Fragments on 2 Corinthians

1He addresses all those in Achaia, for Corinth is a part of Achaia. He also addresses the letter as having been written by himself along with Silvanus and Timothy, although he does not always do this; I think he does this when he writes to a church that knows him personally, both himself and those accompanying him in the arrangement.

There are those speaking about those who act this way, saying that at some time while he was writing, some of those accompanying him suggested certain thoughts, and he set forth their names, showing that they also contributed to the writing; and this was done through much carelessness. But if he is writing healthily by the Holy Spirit, he ought to be careful of the association with others; nevertheless, even if the letter is from three, he himself alone is shown to be the apostle of Christ through the will of God, not the disciples accompanying him being apostles.

The 'with all the saints' is said ambiguously; for is it 'all the saints with us address you,' or 'we address you with all the saints'? It should not be ignored that in some copies, the present letter is found to be inscribed as being written by Paul and Timothy only.

Those writing pray that grace and peace may exist for the Corinthians from God the Father and Lord Jesus Christ, which is clearly a gift given from Father and Son; for just as the works which the Father does, the Son likewise presents, so just as the gifts which the Father gives, the Son bestows; for one grace and one peace is given toward the Trinity. And this must be said: having said God their Father, they no longer say brother but Lord their Savior, showing that even if the born become sons of God, they remain nothing less than slaves of the Lord Jesus who is their Creator; for he himself, being the Son of God in truth and not by position, is the master of those being made sons. 2 Cor 1:3 Blessed be the God...

The divine words are such, not to receive blessing but to provide it; for just as He alone is holy and good, sanctifying and making others good, and not becoming those things which He makes others, so He alone is blessed, providing blessing but not receiving it. This blessed God exists as God and as Father of the Lord Jesus, God through the economy, and Father through the Word and being the only-begotten Son. He is Father of mercies in essence, being the source of them; for such a one is not found by the acquisition of virtue like those who become merciful. As the heavenly Father, He is merciful; for the Father of mercies imparts to those who hasten to imitate Him, not to be mercy but to become merciful. Along with these, God is the source of all consolation, sympathy, and grace. This is that source in which and through which all those who are afflicted for the sake of truth, and rather for piety, are exhorted; for thus they will teach those others who are being afflicted, being inferior to them, to be exhorted by those who are being afflicted.

The teachers say they are being afflicted for the progress and salvation of those being instructed, so that having endurance they may be made perfect, hoping to receive worthy rewards that will be given to the apostles who contend for the truth and to the hearers of these (2 Cor 1:6). Since they had a share in the sufferings on which there is consolation, it shows to them the great affliction that existed in Asia from the slanderer and the informer Demetrius (2 Cor 1:7-10); and quite so, since he said they suffer for the sake of their consolation and salvation, so that they might acquire endurance working in the same sufferings, he makes it manifest to them how both he and those with him endured persecution and affliction beyond power, so as to be almost despaired of, that is, to fall, to live. But he presents the reason for having to suffer this little, saying: for since we were convinced of ourselves as being without hope against every affliction...

3He appears to have been present with them, passing through Macedonia and turning back again from there to see them, so that he might again rejoice seeing them being helped; for it appears through the words, before the writing of both the letters to them, that he was in Corinth. The same is demonstrated by the statement: 'because I was sparing you, I did not yet come to Corinth' (2 Cor 1:23).

Knowing what was said by the Savior in the promise concerning the not needing to swear, but having an unsearchable word regarding the yes as being yes, and the no as being thus, he seems to be confirming himself here by swearing. And most rightly; for he announces the intention he had toward the Corinthians, and this exists in thought and heart; and since it was likely that those he loved would waver concerning the genuineness of the love toward them, he calls God as witness of the things said upon his own soul, standing over the things lying in secret. For he says: 'I am coming to you desiring you, and when I do not do this, I again spare my concern toward you; for you know that having come previously to your city, I spent a whole year and six months staying there, rejoicing in seeing you advancing daily in the benefit according to Christ. For I certainly laid before you the common teaching and the mystical traditions; for I made this clear in the letter before this one, urging you to hold fast to what you received. And since now I am precisely convinced that certain false teachers are deceiving, setting aside the resurrection from the dead and the abiding of the soul, and moreover turning away the knowledge concerning the indifferent, for this reason I refrained now, so that a certain healing through letters might be available to stay with you. And these things I am writing not as one proclaiming himself master of your faith—for we are working together toward your believing—and since from our instruction you have come to faith, just as we taught, so also we remind you, so that you may remain in the faith in which you achieved success; even if some were struck away by the deceivers, nevertheless I am confident that you have stood in the faith in which you received it, being firm in it.'

He says, 'My joy is the joy of all of you through the good report, and declaring that before it, I say truly that my sorrow is the sorrow of all of you (2 Cor 2:3-4); for it was necessary to sadden...'

He rejoices with the apostle to sympathize with the Corinthians, so that those rejoicing may rejoice together. Because I write these things from a sincere disposition, he says, know that through much affliction and pressure of heart, through many tears, the letter is being dictated. For I did not desire to subject you to such rebukes, but rather proofs concerning the dogmas of truth and reminders, and rather an exhortation toward perfect virtue.

This has a dual meaning in the one in the face of Christ (2 Cor 2:10-11). For it is shown either in the face, that is, before and seeing Christ, but also in bearing the face of Christ, having been forgiven, knowing that He Himself, judging that all things for blessedness should be granted, has arrived in life. Therefore, bearing the face—for I desire to imitate Him and to be conformed to Him—I consented to the sin of the one who repented; whence also I am encouraged to be of that opinion. For one must not be ignorant of the wiles of Satan, who, as in former times when fornication was occurring, wished to increase the harm, he was arranging the unfeeling state, so that the one caught in evil would not mourn; but now he has persuaded that there should be compassion toward the one ceasing from evil, so that through this he might also destroy you, the arrogant and the proud, against him. But see, lest anyone, awaiting the will of the apostle, should have the knowledge of satanic thoughts be a vain glory—for such a thing is most harmful, but rather beneficial—for knowing the thought and the choice does not do evil, but rather the choosing does. Therefore, do not neglect also those who are choosing to expose the deceivers, knowing the things of their deception; we are not rebuked, but rather we fully accept them; for it is not the knowing, but the choosing, that makes bad things evil. We know, therefore, the thoughts of Satan, not so that we may act according to them, but so that, not being deceived, we may not be ensnared.

It happened to him that the transition from Troas to Macedonia was through a vision (Acts 16:9). For in the writing of the Acts of the Apostles it is said that truly a Macedonian man was shown to him in Troas by way of revelation, commanding: 'Having crossed into Macedonia, help us.' He fell silent, writing this letter, having tested with the moderation of judgment whether it was not opportune to say such things about himself, as in the...

4He will show it to those who follow. For the sake of unconcern, he confesses to God regarding the transition, saying what follows next. But discern what he intends: a great door has been opened to me in the Lord; for perhaps a door of the word is opened by the Lord to those receiving it through divine inspiration, but they do not have a preparation from human art. For God says: 'Enlarge your mouth and I will fill it.' And the wise man has cried out: 'Open your mouth with the word of God,' which means being prepared within by desire and readiness to receive the teaching from God. Perhaps the door of the word is opened when the listeners are ready to receive the instruction.

Because of this, he says, God makes manifest through us the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ in every place, since we are the fragrance of Christ (2 Cor 2:14-16); for just as the partakers, being of His light, are the light of the world, so also, being of the scent, those united to Him are His fragrance. And this fragrant breath is, for some, a scent from death to death, and for others, a scent from life to life. But one must not ask why it becomes a scent from death to death; for it happens to those to whom this occurs as it appears, just as healthy food seems to harm those who offer it at an unseasonable time. For those who, being under death, receive that which comes upon them through sin, do not receive the divine knowledge with right judgment, but come from the death of practical sins to the death that follows ungodly thoughts, just as it carries those receiving it with deeds from life to life. For just as a perceptible scent, being contributed toward health and well-being, harms small animals that do not possess its most acute breath, so the divine fragrance also benefits and leads toward health, and rather toward life, those who observe the image and likeness of God—for these are truly humans—while those who are harmed by it are those changing according to the inner man, as they are called allegorically, like those destroying a precious preparation of olive oil, according to Ecclesiastes.

One should not pay attention to those of the heterodox who say that the apostles, teaching in Christ, speak against God the Other, contrary to the Father of the Savior (2 Cor 2:17), which is to say, we speak against Him. But he says many...

Those who deceive through being vulgar. For this word 'many', I say, being homonymous, signifies more; for it is sometimes said instead of 'certain people', as when the Lord says: 'many will say to me in that day' (Matt 7:22); but also instead of those addressed to a few, as in 'many are called, but few are chosen' (Matt 22:14). The word also indicates all people, as in how through the hearing of the one, the many became sinners, as if through the hearing of the one Adam, the many became sinners (Rom 5:12); for all men are under sin having heard Adam. It also indicates the vulgar, as in the present context: 'let not many teachers be you, brothers'; and it also signifies those who are somehow more numerous, just as 'many are rising up against me, and many are saying to my soul'. In the present expression, we are not as certain people trafficking in the word of God, that is, making it vulgar through cold speech and foolish explanation, but as from sincerity we offer it without guile and purely.

He strikes the Corinthians at rest as if they still do not know the apostolic greatness, asserting: 'we think that having our conscience in agreement, we can say sincerely before God in Christ, let us approach; if not, we are recommending ourselves to you by our letter to you' (2 Cor 3:1-3). Thus what concerns us is manifest, as not recommending you to others, nor others to you; for you yourselves are a letter of Christ, ministered by us, truly written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God (2 Cor 3:2-3). For words are inscribed with ink, but a real and contemplative life is characterized with the Spirit of the living God, as one living according to God by the Spirit having been thus written; for the foolish receive the characters from ink as if they were stone tablets for their souls, but those yielding to agreement with the divine in fleshly hearts, that is, sensible hearts, receive the writing from the living Spirit of God; for they are inscribed three times upon the breadth of the heart, just as God gives laws in the mind, by inscribing them upon the breadth of the heart. Let no one think us being foolish, speaking to ourselves: 'that we can say sincerely before God in Christ' (2 Cor 3:4-6); for thus we are disposed concerning ourselves.

5Having called us worthy for the ministry of the word, God made us, not possessing from ourselves any thought as if from ourselves according to divine knowledge; for He himself, the one who gave to us to minister the new covenant, provided the conviction for the speaking. And it is a ministry of the Spirit and not of the letter which we were believed to have—for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life (2 Cor 3:6)—the new covenant of the life-giving Spirit, not an old one; for no other teaching comes after it in this life, for it is without successor.

The heterodox also use this expression to slander the old covenant, asserting that the former is the writing that kills, while the new is life-giving as being of the life-giving Spirit; therefore they must be rebuked, being very far from the apostolic mind. For even if the letter kills, it brings a praiseworthy death to those being lifted up; for living in ignorance and wickedness before the reception of the legal teaching, after having received it, they die, casting off the evil life they had.

For in this way they will be ready to receive the life-giving work of the Spirit: for instance, he who is in evil lives according to it, but he who turns away from it casts off the life he had according to it, coming through the doing of the good toward the blessed life; for just as evil and good do not coexist, so also the two lives cannot be at once. The letter is certainly not a lie, having imposed an end upon the bad life; for the life-giving work according to the Spirit will immediately approach.

Regarding 2 Cor 3:7-16, he compares both covenants, the new and the old, each witnessing to the one given in glory from God. However, even if both have been glorified, the one in the Spirit has greater glory. And if, by comparison, the glory of the Spirit is greater, it is not a lie regarding that which it is compared to; for a good thing is more good than a good. For a ministry of death is inscribed in letters on stones through Moses...

Until it is, the ministry of death which we said brings death. Just as that spoken death was poetic, so the ministry of the spirit is a provider of life after that death.

And it attempts to lead an argument that the ministry of the spirit will be in glory, making the attempt from the lesser; for it says: if the ministry of condemnation had such glory that it could not see all the sons of Israel unto perfection—for it was scarcely veiled—how much more will the spiritual ministry be from glory? Regarding the same view, it makes another attempt, saying: the former scripture, condemning the worthy according to the life of sin which they had, as having brought death as said, is given until a certain time; for this evangelical teaching receives it, being without successor. If therefore that which is being abolished has its end in glory, the remaining, being more, has much more glory; the abolished word is not placed reproachfully.

And certainly the knowledge and prophecy from the part of the saints will be abolished, not utterly, but by the presence of the knowledge of the truth. And just as if we were to say that the introductory teaching is being abolished from the science of the perfect theorems, we do not speak insultingly; for the word declares the necessity intended toward Paul, the one being introduced.

Therefore, having such a conviction, being placed as ministers of a new covenant, bringing the teaching unmasked, we use much boldness, being teachers of perfect hearers, since that which we bring to children does not need glory from without, having it by nature. For Moses indeed wore a veil over the face when speaking to the many of the people; for they did not bear the splendor of the teaching. And certainly to the elders and to Joshua the son of Nun, and if anyone was conversing according to them, he was showing the glory naked. And this also happened as...

7For he possessed the treasure of knowledge, not as a layman according to it, but as a layman in the word in earthen vessels. And the earthen vessels are those saying things which we are surrounded by bodies in the sensible things, by such a thought; because while still surrounded by flesh which hinders the contemplation of the truth, we have knowledge concerning the Trinity, the excess of the greatness of the knowledge is not from us, but from the power of God existing in us is made known to us.

As far as regarding the bitterness of those surrounding us, we would have despaired and we would have been lost (2 Cor 4:8-9); but as far as regarding the God who exhorts, all things are easy for us toward salvation. And even if in every single thing we are being afflicted, being courageous we are not distressed; even if some suppose us as without resource, pursuing and overturning us, but rather we, being resourceful in all things, are not at a loss, we are not lost, we are not cast down; for being overturned by the evil ones we stand unshakeable, being pursued we are courageous, all things being for our salvation. It is to be known that being distressed is at times the same as being afflicted, and at times something else. For when both are spoken, the being afflicted signifies the external circumstance, the being distressed signifies the mourning in the will and the reasoning. But when both are not taken together, they signify the same thing in parallel.

That which is always and at all times lying before us from the spoken word (2 Cor 4:10-11), does not signify the unending and the anarchic, just as we say the eternal, but the unceasing and the uninterrupted; for he will say that the bearing of the death of Jesus, not once indeed, but at times not, in his body, is doing this always. But also he will say that one having life and piety and zeal struggles uninterruptedly for the truth; so that we, the living in the said manner, that is, without interruptions, are being handed over unto death. To this also the thing said by Stephen to the Jews will be taken; for you always oppose the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51); for did not the fathers of ours not pursue the kind of the prophets along with him? This is the thought of what I said: always wandering in heart, that is, not once indeed, but at times not, but uninterruptedly. And that which I was silent about, shall I also be always silent? It signifies the unending and the unceasing; for if even now, he says, I am long-suffering toward your sinning, but not unto the unceasing.

Punishment will be exceeded; for those abiding in wickedness will be punished after much patience. 2 Cor 4:13 says the Spirit calls, the one having the faith which one has. 2 Cor 4:16 For in all our being afflicted, the outward man is being destroyed.

The coming scripture signifies two different dwellings; 2 Cor 5:1 one is earthly and made by hands, the one appearing to be the cosmos in the hands of God for the sake of being produced—for he says it shows all sensible things: 'Your hand made all these things,' but also: 'The works of your hands are the heavens,' and of the same is the intellect—but the other is an unmade dwelling in the heavens, the other cosmos besides this one. Since, when the sensible cosmos is being dissolved, it does not produce the form of heaven and earth, and passing through, it does not go into non-existence, men turn away from the one who dwelt previously in the being-dissolved earthly dwelling; the one to come will receive, and it is eternal. And he said: 'We have an unmade eternal dwelling in the heavens,' showing that it is from elsewhere, but rather it is greatly prepared for those worthy to obtain it. It is said, moreover, that those things in the promise within it, which eye has not seen, nor any other sense or intellect has grasped, are being prepared by God for those who love him. And the Savior says: 'You have inherited the kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the world.'

And this said sensible dwelling is called not our house once for all, but that of our tent; for our heavenly dwelling is our previous one. For even if from the resurrection the tent of the soul be given back, as it also is in the heavenly dwelling, but this stay is previous to the soul, according to what has happened and what pertains to the tent: just as first, according to the word, the earthly dwelling is the tent of the dwelling, secondly, because the soul is in the body. I have read that the earthly dwelling is called a tent, the body composed of bones and flesh, but the tent being in this dwelling is the form of the inner man, which is a bright and organic body. Those interpreting thus say, therefore: when this dwelling of the thick body is being dissolved, the soul migrates to the heavenly place, called an unmade eternal dwelling. And he shall also receive what he laid aside.

9Having believed, the old things have passed away, having grown old as the new things come into the midst. And if he says the old things are the legal and prophetic writings, these have passed away because of the gospels having received them; regarding these old and new things, the difference is not according to their underlying substance but by way of thought; for the very same teaching of the two covenants has happened at one time concealed and at another time nakedly. The concealed things are therefore old.

And if anyone says that the customs and state of affairs before faith are old, these have passed away, having ceased, because the teaching according to the gospel has established itself. Regarding the former explanation, all things will fit from God, for both the law and the prophets and the gospels are from God; according to the later narrative, all the new things are from God, and not indeed even those that have passed away. And all things are from God, the one who reconciled us to himself through Christ. For we were enemies, held fast by error and sins, but we have been reconciled to him, having received forgiveness toward him and through him; and he reconciled us to himself through the Lord who died and rose on our behalf. So that we might not become insensitive to the great goodness of God, he gave the teaching concerning the reconciliation to the apostles, so that being instructed by them we might remain in the being-in-Christ; for through him the friendship toward God which came to be after the reconciliation will persist.

Regarding 2 Cor 5:21, they say 'the one not knowing' instead of 'the one not having been tempted by sin'; for he does not say not to be ignorant of its nature—rather the Savior knew it all things—but rather not to be tempted by it. For so also the one guarding the commandment will not know an evil word. Regarding 2 Cor 6:2, 'Since God helped, having heard in an acceptable time and a day of salvation, having sent his own Son and having given him up on our behalf, so that no stumbling block of unbelief might come against anyone, so that the ministry of the evangelical teaching might not incur blame.' Therefore, it is necessary to be diligent in recommending oneself through good works, even if it be with toil.

This happens if, having endurance, we bear tribulations, necessities, distresses, and the surrounding things bravely, cheerfully bearing the experience of bonds and prison. For thus to be pure according to the soul will happen to one thinking rightly and acting rightly; for our souls, he says, having become pure in the obedience of the truth. But also the fear of the Lord, being pure, acquires all purity for the one who has received it.

He says that there are right and left weapons of righteousness (2 Cor 6:7). Perhaps therefore the one practicing justice regarding sensible things, rather desiring to be wronged and deprived than to do these things himself, has been struck by the left weapons of righteousness; that is, having piety called righteousness toward God, while bearing the right weapons of it in giving back the things of God to God. In other writings it is said, concerning putting on the weapons of light. These weapons of the warfare are not fleshly, that is, not human, but they turn out to be powerful for God.

Know if you are able to have the more leftward weapons of righteousness, the one being justified according to the shadow of the law; but the right weapons, the one having been persuaded according to the righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for all who believe. And this is that about which the Savior said to the disciples: unless your righteousness abounds more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall by no means enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt 5:20).

Still, the one pursuing the just thing justly according to human dealings is armed according to the left weapons of righteousness; but the one doing this according to the doctrines of the truth, being pursued for the sake of becoming a son of righteousness, bears its right weapons. See then in the things said, if what is about to be said has sense: the one being dishonored for the sake of godliness, and being slandered and supposed a deceiver, bearing these things bravely and praiseworthily, uses the left weapons of righteousness; being secured by its right weapons, when there is no praise or...

10Another kind of ease and prosperity, as if based on the truth, appears and exalts itself.ith this same way of thinking, you should apply each subsequent thing spoken with its own opposition.

Still pretending to be sorrowful and poor and having nothing, by which we make poverty a virtue, we rejoice, being rich in good works and in every word and in all knowledge, as also enriching others with the wealth that looks sharp (2 Cor 6:10); for he who has this is master of all things, possessing them. And it is also good to say regarding each of the unpleasing ones, that this which is upon the good and saving things has been said to me.

He who has taken much boldness for the sake of speaking ahead of his hearers' eagerness, says: our mouth has been opened and our heart has been enlarged in understanding toward you, O Corinthians (2 Cor 6:11-13); therefore you too are constricted by a troublesome ignorance. This does not come from us; for we ask you as children to render a recompense to us by enlarging your understanding for the reception of what we offer you as instruction. It is necessary to take up 'bowels' here in no literal sense; for the word is not about bodily things but spiritual ones.

Married women are called spouses to their husbands by church custom — or rather, by Scripture (2 Cor 6:14-16) unequal marriage by what he lays down, writing: 'Do not be yoked with unbelievers' — in effect saying this: let no faithful man take an unbelieving wife. For you are under the good Jesus' yoket she is under the yoke of some evil one. Likewise, a woman having faith should not be joined to an idolater. He persuades one to abstain from heterogamy, bringing forward what will necessarily follow: What common ground is there between righteousness and lawlessness? And the following. Since the faithful have righteousness, and become light of the world under Christ, but the unbeliever is full of lawlessness, so that because of this he is to be laid as darkness to Belial—and this one is evil—it is not necessary for a part to have the faithful with the unbeliever. He himself has been built as a temple of God, but the unbeliever is a temple of idols, whence since righteousness is no participant of lawlessness, the light has no fellowship with the darkness. But neither is there harmony with Christ toward Belial, nor is there any agreement of the temple of God with a temple of idols; one should not approach by such a marriage; for he who does this fills...

A faithful person participating in lawlessness, and also sharing in darkness, and running away toward the Devil, and greeting the unbelieving party. Therefore, let us flee all these things previously mentioned, being temples of the spoken God; I will dwell in them and walk about in them. For if you become sons and daughters of God, set apart from the unclean unbelievers, do not lay yourselves under the same yoke so that you might happen to obtain these holy rewards, having cleansed yourselves from all defilements of the flesh arising from heterogamy; for then you will practically and in thinking accomplish holiness of the Spirit. 2 Cor 7:1

The preceding word stands differently. For some read: 'Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of flesh and spirit, so that we may not have a defilement of sin from neither flesh nor spirit, that is, of the soul or of the mind; for then it will necessarily follow to accomplish in the fear of the Lord holiness, so as to be holy in spirit and body.' Others, reading 'let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of flesh and spirit,' separate 'and spirit' as 'accomplishing holiness.' They maintain this distinction, those who wish, the 'holy Spirit' which is brought forth in the Scriptures without an addition; for they say the Scripture intends to show this, wherever it is 'holy Spirit of God' or something else so called. But also without an addition, as in the case where the Spirit itself bears witness to our spirit, whereas the opposite, with an addition, is always called thus: an unclean spirit, an evil spirit, a spirit of a demon, or perhaps something else with an addition. 2 Cor 7:2-5

He who is about to speak with boldness along with those sending the letter, says to the Corinthians: 'Make room, that is, make space for us to be defending ourselves. We have become guilty of no injustice, nor corruption, nor greed toward any of you. And these things I speak with boldness, not desiring to condemn you; for I had testified that you are so ready as to die for us. And so are we for you; for such a readiness of purpose was prepared in our hearts and in yours. Therefore, having much boasting over you, I am full of consolation, the joy of your salvation and gladness overflowing in us...'

13He brings these things to bear against those whom he was writing to: 'when your obedience is fulfilled, look to the outward appearance.' There is a difference in understanding this word: if it were expressed commandingly, it would mean this: if, O Corinthians, your obedience is fulfilled through agreement with the divine teaching, observe the outward appearance; for in this way you will know those who present themselves as sheep but are inwardly ravening wolves, and the truly genuine teachers, to whom it was said, 'You are the light of the world' (Matt 5:14). In this way, having observed, the impostors whom you also cast out will be known to you, as will the true apostles of Christ, in whom you also desired to believe willingly. This agrees with 'by their fruits you will know them' (Matt 7:16).

But if it were expressed definitively, 'look to the outward appearance,' it suggests such a thought: judge the disposition of the teachers and the disciples by the power, always gazing intently at the outward aspect of those speaking, being deceived by those attending only to the outward appearance alone. If anyone, then, being a wolf, pretends to be a sheep, merely bringing a fleece, receive this one as a false apostle, but the one being a prophet, receive him as an apostle and prophet. For certainly some, pretending to be disciples of Christ, but being truly acquainted with the one transforming into an angel of light, caused deception among some of you, as if there were no resurrection of the dead nor the rational soul intervening after the separation from the body. Therefore, having doubt as to how 'look to the outward appearance' is expressed, the former understanding holds as the teaching.

Regarding 2 Cor 10:17-18: Having sufficiently refuted those teaching the opposite as if they were merely making a noise as Christ's, he necessarily brought forward that one must boast in the Lord, he who unblemishedly and sincerely relies on glory; for not he who proves himself to be approved is of such a kind in every way, but he whom the Lord has established through testimony. For certainly the one concerning the...

A Pharisaic word which says: 'I am not like the rest of men.' He was seen to be not approved but unapproved, having been justified by him who was ransoming his own sins. But the saints become approved and irreproachable having been established by God. Indeed, he who writes the present things testified about him, saying to Ananias: 'This is for me a vessel of election.' But even to all the apostles, the election having come from the Savior testifies, that they themselves had not drawn themselves, but had received this from God.

Having shown how it is the folly of the foolish to praise themselves, and that the Corinthians are rather led astray by such people, he says to them: 'I wish you would endure me speaking about myself what they also say about themselves; for having many true things to write, I requested not to, knowing that it seems foolish to talk about oneself. But since you endure those speaking thus, I will say also, not so that I may hunt praise, but that I may become a cause of benefit to you; for according to God I am zealous for you, not wishing that your minds should be destroyed by one of those saying evil things. And consequently I have the aforementioned zeal, since I was entrusted with the truth by the one true man, Christ, that your church is a pure virgin. It is necessary, lest you be destroyed also by false teachers through the integrity which you have, just as the serpent, using cunning, destroyed the mother of our race; and he famously named this simplicity "Eve". And someone will know that Eve was deceived by the cunning of the serpent, having understood how she misrepresented the divine commandment of God saying: "from every tree in the paradise and the following." For what was commanded in its entirety, she led away sophistically toward the opposing thing.'

Or do you think that, having served the gospel to you for free, I sinned against myself by humbling myself? I accused myself, so that you might think to be exalted, upon the command to speak the truth about myself as...

14having sinned, because I did not receive the wages of the gospel. And you know that not only when traveling away from you did I refrain from taking anything, but also when present among your mother-church, having been lacking because the necessary things were missing, I have not become a burden to other churches by having fulfilled their need; for indeed the brothers coming to me from Macedonia were providing for the needs. And this boldness is being preserved for me toward all the churches of Achaia; and I will guard this intention, so that in everything I may be without weight, just as I have kept myself and will keep myself.

For we do not do this out of a love for it, but so that we might cut off every pretense of those desiring to find occasions for slander, so that even if I seem to be refusing to take something from someone, the deceivers might be found just like us; for we are not like those, but they will be found to be like us (2 Cor 11:12). But if it is true that they have spoken with boldness, they are found to seem like us; for we are proceeding with a true intention regarding the administration having been spoken, but they, by imitating, claim that the good is not such, but they only seem to be, desiring to be.

The true apostles are said to be workers without addition in your entreating therefore of the Lord of the harvest to send out workers, and also the worker is worthy of his food (2 Cor 11:13-15). But these, concerning whom I write, in one place are called deceitful workers, and in another letter they are named evil workers. They are transformed into apostles of Christ, not being such but deceiving by form alone, having the same disposition as the false prophets who, being wolves in thought, surround themselves with fleeces, so that they may be glorified as being sheep. Having said this about them, he shows that what has been said is not paradoxical; for if the cause of them being such happens to be—and this is the devil—he pretends to be an angel of light, while being of darkness, consequently those being led toward wandering with him transform themselves as to be received as pure, because they are ministers of righteousness. It is to be known that the transforming of Satan into an angel of light is said more abusively; for principally...

A transformation of bodies is accused of being bodies that are being exchanged. Rather, the present word indicates the light being shared, while the rest is full of darkness. If anyone hears that the one being transformed is an angel of light, let him not suppose him to be such in essence—for this glory is Manichaean and impious—for the devil is evil and darkness by his own nature, and just as by his own choice he pretends to be light in order to be thought to have virtue and knowledge. Even if he thus deceives some by transforming into the aforementioned things, the end is appropriate for those doing them, going out with the devil into the eternal fire as his servants.

The foolishness spoken here is not entirely such; for it is being accomplished economically, it is full of a most vigorous understanding. He gives this because, since many boast according to the flesh—'They are Hebrews, and Israelites, and the seed of Abraham; and I also' (2 Cor 11:22)—he precedes them in glory, that these things are spiritual (2 Cor 12:1-5).

He has come to report the God-sent visions and revelations that have existed, and while showing these to a great extent of divinity, he did not attribute them to himself, but as if reporting concerning another, arranging the boasts of weakness toward his own person. It is fitting, then, that he lifted up the indwelling vision to the man in Christ, in order to show that he was not worthy to be made such in any other way than having become in the Word of God, in wisdom, and in truth, and in sanctification; for all these things Christ is. This man in Christ was caught up to the third heaven and into paradise; whether in body or outside of this, I do not know. And one says that the written thing can be held in both ways: for Elijah was also caught up in a body, and Ambachum was taken up from Jerusalem to Babylon, carrying the body, having been moved by the counsel of an angel of God. Another says: just as someone walking upon the earth can have his citizenship in heaven, so also to sit with Christ in...