CONVERSATION 4

"I call God to witness in my soul, that I have not come to Corinth until now, sparing you" (2 Corinthians 1:23).

1. What do you say, blessed Paul? Sparing them, did you not come to Corinth? It seems to us that by saying this, you contradict yourself. You said above that you did not come because you do nothing according to the flesh, you have no authority over yourself, but go where the Holy Spirit commands you. Moreover, as obstacles to this, you also pointed out your sorrows. And now you say as if it depended on you not to come, and not on the power of the Spirit. "Sparing you," you say, "I have not yet come to Corinth." What must be said to this? Or that this very thing happened by the will of the Spirit, who, while (the apostle) wanted to go, inspired him to postpone this journey, representing the need to spare them; or he speaks of another journey, and thereby lets them know that he wanted to go to them even before he wrote the first epistle, but refrained from doing so out of love for them, so as not to find them unreformed. However, it is also probable that (the apostle) for the same reason afterwards decided to remain where he was when he wrote the second epistle, although the Spirit no longer restrained him from going. And this supposition is much more probable, i.e., that at first he was restrained by the Spirit, and afterwards he himself remained, thinking that it would be better that way. And you see how (the apostle) again mentions himself – which I will not cease to notice – deriving for himself a defense from the very reproaches that could be done to him. The Corinthians could be suspicious and say to him, "You hated us, therefore you did not want to come to us." (In anticipating such a suspicion, the Apostle) presents the opposite reason why he did not come, namely, that he loved them. What does it mean, "sparing you"? "I have heard," he says, "that some of you have committed fornication; therefore I did not want to come to you, so as not to grieve you. Being with you, I would be obliged to investigate and investigate this matter myself, and to punish many. And so, I thought it best not to be with you, in order to give you time to repent, rather than to punish you when I came to you, and to bear from you even greater sorrow." This thought he clearly stated at the end of the epistle, when he said: "Again, when I come, my God will not despise me among you, and [lest] I weep for many who have sinned before, and have not repented of uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness, which they have committed" (I am afraid that the food that has come to me will humble my God among you, and I will weep for many who have sinned before, and have not repented of uncleanness and fornication, as a deed) (12:21). He means the same here, and although he says this as if to justify himself, he at the same time strongly rebukes and frightens them. (By the very justification of himself before them) he gives them to understand that they are still subject to punishment, and can suffer something if they do not hasten to reform. And this again he expresses at the end of the epistle, saying: "When I come again, I will not spare you" (13:2). The only difference is that at the end of the Epistle he speaks about it directly, and here, as at the beginning of the Epistle, he does not speak so openly and with a certain condescension, and even more, he further softens and corrects this way of expression. For since (the Apostle) has said that it is proper for only one who has great authority to speak, and that only he who has authority and punishes them can spare others, he goes on to say that "not because we take power over your faith" (v. 24), that is: "When I said that I did not come to spare you, I did not say so because I wanted to rule over you." He did not even say "over you," but "over the faith," which is much more favorable and in accord with the truth. After all, who has the power to force him who does not want to believe to faith? "But we will help your joy" (But we are the companions of your joy). "Since your joy," he says, "is at the same time ours, I have not come to you, so as not to plunge you into despondency, and thereby increase my sorrow; and I remained in order to give you the opportunity to rejoice in your correction only from my (in absentia) threat. We do everything for your joy and take care of it alone, because we ourselves have communion in it." "For by faith ye are strong." See with what caution he speaks again. He is afraid to reproach them again, because he has already rebuked them quite strongly in the first epistle, and after that they have already shown a certain change (in life). If, after this change, they had heard the same reproaches as before, it might have ruined them. That is why the present epistle is written with greater ease than the first. "I have determined not to come to you again with grief" (2:1). The word "again" (packi) shows that (the apostle) was already grieved (by the Corinthians), and, apparently, defending himself before them, he imperceptibly reproaches them themselves. Imagine, then, how great must have been the sorrow (of the Apostle), if they had already grieved him once, and were ready to grieve him again. But he does not say to them directly, "You have grieved me," but makes it clear to them in other words, namely, "I have not come to you that I should not grieve you." This is equivalent to what I have said, but it was more acceptable and more bearable. "For if I grieve you, who will make me happy but he who is grieved with me?" (For if I cause sorrow to you, then who is there who rejoices me, and receive sorrow from me?) (v. 2). What is the sequence here? Very large. Indeed, look. "I did not want to come to you," he said, "so as not to grieve you with new reproaches, indignation, and disgust." Further, since this was also very harsh, and it implicated (the Corinthians) that they were grieving Paul by their way of life, he, wishing to soften what he had said, says: "For if I grieve you, who will make me happy but he who is grieved by me?" this very thing gave me joy. This was precisely a sign of your greatest love for me, when I meant so much to you that even my indignation alone could hurt you."

2. And note the wisdom (of the Apostle). Disciples are usually vexed and grieved when they are reproached, and he presents these reproaches as a kind of grace for them. "No one," he says, "rejoices me so much as he who is wounded by my words, and grieves when he sees me grieved." True, it should be said: "If I grieve you, who can make you happy?" But he does not say this, but, wishing to correct them, says the opposite: "Though I make you grieve, yet you, being wounded by sorrow at my words, give me great joy." "This is what I have written to you" (v. 3). What is it? "The fact that I did not come, precisely sparing you." When did (the apostle) write about this? Was it in the first epistle, when he said: "I do not want to see you now in passing" (16:7)? No, but I think that in the same epistle, when I said: "Lest again, when I come, my God despise me among you" (lest my God humble me among you). And so, "This," he says, "is what I wrote to you at the end of the epistle, so that again, when I come, my God will not despise me among you, and [lest] I should weep for many who have sinned before" (12:21). Why did you write? "That when I come, I may not be grieved by those over whom I ought to rejoice: for I am confident in all of you, that my joy is also for you all" (2:3). Since (the Apostle) said, "I rejoice when you are in sorrow," and these words might have seemed too heavy and cruel, he again expressed the same thing in a different way, and in the following words made it more bearable. "For this reason," he says, "I first wrote to you, so that, to my sorrow, I would not find you unreformed. And when I said, "That ... not to be grieved" (that I may not accept sorrow), then he said so, having in mind not his own benefit, but yours. I am sure that you rejoice if you see me rejoicing, and you yourselves will be filled with sorrow when you see me sad." See now what a close connection all that has been said has. Now his words will be clear to us. "For this," he says, "I have not come, lest I should grieve you, if I find you not yet reformed. He did so, having in mind not his own, but your benefit. From your grief I take no small pleasure when I see that you care so much for me that you yourselves grieve, and grieve when you see me grieving: "Who will gladden me but he who is grieved by me?" (For who is it that rejoiceth me, and receive sorrow from me?) However, in spite of this disposition of my spirits, since I seek your benefit, "this is what I wrote to you... that I may not be grieved" (I write to you this fervently, that I may not receive sorrow), and in this case again seeking not my own benefit, but yours. For I know that you yourselves will grieve when you see me grieving; also, on the contrary, you will rejoice when you see me rejoicing." See what prudence is here. First he said: "I have not come so as not to grieve you, although," he says, "I rejoice." Then, lest it should be thought that he rejoices only in their grief, he says: "Therefore I rejoice that I still have a place in your hearts. Otherwise, I would have borne great sorrow, both because I would have been forced to grieve you with reproaches, who love me so much, and because I myself would have grieved, which would have increased your sorrow even more." See now how he said these words with praise: "In which I ought to rejoice." They testify to his sincerity and great love for them. That is what a father might say to his children, for whom he has done much good and worked hard. "And so," he says, "if I only write and do not come to you myself, I do not go because I arrange something better for you, and not because I hate you, not because I abhor you, but because I love you very much." Further, in order that in view of the words that he who grieves rejoices him, they would not say to him, "So you care only that you yourself may rejoice, and show all what great strength you have with us?" he added the following: "Out of great sorrow and distress of heart I have written to you with many tears, not to grieve you, but that you may know love, which I have in abundance unto you" (for out of sorrow and hardness of heart I have written to you with many tears, not that ye may be offended, but that ye may know the love which I have abundantly for you) (v. 4).

What can be more loving than this soul? With these words (the Apostle) shows that he grieved for those who sinned not only no less, on the contrary, even much more than the sinners themselves. He does not simply say "out of sorrow," but "out of great tribulation"; not only with tears, but "with many tears, and from a distressed heart," i.e., "I was oppressed and oppressed by sorrow, and being unable to bear this cloud of sorrow, I decided to write to you, not in order to grieve you, but that you might know the love," he says, "which I have in abundance for you." It would be proper to say thus: "Not to offend you, but to correct you," because for this (the Apostle) wrote; but he does not speak in this way, but, wishing to make his speech more pleasant and to bind them more firmly to himself, he, instead of reminding them of their correction, assures them of his love, according to which he does everything. And he does not simply say, "I have love for you," but, "The love that I have in abundance for you." He also desires to attract them to himself, showing that he loves them more than anyone else, and is disposed towards them as chosen disciples. That is why he said before: "If I am not an Apostle to others, I am an Apostle to you" (1 Corinthians 9:2); and in another place: "Though you have thousands of teachers in Christ, yet not many fathers" (for there are many fathers, but not many fathers) (1 Corinthians 4:15); or again: "By the grace of God, we lived in peace, especially among you" (by the grace of God we dwelt in the world, and abounded among you) (2 Corinthians 1:12); and later (at the end of this epistle) he writes: "Loving you exceedingly, I am less loved by you" (12:15); finally, here too he says: "The love which I have in abundance for you" (the Imam loves you abundantly).

3. Thus, although the words (of the apostle) were full of wrath, this anger proceeded from great love and sorrow. "And when I wrote the epistle," he says, "I suffered and grieved, not only because you had sinned, but also because I was compelled to grieve you, and all this from love, like a father who, being forced to cut off or cauterize the rotten limbs of his beloved son, suffers doubly, both because his son is sick and because he himself has to cut it off. Thus, what you consider a sign of ill-will towards you is a sign of the greatest love for you. But if love urged me to grieve you, how much more should your sorrow rejoice." And so, having defended himself (he often defends himself in this way, and is not ashamed of it, because if God also does this, saying, for example, "My people! What have I done to you?" (My people, what have we done to you) (Micah 6:3) – how much more could Paul have done this), – so, having defended himself, (the Apostle) now proceeds to defend him who has fallen into fornication. Since (the Apostle) himself had previously expressed anger against him, and now demands to be forgiven, so that they do not misinterpret his command as contradicting the first, and do not persist – see how he prepared them for this, both the above and the following. What exactly does he say next? "But if any man have grieved, he hath not grieved me" (v. 5). First praising them for having only joys and only sorrows with him, and having said beforehand, "My joy is also for all" (v. 3), (the apostle) then begins to speak of the incestuous man. "If," he says, "my joy is at the same time your joy, then you must rejoice with me now, just as you sorrowed with me then. As then you gave me pleasure and joy by your sorrow, so now you will do the same with your joy, if only you will take part in my joy." (The Apostle) did not say: "My sorrow is sorrow for all of you," but he expressed the same thing in other places in other words, and here he mentioned only what was necessary, namely, joy, saying that "my joy is joy also for all of you." Following this, he recalls what he said before, saying: "If anyone has grieved, he has not grieved me, but in part, not to say much, and all of you" (if anyone has offended me, do not offend me, but in part, let me not burden you all). "I know," he says, "that you also with me were grieved and indignant at him who fell into fornication, and that this incident grieved you all in part. However, I said "partly" not because your grief was less than mine, but in order not to aggravate him who fell into fornication. And so, it was not only me who was grieved by him, but you in equal measure, and it was only out of condescension that I said to him, "in part." Do you see how soon (the apostle) softened their anger, saying that they also were partakers in his affliction? "For such a chastisement from many is sufficient" (v. 6). He does not say, "to him who has fallen into fornication," but again, as in the first epistle, "to such," though for a different reason; then he spoke thus out of abhorrence of the sin committed, and here out of condescension to the sinner. Here he does not mention the sin he has committed, because it was time to defend the guilty. "Wherefore it is better for you to forgive him and comfort him, lest he be swallowed up in excessive sorrow" (v. 7). (The Apostle) commands here not only to allow the prescribed punishment, but also to restore the guilty to his former state, because if someone, having punished the guilty, simply dismisses him, without any consolation, he does him no good. But see again how (the Apostle) restrains the guilty one, so that he, having received forgiveness, does not become worse. He shows him that although he has confessed his sin and repented of it, yet he receives forgiveness not so much for repentance as for mercy and condescension, wherefore he says: "So it is better for you to forgive him and comfort him" (that you may grant and comfort). The same is evident from the following words. "Not because," he says, "I allow the guilty to be forgiven, because he is worthy of it, or because he has shown sufficient repentance; but because he is weak," – which is why he added: "so that he may not be swallowed up in excessive sorrow" (so that he may not suffer much sorrow). In saying this, (the Apostle) also testifies to the great repentance of the guilty, and does not allow him to fall into despair. What then does it mean, "that he may not be swallowed up"? Either that he would act like Judas, or that if he remained alive he would become even worse. "Although," he says, "he is not such that he can no longer endure the sorrows of prolonged punishment, yet, having lost patience and hope, he can easily encroach on his life, or finally give himself over to greater wickedness. Therefore, we need to be careful that the wound does not become more grievous and so that by immoderation (in punishment) we do not destroy what good we have already done."

Saying this, (the Apostle), as I have noted before, wanted both to restrain and to admonish (the guilty), so that he, having received forgiveness, would not become even more negligent. "I received him," he says, "(into my former disposition), not because he was completely cleansed of defilement, but because I feared that he might do something worse." From this we learn that the measure of repentance must be appointed not only according to the nature of the sins, but also in accordance with the disposition and condition of the sinners themselves. And so the Apostle did then, since he too was frightened by the weakness of the sinner. Wherefore he said, Lest he be swallowed up, as by a beast, or by waves, or by a storm. "Wherefore I beseech you," v. 8. He no longer commands, but asks, not as a teacher, but as an equal, and, leaving them to sit in the judge's seat, he himself took the place of the defender. Since he had already achieved what he wanted, he did not know the measure of his humility from joy. What do you ask for, tell me? "To show him love" (Affirm love for him), i.e.: "With strong love, and not simply and as it happened, receive him." In saying this, (the Apostle) again assimilates to them the greatest virtue. Those who had formerly loved the sinner so much, and defended him so much, that they were even proud of it, turned away from him to such an extent that it cost Paul great difficulty to make them receive him with strong love. This is a commendable quality in students, here is perfection in a teacher – when students are so obedient, and the teacher forms such (obedient students). If it were so now, then sinners would not be so insensitive to their sins. And no one should be foolishly loved, nor abhorred without reason. "For this I have written, that I may know by experience whether ye are obedient in all things" (v. 9), i.e., not only in cutting off the sinner, but also in joining him. Do you see how here again (the Apostle) makes it necessary for them to decide on this podvig? As when (the guilty) sinned, (the Apostle) presented to them what danger threatened them if they did not cut him off, saying that "the little leaven leavens all the dough" (1 Corinthians 5:6), and many other things, so here again he presented to them all the danger of disobedience. "Just as before," as if he were saying, "I had to take care not only of him, but also of you, so now I care not so much for him as for you, so that no one would consider you to be stubborn, inhuman, and not obedient in everything." Wherefore he says, "For this I have written, that I may know by experience whether ye are obedient in all things." This (the removal of the guilty person from society) could also seem to be an act of hatred and cruelty, and this (receiving him into love) will especially prove the sincerity of obedience, and at the same time the readiness for works of philanthropy.

This is the sign of good disciples, that they obey their teacher not only in the first (his demand), but also when he commands the opposite (this demand). For this reason (the Apostle) said: "in all things," wishing to show that the Corinthians, in case of disobedience, would shame not so much him as themselves, deserving the glory of disobedience. And he does this in order to induce them to obedience, wherefore he says: "For this I have written unto you." Although he did not write for this purpose, since his main goal was the salvation of the sinner, he nevertheless speaks "in order" in order to dispose them all the more in favor of the guilty. However, by this he does not harm himself in achieving the main goal, and he makes the Corinthians happy. By the words "in all things" he reminds them of their first obedience, and here he makes it on display with the intention of praising them. "And whomsoever ye forgive in what, that I also" (v. 10). You see how he again humiliates himself before them, placing them in the first place, and himself in the second; and all this in order to soften hardened souls and bow coarse hearts. Then, in order not to give reason to think that the whole matter is left to their power, and so that they do not persist in forgiving (the guilty), he again urges them to do so, saying that he himself has granted him forgiveness. "For I also, if I have forgiven anyone in anything, I have forgiven for you" (For I, too, if I have given gifts, if I have given gifts, for your sake). "And this," he says, "I have done for you." And the first time, when he commanded that the culprit should be cut off, he did not give them the power to forgive him, saying, "I have already decided... who did such a deed... to deliver him up to Satan" (already judged to deliver such a person to Satan), and then He allowed them to participate in this sentence, when He said: "In your assembly... to deliver him up" (to those who are gathered together to deliver up to you) (1 Cor. 5:3-5). He did this with two important things in mind: to pronounce judgment, and not without the consent of the Corinthians, so as not to grieve them. And so not one of them pronounced sentence, so that the Corinthians would not think of him as a proud man and despising them, nor did he appropriate all power to them, so that they, having become sovereign judges, would not prematurely grant forgiveness to the guilty and thereby destroy him. He does the same here, when he says, "I have already granted forgiveness, I, who in the first epistle condemned him." Then, so that the Corinthians would not be offended, as if they were despised (by the apostle), he says: "For your sake." What is it? Did he forgive the sinner for people? No, – for this reason he added: "from the presence of Christ" (about the person of Christ). What does it mean: "in the presence of Christ"? Either – by the will of God, or – for the glory of Christ. "Lest Satan do us harm, for we are not ignorant of his designs" (v. 11). You see how he first arrogates (to the Corinthians) the power of judgment in order to soften them, then again takes it away in order to destroy all pride in them. However, this is not the only thing he wants to achieve with his words; He also wants to show that in case of their disobedience, the harm will be common to all. This is what he did at the beginning. As then he said: "A little leaven leavens the whole dough" (1 Cor. 5:6), so now he says: "lest Satan do us harm"; and everywhere he assimilates the forgiveness of the sinner, both to himself and to them (the Corinthians).

5. Consider again (all that he said): "But if anyone has grieved," he says, "he has not grieved me, but in part, not to say much, and all of you" (if anyone has offended me, do not offend me, but in part, so that I do not burden you all); Then further: "For such a punishment from many is sufficient." Such is his sentence and determination. However, he did not stop at this sentence, but again called on the Corinthians to participate in it, saying: "So it is better for you to forgive him and comfort him... Wherefore I beseech you to show him love." But, having delivered the guilty into their hands, he again proceeds to assert his authority, saying: "For this I have written, that I may find out by experience whether you are obedient in all things" (for this is what I write to you, that I may understand your skill, if you are obedient in all things). Then again he attributes the forgiveness of the sinner to the Corinthians, saying: "It is better for you to forgive him already" (if you grant him anything); And then to himself: "And I," he says, "have forgiven" (and az... if you have given anything); and finally to them and to themselves together: "For I also," he says, "if I have forgiven anyone in anything, I have forgiven for you in the presence of Christ" (for I, too, if I have given them for your sake, in the face of Christ," i.e., either for the glory of Christ, or because Christ Himself commanded (to forgive the sinner). which served to the glory (of Jesus Christ) and was pleasing to Him. After this, he again brings to the attention of the Corinthians the common harm to all in case of their disobedience, saying: "Lest Satan do us harm" (so that we may not be offended (πλεονεκτηθώμεν) by Satan). Here he very appropriately used the word theft (πλεονεξίαν), since the devil no longer takes his own, but steals ours. Do not tell me that only the sinner could become the prey of this beast, but also imagine that the whole flock is threatened by a decrease in its number, and especially now, when it is possible to recover what has been lost. "For we are not ignorant of his designs" (For we do not misunderstand his designs), i.e., that (Satan) can lead to destruction even by the way of godliness. He can destroy not only by leading to fornication, but in the opposite way he can also plunge into perdition, namely, by immeasurable sorrow during repentance. Thus, if (Satan) seizes ours along with his property, when he destroys both the one whom he leads to sin, and the one whom we command saving repentance he steals from us, then what can this be called if not theft? It is not enough for him that he brings us down through sin; He does the same through repentance, if we are not careful. That is why (the Apostle) very justly called theft the case when (Satan) overcomes us with our own weapons. It is characteristic of Him to possess us through sin, and not through repentance, because the latter is our weapon, and not his. And so, if (Satan) can take possession of us through repentance, then judge for yourselves how shameful this defeat is for us, how he will mock and mock us as powerless and weak, if he conquers us with our own weapons? And truly, in the highest degree, it is extremely ridiculous and extremely shameful if he inflicts wounds on us with our own medicines. For this reason (the Apostle) said: "For we are not ignorant of his designs" (for we do not fail to understand his intentions), i.e. how cunning, insidious, insidious and full of malice he is, and what harm he does to us even under the guise of piety. Therefore, thinking about this, let us never despise anyone (of those who sinn), nor ourselves, sinning, give way to despair, nor remain careless; on the contrary, let us heartily grieve over our iniquities, not only repenting of them in words. In fact, I know many who, although they say that they lament their sins, nevertheless do nothing of importance. True, they fast and wear coarse clothes, but at the same time they have a greed for money much greater than that of merchants, they give themselves over to greater anger than beasts, and they find pleasure in backbiting more than others in praise. This does not constitute repentance; it is only a phantom and shadow of repentance, and not repentance itself. Therefore it is fitting for these (sinners) to say: "See that Satan does not harm us, for we are not ignorant of his intentions (so that we may not be offended by Satan: for we do not misunderstand his intentions). Some he destroys through sins, others through repentance, and these in another way, when he does not allow them to enjoy the fruits of repentance. When Satan does not find an opportunity to directly destroy someone, he approaches him in a different way, urging him to intensify his labors, but not allowing him to enjoy the fruits of his labors, and trying to assure him that he has already done everything necessary, and therefore may not care about anything else. Therefore, in order that we may not exhaust ourselves in vain with labor, let us talk a little with those wives with whom this happens, because women are mainly subject to this disease. Of course, it is also beautiful what you do now, that is, fasting, lying on the ground and sprinkling ashes on your head. But all these things will be of no use unless others join in. God has shown how He forgives sins. Why, then, do you, having left the indicated path, pave for yourselves another? The Ninevites once sinned, and did what you do now. But let us see what served to save them. Just as physicians, although they use many remedies to cure the sick, the prudent one does not look at what the sick person has taken, but at what served to heal him, so here too it is necessary to look. So, what saved those Ninevites? On their wounds they laid fasting, and strict fasting, lying on the ground, sackcloth garments, ashes and tears, and at the same time changed their way of life.

6. Let us see which of these remedies healed them. "But how do we know this?" someone will say. We will find out if we come to the Doctor, or ask Him Himself. He will not hide from us; on the contrary, he will readily reveal it. He even wrote down this medicine in a book, which healed them, so that everyone would know it and not have to ask about it. "And God saw," says (the prophet), "their deeds, that they turned from their evil way, and God was sorry for the calamity, which He had spoken of that He would bring upon them" (John 3:10). He did not say: "I saw fasting, sackcloth, and ashes." I say this not to reject fasting—no—but to persuade you to do what is better than fasting—to abstain from all evil. David also sinned: let us see how he also repented. For three days he sat in the dust. However, he did this not to atone for his sin, but praying for his (sick) child, not yet sobered up from the intoxication of passion. He cleansed his sin in a different way, namely: by self-abasement, contrition of heart, sorrow of soul, strict abstinence from such sins, unceasing remembrance of the sin committed, complacent endurance of all the sorrows that befell him, mercy on his offenders, and finally, by not only did he not take revenge on his enemies who reviled him, but did not allow others to avenge him when they wanted to. Thus, when Shimei heaped innumerable curses on him, and when the military commander who was (with David) was indignant at this, then he said: "Let him curse, for the Lord has commanded him to curse David" (leave him to curse me, as the Lord has commanded him) (2 Samuel 16:10). He had a contrite and humble heart, and this was what especially cleansed his sins, because this is what confession consists of, this is repentance. On the contrary, if we remain arrogant while fasting, then not only will we not receive any benefit, but we will also suffer harm. Therefore, humble your heart and you, that you may propitiate God: "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted (The Lord is near to the brokenhearted) (Ps. 33: 19). Thou seest how those who dwelt in bright palaces endured dishonor, how, being reproached even by the last of their servants, they did not reproach, but endured reproach for the disgrace with which sin covered them. Do the same. If anyone reproaches you, do not be hardened, but weep and groan, not because you are reproached, but because of the sin that subjected you to such dishonor. Weep and groan when you sin, not that you will be punished, since this means nothing, but that you have offended your Lord, who is so meek, loves you so much, cares so much about your salvation, that he betrayed his Son for you. This is what weep and groan about, and do it without ceasing, because this is what confession consists of. Do not be happy today, sorrow tomorrow, then cheer again, but always remain in weeping and contrition. "Blessed," says (the Lord), "are they that mourn" (Matt. 5:4), i.e. those who do this without ceasing. Do this unceasingly, always pay attention to yourself and break your heart, just as one would be crushed who has lost his beloved son. "Tear asunder," says (the Lord), "your hearts, and not your garments" (Joel 2:13). But that which is torn apart is no longer lifted up, and contrition rises no more. That is why (the Scriptures) say in one place: "Dissolve," and in another: "God will not despise a broken and humble heart" (Psalm 1:19). Therefore, whether you are wise, or rich, or strong, tear your heart apart, that is, do not allow it to be arrogant and haughty, because that which is puffed up does not puff up, even if it be something that is puffed up: it cannot endure this puffing, because it is puffed up. In the same way, humble your heart. Think that the publican was justified for one word, although what he said was not so much humility as true confession. And if true acknowledgment has such power, how much more humble is humility? Forgive the offenses of those who have sinned against you, because this also serves for the forgiveness of your sins. Of the first (lamentation and sorrow for sins) it is said: "I saw that he was old (sorrowful), and healed his ways" (Isaiah 77:17, 18). This also stopped the wrath of God against Ahab (3 Kings 21:29). And about the second (forgiveness of offenses) it is said: "Forgive, and you will be forgiven" (Luke 6:37). There is still another way in which this cure is obtained, and that is by condemning oneself in one's iniquities: "Speak thou, that thou mayest be justified" (Isaiah 43:26). In the same way, the grateful feeling with which we endure sorrows atones for our sins, and above all almsgiving. Enumerate the healing means for the healing of your wounds and apply all of them one by one unceasingly: self-abasement, confession, forgiveness, thanksgiving for the sorrows sent upon you, helping the poor with money and things, and finally, unceasing prayer. With persistent prayer, the widow propitiated the cruel and unmerciful judge (Luke 18:5). But if this widow propitiated the unjust judge, how much more will you propitiate the meek Judge. In addition to these methods (for the cleansing of sins) there is another – the intercession of the offended. "Defend," it is said, "the fatherless, intercede for the widow... Then come and we will judge... If your sins be as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; if they be red as crimson, they shall be as white as wool" (Isaiah 1:17, 18). And so, will you be worthy of any excuse when, having so many paths leading to heaven, and so many means for healing the wounds of the soul, we remain in these wounds even after baptism? Let us not become fossilized in them. And those who have not yet fallen, let them try to preserve their beauty unharmed, nay, let them increase it even more, because although they are now blameless, the virtues mentioned will adorn them still more. As for us, who have already sinned much, let us strive to make use of the means offered for the cleansing of our sins, so that we may stand before the judgment seat of Christ with much boldness, which may we all be vouchsafed to receive through the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, dominion, and honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

CONVERSATION 5

"When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, although the Lord had opened the door to me, I had no rest for my spirit, because I did not find my brother Titus [there]" (2 Corinthians 2:12, 13).

1. These words seem unworthy of Paul, since they show that he neglected the opportunity of contributing to salvation because of his brother's absence. Moreover, they apparently have no connection with (what has been said before). What do you want me to prove to you first? Is it that (the apostle) did not say anything unworthy of himself here, or that what he said has a close connection with the previous one? It seems to me that the latter must first be proved, because then the former will be more comprehensible and clearer to us. So, what is the connection between these words and what was said before? Let us recall what has been said before, and then we will understand what has been said. What did he say before? What I said at the beginning of the epistle, namely: "We do not want to leave you, brethren, ignorant of our tribulation that was with us in Asia, because we were weighed down exceedingly and beyond our strength" (1:8). Then he shows how he was delivered from the threatening danger, and after expressing further intermediate thoughts that serve to justify him, he finally again makes it known that he had another sorrow. Which one, and how? The one who did not find Titus. Verily, even the temptations endured (by the Apostle) constituted no small sorrow for him and could plunge his soul into despondency. And when there was no one who could console him and lighten the burden of his sorrow through sympathy, then, naturally, the storm of the soul had to increase even more. And this Titus is the same of whom (the Apostle) speaks below, and who came to him (from the Corinthians), and from him was sent back to them, and of whom he spoke so much with great praise. Therefore, wishing to show that he also grieved over the absence of Titus because of them, (the apostle) spoke the above words. From this it is evident that these words have a close connection with what has been said before. And that these words are not unworthy of Paul, I will try to prove this also. For he does not say that absence prevented the salvation of those who wished to join the believers; nor does he say that because of this he despised the believers; but only says that he had no rest, that is, he grieved and grieved over the absence of his brother, wishing thereby to show what the absence of a brother meant, and for this reason he left Troas. What is the meaning of the words, "Having come to Troas to preach the gospel"? "I have not come without intention," he says, "but to preach. And yet, despite the fact that I came (to Troas) with such an intention, and there I found very much to do: "Though the door was opened to me by the Lord, I had no rest for my spirit," he says. However, this did not interfere with the work of preaching. How then does he say: "But when I took leave of them, I departed" (departed from them)? That is: "I could not stay there for a long time because of the hardness and sorrow of my heart"; or perhaps because the very absence (of Titus) served as an obstacle to the work. And this also served not a little to appease the Corinthians. "If," he says, "only because I did not find a brother (in Troas), I had to depart from there in haste, although there was an open door for me to preach, for which I came thither, how much more should you excuse us by the straitness of circumstances, which govern us everywhere, and do not allow us, as we would like, either to leave anywhere, or to spend any more time, according to our wishes." That is why, as above he assimilated his journeys to the Spirit of God, so here he attributes to God, adding the words: "Thanks be to God, who always gives us to triumph in Christ, and spreads by us the fragrance of the knowledge of himself in every place" (v. 14). Lest it be thought that (the Apostle) is complaining and murmuring at the compulsion from God to be there or in another place, he sends thanks to God. The meaning of his words is this: "Everywhere there are sorrows, everywhere there is crowding! I came to Asia, and there I was weighed down beyond my strength; he came to Troas, but did not find his brother there; did not come to you, and this caused me great, even very great grief, both because many of you have sinned, and because for this reason I could not see you." "Sparing you," he says, "I have not yet come to Corinth" (1:23). Therefore, in order not to appear to murmur against God in this way, (the Apostle) adds that: "In these afflictions we not only do not lose heart, but also rejoice; And what is most important, we rejoice not only for the sake of future rewards, but also for the sake of present ones, since by enduring sorrows we also gain praise and glory for ourselves in this life. That is why we are so far from lamentation and murmuring that we even call the sorrows that happen to us triumph and boast about them." In this sense (the Apostle) said: "Thanks be to God, Who always allows us to triumph in Christ" (but thanks be to God, Who always overcomes us), i.e., makes us glorious for all. Though it seems dishonorable to others that we should suffer persecution everywhere, yet to us it is the greatest honor. That is why he did not say, "Who makes us famous," but, "He who creates overcomers," wishing to show that these persecutions serve for us throughout the earth instead of the glorious monuments of the unceasing victories won over the devil. And having pointed to the Giver of victories, he then tells the reason (for these victories) and thus encourages his hearers. "Not only," he says, "are victories given to us from God, but also in Christ," that is, through Christ and preaching. "And in gaining victories," he says, "it is impossible not to be glorified by us, who bear the sign of victory, since it is we who bear it. That is why we are known and strong everywhere. "The fragrance of the knowledge of Himself spreadeth by us in every place" (And the stench of his mind is manifested by us in every place).

2. Above (the Apostle) said: "Always overcomes him who creates us"; now he says: "in every place," indicating that every place and time is filled with apostolic feats. In doing so, he uses a new metaphor borrowed from the fragrant smell. "In the same way," he says, "we are made known to all, as well as those who bear the precious myrrh," calling the knowledge (of Christ) the world of great value. And he did not simply say "knowledge" (reason), but "the fragrance of knowledge" (the stench of reason), because this is exactly what our knowledge is today: not quite clear and not completely open. That is why in the first epistle he said: "Now we see as through a glass darkly, divination" (13:12), and here he calls the knowledge of Christ "the fragrance of knowledge" (the stench of reason). Whoever smells the fragrance knows that somewhere there is fragrant myrrh; but what this myrrh is in itself, he cannot know, if he has not had the opportunity to see it before. In the same way, we know that God exists; but that He is in essence – we do not know. "Therefore we," he says, "are like a king's censer; and wherever we go, everywhere we exude heavenly myrrh and spiritual fragrance." In saying this, (the apostle) had a twofold intention: first, he wanted to show the power of preaching, namely, that through enemies who plot they are only more glorified, since persecution makes it possible for the whole universe to see their victories and smell the fragrance of their preaching; secondly, he wanted to persuade the Corinthians to bravely endure sorrows and temptations, because through this they would gain unspeakable glory even before their recompense (in heaven). "For we are the fragrance of Christ to God in those who are being saved and in those who are perishing" (v. 15). "Whether one is saved," he says, "or perishes, the preaching of the Gospel always preserves its dignity." Just as light, even when it blinds the weak with sight, remains light, although it blinds; or as honey, though it may seem bitter to the sick, does not cease to be sweet by nature, so the gospel (of Christ) always retains its fragrance, although those who do not believe perish. It is not the gospel that destroys them, but their own hardness. And the destruction of the wicked even reveals the fragrance of preaching. Thus, the power of evangelism is revealed not only in the salvation of the good, but also in the destruction of the wicked. In the same way, the sun especially blinds the eyes of the weak, because it shines very clearly. Likewise, the Saviour, although "He lies for the fall and for the rising of many" (Luke 2:34), nevertheless does not cease to be the Saviour even when an innumerable multitude of people fall. And although His coming to earth served more as a punishment for unbelievers, nevertheless, it always remains salvific. In this sense, Paul also says: "We are the fragrance of Christ to God" (the fragrance of God); i.e., "although some of those who hear the gospel perish, yet we do not cease to be what we are." And he did not simply say "fragrance," but "to God." If we are a fragrance to God and God Himself determines us in this way, then who else will contradict us? And the words "Christ's fragrance," in my opinion, have a double meaning. By this (the Apostle) means either that they, dying daily (1 Corinthians 15:31), offer themselves as a sacrifice to God, or that they are the fragrance of Christ's death, just as someone would say: "This incense is like the fragrance of such and such a sacrifice." Thus, either in this latter sense he used the word "fragrance," or in the first one I have said, i.e., that (the apostles) daily offered themselves as a sacrifice to God, for Christ. Do you see to what extent he exalted temptations, calling them his triumph, and fragrance, and sacrifice offered to God? Further, since he said, "We are the fragrance of Christ to God in those who are being saved and in those who are perishing," so that you may not think that even those who are perishing are pleasing to God, he added, "To some a smell of death unto death, and to others a smell of life to life" (v. 16). That is, by smelling this fragrance, some are saved, and others perish, so that if anyone dies, he is himself the fault of his own destruction, because fragrant myrrh, they say, suffocates swine, and light, as I said before, blinds the weak eye. And such is the nature of the good that they not only perfect what is akin to them, but also destroy the opposite; and in this latter case their power is especially revealed. In the same way, fire, not only when it shines or purifies gold, turns out to be fire and manifests its proper power; but even more so when he burns thorns. And Christ will manifest His greatness when He "kills with the spirit of His mouth, and destroys by the manifestation of His coming" (He kills the Antichrist with the spirit of His mouth, and abolishes by the appearance of His coming) (2 Thessalonians 2:8). "And who is capable of this?" (And who is satisfied with this?) Since (the Apostle) has said many great and extraordinary things, calling himself both the sacrifice and the fragrance of Christ, and assimilating to himself the universal triumph, he again tries to moderate what he has said, attributing all this to God. Therefore he says: "And who is able to do this?" "All this," he says, "is Christ's, and nothing is ours." Do you see the difference between him and the false apostles? The latter boast that they bring something of their own to the preaching of Christ; but he, on the contrary, puts in praise of himself that which does not call anything his own. "For our praise," he says, "is the testimony of our conscience, that we have lived in the world in simplicity and God-pleasing sincerity, not according to the wisdom of the flesh, but according to the grace of God" (2 Corinthians 1:12). And just as they considered the acquisition of earthly wisdom to be their own praise, so he, on the contrary, counts for himself his ignorance of it. That is why here also He says: "And who is capable of this?" And if we in ourselves are not sufficient for this, then everything that happens (with us and through us) is a work of grace. "For we do not corrupt the word of God, as many do" (v. 17).