Homilies on Second Corinthians

You look at the things that are before your face. If any man trusts in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider this again with himself that even as he is Christ's, so also are we.

What one may especially admire in Paul among other things is this, that when he has fallen upon an urgent necessity for exalting himself, he manages both to accomplish this point, and also not to appear offensive to the many on account of this egotism; a thing we may see particularly in his Epistle to the Galatians. For having there fallen upon such an argument, he provides for both these points; a matter of the very utmost difficulty and demanding much prudence; he is at once modest and says somewhat great of himself. And observe how in this place also he makes it of great account, “You look at the things that are before your face.” Behold here also prudence. For having rebuked those that deceived them, he confined not his remarks to them, but he leaps away from them to these too; and he does so constantly. For, in truth, he scourges not those only that lead astray, but the deceived also. For had he let even them go without calling them to an account, they would not so easily have been reformed by what was said to the others; but would have been greatly elated even, as not being amenable to accusations. Therefore he scourges them also. And this is not all that is to be admired in him, but this farther, that he rebukes either party in a manner suitable to each. Hear at least what he says to these, “You look at the things that are before your face.” The accusation is no light one; but a mark of men exceedingly easy to be deceived. Now what he says is this, 'ye test by what appear, by things carnal, by things bodily.' What is meant by 'what appear?' If one is rich, if one is puffed up, if one is surrounded by many flatterers, if one says great things of himself, if one is vain-glorious, if one makes a pretence of virtue without having virtue, for this is the meaning of, “ye look at the things that are before your face.”

“If any man trust in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider this again with himself, that even as he is Christ's, even so also are we.” For he does not wish to be vehement at the beginning, but he increases and draws to a head little by little. But observe here how much harshness and covert meaning there is. He shows this by using the words “with himself.” For he says, 'Let him not wait to learn this from us; that is, by our rebuke of himself,' but “let him consider this with himself, that even as he is Christ's, so also are we;” not that he was Christ's in such manner as the other was, but, “that even as he is Christ's, so also am I Christ's.” Thus far the community holds good: for it is not surely the case that he indeed is Christ's, but I some other's. Then having laid down this equality between them, he goes on to add wherein he exceeded, saying,