Homily XXV.
2 Corinthians chapter 11, verse 21. Yet whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak in foolishness,) I am bold also.
See him again drawing back and using depreciation and correctives beforehand, although he has already even said many such things: "Would that ye could bear with me in a little foolishness;" (Ver. 1.) and again, "Let no man think me foolish: if ye do, yet as foolish receive me." (Ver. 16.) "That which I speak, I speak not after the Lord, but as in foolishness." (Ver. 17.) "Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also;" (Ver. 18.) and here again, "Whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak in foolishness) I am bold also." Boldness and folly he calls it to speak aught great of himself, and that though there was a necessity, teaching us even to an excess to avoid any thing of the sort. For if after we have done all, we ought to call ourselves unprofitable; of what forgiveness can he be worthy who, when no reason presses, exalts himself and boasts? Therefore also did the Pharisee meet the fate he did, and even in harbor suffered shipwreck because he struck upon this rock. Therefore also doth Paul, although he sees very ample necessity for it, draw back nevertheless, and keep on observing that such speaking is a mark of foolishness. And then at length he makes the venture, putting forward the plea of necessity, and says,
Ver. 22. "Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I."
For it was not all Hebrews that were Israelites, since both the Ammonites and Moabites were Hebrews. Wherefore he added somewhat to clear his nobility of descent, and says,
Ver. 22, 23. "Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. Are they ministers of Christ. (I speak as one beside himself,) I more."
He is not content with his former deprecation, but uses it again here also. "I speak as one beside himself, I more." I am their superior and their better. And indeed he possessed clear proofs of his superiority, but nevertheless even so he terms the thing a folly. And yet if they were false Apostles, he heeded not to have introduced his own superiority by way of comparison, but to have destroyed their claim to "be ministers" at all. Well, he did destroy it, saying, "False Apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into Apostles of Christ," (Ver. 13.) but now he doth not proceed in that way, for his discourse was about to proceed to strict examination; and no one when an examination is in hand simply asserts; but having first stated the case in the way of comparison, he shows it to be negatived by the facts, a very strong negative. But besides, it is their opinion he gives, not his own assertion, when he says, "Are they ministers of Christ?" And having said, "I more," he proceeds in his comparison, and shows that not by bare assertions, but by furnishing the proof that facts supply, he maintains the impress of the Apostleship. And leaving all his miracles, he begins with his trials; thus saying,
"In labors more abundantly, in stripes above measure." This latter is greater than the former; to be both beaten and scourged.
"In prisons more abundantly." Here too again is there an increase. "In deaths oft." (1 Corinthians chapter 15, verse 31) For, "I die," saith he, "daily." But here, even in reality; `for I have oft been delivered into mortal dangers.'
Ver. 24. "Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one."
Why, "save one?" There was an ancient law that he who had received more than the forty should be held disgraced amongst them. Lest then the vehemence and impetuosity of the executioner by inflicting more than the number should cause a man to be disgraced, they decreed that they should be inflicted, "save one," that even if the executioner should exceed, he might not overpass the forty, but remaining within the prescribed number might not bring degradation on him that was scourged.
Ver. 25. "Thrice was I beaten with rods once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck."
And what has this to do with the Gospel? Because he went forth on long journeys; and those by sea.
"A night and a day I have been in the deep." Some say this means out on the open sea, others, swimming upon it, which is also the truer interpretation. There is nothing wonderful, at least, about the former, nor would he have placed it as greater than his shipwrecks.
Ver. 26. "In perils of rivers."
For he was compelled also to cross rivers. "In perils of robbers, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness." `Everywhere were contests set before me, in places, in countries, in cities, in deserts.'
"In perils from the Gentiles, in perils amongst false brethren."
Behold another kind of warfare. For not only did such as were enemies strike at him, but those also who played the hypocrite; and he had need of much firmness, much prudence.
[2.] Ver. 27. "In labor and travail."
Perils succeed to labors, labors to perils, one upon other and unintermitted, and allowed him not to take breath even for a little.
Ver. 27, 28. "In journeyings often, in hunger and thirst and nakedness, besides those things that are without."
What is left out is more than what is enumerated. Yea rather, one cannot count the number of those even which are enumerated; for he has not set them down specifically, but has mentioned those the number of which was small and easily comprehended, saying, "thrice" and "thrice," (Ver. 25.) and [again] "once;" but of the others he does not mention the number because he had endured them often. And he recounts not their results as that he had converted so many and so many, but only what he suffered on behalf of the Preaching; at once out of modesty, and as showing that even should nothing have been gained but labor, even so his title to wages has been fulfilled.
"That which presseth upon me daily." The tumults, the disturbances, the assaults of mobs, onsets of cities. For the Jews waged war against this man most of all because he most of all confounded them, and his changing sides all at once was the greatest refutation of their madness. And there breathed a mighty war against him, from his own people, from strangers, from false brethren; and every where were billows and precipices, in the inhabited world, in the uninhabited, by land, by sea, without, within. And he had not even a full supply of necessary food, nor even of thin clothing, but the champion of the world wrestled in nakedness and fought in hunger; so far was he from enriching himself. Yet he murmured not, but was grateful for these things to the Judge of the combat.
"Anxiety for all the Churches." This was the chief thing of all, that his soul too was distracted, and his thoughts divided. For even if nothing from without had assailed him; yet the war within was enough, those waves on waves, that sleet of cares, that war of thoughts. For if one that hath charge of but a single house, and hath servants and superintendents and stewards, often cannot take breath for cares, though there be none that molests him: he that hath the care not of a single house, but of cities and peoples and nations and of the whole world; and in respect to such great concerns, and with so many spitefully entreating him, and single-handed, and suffering so many things, and so tenderly concerned as not even a father is for his children-consider what he endured. For that thou mayest not say, What if he was anxious, yet the anxiety was slight, he added further the intensity of the care, saying,
Ver. 29. "Who is weak, and I am not weak?" He did not say, `and I share not in his dejection?' but, `so am I troubled and disturbed, as though I myself were laboring under that very affection, that very infirmity.'