Homilies on Second Corinthians

So that though I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret.

He goes on to apologize for his Epistle, when, (the sin having been corrected,) to treat them tenderly was unattended with danger; and he shows the advantage of the thing. For he did this indeed even before, when he said, “For out of much affliction and anguish of heart, I wrote unto you: not that you should be made sorry, but that you might know the love which I have toward you.” And he does it also now, establishing this same point in more words. And he said not, 'I regretted indeed before, but now I do not regret:' but how? “I regret not now, though I did regret.” 'Even if what I wrote,' he says, 'was such as to overstep the [due] measure of rebuke, and to cause me to regret; still the great advantage which has accrued from them does not allow me to regret.' And this he said, not as though he had rebuked them beyond due measure, but to heighten his praises of them. 'For the amendment ye manifested was so great,' says he, 'that even if I did happen to smite you too severely insomuch that I even condemned myself, I praise myself now from the result.' Just as with little children, when they have undergone a painful remedy, such as an incision, or cautery, or bitter physic, afterwards we are not afraid to soothe them; so also does Paul.

“For I see that that epistle made you sorry, though but for a season. Now I rejoice not that you were made sorry, but that you were made sorry unto repentance.”

Having said, “I do not regret,” he tells the reason also; alleging the good that resulted from his letter; and skillfully excusing himself by saying, “though but for a season.” For truly that which was painful was brief, but that which was profitable was perpetual. And what indeed followed naturally was to say, 'even though it grieved you for a season, yet it made you glad and benefited you forever.' But he does not say this: but before mentioning the gain he passes again to his praises of them, and the proof of his own concern for them, saying, “Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry,” ('for what gain came to me from you being made sorry?) “but that you were made sorry unto repentance,” that the sorrow brought some gain.' For a father also when he sees his son under the knife rejoices not that he is being pained, but that he is being cured; so also does this man. But observe how he transfers all that was well achieved in the matter unto themselves; and lays whatever was painful to the account of the Epistle, saying, “It made you sorry for a season;” while the benefit that resulted from it he speaks of as their own good achieving. For he said not, 'The Epistle corrected you,' although this was the case; but, “ye sorrowed unto repentance.”

“For you were made sorry after a godly sort, that you might suffer loss by us in nothing.”

Do you see wisdom unspeakable? 'For had we not done this,' he says, 'we had done you damage.' And he affirms that indeed which was well achieved to be theirs, but the damage his own, if indeed he had been silent. For if they are likely to be corrected by a sharp rebuke, then, if we did not sharply rebuke, we should have done you damage; and the injury would not be with you alone, but also with us. For just as he that gives not to the merchant what is necessary for his voyage, he it is that causes the damage; so also we, if we did not offer you that occasion of repentance, should have wrought you damage. Do you see that the not rebuking those that sin is a damage both to the master and to the disciple?