Homilies on Second Corinthians

“Behold this is the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.”

What he says is this; 'It is not because I do not receive of you that I do not come to you; nay, I have already come twice; and I am prepared to come this third time, “and I will not be a burden to you.”' And the reason is a noble one. For he did not say, 'because you are mean,' 'because you are hurt at it,' 'because, you are weak:' but what? “For I seek not yours, but you.” 'I seek greater things; souls instead of goods; instead of gold, salvation.' Then because there still hung about the matter some suspicion, as if he were displeased at them; he therefore even states an argument. For since it was likely they would say, 'Can you not have both us and ours?' he adds with much grace this excuse for them, saying, “For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children;” instead of teachers and disciples, employing the term parents and children, and showing that he does as a matter of duty what was not of duty. For Christ did not so command, but he says this to spare them; and therefore he adds also something further. For he did not only say that “the children ought not to lay up,” but also that the parents ought to. Therefore since it is meet to give,