Homilies on Second Corinthians

Whether we be afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation, which works in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: and our hope for you is steadfast.

Having spoken of one, and that the chief ground of comfort and consolation, namely, having fellowship [by sufferings] with Christ: he lays down as second this which he now mentions, namely, that the salvation of the disciples themselves was procured thereby. “Faint not, therefore, he says, nor be confounded and afraid because we are afflicted; for this same thing were rather a reason for your being of good cheer: for had we not been afflicted, this had been the ruin of you all.” How and wherein? For if through lack of spirit and fear of danger we had not preached unto you the word whereby ye learned the true knowledge, your situation had been desperate. Do you see again the vehemence and earnest contention of Paul? The very things which troubled them he uses for their comfort. For, says he, the greater the intensity of our persecutions, the greater should be the increase of your good hope; because the more abundant also in proportion is your salvation and consolation. For what has equal force of consolation with this of having obtained such good things through the preaching. Then that he may not seem to be bringing the encomium round to himself alone, see how he makes them too to share these praises. For to the words, “Whether we be afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation:” he adds, “which works in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer.” Afterwards, indeed, he states this more clearly, thus saying, “As you are partakers of the sufferings, so also are you of the consolation;” but here also meanwhile he alludes to it in the words, “the same sufferings,” so making what he says include them. For what he says is this, “Your salvation is not our work alone, but your own as well; for both we in preaching to you the word endure affliction, and you in receiving it endure the very same; we to impart to you that which we received, you to receive what is imparted and not to let it go.” Now what humility can compare with this, seeing that those who fell so far short of him he raises to the same dignity of endurance? For he says, “Which worked in the enduring of the same sufferings;” for not through believing only comes your salvation, but also through the suffering and enduring the same things with us. For like as a pugilist is an object of admiration, when he does but show himself and is in good training and has his skill within himself, but when he is in action, enduring blows and striking his adversary, then most of all shines forth, because that then his good training is most put in action, and the proof of his skill evidently shown; so truly is your salvation also then more especially put into action, that is, is displayed, increased, heightened, when it has endurance, when it suffers and bears all things nobly. So then the work of salvation consists not in doing evil, but in suffering evil. Moreover he says not, “which works,” but, “which is wrought,” to show that together with their own willingness of mind, grace also which wrought in them did contribute much.

2 Corinthians 1:7

“And our hope for you is steadfast.” That is, though ye should suffer ills innumerable, we are confident that you will not turn round, either upon your own trials or upon our persecutions. For so far are we from suspecting you of being confounded on account of our sufferings that even when yourselves are in peril, we are then confident concerning you.

2. Do you see how great had been their advance since the former Epistle? For he has here witnessed of them far greater things than of the Macedonians, whom throughout that Epistle he extols and commends. For on their [the Macedonians'] account he feared and says, “We sent,” unto you, “Timothy...to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith, that no man be moved by these afflictions, for yourselves know that hereunto we are appointed.” And again: “For this cause when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by any means the tempter has tempted you: and our labor should be in vain.” But of these [the Corinthians] he says nothing of this kind, but quite the contrary, “Our hope for you is steadfast.”

2 Corinthians 1:6-7

“Or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. Knowing that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also are you of the comfort.”

That for their sakes the Apostles were afflicted, he showed when he said, “whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation:” he wishes also to show that for their sakes also they were comforted. He said this indeed even a little above, although somewhat generally, thus; “Blessed be God, Who comforts us in all our afflictions, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any affliction.” He repeats it here too in other words more clearly and more home to their needs. “For whether we be comforted,” says he, “it is for your comfort.” What he means is this; our comfort becomes your refreshment, even though we should not comfort you by word. If we be but a little refreshed, this avails for encouragement to you; and if we be ourselves comforted, this becomes your comfort. For as you consider our sufferings your own, so do ye also make our comfort your own. For surely it cannot be that, when you share in worse fortune with us, you will not share in the better. If then ye share in everything, as in tribulation so in comfort, you will in no wise blame us for this delay and slowness in coming, because that both for your sakes we are in tribulation and for your sakes in comfort. For lest any should think this a hard saying, “for your sakes we thus suffer,” he adds, “for your sakes also we are comforted,” and “not we alone are in peril; for you also,” says he, “are partakers of the same sufferings.” Thus then, by admitting them to be partakers in the perils and ascribing to them the cause of their own comfort, he softens what he says. If then we be beset by craft, be of good cheer; we endure this that your faith may grow in strength. And if we be comforted, glory in this also; for we enjoy this too for your sakes, that thereby ye may receive some encouragement by sharing in our joy. And that the comfort he here speaks of is that which they enjoyed not only from being comforted by themselves, (the Apostles) but also from knowing them (the Apostles) to be at rest, hear him declaring in what follows next, “Knowing that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also are you of the comfort.” For as when we suffer persecution, you are in distress as though yourselves so suffering; so are we sure that when we are comforted, you think the enjoyment also your own. What more humble-minded than this spirit? He who so greatly surpasses in perils, calls them “partakers,” who endured no part of them whatever; while of the comfort he ascribes the whole cause to them, not to his own labors.

3. Next, having spoken before only generally of troubles, he now makes mention of the place too where they (Ben. he) endured them.