{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/112/1120074.htm","path":"chr/ecf/112/1120074.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/112/1120074.htm","text":"Yet whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak in foolishness,) I am bold also.\nSee him again drawing back and using depreciation and correctives beforehand, although he has already even said many such things: \u201cWould that ye could bear with me in a little foolishness;\u201d (2 Cor. 11.1.) and again, \u201cLet no man think me foolish: if ye do, yet as foolish receive me.\u201d (2 Cor. 11.16.) \u201cThat which I speak, I speak not after the Lord, but as in foolishness.\u201d (2 Cor. 11.17.) \u201cSeeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also;\u201d (2 Cor. 11.18.) and here again, \u201cWhereinsoever any is bold, (I speak in foolishness) I am bold also.\u201d Boldness and folly he calls it to speak aught great of himself, and that though there was a necessity, teaching us even to an excess 952 to avoid any thing of the sort. For if after we have done all, we ought to call ourselves unprofitable; of what forgiveness can he be worthy who, when no reason presses, exalts himself and boasts? Therefore also did the Pharisee meet the fate he did, and even in harbor suffered shipwreck because he struck upon this rock. Therefore also doth Paul, although he sees very ample necessity for it, draw back nevertheless, and keep on observing that such speaking is a mark of foolishness. And then at length he makes the venture 953 , putting forward the plea of necessity, and says,\n2 Cor. 11.22. \u201cAre they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I.\u201d\nFor it was not all Hebrews that were Israelites, since both the Ammonites and Moabites were Hebrews. Wherefore he added somewhat to clear his nobility of descent, and says,\n2 Cor. 11:22, 23. \u201cAre they the seed of Abraham? so am I. Are they ministers of Christ. (I speak as one beside himself,) I more.\u201d\nHe is not content with his former deprecation, but uses it again here also. \u201cI speak as one beside himself, I more.\u201d I am their superior and their better. And indeed he possessed clear proofs of his superiority, but nevertheless even so he terms the thing a folly 954 . And yet if they were false Apostles, he heeded not to have introduced his own superiority by way of comparison, but to have destroyed their claim to \u201cbe ministers\u201d at all. Well, he did destroy it, saying, \u201cFalse Apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into Apostles of Christ,\u201d (2 Cor. 11.13.) but now he doth not proceed in that way, for his discourse was about to proceed to strict examination; and no one when an examination is in hand simply asserts; but having first stated the case in the way of comparison, he shows it to be negatived by the facts, a very strong negative. But besides, it is their opinion he gives, not his own assertion, when he says, \u201cAre they ministers of Christ?\u201d And having said, \u201cI more,\u201d he proceeds in his comparison, and shows that not by bare assertions, but by furnishing the proof that facts supply, he maintains the impress of the Apostleship. And leaving all his miracles, he begins with his trials; thus saying,\n\u201cIn labors more abundantly, in stripes above measure.\u201d This latter is greater than the former; to be both beaten and scourged.\n\u201cIn prisons more abundantly.\u201d Here too again is there an increase. \u201cIn deaths oft.\u201d (1 Cor. xv. 31.) For, \u201cI die,\u201d saith he, \u201cdaily.\u201d But here, even in reality; \u2018for I have oft been delivered into mortal dangers 955 .\u2019\n2 Cor. 11.24. \u201cOf the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.\u201d\nWhy, \u201csave one?\u201d There was an ancient law that he who had received more than the p. 395 forty should be held disgraced amongst them. Lest then the vehemence and impetuosity 956 of the executioner by inflicting more than the number should cause a man to be disgraced, they decreed that they should be inflicted, \u201csave one,\u201d that even if the executioner should exceed, he might not overpass the forty, but remaining within the prescribed number might not bring degradation on him that was scourged.\n2 Cor. 11.25. \u201cThrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck.\u201d\nAnd what has this to do with the Gospel? Because he went forth on long journeys; and those by sea.\n\u201cA night and a day I have been in the deep.\u201d Some say this means out on the open sea, others, swimming upon it, which is also the truer interpretation. There is nothing wonderful, at least, about the former, nor would he have placed it as greater than his shipwrecks.\n2 Cor. 11.26. \u201cIn perils of rivers.\u201d\nFor he was compelled also to cross rivers. \u201cIn perils of robbers, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness.\u201d \u2018Everywhere were contests set before me, in places, in countries, in cities, in deserts.\u2019\n\u201cIn perils from the Gentiles, in perils amongst false brethren.\u201d\nBehold another kind of warfare. For not only did such as were enemies strike at him, but those also who played the hypocrite; and he had need of much firmness, much prudence.\n[2.] 2 Cor. 11.27. \u201cIn labor and travail.\u201d\nPerils succeed to labors, labors to perils, one upon other and unintermitted, and allowed him not to take breath even for a little.\n2 Cor. 11:27, 28. \u201cIn journeyings often, in hunger and thirst and nakedness, besides those things that are without.\u201d\nWhat is left out is more than what is enumerated. Yea rather, one cannot count the number of those even which are enumerated; for he has not set them down specifically, but has mentioned those the number of which was small and easily comprehended, saying, \u201cthrice\u201d and \u201cthrice,\u201d (2 Cor. 11.25.) and [again] \u201conce;\u201d but of the others he does not mention the number because he had endured them often. And he recounts not their results as that he had converted so many and so many, but only what he suffered on behalf of the Preaching; at once out of modesty, and as showing that even should nothing have been gained but labor, even so his title to wages has been fulfilled.\n\u201cThat which presseth upon me daily.\u201d The tumults, the disturbances, the assaults 957 of mobs, onsets of cities. For the Jews waged war against this man most of all because he most of all confounded them, and his changing sides all at once was the greatest refutation of their madness. And there breathed a mighty war against him, from his own people, from strangers, from false brethren; and every where were billows and precipices, in the inhabited world, in the uninhabited, by land, by sea, without, within. And he had not even a full supply of necessary food, nor even of thin clothing, but the champion of the world wrestled in nakedness and fought in hunger; so far was he from enriching himself 958 . Yet he murmured not, but was grateful for these things to the Judge of the combat. 959\n\u201cAnxiety for all the Churches.\u201d This was the chief thing of all, that his soul too was distracted, and his thoughts divided. For even if nothing from without had assailed him; yet the war within was enough, those waves on waves, that sleet of cares, that war of thoughts. For if one that hath charge of but a single house, and hath servants and superintendents and stewards, often cannot take breath for cares, though there be none that molests him: he that hath the care not of a single house, but of cities and peoples and nations and of the whole world; and in respect to such great concerns, and with so many spitefully entreating him, and single-handed, and suffering so many things, and so tenderly concerned as not even a father is for his children\u2014consider what he endured. For that thou mayest not say, What if he was anxious, yet the anxiety was slight 960 , he added further the intensity of the care, saying,\n2 Cor. 11.29. \u201cWho is weak, and I am not weak?\u201d He did not say, \u2018and I share not in his dejection?\u2019 but, \u2018so am I troubled and disturbed, as though I myself were laboring under that very affection, that very infirmity.\u2019\n\u201cWho is made to stumble, and I burn not?\u201d See, again, how he places before us the excess of his grief by calling it \u201cburning.\u201d \u2018I am on fire,\u2019 \u2018I am in a flame,\u2019 he says, which is surely greater than any thing he has said. For those other things, although violent, yet both pass quickly by, and brought with them that pleasure which is unfading; but this was what afflicted and straightened him, and pierced his mind through and through; the suffering such things for each one of the weak, whosoever he might be. For he did not feel pained for the greater sort only and despise the lesser, but counted even the abject amongst his familiar friends. Wherefore also he said, \u201cwho is weak?\u201d whosoever he may be; and as though he were himself the Church throughout the world, so was he distressed for every member.\n2 Cor. 11.30. \u201cIf I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern my weakness.\u201d\np. 396 Seest thou that he no where glorieth of miracles, but of his persecutions and his trials? For this is meant by \u201cweaknesses.\u201d And he shows that his warfare was of a diversified character 961 . For both the Jews warred upon him, and the Gentiles stood against him, and the false brethren fought with him, and brethren caused him sorrow, through their weakness and by taking offense:\u2014on every side he found trouble and disturbance, from friends and from strangers. This is the especial mark of an Apostle, by these things is the Gospel woven.\n2 Cor. 11:31, 32. \u201cThe God and Father of the Lord Jesus knoweth that I lie not. The Governor under Aretas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes, desiring to apprehend me.\u201d\nWhat can be the reason that he here strongly confirms and gives assurance of [his truth], seeing he did not so in respect to any of the former things? Because, perhaps, this was of older date and not so well known 962 ; whilst of those other facts, his care for the churches, and all the rest, they were themselves cognisant. See then how great the war [against him] was, since on his account the city was \u201cguarded.\u201d And when I say this of the war, I say it of the zeal of Paul; for except this had breathed intensely, it had not kindled the governor to so great madness. These things are the part of an apostolic soul, to suffer so great things and yet in nothing to veer about, but to bear nobly whatever befalls; yet not to go out to meet dangers, nor to rush upon them. See for instance here, how he was content to evade the siege, by being \u201clet down through a window in a basket.\u201d For though he were even desirous \u201cto depart hence;\u201d still nevertheless he also passionately affected the salvation of men. And therefore he ofttimes had recourse even to such devices as these, preserving himself for the Preaching; and he refused not to use even human contrivances when the occasion called for them; so sober and watchful was he. For in cases where evils were inevitable, he needed only grace; but where the trial was of a measured character, he devises many things of himself even, here again ascribing the whole to God. And just as a spark of unquenchable fire, if it fell into the sea, would be merged as many waves swept over it, yet would again rise shining to the surface; even so surely the blessed Paul also would now be overwhelmed by perils, and now again, having dived 963 through them, would come up more radiant, overcoming by suffering evil.\n[3.] For this is the brilliant victory, this is the Church\u2019s trophy, thus is the Devil overthrown when we suffer injury. For when we suffer, he is taken captive; and himself suffers harm, when he would fain inflict it on us. And this happened in Paul\u2019s case also; and the more he plied him with perils, the more was he defeated. Nor did he raise up against him only one kind of trials, but various and diverse. For some involved labor, others sorrow, others fear, others pain, others care, others shame, others all these at once; but yet he was victorious in all. And like as if a single soldier, having the whole world fighting against him, should move through the mid ranks of his enemies, and suffer no harm: even so did Paul, showing himself singly, among barbarians, among Greeks, on every land, on every sea, abide unconquered. And as a spark, falling upon reeds and hay, changes into its own nature the things so kindled; so also did this man setting upon all make things change over unto the truth; like a winter torrent, sweeping over all things and overturning every obstacle. And like some champion who wrestles, runs, and boxes too; or soldier engaged by turns in storming 964 , fighting on foot, on shipboard; so did he try by turns every form of fight, and breathed out fire, and was unapproachable by all; with his single body taking possession of the world, with his single tongue putting all to flight. Not with such force did those many trumpets fall upon the stones of Jericho and throw them down, as did the sound of this man\u2019s voice both dash to the earth the devil\u2019s strong-holds and bring over to himself those that were against him. And when he had collected a multitude of captives, having armed the same, he made them again his own army, and by their means conquered. Wonderful was David who laid Goliah low with a single stone; but if thou wilt examine Paul\u2019s achievements, that is a child\u2019s exploit, and great p. 397 as is the difference between a shepherd and a general, so great the difference thou shalt see here. For this man brought down no Goliath by the hurling of a stone, but by speaking only he scattered the whole array of the Devil; as a lion roaring and darting out flame from his tongue, so was he found by all irresistible; and bounded everywhere by turns continually; he ran to these, he came to those, he turned about to these, he bounded away to others, swifter in his attack than the wind; governing the whole world, as though a single house or a single ship; rescuing the sinking, steadying the dizzied, cheering the sailors, sitting at the tiller, keeping an eye to the prow, tightening the yards, handling an oar, pulling at the mast, watching the sky; being all things in himself, both sailor, and pilot, and pilot\u2019s mate 965 , and sail, and ship; and suffering all things in order to relieve the evils of others. For consider. He endured shipwreck that he might stay the shipwreck of the world; \u201ca day and a night he passed in the deep,\u201d that he might draw it up 966 from the deep of error; he was \u201cin weariness\u201d that he might refresh the weary; he endured smiting that he might heal those that had been smitten of the devil; he passed his time in prisons that he might lead forth to the light those that were sitting in prison and in darkness; he was \u201cin deaths oft\u201d that he might deliver from grievous deaths; \u201cfive times he received forty stripes save one\u201d that he might free those that inflicted them from the scourge of the devil; he was \u201cbeaten with rods\u201d that he might bring them under \u201cthe rod and the staff\u201d of Christ; (Ps. xxiii. 4.) he \u201cwas stoned,\u201d that he might deliver them from the senseless stones; he \u201cwas in the wilderness 967 ,\u201d that he might take them out of the wilderness; \u201cin journeying,\u201d to stay their wanderings and open the way that leadeth to heaven; he \u201cwas in perils in the cities,\u201d that he might show the city which is above; \u201cin hunger and thirst,\u201d to deliver from a more grievous hunger; \u201cin nakedness,\u201d to clothe their unseemliness with the robe of Christ; set upon by the mob, to extricate them from the besetment of fiends; he burned, that he might quench the burning darts of the devil: \u201cthrough a window was let down from the wall,\u201d to send up from below those that lay prostrate upon the ground. Shall we then talk any more, seeing we do not so much as know what Paul suffered? shall we make mention any more of goods, or even of wife, or city, or freedom, when we have seen him ten thousand times despising even life itself? The martyr dies once for all: but that blessed saint in his one body and one soul endured so many perils as were enough to disturb even a soul of adamant; and what things all the saints together have suffered in so many bodies, those all he himself endured in one: he entered into the world as if a race-course, and stripped himself of all, and so made a noble stand. For he knew the fiends that were wrestling with him. Wherefore also he shone forth brightly at once from the beginning, from the very starting-post, and even to the end he continued the same; yea, rather he even increased the intensity of his pursuit as he drew nearer to the prize. And what surely is wonderful is that though suffering and doing such great things, he knew how to maintain an exceeding modesty. For when he was driven upon the necessity of relating his own good deeds, he ran quickly over them all; although he might have filled books without number, had he wished to unfold in detail 968 every thing he mentioned; if he had specified the Churches he was in care for, if his prisons and his achievements in them, if of the other things one by one, the besetments 969 , the assaults. But he would not. Knowing then these things, let us also learn to be modest and not to glory at any time in wealth or other worldly things, but in the reproaches we suffer for Christ\u2019s sake, and in these, only when need compels; for if there be nothing urging it, let us not mention these even, (lest we be puffed up,) but our sins only. For so shall we both easily be released from them and shall have God propitious to us, and shall attain the life to come; whereunto may we all attain through the grace and love towards men of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the Father, with the Holy Ghost, be glory, might, honor, now and for ever, and world without end. Amen.\nLiterally, \u2018dangers having death.\u2019\n395:956 395:957 395:958 395:959 395:960 396:961 396:962\n[The Apostle\u2019s mention of this isolated fact of his escape at Damascus, at the conclusion of the narrative of his varied labors and trials, has been variously explained, some considering it an afterthought, others the opening of a statement of details intended to be complete but for some reason interrupted. But it does not seem necessary to view it otherwise than it appears on its face, as a reminiscence of a peculiar peril which befel him at the commencement of his Christian career, and by which he was as it were matriculated in the school of persecution. The furtive method of escape (in the darkness of night, Acts ix. 25.) shows the extreme danger and helplessness of his position. He could very well put this among the \u201cweaknesses\u201d in which he ventured to glory (2 Cor. 12.5.), since his deliverance was effected not by the pomp of a supernatural interposition as afterwards at Philippi, but by ordinary human instrumentality, and that certainly not of a very dignified kind. \u201cThe name of Damascus, somewhat irregularly repeated here in that of its inhabitants, was deeply graven on the Apostle\u2019s memory, being inseparably associated with the great turning point of his life, which is the reason why his experience there is mentioned.\u201d (Waite). If the solemn asservation of the 2 Cor. 11.31 is to be considered as referring to what follows, then the explanation given by Chrysostom in the text is satisfactory. The Apostle\u2019s later trials were well known to the Corinthians; this one might not have been. Yet to Paul it was of the profoundest interest because it showed that where his ministry began, there also began his \u201cweakness.\u201d Then and there the persecutor became the persecuted. There is no greater contrast in all human history than that of Paul on his way to Damascus to bind and deliver to death the Nazarenes, and the same man fleeing that city between two days to escape the plots of his former friends and followers. C.]\n396:963 396:964 397:965 397:966 397:967 397:968 397:969","title":"Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. XII: Homilies on Second Corinthians.: Homily XXV","type":"page"}