Fragmenta in epistulam i ad Corinthios

Both are understood together: the persons of the writers and the Corinthians to whom the letter was written, meaning "I and Sosthenes write together with all among us who embrace this title, taking as partners in the authority of writing all such persons among us, and not admitting into this fellowship anyone alien to this designation. And we send these things to you Corinthians, to those sanctified in Christ and called through him, together with all without exception among you who embrace this title." Then, he says, it is fitting for those filled with good things to look toward what is to come, awaiting the second coming of Christ, when it is possible to receive securely the enjoyment of all good things together. For through this he hinted that, while situated in this life, it is not possible to be careless, thinking highly of what has already been given, if indeed we await his second coming for the judgment of our lives. This means that, by lot, some received Christ, others another: some Cephas, others Apollos, who is said to have been the first bishop among the Corinthians. The cross of the Savior is not empty, because its reverence and wonder lie not in mere words but in the thing itself. Yet it is considered folly by those who do not know the truth, because it does not possess the brilliance of expression that, for instance, their own luminaries do. But those, while coloring falsehood with fine speech, are in no way inferior to those who mix deadly poisons.

Those who have become hierourgoi of the divine proclamations set forth the truth simply, as it were, and free from external adornments. Instead of saying "against all opponents of piety we set forth the cross of Christ," he says what the things concerning the cross are as he explains: that the Jews consider it a disgrace, the Greeks consider it folly, but we believe it to be both power and wisdom of God, knowing precisely the magnitude of the things accomplished through it. By "power of God" and "wisdom of God" now, they do not mean the divinity of the Only-begotten, but suppose that the proclamation concerning the cross and, as it were, the very nature of the matter itself is spoken of. And indeed, they say, this refutes those of Arius and Eunomius who wickedly attempt from this passage to show that wisdom is the name for the Word of God. For from this they also construct the blasphemy from the saying in Proverbs. Having shown the weakness of natural understanding and the naivety of those who pride themselves on it, the divine apostle does this from a joint examination of the facts, in order to cast down the arrogance of one who wishes to rule and take precedence over others because of this. And having shown the naivety of those who think highly of themselves on account of it, as if being called after it were to be counted as a good, he moves to a third demonstration, a very shaming one, based on them. So that he might say: "among you in this life." In the Epistle to the Romans, things that exist and do not exist were understood differently according to the sequence of the subject; but here he calls "non-existent" things that are cheap and contemptible in the eyes of the many, and "existent" things that are splendid, powerful, and reputable.

Every flesh, every fleshly person whose mind is set on fleshly things—such as a rich man, a wise man, or anyone of that sort—so that he may not boast as though he accomplishes the proclamation through his own glory, but through the grace of God. For boasting, even if it occurs over good works, harms the soul of the one who boasts. Therefore, the one who boasts over worldly advantages and does not humble himself is entirely fleshly. He calls "wisdom" the discourse concerning the cross and the whole economy, which was hidden, and which we proclaim. By "rulers of this age" he means the evil powers. But if these were ignorant, much more so were the men through whom the demons crucified the Lord. Others say that "rulers of this age" are Herod and Pilate. For he calls "world" the entire creation, as he says elsewhere that we became a spectacle to the world and to angels and to men. Those who have the spirit of the world cannot know the mysteries of God, but we who have received the spirit from God can. And what we speak are the mysteries of the economy that have been revealed to us and granted for salvation, clarifying spiritual teachings to spiritual men. Instead of saying "through the wonders of the spirit we confirm the teaching of the spirit," for he does not use "comparing" in the sense of "setting side by side," but in the sense of "demonstrating," having used "compare" to mean "demonstrate" in the present instance, by a metaphor from those who, through comparison, make the demonstration of the more authoritative greater.

Co-workers, instead of assistants and servants. The finest teachings are not dissolved with the present life but remain more brilliant, shown then in their works. Whoever, therefore, teaches these things, he says, which can also then remain more greatly when the Lord has appeared as master, will certainly receive the reward for these things; but whoever teaches the opposite, he says, can somehow prevail until the present life, but is utterly obliterated at the time of the consummation. Not only does he forfeit the reward of his labors here, which he could have reaped by choosing to labor for the finest things, but even if he is saved through some other cause capable of saving him, he does not escape the examination through fire, which he must undergo for the worst teachings; for this is what he means by "thus as through fire." The sequence of the thought is as follows: thus he will be burned as through fire. That is, since he said: "he himself will be saved," he says this: that the disobedience of those taught does not condemn the teacher; for even if he will not receive a reward but will be condemned, yet he will be saved, unless the fire detains him as he passes by for his own faults. Thus, he says, he will be saved, not as one who will certainly escape punishment, but as one who will be tested through fire for his own works. He who believes in Christ through the regeneration of the bath receives the Holy Spirit as an inhabitant and is spiritual. But if they serve worldly passions, in this respect they are fleshly. He says, therefore, that having become spiritual according to the confession, you live fleshly, insulting the Holy Spirit dwelling in you.

Thus, then, those who have obtained the Holy Spirit are a temple of God, and even when entangled in worldly matters they are called fleshly, and the apostle does not contradict himself by calling the same persons both of God and naming them fleshly. Just as he said that the foolishness of God is wiser than men, so conversely he says that the wisdom of the world is foolishness in the sight of God, because they expected to discover the nature of beings through cleverness of words. Therefore, if anyone seems to be wise, let him choose rather to be foolish according to God, for the foolishness of God is wiser than men. "All things of yours" instead of "on your account." Or he said "all things of yours" according to having authority to choose what we wish, either the better or the worse. And having transformed the name above into Cephas, but here he did not mention him, respecting the man. 177 "He distinguishes": he investigates and cross-examines in comparison with another. This means: while we have not yet reigned, you have already reigned, at which time you also became judges of others; for at the time of the kingdom of the heavens the saints will judge the world. We choose to be fools for Christ, so that you may become wise in Christ. For having no external consolation in so many things but procuring daily food by toil made the experience of evils unbearable. When reviled we bless, when persecuted we endure, when slandered we exhort. He calls "reviling" the insults against him, and "blasphemy" the things said by opponents to defame his life.

Hence, in the first case he has placed "we bless" instead of "we pray for those who insult," and in the second case "we exhort" instead of "we gently reason with those who slander, exhorting them not to speak falsely of us." The term "offscouring" is used metaphorically from those who wipe and discard the tables after the time for eating, as superfluous scraps. Humbling ourselves for Christ, we are the wiping and cleansing of all, worthlessness and utter contempt. "Shaming" means insulting. Since some were puffed up with worldly wisdom, from the outset he attacks them and more openly mocks them as trampling upon those wise in God. Since, then, he says, they were so disposed as if I were not coming to refute them, and they boast of their weak and ineffectual wisdom, he says, I will come quickly, not demanding words from them but the power of wisdom. He shamed them by the memory of Christ, so that they would not, through favor toward him, overlook what was proper: to hand over such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit might be saved on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. The phrase "to hand over to Satan" he did not say as if he himself ordained this to happen, but as if, by being cast out of the church through alienation from God, one came under the authority of Satan. For the punishment from him was to expel him from the church, and from this that other consequence necessarily followed. The apostle, however, spoke of the result instead of the punishment, so as to inspire greater fear.

I will expel him," he says, not wishing to alienate him entirely, but so that, becoming aware of his own transgression, he may crush himself through some repentance in the present life and be able to render himself worthy of future salvation. He called the crushing through repentance in the present life the destruction of the flesh. And since our resurrection is to occur by the power of the spirit, he often takes the signification of the spirit in reference to resurrection and immortality; thus in the Epistle to the Romans he says: "But you are not in the flesh but in the spirit," meaning that you have come outside the sentence of death and are established in the hope of immortality. By homonymy with the spirit, the spiritual gift is also spoken of, which one receives in the bath of regeneration, and which, when despised, is extinguished. Therefore he says: there is need of repentance, so that even in this way the spiritual gift may return to him, and he may be saved on the day of judgment. He calls the sin "old" with which the old man lives; and "leaven" because from a little it assimilates those who approach. Consequently, he has now also used the epilogue after the declaration; for as if present and having expelled him, he then addresses those present and says: he who is joined to evil by disposition necessarily receives communion with it over time. And following the example, he makes his exhortation to them from the facts. One might inquire why, in the Epistle to the Romans, he asserts that all authority is from God and extols it greatly, but here he calls them unjust.

He called [them] "in general." For there, while discussing that those people too must fulfill their obligations, he says that those things have been fittingly ordained by God, judging them in themselves by the purpose for which they are ordained. Here, however, against those who, because they wish to crush them by time, wealth, and power—for the poor, being unable to suffice for any of these, cannot easily obtain justice—he called them "unjust" on the basis of their intention, meaning that they take refuge with those by whom they can conceal their injustice against the poor through many means. Hence he also rightly said "dares." "Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?" "You reject," he says, "these men, whose virtue judges the entire world, not by examination but by comparison." "By whom the whole world is judged—can a dispute over money not be resolved by them?" And most reproachful is especially the phrase "if among you," including also those who reject, as if they reject themselves in rejecting their fellow believers. He speaks by way of increase: "Do you not know that we will judge angels?" For he added this as something greater. In the case of the world, he called the courts concerning money the least, as being very small in comparison to that; in the case of angels, he called them "secular," as if those are not according to this life. He did not want them to be judged before outsiders, lest the faults of those taught modesty and justice become a scandal to outsiders. "If, then, you have secular courts, seat those who are despised in the church.

And lest he seem to be truly commanding them to seek out the most insignificant of all people, whoever they are, and to choose them as judges in such matters, he says, "I speak to your shame." Then he adds who ought to judge. To shame you and lead you to correction, he makes these accusations. For he says, "Even if you did these things before, yet now, having attained sanctification through the participation of the Spirit by faith in Christ, it is fitting to avoid them with all zeal." But you say, he says, "All things are permitted to me." Then he himself adds, "But not all things are beneficial," not removing the permission for the present but indicating that one ought not to use the permission. For since not all things are beneficial, it is clear that one should not use all but only those that are helpful. Then, having set forth the objection in another way, he methodically addressed it: "All things are permitted to me, but I will not be controlled by anyone." For I see, he says, that my authority is not preserved intact if I simply submit to everything, not making use of them according to what is beneficial. Thus, by conceding that all things are permitted, he has indeed removed the doing of all things. Thus he shows that not all things are permitted, but only those which we are not forbidden to do by some law, by way of comparison declaring some things to be in our power, some not. "All things are permitted to me, but it is not beneficial to abuse the authority, nor to be controlled by the pleasure of foods, but to master the belly oneself." Some, however, have wrongly understood "all things are permitted to me" as referring to the sins at hand, which not only divine reason but also the Roman laws forbid.

We do not think that our body is dissolved with the present life; for the one who raised Christ will certainly raise us as well. For just as he gave authority over eating, both from the fact that we are made for this and from the fact that it absolutely ceases, so he established that there is no authority over fornication, both from the fact that we are not made for this and from the fact that the body will exist again after the resurrection. You are all members of Christ, those who through the regeneration of the Spirit have received union with him, in hope of also being raised like him. If the one who lives with a woman is considered one with her, it is clear that the one who lives with a prostitute will be considered one body with her, and the one who lives with the Lord will be considered one spirit with him. The other sins, he says, seem to harm another, but this one, before all others, harms the one who commits it; for this one defiles his own body. The one who wrongs others does not sin against his own body, but the one who fornicates sins against his own body; and it is absurd not even to spare oneself. Perhaps the statement is also made as a question. Therefore he says: Know that the one who says, "Every sin is outside the body, for it occurs against another, but the one who fornicates sins against his own body and has authority over it," is not speaking correctly; for the body of the believer is no longer one's own but God's. With his blood the Lord ransomed us from the slavery of sin and led us into the freedom of righteousness. Therefore it is fitting to honor the Lord who ransomed us with self-control.

Intemperance he does not call licentiousness, but the inability to restrain oneself, which leads to falling into fornication. He did not call it an achievement of one's own judgment but a work of divine grace, fittingly; for one who chooses to act contrary to nature is not of our own power but of the maker of nature. Thus also the Lord: not all, he says, receive the word, but those to whom it is given, calling it a gift and grace himself. According to our own will, evidently, one can be holy. "Has been sanctified" stands for "has been purified." He said these things because they were raising doubts, that the unbelievers do not defile by the bed of the unbelievers. For it is superfluous to think that these things hinder him from piety, in which he was not prevented from being called to faith while previously in that state; for this is what "as he has called" means. And showing the necessity of the commandment: and thus I ordain in all the churches. It is not possible, I suppose, to draw back the flesh that has been removed. But the blessed Epiphanius of Cyprus said that this is possible; as for how, let us refer those who wish to know to consult what has been said by him. Evidently he is answering them also about this, since they wished to learn both matters, both whether it is fitting for those in marriage to abstain from each other, and whether those who have not yet experienced it should remain in their former state. When, then, he says "concerning virgins," evidently he speaks concerning virginity, uttering similar things about both men and women. Having inserted the general exhortation, he returns to his own sequence, interpreting "on account of the present necessity" and that "they will have affliction in the flesh.

Because of the circumstances and cares in this world concerning wife and household. But also pleasure, he says, but see how he restrained even this by the brevity of the time, saying: the time has been contracted, that is, we are commanded to depart and to go out henceforth. But you run further inward, and you ought not to carry such a burden. He says it has been contracted in comparison with the ancients, whose life extended to about nine hundred years. So that they do not misuse, instead of so that they do not abuse nor so that they take excessive delight. For whether it is bodily joy or some other worldly concern, it certainly draws one away from God and occupies one with it. If someone is confident in the daughter's choice, but fears that when she becomes past the prime she may be corrupted and bring shame upon him, let him give her in marriage, if there is necessity; for he does not sin. For the phrase "and thus it ought to happen" is equivalent to "and if there is necessity." He fittingly added "not having necessity"; for often a prior betrothal agreement intervenes, by which one is compelled to the marriage of one's own child. And sometimes, being a slave, one wishes to protect her but cannot, because the master wishes to give her in marriage. Only if she preserves piety in the Lord, even if she lives with an unbeliever.

The addition of the phrase "so-called" is most excellent; for by this it is indicated that they are falsely called, not that they truly are. Just as there are those called gods among the deceived, but among us who have knowledge, there is one God and one Lord. Those who are not perfect, seeing you eating indifferently, eat themselves; but being unsound, they eat as if it were idolothyton and are harmed. Therefore, despise food even if it is not hierothyton; for neither by not eating will we have less before God, nor by eating will we enjoy anything more. To those who ask me why, being an apostle, I do not eat idolothyton, I give this defense: so that I may not scandalize others. For although I have authority to eat and drink from the gospel as the Lord ordained, and to take a wife about, I do none of these things, everywhere breathing in harmony with the gospel. There, when sending them out, he said: Do not take a bag, nor bread, nor money, but wherever you enter, stay there eating what is set before you. Then he gave this command. A punctuation mark should be placed at "unwillingly." And he says: If I had come willingly to preach the gospel, I would have had a reward. But since I was commanded to do this unwillingly, not only is there no reward for me on account of this, but also punishment; I am liable if I do not do what was commanded. Therefore, I do not abuse my authority, if the Lord has given me the means to live from the gospel, so that by not receiving a reward I may secure something for myself. I think he calls "under the law" the proselytes among the Jews, and "weak" those who have believed from among the Jews and are still held by legal observances due to weakness of reasoning.

He wonderfully added that it is the lawful one of Christ, lest it be thought that he says he keeps the law of Moses. Those who run in the stadium, although they know that only one will be crowned, and the rest will undergo empty labors, nevertheless run and contend, if not failing in their labors, at least ** you are many, ought you not to contend for an imperishable crown, when those in the stadium endure everything for a perishable crown? If he does not beat the air, clearly he means the evil one and his powers; but the devil is struck through the achievements of virtue, piety, temperance, justice, and all such things. The sea is a type of baptism in water, and the cloud of baptism in spirit. Moses is of the Lord himself as the leader of the typical baptism, as Christ is of the true one. They were therefore baptized in the cloud and in the sea for Moses. But since he said "followed a rock," he does not mean that a rock truly followed them, but that the power from Christ followed them, providing them drink from a rock. He called the manna and the drink spiritual because they were given to them according to the energy of the Holy Spirit, not because they made those partaking spiritual. From the disputed things of the old, the old were a type of the new; and the law of Moses was a shadow, while grace is the body.

Since then the Egyptians were persecuting the Hebrews, and the Hebrews, after crossing the Red Sea, were freed from the bitter domination of the Egyptians, the sea has the type of the baptismal font, the cloud of the Spirit, Moses of the savior Christ, the rod of the cross, Pharaoh of the devil, the Egyptians of the demons, the manna of the divine food, and the water from the rock of the saving blood; for just as they, after crossing the Red Sea, enjoyed both a strange food and a miraculous stream, so we, after the saving baptism, partake of the divine mysteries. For this reason the rock was named Christ, as having become a type of the Lord Christ, and likewise the sea was called baptism, although no one was baptized in it; for Israel passed through it more dry than wet. He calls both the food and the drink spiritual, as if the Spirit provided both through Moses by its ineffable power. And thus he also called the rock spiritual, as if it gave forth the waters by the power of the Spirit; and they followed, since the water once flowing followed them through the desert, so that they never needed to drink, the places being waterless. And the rock was Christ, meaning: this rock was to them what Christ is to us, whose blood we believers drink spiritually, transformed in the mysteries. These things became types for us, not because they were punished on account of this—for how could that be?—but because what happened among them, in the order of types, can instruct us.

That is, do not corrupt the true baptism with idolatry. The word "our" is missing in the sense. For behold, he says, not because of things brought upon you, not because of persecutions, not because of any necessity from these human things, and it is necessary for all people to be present, what harm you endured: while feasting in an idol temple out of friendship, and being so puffed up by the advantages present. "To provoke jealousy" is said of someone from two parties sometimes admiring this one, sometimes that one, in order to bring both into goodwill toward himself. But this would never happen from an inferior to superiors—for when would the superior be provoked by the honor shown by the inferior to another? It happens, however, from those who are superior for whatever reason; for inferiors both desire honor from their superiors and are stung when they fail to obtain it. When buying, he says, do not be overly curious, lest your conscience be wounded; for what happens in ignorance does not wound, and what does not wound does not condemn. He means this: that from Christ we proceed to God, from whom he is; and from the man we proceed to Christ; for from him we are according to the second existence, according to which resurrection we will all be like him, incorruptible, by participation in the grace of the Spirit in him. For being passible, we consider Adam as head, from whom we have received our being; but having become impassible, we consider Christ as head, from whom we have received being impassible. Similarly, he says, also from the woman to the man, since she has received her being from him. Not only men but also women used to prophesy.

More clearly, spiritual gifts were given to those being baptized at that time, and prophecy was abundant and varied according to needs, and especially they exposed those entering the church under pretense. If a man covers his head, he insults his own head, being himself a head like Christ; but if a woman prays uncovered, she insults the man, her own head, robbing him of his honor and wishing to be a ruling head herself. In many copies, instead of "having something on the head," it is read, which signifies being subordinate to the man. He shows this to be improper from piety, from nature, and from creation. 188 1 He called the woman "glory," but did not add "image" because of the obscurity, since glory pertains to obedience, while image pertains to rule. "For before all of you I accuse that," he says; for he uses "first" instead of "before all," as also in the Epistle to the Romans: "First, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God." He calls it "the Lord's" both from the time and from the type, as if on that day in the place of assembly they were to eat the customary meal together. Or he also accuses this, that

they were brought to the mystical supper as to an ordinary meal. Therefore, taking it to excess, they became drunk. So they ate not as a mystical supper but as a private one; for what they themselves brought individually, they consumed as a private meal. Consequently, it happened that the poor, not having the means for the offerings of the mysteries, did not partake. Therefore, he says, you shame the poor by not waiting for them, but by taking beforehand and eating no longer as a Lord’s supper, which is set before all in common for salvation without stint, but as a private and merely human meal, even though the Lord set forth his own body and blood as a saving common reward for all; but you, as not following the Lord’s teaching, have indeed undergone sufficient punishment. He says “they received from the Lord” instead of “they received as from the Lord himself having handed down to do thus”; for he was not present when these things were being handed down by him to the disciples. Let each one, he says, examine his own mind, what opinion he holds concerning the mysteries, and then let him partake of them; for he says “himself” instead of “his own mind,” speaking generally about the opinion concerning the mysteries in these matters. Some, not having attended to the meaning of the texts, think they fulfill the apostle’s purpose if they partake of the mysteries very rarely. But they ought to understand that if he wishes us to partake while being entirely pure of sin, he never wishes us to partake; first, because it is impossible for a human being to be entirely pure of sin; second, even if this were possible, it would not be right for us, having such an opinion about ourselves, to partake.

And where will the phrase "as often as you eat" stand? For the saying indicates the continuity of communion, with which the ecclesiastical ordinance is also in harmony, desiring that the mysteries be always celebrated. Therefore, concerning the mysteries, it is pious for one who commits the greatest and most forbidden acts to abstain, about which the apostle also clearly declared that it is not possible for the one who commits them to attain the kingdom. For such a person, it is then good to partake of them when, out of fear of the prescribed penalties, he first abstains from the sins. As for the remaining things that necessarily happen to people—many from daily occurrences, and most from the weakness of nature—it is fitting to strive as much as possible to abstain from them. For the cultivation of virtue and the daily practice of life can certainly reduce such things. But when falling into such things, it is not good to deprive oneself of the mysteries, but to approach with greater fear, reflecting on their magnitude, and to partake with good hopes, so that remission may come to us from there, when we abstain from such things as much as possible and do not appear negligent of the rest, and also so that spiritual cooperation may be granted for the easier correction of life. For all that has come to us through the death of Christ, it is right that these things also be accomplished through the symbols of death.

So I would confidently say that even if someone has committed the greatest sins, but having tested himself, thereafter abstains from every improper action and looks to virtue, living in accordance with the laws of Christ, and partakes of the mysteries, firmly believing that he will receive forgiveness for all, he will in no way fail to obtain what he believed. Instead of "I want you to know the order of spiritual gifts as well," I wish to say something about these matters as well. Perhaps it was also for the benefit of the hearers that the demons, under divine compulsion, confessed the Lord. He did not simply say "spirit," but "manifestation of spirit," that is, an energy of spirit, through which it becomes clear that because of faith in Christ, spiritual gifts were spread among the many for the benefit of the building up and growth of the church. He says that prophecy is the foretelling of future events, and that it is also called the ability to speak of things hidden in action or deliberation from the many, and indeed also to be able to speak of past things unknown to all, as Moses narrated everything. Many at that time, because of the multitude of spiritual gifts, pretended to piety for the deception of others, and indeed, using demonic cooperation, they seemed to perform miracles like the faithful; thus the sons of Sceva went about in the guise of exorcists, pretending to drive out demons themselves.

There was therefore a charism of the Spirit also for this purpose, to distinguish which ones are those who truly accomplish the miracles by the power of the divine Spirit, and which ones are those who, by demonic cooperation, counterfeit the truth. "We put on," he said, and not "it is put on"; for shoes are not a part of nature, but have been invented by us later. And our shameful parts have greater seemliness, while our seemly parts have no need of it. He calls them shameful with respect to common appearance, so that by nature they are not shameful, since indeed they have greater seemliness, but when judged by opinion they are so called, according to which we consider their causeless exposure not to be seemly. So also you, since you hold the rank of a body composed of different members, having been established by the power of the Spirit into the conjunction of the Lord's body, necessarily preserve this harmony, admitting no intrusion of contentiousness arising from the difference of the charisms. Every charism deprived of love is vain, not being activated for the sake of the one who has it but being activated for the sake of those who are edified, just as a cymbal or any other sounding instrument does not delight itself but those who enjoy it. And that neither faith without love nor love without faith perfects is manifest; for works need faith, and faith needs works, which are fulfilled through love. However, since the apostle saw that the Corinthians had neglected love, he gives it preference here, as an excellent physician treating the most urgent of the passions. Here he does not mean this common love.

For having then removed the disbelief that prevailed at that time, they performed many such wonders for astonishment, through these guiding them toward the truth. Love does not boast, that is, does not vaunt itself nor become puffed up, which is a human disgrace to think highly of oneself and to exalt oneself against one's neighbor as if not subject to the same passions as they. After the faith was spread over the whole earth, both prophecies and tongues and partial knowledge cease as superfluous, but these three remain as necessary. And reasonably he says love is greater, since the Corinthians were in discord among themselves and had jealousy and strife, and there was danger that the church would be split. Instead of "I wish you above all to take care of love; but if indeed you also desire spiritual gifts, at least know which are better and that prophesying is better than speaking in tongue." He prefers prophecy after the apostolate; therefore the apostle is also a prophet, but the prophet is not necessarily also an apostle. The one who speaks in tongue builds himself up, convinced that he speaks by the Holy Spirit, but does not build up the church, which does not understand what he speaks. But the one who prophesies benefits the hearers and from foreknowledge shows the dwelling of the Holy Spirit within him. I wish you to speak in tongues;

For this too is a spiritual gift. But I prefer that you prophesy; for this is the greater gift. I will pray instead of I will give thanks and I will bless. And he called the mind the intelligible word. He calls the layperson a private person in distinction from the priest. He said this so that you might not think, because you have not been deemed worthy of the gift of tongues **. He placed the gift of psalms before the others as a great gift. Therefore let everything be done in order: let the one deemed worthy of a psalm sing, let the one rich in teaching teach, let the one who has received a revelation proclaim it. Do not disturb, he says, the church with tongues when there are no interpreters for them. But even if there were, let everything be done in order. Let not a spirit of error speak; let them discern—that is, let them clarify. Since he said later: women prophesying, lest they prophesy in the house. Or let them be silent—that is, let them not teach. Prophecy differs from teaching. Follow, he says, the other churches and innovate nothing, as if you alone have been deemed worthy of the proclamation; for the word did not begin from you, nor was it confined to you. Let women be silent among you as they are everywhere in the churches. If anyone is ignorant, he says, that what I write belongs to the Lord and not to me, he is not a prophet nor does he have the spirit of God, but he is unknown to the Holy Spirit.

For if he proclaimed the gospel and they received it and indeed still hold to it—for this is that in which you also stand—it is superfluous to write about this, unless perhaps those who seem to hold Christian doctrines are in practice seen embracing the opposite. Hence he rightly added "through which you are also saved," instead of "thus hold it as hoping to obtain salvation from it." And "by what reasoning I proclaimed the gospel to you" instead of "what is the purpose of the gospel, what is the cause, so that the gospel is the resurrection of Christ, and its purpose is to believe that we will all rise in turn after him—if indeed you hold to it and have not cast aside everything as having believed in vain what was said by us." "The grace in me has not been empty and inactive, but I labored more than others in the proclamation." For through his resurrection comes remission. The inspired Paul, revealing to us the mystery of the future resurrection, says that Christ rises as a firstfruits—for indeed he has been raised first from the dead—but then, he says, those of Christ at his coming; for before all others, he says that those who have been united to him through faith must rise, showing that resurrection is owed to them most especially and particularly, even if it extends to the whole nature out of goodness and philanthropy, evidently, of God who willed to utterly abolish death.

For after his own resurrection will come the resurrection of all, when also the end, the drowning of death, and death will no longer exist, but the common enemy of humanity will be abolished, whom invisible death introduced. By "enemies" he means the opposing powers. He was slain by beastly and murderous men. He says this: if what you sow is not destroyed, it does not come to life, and it itself does not grow but becomes a generation for another, and the power of God does these things. By inferring from these, one ought not to disbelieve in the resurrection. Just as glass is from sand, but is no longer sand but something other than that from which it came, and the ear of grain likewise is no longer a grain but an ear, something other than the grain, so also in the resurrection the body is transformed for the better so that it is no longer flesh and blood but something immortal and incorruptible. The phrase "the man became a living soul" is written; but "the first" and "Adam" he himself added, in order to say "the last Adam." For he did not say "into a life-giving soul" but "living soul," distinguishing it from the soul of irrational beings, which perishes with the bodies. Since, then, the first man also became a living soul, he died and was not able to rise, but the second, because he had a life-giving spirit and soul, raised himself. Since, then, the psychic man came first, and second the spiritual, accordingly death comes first and resurrection second; for the first follows the second. Therefore we also, having become psychic, die, and again, having become spiritual, we rise.

It was not necessary, however, that spiritual death should first occur in him, since it was not possible for him to put away sin through regeneration; but God does everything in foreknowledge. He said this because the divine Word from heaven became man without change. He calls them "heavenly" not as being similar in holiness, but as being raised in incorruption. He now says that we have borne the image of the earthly according to our mortality, and the image of the heavenly according to our resurrection and remaining incorruptible. It is clear that he means the same persons by "earthly" and "heavenly": for we are earthly before resurrection, and heavenly after resurrection, according to the principle of the perishable and the imperishable, not according to that of the heavenly kingdom. Through these things he clearly teaches that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; he assigned this to those who will be changed, and also that corruption does not inherit incorruption in all cases. 196 1 Here he called "last trumpet" that after which all arise; for this is the abolition of death. It is clear that many trumpet sounds occur, and each is certainly a symbol of something being accomplished. Since, then, each thing happens in a certain order, he fittingly says that this will occur at the last trumpet. The term "change" and "incorruption" indicates the transformation to the better. By "law" here he means either the law placed in nature or the positive law; for he intends to say that then, together with death, sin is also dissolved, and every law is idle, since, having become incorruptible, we are governed by the grace of the Spirit.