Homilies on Second Corinthians

“But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me.”

Having first praised them as feeling joy and sorrow for the same things as himself, he then strikes into the subject of this person, having said first, “my joy is the joy of you all.” But if my joy is the joy of you all, need is that you should also now feel pleasure with me, as you then were pained with me: for both in that you were made sorry, you made me glad; and now in that you rejoice, (if as I suppose you shall feel pleasure,) ye will do the same. He said not, my sorrow is the sorrow of you all; but having established this in the rest of what he said, he has now put forward that only which he most desired, namely, the joy: saying, my joy is the joy of you all. Then, he makes mention also of the former matter, saying,

“But if any has caused sorrow he has caused sorrow not to me, but in part (that I press not too heavily) to you all.”

I know, he says, that you shared in my anger and indignation against him that had committed fornication, and that what had taken place grieved in part all of you. And therefore said I “in part,” not as though you were less hurt than I, but that I might not weigh down him that had committed fornication. He did not then grieve me only but you also equally, even though to spare him I said, “in part.” Do you see how at once he moderated their anger, by declaring that they shared also in his indignation.