. 8Wherefore, I beseech you that you would confirm your charity towards him.Vi scongiuro perciò a ratificare la carità verso di lui.For the vvhich cause I beseeche you that you confirme charitie tovvard him.Propter quod obsecro vos, ut confirmetis in illum caritatem. 9For to this end also did I write, that I may know the experiment of you, whether you be obedient in all things.Imperocché con questo fine ancora ho scritto, per conoscervi alla prova, se siate in tutto ubbidienti.For therfore also haue I written that I may knovv the experiment of you, vvhether in al things you be obedient.Ideo enim et scripsi, ut cognoscam experimentum vestrum, an in omnibus obedientes sitis. 10And to whom you have pardoned any thing, I also. For, what I have pardoned, if I have pardoned any thing, for your sakes have I done it in the person of Christ:Or con chi avete usato voi indulgenza, la uso anch'io: imperocché io pure dove ho usato indulgenza (se alcuna ne ho usata) per amor vostro li ho usata a nome di Cristo,And vvhom you haue pardoned any thing, I also. For, my self also that vvhich I pardoned, if I pardoned any thing, for you in the person of Christ,Cui autem aliquid donastis, et ego: nam et ego quod donavi, si quid donavi, propter vos in persona Christi, 11That we be not overreached by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his devices.Affinchè non siamo soverchiati da satana: conciossiachè non ci sono ignote le cabale di lui.that vve be not circumuented of Satan. for vve are not ignorant of his cogitations.ut non circumveniamur a Satana: non enim ignoramus cogitationes ejus. 12And when I was come to Troas for the gospel of Christ and a door was opened unto me in the Lord,Or essendo io giunto a Troade pel vangelo di Cristo, ed essendomi stata aperta la porta dal Signore,And vvhen I vvas come to Troas for the Gospel of Christ, and a doore vvas opened vnto me in our Lord,Cum venissem autem Troadem propter Evangelium Christi, et ostium mihi apertum esset in Domino, 13I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but bidding them farewell, I went into Macedonia.Non ebbi requie nel mio spirito per non aver trovato il mio fratello Tito, ma salutati quegli, partii per la Macedonia.I had no rest in my spirit, for that I found not Titus my brother, but bidding them fare vvel, I vvent forth into Macedonia.non habui requiem spiritui meo, eo quod non invenerim Titum fratrem meum, sed valefaciens eis, profectus sum in Macedoniam.
14Now thanks be to God, who always maketh us to triumph in Christ Jesus and manifesteth the odour of his knowledge by us in every place.Grazie però a Dio, il quale ci fa sempre trionfanti in Cristo Gesù, e rende manifesto l'odore della cognizione di lui in ogni luogo per mezzo nostro:And thankes be to God, vvho alvvaies triumpheth vs in Christ IESVS, and manifesteth the odour of his knovvledge by vs in euery place.Deo autem gratias, qui semper triumphat nos in Christo Jesu, et odorem notitiæ suæ manifestat per nos in omni loco: 15For we are the good odour of Christ unto God, in them that are saved and in them that perish.Dappoiché il buon odore di Cristo siam noi a Dio, e per que', che si salvano, e per que', che periscono:For vve are the good odour of Christ vnto God in them that are saued, and in them that perish.quia Christi bonus odor sumus Deo in iis qui salvi fiunt, et in his qui pereunt: 16To the one indeed the odour of death unto death: but to the others the odour of life unto life. And for these things who is so sufficient?Per gli uni odor di morte per loro morte; per gli altri odore di vita per loro vita. E per tali cose chi è che sia tanto idoneo?To some in deede the odour of death vnto death: but to others the odour of life vnto life. And to these things vvho is so sufficient?aliis quidem odor mortis in mortem: aliis autem odor vitæ in vitam. Et ad hæc quis tam idoneus ? 17For we are not as many, adulterating the word of God: but with sincerity: but as from God, before God, in Christ we speak.Imperocché non siamo come moltissimi, che falsificano la parola di Dio, ma con sincerità, come da parte di Dio parliamo dinanzi a Dio in Cristo.For vve are not as very many, adulterating the vvord of God, but of sinceritie, and as of God, before God, in Christ vve speake.non enim sumus sicut plurimi, adulterantes verbum Dei, sed ex sinceritate, sed sicut ex Deo, coram Deo, in Christo loquimur.
2:1
Calmet
St. Paul continues to justify his not coming to them as he promised. He told them that he did not wish to domineer over their faith, but that his whole design was to contribute to their joy, and that he did not wish to visit them as long as any thing remained worthy of correction, lest his presence should only increase their sorrow. And if in his former epistle he made use of strong expressions, it was not through any design to make them sad, but merely to correct them, by which he manifested his great charity for them. (Calmet)
2:2
Witham
Who is he that should make me glad? etc. The sense is to be gathered from the circumstances. He speaks of the Corinthian guilty of incest, whom he brought to sorrow and repentance, by excommunicating him in his former epistle, and now St. Paul rejoiceth at his conversion. (Witham)
Calmet
The meaning of the apostle is, that if I had come to you in order to make you sorrowful, what pleasure could I have derived from your grief, since you are the only persons who can afford me any, the least comfort? What motives could have influenced me to undertake so disagreeable a mission? This is more fully explained in the following verse, which shows this to be the reason why he had written to them. (Calmet)
2:5
Witham
And if any one (he means the same incestuous man) hath caused grief, or caused me to grieve, he hath not grieved me, that is, not me only, but all the virtuous Christians at Corinth: but in part, that I may not charge you all with this fault. The sense seems to be, but in part, that is, it was only one man, and some that joined with him, by showing themselves unconcerned for his scandalous crime, so that I do not blame the rest: or as it was but in part, that is, it was only a passing trouble for a little time, since by admonitions and severities, he soon repented. (Witham)
St. Gregory and St. Augustine
When last I wrote to you, I was in great anguish on account of the crime of the incestuous man; but my grief was moderated by the consideration of the behaviour of the rest of the Church of Corinth, which had remained steadfast in faith and virtue. (St. Gregory and St. Augustine)
Grotius
It is not the whole Church of Corinth that has caused me this grief, but only one of you: I say this, that you may not believe that I wished to charge you all with this crime. (Grotius)
2:6
Witham
This rebuke already given him, may suffice, and I would have you pardon and comfort him, lest he be overwhelmed, and as it were swallowed up[Ver. 7. Ne forte....absorbeatur, katapothe, absorbeatur, deglutiatur.] and devoured by and excess of grief, so that by the artifices of Satan, which we are acquainted with, it turn to his greater prejudice. I wrote, and proceeded in that manner, to know by experience, how far you are obedient to me, and to the ministers of Christ. (Witham)
2:9
Calmet
This was another reason why I wrote my former letter to you, viz. to try your obedience, and your attachment to the faith, and that I might know whether the difference of opinion which prevailed among you had prevented you from being obedient. (Calmet)
Estius and Theodoret
Others explain it thus: I have written this second letter to you to try your obedience, and to know if you will pay the same obedience to my orders, when I tell you to receive the incestuous man into your communion, as you did when I told you to separate him from your communion. (Estius and Theodoret)
2:10
Challoner
I also. The apostle here granted an indulgence, or pardon, in the person, and by the authority of Christ, to the incestuous Corinthian, whom before he had put under penance: which pardon consisted in a releasing of part of the temporal punishment due to his sin. (Challoner)
Witham
Now as you have pardoned him by my instructions, and have received him again into your communion, I also pardon[Ver. 10. In persona Christi, en prosopo Christou, [not only before Christ] and St. Chrysostom says, os tou Christou keleuontos. Christo jubente, though he had not done sufficient penance, nor deserved it: ou gar epeide axios esti, oude epeide archousan metanoian epedeixato.] him, and confirm what you have done, for your sake, as well as for his, and dispense with any further severities of a longer penance, which he deserved. (St. Chrysostom) And I do this in the person of Christ, by that power and authority derived from Christ, which he left to his apostles, when he said, (Matthew 18:18.) whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed in heaven, etc. not only in the sight of men, says St. Chrysostom, but in the sight of God, who hath given us this power. (Witham)
2:11
St. Ambrose
In the name and in the person of Christ, I ordered him to be excommunicated; in the same, I order him now to be re-admitted into your communion, and this for your sake. We ought to take care that the remedies we employ, do not give occasion to the triumphs of Satan, by throwing the patient into despair, on account of our too great severity. (St. Ambrose)
Calmet
The Greek may be translated: that we may not fall into the power of Satan, on account of our too great severity. (Calmet)
2:12
Witham
etc. When I was come to Troas....and a door was opened to me, towards promoting the gospel, which I never neglect, yet I had no rest in my spirit; I remained still in a great concern for you, not meeting with Titus, from whom I expected with impatience to hear how all things went with you at Corinth: I went on, therefore, bidding them farewell at that time, and deferred the good I might do by a longer stay with them till another time. (Witham)
Estius
Troas is the same town as the ancient Troy or Ilium, famous for its ten years' siege, when it was destroyed by the Greeks in the year 1184, B. Christ [1184 B.C.]. (Estius)
2:14
Witham
Thanks be to God, who always causeth us to triumph by his grace, so that we every where make manifest the odour of his knowledge, making God known and worshipped, and instructing the people in the faith of Christ, to the advantage and eternal good of those who hearken to us, and are saved; but to the greater condemnation of those, who after they have heard of the truth, by their own fault remain obstinate: so that the preaching of the gospel is to some the odour of death unto death, when they remain dead in their sins, they incur an eternal death: and to them who are converted, the odour of life unto life; they receive the spiritual life of grace in their souls in this world, and an eternal life in the next. (Witham)
2:16
Challoner
The odour of death, etc. The preaching of the apostle, which by its fragrant odour brought many to life, was to others, through their own fault, the occasion of death; by their wilfully opposing and resisting that divine call. (Challoner)
Witham
And for these things who is so sufficient,[Ver. 16. Et ad haec quis tam idoneus? but in the Greek without tam; kai pros tauta tis ikanos.] as we whom Christ hath chosen to be the ministers of his gospel? In the Greek copies and in St. Chrysostom, we only read, who is fit? as if he said, who is fit to discharge this great duty, without the continual assistance of God's grace? The reading of the Latin Vulgate seems to agree better with the following verse of the next chapter, when he answers their objection, Do we then begin again to commend ourselves? (Witham)
St. Chrysostom
Who are so fit as we who are chosen by God to fulfil his ministry? If God had not chosen us, how should we have been able to acquit ourselves of so arduous an undertaking? for we did not intrude or thrust ourselves into this ministry. (Calmet) ---Though it is not so difficult for those to preach the gospel who corrupt its doctrines, who weaken its truths, who disguise its obligations, and who mix the word of God with human inventions in order to be more esteemed, or for the sake of filthy lucre, like those who mix and adulterate their wines, in order to be the greater gainers. (St. Chrysostom)
Bible de Vence
But we preach the word in all sincerity, as on the part of God, in the presence of God, and in the Spirit and person of Jesus Christ. (Bible de Vence)
In this grand work all may justly tremble, for who is fit? as we read in the Greek.
2:17
Witham
We are not as many false doctors and preachers, who adulterate[Ver. 17. Adulterantes, kapeleuontes, cauponantes; upon which St. Chrysostom, p. 576, otan tis notheue ton oinon.] the word of God, by mixing human doctrine, to be more esteemed, or for gain-sake. The expression is metaphorical, from the custom of those who mix and adulterate wines, says St. Chrysostom, for their greater gain and advantage. (Witham)
2:10
I also.... The apostle here granted an indulgence, or pardon, in the person and by the authority of Christ, to the incestuous Corinthian, whom before he had put under penance, which pardon consisted in a releasing of part of the temporal punishment due to his sin.
2:16
The odour of death, etc.... The preaching of the apostle, which by its fragrant odour, brought many to life, was to others, through their own fault, the occasion of death; by their wilfully opposing and resisting that divine call.
2:1
•. This rebuke sufficeth.] The Apostle excommunicateth, enioyneth penance: and afterward pardoneth & absolueth. This Corinthian for incest vvas excommunicated and put to penance by the Apostle, as appeareth in the former Epistle c. 5. And here order is giuen for his absolution and pardoning. Vvherein first vve haue a plaine example and proofe of the Apostolike povver, there of binding, and here of loosing: there of punishing, here of pardoning: there of retaining sinnes, here of remission. Secondly vve may hereby proue that not onely amendment, ceasing to sinne, or repentance in hart and before God alone, is alvvaies ynough to obteine ful reconcilement, vvhereas vve see here his separation also from the faithful, and the Sacraments, and from al companie or dealing vvith other Christian men, 1. Cor. •, 5. 〈Greek〉. besides other bodily affliction: al vvhich called of the Apostle before interitus carnis, the destruction of the flesh, and named here, Rebuke, or (as the Greeke word also importeth) mulct, penaltie, correction, chastisment, were enioyned him by the Apostles commaundement in the face of the Church, and by the offender patiently susteined so long. Pardon or remission of penance enioyned. Thirdly we see that it lieth in he handes of the Apostles, Bishops, and spiritual Magistrates, to measure the time of such penance or discipline, not onely according to the weight of the offence committed, but also according to the weaknes of the persons punished, and other respectes of time and place, as to their wisedom shal be thought most agreable to the parties good, and the Churches edification. Lastly by this vvhole hardling of the offenders case, we may refute the vvicked heresie of the Protestants, that vvould make •he simple beleeue, Penance and satisfaction euidently proued against the Protestants. no punishment of a mans ovvne person for sinnes cōmitted, nor penance enioyned by the Church, nor any paines temporal or satisfaction for our life past, to be necessarie, but al such things to be superfluous, because Christ hath satisfied ynough for all. Ioel. 2, 12. Vvhich Epicurian doctrine is refelled, not onely hereby, but also by the Prophets, Mt. 3. et 4 Iohn the Baptistes, Christes, and the Apostles preaching of penance and condigne workes or fruites of repentance, Act. 2, et 26. to euery man in his ovvne person, and not in Christes person onely: and by the vvhole life and most plaine speaches and penitential canons of the holy doctors and Councels prescribing times of penance, commending penance, enioyning penance, and continually vsing the word satisfaction in this case through out al their vvorkes, as our Aduersaries them selues can not but confesse.
2:8
8. I beseche you.] They vvhich at the beginning did beare to much vvith the offender, and seemed Io•h to haue him excommunicated in so austere maner: Zeale against the excommunicate. yet through their obedience to the Apostle became on the other side so rigorous, and so farre detested the malefactor after he vvas excommunicated, that the Apostle novv meaning to absolue him, vvas glad to intreate and commaund them also to accept him to their companie and grace againe.
2:9
9. Obedient.] The Apostle chalengeth their obediēce to his Ecclesiastical authoritie. Though in the last chapter he discharged him self of tyrannical dominion ouer them, yet he chalengeth their obedience in al things as their Pastor and Superior, and consequently in this point of receiuing to mercie the penitent Corinthian. Vvhereby vve see, that as the power and authoritie of excommunicating, so of absoluing also vvas in S. Paules person, though both vvere to be done in the face of the Church: els he vvould not haue commaunded or required their obedience.
2:10
10. I also.] The Heretikes and others not vvel founded in the Scriptures and antiquitie, maruel at the Popes pardons, counting them either fruitles or vnlavvful or no elder then S. Gregorie. The authoritie of Indulgences vvhervpō it is groū ded. But in deede the authoritie, power, and right of them is of Christes ovvne vvord and commission, principally giuen to Peter, and so aftervvard to al the Apostles, and in their persons to al the cheefe Pastors of the Church, vvhen it vvas said, Whatsoeuer you loose in earth, Mat. 18, 18. shal be loosed in heauen. By vvhich commission the holy Bishops of old did cut of large peeces of penance enioyned to offenders, and gaue peace, grace, or indulgence, Cypria. ep. 13. 14. 15. before they had accomplished the measure of their appointed or deserued punishment. and that is to giue pardon. And so S. Paul here did tovvardes the Corinthian, 〈Greek〉. See Theodoret in hūe loc. vvhom he assoiled of mere grace and mercie, as the vvord donare or •endonare doth signifie, when he might longer haue kept him in penance and temporall affliction for his offence. Vvherof though he had already before God invvardly repented, yet vvas he iustly holden vnder this correction for some satisfaction of his fault past, during the Apostles pleasure. Vvhat is a pardon or indulgence. To remit then the temporal punishment or chastisment due to sinners after the offence it self and the guilt therof be forgiuen of God, is an Indulgence or pardon, vvhich the principal Magistrates of Gods Church by Christes vvarrant and the Apostles example, haue euer done, being no lesse authorised to pardon then to punish, and by imitation of our Maister (who forgaue the aduouteresse and diuers other offenders, Io. 8, 11. not only their sinnes, but also often the temporal punishments due for the same) are as much giuen to mercie as to iustice.
10. For you.] Theodorete vpon this place saith that the Apostle gaue this pardon to the Corinthian at the intercession of the blessed men. Cypr. locis citatu. Timotheus and Titus. And we may read in sundrie places, Indulgences or pardons in the primitiue Church. of S. Cyprian namely, that Indulgences or remissions vvere giuen in the primitiue Church by the mediation of holy Confessors or Martyrs, and by cōmunicating the satisfactorie vvorkes of one to another, to vvhich end they gaue their letters to Bishops in the behalfe of diuers their Christiā brethrē, a thing most agreable to the mutual entercourse that is betvvene the members of Christes mystical body, and very ansvverable to Gods iustice, 2 Cor. 8. vvhich by supply of the one sort that aboundeth, standeth entire in respect of the other sort also that wanteth. In vvhich kinde the Apostle confesseth that him self by his suffering and tribulations, Col. 1, 24. supplieth the vvantes of such passions as Christ hath to suffer, not in his ovvne person, but in his body, vvhich is his Church. Vvherevpon vve inferre most assuredly, that the satisfactorie and penal vvorkes of holy Sainctes suffered in this life, be communicable and applicable to the vse of other faithful men their fellovv-members in our Lord, and to be dispensed according to euery ones necessitie and deseruing, by them vvhom Christ hath constituted ouer his familie, and hath made the dispensers of his treasures.
10. In the person of Christ.] Al pardon and remission is in the vertue and name of Christ. For that many might of ignorance or pride reproue the practise of Gods Church and her Officers, or deny the Apostles authoritie to be so great ouer mens soules as to punish and pardon in this sort, S. Paul doth purposely and precisely tell them that he doth giue pardon as Christes Vicar, or as bearing his person in this case: and therfore that no man may maruel of his povver herein, except he thinke that Christes povver, authoritie, and commission is not sufficient to release temporal punishment due to sinners. Heretical trā slation. And this to be the proper meaning of these vvordes, 〈Greek〉. In the person of Christ, and not as the Protestants vvould haue it (the better to auoid the former conclusion of the Apostles giuing indulgence) In the face or sight of Christ, you may easily vnderstand by the Apostles like insinuation of Christes povver, vvhen he committed this offender to Satan, 1 Cor. 5, 4. affirming that he gaue that sentence in the name and vvith the vertue or povver of our Lord IESVS CHRIST. In al vvhich cases the Protestants blindnes is exceding great, vvho can not see that this is not the vvay to extol Christes povver, to deny it to his Priests, seing the Apostle chalengeth it by that that Christ hath such povver, & that him self doth it in his name, vertue, and person. So novv in this, and in no other name, giue Popes and Bishops their pardons. Vvhich pertaining proprely to releasing onely of temporal punishment due after the sinne and the eternal punishment be forgiuen, is not so great a matter as the remission of the sinne it self: vvhich yet the Priests by expresse commission do also remitte. Io. 20, 2•.
〈Greek〉. Though he did great Penance (saith Theodorete) yet he calleth this pardoning. 〈Greek〉, a grace, because his sinne vvas greater then his penance.
2:11
11. Circumuented of Satan.] Al binding & loosing must be vsed to the parties saluation. Vve may see hereby, that the dispensation of such discipline, and the releasing of the same, be put into the povver and handes of Gods ministers, to deale more or lesse rigorously, to pardon sooner or later, punish longer or shorter vvhile, as shal be thought best to their vvisedom. for the end of al such correction or pardoning must be the saluation of the parties soul, as the Apostle noted 1 Cor. 5, 5. Vvhich to some, and some certaine times, may be better procured by rigour of discipline then by indulgence, to some others, by leuitie and humane dealing (so pardoning of penance is called in old Councels) rather then by ouermuch chastisemē •. Conc. Nic. can. 12. for consideration vvhereof, The great penance of the primitiue Church. in some ages of the Church, much discipline, great penance and satisfaction vvas both enioyned and also vvillingly susteined, Ancyran. can. 2 & 5. and then vvas the lesse pardoning and fevver indulgences, because in that voluntary vse and acceptation of punishment, and great zeale and feruor of spirit, euery man fulfilled his penanc̄e, and fevv asked pardon. Novv in the fall of deuotion and lothsomnes that men commonly haue to do great penance, though the sinnes be far greater then euer before, Vvhy more pardons and Indulgences now then in old time. yet our holy mother the Church knovving vvith the Apostle the cogitations of Satan, hovv he vvould in this delicate time, driue men either to desperation, or to forsake Christ and his Church and al hope of saluation, rather then they vvould enter into the course of canonicall discipline, enioyneth small penance, and seldom vseth extremitie vvith offenders as the holy Bishops of the primitiue Church did, but condescending to the vveaknes of her children, pardoneth exceding often and much, not onely al enioyned penance, but also al or great partes of vvhat punishment temporal so euer due or deserued, either in this vvorld or in the next. As for the Heretikes vvhich neither like the Churches lenitie and pardoning in these daies, nor the old rigor of the primitiue Church, Mat. 11, 18. they be like to the Ievves • that condemned Iohn the Baptist of austeritie, and Christ of to much freedom and libertie: not knovving nor liking in deede either Christes ordinance and commission in binding or loosing, or his prouidence in the gouernement of the Church.
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17. Adulterating.] 〈Greek〉. The Greeke vvord signifieth to make commoditie of the vvord of God, The Heretikes corrupting of the Scripture. as vulgar Vinteners do of their vvine. Vvhereby is expressed the peculiar trade of al Heretikes, and exceding proper to the Protestants, that so corrupt Scriptures by mixture of their ovvne phantasies, by false trāslations, glosses, colorable and pleasant commentaries, to deceiue the tast of the simple, as tauerners and tapsters do, to make their vvines salable by manifold artificial deceites. The Apostles contrarievvise, as all Catholikes, deliuer the Scriptures and vtter the vvord of God sincerely and entirely, in the same sense and sort as the fathers left them to the Church, interpreting them by the same Spirit by vvhich they vvere vvritten or spoken.
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 4
Chap. ii. 1 . “But I determined for myself that I would not come again to you with sorrow.”
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 6
Now if ye grieve at hearing these things, I thank you much, for “who is he that maketh me glad, but he which is made sorry by me?”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 23
… And so punishment itself comes from affection, since unless pained at being hated, they would not choose to punish either. Now observe, how this is what Paul says to the Corinthians. For “who is he” (says he) “that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 4
[2.] Ver. 2 . “For if I make you sorry, who then is he that maketh me glad, but he that is made sorry by me?”
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 4
Ver. 3 . “And I wrote this very thing unto you.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 18.4
… but we read them to see their meaning. So, again, it is foretold in the prophets, "I will take away their stony heart, and will give them a heart of flesh," —that is, a sensible heart, instead of an insensible one. To this the apostle alludes in the words: "Not in tables of stone, but in the fleshy tables of the heart."
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 55
… or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it.” And the words of him who gives these admonitions, are at one time, “What is my hope or joy? are not even ye?” at another, “Now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord;” at another, “Out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you;”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 32
… This heart was so large, as to take in entire cities, and peoples, and nations. “For my heart” he says, “is enlarged.” ( ib. vi. 11 .) Yet even a heart thus large, did this very charity that enlarged it many a time straiten and oppress. For he says, “Out of much affliction ( θλίψεως ) and anguish ( συνοχἥς ) of heart I wrote unto you.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 4
Ver. 4 . “For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears, not that ye should be made sorry, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 15
… and he shows the advantage of the thing. For he did this indeed even before, when he said, “For out of much affliction and anguish of heart, I wrote unto you: not that ye should be made sorry, but that ye might know the love which I have toward you.” (c.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 17
… 31 .) And if so great was the zeal he exerted in behalf of them of Miletus and Ephesus, not making pleasant speeches, but introducing his admonition with tears, what should one say of the rest? But hearken again to what he says to the Corinthians. “Out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Philippians 1
“Always,” not only while I am praying. “With joy.” For it is possible to do this with grief too, as when he says elsewhere, “For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Philippians 15
… vii. 10 .) On account of these things we should be grieved, for these things we should be pained, for these things we should be pricked at heart; thus was Paul grieved for sinners, thus did he weep. “For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you in many tears.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Thessalonians 4
… Why weepest thou? Tell me. “By the space of three years,” he says, “I ceased not to admonish every one night and day with tears.” ( Acts xx. 31 .) From his great love he feared, lest some plague should be introduced among them. And again, “For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears.” (
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 122.1
… “tell me where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon.” ) Good men have always sorrowed for the sins of others. Samuel of old lamented for Saul because he neglected to treat the ulcers of pride with the balm of penitence. And Paul wept for the Corinthians
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Tertullian † AD 220 On Modesty 13
… For to this end withal have I written, that I may learn a proof of you, that in all (things) ye are obedient to me. But if ye shall have forgiven any, so (do) I; for I, too, if I have forgiven ought, have forgiven in the person of Christ, lest we be overreached by Satan, since we are not ignorant of his injections.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 19
“That blindness in part hath happened unto Israel.” Here again he levels a blow at the Jew, while seeming to take down the Gentile. But his meaning is nearly this, and he had said it before, that the unbelief is not universal, but only “in part.” As when he says, “But if any hath caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 1
… And this he shows where he says, “But if any hath caused sorrow, he hath caused sorrow not to me, but in part (that I press not too heavily) to you all. Sufficient to such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the many.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 4
Ver. 5 . “But if any hath caused sorrow, he hath caused sorrow not to me.”
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St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 39.5
… But when, having guarded our soul with every care, and having appointed goings up in our heart, and broken up our fallow ground, and sown unto righteousness, as David and Solomon and Jeremiah bid us, let us enlighten ourselves with the light of knowledge, and then let us speak of the Wisdom of God that hath been hid in a mystery,
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Concerning Repentance 1.17
92. Why do we postpone the time of pardon for those who have mortified themselves, who during life have done themselves to death? “Sufficient,” says St. Paul, “to such a one is this punishment which is inflicted by the many; so that contrariwise, ye should rather forgive him and comfort him, lest by any means he should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 An Exhortation to Theodore After His Fall 1
… “Deliver such an one to Satan for destruction of the flesh that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Now this was prior to repentance: but after he had repented “Sufficient,” said he, “for such an one is this punishment which was inflicted by the many
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 13
… This is not what he says. Else how would Paul have become such as he was? how would the (penitent) thief, or Manasses, or the Ninevites, or how would David after falling have recovered himself? How would Peter after the denial have raised himself up? ( 1 Cor. v. 5 .) How could he that had lived in fornication have been enlisted among Christ’s fold? (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 4
Ver. 6 . “Sufficient to such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the many.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Thessalonians 5
… Wherefore confirm your love toward him.” (
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St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 22.3
… but if at any time the charge seems groundless to any one, he ought privately to enter into discussion with the accuser, and either produce, or acquire, conviction. Every one ought, as far as he is able, to conciliate one who has ground of complaint against him. No one ought to cherish a grudge against the sinner who repents, but heartily to forgive him.
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 39.5
… Or will you even refuse to admit that he was made perfect by blood (for your folly goes even as far as that)? Or the transgressor at Corinth? But Paul confirmed love towards him when he saw his amendment, and gives the reason, “that such an one be not swallowed up by overmuch sorrow,”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Treatise Concerning the Christian Priesthood 3.17
… Would indeed that the evil went no further than distress! but in fact the mischief is not trifling. For there is a fear lest the man, if he has been punished beyond what he deserves, should experience that which was spoken of by the blessed Paul and “be swallowed up by overmuch sorrow.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 82
… yet it also comes of the devil’s wiles, and Judas showed it; at least in consequence thereof he even hanged himself. Therefore Paul again was in fear about him that had committed fornication, lest any such thing should befall him, and persuaded the Corinthians speedily to deliver him, “lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 38
… x. 12 .) but unto the other, “To-day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts: ( Heb. iv. 7 .) and again, “Lift up the hands that hang down and the palsied knees.” ( Heb. xii. 12 .) And him too that had committed fornication but repented, he therefore quickly refreshes, “that such an one might not be swallowed up with his overmuch sorrow?” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 4
Ver. 7 . “So that contrariwise ye should rather forgive him and comfort him, lest by any means such a one should be swallowed up with his overmuch sorrow.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 78
… but now I go unto Him that sent Me, and none of you asketh Me, Whither goest Thou? but because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.” For a dreadful thing is immoderate sorrow, dreadful and effective of death. Wherefore Paul said, “Lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up by overmuch sorrow.” (
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 48.4
… I allow that marriage, as well as virginity, is the gift of God, but there is a great difference between gift and gift. Finally, the apostle himself says of one who had lived in incest and afterwards repented: ‘Contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him and comfort him,’
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 122.3
… And ye are puffed up and have not rather mourned that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.” And in his second epistle to the same, “lest such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow,”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 125.13
… When witnesses were called they spoke always on behalf of the aggressor. On hearing such falsehoods he used to weep that no one gave credit to the truth; the father alone used cleverly to put in a word for him that he might not be “swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.”
St Jerome † AD 420 Against Jovinianus 1.8
… But since in the Church there is a diversity of gifts, I acquiesce in marriage, lest I should seem to condemn nature. At the same time consider, that the gift of virginity is one, that of marriage, another. For were the reward the same for the married and for virgins, he would never after enjoining continence have said:
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 83.1
… which must be accomplished without delay. For if the apostle was concerned about one individual, “lest perhaps such an one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow,” adding in the same context the words, “lest Satan should get an advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 95.3
… epistle to them, the apostle is found admonishing these persons to beware of in that very example, saying, “lest, perhaps, such an one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow;” adding, in order to prevent men from thinking this a thing not calling for anxious care, “lest Satan should get an advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 14.17
… past actions are oppressed with grief and sorrow, supply richly the joys of spiritual knowledge like “wine that maketh glad the heart of man,” and restore them with the strong drink of the word of salvation, lest haply they be plunged in continual sorrow and a despair that brings death, and so those who are of this sort be “swallowed up in overmuch sorrow.”
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyprus 77
… of the Corinthians, who had committed that abominable fornication, he both chastised as might a father, and very skilfully treated, and after cutting him off in the first Epistle, readmitted him in the second and says, “So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him and comfort him lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.”
St John of Damascus † AD 749 An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 2.29
… In another way it allows the pious man to suffer sore trials in order that he may not depart from a right conscience nor lapse into pride on account of the power and grace granted to him, as was the case with Paul
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St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 224.3
… I am making a more complete defence on every point in another letter; this will satisfy readers who want fuller assurance. Do you, now that you have received this letter, put away all despondency, and confirm the love to me,
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 2.54
… On behalf of some he gives thanks, others he upbraids. Some he names his joy and crown, others he charges with folly. Some who hold a straight course he accompanies, sharing in their zeal; others he checks, who are going wrong. At one time he excommunicates, at another he confirms his love;
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Three Homilies Concerning the Power of Demons 2.4
… But that the Apostle through his own wisdom cut his throat: hear in the second epistle to the Corinthians, what he saith about this very fornicator, “confirm your love towards him,” “lest by any means such an one should be swallowed up by over much sorrow.” And, “we be taken advantage of by Satan.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 15
… For as God saith, ( Jonah iii. 4 . lxx: rec. text, “forty days.”) “Yet three days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown,” and added not, “but if she repent she shall be saved:” so also he did not say here, “But if he repent worthily, we will ‘confirm our love towards him.’” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 19
… And if we do this, the remembrance of injuries would have no place: for who would choose to remember injuries against himself? Who would choose to be angry with himself? Do we not make allowances for ourselves most of all? If we were thus disposed towards our neighbors also, there will never be any remembrance of injuries.
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 4
… lest ye seem to be of such as love contention and have not human sensibilities, and not to be in all things obedient. And hence he saith, “For to this end also did I write to you, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye are obedient in all things.”
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St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 The Epistles of Cyprian 12
… any presbyter who might be present, or if a presbyter should not be found and death begins to be imminent, before even a deacon, be able to make confession of their sin, that, with the imposition of hands upon them for repentance, they should come to the Lord with the peace which the martyrs have desired, by their letters to us, to be granted to them.
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 The Epistles of Cyprian 54.16
… I remit everything. I shut my eyes to many things, with the desire and the wish to gather together the brotherhood. Even those things which are committed against God I do not investigate with the full judgment of religion. I almost sin myself, in remitting sins
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Concerning Repentance 1.7
… “If ye have forgiven anything to any one, I forgive also, for what I have forgiven I have done it for your sakes in the person of Christ.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Concerning Repentance 1.17
… “To whom,” says he, “ye have forgiven anything, I forgive also, for I also have forgiven for your sakes in the person of Christ, for we are not ignorant of his devices.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Concerning Repentance 2.7
… “It is reported that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not even among the Gentiles.” There was a stench, for a little leaven had corrupted the whole lump. A good odour began when it was said: “If ye forgive anything to any one I forgive also. For what I also have forgiven, for your sakes have I done it in the person of Christ.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Selections from the Letters of St. Ambrose 41.4
… And so meekness restored him whom the rod had deprived of the heavenly sacraments. And to his disciple he gave similar injunctions, saying: “Reprove, beseech, rebuke.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 82
… fornication, lest any such thing should befall him, and persuaded the Corinthians speedily to deliver him, “lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.” Then, indicating that such a result cometh of the snares of that wicked one, he saith, “Lest Satan should get an advantage over us, for we are not ignorant of his devices,”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 21
… Then, say, shall we not bewail this man? shall we not try to snatch him from his perils? For it is, yes, it is possible, if we will, to mitigate his punishment, if we make continual prayers for him, if for him we give alms. However unworthy he may be, God will yield to our importunity. For if
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 4
Ver. 10 . “To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also.”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 48.4
… I allow that marriage, as well as virginity, is the gift of God, but there is a great difference between gift and gift. Finally, the apostle himself says of one who had lived in incest and afterwards repented: ‘Contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him and comfort him,’ and ‘To whom ye forgive anything, I forgive also.’
St Jerome † AD 420 Against Jovinianus 1.8
… In fact the Apostle himself speaking of the same person who had repented of his incestuous conduct, says: “so that contrariwise ye should rather forgive him and comfort him, and to whom ye forgive anything, I forgive also.” And that we might not think a man’s gift contemptible, he added,
St Jerome † AD 420 Against Jovinianus 2.3
… And to the Corinthians he writes: “I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is toward Christ.” And elsewhere:
Pseudo-Cyprian Exhortation to Repentance 1
Also in the same place of this very matter: “But if ye have forgiven anything to any one, I also forgive him; for I also forgave what I have forgiven for your sakes in the person of Christ, that we may not be circumvented by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his wiles.”
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St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Life of Antony. (Vita Antoni.) 16
… which of them are less and which more evil; of what nature is the special pursuit of each, and how each of them is overthrown and cast out. For their villainies and the changes in their plots are many. The blessed Apostle and his followers knew such things when they said, “for we are not ignorant of his devices
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 To the Bishops of Egypt 1.3
3. And although, again, he conceal his natural falsehood, and pretend to speak truth with his lips; yet are we ‘not ignorant of his devices
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) 1.12
… For as when Adam had transgressed, his sin reached unto all men, so, when the Lord had become man and had overthrown the Serpent, that so great strength of His is to extend through all men, so that each of us may say, ‘For we are not ignorant of his devices.
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 60
We have read what your piety has written to us, and genuinely approve your piety toward Christ. And above all we glorify God, Who has given you such grace as not only to have right opinions, but also, so far as that is possible, not to be ignorant of the devices
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 40
… defend yourself with the Spirit, by Which all the fiery darts of the wicked shall be quenched. It is Spirit, but That Spirit which rent the Mountains. It is Water, but that which quenches fire. If he assail you by your want (as he dared to assail Christ), and asks that stones should be made bread, do not be ignorant of his devices.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 10
… Be then on thy guard, and arm thyself at all points with the weapons of the Spirit, get exactly acquainted with his plans, that thou mayest both keep from being caught, and easily catch him. For it was thus that Paul got the better of him, by getting exactly acquainted with these. And so he says, “for we are not ignorant of his devices.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 32
… viii. 38, 39 .) What pinions doth not this discourse seem to thee to have? what eyes? ( Ez. x. 12 .) It was owing to this that he said, “for we are not ignorant of his devices.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 38
… and like a crafty enemy attacking a city with walls, he secretly undermines it from below: so as thereby to be hardly guarded against and to succeed in his endeavors. Therefore such snares on his part being continually detected, and these his crafty ambushes hunted out by this admirable and mighty man, he said, “For we are not ignorant of his devices.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 4
Ver. 11 . “That no advantage may be gained over us by Satan: for we are not ignorant of his devices.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 22
… he has subdued, has taken his captive. And so Peter again wrestled not with the devil, but he did that which was better than wrestling. In the case of the faithful, the obedient, the catechumens, they prevailed over him to vast advantage and over his powers. Hence too was it that the blessed Paul said, “For we are not ignorant of his devices” (
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 22.29
29. Many are the stratagems which the wily enemy employs against us. “The serpent,” we are told, “was more subtile than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.” And the apostle says: “We are not ignorant of his devices.”
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyprus 77
… a father, and very skilfully treated, and after cutting him off in the first Epistle, readmitted him in the second and says, “So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him and comfort him lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.” And again, “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us for we are not ignorant of his devices.”
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 14
… But consider, I pray you, how in every place he maketh a great matter of the coming of Titus. For he saith also before, “Furthermore when I came to Troas for the Gospel, I had no relief for my spirit because I found not Titus my brother;” (c.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Predestination of the Saints 1.41
And again, the same apostle says to the same people, in his second Epistle: “When I had come to Troas for the gospel of Christ, and a door had been opened unto me in the Lord, I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus, my brother: but, making my farewell to them, I went away into Macedonia.”
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 5
Ver. 13 . “Taking my leave of them, I went from thence?”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 16
… Yet he shows that he had made a beginning in this matter before Paul’s exhortation; “that as he had made a beginning before,” he says. Wherefore also he bestows great praise on him; for instance, in the beginning [of the Epistle]; “Because I found not Titus my brother, I had no relief for my spirit:” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 18
… And for what cause does he not mention their names; whilst he both makes Titus known (vid. also ver. 23 .) by name, and praises him for his cooperation in the Gospel, (seeing that he was so useful that by reason of his absence even Paul could do nothing great and noble; for, “because I found not Titus my brother, I had no relief for my spirit,”—c.
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St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Holy Spirit 3.17
121. Let us, therefore, hear what the Word of God, walking in the heart of the wise and peaceful, says: “I and My Father are One.” He will not say this in the breast of the unquiet and foolish, for “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 5
Ver. 14 . “But thanks be to God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest through us the savor of His knowledge in every place.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Predestination of the Saints 1.41
… because we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them who are saved, and in them who perish: to some, indeed, we are the savour of death unto death, but to some the savour of life unto life.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 50.7
… “We are a sweet savor,” he says, “of Christ in every place, both in them that are saved, and in them that perish. To the one we are the savor of life unto life, to the other the savor of death unto death: and who is sufficient for these things?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 45.20
… Hence the sweet savour which is signified by certain perfumes there mentioned. Hear Paul, that “least of the Apostles” (that “hem of that garment,” which the woman with the issue of blood touched, and was healed), hear him saying: “We are a sweet savour of Christ, in every place, both in them that are saved, and in them that perish.”
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St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 4.28.3
… For the apostle does also say in the Second [Epistle] to the Corinthians: “For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them which are saved, and in them which perish: to the one indeed the savour of death unto death, but to the other the savour of life unto life.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus i.48
… and a faculty of hearing which can perceive voices which have not their being in the air; and a sense of taste which can make use of living bread that has come down from heaven, and that giveth life unto the world; and so also a sense of smelling, which scents such things as leads Paul to say that he is a sweet savour of Christ unto God;
Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Church History of Eusebius 5.1.35
35. For the first went out rejoicing, glory and grace being blended in their faces, so that even their bonds seemed like beautiful ornaments, as those of a bride adorned with variegated golden fringes; and they were perfumed with the sweet savor of Christ,
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 48
All things made by God are beautiful and pure, for the Word of God has made nothing useless or impure. For ‘we are a sweet savour of Christ in them that are being saved
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 21.4
… that ye might receive the ears which are quick to hear the Divine Mysteries, of which Esaias said, The Lord gave me also an ear to hear ; and the Lord Jesus in the Gospel, He that hath ears to hear let him hear . Then on the nostrils; that receiving the sacred ointment ye may say, We are to God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Holy Spirit 1.9
103. Nor is it wonderful if He have the oil of gladness, Who made those about to die rejoice, put off sadness from the world, destroyed the odour of sorrowful death. And so the Apostle says: “For we are the good odour of Christ to God;”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Concerning Repentance 2.7
… Wherefore the Apostle, knowing well that he had shed upon all the ointment of apostolic forgiveness, says: “We are a sweet savour of Christ unto God in them that are saved.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 5
Ver. 15 . “For we are a sweet savor of Christ unto God, in them that are saved and in them that perish.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 2
… not brought from Arabia, or Ethiopia, nor from Persia, but from heaven itself; purchased not by gold, but by a virtuous will, and by faith unfeigned. Buy this perfume, the odor of which is able to fill the world. It was of this the Apostles savored. “For we are (he says) a sweet savor, to some of death, to others of life.” (
St Jerome † AD 420 Against Jovinianus 1.30
… and we shall understand that second marriage is repudiated even by dumb birds. And immediately the turtle says to its fellow: “The fig tree hath put forth its green figs,” that is, the commandments of the old law have fallen, and the blossoming vines of the Gospel give forth their fra grance. Whence the Apostle also says,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Against Lying 36
… For if a lewd woman crave of thee the gratification of her lust, and, when thou consentest not, she perturbed with the fierceness of her love should die, will chastity also be a murderer? Or, truly, because we read, “We are a sweet savor of Christ in every place, both in them which are saved and in them which perish;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Baptism, Against the Donatists 3.13
… It was, in fact, the same savor of which the apostle says, "We are a sweet savor of Christ in every place;" and yet, says he, "both in them that are saved and in them that perish. To the one we are the savor of life unto life; and to the other the savor of death unto death."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Baptism, Against the Donatists 6.40
… And many aliens, that is to say, envious persons, whom Cyprian declares and proves from Scripture to be of the party of the devil, seem as it were to be within, and yet, if they were not without the ark, they would not perish by water. For such men are slain by baptism, as the sweet savor of Christ was unto death to those of whom the apostle speaks.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Baptism, Against the Donatists 7.39
77. This indeed is true, that "baptism is not unto salvation except within the Catholic Church." For in itself it can indeed exist outside the Catholic Church as well; but there it is not unto salvation, because there it does not work salvation; just as that sweet savor of Christ is certainly not unto salvation in them that perish,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 51.1
1. After our Lord’s raising of one to life, who had been four days dead, to the utter amazement of the Jews, some of whom believed on seeing it, and others perished in their envy, because of that sweet savor which is unto life to some, and to others unto death;
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 38.8
… Let a man but have his soul’s sense of smelling sound, he perceives how foully sins stink. The contrary to which stink of sin, is that savour of which the Apostle says, “We are the sweet savour of Christ unto God, in every place, unto them which be saved.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 135.14
… Lastly, this prophecy is fulfilled among all the nations.…Is it not fulfilled? Is it not seen, as it is written? And they who remain have eyes, and see not; have nostrils, and smell not. They perceive not that savour. “We are a good savour of Christ,”
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 Register of the Epistles of St. Gregory the Great 8.35
… But the woman who poured from the alabaster box, exhibiting a type of the Holy Church, that is of all the elect, filled the house with the ointment ( Luke vii .). And we, as often as we hear anything of good people, draw in as it were through our nostrils a breath of sweetness. And when Paul the Apostle said, We are a good odour of Christ unto God (
Pseudo-Irenaeus Pseud-Irenæus 1
… For the confessors went forth joyous, with a mingling of glory and abundant grace in their looks, so that their chains lay like becoming ornaments around them, as around a bride adorned with golden fringes wrought with divers colours. And they breathed at the same time the fragrance of Christ,
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St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 2.46
46. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not as the many, able to corrupt
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Three Homilies Concerning the Power of Demons 2.3
… But the Apostles became a savour of death to many. He says at least “to one a savour from death unto death: to the other a savour from life unto life.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Two Homilies on Eutropius 2.14
… By what means? By means of “the earnest.” How was he sufficient for these things? By the grace of the Spirit. Unskilled, ill-clothed, ill-shod he was upheld by Him “who also hath given the earnest of the Spirit.” Therefore he saith “and who is sufficient for these things?
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 30
… lx. 8 .) And Daniel in like manner, “And to me also, not through the wisdom that is in me was it revealed.” ( Dan. ii. 30 .) And Paul everywhere says this, as when he says, “And for these things who is sufficient? Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think (aught) as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 5
Ver. 16 . “To the one a savor from death unto death, to the other a savor from life unto life.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 6
He anticipates and puts himself an objection which others would have urged against him, ‘Thou vauntest thyself;’ and this though he had before employed so strong a corrective in the expressions, “Who is sufficient for these things?” and, “of sincerity…speak we.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 8
As he said also before, “To some a savor from death unto death, to others a savor from life unto life,” (
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 120
(11) What is the meaning of 2 Cor. ii. 16 ?
St Jerome † AD 420 Against the Pelagians 3.6
9. The Apostle Paul, rapidly recounting the benefits of God, ended with the words,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 3.2
… Some grief may then be justified, none loved. For thus dost Thou, O Lord God, who lovest souls far more purely than do we, and art more incorruptibly compassionate, although Thou art wounded by no sorrow. “And who is sufficient for these things?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Lying 42
… since what we are chiefly to hold is that whereunto we ought to call and invite them whom as our own selves we love; and with most courageous mind we must drink in that apostolic sentence: “To some we are a savor of life unto life, to others a savor of death unto death; and who is sufficient for these things?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Predestination of the Saints 1.41
… See concerning what he gives thanks,—that the apostles are a sweet savour of Christ unto God, both in those who are saved by His grace, and in those who perish by His judgment. But in order that those who little understand these things may be less enraged, he himself gives a warning when he adds the words: “And who is sufficient for these things?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Harmony of the Gospels 3.13
… The word of an apostle is to this effect: “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost.” And again he says: “To the one indeed we are the savour of life unto life; to the other, the savour of death unto death;” and adds immediately, “And who is sufficient for these things?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 89.1
… His advent has become as much fraught with destruction to unbelievers, as it is with salvation to those that believe; for He, the Head and Prince of the apostles, has Himself, as it were, become what they declared of themselves, “to some, indeed, the savour of life unto life; and to some the savor of death unto death.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 7.15
… For that is not false that the Apostle says, “To the one we are the savour of life unto life, to the other the savour of death unto death; and who is sufficient for these things?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 11.10
… But if by clouds are understood good and true prophets only; by these too it is clear that God raineth snares upon sinners, although by them He watereth also the godly unto fruitfulness. “To some,” saith the Apostle, “we are the savour of life unto life; to some the savour of death unto death.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 18.15
15. “And He sent out His arrows, and scattered them” ( ver. 14 ). And He sent out Evangelists traversing straight paths on the wings of strength, not in their own power, but His by whom they were sent. And “He scattered them,” to whom they were sent, that to some of them they should be “the savour of life unto life, to others the savour of death unto death.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 78.28
… unto whom most justly is human haughtiness made subject, in all save those whom grace doth deliver. “And for these things who is sufficient?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 106.31
… And who is capable of comprehending these things?
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St Ignatius of Antioch † AD 108 Epistle to the Trallians: Shorter and Longer Versions 6
… but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment.” For there are some vain talkers and deceivers, not Christians, but Christ-betrayers, bearing about the name of Christ in deceit, and “corrupting the word”
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 4.26.4
… And they said to him, He is witness.” In this strain also the Apostle Paul, inasmuch as he had a good conscience, said to the Corinthians: “For we are not as many, who corrupt the Word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ;”
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Defence Against the Arians (Apologia Contra Arianos) 3
For they who separate the Son and alienate the Word from the Father, ought themselves to be separated from the Catholic Church and to be alien from the Christian name. Let them therefore be anathema to you, because they have ‘corrupted the word of truth
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 5
… It is indeed impossible to make an adequate return to God; still, it is a wicked thing for us who receive the gracious gift, not to acknowledge it. Nature itself manifests our inability; but our own will reproves our unthankfulness. Therefore the blessed Paul, when admiring the greatness of the gift of God, said, ‘And who is sufficient for these things
St Basil the Great † AD 379 De Spiritu Sancto 26
… So Paul speaks in Christ, saying “In the sight of God we speak in Christ,”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Holy Spirit 2.8
73. Lastly, that you may know that it is not a syllable which prejudices faith, but faith which commends a syllable, Paul also speaks in Christ. Christ is not less, because Paul spoke in Christ, as you find: “We speak before God in Christ.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 5
Ver. 17 . “For we are not as the rest, which corrupt the word of God.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 34
… saying, “We trust that we have a good conscience.” For do not tell me of accusations; our conscience, he says, in nothing hurts us; nor are we conscious to ourselves that we have plotted against you. “For we trust,” he says, “that we have a good conscience among all,” not among the Gentiles only, but also among you. We have done nothing with deceitfulness,
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 The Book of Pastoral Rule 3.24
… Let them hear, therefore, what is written, If any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God ( 1 Pet. iv. 11 ). If then the words they utter are not of the things that are their own, why are they puffed up on account of them as though they were their own? Let them hear what is written, As of God , in the sight of God , speak we in Christ (
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Who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me ? He who is grieved and made penitent by my reproof is the one who most makes me glad, i.e., the incestuous person whom I excommunicated (1Co 1:5). Ver. 3. Lest when I came I should have sorrow. I wished by sending you a letter first to rebuke and correct your evil ways, lest I should be forced to do so in person, which would be very painful to me.
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Having confidence in you all. I had complete confidence that you would at once take away whatever might displease me, because you regard my joy as yours, and my grief therefore as yours also. I knew, therefore, that what displeased me would displease you. S. Paul says ail this to prepare the Corinthians for his arrival, and to induce them to amend themselves, lest he should be deeply grieved at seeing them not yet amended. Ver. 5. He hath not grieved me. The fornicator did not grieve me only.
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But in part. He grieved, says Anselm, many other good men as well as me; those, viz., who banished from their society with ignominy the man that I had already excommunicated.
That I may not overcharge you all. Overcharge you by putting on you the suspicion that there are not many who are grieved on account of the incestuous person. In the First Epistle (v. 2) he seems to have charged them all with consenting to, or with treating lightly, the sin of incest. Ver. 6. Sufficient to such a man is this punishment. The public separation and shame of excommunication. Hence it follows that the man repented after his excommunication, and is here absolved by the Apostle. Ver. 7. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him. Forgive him the rest of his term of penance by admitting him to your fellowship again. Cf. ver. 10.
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Ver.8. That ye would confirm your love toward him. By declaring in public assembly of the Church that you once more embrace him as a brother. There is an allusion in the Greek verb to the fixed days of assembly for legal trials or elections, and the Apostle therefore alludes to the fixed days of assembly in the Church, and bids the Corinthians confirm their love then toward the incestuous person by re-admitting him. Ver. 9. For to this end also did I write. Viz., this Epistle, to the end that I might induce you to confirm your love toward him.
2:9
That I might know the proof of you. A proof of your obedience. Ver. 10. To whom ye forgive anything, I forgive also. You have asked through Titus that he may be forgiven, and I make the same request of you. So Theodoret explains these words. Cf. also chap. vii. 7. It is clear from ver. 7 that this forgiveness had not yet taken place, and the meaning therefore is: As, when you were gathered together and my spirit I excommunicated him (1Co 5), so now do I join with you in forgiving him, as you will forgive him at my exhortation. Observe against Luther that this Epistle was written to the rulers of the Church, or rather to the Church itself, that it might exercise this power of absolving, not corporately, but by the prelates. Yet out of courtesy he wishes even the laity to co-operate in the absolution, and by their consent, prayers, desire, and compassion to forgive this scandal which had been given to them and the Church, and to remit the due canonical penance or punishment. Cf. 1Co 5:4. Hence he goes on to say, "For your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ." S. Paul here asserts that he forgave in the exercise of his power and jurisdiction as the vicar of Christ; and he orders his sentence to be publicly proclaimed in the Corinthian Church, by the bishop or some other officer, and implies that the Corinthians forgave merely through their prayers, consent, and execution of the sentence of absolution. S. Chrysostom lays this down clearly when he says: " As when he ordered the man to be cut off he did not allow that with them was any authority to forgive, since he said, 'I have judged to deliver such an one to Satan,' so again did he admit them into partnership with him when he said, 'When ye are gathered together to deliver him.' He was aiming at two ends, one that the sentence might be passed, and the other that it should not be carried out without them, lest he should seem to do them an injury by so acting. Neither does he pass sentence alone, lest the Apostle should seem to be isolated and to despise them."
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If I forgave anything, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ. I forgave it, i.e., I determined to forgive it (ver. 7), and now by this letter and by the bearer, whether Titus or some other, I forgive it. This is a Hebraism, by which the past is put for the present. It may be asked, What was it that the Apostle forgave? I reply 1. that this forgiveness consisted in giving absolution from excommunication, and at the same time, or rather still more, in giving full indulgence for the incest, i.e., remission of all the penalty due because of it. It is evident from 1 Cor. v. that the punishment inflicted was excommunication, and with it the penalty of ignominious exclusion from the Church, and the handing over of his body to be afflicted by Satan. Here, however, he absolves him from every chain by which he had been bound. 2. To forgive, properly speaking, refers to guilt or punishment. Of excommunication alone is it strictly said, "I absolve." 3. He re-admits him to grace, both on account of the zeal of the Corinthians and the contrition of the incestuous person, and relaxes his punishment and shame and rebuke, lest from too much sorrow he should despair. This indulgence is referred to by the word anything. Whatever part of the punishment you have asked may be forgiven him, I forgive him. 4. He remits the punishment not merely, as Calvin thinks, before the Church, but in God's judgment: this is expressed by the phrase in the person of Christ, otherwise there would not have been any indulgence or mercy shown here to the fornicator. It is better to be visited on earth with infamy and corporal punishment than before he tribunal of God to be handed over to the fire, either of purgatory of hell. Hence S. Thomas and others rightly lay down that the Apostle and the Church give indulgences. So, in olden times, martyrs, when in prison, sent to the Bishops men who had lapsed, praying them to relax their punishment, as appears from Tertullian (ad Martyr. c. 1), Cyprian (Epp. 11, 21, 22); and the Council of Nice (c. xi. and xii.) grants to those that have lapsed that, according to the willingness with which they bore the punishment inflicted on them, might the Bishop give indulgence. Cf. Baronius, vol. i. p. 592. Observe that the reason for giving indulgence was the fear that the penitent might despair. Hence, formerly, indulgence was not given unless a good part of the penalty had been paid, and that lest the vigour of discipline and of satisfaction, which is the third part of repentance, should be relaxed. Cf. S. Cyprian (ad Martyr. lib. iii. Epp. 6). The Council Trent (sess. xxv.), in its decree on indulgences, orders that moderation should be shown in giving indulgences, according to the ancient practice of the Church, lest ecclesiastical discipline should, by excessive leniency, be rendered lax. If I forgave anything. He speaks modestly of his generosity. Hence he adds that he did it in the Person of Christ.
In the person of Christ. This may be understood (1.) in the presence of Christ. So Theodoret and Vatablus. This rendering is eagerly adopted by Calvin and Beza, and read as if it meant, I forgive him ex animo, really and not feignedly. (2.) Properly it means, "I forgive him by the authority of Christ entrusted to me, who said, 'Whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.'" So Theophylact renders it: "I forgive him just as if Christ had forgiven him: just as a regent acts with the authority of a king, and orders, passes laws, and pardons in his stead." As S. Paul, in 1 Cor. v., had excommunicated the fornicator in the name of Christ, so here, by the same authority, he sets him free, just as any one who might have been condemned by the regent could not be pardoned but by the regent himself. Ver. 11. Lest Satan should get an advantage over us. Lest we be deceived, and lest that fornicator be, by excessive severity, driven by Satan to despair. The Greek verb means, lest we be seized unjustly, and taken possession of by Satan, just as misers, usurers, and tyrants defraud, and rob, and oppress. Hence Ambrose renders it, "Lest we be possessed by Satan." For, as Theophylact says, when Satan catches and deceives souls, he does not seize what is his own but what is ours and Christ's. Hence Tertullian (de Pudicit. c. xiii.) reads for the following clause: "We are not ignorant of his devices," "We are not ignorant of his robberies."
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For we are not ignorant of his devices. Plutarch relates an excellent saying of Chabrias, that "he is the best commander who knows intimately the plans of the enemy." In like manner he is the best Christian soldier and captain who knows thoroughly the devices and machinations of Satan. He transforms himself into an angel of light, that that which is a suggestion of our enemy the devil may seem to be the counsel of a friendly angel. We often experience suggestions of evil surmisings, bitterness of soul, anger, moroseness, cowardice, and we think that we are moved by some good cause and by reason, and that these things come forth from our own minds, when all the time they proceed from the devil, who suggests them to our ruin. The Christian, therefore, should, in such cases, reflect whether these suggestions are in accordance with charity, humility, patience, grace, and the law of Christ, and if he finds them to be opposed, let him be sure that they are of the devil: if he is in doubt, let him take counsel with his confessor, his superior, or some prudent man. S. Anthony, by long experience, learnt this and taught it: he was in the habit of constantly laying bare and explaining to his disciples, the arts and devices of the devil, and of pointing out the way to defeat them, as we read in the life of him by Athanasius. S. Francis, too, frequently did the same thing, and so freed many of his followers from the devil's temptations, as S. Bonaventura relates (Visa, lib. i. c. 11). In this way, then, Satan was instigating the leaders of the Corinthian Church to show anger and indignation against this fornicator for having so foully stained the first purity of his Church, to the end that, being deprived of all comfort and hope, he might lose all heart and become desperate. Paul saw through this intent of Satan, and here exposes it, and bids them receive the fornicator once more into grace, and give him, on his penitence, pardon and remission. Vers. 12, 13. Furthermore, when I came to Troas... I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother. S. Jerome (ad Hedibiam) says that Titus was S. Paul's interpreter, and explained the sublime truths taught by him in Greek worthy of the subject. There was, too, another reason why Paul went to Troas to meet Titus, viz., that he was anxious to hear from Titus, whom he had sent to Corinth, the state of the Church there, before he himself fulfilled his promise of returning thither. Hence, in chap. vii. 6, he says that he had been comforted in Macedonia by the arrival of Titus, who brought him word of the sorrow of the Corinthians and of their desire to see him. Titus, however, seems to have reported to Paul that the time was not yet ripe for his return to Corinth. Paul, therefore, postponed his visit to Corinth, and sent on this letter to pave the way for him, to and correct the failings of the Corinthians. Ver. 14. Now thanks be unto God which always causeth us to triumph in Christ. The Syriac and Theophylact render this "triumphs in us," i.e., makes us conspicuous to all. A triumph is the procession of a victorious commander through the midst of the city with his trophies and other signs of victory. But those things which seem to us to be suffering and shame are our glory and triumph, says Theophylact. Secondly, Anselm understands it of God triumphing over the devil in us or through us. Cf. Col 2:15. The Apostle seems to have had to bear sharp persecution in Macedonia, and, indeed, in vii. 5 he says that he had suffered there every kind of tribulation: without were fightings, within were fears; but God's grace gloriously and triumphantly overcame them all. S. Jerome (Ep. 150 ad Hedibiam, qu. xi.) says beautifully that the Apostle here gives thanks to God for counting him worthy to be the subject of the triumph of His Son over so many persecutions and evils, which he underwent in his task of converting the Gentiles to Christ. " For the triumph of God," says S. Jerome, " is the suffering of the martyrs for the name of Christ, the shedding of their blood, and their joy in the midst of torture. For when anyone saw the martyrs stand firm, and so perseveringly endure tortures, and glory in their sufferings, the odour of the Knowledge of Christ was shed abroad among the Gentiles, and the half unconscious thought would arise that if the Gospel were not true it would never be proof against death." The preaching of the Gospel therefore triumphs in the Apostles, inasmuch as in it faith overcomes unbelief, truth falsehood, the love of Christ the hatred of the scornful, patience every kind of suffering and persecution, and even death itself. Ver.15. We are unto God a sweet savour of Christ. Or, according to the Latin, a sweet odour. We scatter by word and example a good report of Christ to the honour of God. A good odour is exhaled from special kinds of herbs and such things as sweet spices. Such was the fame of the Apostles and of their preaching, such was the glory and honour that sprang from their virtues and was due to their merits. Hence the bride, i.e., the Church, in Song vii. 1, compares herself to a garden of sweet spices in which there is to be seen the beauty, pleasantness, and fair order of the growing herbs and sweetly scented flowers which exhale their delicious fragrance. This is what Christ orders in S. Matt. v. i6, where by another metaphor glory and good name are called the splendour that flows forth from the light of good works. S. Bernard (Serm. xii. in Cantic.) says excellently: " Paul was a chosen vessel, truly a sweet-smelling vessel, filled with pleasant odours and with every fair colour for the painter, for he was a good odour of Christ in every place. Truly, far and wide was the fragrance of his abundant sweetness scattered from that breast which so anxiously and for all the Churches. For see what spices and aromas he had stored up within: ' I die daily,' he says, ' for your glory,' and, ' Who is weak and am I not weak? '" Observe again that, as the more spices are crushed the greater is the fragrance they exhale, so is it with Christ, His Apostles and Martyrs, and all the Saints: the greater the persecutions and tribulations that pressed them and, as it were, crushed them, the sweeter was the odour that their virtue gave forth. Cf. Ambrose and Anselm, and S. Bernard (Serm. 71 in Cantic.), who discourses of the spiritual colour and odour of virtues from the text, "I am the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the valley." He says: " The character has its colours and its odours; odour in the good report it bears, colour in the conscience within. The good intention of your heart gives its colour to your work; the example of your modesty and virtue gives it its odour. The righteous is in himself a fair lily, to his neighbour he is full of sweet odours. To our neighbour we owe it that we maintain a good reputation, to ourselves that we are careful to have a conscience void of offence." S. Jerome also, alluding to the same passage, says: " The life and conversation of a Bishop, pastor, or teacher ought to be such that all his goings out and comings in, and all his works should be redolent of heavenly grace." Heathen writers also employ this image of odour in rebuking evil livers. Martial, e.g., says that "he smells not sweet who always smells sweet," implying that that man's chastity was to be suspected who was always endeavouring to overwhelm the foulness of his own shameful disease by some artificial scent. Certainly we read of the virgin Catherine of Sienna, that she was wont to close her nostrils when she met any one that was impure, as though the smell of his wickedness was grievous to her, God giving this most chaste virgin perception of such things. S. Basil (Ep. 175) relates that some bird-catchers were wont to dip the wings of tame doves in some sweet liquid which was pleasant to other doves, so as to allure them and catch them. So must the Christian do: by the sweet odour of his virtues he must allure the lost and bring them to Christ. So did the virgin Cecilia win to Christ her spouse Valerianus, by causing him, on the first night of their marriage life, to smell the most fragrant odour of her chastity, as though it were the scent of spring roses. Ver. 16. To the one we are the savour of death unto death, and to the other the savour of life unto life." " We are," says Theophylact, " a royal censer, and wherever we go we carry with us the odour of the spiritual ointment, i.e., in every place we scatter the good fumes of the knowledge of God." Again says Œcumenius: " As the fragrance of ointment nourishes the dove and destroys the beetle, and as the light of the sun gladdens the eyes that are healthy and hurts those that are weak, as fire purifies gold and destroys straw, so is Christ ruin to the evil, resurrection to the good." Observe the Hebraism, an odour of death unto death, i.e., a deadly odour bringing death. The fragrance of the fame of the life, preaching, and conversion of the Apostles breathed life into the good, death into the evil; for the wicked, unable to bear the splendour of such holiness, hardened themselves the more in their wickedness, envy, or hatred. But Clement of Alexandria (Pæd. lib. ii.) reads, "odour from death" and "odour from life," which means: The preaching of the Cross and death of Christ is an odour to the unbelievers arising from the death of Christ, and tends to the ruin of those who regard that death merely as a death, and find it accordingly foolishness or a stumbling-block: but to them that believe it is an odour from life, inasmuch as they embrace the life offered to them in this death. For the death of Christ was the cause of his resurrection to a glorious life, and in us it is the cause of our resurrection to the life of grace in this world, and the life of glory in the world to come.
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And who is sufficient for these things ? The ministers, says Ambrose, who are in every place a good odour of Christ are as few as they are insufficient. Ver. 17. For we are not as many which corrupt the word of God. The particle for denotes that Paul, with the few other Apostles, was by God's grace a fitting minister of Christ, and scattered wherever he went the good odour of the Gospel, while many others were unfitting preachers of the Gospel, of evil odour and of bad report The Latin for corrupt is "adulterate," which, Salmeron says, denotes the act of one who has connection with a woman that is not his wife; so does he who mingles truth and falsehood adulterate the word of God. S. Gregory (Morals, lib. xxii. c. 12) says: ' To adulterate the word of God is either to think of it otherwise than it is, or to seek from it, not spiritual fruit but the corrupt offspring of human praise. To speak in sincerity is to say nothing but what one ought, i.e., to seek always the glory of the Creator. " Again (Morals, lib. xvi. c. 2 5) he says: " An adulterer seeks not offspring but carnal delight; and whoever perversely serves vain-glory is rightly said to adulterate the word of God, because it is not his aim to beget children to God by sacred eloquence but to display his own knowledge. Whosoever therefore is drawn to speak by the desire of vain-glory spends his labour rather on pleasure than generation." But the Greek word used here is not the word for committing adultery, but one that denotes to traffic as an inn-keeper, and S. Paul contrasts with this sincere dealing. They make the word of God a matter of traffic, who, like inn-keepers, preach the Gospel for gain, and look at it entirely from the point of view of their own profit. Still the Latin accurately translates the passage, because, as inn-keepers often adulterate the wine that they sell to increase their profits, so do greedy and false preachers of the Gospel mingle with it their own gain, and so adulterate that Gospel which should be pure, and be purely referred to God's glory. "War is not a matter of traffic," said King Pyrrhus, "but of fighting." Cowardly captains, from dread of battle, stave it off by payment of money; others sell the loyalty they owe to their leader, and, like inn-keepers, arrange with the enemy the price of the cities and fortresses entrusted to their charge. Again, these same false preachers, in order to add to their gain and to win the applause of men, often teach and preach what they see is pleasing to great men or to the people, and tickle their ears, and so corrupt the Gospel with false and empty doctrines. The Apostle seems to be here censuring incidentally his enemies the false Apostles, who were adulterating Christianity with Judaism, and who are severely reproved by him in chaps. x. and xi. Hence, in chap. iv. 2, he explains corrupt" to mean "handle the word of God deceitfully," and he contrasts himself and other sincere teachers of the Gospel with these deceitful dealers in chap. iii.
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But as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ. I am not an inn-keeper, as are the false apostles, but a sincere preacher of the word of God, preaching nothing but what I have learned from God and have received at His mouth as His ambassador. I know too, and constantly keep in mind and reflect that I stand and preach in the presence of God, and that all that I do or say is noted by Him and will have to be accounted for by me in the hour of death.
In Christ, says S. Jerome (ad Hedibiam), is the same as for Christ; or it may mean "of Christ and His religion." The sense then is: I preach the doctrine of Christ alone, I spread the honour and glory of Christ alone. Or in Christ may again be taken to mean that he speaks and preaches in the truth, faithfulness, and sincerity of Christ. S. Chrysostom once more takes it to mean through Christ and His grace.
2:1
Apostolus supra posuit excusationem in generali de mora eundi ad Corinthios, hic vero insinuat causam tantae morae, et quomodo eis pepercit. Circa hoc autem duo facit. Primo enim insinuat unam causam dilationis fuisse ne in adventu suo tristitiam inferret eis; secundo ostendit aliam causam fuisse ne fructus quem apud alios sperabat, et inceperat facere, impediretur, ibi cum venissem autem, et cetera. Circa primum duo facit. Primo ostendit causam dilationis esse in communi, ne tristitiam inferret; secundo loquitur in speciali de quodam, qui eum contristaverat, ibi si quis autem contristavit me. Circa primum tria facit. Primo assignat rationem quare venire distulit; secundo causam dicti assignat si enim ego contristatus, etc.; tertio manifestat quae dixit, ibi nam ex multa tribulatione. Dicit ergo: dixi quod non veni ad vos parcens vobis, in hoc scilicet quia nolui vos contristari, ideo statui, id est firmiter disposui, hoc ipsum apud me, quod proposui, cum aliam epistolam misi, Eccli. XXXVII, v. 20: ante omnia verbum verum, et cetera. Ne iterum, id est alia vice, in tristitia venirem ad vos, id est vos contristem. Et ratio quare noluit eos contristare est illa qua dominus noluit ieiunare discipulos suos, scilicet ad hoc, ut amore et non timore afficerentur ad Christum, et iungerentur sibi. Voluit enim eos dominus firmare et nutrire in fide, in omni dulcedine et desiderio cordis, et sic, firmati ex amore, non de facili avellerentur propter tribulationes, quia aquae multae non potuerunt extinguere charitatem, Cant. VIII, 7. Similiter apostolus non vult eos propter hoc contristare. Rationem huius dicti, scilicet quod non vult eos contristare, assignat cum dicit si enim ego contristo, et cetera. Et circa hoc duo facit. Primo assignat causam quare noluit eos contristare; secundo manifestat quare hoc significet eis, ibi et hoc ipsum scripsi. Dicit ergo: ratio quare nolui in tristitia venire est quia tristitia vestra redundat in tristitiam meam, et de consolatione vestra gaudeo, et solum vos consolamini me, cum sum apud vos; unde, si venirem et contristarem vos, ego ex tristitia vestra tristarer, et sic nullus esset qui laetificaret me inter vos, qui contristamini ex me, quia contristatus non de facili alium consolatur. Prov. c. X, 1: filius sapiens, et cetera. Prov. XXIX, 3: vir qui amat sapientiam, et cetera. Vel aliter: est duplex tristitia. Una secundum mundum; alia secundum Deum, quae poenitentiam in salutem operatur. Apostolus non loquitur de prima, sed de secunda. Et dicit: ex hoc ipso ego consolabor, si contristo vos, id est, si increpando reduco ad poenitentiam; sed si venirem, et viderem vos non poenitere de peccatis, tunc nullam consolationem haberem, quia nullus contristatur et poenitet ex me, id est, mea correctione et increpatione. Causa autem quare hoc scribo vobis est ut ita disponatis vos quod, quando venero, non habeam tristitiam de eo quod viderim vos incorrectos, super tristitiam quam habui, quando audivi vos peccasse. Et circa hoc duo facit. Primo ponit admonitionem; secundo spem de impletione admonitionis ostendit, ibi confidens in omnibus vobis, et cetera. Admonitio est ista: ideo scripsi vobis hoc, scilicet quod tristor de peccato vestro commisso, II Petr. II, 8: iniquis operibus animam iusti cruciabant, etc., ut paretis et disponatis vos corrigendo, ut cum venero ad vos, non habeam tristitiam de peccatis, de quibus, scilicet vobis, oportuerat me gaudere, id est, debebam laetari et congratulari, scilicet de praesentia vestra. Lc. XV, 10: gaudium est Angelis Dei, et cetera. Qualem autem spem habeat de impletione suae admonitionis, subdit, dicens: confidens de omnibus vobis, etc.; quasi dicat: hanc fiduciam habeo de vobis taliter disponi vos, ut cum venero, omnes detis mihi materiam gaudii. Et hoc debetis libenter facere, quia gaudium meum, etc., id est cedit ad gaudium vestrum, vel est propter gaudium vestrum, quod habetis de recuperatione gratiae. I Tim. II: quod est gaudium meum et cetera. Rom. XII, 15: gaudere cum gaudentibus, et cetera.
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Sed quia posset aliquis dubitare de hoc, quod dicit ne, cum venero, tristitiam super tristitiam habeam, et quaerere quam tristitiam habuit de eis, ideo consequenter hoc exponit, dicens nam ex multa tribulatione, et cetera. Et circa hoc duo facit. Primo manifestat tristitiam iamdudum habitam; secundo respondet cuidam tacitae quaestioni, ibi non ut contristemini, et cetera. Dicit ergo primo: quia haberem tristitiam, si non invenirem vos correctos, super tristitiam quam habui quando peccastis, et oportuit me contristare vos redarguendo dure. Nam ex multa tribulatione et angustia cordis scripsi primam epistolam, per multas lacrymas, quas fudi pro vobis iam mortuis per peccatum. Ier. IX, 1: quis dabit capiti meo aquas, et cetera. Eccli. XXII, v. 3: confusio est patri de filio indisciplinato. Is. LVII, 1: iustus perit, et non est qui recogitet, et cetera. Sciendum est autem quod duo ponit ad exaggerationem tristitiae, tribulationem scilicet et angustiam, quia unum additum alteri aggravat tristitiam. Nam aliquando quis tribulatur, sed sine angustia, tunc scilicet quando aliqua adversitate quasi acutissimo tribulo pungitur, et tamen videt sibi patere vias evadendi, quia si non pateat, tribulationi angustia iungitur. Dicit ergo ex multa tribulatione, qua pungebar de facto et malo vestri, et angustia cordis, quia non videbam unde de facili posset poni remedium, scripsi, et cetera. Ps. CXVIII, 143: tribulatio et angustia invenerunt me. Sed quia possent dicere: o apostole, etiam haec scribis nobis ut tristemur, et ideo hoc removet, dicens non ut contristemini, scilicet scribo vobis illa, sed ut sciatis quam charitatem habeam in vobis. Duo enim sunt signa dilectionis, scilicet quod gaudeat quis de bono alterius, et tristetur de malo eius, et haec ego habeo ad vos. Infra V, v. 14: charitas Christi urget nos. Abundantius, quam credatis, vel abundantius quam ad alios.
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Postquam apostolus insinuavit causam dilationis, ne scilicet tristitiam inferret, et de eius contristatione tractavit, hic consequenter tractat de contristante. Et circa hoc tria facit. Primo enim exaggerat culpam contristantis; secundo poenam eius pro culpa inflictam, ibi sufficit illi, etc.; tertio hortatur eos habere misericordiam ad contristantem, ibi ita ut e contrario, et cetera. Dicit ergo primo: scripsi vobis per multas lacrymas, quas fudi propter tristitiam conceptam et propter poenam infligendam peccanti, sed si quis contristavit me, ille scilicet fornicarius enormis, de quo dicitur I Cor. V, 1: omnino auditur inter vos fornicatio, et cetera. Iste, inquam, et si contristavit, non contristavit me, sed ex parte, id est, non contristavit me, scilicet solum, sed vos et nos. Non omnes, sed ex parte. Et hoc dico, non ut onerem vos omnes, id est, ut vobis hoc onus omnibus non imponam derisorie loquendo, quasi dicat: non ita estis boni et diligitis me, quod pro tristitia mea, et pro peccato fratris omnes doleatis. Vel ut non onerem omnes vos, non tantum illos qui non doluerunt de peccato. Vel aliter dicendum, et melius, non me contristavit, sed ex parte, et cetera. Sciendum est enim quod aliquis aliquando tristatur totaliter, et aliquando non totaliter. Totaliter quidem tristatur quis, quando prae tristitia absorbetur a dolore; et haec tristitia est quae mortem operatur, ut dicitur infra, c. VII, 10, quae quidem, secundum philosophum, non cadit in sapientem. Non totaliter autem tristatur quis quando licet ex aliquo malo quod patitur seu videt fieri, tristatur, tamen ex aliis causis bonis gaudet, et ista tristitia est secundum Deum et cadit in sapientem. Quia ergo apostolus dicit se contristatum, ne credatur totaliter a tristitia absorptus, quod non est sapientis, dicit se contristatum ex parte, quasi non totaliter. Et secundum hoc legitur sic: contristavit me, scilicet fornicarius, propter peccatum suum sed non me contristavit totaliter, quia licet in ipso propter peccatum habuerim tristitiam, tamen in vobis propter multa bona quae facitis, et in ipso propter poenitentiam quam fecit, habeo gaudium.
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Et dico ex parte, ut non onerem omnes vos, id est, ut non imponam vobis hoc onus, quod scilicet contristaveritis me.
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Sed ne isti propter tristitiam apostoli adhuc vellent eum magis punire, ostendit eis poenam sufficientem fuisse, dicens sufficit illi qui eiusmodi est, quod scilicet contristavit me, tam graviter peccando, obiurgatio quae fit a pluribus, id est tam manifesta et publica correctio, quae fuit, quod separatus fuit ab omni communione, id est excommunicatus ab Ecclesia et traditus Satanae, ut habetur I Cor. V, 5. Est ergo sufficiens haec poena propter dictas causas. Vel potest dici sufficiens, non quantum ad Dei iudicium, sed quantum expediebat tempori et personae. Melius enim est sic servare lenitatis spiritum in corrigendo, ut per poenitentiam correctionis fructus sequatur, quam si durius corrigatur, et desperet peccans et maioribus peccatis immergatur. Et ideo dicitur Eccli. XXI, 5: obiurgatio et iniuriae annullabunt substantiam. Quia ergo poena sufficiens fuit et poenitentiam egit, ideo consequenter inducit eos ad miserendum, dicens ita ut e contrario magis, etc., ubi tria facit. Primo mandat ut ei, scilicet peccanti, parcant; secundo huius rationem assignat, ibi ne forte, et cetera. Tertio inducit eos ad observantiam huius monitionis, ibi propter quod, et cetera. Dicit ergo primo: dico quod sufficiens poena est illi, et intantum ut velim ut e contrario magis donetis, id est remittatis. Lc. VI, 37: dimittite, et dimittetur vobis. Eph. IV, 32: donantes invicem, sicut et Deus in Christo donavit vobis. Et non solum donetis, sed, quod plus est, consolemini. Et hoc proponendo sibi exempla peccantium, qui restituti sunt ad statum gratiae, sicut dicitur de David, Petro, Paulo, et Magdalena, et per verba Dei: Ez. XVIII, v. 32: nolo mortem peccatoris, et cetera. I Thess. c. ult.: corripite inquietos, consolamini pusillanimes, et cetera.
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Rationem autem huius admonitionis subdit ne forte abundantiori tristitia absorbeatur qui eiusmodi est. Aliquis enim propter peccatum et poenam peccati, aliquando sic mergitur tristitia, quod absorbetur, dum nullum habet consolatorem; et hoc est malum, quia non sequitur ex hoc poenitentiae fructus, qui speratur, scilicet correctio, sed potius desperans tradit se omnibus peccatis, sicut Cain, cum dixit: maior est iniquitas, etc., Gen. IV, 13; et Eph. IV, 19: qui desperantes tradiderunt se, et cetera. Et propter hoc dicitur II Reg. II, 26, quod periculosa res est desperatio. Et ideo dicebat David in Ps. LXVIII, 16: neque absorbeat me profundum, et cetera. Et ideo ne hoc contingat, dicit consolamini, ut scilicet cesset a peccato. Is. XXVII, v. 9: hic est omnis fructus, ut auferatur peccatum.
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Contra apostolus, non solum per rationem sed ex aliis causis, inducit eos ad hoc cum dicit propter quod obsecro, et cetera. Et inducit eos a tribus modis. Primo precibus, dicens propter quod, scilicet ne absorbeatur, obsecro, qui possum praecipere. Phil. v. 8: multam fiduciam habens in Christo Iesu imperandi tibi, et cetera. Contrarium faciunt mali praelati. Ez. XXXIV, 4: cum austeritate imperabatis eis, et cetera. Ut confirmetis in illum charitatem. Quod fit si ostenditis charitatem vestram ad eum, et non abominamini eum propter peccata, nec contemnitis, sed propter consolationem vestram facitis eum habere odio peccatum suum, et diligere iustitiam. Lc. XXII, 32: et tu conversus confirma fratres tuos, et cetera. Secundo inducit eos praecepto, dicens ideo enim scripsi hoc, scilicet ut cognoscam experimentum vestrum, an in omnibus obedientes sitis. Et dicit in omnibus, scilicet sive in his quae placent vobis, sive in his quae displicent. Primo enim mandaverat eis quod excommunicarent eum, et sic fecerunt mandatum apostoli: nunc vero secundo mandat eis quod parcant.
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Et ideo dicit an in omnibus obedientes sitis. Tertio ex commemoratione beneficii, cum dicit cui autem aliquid donastis, etc., quasi dicat: vos debetis hoc facere, quia etiam ego feci. Sic enim vos remisistis alicui et rogastis me quod ego remitterem, et ego remisi.
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Et hoc est quod dicit cui autem aliquid donastis vos, et ego, scilicet donavi. Et hoc patet. Nam et ego, quod donavi, etc.; ubi quatuor tanguntur ad huiusmodi donationem seu remissionem necessaria. Primum est discretio, ut scilicet non passim et temere remittatur. Et ideo dicit si quid, scilicet in debito modo. Prov. IV, 25: palpebrae tuae praecedant, et cetera. Secundum est finis, quia non propter amorem vel odium debet fieri, sed propter utilitatem aliquam Ecclesiae vel aliquorum. Et ideo dicit propter vos. Tertium est auctoritas, quia non debet fieri auctoritate propria, sed Christi, qui remittit peccata auctoritate; alii vero, quibus commissum est, ministerio, et sicut membra Christi. Et ideo dicit in persona Christi, scilicet non mea auctoritate. Et tamen quodcumque remittitur, Christus remittit. Io. XX, v. 23: quorum remiseritis peccata, et cetera.
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Quartum est necessitas; unde dicit ut non circumveniamur a Satana. Diabolus enim multos decepit, quosdam scilicet trahendo ad peccatorum perpetrationem, quosdam vero ad nimiam rigiditatem contra peccantes, ut si non potest eos habere per perpetrationem facinorum, saltem perdat quos iam habet per praelatorum austeritatem, qui eos non misericorditer corrigentes in desperationem inducunt, et sic hos perdit, et illos Diaboli laqueus includit. Eccle. VII, 17: noli esse nimis iustus, et cetera. I Petr. V, 8: adversarius vester Diabolus, et cetera. Et hoc continget nobis, si non remittamus peccantibus. Et ideo, ut non circumveniamur a Satana, ego donavi, si quid donavi. Non enim ignoramus cogitationes eius, scilicet Satanae. Verum est in generali, sed in speciali nullus potest scire eius cogitationes, nisi solus Deus. Iob XLI, 4: quis revelavit faciem indumenti eius? et cetera.
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Posita prima causa suae dilationis, ne scilicet cum tristitia iret ad eos, hic ponit causam secundam quae est ex fructu quem alicubi faciebat. Et circa hoc duo facit. Primo ponit sui itineris processum; secundo ipsius processus effectum, ibi Deo autem gratias, et cetera. Circa primum duo facit. Primo ostendit impedimentum fructificandi, quod habuit in Troade; secundo subiungit processum suum in Macedoniam, ibi sed valefaciens, et cetera. Dicit ergo cum venissem Troadem propter Evangelium, id est ad praedicandum Christum, Io. XV, 16: posui vos ut eatis, etc., et ostium mihi apertum esset, id est mentes hominum paratae et dispositae essent ad recipiendum praedicationis verba et Christum. I Cor. XVI, 9: ostium mihi apertum est, et cetera. Apoc. III, 20: ecce sto ad ostium, et cetera. Sed non in quocumque, imo in domino, quia ipsa praeparatio mentis humanae est ex virtute divina. Nam licet facilitas qua mentes praeparantur, sit causa conversionis, tamen ipsius facilitatis et praeparationis causa est Deus. Thren. ult.: converte nos, domine, ad te, et convertemur. Cum, inquam, ita esset apertum mihi ostium in domino, non habui requiem spiritui meo, id est non potui facere quod spiritus meus volebat, id est dictabat. Tunc enim dicitur habere spiritus requiem, quando efficit quod vult, sicut tunc dicitur caro requiescere, quando habet quod concupiscit. Lc. c. XII, 19: anima mea, habes multa bona, et cetera. Apostolus non dicit: non habui requiem carni meae vel corpori sed spiritui meo, id est voluntati meae spirituali, quae est ut Christum firmem in cordibus hominum. Et impediebar, quia videbam corda parata et disposita, et non poteram praedicare. Sed quare non habuit requiem spiritui suo, subdit eo quod non inveni Titum fratrem meum, id est propter absentiam Titi, et hoc duplici de causa. Una causa est, quod licet apostolus sciret omnes linguas, ita ut diceret: gratias ago Deo meo, quod omnium vestrum lingua loquor, tamen magis expeditus et edoctus erat in lingua Hebraea, quam in Graeca; Titus autem magis in Graeca. Et ideo volebat eum habere praesentem, ut praedicaret in Troade.
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Et quia erat absens, nam Corinthii detinuerant eum, dicit non habui requiem spiritui meo. Sed quia dona Dei non sunt imperfecta, et donum linguarum fuit specialiter apostolis collatum ad praedicandum per totum mundum, Ps. XVIII, 5: in omnem terram exivit sonus eorum, etc., et ideo alia causa est melior, quae est, quia apostolo imminebant in Troade multa facienda. Nam ex una parte imminebat ei praedicare his qui parati erant recipere Christum per fidem; ex alia parte imminebat ei resistere adversariis qui impediebant; et ideo quia ipse non poterat solus ista facere, angustiabatur de absentia Titi, qui institisset praedicationi et conversioni bonorum, et apostolus restitisset adversariis. Et specialiter etiam hoc scribit eis, ut innuat, quod non solum prima causa dilationis suae fuit ex eis, sed etiam secunda. Nam ipsi propter duritiam et dissensionem eorum detinuerant tanto tempore Titum, et ideo dicit eo quod non inveni Titum fratrem, vel in Christo, vel coadiutorem. Prov. XVIII, 19: frater qui iuvatur a fratre, et cetera. Et quia non inveni Titum in Troade, non remansi ibi, sed valefaciens eis, qui erant conversi, et in quibus ostium apertum erat, profectus sum in Macedoniam, ubi credebam eum invenire. Causa autem essendi in Macedonia legitur Act. XVI, 9, ubi dicitur quod vir Macedo, et cetera. Consequenter cum dicit gratias autem Deo, etc., ponit profectum sui processus, et circa hoc duo facit. Primo enim describit ordinem sui processus; secundo excludit ab isto processu pseudoapostolos, ibi ad hoc quis tam idoneus, et cetera. Circa primum duo facit. Primo insinuat profectum quem faciebat; secundo exponit quoddam quod dixerat, ibi Christi bonus odor, et cetera. Circa primum sciendum quod apostolus profectum et fructum quem faciebat, non attribuit sibi, neque propriae virtuti, sed Deo. I Cor. XV, 10: abundantius omnibus laboravi non ego, sed gratia, et cetera. Et ideo dicit gratias autem Deo, scilicet ago. I Thess. c. V, 18: in omnibus gratias agite. Eph. V, v. 20: gratias agentes, et cetera. Qui semper triumphat nos in Christo Iesu, id est triumphare nos facit in praedicatione Christi contra adversarios. Ubi sciendum est quod praedicatores veritatis duo debent facere, scilicet exhortari in doctrina sacra et contradicentem devincere. Et hoc dupliciter: disputatione haereticos, patientia vero persecutores. Unde per ordinem ista tangit hic apostolus, et ideo dicit qui triumphat nos, quantum ad contradicentes. Rom. VIII, 37: in his omnibus superamus. Et I Mac. III, 19: non in fortitudine exercitus victoria belli, sed de caelo, et cetera.
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Et odorem notitiae suae manifestat per nos in omni loco, quantum ad exhortationem sacrae doctrinae. Sed odorem notitiae suae exponit Glossa, id est filium suum; sed melius est ut hoc dicatur ad differentiam notitiae de Deo, quam faciunt aliae scientiae et quam facit fides. Nam notitia de Deo quae habetur per alias scientias, illuminat intellectum solum, ostendens quod Deus est causa prima, quod est unus et sapiens, et cetera. Sed notitia de Deo quae habetur per fidem et illuminat intellectum et delectat affectum, quia non solum dicit quod Deus est prima causa, sed quod est salvator noster, quod est redemptor, et quod diligit nos, quod est incarnatus pro nobis: quae omnia affectum inflammant. Et ideo dicendum quod odorem notitiae suae, id est notitiam suae suavitatis, credenti per nos in omni loco manifestat, quia iste odor longe lateque diffunditur. Eccli. XXIV, 23: ego quasi vitis fructificavi, et cetera. Gen. XXVII, v. 27: ecce odor filii, et cetera. Quia vero aliqui possent dicere: quid est odor Dei in omni loco? Nam multa loca sunt in quibus non recipitur praedicatio nostra. Ideo apostolus exponit, dicens: non curo, quia sive recipiant praedicationem, sive non, tamen notitia Dei manifestatur ubique per nos, quia sumus bonus odor Christi Deo, id est ad honorem Dei. Et loquitur ad similitudinem legis, ubi dicitur quod sacrificium fiat in odorem suavitatis suavissimum Deo; quasi dicat: nos sumus holocaustum quod offertur Deo in odorem suavitatis.
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Et tam in his qui salvi fiunt, ut scilicet non pereant, quod est eis a Deo, quam in his qui pereunt, quod est eis ex seipsis. Unde Osee XIII, 9: perditio tua, Israel, ex te, et cetera. Sed estne odor bonis et malis eodem modo? Non, sed aliis quidem est odor mortis in mortem, id est, invidiae et malitiae occasionaliter ducentis eos in mortem aeternam, illis scilicet qui invidebant bonae famae apostoli et impugnabant praedicationem Christi et conversionem fidelium. Lc. II, 34: positus est hic in ruinam, et in resurrectionem, et cetera. Aliis autem odor vitae, dilectionis et bonae opinionis ducentis eos in vitam aeternam scilicet illis qui gaudent et convertuntur ad praedicationem apostoli. I Cor. I, 18: verbum crucis pereuntibus, et cetera. His autem qui salvi, et cetera. Sic ergo ex odore apostoli boni vivunt, mali moriuntur, sicut legitur quod ad odorem vinearum florentium moriuntur serpentes.
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Consequenter cum dicit: sed ad haec quis tam idoneus, etc., excludit ab isto profectu pseudo-apostolos, dicens quis illorum pseudo-apostolorum est tam idoneus ad ista, scilicet quae nos apostoli veri facimus? Quasi dicat: nullus. Ps. CXXXVIII, 17: nimis honorati sunt amici tui, Deus. Sed contra Prov. XXVII, 2: laudet te alienus, et cetera. Ad hoc respondet Gregorius super Ezech., quod sancti duplici ex causa seipsos laudant, et non propter gloriam suam et vanitatem. Prima causa est, ut non desperent in tribulationibus, sicut Iob, quando amici nitebantur eum ad desperationem inducere, reduxit ad memoriam sua bona quae fecerat, ut confortatus non desperaret. Unde dicebat: pepigi foedus cum oculis meis, et cetera. Legitur etiam de quodam sancto patre, quod quando tentabatur de desperatione, reducebat ad memoriam bona quae fecerat, ut confortaretur; quando tentabatur de superbia, reducebat ad memoriam mala, ut humiliaretur. Secunda causa est propter utilitatem, ut scilicet haberetur in maiori fama, et citius crederetur doctrinae suae. Et propter hanc causam hic apostolus laudat se. Nam Corinthii praeferebant sibi pseudo-apostolos, et condemnabant eum, et ideo non sic obediebant sibi. Ut ergo non vilipenderent eum, sed obedirent sibi, praefert se eis et laudat se, et dicit sed ad haec quis tam idoneus, sicut nos? Non pseudo-apostoli, quia licet ipsi praedicent, tamen adulterant verbum Dei, quod nos non facimus.
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Unde dicit non sumus sicut plurimi, scilicet pseudo-apostoli, adulterantes verbum Dei, admiscendo contraria, sicut haeretici, qui licet confiteantur Christum, tamen non dicunt eum esse verum Deum. Sic faciunt pseudo-apostoli, qui dicunt cum Evangelio debere observari legalia. Item non adulterantes verbum Dei, id est, praedicantes vel propter quaestum, vel propter favorem laudis. Sic enim mulieres adulterae dicuntur quando recipiunt semen ex alio viro ad propagationem prolis. In praedicatione autem semen nihil aliud est quam finis seu intentio tua, vel favor gloriae propriae. Si ergo finis tuus est quaestus, si intentio tua est favor gloriae propriae, adulteras verbum Dei. Hoc faciebant pseudo-apostoli, qui propter quaestum praedicabant. Infra IV, 2: neque adulterantes verbum Dei, et cetera. Apostoli autem praedicabant neque propter quaestum, neque gloriam propriam, sed propter laudem Dei et salutem proximi. Et ideo subiungit sed ex sinceritate, id est, sincera intentione, non pro quaestu et sine admixtione corruptionis. Supra I, 12: ex sinceritate, et cetera. Ponit autem triplicem rationem huius sinceritatis. Prima ratio sumitur ex dignitate mittentis. Nuntium enim veritatis decet vera loqui. Et ideo dicit ex Deo, id est, illa sinceritate quae est digna nuntiatio Dei. I Petr. IV, 11: si quis loquitur quasi sermones Dei. Secunda sumitur ex auctoritate praesidentis cui astat. Ideo dicit coram Deo, coram quo ex sinceritate loqui debemus. III Reg. c. XVII, 1: vivit dominus, in cuius conspectu sto, et cetera. Tertia sumitur ex dignitate materiae de qua loquitur. Nam praedicatio apostolorum est de Christo, et ideo debet esse sincera, sicut et ipse Deus et Christus. Et ideo dicit in Christo solum, non de legalibus, ut pseudo-apostoli faciunt. I Cor. II, 2: neque existimavi me scire aliquid inter vos, nisi Christum, et hunc crucifixum.
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1. Statui autem hoc ipsum apud me, ne iterum in tristitia venirem ad vos. Causam, propter quam nondum venerat, paulo ante indicatam, cum diceret: parcens vobis, hic jam plenius exponit Apostolus. Graeca sic habent: Decreviautem mihi ipsi, id est, apud me ipsum, hoc, non iterum venire in tristitia ad vos. Significat enim illud: non iterum venire etc., fuisse apud se decretum et constitutum; uti patet ex articulo Graeco to praefixo. Dubium est autem, adverbium iterum quid determinet. Neque enim referri potest ad totum illud: venire in tristitia; non enim antea aliquando Paulus ad Corinthios venerat in tristitia. Chrysostomus et ejus sequaces, quos et Erasmus sequitur in sua paraphrasi, referunt ad solum illud: in tristitia. Nam, ut ajunt, quia superiore epistola Corinthios moerore affecerat, noluit iterum eos contristare. Quod futurum erat, si ad eos nondum correctos venisset. At vero Cajetanus rem melius videtur assecutus, quando particulam iterum tantummodo referri vult ad verbum venire, ut sensus sit: Nolui secundum meum adventum ad vos esse cum tristitia. Quod et ante Cajetanum breviter annotavit Theodoretus, dicens, illud iterum cum adventu, non cum tristitia conjunctum esse. Sentiunt hoc ipsum Pelagius et Primasius, dum Apostoli verba sic exponunt: Cogitavi vel disposui, ne in tristitia secundo venirem, qui, cum primum credidistis, apud vos in gaudio fui. Sensum hunc confirmat contextus Graecus, in quo proxime sibi junguntur: iterum venire. Simili sermone dicit infra cap. 12.: Neiterum, cum venero, hu~ miliet me Deus apud vos. Vide loci illius commentarium. Porro loquitur Apostolus de tristitia, non tam sua, quam Corinthiorum, qua nempe per ipsum afficiendi erant; quamvis ex illa doceat etiam suam tristitiam consecuturam. Hoc enim est, quod sequitur:
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2. Si enim ego contristo vos; et quis est, qui me laetificet, nisi qui contristatur ex me? Sermonem mutilum esse putat Cajetanus, ac suppplet hoc modo: Si ego contristo vos, quis vos consolabitur; cum mei sit officii vos consolari? Deinde nova sententia vult subjungi, quod sequitur: Et quis est, qui me laetificet, nisi etc Magis placet, quod aliidicunt, voculam et, ut interdum in scriptis Paulinis, redundare. Quamquam etiam videri potest, per eam additam aliquid gratiae accedere interrogationi; velut si dicatur: Ecquis, aut, quis vero, quis obsecro. Planus igitur sensus est: Quod si ego vos contristo, dum praesens sum apud vos; quisDam erit, obsecro, qui me apud vos exhilaret? ac si dicat: Nemo. Nam vos ex me contristati me exhilarare non poteritis. Alius vero, qui me exhilaret apud vos, nullus est.
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3. Et hoc ipsum scripsi vobis. Ordo in Graecis: Et scripsi vobis hoc ipsum. Chrysostomus et Oecumenius hoc ipsum, quod se scripsisse dicit, intelligunt de eo, quod scripsit in fine praesentis epistolae, videlicet illis verbis cap. 12.: Ne iterum, cum venero, humiliet me Deus apud vos, et lugeam multos ex iis, qui ante veccaverunt; etc. At profecto absurdum videtur, ut Apostolus scripsisse se dicat, quod sub finem epistolae scripturus est. Sic enim interpretatur: Hoc ipsum, quod parcens vobis nondum veni, scripsi in hac epistola. Alii verisimilius putant, Apostolum respicere ad priorem episolam; quasi dicat: De hac re, scilicet ut prius emendaretis errata, quam ego venirem, scripsi ad vos in priore epistola. Nam illius epistolae cap. 4. 5. et 6. sollicite eos ad corrigenda vitia fuerat hortatus, etiam cum gravi increpatione et comminatione; qualis illa: Quid vultis? in virga veniam ad vos? Hic sensus maxime textui videtur accommodus, et confirmatur ex eo, quod statim post repetit Apostolus, se scripsisse ex multa tribulatione et per multas lacrymas, utique in priore epistola, ut illud ab omnibus accipitur. Nam praesentem epistolam non ex tribulatione, neque cum lacrymis scripsit, sed divina consolatione recreatus, ut capite superiori, et ob emendationem Corinthiorum gaudio repletus, ut infra late cap. 7.
Ut non, cum venero, tristitiam super tristitiam habeam, de quibus oportuerat me gaudere. Cum venero, Graece participium sXOcuv, pro quo textus Ambrosianus: cum venissem, Erasmus: si venissem. Illud: super tristitiam, in Graecis, quibus et Syriaca subscribunt, non habetur, exceptis Complutensibus et Rhodiensi quodam codice (de quo vide, quae scribit Erasmus in annot), et alio, si tamen est alius, apud R. Stephanum indicato. Certe nec Graeci commentatores attingunt. Latini quidem omnes, praeter unum Ambrosianum, legunt et exponunt; sed non levis suspicio est, adventitium esse ex epistola ad Philipp. cap. 2., ubi tam Graece, quam Latine leguntur haec verba: Ne tristitiam super tristitiam haberem. Alioqui sane haec duplicatio non admodum quadrat huic loco. Nam sensus est: Hoc ipsum vobis ideo scripsi, ne, cum venero, vel (commodius ad mentem Apostoli) ne, cum venissem, ad vos scilicet nondum correctos, dolorem caperem ex iis, de quibus oportebat (sdsi) me gaudere; id est, ex vobis, qui mihi debebatis esse gaudii materia, quia vester sum Apostolus, et vos opus meum estis in Domino, 1 Cor. 9.
Confidens in omnibus vobis, quia meum gaudium omnium vestrum est. Confidens, Graece TCSTioifrdx;,, confisus, persuasus, Ambrosius: Certum habens. Potest autem hoc participium construi vel cum verbo scripsi, quo referunt plerique; vel cum illa parte: ne tristitiam habeam, nisi referas, quod quibusdam placet, nec mihi displicet, ad proximum verbum gaudere, ut vel neglectu grammaticae, vel Hebraeb more dixerit Apostolus: gaudere confidens, pro: gaudere confidentem. Ita sensus erit: Ne tristitiam habeam ex vobis, de quibus oportebat me gaudere, et quidem cum fructu gaudii vestri; ut qui eam fiduciam de vobis animo jamdudum conceperim, quod, me gaudente, sitis omnes gavisuri, sive, exponente Cajetano: quod meum gaudium aestimetis ut vestrum. In summa significat, se gaudere velle non tam sui causa, quam illorum, in quos suum gaudium erat continuo redundaturum. Dicit autem: in omnibus vobis, ut idem annotat Cajetanus: praesumendo bonum de omnibus ex eo, quod non constabat ei contrarium de aliquo; vel potius universe loquitur, totam Corinthiorum Ecclesiam significans, licet non, quantum ad singulos, sine exceptione.
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4. Nam ex multa tribulatione et angustia cordis scripsi vobis per multas lacrymas. Declarat, quod dixit, habiturum se tristitiam, si venisset; idque ex tristitia, quam habuit absens. Simul objectionem removet, qua dicere poterant Corinthii: Quomodo nunc scribis, te nolle nos contristare, quos in epistola priore tam graviter increpasti? Nam, inquit, ex multa animi afflictione, id est, dolore, et ex multa cordis anxietate (quam Graece auvox^v, id est, coarctationem vocat), utpote vehementer sollicitus, quomodo peccata vestra, quae me contristabant, corrigi possent, scripsi vobis priorem epistolam; nec id sine multis lacrymis, quae doloris mei magnitudinem testabantur; scripsi, inquam, cum objurgalione.
Non, ut contristemini. Melius: contristaremini. Scripsi, inquit, non intendens malum tristitiae vestrae, sed bonum aliquod ei conjunctum; scilicet emendationem vestram. Unde scribit infra cap. 7.: Nunc gaudeo, non quia contristati estis, sed quia contristati estis ad poenitentiam. Non addit tamen Apostolus hanc objurgationis suae causam, id est, emendationem ipsorum; sed, eam relinquens inteHigendam, exprimit aliam, qua dulciorem reddat sermonem, suaeque erga illos dilectionis affectum commonstret, ut annotavit post Chrysostomum Theophylactus. Ea causa sequitur:
Sed ut sciatis, quam charitatem habeam abundantius in vobis. Graece: Sed charitatem ut cognosceretis, quam habeo abundantius in vos. Noster interpres verba commode transposuit. Ambrosius sic legit: Sed ut cognoscatis charitatem, quam habeo abundantius erga vos. Sensus: Sed ut ex hujusmodi literis meis testatam vobie facerem amoris, quem erga vos gero, magnitudinem. Breviter: Ut intelligeretis, quantum vos diligam. Siquidem illud: abundantius, pro abundanter positum videtur. Nam et paulo post plures dicit pro multis, et abundantiorem tristitiam pro valde magna. Quamquaro Graeci comparativum expendunt, nominatim Chrysostomus, tamquam sentiat Apostolus, se Corinthios majore prae caeteris amore complexum fuisse, quod eos in Christo per Evangelium genuisset, ideoque proprie eorum pater et Apostolus esset, 1 Cor. 4. et 9. Similia leguntur apud Latinos interpretes. Verum quia plurimi erant alii, quos Paulus in Christo genuerat, in quibus Macedones, ad quorum imitationem in hac ipsa epistola Corinthios excitat, qui proinde non minus diligendi fuerint; idcirco priorem expositionem puto retinendam. Est autem verae et magnae charitatis argumentum, si quis eorum, quos curare debet, peccata non dissimulet, sed aperte et opportune corripiat, etiam adhibita, si opus sit, duriori increpatione, quamvis noverit, eos inde contristandos.
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5. Si quis autem contristavit, non me contristavit; sed ex parte, ut non onerem omnes vos. Transit ad mentionem hominis, qui praecipuam tristitiae causam dederat. Is erat fornicarius ille, de quo in priore epist. cap. 5. Dico praecipuam, quoniam erant et alii, quorum gravia peccata punitionem merebantur, et propter hoc tam Apostolo, quam aliis bonis erant causa tristitiae; de quibus infra meminit in fine cap. 12. Mollit autem sermonem, utens conditionali vocula, quae solet esse dubitantis: Si quis contristavit; non quod dubitet, sed quasi facti oblitus propter illius poenitentiam. Ideo neque crimen ipsum exprimit, sicut in priore epistola; nempe quod ille, qui peccaverat, jam per contritionem et poenam susceptam tegere ac delere coepisset suum peccatum. Alioquin eundem hunc esse cum illo, quem prius ob incestum jusserat tradi Satanae, nullus est commentatorum, qui dubitet. Id ipsum vero diserte testantur Origenes hom. 1. super Psalm. 37., Pacianus in epist. 3. ad Symphron., Ambrosius lib. 1. de poenit., capit. ult., et Gregorius lib. 33. Moral. cap. 8. Quamquam et res ipsa loquitur, eundem esse. Nam, ut ait Augustinus lib. 3. contra epistol. Parmen., cap. 1., non invenitur, de quo alio significet Apostolus, haec scribens. Nec audiendus Tertullianus, qui multis verbis alium esse contendit, lib. de pudic. cap. 13. et aliquot sequ., ne videlicet fateri cogatur (quod in eo libro negat et oppugnat), moechos et fornicatores ad ad poenitentiam ab Ecclesia recipiendos esse. Quapropter, ut hunc ab illo diversum esse doceat, ratiunculas coacervat, sed revera leves ac futiles, in quibus refellendis non sit nobi6 immorandum. Porro locus hic nonnihil obscurus est, et varie construitur atque expooitur. Sensus primo obvius esse videtur hujusmodi: Quod si quis contristavit, hoc est, autor fuit ejus moeroris ac tristitiae, de qua locutus sum, non me contristavit solum et proprie; sed me contristavit ex parte, id est, ut partem et membrum Ecclesiae, quae principaliter laesa et contristata fuit. Idque dico, ut ne vos omnes onerem culpa illius fornicarii. Nam si me solum contristasset, vos omnes- essetis ab ea tristitia immunes; ideoque videreminipeccati illius per consensum esse participes, quia, qui non dolet de malo, quod novit, consentire videtur. Potest etiam illud: non me contristavit, absolute capi, verum ita, ut seouatur exceptio: sed ex parte, id est, nisi ex parte. Nam ut nisi pro sed in Scripturis frequens est, ita vicissim sed pro nisi positum interdum reperitur, ut Marci 9.: Neminem amplius viderunt, sed Jesum solum, ut in Graeco; hocest, nisi Jesum solum. Quamquam hic sensus in eundem recidit cum priori. Quidam exponunt hoc modo: Qui contristavit, non me omnino contristavit, sed ex parte aliqua, secundum rationis modum, aliis multis bonis, qui apud vos sunt, ex altera parte me consolantibus; ut ne videar omnes vos incusare, et omnibus meae tristitiae causam imponere. Probat hunc sensum S. Thomas, quem Liranus, Carthusianus et Titelmannus sequuntur. Aliter Hervaeus: Non omnino me contristatum dixerim, sed moderate; ne, si vehementius contristatummedixero, vos etiam omnes, qui me amatis, vehementiori tiistitia gravem, cujus studium est, uti praefatus sum, tristitiam a vobis repellere. Caeterum alii in verbis Apostoli hyperbaton esse volunt, quo separantur illa duo sensu conjungenda: ex parte et omnes vos. Sensum enim hunc faciunt: Autor ille tristitiae non me solum contristavit, sed ex parte etiam vos omnes; ex parte, inquam, ut non onerem, sive, ut Graece est, eTUpapd), aggravem, scilicetillumhominem nostri vestrique luctus autorem, id est, ne peccatum ejus videar nimis exaggerare, simpliciter affirmando, quod in moerorem et luctum vestram Ecclesiam totam conjecerit. Ubi tamen illud: ex parte, non est additum ad excipiendum aliquos Corinthios a participatione moeroris; dicit enim: omnes vos; sed ad imperfectionem moeroris significandam, quomodo dixit 1 Cor. 19.: Nunc cognosco ex parte, et in hac epistola cap. praecedenti: cognovistis nos ex parte. Videtur enim tt hoc loco, dum velut extenuat delictum fornicarii, dicens: ex parte, simul eodem verbo notare teporem Corinthiorum, qui in principio non satis, ut oportebat, commoti fuerint adversus tantum flagitium apud ipsos perpetratum. Hic autem commentarius Chrysostomi est, et sequacium ejus Graecorum, comprobatus etiam a Latinis plerisque recentioribus. Nec diversum volunt, qui particulam: ut non onerem, interpretantur: ne quid gravius aut acerbius de illo dicam. Sunt et aliae apud alios hujus loci interpretationes, inter quas est et ea, quam ex glossa ordinaria sumserunt Lombardus et alii quidam, ironice exponentes illam partem: ut non onerem omnes vos. Verum potiores sunt, quas adduximus, et inter eas ad mentem Apostoli maxime accommodata, quam postremam posuimus. Vult enim Apostolus, ut omnes condonent quia omnes affecti fuerant tristitia; faciles tamen esse vult ad indulgendum, quia non plurimum, sed ex parte contristati fuerant. Syrus paraphrastes kyperbaton quidem agnoscit, dum ita vertit: Si quis autem tristitia affecit, non me tristitia affecit, sed paululum vos omnes; at dum nihilominus illa verba: ut non onerem, ad eosdem refert Corinthios, sic ea interpretans: ne gravis esset sermo contra vos, videtur ab Apostoli mente recedere.
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6. Sufficit illi, qui ejusmodi est, objurgatio haec, quae fit a pluribus. Verti poterat: Quae facta est a pluribus. Nam verbum in Graeco non est expressum. Ac sane praeteritum magis quadrat. Objurgatio, Graece erctTitua, increpatio, severa correptio, pro qua mendose, ni fallor, apud Augustinum correctio legitur. Nam correctio non est increpatio, sed finis increpationis. Descendit Apostolus ad consolationem incesti illius excommunicati, jamque poenitentis, quem vult in gratiam ab Ecclesia recipi condonatione delicti, quo eam contristaverat, et pro quo jam subiverat aliquantam poenam, a fidelium communione separatus ac Satanae traditus. Id enim erat aliquo usque satisfecis^e, quod significat verbum: sufficit, Graece ixavov, sufficiens est, satis est. Nam satis est legunt Ambrosiaster in comment., et Ambrcsius in fine lib. 1. de poenit, et ante eos Tertullianus. Alibi quoque vetus interpres satisfactionem transtulit, ut Actor. 17.: xat AapovTsc to txavov, et accepta satisfactione ab Jasone etc. Accedit, quod Graeca vox iittTijutta non solum significat increpationem, verum etiam mulctam seu poenam pro delicto satisfactoriam. Quae significatio probe congruit huic loco. Non enim nudam increpationem verbis factam sufficientem esse vult Apostolus, sed totam punitionem, quae ab increpatione ceperat initium. Igitur hujus loci sensus est: Illa publica separatio cum gravi increpatione et criminis exaggeratione, totius Ecclesiae vestrae consensu facta, qua a corpore Ecclesiae velut membrum noxium amputatus est, et hactenus ab omnibus devitatus, non sine maximo ipsius pudore ac dolore,. sufficit illi tali (toj TOtouTOj), scilicet ei, qui Ecclesiam contristavit; sufficit, inquam, pro satisfactione sui delicti, ita nimirum, ut, quamvis enormitas facinoris poenam longe majorem ac diuturniorem merito postulet, reliquum tamen poenae per indulgentiam ei condonetur. Qui sensus manifeste colligitur ex sequentibus. Etenim ne subsecuta condonatio, de qua consequenter agit, inanis ac frustranea videatur, intelligere debemus sufixcientern poenam priorem, id est, tantam, quanta judicio Ecclesiae suificiat, tum spectata qualitate personae, quam non expediebat amplius gravari, ne in desperationem incideret; tum vero habita ratione publicae utilitatis, quam ex illa moderatione poenae Ecclesia recipit. Idem erit sensus, si pro: sufficit, satis est, vertas: sufficiat, satis sit. Nam et ita verti posset, quandoquidem in Graeco verbum non exprimitur. Notandum autem, quod, etsi peccator iste non fuerit poenitens tunc, quando fuit excommunicatus (non enim poenitentes, sed contumaces excommunicandi sunt), tamen statim, ut projectum se vidit et ab omnibus desertum, pudore affectus ob ignominiam, peccatum suum agnoscere coepit, ac de eo vehementer dolere. Ex quo quidem tempore poena excommunicationis, a Paulo sub increpationis nomine comprehensa, coepit illi, quamvis nondum reconciliato, valere ad satisfactionem pro peccato commisso.
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7. Ita, ut e contrario magis donetis, et consolemini. Donare dixit interpres hic et in sequentibus pro condonare, remittere, gratiam debiti facere. Nam Graecum verbum xapiQeaftai, aizb ttjc Xapl~ toq, a gratia deductum est. Sic et infra cap. 12.: Donate mihi hanc injuriam. Sensus est: Ita, ut e contrario, id est, loco severitatis, qua longiorem adhuc poenam exigere possetis, potius uti vos oporteat lenitate et indulgentia, qua condonetis ac remittatis, quidquid ei poenae reliquum est, jamque satis afflictum etiam benigne consolemini. Sic enim alibi praecipit: Consolamini pusillanimes, 1 Thessal. 5. Quo sensu toti communitati tribuat officium condonandi, cum ea potestas non sit omnibus data, sed solis Ecclesiarum praefectis, inferius explicabitnr. Sed quaeret aliquis, cur Apostolus specialiter hic praecipiat consolationem excommunicati, cum generale praeceptum habeamus omnes, vel ab ipsa natura, de consolandis afflictis, etiam peccatoribus, maxime si sint poenitentes; ut proinde ad hunc consolandum, de quo sermo est, nihil opus fuerit autoritate Pauli jubentis; sicut ad condonandum. Responderi po~ test, ideo necessarium fuisse praeceptum Apostoli de isto consolando, quia Corinthii penitus eum aversabantur, velut exsecrabilem et Satanae traditum. Sed et dici potest, consolationem intelligi in ipsa condonatione. Qui enim poenam remittit, re ipsa consolatur. Veriorem tamen arbitror responsionem, si dicatur Apostolus per hanc consolationem voluisse significare receptionem excommunicati in gremium Ecclesiae, et, quae inde sequitur, fidelium fraternam allocutionem. Haec enim propria est excommunicatorum poenitentium consolatio, si communioni fidelium restituantur, fratres deinceps ab universa fraternitate salutandi. Igitur duo praecipit Apostolus: ad communionem recipi poenitentem, et a poena per indulgentiam liberari; tametsi fortassis haec duo, quod ad praesens attinet, in unum conveniant. Nam poena, cujus hic mandatur indulgentia, non alia fuisse videtur, quam ipsius excommunicationis, et pudoris ac doloris inde consequentis. Porro condonationis hujus et consolationis adhibendae causam ex parte poenitentis adjungit, dicens:
Ne forte abundantiori tristitia absorbeatur, qui ejusmodi est. Ne forte, Graece iirjTzoiQ, ne quo modo, ut habet textus Ambrosii. Tristitiam abundantiorem vocat eam, quae nimia e&t et immodica. Nimiam et immodicam dico; non quod contritio de peccatis nimia esse possit, cum nec dilectio Dei possit esse nimia; verissime namque dictum est a S. Bernardo in libro de diligendo Deo, modum esse diligendi Deum, sine modo diligere. Sed ea tristitia, quam gignit aliorum quorundam malorum, quae peccantes incurrunt, consideratio, facile excessum admittit; praesertim si etiam in inferiorem appetitum redundet. Cujusmodi mala in isto excommunicato erant ipsa excommunicationis poena, et eam consequens desolatio, et ignominia publica. De hac ergo tristitia loquitur Apostolus, et sensus est: Ne contingat, eum ita totum aegritudine moeroris occupari, dum nec poena mitigatur, nec consolationis officium impenditur, ut ea prorsus obruat hominem, pariatque in eo effectus ex immodico moerore consequi solitos; ut sunt: animum despondere, spem salutis abjicere, pietatis operibus renuntiare, totum se mundo dedere, et a mundi concupiscentiis ac voluptatibus solatium quaerere; sicut de quibusdam dicitur Eph. 4.: Qui desperantes, semet ipsos tradiderunt impudicitiae. Hinc apostasia a fide, et interdum illud horribile, cujus exemplum in Juda proditore habemus, qui per desperationem laqueo se suspendit. Nam et horum immoderati moeroris effectuum meminerunt interpretes.
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8. Propter quod obsecro vos, ut confirmetis in illum charitatem. Propter quod, ne scilicet abundantiori ti^istitia absorbeatur. Obsecro vel adhortor, Graece TcapaxaAdi. Charitatem Origenes intelligit ejus, qui peccaverat; tamquam velit Apostolus, hortatu fratrum confirmari in illo charitatem, quae jam ante inerat, et quae illi non perierat. Videtur autem Origenes nomine charitatis intelligere amorem Ecclesiae, id est, societatis fidelium. Tale quid etiam indicat titularis Ambrosius. At vero non dixit Apostolus: in illo, quod mendose legitur in quibusdam libris, sed sfc auxov, in illum. Quare multo rectius alii charitatem intelligunt Corinthiorum erga illum, qui peccaverat. Hortatur autem eos et obsecrat, ut publico consensu ac decreto firmam ratamque faciant suam erga eum charitatem, recipiendo videlicet eum ad pacem Ecclesiae. Quem sensum exposcit Graecum verbum xupd>aai, quod non significat utcumque confirmare, sive (quemadmodum legunt Tertullianus et Pacianus) constituere; sed cum autoritate decernere, et legitime rem transigere, quod uno verbo vocant authenticare. De qua Graeca voce plura legat, qui volet, apud Erasmum in annotationibus. Obsecrat autem Paulus, et, praecipere cum possit, intercessoris partes apud Corinthios suscipit, quos sciebat animo esse propter id, quod acciderat, exulcerato, ut, dum eos velut judices honorat (quomodo Graeci interpretes loquuntur), mitiores reddat ac promptiores ad exsequendum, quod petit. Alioqui certe, qui praeceperat excommunicandum, praecipere etiam poterat absolvendum, et in communionem recipiendum. Quamquam et hoc satis praecipit in eo, quod verbis sequentibus obedientiam requirit. Neque tamen hoc loco, dum judicium eis defert, plus aliquid illis tribuit, quam debuit. Nam vere Ecclesia Corinthiorum in suis praefectis potestatem habebat judicandi. Qua sicut usa fuerat in excommunicando fornicario, sic et uti potuit in eodem absolvendo; quemadmodum infra declarabitur. Vide etiam, quae diximus ad illud 1 Cor. 5.: congregatis v'obis. Quidam per hanc charitatis confirmationem proprie significari putant Eucharistiae participationem, ut quae erat symbolum redditae communionis. Sane gratus esset hic commentarius et acceptione dignus, si in Scripturis aut Patribus inveniretur habere fundamentum.
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9. Ideo enim et scripsi, ut cognoscam experimentum vestrum, an in omnibus obedientes sitis. Graeca sic habent: Ad hoc enim et scripsi, ut cognoscerem probationem vestri, num ad omnia obedientes sitis. Caeterum loco istius partis: ut cognoscam probationem vestri, in textui Ambrosii tantum legitur: ut probarem. Idque satis est ad sensum. Nam verba Apostoli non amplius significant. Est enim Hebraismus, cognoscere experimentum seu probationem (ut legit Tertullianus) pro eo, quod est experiri, probare, cognoscere per experientiam. Cujusmodi locutionessunt: Timor, quem timebam, Job. 3. Concupierunt concupiscentiam, Psalm. 105. Quod ait: scripsi, plerique de praesenti epistola accipiunt, et ad verba proxime praecedentia referunt, hoc modo: Propterea haec scribo vobis, ut experiar et probem obedientiam vestram in omnibus, id est, tam in officio charitatis ad recipiendum fratrem correctum, quam in severitate disciplinae, qua eum e vestro consortio ejecistis; aut breviter: Ut videam, utrum, sicut obedistis in eo excommunicando, sic et obediatis in recipiendo. Qui sensus apertus est. Ad priorem vero epistolam si referas, quod facit Erasmi versio: Nam et in hoc scripseram, hic erit sensus: Quod enim scripseram vobis de illo excommunicando, non id feci, ut aut illum infamia, aut vos moerore afficerem, ut nec meae potestatis ostentandae causa, sicut adversarii mei calumniantur; sed inter alia bona hoc spectavi, ut probarem, an vos, filii mei in Christo, per omnia mihi sitis obedientes. Nam si in re tam gravi, qualis est membri a corpore separatio, obedientiam praestitistis, facile collegero, vos etiam in caeteris dicto obedientes fore, ac nominatim in eo, quod nunc a vobis exigo, ut fratrem correctum in gratiam recipiatis, et corpori vestro membrum suum restituatis. Quod utique multo lubentius a vobis fieri debeat, quum sit per se magnopere desiderandum. Hic sensus mihi germanior videtur.
2:10
10. Cui autem aliquid donastis, et ego. Donastis, Graece xapt'Ca^£, donatis seu condonatis. Annuit textus Syriacus, et vetusti quidam Latini codices, una cum concordantiis. Tertullianus legit: donaveritis, eoque modo Primasius interpretatur. Nam videtur Apostolus uti verbo praesentis temporis cum extensione ad futurum, ut sensus sit: Ego me in eo, quod facere vos Lortor, non sejungo; sed sicut in priori epistola ad excommunicandum me vobis conjunxi, illis scilicet verbis: Congregatis vobis et meo spiritu; ita nunc quoque me vobis adjungo, et quod, me hortante, feceritis, ipse etiam me facere declaro. Aut generaliori sensu: Vobis aliquid alicui condonantibus, ego etiam condono. Quomodo dicat eos donare, postea dicemus. Sensus autem iste generalior satis convenit cum eo, quod sequitur:
Nam et ego quod donavi, si quid donavi, propter vos, in persona Christi. Graece: Nam et ego si quid donavi, cui donavi, propter vos, etc. Veteres Latini fere tantum legunt alteram partem; alii: si quid donavi, ut Tertullianus et Ambrosiaster; alii: quod donavi, ut post Pacianum verus Ambrosius libro 1. de poenit. capit. 6.; alii: si cui donavi, ut Augustinus scribens adversus Parmenianum. Graeca videntur ita supplenda: si quid donavi, et si cui donavi. Caeterum illud: in persona Christi, iv TtpogojTtoj XpiOTQO, posset aeque verti, sinuda verba ponderes: in facie Christi. Quod secutus Erasmus vertit: in conspectu Christi, quasi coram Christo, atque in ejus praesentia. Qui sensus etiam in scholiis Graecorum reperitur. At sciendum est, in Scripturis sacris hoc, quod Latine saepenumero legitur: in conspectu, et coram, Graece nusquam scribi, quomodo hiclegitur; iv 7cpogo)7:aj, in facie; sed id significari quibusdam adverbiis, ut ita dicam, praesentialibus; cujusmodisunt: ivavTtov, ivavui, arcevavTi, Ivwmov, ut Psalm. 37. et Psalm. 50. eemel et iterum, Joann. 20., Actor. 3. 4. 7., et alibi passim in utriusque teetamenti libris. Nec ipse Paulus aliter, ut Rom. 12. et 14., 1 Cor. 1., Eph. 1. et hoc ipso cap. in fine, cum ait: Coram Deo, in Christo loquimur, ac rursum cap. 8.: coram Domino, coram hominibus. Si cubi vero utitur Scriptura vocabulo rcpOQOJ7coo ad significandum, quippiam in conspectu alicujus fieri, non dicit: iv TtpocwTCO), sed locutione Graecis usitata: xaTa rcpdcoMTOV; ut Eccl. 45., 1 Machab. 1., Luc. 2., Actor. 3., Gal. 2. et hujus epist. cap. 10. semel iterumque; vel certe dicit: eiq npo<zoyKOV, ut hujus epist. cap. 8. in fine, et in Graeco Job cap. 1. et 2. Infra quidem in hac eadem epist. cap. 4. legitur ev TCpocojTCCO, ubi nos habemus: in facie Christi Jesu; sed illud nec ipse Erasmus vertendum putavit: in conspectu, et nos docebimus, admodum bene congruere illi loco, si vertatur: in persona. Rursus cap. 5. legitur: iv 7tpoc;oj7taj, ubi Latini: qui in facie gloriantur; verum non est sensus: in conspectu. Nam nec Emsmus ita vertit. Opponit enim illic Apostolus in facie et in corde, Non opponuntur autem in conspectu et in corde. Sed sensus est: Qui gloriantur in his, quae exterius apparent, ex quibus solet vulgus personam aestimare. Quae cum ita sint, haud satis in Scripturis exercitatum se ostendit Erasmus, quando id, quod hoc loco scripsit Apostolus: iv rcpoc;aj7ioj XpiOTOO, nullo exemplo vertit: in conspectu Christi; cum interpres noster optime id reddidisset: in persona Christi, quemadmodum et alii interpretes transtulerunt, tam veteres, quam recentiores, etiam illi, qui Graecos commentarios fecerunt Latinos. Hoc autem: in persona Christi, non est aliud, quam nomine, vice et autoritate Christi, cujus scilicet personam Paulus gerebat; ut, sicut in nomine Domini Jesu Christi tradiderat hominem Satanae, quemadmodum dicit in priori epist. cap. 5., sic in ejusdem Christi nomine ac persona nunc eum absolveret. Ita non solum legunt hunc locum, sed et disertis verbis exponunt veteres Latini commentatores ad unum omnes. Qui et pro confirmatione sui commentarii proferunt illa Christi verba ad Apostolos dicta, Matth. 18.: Quaecumque solveritis super terram, erunt soluta et in coelo. Nec ab his Graeci tractatores dissentiunt. Non enim illi simpliciter interpretantur, Apostolum donare in conspectu Christi, aut coram Christo; sed sic, ut Christus id ratum habeat, tamquam quod ipsius vice geritur. Theodoreti verba sunt: Hoc, inquit Apostolus, facio, tamquam intuente Christo, et, quod fit, gratum habente. Theophylactus quoque Paulum haec dicentem 1'acit: Coram Christo, id est, illo hoc jubente, ac veluti ejus loco exsistens, dimisi, ut quidem habet Loniceri interpretatio. Nam in Graeco significantius legitur, xal ok; avTiTCpogtoTCOC a>v Ixstvou, ac velut illius personam referens. Chrysostomus vero, quaerens, quid sit in persona Christi? cum respondisset, aut: secundum Deum, aut ad Christi gloriam, adjecit et tertium: aut tamquam Christo hoc etiam imperante. Quae eadem verba suis etiam scholiis Oecumenius inseruit. Nos isritur sensum reddamus verborum Apostoli: Nam et ego, inquit, si cui vestrum in grave aliquod delictum prolapso ac pcenitenti condonationem aliquam fecerim, id feci ac facio vestri causa, hoc est, pro publica salute et utilitate vestrae Ecclesiae; ne scilicet illa detrimentum capiat; feci, inquam, et facio, tamquam delegatus Christi minister, cojus ea in re personam refero. Utitur autem verbo praeteriti temporis: donavi, vel (ut quibusdam placet) quia jam apud se statuerat hanc condonationem facere; quemadmodum et prius excommunicationem decreverat, quam excommunicaret,, dicens: Jam judicavi, ut praesens eum, qui sic operatus est, etc. 1 Cor. 5.; vel secundum Cajetanum, quia aliis adhuc aliquando condonaverat; vel potius, quia generaliter loqui intendit de condonatione, seu facta, seu facienda, ut donavi positum sit pro donaverim, condonaverim, condonationem fecerim, sicut jam a nobis expositum est. Dicit enim indefinite: Si quid donavi, et si cui donavi. Sic autem loquitur, ut in se ipso generale proponat exemplum omnibus Ecclesiae praelatis imitandum, quo sciant, in ligandis ant solvendis subditis agere se debere, non ut dominos, sed ut Christi ministros, totum, quod agunt, referentes ad salutem publicam et Christi gloriam, cujus personam gerunt.
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11. Ut non circumoeniamur a Satana. Explicat id, quod dixit: propter vos; idque mutata secunda persona in primam, modestiae causa. ne se ipsum videatur excludere. Graecum verbum •rcXsovexTsTv, quod noster interpres et hoc loco, et iterum cap. 7. et bis cap. 12. vertit: circumvenire, proprie significat plus justo possidere, occupare, quod tuum non sit. Unde Pacianus et Augustinus et commentator Ambrosii legunt: ne possideamur, et Erasmus vertendum putavit: ne occupemur; ut sensus sit, condonationem faciendam esse tum fratri, propter quem haec scribuntur, tum aliis similiter a lapsu poenitentibus, ne adversarius noster diabolus, occasione nostrae nimiae severitatis, illos nobis eripiat et in suam possessionem vendicet, quod futurum sit publicum Ecclesiae damnum, quia omnes invicem membra sumus. Verum quoniam, qui aliena appetunt, etiam fraudulenti et interdum violenti esse solent, ideo verbufn illud capitur aliquando pro fraudare, circumvenire; item pro extorquere, ac rapaciter agere. Quare secundum nostram versionem, quae magis convenit primae personae pluralis numeri, sensus erit: Ne specie boni decipiat nos Satanas, et contingat nobis malum, quod jam dictum est. Utrumque sensum complexa sunt Graecorum commentaria, nominatim Chrysostomi, qui Graeci vocabuli TCAsovs£tae significationem perurget, et, quam vere diabolo conveniat, ostendit. Utrique sensui potest etiam aptari, quod Ambrosius, huc respiciens, brevissime dixit, cavendum nobis esse, ne remedium nostrum fiat ejus (id est Satanae) triumphus, lib. 1. de pcenit., cap. ult.
Non enim ignoramus cogitationes ejus. Cogitationes, Graece voVju.axa_, pro quo textus Ambrosii habet astutias, Sedulii versutias, ex S. Ambrosii loco jam dicto. Tertullianus iegit: injectiones, ut subaudias laqueorum, quasi dicat: illaqueationes. Augustinus mentes legit, adversus Parmen. scribens, et in epist. 239. et 240. Sic enim et noster interpres eandem vocem transtulit infra cap. 4, 4. Et quidem vox Graeca generaliter cogiiationes significat, quemadmodum etErasmus et alii plures verterunt; sed interdum contrahitur ad significandum cogitationes ingeniosas, vafras et ad fallendum compositas, dum quis aliud praetendit, aliud intendit. Quam significationem expresserunt aliae versiones supra dictae, excepta ea, quae est apud Augustinum, quae praesenti loco minus quadrat. Nam ceterae diaboli, serpentis antiqui, ingenium declarant, quod est sub specie boni persuadere, quod maium est. Hac enim arte Hevam, primam parentem, aggressus est atque seduxit, Genes. 3. Est et illud obiter notandum, non sine allusione dictum a Paulo: vo7ju,aia apoouu-sv,, ac si Latine dicas: Scientias nescimus, aut cogitationum incogitantes sumus. Igitur Apostolus: Dico, inquit, ne circumveniamur a Satana; neque enim ignoramus cogitationes et artes et studia diaboli, tum in genere semper in nostram perniciem intenta, tum speciatim istud, quo per occasionem disciplinae nostrae severioris in illum, qui peccavit, aliosve similes, tentet eos impellere in barathrum desperationis. Quod de illo incesto significabant illa superiora verba: Ne forte abundantiori tristitia absorbeatur. Hanc artem Satanae pluribus explicatam vide apud Augustinum libro 3. epistol. cont. Parmen. capit. 1. et 2. Certe quod hic in illo uno frustra tentavit diabolus, Paulo nimirum prudenter obsistente et cogitationes ejuR eludente, id multo post iterum in Ecclesia tentavit majore cum successu, quando suscitavit haeresin Novatianorum, qui praetextu disciplinae ecclesiasticae lapsis ad Ecclesiam reditum per poenitentiam negarunt; ex qua re multarum animarum secutus est interitus. Porro non sentit Apostolus, omnes diaboli cogitationes in particulari notas esse vel sibi, vel aliis. Id enim Deo proprium est, ut qui solus est cordium scrutator. Sed hoc est, quod dicit, cogitationes diaboli jam memoratas non posse latere fideles spirituales, cum ex Scripturis sacris didicerint, quanta sit illius astutia cum extrema malitia ac nocendi studio conjuncta. Hactenus egit Apostolus de fornicario excommunicato et poenitente in gratiam recipiendo. Est autem totus hic locus bene notandus ac diligenter expendendus propter hujus saeculi sectarios, qui omnes, principe Luthero, negant, esse in Ecclesia potestatem indulgentias, quas vocamus, conferendi. Nam hic multa summatim indicantur ad indulgentiarum doctrinam pertinentia. Primum est ipsa potestas relaxandi poenam temporalem ei, qui pro peccato poenitentiam agit, adhuc restantem; quae quidem est potestas conferendi indulgentias. Haec manifeste significatur, cum dicitur: Sufficit illi, qui ejusmodi est, objurgatio haec, ita, ut e contrario magis donetis; etiterum: Cui autem aliquid donatis, et ego; nam et ego quod donavi, etc. Quem locum adducens Pacianus in epistola saepe dicta, qua contra Novatianos disserit: Vides, inquit, Apostoli indulgentiam proprias etiam sententias temperantem. Secundum est, quod illa potestate utantur Ecclesiae praefecti tamquam Christi ministri, a quo eam potestatem acceperunt, et cujus vice eam exercent. Hoc enim est, quod ait: In persona Christi, quemadmodum satis est supra declaratum. Unde et Ambrosius lib. 1. de poenit. cap. 6., de hac eadem re contra Novatianum agens, ostendit, Paulum in eo, quod donare se dicit, quoniam expresse adjecit: in persona Christi, jus a Domino acceptum sibi vendicasse, non indebitum usurpasse. Nec obstat, quod Apostolus, generatim Corinthios fideles alloquens, dicit: Ut e contrario magis donetis, et: Cui aliquid donatis, quasi ista potestas sit omnium, et non ad solos pertineat Ecclesiae praefectos. Nam intelligi potest, non omnibus illud scribi, sed solis presbyteris ac praefectis Ecclesiae, sive, quod eodem recidit, ipsi Ecclesiae in suis praefectis. Constat enim, ea, quae passim in suis epistolis Apostoli praecipiunt, non omnia ad omnes pertinere; sed alia ad alios, ut ad parentes, filios, viros, mulieres, dominos, servos. Sic nimirum alia sunt, quae ad praefectos Ecclesiae cujusque praecepta dirigantur, alia, quae ad caeteros fideles. Vel aliter, ac rectius fortasse dici potest: velle quidem Paulum illis verbis omnes, ad quos scribit, comprehendere; qui tamen non omnes condonent eodem ac simili modo. Nam praefecti id faciunt potestate, quam promittunt illa verba Christi: Quaecumque solveritis super terram, erunt soluta et in coelo, Matth. 18. Caeteri vero fideles una cum praefectis condonant et solvunt consensu, desiderio, commiseratione et precibus ad Deum fusis pro fratre peccatore; sicut omnes aliquo modo remittimus fratrum peccata, qui ex animo dicimus illud in oratione quotidiana: Sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris; quemadmodum testatur Augustinus tract. 58. super Joann., juxta quem sensum idem Augustinus, disputans adversus Donatistas, saepe dicit, pacem, charitatem, unitatem Ecclesiae solvere ac dimittere peccata, et per gemitus columbae, id est, per orationes sanctorum, remissionem peccatorum dari. Loca sunt lib. 3. de baptismo, cap. 17. et 18., et lib. 5. cap. 21., et lib. 6. cap. 4.; item tract. 121. super Joann. et alibi. Sic et Ambrosius, exponens illud Lucae 19.: Sblvite eum et adducite: Solvit eum, inquit, manus Apostolica; talis actus, talis vita, talis gratia. Esto talis et tu, ut possis ligatos solvere. Nec alio sensu dictum est a Theophylacto, tractante verba Domini: Quaecumque solveritis etc, non solum, quae solvunt sacerdotes, esse soluta; sed quaecumque et nos injuria affecti vel ligamus, vel solvimus, et ipsa esse ligata vel soluta. Ad hunc autem modum, et quidem multo perfectius, etiam sancti cum Christo regnantes solvere nos a peccatis dicuntur, scilicet intercessione et merito. Qucd plane sonant invocationes illae in hymnis Ecclesiae; ut ad Dei matrem: Solve vincla reis, et iterum: Nos, culpis solutos, mites fac et castos; et ad Domini praecursorem: Solve polluti labii reatum; et ad Apostolos: Nos a peccatis omnibus solvite jussu, quaesumus; et ad martyrem: Nos solve vinclis saeculi. Dicuntur autem Apostoli jussu solvere, propter impetrandi certitudinem, simul cum allusione ad potestatem, quam in terris habuerunt. Hunc igitur modum solvendi et condonandi, piis omnibus communem, comprehendi putamus sub illis verbis, quibus Corinthios ad condonationem fratri lapso faciendam Apostolus hortatur, admonens, ut et consolationis officium ei impendant, et suam in eum charitatem confirment, ad quam pertinet in primis, ut pro fratre preces offerant Deo. Quo respiciens Ambrosius ita scribit lib. 1. de poenitentia, cap. ultimo: Si satis ad condemnationem est objurgatio, quae fit a pluribus, satis est quoque ad remissionem peccati obsecratio, quae fit a pluribus. Omnes autem intelligi, statim declarat, dicens: Nec solum donavit ipse, sed voluit etiam omnes donare. Porro tertium est, quod illa puenae relaxatio non tantum sit moderatio quaedam rigoris ecclesiasticae disciplinae, sicut quidam errantes opinati sunt; verum etiam valeat in judicio divino ad remissionem poenae alioqui in futuro saeculo persolvendae; valeat, inquam, perinde, atque si Christus ipse hujusmodi condonationem faceret; quemadmodum et facit re vera per suum ministerium, cui id faciendi potestatem dedit. Quod rursus illa verba significant, quibus affirmat Apostolus, se donare in persona Christi, hoc est (ut eam partem ex veterum commentariis atque ex ipsa forma locutionis interpretati sumus), tamquam Christi vicarium, et Christo factum ipsius ratum ac gratum habente, velut a se factum esset. Ac sane, nisi coram Deo judice valuissent per Apostolum Paulum factae condonationes, tam huic fornicario, quam aliis lapsis, fefellisset ille miseros homines, quibus hujus saeculi poenam remitteret, pro qua longe gravior illis esset in altero saeculo poena luenda. Quod absit, ut de eo suspicemur. Quartum est causa seu ratio dandae indulgentiae, sive ex parte poenitentis, sive ex parte Ecclesiae. Ex parte quidem poenitentis apertissime significatur causa, cum dicitur: Ne forte abundantiori tristitia absorbeatur, qui ejusmodi est. Debet enim provideri, ne poenitens, in desperationem actus, ad deteriora se convertat, et in nostra severitate pereat infirmus frater, pro quo Clwistus mortuus est; ut alibi in re simili loquitur Apostolus, Rom. 14. et 1 Corinth. 8. Ex parte Ecclesiae causa redditur in eo, quod dicitur: propter vos, id est propter Ecclesiae vestrae publicam utilitatem. Sed et cum additur: ut non circumveniamur a Satana, ratio faciendae condonationis indicatur, vel ex parte poenitentis, vel ex parte Ecclesiae, juxta diversas illius loci interpretationes a nobis allatas. Quintum est, quod bona pars satisfactionis a poenitente debeat esse expleta ad hoc, ut reliquum ei condonetur. Id enim est, quod ait Apostolus: Sufficit illi, qui ejusmodi est, objurgatio haec. Nam eam objurgationem non levem fuisse declarat metus Apostoli dicentis: Ne forte abundantiori tristitia absorbeatur. Exigunt illud ipsum veteres Ecclesiae canones, qui de ea re exstant complures; exigunt autem propterea, ne per indulgentiam enervetur ecclesiastica disciplina, quodque deterius est, ipsa poenitentium satisfactio, quae legis divinae est, evertatur ac pessum eat. Quas ob causas etiam B. Cyprianus epist. 11., quae est ad martyres et confessores in carcere constitutos, serio monet eos ac rogat, ut non alios, quam quorum poenitentiam satisfactioni proximam, id est, propinquam, conspexerint, iibellis suis ad plenam delictorum indulgentiam episcopo commendent. Sed quaeret ad extremum aliquis, cur nomine condonationis, de qua agitur hoc loco, non potius intelligenda veniat absolutio, vel ab excommunicationis vinculo, vel a peccatis in sacramento poenitentiae. Siquidem utraque absolutione poenitens ille egebat. Respondeo, tam verba, quam contextum Apostoli plane respuere ejusmodi intellectum. Nam primum relaxatio vinculi excommunicationis neque in Scriptura sacra, neque apud Patres usquam condonatio vel indulgentia vocatur; obstante videlicet ipsarum vocum proprietate. Deinde, quod ait: Cui aliquid, hoc est, aliquam partem donatis, aeque in absolutione excommunicati locum non habet, ut nec in ea, qua poenitens a culpa atsolvitur. Fit autem illud, dum per indulgentiam matris Ecclesiae post aliquantam satisfactionem poenitentibus relaxatur ac remittitur, quod reliquum erat poenae debitae. Quam poenae relaxationem manifestius etiam declarat illud praecedens: sufficitilli; quasi dicat: Satis jam poenarum dedit; reliquum ei condonetur. Hoc enim est, quod sequitur: ita, ut e contrario magis donetis; velut si, sonte quopiam per sententiam judicis ad quadraginta plagas condemnato, post tricesimam plagam dicat judex: Sufficit, aut, satis est; non quod sententiae sit satisfactum, sed quia vult uti clementia, reliquum plagarum numerum ei gratiose remittens. In quem sensum Chrysostomus et Theophylactus ea Pauli verba diserte sunt interpretati. Et haec quidem duntaxat occasione praesentis loci Paulini de indulgentiis poenitentium dicta sint. Nam de toto hoc indulgentiarum argumento sententiam Ecclesiae catholicae plenius explicare conati sumus in scriptis super 4. ssnt. dist. 20.
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12. Cum venissem autem Troadem propter Evangelium Christi. Graece: in vel ad Evangelium Christi, subaudi: praedicandum seu propagandum, ut exponunt Graeci. Troas eadem est, quae quondam Ilium et Troja vocabatur, urbs Asiae celeberrima, post decennale bellum a Graecis eversa; quae postmodum et Antigonia, et Alexandria dicta fuit. Ejusdem rursum meminit Apostolus 2 Timoth. 4. Est, qui Troadem interpretetur ipsam regionem, in qua Troja fuit, id est, Phrygiam minorem; quam constat etiam Troada vocari. Sed si consulantur alia loca Scri pturae citata et citanda, in quibus fit mentio Troadis, facile apparebit, non regionem, sed urbem eo vocabulo tam a Paulo, quam a Luca designari. Porro notandum est, hunc Pauli ad Troadem accessum, qui fuit a Luca praetermissus, esse medium inter primum, de quo Lucas Actor. 16., et tertium, quem desciibit Actor. 20. Contigit autem post Pauli discessum a Epheso, quando, sicut dicitur Actor. 20. sub initium, profectus est, ut iret in Macedoniam. Nam et hic paulo post testatur Apostolus, se, Troade relicta, in Macedoniam profectum fuisse. Sed quorsum spectet haec Pauli narratio, quidve ad ejus institutum faciat, haud plane liquet. Plerique putant, eum hic alteram adferre causam dilati sui adventus, scilicet ex fructu Evangelii, quem alibi faciebat, et amplius facturum se sperabat; ne videlicet tam insigne bonum per suam ad Corinthios acceleratam profectionem impediretur. Alii aliam rationem adducunt interpositae hujus narrationis. Verum quia pendet hujus rei cognitio ex intellectu sequentium, ubi dolorem suum commemorat Apostolus de Tito non invento, propterea nos istius difficultatis explicationem illuc rejicimus. Tractat totum hunc locum usque ad finem capitis, Hieronynms in epist. 150., quae est ad Hedib., quaest. 11.
Et ostium mihi apertum esset in Domino. Hoc est, exponente Hieronymo: Cumque plurimi credidissent, sive per signa atque virtutes, quae in me operabatur Deus, spes esset nascentis fidei, et in Domino succrescentis. Sic enim locum Hieronymi lego ex priori editione, et ex Hervaeo verba Hieronymi referente; remota videlicet copula, et spes Qfset nascentis, quae sensum reddebat imperfectum. Particulam: in Domino nullus Graecorum exponit, ut videantur, nescio quo casu, non legisse. Nam et in textu Tbeopbylacti praetermittitur. Hodie tamen et in Syriaco legitur, et in omnibus Graecis. Potest autem bifariam exponi, vel ut sit idem, quod in Christi Domini negotio; tamquam sentiat Apostolus, ostium Troade sibi apertum fuisse ad Evangelium Christi praedicandum, fidemque propagandam; vel: in Domino, id est (ut alii tum ex Graeco, tum ex Syriaco vertunt), per Dominum, quod est: Domino operante; quemadmfldum videtur etiam Hieronymus intellexisse. Quem sensum inter alios secutus S. Thomas ostendit, etiam ipsius ostii apertionem (sive per eam credendi f acilitas, sive praeparatio animorum intelligatur) adscribendam esse potentiae divinae, cum ait: InDomino, quia ipsa praeparatio mentis humanae est ex virtute divina. Nam licet facilitas, qua mentes praeparantur, sit causa conversionis: tamen ipsius facilitatis et praeparationis causa est Deus. Sic ille. In eundem sensum Primasius et Sedulius ostium Paulo apertum in Domino interpretantur: quia corda eorum aperuit Deus, quibus ille praedicabat. De metaphora ostii aperti vide etiam, quae diximus ad locum simi-
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13. Non habui requiem spiritui meo. Requiem, Graece aveaiv, remissionem, relaxationem. Et pro tertio casu spiritui meo, Ttvs^uaxi jioo, sextum alii reddunt, quo Graeci carent, spiritu meo. Nam quietus aut inquietus spiritu quis dicitur, non spiritui. In textu Ambrosii juxta quaedam exemplaria, necnon apud Haimonem legitur: in spiritu meo. Sensus autem est: Animo non conquievi, quoniam, ut ait Hieronymus, speratam consolationem invenire non potui. Cujus rationem Apostolus subjungit:
Eo quod non invenerim Titum fratrem meum. Titum, quem in epist. ad eum scripta filium appellat, tamquam in fide Christiana discipulum, hic fratrem suum vocat, id est, in Evangelio praedicando adjutorem et socium; eadem scilicet ratione, qua Timotheum initio hujus epistolae fratrem ab eo nominatum diximus. Quaerit Hieronymus, quae [causa fuerit, cur Apostolus absentiam Titi 1am moleste tuleritj ac respondet, Paulum, etsi virum doctissimum et eruditum ad pedes Gamalielis, et scientia sanctarum Scripturarum instructum, quique diversarum linguarum gratiam possideret, divinorum sensuum majestatem non potuisse digno Graeci eloquii sermone explicare. Habebat ergo, inquit, Titum interpretem, sicut et beatus Petrus Marcum; et post pauca: Ergo et Paulus Apostolus contristatur, quia praedicationis suae in praesentia fistulam organumque, per quod Christo caneret, non invenerat. Haec Hieronymus. At quae causa coegit principes Apostolos Petrum et Paulum ad evangelizandum uti interprete? cum ille donum omnium linguarum in die Pentecostes accepisset, hic vero de se gloriatus faerit in priore ad Corinthios epistola cap. 14., dicens: Gratias ago Deo meo, quod omnium vestrum (magis) lingua loquor. Ad hanc dubitationem variae sunt responsiones. Quarum una est, Apostolos, etsi dono linguarum praeditos, non tamen eo semper et pro arbitrio uti potuisse, quomodo quis utitur lingua, quam didicit; sed tunc solum, quando ad loquendum linguis a Spiritu sancto moveri se sentiebant; quemadmodum et accidebat eis in dono prophetandi et miracula faciendi. Haec sententia multis non probatur eo, quod existiment, linguarum donum in Apostolis fuisse, non ut actum transeuntem, uti fuit in aliis fidelibus, saltem illis, qui, quae lingua peregrina loquebantur, interpretari non poterant, de quibus agit Paulus 1 Cor. 14.; sed ut habitum permanentem, more aliarum scientiarum, propterea quod donum illud eis attributum fuerit, ut Evangelium Christi toto orbe terrarum praedicarent; quod sine prompta linguarum notitia dimcillimum eis fuisset. Alii proinde respondent, Paulum (idemque de Petro judicium), licet Graece nosset ac loqueretur, sive ex dono, sive etiam ex institutione (nam Graece non solum scripsit, sed et locutus est, Actor. 21. et alibi), quia tamen Hebraeus erat gente ac lingua, non potuisse perfectam Graecae linguae pronuntiationem assequi; ideoque Titum, cui Graeca lingua nativa erat, interpretem et oratorem (quo uti solitus) desideiasse. Nec id miium de Paulo, quando et Josephus historicus, Graece scribendi doctissimus, de se ipso fatetur in calce voluminis antiquitatum Judaicarum, exquisitam Graecae linguae prcnuntiandae facultatem per patriam consuetudinem assequi se non potuisse. Haec ipsius Hieronymi videtur esse sententia, cum dicit, ideo Paulum usum interprete, quod non posset divinorum sensuum majesta+em digno sermone Graeci eloquii explicare. Eandem sententiam verbis Hieronymi refert Hervaeus; meminerunt et alii, non ita tamen, ut omnino probent. Cum enim Apostoli linguarum scientiam divino miraculo fuerint assecuti, nec imperfecta sint Dei dona, censent, eos pari facilitate Graecam linguam, qua Hebraeam, pronuntiasse. Qua ratione etiam S. Thcmas illam responsionem refellit ac rejicit. Quae tamen istorum opinio quatenus valeat, intelligi potest ex iis, quae diximus ad locum memoratum 1 Cor. 14.: Gratias ago Deo meo etc., idque ex mente S. Thomae in summa Theologica. Licet enim Apostolus (ait Liranus) omnes linguas sciret loqui, tamen magis facundus erat in Hebraea. Quod et sentiunt, qui dicunt, idcirca plus eloquentiae elucere in epist. ad Hebraeos, quam in caeteris Pauli epistolis, quod eam Hebraice scripserit. ITt ergo demus, Apostolos pari facilitate potuisse pronuntiare linguas peregrinas, quadomesticam, idest, Hebraeam; non tamen eas sonabant pari nitore ser monis et eloquentia. Quamquam ita perfecte loquebantur ad intelligentiam auditorum, ut verborum suorum ac sententiarum interprete non egerent; quemadmodum nec indiguit Paulus, quando apud Felicem et Festum, praesides Romanos, ipse pro se loqui jussus, causam suam egit, Dicunt ergo nonnulli, quorum sententiam probat Cardinalis Baronius in annalibus ad ann. Dom. 45., Paulum ac caeteros Apostolos in Evangelio praedicando duas ob causas sibi interpretes adhibuisse. Primum, ut, quando alicui genti concionabantur lingua genti propria, velut Romanis Latina, Graecis Graeca, tum, si qui forte adessent diversae nationis ac linguae homines, eam linguam non intelligentes, iis satisfacerent interpretes, ipsorum lingua reddentes ea, quae ab Apostolis dicta essent. Deinde volunt, interpretes Apostolis necessarios fuisse, qui ea, quae sublimia et captu difficilia ab illis inter concionandum d:cebantur, auditoribus elucidarent. At profecto nec hae causae rem diligenter expendenti satis, opinor, idoneae videbuntur, vel ad explic&ndum hunc locum, vel ad usum interpretis declarandum. Nam quod ad priorem causam attinet, ea certe praesenti loco nequit accomodari. Nam Graeca lingua, qua utebantur regiones Asiae et Macedoniae, quibus Paulus praedicabat, adeo communis erat ac passim omnibus nota, ut non sit credibile, Paulum propter absentiam interpretis, qui sermonem ejus aliqua diversa lingua (pauculis forte hominibus) exponeret. ita discruciatum animo fuisse, ut, Troade relicta, abiret in Macedoniam, quaesiturus illic suum interpretem. Et alioqui sane oportuisset, hujusmodi interpretes non unius aut alterius linguae, sed plurium gnaros esse, quo diversarum gentium ac linguarum hominibus, Apostolum praedicantem non intelligentibus, officium interpretationis impenderent. Sed et altera causa mihi non admodum probabilis videtur. Nam Apostoli, apud multitudinem praedicantes, sermonem suum attemperabant captui multorum, secretiora mysteria servantes in tempus commodum, quo traderent ea capacioribus, atque fide provectioribus. Argumento sunt Apostolorum Petri et Pauli conciones ad plebem, in Actis eorum a Luca descriptae, in quibus prima quaedam rudimenta fidei Christianae proponere contenti, de caeteris, quae nondum ferre posset auditorum infirmitas, reticent, ac ne quidem Christum Deum aperte eloquuntur. UndePaulus 1 Cor. 2.: Sapientiam se loqui dicit inter perfectos, et cap. 3.: Non potui vobis, inquit, loqui quasi spiritualibus, sed quasi carnalibus; tamquam parvulis in Christo lac vobis potum dedi, non escam; nondum enim poteratis. Quod si Christus suis discipulis, quibus dixerat: Vobis datum est nosse mysteria regni coelorum, Matth. 13., tamen in illo sermone, quem ultimum ad eos ante passionem habuit, ita loquitur: Adhuc multa habeo vobis dicere; sed non potestis portare modo, Joann. 16., quanto magis Apostolos sic agere conveniebat cum iis, qui plane rudes erant dogmatum chiistianae religionis? His addo: Si Titus fuit Pauli interpres, sive hoc posteriore modo, sive priore, non debuit Paulus eum a se absentem facere, nec ad Corinthios mittere, nec in Creta relinquere; sed jugiter apud se retinere, virum in re tanta sibi necessarium. At nec ordinarium Pauli comitem Titum fuisse, quemadmodum Lucam, usquam legitur; quando nec in Actorum libro fiat ejus ulla mentio. Quae cum ita sint, haud facile defendi posse videtur Hieronymi sententia, qua Paulum propter absentiam Titi tamquam interpretis sui scribit adeo tristem et anxium fuisse. Quare ab aliis aliae quaeruntur rationes. Graeci expositores in genere dicunt, absentiam Titi, velut egregii multumque necessarii cooperatoris, in causa fuisse, quo minus Apostolus, quod Troade coeperat, in negotio praedicandi Evangelii posset absolvere. Cajetanus autem ingenue confitetur, se non penetrare, nec invenire posse, quid impedimenti attulerit absentia Titi praedicationi Pauli jam paratae, propter quod ille tam fuerit irrequietus, ut, cum ostium sibi apertum esset in Domino, tamen ob Titum non inventum alio discederet. Ambrosiaster rem explicari conatur. Dicit enim, Apostolo, quod solatium Titi deesset, laborem apud Troadenses intolerabilem fuisse. Quamvis enim, inquit, quidam eorum aperuerant corda sua ad recipiendum sermonem Dei, tamen impudentia infidelium non minima exsistebat, insurgens in Apostolum zelo credentium. Et haec duo ab uno impleri non poterant, nempe et fideles instruere, etincredulis repugnare. Sic ille. Cujus sententiam etiam Hervaeus approbat, ea, quam priore loco adduxerat ex Hieronymo, posthabita. Accedunt et alii ex Latinis, Haimo, Lombardus, S. Thomas, Liranus, Carthusianus, plerique etiam hoc addentes, quod Titus, si praesens fuisset, institisset praedicationi et conversioni bonorum; Paulus vero, velut, doctior restitisset adversariis. At vero Primasius hanc adfert causam, cur, Tito non invento, requiem Apostolus non habuerit, quia per Titum, quem Corinthum miserat, exspectabat, ut sibi nuntiaretur, an Corinthii jam se correxissent. Requiem ergo spiritus Pauli non habebat eo, quod Titum non invenisset, scilicet Corintho reversum, ut ejus relatu certior de rebus Corinthiorum fieret. Et haec Apostolus scribit, ait Primasius, ut intelliganty ipsum omnia propter charitatem fecisse. Eandem rationem etiam Pelagius et Sedulius tradunt, et inter neotericos Hofmeisterus et Arias Montanus. Attingit quoque Theodoretus. Sane probabilitatem habet ista ratio non exiguam; tum ex eo, quod alioqui non videtur haec Pauli narratio de Titi praesentia tam cupide desiderata vel satis intelligi posse, vel ad rem institutam pertinere; tum quia, quae de Tito memorat inferius cap. 7. et 8., probe consentiunt cum hujusmodi intellectu praesentis loci; maxime cum ait: Sed qui consolatur humiles, consolatus est nos Deus in adventu Titi, et quae deinde sequuntur. Juxta hanc igitur rationem ostendit Apostolus ab eo loco: Cum venissem autem Troadem etc, sese, quamvis corporis accessu nondum venisset Corinthum, spiritu tamen ac sollicitudine Corinthiis esse praesentem; ut qui non fuerit animo quietus, donec Titum ab illis reversum conveniret, atque ex eo intelligeret, quomodo res illorum sese haberent. Ergo, quod dicit, tale est: Postquam, Epheso digressus, veni Troadem Evangelii causa, quamvis in ea urbe spes copiosi fructus appareret, adeo tamen rerum vestrarum cura ac sollicitudine tenebar, ut illic non putaverim mihi subsistendum, eo, quod Titus, quem a vobis exspectabam, non advenisset.
Sed valefaciens eis, profectus sum in Macedoniam. Valefaciens eis, Graece: &7tOTa£a{levo<: aoToTg, cum valedixissem eis; Ambrosius: vale illis facto; Erasmus: dimissis illis; tametsi verbum Graecum non significat simpliciter dimittere aut valedicere, sed mandatis iis, quae volumus; ut solemus dimittere notos et amicos. Utitur eodem verbo Lucas, itidem de Paulo fratribus valedicente loquens, Act. 18, 18. et iterum vers. 21. Utitur etiam Evangelii sui cap. 9., ubi nos Latine legimus: Permitte mihi primum renuntiare his, qui domi sunt. Itaque sensus est: Sed cum fratres illic morantes, datis mandatis, dimisissem, profectus sum, Graece, e^TjAOov, exivi, id est, abivi, discessi in Macedoniam; scilicet Titum illic exspectaturus, et ex eo de vobis aliquid certi cogniturus. Quem invenisse se tandem, eoque referente, laeta de Corinthiis audivisse, testatur infra cap. 7., ubi narrationem, quam hic ambrumpit, repetit ac prosequitur. Sunt, qui putent, Apostolum hic indicare rationem mutati consilii sui de Corinthiis prius visendis, quam iret in Macedoniam. Sed falluntur. Jam enim, antequam Epheso discederet, constitutum habebat, prius in Macedoniam proficisci; quemadmodum patet ex 1 Cor. 16. Sed cur in eo non peccavit Paulus, quod Titi quaerendi causa abiverit in Macedoniam, Troade relicta, ubi ostium ei apertum erat in Domino, id est, occasio oblata rei evangelicae feliciter procurandae? Nam de Tito necessario interprete responsionem jam pridem exclusimus. Quamquam nec quaerere suum interpretem Paulus debuisset, eed per nuntium accersere. Jam vero nec inventum adduxit Troadem, perfecturus illic cum eo, quod coeperat; sed, Macedoniae partibus perambulatis, venit in Graeciam. Respondeo, Paulum in Macedoniam profectum fuisse, non recenti consilio, sed jam ante deliberato, priusquam Troadem appelleret; nec mutare consilium debuisse propter occasionem Evangelii apud Troadenses promovend.i. Nam urgebat eum profectio Hierosolymitana, quam paraprius tamen Macedoniam et Achaiam transiturus, ut ibidem dicitur; nimirum colligendi subsidii causa, quod ad fratres pauperes Hierosolymam perferret. Neque tamen idcirco Troadenses dereliquisse putandus est, quibus ut priore accessu, de quo LucasActor. 16,8. et. 9., Christum annuntiaverat, ita postmodum e Graecia reversus eosdem revisit, et post synaxim Dominicam apud eos celebratam, atque sermonem in mediam noctem productum, insigni miraculo mortuiresuscitati in fide confirmavit, ut habetur Actor. 20. Sane Troadensium salutem Paulo discedenti curaefuisse, etiam ipse significat hoc loco, dum utitur vocabulo aitOTa£afisvo<;; ac si diceret: Cum eos, rebus Ecclesiae prius ordinatis ac dispositis, dimisissem. Nec enim dubitandum est, quin, ut alias solet, discedens reliquerit illic aliquem vel aliquos, qui et Ecclesiam regerent, et Evangelio -propagando vacarent, ut, quomodo Titum in Creta, et Timotheum Ephesi, ita quempiam, fortasse Carpum, cujus meminit 2 Tim. 4., Troade constituerit eprscopum et Evangelii ministrum. Quod vero quidam annotant, ut Hieronymus ad Hedibiam scribens, Haimo et S. Thomas in comment., item Carthusianus et Hofmeisterns, etsi dubitanter loquentes, hanc Apostoli profectionem e Troade in Macedoniam esse eandem cum illa, quam divino monitu suscepit, de qua Lucas Act. 16. sic loquitur: Et visio per noctem Paulo ostensa est: Vir Macedo quidam erat stans et deprecans eum, et dicens: Transiens in Macedoniam, adjuva nos, et quae sequuntur: haud dubie falluntur lapsu memoriae. Nondum enim Paulus Corinthiis Evangelium praedicaverat, quando illa visio et profectio contigit, ut ex Actorum historia constat. Quocirca verius est, hanc profectionem, ut ante diximus, a Luca attingi sub initium cap. 20. Act, ubi scribit, Paulum, Epheso relicta, profectum fuisse, ut iret in Macedoniam. Nam Epheso per Troadem, quae duae civitates Asiae sunt, in Macedoniam fuisse profectum, praesens locus nos docet. Ex quo etiam palam est, hanc epistolam non, ut aliqui putarunt, Troade scriptam esse, sed posteaquam venit in Macedoniam, prout ostendimus in argumento epistolae.
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14. Deo autem gratias. Graece Xa'Ptco gratia: quemadmodum et legit Hieronymus. Subaudi: sit. Infra cap. 7. sic ait: Cum venissemus in Macedoniam, nullam requiem habuit caro nostra, sed omnem tribulationem passi sumus; foris pugnae, intus timores. Deinde subjungit de sua consolatione per adventum Titi. Prius ergo, quam venisset Titus, multa passus in Macedonia, sed in omnibus superior ac victor; ecce, gratias agit Deo. Qui semper triumphat nos in Christo Jesu. Nomen Jesu Graeci et Syri codices non exprimunt. Triumphat nos, dictum putat Hieronymus, pro eo, quod est: triumphat de nobis, sive triumphum suum agit per nos. Nam, ut postea subjicit, triumphus Dei est passio martyrum. Commentator Ambrosii legit: triumphat per nos, et exponens: Hoc est, inquit, Deum per Apostolos triumphare in Christo; victores illos facere in fide Christi; ut, calcata perfidia, trophaeum habeat fides, dum ex perfidis fiunt fideles, et malevoli non proficiunt in persequendo credentes. Verum ut Graeci libri constanter habent: OpiajxpsoovTi Tjuat;, ita Latini caeteri: qui triumphat nos. Id vero interpretari: qui triumphat per nos, ut fecit Erasmus, textum Ambrosianum imitatus, satis coactum videtur. Porro Graecorum expositio hujusmodi est: Qui semper triumphat nos, id est, ex victoriis, quas a diabolo et hominibus adversariis reportamus, illustres et conspicuos nos facit, velut publice triumphum agentes. Id ipsum Latini, tam recentiores, quam veteres, praeter duos supra dictos itabreviter: Triumphat nos, id est, triumphare nos facit; ac si clare dicat Apostolus: Deo gratias ago, qui nos, id est, me, meosque Evangelii praedicandi socios, in omni pressura et pugna, quae nobis fuit cum adversariis, non solum victores efficit, verum etiam ex victoria reddit gloriosos; idque per Christum, in quo solo vincimus et triumphamus. Videtur autem Apostolus in verbo Graeco hebraizare, dum illud ex neutro transitivum facit, more verborum Hebraicorum, q.tae in conjugatione Kal neutro, in Hiphil fiunt transitiva, nonnulla etiam in eadem conjugatione nunc activa sunt, nunc neutra. Simile quid habemus in illo versu Psalm. 51.: Emigrabit te de tabernaculo tuo, ubi Graece legitur: jjtSTavaaTSuaai as,, emigret te, verbo neutro, sed exponendo transitive: emigrare te faciat. Caeterum alibi contrario sensu, sed phrasi Graecis non insueta, dicitur Christus triumphasse principatus et potestates, Col. 2., id est, de daemonibus superatis triumphum egisse, vel eos devictos et captivos in triumpho duxisse.
Et odorem notitiae suae manifestat per nos in omni loco. Hoc est, sui notitiam ac famam, velut odorem quendam, spargit quaquaversum per me et socios laboris mei in Evangelio, dum non modo praedicamus Christum apud omnes, sed etiam persecutionibus et pressuris quasi pistillis conterimur, ut odor notitiae Dei, id est, famae ejus, a nobis quam longissime diffundatur. Res enim odoriferae si conterantur, ut vehementius olent, ita longius odorem spargunt. Potest enim verti: notitiae ejus, scilicet Christi, si auxou scribas cum leni spiritu. Christus enim est, cui dicitur: Oleum effusum nomen tuum, et: Post te curremus in odorem unguentorum tuorum, Cant. 1. Cnde et de Christi odore sequitur: lh..Quia Christi bonus odor sumus Deo in iis, qui salvi fiunt, et in iis, qui pereunt. Bonus odor, uno vocabulo Graece est sucoSta; quasi dicas: beneolentia. Videtur Apostolus se suosque cooperatores bonum odorem vocare causaliter, ut qui de se bonum odorem emittant. Jam enim Dei seu Christi notitiam odorem vocaverat per Apostolos manifestatum. Idque vult ista Hieronymi expositio: Nominis Christi in bmni loco bonus odor sumus Deo, et praedicationis nostrae longe lateque spirat fragrantia: sensus igitur est: Quamvis enim fidem Christi non omnes recipiant, nos tamen, instar fragrantis cujusdam unguenti, seu florum aut herbarum, famam nominis ejus, velut bonum ac suavem odorem, Deoque gratissimum (est enim allusio ad odorem thymiamatis incensi) spargimus apud omnes; non eos solum, qui credunt et salvi fiunt; verum etiam, qui credere nolentes pereunt. Non simpliciter odorem, sed bonum odorem Christi se suosque collegas vocat, id est, Silvanum et Timotheum, quos supra nominavit capit. 1., item Titum et Lucam, et si quos habebat his similes Evangelii praedicandi socios, quia non quoquo modo, Christum praedicabant, sed, uti statim post indicat, cum sinceritate et integritate conversationis. Quod qui non faciunt, sed inquinatis moribus bonam doctrinam conspurcant, hi plerumque foetere faciunt odorem ejus apud homines. Partem hanc: in iis, qui pereunt, quidam specialiter referunt ad detractores et aemulos Apostoli Pauli, quibus bona ejus doctrina et doctrinae successus per invidiam vertebatur in perniciem; contra quos agit in sequentibus hujus epist, ac rursus ad Philipp. cap. 2. Consimiliter autem, et illos, qui salvi fiunt, interpretantur eos, qui Paulum diligebant ut fidelem ac sincerum Evangelii dispensatorem, gaudentes de successu ministerii ejus. Ita S. Augustinus tract. 50. super Joann. et aliis locis a Beda collectis, quem seqauntur Primasius, Glossator^-flu^o Yklprinus, Lombardus Verum magis placet sensus generalis, quem et Graeci tradunt, et complures Latini, quem nec Augustinus exchidit; ut priore membro comprehendantur, quicumque credebant Evangelio per Apostolos praedicato; posteriore, qui non credebant. Est, qui partem illam: et in iis, qui pereunt, supplendam putet per contrarium hoc modo: Et malus odor sumus in iis, qui pereunt. Sed absit, ut fateamur, bonos Christi ministros esse aut spargere malum odorem Deo propter malitiam eorum, qui non credunt. Notum est autem, bonum odorem aliis esse salutarem, aliis lethalem. Hoc enim est, quod sequitur:
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16. Aliis quidem odor mortis in mortem; aliis autem odor vitae in vitam. Clarius ita reddas: His quidem odor mortii ad mortem; illis autem odor vitae ad vitam. Unum exemplar Graecum apud Robertum Stephanum, addita in utroque membro praepositione ex, ita legit: Ex morte in mortem; de vita in vitam. Sed adjectitiam esse praepositionem, plane existimo. Sumus, inquit Apostolus, iis, quipereunt, id est, reprobis, odor lethalis, mortem aeternam illis adferens, iis autem, qui salvi fiunt, id est, electis, odor vitalis, utpote vitam aeternam illis adferens. Rursum causaliter odorem se vocat, quatenus sua praedicatione famam nominis Christi tamquam bonum odorem late dispergebat. Qui odor malis ac reprobis lethalis erat, non suo, sed illorum vitio, propterea quod occasione Evangelii sibi praedicati, dum credere nolunt, gravius condemnantur; quum odor ille secundum se semper bonus sit, etiam tunc, quando quibusdam est odor mortis ad mortem. Sic enim et fragrantia boni unguenti columbam vegetat, scarabaeum necat, ut ait Oecumenius. Sic et lumen solis oculos sanos recreat, debiles offendit; et ignis aurum purgat, stipulas absumit; et ipse Christus aliis in ruinam, aliis in resurrectionem positus est, Luc. 2. Qua ratione etiam de sacramento corporis et sanguinis Domini canit Ecclesia: Mors est malis, vita bonis.
Et ad haec quis tam idoneus? Vocula tam in Graeco et Syriaco non additur, ut nec in textu Ambrosii et Sedulii. Legitque sine ea passim Augustinus, ut tract. 50. super Joann., et in enarr. Psalmi 7. et aliis locis apud Bedam. Suspicatur Erasmus, interpretem vertisse: quisnam idoneus? Certe ratio ostendit, illud tam abesse debere, ne sit sententia arrogantior. Legisse tamen Pelagium, arguit hoc ejus glossema: Ad haec facienda quis potest tam idoneus esse, quam nos, qui ad hoc sumus electi? Quod idem in suum collectaneum transscripsit Sedulius. Atqui sensus est: Quotusquisque ministrorum Evangelii idoneus est ad haec, quae dico, praestanda? scilicet ut sit bonus odor Christi in omni loco, id est, ut bonam famam Evangelii Christi de se spargat apud omnes. Idoneum intelligit, qui re ipsa talem se praebet. Indicat autem hac interrogatione, perpaucos esse tales, multos vero non tales. Et ab his sese eximit verbis sequentibus:
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17. Non enim sumus sicut plurimi, adulterantes verbum Dei. Plurimi, Graece koXXoi, multi, plerique. Nisi quod in tribus codicibus a Roberto notatis legitur XotTtol, caeteri. Quod nec veritati congruit, nec modestiae Pauli; magisque redolet Pharisaicum illud: Non sum, sicut caeteri homines, Luc. 18. Notat autem his verbis Pseudoapostolos, quorum mores expressius describit cap. 11. Adulterantes, inquit, verbum Dei, Graece: xa7i7jXe6ovTS<; xov Xoyov xoo frsoD, id est, cauponantes verbum, sive sermonem Dei. Cauponantes etiam in antiquis concordantiis lego. Et ad eam lectionem alludunt veteres Latini, Pelagius, Primasius, Sedulius; nec non eos secuti glossator et Lombardus, dum huc citant illud Jesaiae 1. secundum LXX.: Caupones tui miscent vino aquam. Estque sane venustior hoc loco metaphora cauponari, quam adulterare. Potest autem bifariam exponi, vel ut sensus sit: Quaestus et commodi sui gratia verbum Dei praedicantes, ad quaestum Evangelio abutentes. Quo sermonis tropo Pyrrhus, Epirotarum rex, apud Ennium dixit: Non cauponantes bellum, sed bclligerantes. Cauponum enim est, omnia ad quaestum vertere. Et hoc attendit, qui interpretatus est: venundantes, uti legit Hieronymus juxta priores editiones; pro quo et repetit: qui venditent verbum Dei, etexponit: Qui quaestum putant esse pietatem, et turpis lucri gratia omnia faciunt. Vel hoc sensu: Vitiantes verbum Dei sanamque doctrinam permixtione falsitatis. Qua significatione Graecum verbum accepit tam noster interpres, quam ille, cujus textu usus est Ambrosiaster, dum vertit uterque: adulterantes, id est, quod sincerum est, corrumpentes. Quod item faciunt caupones vinum aqua miscentes. Hoc autem posterius ex priori fere consequitur. Nam ut caupones lucrandi studio mixta pro meris, et vitiata pro sinceris vendunt; ita qui in Evangelio Christi praedicando, quae sua sunt, quaerunt, non quae Jesu Christi, ad illum finem etiam suam doctrinam libenter inflectunt atque accommodant. Utrumque in cauponandi verbo considerarunt Chrysostomus et ejus sequaces. Et quidem eos, quos hac epistola insectatur Apostolus, utrumque fecisse, constabit ex eorum descriptione, quam nobis tradet cap. 11., ubi non solum eos taxat ut sui lucri gloriaeque studiosos, verum etiam pseudapostolos vocat et Satanae ministroe. Rursus autem iidem, ut adulterantes verbum Dei, notantur infra cap. 4., verbo quidem Graeco diverso, non tamen diversae significationis; ut illic videbimus.
Sed ex sinceritate, sed sicut ex Deo, coram Deo, in Christo loquimur. Sinceritatem opponit cauponationi. Loquitur ergo verbum Dei ex sinceritate, vel, ut est in Graeco, tamquam ex sinceritate, id est, tamquam sincerus Evangelista, qui neque Dei verbum adulterat admixtione alienae doctrinae neque eo abutitur ad quaestum aut gloriam humanam. Verba Apostoli sic expono: Sed loquimur et annuntiamus verbum Dei sincere, tamquam profectum et acceptum a Deo; loquimur, inquam, coram Deo, vel in conspectu Dei, id est, Deum testem ac judicem prae oculis habentes, ideoque Deo, non hominibus placere studentes; denique loquimur illud in Christo, id est, per Christum, vel autoritate Christi, cujus sumus ministri. Particula sed, secundo repetita, vim orationis intendit. Cujus exemplum luculentius habebimus
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9. si enim ego contristo vos , et quis est, qui me laetificet, nisi qui contristatur ez me? Pro munere suo Apostoli cooperatores sunt gaudii spiritualis neophytorum, at vicissim gaudio affici debent à neophytis; quomodo vero Paulus laetificari potuit ab ecclesia corinthia multis morbis laborante, quum florens dumtaxat ecclesiae conditio sit fundatoris gaudium et corona (PAil. 4,1)? Absonum enim videtur, aliquem contristare, ut deinde contristatus contristantem gaudio afficiat; « ab iis enim, qui moerore sunt confecti , solatium et gaudii causa frustra exspectatur » (Nat.); atqui id in ecclesia corinthia, si Paulus statim advenisset, fieri debuisset; casti-- ganda enim ac proin contristanda erat, atque Paulus omni solatio ibi caruisset, antequam ad bonam frugem reducta castigatorem suum laetificare coepisset. Haec est Tom. explicatio, quam iuniores plerique (Salm. Est. Nat. Pic. M Ev. Bisp. LR. Dr. Hamó. — Mey. Kl Br. etc.) recte adoptarunt, siquidem hoc sensu intellecta sententia rationem retardati itineris clare indicat. Fatendum tamen est, antiquiores quum Graecos (Chrys. Theod. Dam. Oec. Theoph.) tum Latinos (A'*" Pel. Sed. Haym. Herv. Dion. Iust. etc. — Beng. Dillr.) fere contrarium sensum in hoc versu invenisse; participio Aurojutvo; (qui contristatur) enim significationem quasi medialem attribuentes (qui ita se contristari sinit, ut convertatur) Paulum de solatio, quod ex neophytorum conversione capturus sit, loqui putant : « quod si etiam futurum esset, ut vos obiurgare ac moestos reddere coactus in dolore versarer, tamen ex hoc ipso voluptatem caperem » (CArys.); « nihil enim me tantum exhilarat, quantum sensus eorum, qui arguuntur » (TAeod.); « propterea vos contristo, ut possim gaudere de vobis » (Pel.) etc.; at hoc sensu intellecta accelerati quidem, sed non retardati, itineris rationem sententia exprimeret. Non minus, opinor, a vero aberrat Cati., qui praeeunte Lom. sententiam ellipticam esse censet eamque ita supplet : « si enim ego contristo vos, qwuis vos consolabitur? Et quis est, qui me laetificet , nisi qui contristatur ex me, i. e. nisi laeta dispositio illorum, qui tristitia afficiuntur ex mea correctione? » In errorem inductus videtur particula xí (et), quae interrogationi apodoseos praemittitur (e? quis est, etc.); at particula haec in interrogationibus admirabundis aut subito exortis non admodum rara est!. Nimis arcte demum sententiam nostram explicant, qui participio à Auropitvog ££ ipoi (qui à me contristatur) solum incestuosum designari volunt (Lap. M Ev?. eic. — Beza etc.), de quo statim (v. 5 sqq.) erit sermo ; singulari enim, uti saepissime, integra classis designatur; sensu non mutato Apostolus pluralem adhibere potuit. Quid vero egerit, ne iterum in tristitia ad eos venire cogeretur, exponit :
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3. et hoc ipsum scripsi vobis, ut non (iva ycí ne), quum venero, tristitiam (super tristitiam) habeam (ex parte eorum), de quibus oportuerat (melius : oportebat 8t) me gaudere ?, confidens in omnibus vobis, quia meum gaudium omnium vestrum est. In hac sententia explicanda, quum quid et quando Paulus sese scripsisse dicere velit, non satis constet, dissentiunt interpretes, licet in universo eius sensu definiendo conveniant. Clare enim Apostolus docet, se epistola quadam adventum suum praeparare voluisse, ut adveniens a neophytis, uti decebat, non tristitia sed laetitia afficeretur; de eorum igitur omnium erga se caritate confisus, qua ducti gaudium pairis sui velut suum quoque gaudium haberent illudque proin pro viribus augere studerent, eos literis suis antea ad bonam frugem revocare voluit, ut ita deinde tamquam adiutor gaudii eorum adveniret. At quidnam hunc in finem scripserit, controvertitur, quia verbum £yp«y« (scripsi?) aeque bene de hac ipsa epistola, quam nunc scribit (cfr 1 Cor. 9,15; Gal. 6,11 elc.), atque de anteriore quadam (cfr 7,12; 1 Cor. 5,11 etc.) intelligi potest. Erronea procul dubio est nonnullorum modernorum acath. sententia, qui Paulum de epistola quadam per Titum allata loqui putant, quam tempore intermedio inter nostram 1 Cor. et 2 Cor. scripserit (B/. Ew. KI. etc.); mera enim ficlio, quae omni fundamento caret. est epistola illa. Atque erronea quoque merito habetur sententia CArys. et Oec., qui Paulum ad ea, quae in fine huius epistolae (/nfra 11,20) leguntur, respexisse dicunt; ea enim, quae postea scripturus erat, non potuit dicere se iam scripsisse. Melius antiquiores Latini et moderni nonnulli haec ipsa, quae praecedentibus versibus scripta sunt, a Paulo significari putant : « et hoc ipsum, quod nemo me laetificat, nisi qui contristatur ex me, scripsi vobis nunc, ut hoc scientes defleatis modo ' peccata vestra, ne quum venero iterum contrister de vobis » (Herv. cfr Lomó. Thom. Dion. Cai. Salm. lust. Nat. etc. — Grot. Olsh. etc.). Attamen huic explicationi id maxime obstat, quod infra (7,8 sqq.) Apostolus idem iam prioribus literis se obtinuisse asserat, quod hoc loco se scriptione sua obtinere voluisse dicit. Itaque cum 7Aeod. et A'r^, quorum sententiam moderni longe plurimi amplectuntur (Est. Pic. M Ev. Mai. Bisp. L R. Dr. Ramó. etc. — Heinr. Goeb. etc.), Paulum de anteriore sua epistola (1 Cor.) loqui arbitramur : « ideo epistola mea meum adventum anticipavit, ut sanatio per illam effecta mihi conciliaret laetitiam; huius autem laetitiae vos quoque estis participes, quippe qui nostra vestra esse ducatis » (TAheod.). Iuxta quam explicationem verbum scrzpsi praecedenti statui (v. 1) plane respondet atque ad idem cum illo tempus refertur : de Corinthiorum vitiis certior factus statuerat non iterum in tristitia ad eos venire, atque ne in tristitia ad eos reverli cogeretur, scripserat haec ipsa, quae in praecedente epistola contristare quidem neophytos, sed contristare ad poenitentiam (7,9) debebant. Ut illud parcens vobis (1,23) explicet, totam seriem eorum, quae tunc egit, explanat atque hac ratione iam paullatim ad ea, quae in praecedente epistola de incestuoso dixerat, et de eodem statim dicturus est (v. 5 sqq.), animos praeparat. Neque tamen eum de solo incestuoso iam hic loqui, censendum est; illa enim, quae de animi habitu, quo priorem epistolam exaravit, addit, satis ostendunt, eum integram epistolae partem, qua vitia Corinthiorum reprehendit, prae oculis habere :
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&. nam ez multa tribulatione et angustia cordis scripsi vobis per multas lacrymas : non ut contristemini, sed ut sciatis, quam caritatem habeam abundantius in vobis. Maiore cum emphasi ultimum membrum in graeco effertur : sed caritatem ut cognoscatis, quam habeo imprimis erga vos (300à TAY Gy dev Uva vore, 7,» Ey mtpiscozéoos tis Quac) ; recte enim Chrys. : « Sermonis series postulabat, ut diceret : non ut contristemini, scd ut resipiscatis; etenim hac de causa scripserat; neque tamen hoc dicit, sed ut plus suavitatis orationi suae conciliet , atque in maiorem sui amorem eos pertrahat, illius loco ponit : caritatem ut cognoscatts, ostendens se omnia ex amore facere ; nec caritatem tantum dixit, sed addit : quam Àabeo mazime erga vos; vult enim hac quoque ratione animos eorum allicere, quum se eos prae ceteris amare ergaque eos velut erga eximios discipulos affectum esse ostendit ». làm vero quin prior epistola, quamvis in secunda parte, in qua dubia a Corinthiis proposita solvuntur, quietior et pacatior sit, ex animo contristato (Pise hoc in loco non tam de externa quam deinterna tribulatione rectius sumitur) et angustiato profecta atque multas inter lacrymas scripta sit, nemo dubitabit, qui quantum in periculum ecclesia corinthia schismatis vitiisque suis sese proiecerit et quanto cum amore Apostolus eam semper prosecutus sit, attente perpenderit; atque revera in priore parte (maxime in epp. 5. 5. 6.) haec animiconcitatio anxietasque identidem sese clare manifestat. Unde mirum non est, quod epistola illa, quum eorum vitia tam vehementer corriperet, Corinthios coniristaverit (7,8 sqq.); at Apostolus non hanc tristitiam, sed eorum poenitentiam intenderat, quae eos ad verum gaudium Spiritus esset perductura; quare se eos contristare voluisse iure negat, tristitiam utique saeculi intelligens, quae mortem operatur (cfr ad 7,10). Verum recte quoque monent antiquiores Latini : « Quisquis hoc affectu aliquem corripit, ut plus illo doleat peccatum illius, non utique ut illum contristet corripit, sed ut ostendat, quo amore illum diligat. Qui autem non hoc affectu corripit, contristat fratrem ; insultat enim , qui non condolet fratri » (Herv. cfr A**" Lomó. etc.). testat, ut ad e. 3. duo adnotemus. Verba to$:o «316 (hoc ipsum) velut obiectum verbi Eyezja. (scripsi) de lis interpretati sumus, quae in praecedente epistola Apostolus eum in finem exposuerat, ut neophytos ad vitía sua agnoscenda et emendanda adduceret, quaeque velut lectoribus sibique ipsi notissima et velut semper praesentia optime ita designare potuit. Alii tamen, quamquam ín reliquis datae explicationi consentiunt, verba roó:o aj:6 praeeunte Theod. adverbialiter posita esse idemque quod locutio si; zoízo a3x6 (in hunc ipsum finem 5,5 Rom. 9,17; Col. 4,8 ctc.; vel tiq 19570 2,9; Itom. 14,9 etc.) significare volunt : et ideo scripsi vobis, ne ctc. (Mai. ctc. — Mey. ctc.). Quae explicatio apta quidem est, quum certum sit, locutionem hoc sensu aliquoties adhiberi (cír 2 Petr. 1,95 iuxta meliorem lectionem; — Xenoph. Anab. 1,9. 21 etc.); at nobis non probatur, quia nullo exemplo demonstratur, Paulum hoc sensu verba illa adhibuisse; semper enim pracpos. sl; praemittit. Deinde in explicatione secuti sumus graecum textum : (va pij ZA&ov 23zzv ay, pro quo Fulg. exhibet : ne quum venero tristitiam super tristitiam habeam (cfr VV. LL.). Graecam lectionem moderni cum Est. haud immerito praeferunt; at latina quoque lectio, lícet id neget Est., aptum parit sensum : « ne priori mocrori, quem vitiorum vestrorum nuntii allati in me provocaverunt, novus adderetur moc- TOr, si adveniens vestram in iisdem vitiis perseverantiam videre cogcrer ». Itaque ob solam codd. graecorum versionumque antiquarum auctoritatem lectio graeca praeferri meretur. Porro magna S. Pauli in priore scribenda epistola angustia cordis et tristitia quum aliis Corinthiorum vitiis tum maxime crimine illo provocata erat, quod ne inter gentiles quidem erat auditum, ut aliquis uxorem patris sui haberet (1 Cor. 5, 1) ; sua quasi igitur sponte debuit animo eius occurrere memoria incestuosi illius, quem in praecedente epistola e coetu fidelium removeri iusserat; quumque interea per Titum audivisset, peccatorem poena iniuncta ad poenitentiam esse adductum, statuere quoque debuit, quid nunc de illo esset agendum. Ita opportunitatem nactus est ostendendi, quantopere illis gaudium afferre.exoptaret; etenim ut poenitentem reliqua poena condonata , ne in desperationem incidat, in coetum suum iterum admittant eos exhortatur (5-8), quia eorum obedientiam iam cognoverit et iam nunc veniam, quam decreturi sint, ratam habeat (9-11). Omnes Patres de incestuoso in sequente pericope agi consentiunt !, uno excepto Tert. (de pudic. 13), qui, quum moechis poenitentiam negaret ,. Paulum incestuoso dedisse veniam poenae negare debuit; cum Patribus iuniores quoque interpretes omnes consentiunt :paucis exceptis modernis acath. (Ew. Bl. Hilg. etc.), qui non incestuosum sed incognitum quendam Apostoli calumniatorem hic designari putant, quoniam gravissimum incestus crimen gravioribus, quam hic . adhibeantur, verbis reprobari debuerit. Sed qui haec obiiciunt, nec magnam prudentiam, qua Paulus cum Corinthiis agit, nec apostolicam caritatem, qua Dominum imitatus peccatores poenitentes amplectitur, perpendisse videntur. Ob hanc enim prudentiam et caritatem vere &dmirandam , ne cuius offenderet animum , nec hic, nec postea (7,12 sqq.), ubi iterum de incestuoso loquitur, eum nominat, neque eius crimen clarioribus verbis designat, nec vehementius illud vituperat; quae omnia eum facere debuisse, iam Tert. eodem fere modo, quo moderni illi acath., censuit. At crimen nondum expiatum vehementibus verbis castigavit et peccatorem nondum poenitentem ad gravem poenam condemnavit; cur vero crimen omnibus Corinthiis, quibus scripsit, notissimum ab iisque severa poena vindicatum clarioribus verbis designarelt aut peccatori, qui seriam egerat poenitentiam, eiusque parentibus novum pudorem incuteret, nulla prorsus erat ratio. « Hoc enim defensionis tempus fuisse », recte monet Chrys. ; si quis vero apostolicam hanc indulgentiam non intelligit, mente animoque diversam rationem consideret, qua una ex parte pharisaeus, altera ex parte Dominus poenitentem peccatricem tractaverit (Luc. 1,39 sqq.). eliam, ut clementiorem erga eum lenioremque sese exhibeat, non . nisi hypothetice loquitur, quasi integrum eius crimen poenitentia non tam sit remissum quam ex rerum exsistentium numero plane deletum et amotum : Ego non scripsi, ut vos contristarem ;
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5. si quis autem contristavit , non me contristavit , sed ex parte , ut non (lege : ne iva yií) onerem , omnes vos. Quemadmodum multis in locis, in quibus membro priori neganti alterum affirmans opponitur (cfr ad 1 Cor. 1,17), negatio in hac sententia non ita est absoluta , ut Apostolus turpissimo isto crimine se ipsum contristatum esse infitiari velit, sed relativa ad alterum membrum, quod fortius asseverare voluit, ut ad Corinthiorum tristitam, de qua maxime agebatur, attentionem converteret : « non tam me, quam vos omnes, contristavit ». À qua explicatione antiquiores Latini plerique (Haym. Herv. Lomó. Thom!. etc.) et iuniores multi (Est. Nat. Pic. M Ev. Mai. etc.) haud multum recedunt interpretantes : non me solum, sed etiam vos contristavit. Verum Corinthii, qui incestuosum in suo coetu retinuerant neque nisi iussi eiecerant, eadem ratione eodemque gradu , quo Apostolus , non doluerant; quare Paulus, ne rem aggravans peccatorem aequo gravius oneraret , assertum suum addito ex parte (479 y£pov; aliquatenus cfr 1,1&; Rom. 15, 94 etc.) limitavit. Haec fere est Chrys. explicatio, quae modernis plerisque probatur; vix minus probabilis tamen est A'r! aliorumque sententia, qui vocabulis ez parte non verbum contristavit (quodammodo vos omnes contristavit) sed eius obiectum (omnes vos) accuratius definiri censent (partem vestrum omnium contristavit cfr 1,14; Rom. 11,95); neque enim omnes neophytos de crimine doluisse , docet sententia quae sequitur. nibus vobis imponam» (Hero !. cfr Haym. Lomb. Thom. etc.). Reprehensorie (Lomb.) ' vel derisorie (Thom.) haec dicta esse putant, atque hac in sententia approbantur & nonnullis modernis acath., qui ut eandem ironiam inveniant, vocabulum omnes cum verbo onerem, pronomen vos vero cum verbo contristavit coniungunt (Mich. Olsh. etc.). Verum Thom. iam vidit, nec reprehensionem nec derisionem aut ironiam huic loco esse adaptatam, in quo Paulus de sua maiorisque neophytorum partis tristitia tanto crimine provocata loquitur ; quaro alteram explicationem proponit, quam meliorem . dicit quamque velut meliorem Lyr. Dion. etc. adoptarunt: « incestuosus non me contristavit totaliter, sed ex parte tantum; quia licet in ipso propter peccatum habuerim tristitiam, in vobis tamen propter multa bona, quae facitis, et in ipso propter poenitentiam, quam egit, habeo gaudium. Et dico ez parte, ne onerem omnes cos, i. e. ne vobis hoc onus imponam, quod me omnes contristaveritis ». At haec omnia in apostolica verba ingeri, minime vero ex eis colligi, clarum est. Neque melior est Herv *. explicatio : « Non me contristavit ex toto, sed ex parte, ne onerem vos magnitudine tristitiae meae, si ex toto contristatum me dico ».. Neque prima Estit explicatio probari potest, quae ita se habet: « non me contristavit solum et proprie, sed me contristavit ex parte, i. e. tamquam partem et membrum Ecclesiae, quae principaliter laesa et contristata est. Idque dico, ne vos omnes onerem culpa illius fornicarii; nam si me solum contristasset, vos omnes essetis ab ea tristitia immunes ideoque videremini peccati illius per consensum participes, quia qui non dolet de malo, quod novit, consentire videtur ». Mirum profecto in modum Paulus se ipsum sibi tamquam Ecclesiae membro opposuisset; mirum quoque in modum hanc oppositionem locutione adverbiali ez parte expressisset; longissime demum quaesita est explicatio verborum : ne onerem omnes vos; quapropter iure merito Est. ipse quoque, cum Iust. Nat. Pic. etc. eam constructionem et explicationem praeferunt, quam supra tradidimus. Quodsi quis interpunctlonem Vulg. retinere voluerit, poterit cum Cai. explicare : « non mihi tantum tristitiam attulit sed etiam multis vestrum ; atque rationem reddens, cur dixerit ez parte addit : neonerem omnes. vos, i. e. ne eximam omnes vos a participatione tristitiae, quod fuisset eos accusare duritiei cordis ». Postquam peccatoris emendati mentionem tanta cum caritate intulit, Paulus quid de poenitente agendum sit exponit. Quamquam eum ob turpissimum crimen dignum iudicavit , qui sollemni iudicio ex Ecclesia eiectus satanae traderetur, severam tamen hanc sententiam non tulerat, sed Corinthios eum e coetu suo excludere evitareque iusserat (cfr ad 1 Cor. 5,3 sqq.). Cui mandato obtemperans maior neophytorum numerus aditum sermonemque eius defugerat, atque haec poena una cum Pauli gravissima increpatione eum ad poenitentiam agendam adduxerat. Quapropter a longiore castigatione abstinendum esse Apostolus monet, ne infelix ad desperationem redigatur :
2:6
6. sufficit tlli qui eiusmodi est obiurgatio haec , quae fit a. pluribus (vel rectius : quae facta est a plurimis i. e. a maiore parte f, éxvzita abra i 0m «àv mAstvov). Haud immerito CArys. nos observare iubet, eodem indirecto quidem modo, quo in praecedente epistola (1 Cor. 5, &) incestuosum designari (6 7010270; is qui talis est ), at non ob eandem rationem ; « ibi enim ad pudorem incutiendum ita locutus est (quasi dignus non esset , cuius nomen pronuntiaretur ), hic autem ad indulgentiam manifestandam » eius nomen et crimen quasi occultat. Graeca vox ixtriyix, quae a. Vulg. redditur ob/urgatio (Tert. de pud. 13 : increpatio; S Aug. c. ep. Parmen. III. 1,3 : correptio), simili sensu a profanis scriptoribus non usurpatur, respondet autem eorum vocabulo 70 £xtríqtov , quo legitima poena exprimitur; atque eundem. hunc sensum etiam vox éxttwix habet in unico alio Scripturae loco, in quo solo reperitur (Sap. 3,10. Vulg : correptio). Ipsa igitur expressione iam refutatur modernorum paucorum acath. (Rück. Baur. etc.) coniéctura, Corinthios poenam a Paulo statutam exsecutioni non mandasse, sed aliam minorem, qua Apostolus se contentum esse hic declaret. Ac profecto in ecclesia factionibus et pseudapostolorum machinationibus perturbata aliquos quidem Apostoli mandato non obtemperasse , facile intelligitur; at si integra ecclesia aut eius maior et sanior pars (oi «A«stovec) ei non obedivisset, contentus esse non potuisset atque multo minus eorum obedientiam laudasset (cfr v. 9). Oppositio ergo inter maiorem poenam a Paulo decretam et inter minorem a Corinthiis peccatori irrogatam non exprimitur, sed inter poenam hucusque iam solutam et inter ulteriorem eius durationem. Etenim poena, quum finem suum, i. e. conversionem peccatoris, iam attigerit, sufficere dicitur,
2:7
7, Za ut e contrario magis donetis et consolemini, ne forte abundantiori tristitia absorbeatur, qui eiusmodi est (8 *o10570;). Quo sensu poenam solutam sufficere (vel sacs esse, uti legerunt Tert. 1, c., S. Amór. de poen. I. 17, A''" etc.) censeat, Apostolus his verbis explanat; per se enim enorme crimen diuturniorem poenam meruisse clare docet, quia neophytos exhortatur, ut reliquam poenam nunc condonent!; at conditione peccatoris spectata, qui non tantum ad poenitentiam scd paene ad desperationem erat adductus, poena soluta sufficiens existimabatur; vel uti ZAom. explicat : « potest dici sufficiens non quantum ad Dei iudicium, sed quantum expediebat tempori et personae; melius enim est, sic servare lenitatis spiritum, ut per poenitentiam correctionis fructus sequatur, quam si durius corrigatur et desperet peccans et maioribus peccatis immergatur ». Unde ex hoc loco Chrys. iure colligit, « non ad scelerum dumtaxat naturam , sed ad peccantium quoque affectionem habitumque (r9 tv OiÉvouxv xai TZv ELtw «y Aag ravdvrov) in definienda poenitentia esse attendendum ». Eosdem igitur, quos peccatorem e suo medio auferre in priore epistola iusserat (1 Cor. 5,13), nunc eum in suum coetum iterum admittere iubet; totam vero ecclesiam in utroque loco alloquitur, non quia apud omnes fideles potestas expellendi aut recipiendi sit, sed quia omnes pro loco, quem in ecclesia tenent, suam quisque partem in peccatore excludendo aut iterum admittendo habent : superiores decretum ferentes et promulgantes, inferiores illud observantes exsecutionique mandantes; nihil enim exclusionis poena iuvaret , nisi fideles ab eiecti societate abstinerent, nec condonatio poenae ex parte superiorum ad quidquam inserviret, si fideles peccatori in ecclesiam iterum admisso aditum sermonemque negare perseverarent. Hanc quoque ob causam Apostolus Corinthios non tantum diuturnioris poenae moras incestuoso condonare , sed etiam eum blando alloquio pristinisque amoris signis consolari ac recreare iubet. Antequam enim hac ratione ab omnibus fratribus receptus infelix integrum suum crimen in ecclesia oblivioni esse datum viderat, semper timeri potuit, ne publica, qua notatus erat, ignominia permanente in immodicam tristitiam proiiceretur in eaque desperans periret!. Quam apostolicam misericordiam et sollicitudinem admirans merito exclamat S. Aug. (c. ep. Parm. Ilf. 1,3) : « Quid moderatius, quid diligentius, quid sollicitudine pia et paterna ac materna caritate plenius fieri aut dici potuit? Sicut peccanti adhibet emendationem, sic correcto et conterenti atque humilianti in poenitentia cor suum vult reddi consolationem : ne maiore, inquit, tristitia absorbeatur ». Quin etiam quomodo recipiendus sit, praescribit :
2:8
8. propter quod obsecro (vel exhortor t29«x&à) vos, ut confirmetis in illum caritatem. Sicuti a superioribus ecclesiae publico decreto, quod maior fidelium pars (oi 24ove;) approbaverant et observarant, incestuosus erat expulsus, ita publico decreto eum iterum admitti voluit. Id verbum xvgiov (Vulg. haud satis accurate : confirmare ; melius Tert. et S. Pacian. : constituere) insinuat; & x50; (plena auctoritas) enim derivatum non tantum apud profanos scriptores sed etiam apud Alexandrinos (Gen. 93,20) et apud ipsum Paulum (Gal. 3,15) idem est, quod publica cum auctoritate decernere. Caritatem autem erga eum decernere iubentur, quae verba amplificans TAeod. « unite , inquit, membrum corpori, adiungite ovem gregi, magnum animi affectum ei exhibete ». Neque sine ratione Apostolus hanc expressionem elegit, ut plenam et perfectam restitutionem incestuosi significaret; velut genuinum enim fratrem ab omnibus eum iterum considerari et tracfari voluit, ita ut « perfecte recognosceret, se veniam esse consecutum ». Iuxta CArys. quidem , quem haud pauci sequuntur (cfr Thom. Dion. Cat. Iust. Est. Nat. ete. — Heinr. etc.), Paulus in hac sententia « obsecrat et, praecipere quum possit, intercessoris partes apud Corinthios suscipit »; at verbum «gaxaAXev, quod Vulg. verbo obs ecrandi reddidit et moderni plurimi sensu exhortandi sumunt, etiam significat admonendo .praecipere (cfr 1 Tim. 6,2; Tit. 2,15), atque haec significatio in nostrum locum quadrat. Sicut in praecedente epistola quid de impoenitente faciendum esset, praeceperat, ita Apostolus, quid de poenitente nunc agendum sit, praecipit; cur vero expulsionem quidem praecepisse , restitutionem autem supplex petiisse aut suasisse dicatur, nulla est ratio. Ac profecto, ut de vero praecepto verba explicata intelligamus, sententia sequens postulat, qua eundem esse finem asserit l'aulus et eorum, quae in priore epistola scripsit, et eorum , quae nunc scribit :
2:9
9. ideo enim et scripsi (Eygxda) , ut cognoscam erperimentum vestrum, an in omnibus obedientes sitis. Aoristo &t2x2 (scripsi; haec ipsa, quae nunc de decernenda caritate scripsit, designari, omnium fere Patrum et antiquorum interpretum sententia est, qui hunc esse sensum arbitrantur : « ut videam, si quomodo obaudistis in vindicando, ita obaudiatis in indulgendo » (Pe/.), « oportet enim vos non solum secanti, sed etiam coniungenti cooperari » (Theod. cfr. C/irys.. ete., Prim. Sed. Herv. Lomb. Thom. etc., Cai. Sali. lust. Pic. M Ev. etc., — Beng. Olsh. etc.). Aptam hanc esse explicationem atque proximo contextui consonam, non negamus; nihilominus si ad v. 3. respicimus, in quo aoristum &jpzix de priore epistola rectius intelligi ostendimus, cum modernis interpretibus longe plurimis , praeeunte ut videtur A'rv, alteram explicationem praeferendam censemus, quae hie quoque priorem epistolam designari docet (cfr Est. Nat. Bisp. Mai. L R. Dr. Ramb. — Heinr. Schn. etc). Hic ergo sensus sententiae eiusque cum praecedente nexus erit : « iure merito praecipio, ut nunc caritatem decernatis; nam etiam in priore epistola, quum vobis praeciperem, ut peccatorem eiiceretis, non id intendi, ut severissime ad omnem iuris rigorem agens infelicem ad desperationem adducerem, sed ut probatam obedientiae vestrae indolem cognoscerem »; obedientia scilicet Corinthiorum a peccatoris societate abstinentium eum ad poenitentiam adduci voluit. Quare à vero CArys. aberrai, quum Paulum ad obedientiam neophytorum probandam scripsisse diserte negat; siquidem solam peccatoris salutem eum prae oculis habuisse, atque hac loquendi formula eum ideo tantum esse usum censet, ut eos ad obedientiam impelleret (cfr etiam TAeoph.). Corinthiorum enim obedientia et conversio peccatoris intime inter se cohaerebant atque unum solum finem constituebant. Ceterum sive prior antiquorum, sive haec modernorum explicatio praefertur, illud semper elucet, Paulum ea, quae de indulgentia hic scripsit, eaque, quae de poena antea statuit, inter se comparare atque utrisque eundem finem assignare; unde recte concludimus, eum hic praecepisse, sicut in priore epistola praecepit. Atque idem clarius patebit consideranti, eum eandem obedientiam nunc 'exspectare, quam se in expulsionis praecepto iam invenisse innuit; obedientia autem praeceptum, minime vero petitionem aut suasionem aut etiam exhortationem solam supponit. omnibus, sive levia et iucunda, sive difficilia et molesta, uti erat ciectio incestuosi, iubentur) obedirent. Ut eos ad novam obedientiam praestandam promptiores reddat, addit, se remissionis decretum, quod eos laturos esse confidit, iam nunc approbare ratumque habere :
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10. cui autem aliquid donastis (lege : donatis cfr VV. LL.), et ego condono. Sententia haec, quamvis universalis esse videatur, ipso contextu arctioribus limitibus ita includitur, ut de solo incestuoso intelligatur oporteat. Ne vero nimiae severitati indulgentes praecepto obedire recusent, suum exemplum eis imitandum proponit; ipse enim in poena imponenda propter Corinthios sese mitem et misericordem exhibuit, ergo neophyti quoque propter Apostolum se nunc in remittenda diuturniore poena misericordes exhibere debent : nam et ego quod donavi, si quid donavi, propter vos in, persona. Christi sc. donavi. Communiore sententia relieta in praecedente epistola explicanda (cfr ad 1 Cor. 5,5 p. 123) diximus, Paulum dignum quidem iudicasse incestuosum, qui sollemni decreto ex Ecclesia expulsus satanae traderetur in interitum carnis, ab hac tamen gravissima poena irroganda sese abstinuisse atque id solum Corinthiis praecepisse, ut eum e coetu suo excluderent eiusque deinceps societatem defugerent. Quod si Paulum hoc in loco ad maioris illius poenae remissionem respexisse dicamus, sententia per se clara est; difficillime vero explicatur, si incestuosum satanae ab Apostolo revera traditum esse cum communiore opinione admittitur ; de qua enim condonatione iam facta (xeyptepzt) hac. in hypothesi Paulus loquatur, nemo facile dixerit. Plane erronee enim unus allerve perfectum hoc in loco aequare futurum dixit (Ramó.); at erronee quoque usus praeteriti ita explicatur, ut Paulus condonationem, de qua hucusque egit quamque Corinthiis faciendam praecepit, apud se facere jam slatuisse ideoque iam fecisse dicatur (Est!. M Ev. Bisp. etc.); siquidem remissionem poenae, quam in priore membro (cui condonatis, et ego condono) velut praesentem vel potius futuram descripsit, in altero membro immediate sequente jam factam esse, parum apte dixisset, et multo minus apte secundum membrum ab emphatica repetitione pronominis inchoasset (vobiscum e£ e5o condonabo; nam et ego apud me iam condonavi; dicendum enim erat : nam et condonavi iam apud me ipsum). Ad quam difficultatem solvendam non sufficit aliquorum modernorum responsio, in priore membro de iniuria ecclesiae illata, quam Corinthii condonaturi sint, in altero de iniuria Apostolo illata, quam ipse iam condonaverit, esse sermonem (Heinr. Goeb. etc.); de iniuriis enim condonandis non agitur, sed de poena diuturniore remittenda. Neque melior est antiquiorum nonnullorum solufio, Paulum in secundo , mémbro de aliis peccatoribus corinthiis loqui, quibus antea praesens iam poenas remiserit (cfr Haym. Dion. Cat. Est?. etc.); anteriores enim illae condonationes, de quibus nihil traditum est, ad effugiendam tantum difficultatem finguntur. Recte tamen hi omnes tenent, Apostolum in hoc altero membro suam agendi rationem Corinthiis velut exemplum imitandum proposuisse, quo eos ad indulgendam veniam incitaret; atque multo longius a vero nonnulli moderni acath. aberrant, qui perfectum xty&pwspat sensu passivo explicantes Paulum conversionis gratiam, quam adeptus est, tamquam rationem afferre dicunt, cur ipse quoque ad condonandam poenam sit pronus (« cui aliquid condonatis, et ego condono; nam etiam illud, quod mihi condonatum est, si quid mihi est condonatum, propter vos mihi est condonatum, ut nimirum vos ad fidem adducerem » Rück. etc.); nam vix minus grammaticae, quae passivum hunc perfecti xeyzptcpat usum ignorat, et contextui, qui de Apostoli ipsius conversione cogitari vetat, quam menti Pauli, qui tam leviter et dubitanter de conversionis suae gratia loqui non solet (cfr 1 Cor. 15,9; 1 Tzm. 1,13), haec explicatio repugnat. Apostolum igitur de gravioris poenae, qua incestuosum iudicaverat dignum, remissione loqui arbitramur; neque huic explicationi hypotheticus loquendi modus (s? quid condonavi) obstat, quippe quo ob eandem causam, uti supra (v. 5), utatur, ne poenitenti peccatori novum pudorem incutiat. Corinthiorum porro causa (propter vos) se minorem pro maiore poenam elegisse asserit, quatenus neophytos, qui turpissimum illud crimen tamdiu impunitum reliquerant, gravioris poenae irrogatione perterrere et confundere noluerat; quo enim cum iure T/eod. aliique ex his verbis deducant, Corinthios « per beatos viros Timotheum et Titum pro peccatore intercessisse », equidem non video. « Ne quis tamen existimaret, eum propter hominum gratiam curam iustitiae neglexisse, subiunxit in facie Christi, i. e. tamquam Christo intuente eaque quae fiunt vata habente » (cfr Theod.). Graecam locutionem év x;»sóro XpwTo? Vulg. hoc in loco vertit zn persona Christi ; quare latini quoque expositores longe plerique quum antiqui (A'" Pel. etc., Thom. Lyr. etc.) tum iuniores (Cat. Est. Lap. eic.) et moderni (M Ev. Disp. L R. etc.) explicant : « nomine, vice, auctoritate Christi, cuius personam gerebat Apostolus ». Quam explicationem ex Graecis quoque cum CArys. , qui eam tertio in loco proponit (ant secundum Deum, aut ad gloriam Christi, aut Christo etiam hoc imperante), Oec. et TAeoph. approbant. Attamen haud immerito [ust. ambigit, num graecae locutionis ratio eam versionem et explicationem admittat. Namque eadem haec locutio infra (4,6) à Vulg. ipsa redditur in facze Christi; apud Alexandrinos vocabula iv zpocóz« hebraico "225 (in conspectu, coram Prov. 8,30) respondent; supra quoque (cfr ad 1,11) iam monuimus, nullo in Novi Test. loco vocabulum *ocomov ita adhiberi, ut ei significationem personae attribuere cogamur. Quapropter versionem in facie vel in conspectu Christi praeferimus; neque tamen hac locutione solam remissionis sinceritatem (coram Christo i. e. ex animo et vere condonavi) significari certum est, id quod ad formulae sollemnitatem non attendentes cum Calv. pauci moderni acath. (ScAn. etc.) putant ; cum TAeod. enim explicanda est : CAristo intuente et approbante , Wa ut sensu haec versio ab altera vix discrepet (cfr Just. Nat?. Mai. Ramb. etc. — Heinr. Goeb. Grimm etc.). Demum velut finem diuturnioris poenae condonandae Paulus fraudem satanae vitandam indicat :
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11 u£ non (iva wá ne) circumveniamur & satana; non enim ignoramus cogitationes etus. Verba haec cum priore membro praecedentis versus coniungimus (cui aliquid condonatis, et ego condono) atque alterum membrum (nam et ego etc.) pro parenthesi habemus; ita enim usus primae pers. pluralis facilius explicatur. Neque tamen quidquam obstat, quominus illa etiam alteri membro adnectamus, ita ut Apostoli misericordia, qua ad fraudem satanae evitandam incestuoso mitiorem poenam irrogavit, Corinthiis tamquam exemplum imitandum proponatur. Graecum verbum ««eovex- *tiv Vulg. nostra semper reddit circumvenire (1,2; 19,17 sq. ; 1 Thess. *,6), idque recte, siquidem significat lucro aliquem praevenire vel iuxta. CArys. fraude alienam rem occupare; quare apta quoque est Tert. versio : ne fraudemur a satana, minus apta vero lectio altera latina : ne possideamur (S. Pac. S. Aug. A'*). Nam id vult Apostolus, satanam eliam per speciem pietatis interdum nobis exitium inferre; superiores enim ad nimiam severitatem incitans subditos ad desperalionem et interitum perducere potest. Pulcherrime S. Amr. (de poenit. I. 17) : « vult semper nocere, semper circumvenire, ut mortem inferat; sed debemus cavere, ne remedium nostrum fiat eius triumphus; cireumvenimur enim ab eo, si per nimiam obstinationem (nostram) pereat, qui potest liberari per (nostram) indulgentiam »!, Ne quis tamen putet, fraudem hanc satanae non esse timendam, subiungit : non enim ignoramus cogitationes eius!; quae in verba Chrys.: « non ignoramus, quam multiplex, quam vafer, quam veterator et versutus sit, quam denique sub pietatis obtentu infestum hostem se nobis praebeat ». Quodsi aliqui cum Tom. monent « veram esse hanc sententiam in generali; sed in speciali neminem posse scire eius cogitationes praeter solum Deum » (Dion. Est. etc.) , Apostolum sensu generali loqui per se clarum est. Ab haud paucis theologis inde a S. Thomae (cfr Summ. theol. Suppl. qu. 25. a. 1) aetate bic locus adhibetur, ut Ecclesiae potestatem vindicent concedendi indulgentias, i. e. remittendae poenae temporalis, quam etiam post culpae aeternaeque poenae reatum remissum peccator Deo adhuc solvere tenetur. Neque immerito; quamvis enim de indulgentiis stricto sensu non agat, sufficiens tamen praebet doctrinae catholicae fundamentum. Proxime et directe quidem sermo est de recipiendo incestuoso in Ecclesiam , vel iuxta hodiernum loquendi usum de solvendo excommunicationis vinculo, quod eo tempore, quo Paulus scripsit, nondum soluturn fuisse tantum non omnes interpretes recte tenent; at haec receptio, quum fiat, antequam integra poena peccato debita sit soluta (cfr ad ev. 6, 7), est vera condonatio poenae temporalis ab Ecclesia impositae. Cum hac vero remissione diuturnioris poenae ecclesiasticae coniunctam simul fuisse remissionem poenae Deo adhuc debitae iure concludimus; S. Thomae enim argumentationem adoptantes dicere possumus : Nisi poena Deo debita simul esset remissa, Paulus poenam ecclesiasticam condonans peccatorem poenitentem magis damnificasset quam adiuvisset, quum eum ad graviores poenas in purgatorio solvendas obligasset; atqui hanc Pauli mentem non fuisse, clarum est. Ceterum in explicatione momenta praecipua, quae ad argumentum explicandum et confirmandum requiruntur, indicavimus. 8. Gratias agit Deo, a quo lamquam sincerus minister sit approbatus (2,12-11). Quis huius pericopae cum praecedente sit nexus, facile apparet; argumentum enim in priore explicatum nova ratione confirmatur. Ob singularem scilicet, qua ecclesiam corinthiam amplectebatur, caritatem se pristinum itineris consilium mutasse Apostolus asseruerat (1,23) atque singularem suam caritatem demonstraverat iis enumeratis , quae egerat , ne in tristitia Corinthum reverti cogeretur; quin etiam impedimentum ultimum, quod ex priore sua epistola exortum laeto suo adventui obstare videbatur, e medio abstulerat diuturniorem poenam incestuoso condonans. Iamvero in hac particula caritatem suam demonstrat descripta anxietate, qua oppressus erat, antequam per Titum, quem post priores literas scriptas Corinthum ablegaverat euiusque reditum Troade frustra exspectaverat, de fructibus, quos epistola tulisset, certior erat factus (2,19. 13); Titum autem in Macedonia obviam habuit, atque de bonis nuntiis per eum allatis Deo ita gratias agit, ut eum simul celebret propter auxilium sibi in toto mi- Disterio praestitum, quo factum sit,'ut lamquam sincerum Deo ministrum semper et ubique sese exhibuerit (2,15-17). Si ad chronologicum nexum attendimus, v. 12 sq. immediate cum t. 1. vel potius cum vr. 3, 4. connectatur oportet, ita ut ea, quae de incestuoso sunt dicta, digressionem quandam constituant, non minus arcte autem, quam notae ipsae historicae, cum toto argumento cohaereant; eadem enim ratione, qua illae, continuam Apostoli de Corinthiis sollicitudinem demonstrant atque eorum animos ad cius apologiam recipiendam promptiores reddunt (cfr Proleg. 9). « Modo illis vult probare, quanto amplius eos diligat : quorum . eausa tantum sollicitus est, ut quum essent illi omnia prosperata, nullam requiem habuerit, quia Titum , quem ad eos videndos miserat, non invenit, timens iam, ne minime eos correxisseet, quia nondum ei quidquam renuntiaverat Titus; cito igitur inde egressus est, quamvis occasionem habuerit praedicandi » : hac ratione Pe/. satis accurate priores huius particulae versus explicat.
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19. Quim venissem autem Troadem propter Evangelium Christi et ostium mihi apertum esset in Domino,
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13. non habui requiem spiritui meo, eo quod non tnvenerim Titum fratrem meum (cfr ad 1,1), sed valefaciens eis profectus sum tn Macedoniam. Quemadmodum in Proleg. diximus, Paulus Epheso Corinthum miserat Titum , ut quam in partem neophyti increpationes monitaque prioris epistolae accepissent , diligenter observaret; quumque ipse brevi post per Asiam Min. in Macedoniam proficisci voluisset, discipulum, ut Troadem ipsi nuntios afferret, commendaverat. At Demetrii argentarii seditione Ephesum citius quam statuerat relinquere coactus Troadem adveniens Titum nondum invenit eumque per aliquot dies frustra exspectavit. Magna quidem ibi se ei obtulit opportunitas propagandi Evangelii (de metaphora ostium mihi apertum est cfr ad 1 Cor. 16,9), ita ut, quia animi bene erant dispositi , ecclesia iam antea Troade fundata (Ac/. 16, 8), in hoc secundo adventu, quem Lucas silentio praetermittit !, laeta cepisset incrementa, nisi anxietas de Corinthiorum conditione eum iter in Macedoniam statim pergere coegisset, ut legatum suum citius inveniret. Pulchre dicit se spiritui suo (rà mvtopaci yov cfr ad 1 Cor. 9, 13) requiem non. habuisse , innuens cuius generis et quanta fuerit anxietas : nam « non dixit : non habui requiem carni meae vel corpori, sed spiritui meo, i. e. volunfati meae spirituali, quae est, ut Christum firmem in cordibus hominum » (TÀom.). Revera infra (7,5) quidem se etiam carni suae requiem non invenisse ait persecutiones externas simul, quas in Macedonia passus est, designans; sed Troade sollicitudine tantum sua apostolica paternoque suo erga neophytos affectu in tantam iniectus est anxietatem, ut ne munere quidem suo apostolico rite fungi posset oblatamque Evangelii propagandi opportunitatem negligere deberet. Quoniam Corinthii per Titi relationem iam sciverunt, quo in loco magistrum suum convenire iussus esset, atque eum per legatum suum novos de ipsorum rebus nuntios exspectasse facile coniecerunt, mirum non est, quod abrupto quodam modo lota haec res adumbretur potius quam exponatur, causa vero, ob quam Paulus de Titi absentia tantopere afflictus fuerit, accuratius non exprimatur. Mirum autem videri potest, quod praeter Pel., quem Prim. Sed. aliique paucissimi sequuntur, antiquiores interpretes hanc causam non deprehenderint atque ipse Cai. diserte lateatur, se non invenire, cur Apostolus tam inquietus fuerit. Graeci eius tristitiam ex eo potissimum derivant, quod Titi auxilio ad praedicationem indiguerit (cfr Chrys. Theod. ctc.); quae in hunc modüm explicare conatur S. Hier. (ad Hedib. ep. 120,11) : « Aliquoties diximus Apostolum Paulum virum fuisse doctissimum et eruditum ad pedes Gamalielis... quumque haberet scientiam Scripturarum et sermonis diversarumque linguarum gratiam possideret, unde ipse gloriatur in Domino (1 Cor. 14,18), divinorum sensuum maiestatem digno non poterat graeci eloquii explicare sermone; habebat ergo Titum interpretem, sicut et beatus Petrus Marcum, cuius evangelium Petro narrante et illo scribente compositum est... ergo et Paulus Apostolus contristatur, quod praedicationis suae in praesentiarum fistulam organumque , per quod Christo caneret, non invenerat... Ergo propterea valefaciens Troadensibus profectus est in Macedoniam, ut inveniret Titum et haberet interpretationis Evan- - geliique solatium ». Quae Hieronymi sententia in Glord. recepta non parum iuniorum ingenia cruciavit, quum non viderent, quomodo dono linguarum, quod ad praedicationem Apostolis datum esse tenebant, non obstante Paulus interprete indiguisset. Quamobrem iam media aetate aliqui (cfr Haym. Thom. Lyr. ctc.) At! explicationem vix aptiorem practulerunt, quam ita proponit Thom. : « Apostolo multa Troade imminebant facienda : ex una parte debebat praedicare his, qui parati crant recipere Christum per fidem, ex alia parte resistere debebat adversariis, a. quibus impediebatur; et quia non potuit solus ista facere, angustiabatur de absentia Titi, qui institissct praedicationi et conversioni bonorum, ct Apostolus restitissct adversaríis ». Ut omittamus, Paulum alios discipulos, inter quos Timotheus fuit, secum habuisse, interrogare licet, num is, qui se omnia, quac utilia sunt, facere non posse videt, omnia relinquere et abire debeat? Iure merito igitur Pel. expositio supra proposita inde ab Est. tempore, qui eam probabiliorem dixit, velut certa traditur &b omnibus; in eo tamen plerique a Pel. recte recedunt, quod verbis ralefacien: eis (Troadensibus drozatdpevoc a3:ot;) praeproperam prolectionem significari negant; ea enim est verbi dázozásstoÓxt vis, ut Apostolum, antequam proficisceretur, res ad ecclesiae illius profectum necessarias disposuisse insinuct (cfr Act. 18,18. 21; Luc. 9,61). Quomodo vero Apostolus ecclesiis ultimum vale dicere solitus fuerit, coniicere licet ex Act. 20,7. 11. In Macedoniam ergo profectus Paulus in uua ex istius provinciae ecclesiis obvium habuit Titum, quem laetos de corinthiis rebus nuntios (cfr 7,6 sqq.) attulisse gratiarum actio docet, in quam prorumpit :
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1&4. Deo autem gratias, qui semper triumphat nos in. Christo Iesu. ,Propriam suam infirmitatem Paulus Troade iterum erat expertus, quum prae afflictione et abiectione animi opportunitate praedicandi sibi oblata uti non potuisset; hinc consueto verborum ordine (cfr 8,16; 9,15; flom. 6,11; 7,25 etc.) mutato Dei nomen cum emphasi praemittens (cfr 1 Cor. 15,57) ei gratias agit, a quo tantis in angustiis consolatione recreari et refici dignatus est. Neque de sola hac ultima consolatione gratias agit, sed simul omnium recordatur gratiarum , quibus semper, i. e. in toto suo ministerio apostolico, ita est confortatus, ut omnes Evangelii adversarios devicerit de iisque triumphum continuum egerit. Graeca locutio üpuxyGeósw vw, uti latina triumphare aliquem , apud profanos quidem scriptores idem significat quod 0puauGeótey dc 7wo; (triumphare de aliquo) seu « in triumpho circumducere devictum », atque hoc sensu etiam a Paulo in unico altero loco, in quo reperitur (Co/. 2,15), usurpatur; quare plerique moderni acath. (cfr Mey. Heinr. Goeb. etc.) eandem significationem locutioni hic attribuunt; nequeplane dissentit S. Hier.!. Parum apteautem Deus Apostolos velut a se devictos in mundo circumducere atque ita triumphum agere dicitur; rectius vero cum antiquis et iunioribus plerisque verbo 6puxi.- €eótw factitivam significationem attribuimus?, ut sit idem, quod « efficere, ut aliquis triumphum agat ». Hanc Graeci iam insinuant, quamvis de sola gloriosa manifestatione loquantur (Chrys. « qui nos apud omnes reddit splendidos », TAeod. « qui nos huc et illuc circum- &git nos omnibus manifestos efficiens »; cfr Oec. Theoph. ), maxime &utem Latini accuratius de victoria relata et de triumpho per Apostolos acto loquentes (A'tr: « hoc est Deum triumphare Apostolos in Christo, victores illos facere in Christo »; Pe/. « qui triumphare nos facit in Christo » cfr Prim. Sed. Haym. etc., Thom. etc., Cai. Salm. Est, etc., MEv. Mai. Bisp. Dr. etc., — Rück. Klópp. Kl Br. Grimm etc.). lamvero ín Christo Iesu eos triumphare facit, i. e. per Christum (Pel.), cui nimirum velut membra et instrumenta apostolici operarii sunt inserti ; minus apte alii explicant : « propter Christum et praedicationem » (CArys.), vel « in fide Christi » (4'""), vel « in praedicatione Christi contra adversarios » (TAom.) etc. Alia deinde imagine in altero sententiae membro explicatur, quomodo Deus Paulum sociosque eius in Christo triumphare faciat : et odorem notitiae suae (vel cognitionis suae «7i; vóotes abro)) mani- [estat per nos in omni loco. Genetivus notitiae sque est genetivus appositionis (cfr ad 1,22), quo metaphora explicatur : odorem i. e. cognitionem suam, vel si mavis : cognitionem Cristi, siquidem pronomen a)100 aeque apte ad praecedens Otà et ad Xewró referri potest ; sensus autem vix mutatur, quia expressione hac integrum argumen. tum atque summa praedicationis evangelicae intelligitur. Utrum ad hanc metaphoram adhibendam Apostolus suffimentorum , quae in via triumphali incendebantur, usu (Ovid. Trist. II. 4), id quod modernis nonnullis placet (Mey. Heinr. etc.), an unguentis, quorum frequentissimus erat usus, uti volunt Graeci (cfr Chrys. Theod. etc.), an incensis in sacrificiorum ritu usitatis sit adductus, per se parum interest; praeferenda tamen videtur tertia sententia, quia et in versu sequente et in aliis locis, in quibus Paulus hac metaphora utitur (Eph. 5,2; PAil. 5,18), de sacrificiorum nidore (Lev. 1, 9. 13. 17) aut de thure in sacrificiis accenso (Lev. 2,29) sermo est. Aptissime vero rognitio Dei (vel Christi) per Apostolos ubique annuntiata suavi sacrificii odori comparatur, qui sua quasi sponte in omnes partes sese diffundit omniaque penetrat. Ad contextum autem non satis attendunt, qui imaginis rationem in eo deprehendentes, quod praesens nostra cognitio Dei sit imperfecta et obscura, huc ea trahunt, quae de fidei obscuritate Apostolus in praecedente epistola (1 Cor. 13,12) docuerat (Chrys. Theod. etc., Iust. Nat. ctc.). Longissime quoque tertium comparationis repetunt, qui Apostolum de suis persecutionibus et tribulationibus cogitasse autumant, quia res odoriferae, si conterantur, vchementius oleant odoremque longius spargant (Est. Pec. etc.). Iamvero de laborum suorum profectu bonoque successu Deo gratias agens fructus ministerii sui ad calumniam levitatis et inconstantiae refutandam adhibet; velut rationem enim, ob quam a Deo adiuvari meruerit , fidelitatem sinceritatemque indicat, qua munere suo semper functus est (15-17). Ideo enim, inquit, per nos Deus odorem («2v óc- Uv) cognitionis suae ubique manifestat,
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15. Quia Christi bonus odor (&v9íx) sumus Deo in tis qui salvi fiunt et in iis qui pereunt (iv voi; celopévow, xal iv coi; &noX)upvo, cfr ad 1 Cor. 1,18). Imaginem aliquantulum mutari censent plerique, quia in superiore versu cognitio Dei annuntiata bonus odor vocetur, in hoc autem Apostoli praedicantes dicantur bonus odor; attamen ejo3íz, quo nomine Paulus nunc utitur, significat etiam rem fragrantem, quae bonum odorem (rv ócpxiv) spargit (cfr ósyxí s0od(a; Eph. 5,9; Lev. 1,9 etc.), ita ut mutationem imaginis admittere non cogamur, quoniam etiam in praecedente sententia Apostoli iam velut « thuribula regia odorem spiritualis unguenti spirantia » (cfr CArys. Theoph.) considerantur. Deo autem bonus odor Christi sunt Apostoli , quia Christus in eis vivit (Ga/. 2,90) atque uni-- cum argumentum praedicationis eorum est (cfr ad 1, 19); hinc semper quoque et ubique bonus odor Christi sunt, sive eorum praedicatio recipitur, sive respuitur. Optime S. Hier. (ad Hedib. ep. 190,11) : « Nominis Christi in omni loco bonusodor sumus Deo et praedicationis nostrae longe lateque spirat fragrantia. Sed quia homines suo arbitrio derelicti sunt (neque enim bonum necessitate faciunt, sed voluntate, ut credentes coronam accipiant, increduli suppliciis mancipentur), ideo odor noster, qui per se bonus est, virtute eorum, qui suscipiunt sive non suscipiunt, in vitam transit aut mortem, ut qui crediderint salvi fiant, qui vero non crediderint pereant ». Pro diversa tamen hominum dispositione diversimode bonus odor Christi vim virtutemque suam manifestat;
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16. alis quidem odor mortis in mortem, aliis autem odor vitae in vitam vel secundum aliorum codd. graecorum lectionem : aliis quidem odor ez morte ad mortem , aliis autem odor ex vita ad vitam. luxta priorem lectionem solus diversus effectus indicatur : pereuntibus Christus fit odor mortis, i. e. morlifer, qui eos ad mortem aeternam adducit, aliis fit odor vitae, i. e. vivificans, qui eos ad vitam beatam perducit. luxta alteram causa quoque praeter effectum indicatur : ex spirituali enim morte, quae in pereuntibus sese iam manifestat, consequitur, ut bonus Christi odor sit eis ad mortem aeternam, atque praedicatio iis, qui eam respuunt, maioris damnationis fiat causa; contra ex vita, qua illi, qui in via salutis sunt , iam vivunt, consequitur, ut eis bonus odor Christi sit ad vitam aeternam. Ad secundam explicationem 7Aom., quamvis consuetam lectionem latinam exponat, prope accedit : « aliis quidem est odor mortis, i. e. invidiae et malitiae occasionaliter ducentis eos in mortem aeternam...; aliis autem odor vitae, i. e. dilectionis et bonae opinionis ducentis eos in vitam aeternam ». Qua in explicatione TAom. ex parte sententiam S. Aug. sequitur, qui verba haec (cfr in Ioan. tract. 50,7 sq.; Enarr. in Ps. 7. n. 15; in Ps. 44. n. 92; Serm. 273,5; De praedest. Sanct. 20, etc.) de solo modo, quo auditores erga suos praedicatores affecti sint, utrum illos nimirum ament an illis invideant, semper intelligere videtur; at quin universali sensu sint intelligenda de tota auditorum dispositione, non est dubium. Sicut Dominus ipse positus est in ruinam et in resurrectionem multorum in Israel, ita Apostoli quoque Christum praedicantes aliis in mortem, aliis in vitam sunt; atque sensum recte exprimit Prim. : « sicut solis aspectus sanis oculis claritatem , lippientibus caecitatem affert, ita doctrina Christi obedientibus vita, contradicentibus mors est », atque S. Greg. Nyss. (cfr Oec.) : « pro uniuscuiusque habitu bonus odor ei aut vivificans aut mortifer est » !. Magna haec est dignitas, quod aliquis tamquam bonus Christi odor istos effectus producat, neque omnibus conceditur, sed iis solis, qui ea digni sunt; hinc merito interrogat Apostolus : E: ad haec quis (tam) idoneus? Particulam tam praeter graecos codd. omnes versio- . nesque etiam antiquiores Latini plerique (cfr S. Aug. ll. cc. A'er Sed.) omittunt, idque recte, siquidem sermonem, uti bene adnotat Est., arrogantiorem reddit (quis tam idoneus, quam nos?). S. Aug. , quem paucissimi (Herv. etc.) sequuntur, verba haec de praecedentis sententiae obscuritate semper explicat (quis ad haec zntelligenda est idoneus); reliqui omnes ad contextum accuratius attendentes interrogari tenent, quinam idonei sint ad id praestandum, ut tamquam bonus Christi odor aliis ad mortem, aliis ad vitam sint. Cui interrogationi directe non respondetur, sed responsum ex versu sequente facile suppletur : nos, ego et Silvanus et Timotheus (1,19) aliique genuini operarii ad haec idonei facti sumus. Etenim rationem Paulus affert et negativam et positivam , qua se sociosque suos huic muneri idoneos esse probat :
2:17
17 non enim sumus sicut plurimi adulterantes verbum. Det, sed tamquam (x cfr. VV. LL.) ex sinceritate, sed sicut (6$ tamquam) ex Deo coram Deo in Christo loquimur. Verbum zzx«- Aesv, quod Vw/g. reddidit latino adulterare, proprie significat cauponem (xZn72ov) agere; quia vero caupones, ut maius lucrum habeant, vino interdum aquam admiscent, verbum etiam significat lucri causa rem corrumpere vel adulterare. Recte igitur antiqui Latini (cfr Pe/. Prim. Sed. ctc.) ac si pro adulterantes legissent cauponantes, verba [s. 1,92 iuxta Alex. (oi xémAo( cou uíeyouctv àv olvov ÜÓxzt, caupones tui vino miscent aquam) huc trahentes pseudapostolos designatos viderunt « merae doctrinae mollia verba adulationis admiscentes, quibus homines non tam inebriati ferveant, quam delectati tabescant ». Quibuscum consentiunt Graeci (cfr Chrys. Theod. etc.) : « xamwwmeónv, inquit Chrys., est vinum corrumpere et pecunia id vendere, quod gratis dari debebat. Hoc enim loco et de lucro pseudapostolos perstringere videtur et illud subindicare, quod divinis sua cogitata admiscent. Qua de re Isaias quoque : caupones tui vino aquam miscent; nam etsi de vino hoc dictum est, non aberraverit, qui de doctrina quoque haec intellexerit! ». Revera pseudapostolos corinthios verbum Dei non tantum corrupisse (cfr &,2 SoXoüvreg xv Mov «oU OroD) sed ex eo etiam lucrum quaesivisse, ex eorum descriptione in tertia epistolae parte elucet; ab eis vero Paulus sociique eius plane differunt, quum contrarium agant. Etenim loquuntur (amquam (particula óc non fictam sed veram convenientiam denotat) ez sinceritate (86 eDaxowi(ac), i. e. tamquam sinceri, qui nec ad commoda sua quaerenda nec ad vitanda incommoda a veritatis tramite recedunt (cfr ad 1,19). Puram igitur doctrinam tradunt tamquam ez Deo sc. loquentes, i. e. tamquam a Deo ipso in- Spirati, idque coram Deo, quem praedicationis suae testem semper prae oculis habent , £n Christo, cui velut membra et instrumenta sunt inserti. Itaque in fine huius primae sectionis thesin eam quasi repetit, quam toti huic parti praemiserat : « in simplicitate et sinceritate Dei se esse conversatum in mundo, maxime vero apud Corinthios » (1,19). $ 2. De arrogantiae superbiaeque calumnia (3,1-4,6). Ultima sententia, qua sinceritatem suam asseverans aliis (pseudo) doctoribus sese praetulit, Apostolus alteram sectionem praeparavit, qua calumniam arrogantiae et superbiae refutat. In priore epistola non deerant, quae adversarii velut superba et arrogantia criminari potuerant, siquidem cum magna fiducia de se suisque rebus erat locutus : sibi enim puniendi ius attribuerat (1 Cor. 4,18-21) illudque exercuerat (5,13), se ipse neophytis imitandum proposuerat (7,8; 11,1), ' altiorem sapientiam et maiora Spiritus dona se habere erat gloriatus (2,0. 16; 7,95. 40; 15,18 etc.), quin etiam aliis Apostolis certo modo se praetulerat (9,1 sqq.; 15,10). Quapropter, ut calumniam refelleret, ostendere simul debuit, quo ex fonte hanc loquendi fiduciam imperterritam libertatemque in dicendo hauriret. Itaque ea, quae de sua sinceritate dixerat, gloriationis causa dicta esse negans statim velut fiduciae suae fontem indicat ministerium, quo fungitur (3,1-6); tam excelsum enim est ministerium Novi Test., ut illos qui eo funguntur libertate in dicendo uti deceat (3,7-4,6). 1. Criminationi arrogantiae Paulus ministerium sibi commissum opponit (3,1-6). 3,1. Incipimus iterum mosmet ipsos 3,1. "ApgóusÜa zdAtw ÉÍavtou; ouviatdv; Quoniam pseudapostoli ab ipso verbo Dei cauponando non abstinebant, mirum non est, quod Pauli quoque verba. fallaciter sint interpretati iisque in deteriorem partem tractis apostolicam eius auctoritatem impugnaverint. Revera per Titum, ut videtur, Apostolus rescivit, ob priorem suam epistolam se Corinthi ab iis velut hominem traduci , qui se ipse semper iactans suis laudibus celebratis in neophytorum gratiam sese insinuare conaretur. Quum igitur sub praecedentis sectionis finem de se suaque agendi et docendi ratione iterum nonnulla asserere esset coactus, quae a malevolis sinistre accipi et ad arrogantiae calumniam confirmandam detorqueri poterant, occasionem hanc arripiendam censuit, ut criminationem illam funditus convelleret genuinamque suae ingenuitatis libertatisque loquendi rationem explanaret. Itaque tacitas adversariorum suspiciones praevertens se iis, quae dixit, neophytorum gratiam benevolentiamque aucupari voluisse negat, quia eiusmodi commendationibus non indigeat atque in ipsa ecclesia corinthia praeclaram epistolam commendatitiam possideat, quae omnibus sit manifesta et a Christo Domino conscripta (1-3). Quae ne rursus arrogantius dicta esse putentur, se tanta cum ingenuitate et fiducia loqui monet, quia a Deo minister Novi Test. sit constitutus (&-6). Arcte pro more novam sectionem priori adnectit interrogans :
2:1
… A brief visit to Corinth also appears debatable, but very probable, where the Apostle would have received a hostile reception from one of his enemies (cf. II Cor. 2:1-5). Finally, after a visit to the communities of Macedonia, Paul went to Corinth, where he spent the three winter months (57-58). …
2:5
1 and 2 Corinthians, Epistles to the
… During Paul's rapid visit that offense would have been committed which struck not him alone, but also the community (II Cor. 2:5).
1. Prodromes. - Thus, for example, the readmission of the man anathematized by St. Paul (I Cor. 5:3; II Cor. 2:5) into the Christian community is not an indulgence in the strict sense, but a reconciliation. …
2:7
1. History. — The notion of medicinal penalty, although adumbrated in the Gospels (Mt. 18:17) and in St. Paul (I Cor. 5:2; II Cor. 2:7-8; 5:6; II Thess. 2:14), did not establish itself in the practice of the first centuries of Christianity. …
2:11
… 2:24). "The tempter" (ὁ παρᾶς ἄννε: I Thess. 3:5; I Cor. 7:5; cf. Mt. 4:1-3) induces men to lie to God (Act. 5:3); his method is falsehood (Io. 8:44) and to seduce he "transfigures himself into an angel of light" (II Cor. 11:14). Against his seductions (II Cor. 2:11) and violence, against the "synagogues" of the followers of S. (Apoc. 2:9-13; 3:9), against the apostates who return to S. (I Tim. 5:15), the Christian must resist, fight with the …
2:12
1 and 2 Corinthians, Epistles to the
… The meeting with Titus, so ardently longed for by Paul (II Cor. 2:12 ff.; 7:5 ff.), took place in Macedonia (probably at Philippi) rather than at Troas, as had been prearranged, because of Paul's early departure from Ephesus, following the riot of the silversmiths.
2:21
… Although he has most felicitous Trinitarian expressions (cf. Rom. 8, 9-11. 14-17; 15, 15. 16; I Cor. 6, 11; 12, 4-6; II Cor. 2, 21; 13, 13; Gal. 4, 6; Eph. 1, 3-14; Tit. 3, 4-6), P. presents an eminently Christocentric doctrine. …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Rheims 1582), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.