Homilies on First Corinthians

² “And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.”

This again is another topic: for not only are the believers unlearned persons; not only is he that speaks unlearned; not only is the manner of the teaching of an unlearned cast throughout; not only was the thing preached of itself enough to stagger people; (for the cross and death were the message brought;) but together with these there were also other hindrances, the dangers, and the plots, and the daily fear, and the being hunted about. For the word “weakness,” with him in many places stands for the persecutions: as also elsewhere. “My weakness which I had in my flesh you did not set at nought:” and again, “If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern my weakness.” What [weakness]? “The governor under Aretas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes, desirous to apprehend me.” And again, “Wherefore I take pleasure in weakness:” then, saying in what, he added, “In injuries, in necessities, in distresses.” And here he makes the same statement; for having said, “And I was in weakness,” etc. he did not stop at this point, but explaining the word “weakness” makes mention of his dangers. He adds again, “and in fear, and in much trembling, I was with you.”

“How do you say? Did Paul also fear dangers?” He did fear, and dreaded them excessively; for though he was Paul, yet he was a man. But this is no charge against Paul, but infirmity of human nature; and it is to the praise of his fixed purpose of mind that when he even dreaded death and stripes, he did nothing wrong because of this fear. So that they who assert that he feared not stripes, not only do not honor him, but rather abridge greatly his praises. For if he feared not, what endurance or what self-restraint was there in bearing the dangers? I, for my part, on this account admire him; because being in fear, and not simply in “fear,” but even in “trembling” at his perils, he so ran as ever to keep his crown; and gave not in for any danger, in his task of purging out the world, and everywhere both by sea and land sowing the Gospel.