Fragmenta in epistulam ii ad Corinthios

196 2 It is sensible to begin from thanksgiving and not from a narrative account of what has happened to him, so that he not seem to think highly of himself on account of these things. And he did not begin from the affliction either, but from the consolation, so that his stated purpose appears to be thanksgiving for the consolation, while he seems, by the sequence of the discourse, to have been carried into the discussion concerning the afflictions. "Blessed is God": here one must place a subpunct, so that it is by ellipsis; for "our" is understood, as in "blessed is our God." 2 The discourse is bare, that of our consolation, but it has taken up the work beforehand; for having experienced consolation from God, we have learned from what we have suffered to console. Instead of "hoping for true things concerning you, we choose to suffer." 197 2 He said this because those from the circumcision were slandering him, saying that he himself also observes the law, even if he speaks differently to you as being from the Gentiles. The phrase "and to this" is most reproachful, as if he can no longer have equal confidence because they have changed, and are not the same toward him. From what is said it is clear that he preserved great affection for them. "Amen," he says, is a word of assent given in thanksgiving to God, as he himself says in the former letter: "How will the one who fills the place of the layman say 'amen' at your thanksgiving?" According to the construction, "on the one hand" is missing, so that it would be: "For on the one hand, you stand by faith." And he means this: on account of faith I do not blame you at all, for you possess the health of it; but certain other things are done wrong by you, which require some correction.

He calls "rest of the spirit" the ability to become something corresponding to the gift of the spirit, and these things were the benefit of others; for it is not possible to suppose that Paul postponed teaching because of human affliction, having found those able to receive the evangelical proclamation. He did not say "the ministry of the law," since the name "law" had some credibility in itself, but "the ministry of death," having spoken it rather from the result, so as to diminish the pretension concerning it. And "being abolished" is well said for the increase of the matter, instead of "and these things being abolished." And "will be" is well said, since the magnitude of the things concerning Christ is confirmed from future events. For if that which is abolished is "through glory," much more that which remains is "in glory." He well said "through glory" in the former case, since besides the fact that no other partook of similar things, Moses himself became such for a short time; but here "in glory," since both Christ himself and those sharing in the glory will always be in the same state. If he had intended to call the Lord "spirit," he would have said "spirit" simply, not "the spirit" with the addition of the article. So that God is spirit, even if it is quite foolish to say this. For just as in those passages, when conversing with the Samaritan woman who thought the divine was in a place, he necessarily said that it is incorporeal spirit, so here it was not the apostle's purpose to show that the Lord is incorporeal; for his intention in these matters is clear. Since he did not say "spirit" but "the spirit" with the article, evidently he does not call the Lord "spirit" but the spirit "Lord.

Nor could one show throughout the whole New Testament that the Father or the Son is signified somewhere by the word "spirit," since even when it says "God is spirit," it does not signify him by the appellation "spirit," but names him God; and it says he is spirit not by placing it for a meaning according to the name, as "God" and "Lord" and "Father" and "Son" and all such terms are placed in divine scripture, but for teaching that he is not circumscribed in place. The word "that" is not said for a cause, but customarily for the consequence. "Knowing" is well put, as if the resurrection of Christ was agreed among them, to which certainly followed the similar things also in the case of the rest, so that they believed. And he added "also with you," so that it might not be thought that the matter was his alone to speak of. 2 He has placed "we are ambitious" showing great zeal which he wishes us to display concerning this. From "knowing" therefore, having touched their fear of the Lord, he inserted it, and then he has rendered the consequences following from the premises; for "we are constrained," he says, "by love for Christ to do everything according to what seems good to him." So that he might say: being zealous to be patient both toward the unknown and toward acquaintances; for he says "agnotēti," not "agneia" but "agnoia." "I am led," he says, "to write about all things, even those of which I make no account, drawing you into greater disposition by the weight of the words." And the "whether" and "whether" here he has placed not for the sake of some precise division but customarily, showing much indifference in the phrasing.

He calls "flesh" everything that is temporary and easily dissolved. Since, then, the precepts of the legal way of life can only suit mortals in the present life—for in the future age, when we are all to be imperishable and immortal, no observance of these legal ordinances has any place—he says that to walk according to the flesh is to live according to the law. And again he says: For even if we are still mortal, we do not serve in a mortal army. Instead of "for the sake of your obedience being fulfilled," for he means to say that we punish the disobedient, whether outsiders or even our own, with the energies of the spirit, so that through all of you who believe the obedience owed to Christ may be fulfilled. He calls those who sin "the weak," as for example the one who sinned among the Corinthians; and those who are perverted in the very word of piety he calls "the scandalized." Since what has happened is shown to be of God, he says: concerning such a one I will boast. But if I were compelled to boast about myself, I would only put forward my weaknesses. And he said "he heard" as from a revelation, as if he had received knowledge of them by way of hearing, like the saying of the prophet: "Who believed our hearing?"—calling "hearing" the revelation through which, as through some hearing, he received knowledge of what was fitting. And he says that the words are things: for it is likely that he saw the beauty of paradise, and the choirs of saints in it, and the perfectly harmonious sound of their hymnody.

He says these things not as advising but as praying for them, meaning "may you rejoice, advance, and so forth.