2 Cor. 6, 1-10.
But we exhort you, as fellow workers, that you do not receive the grace of God in vain. For he saith, I have heard thee in the acceptable time, and have helped thee in the day of salvation. Behold, now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation. But let us give no man any offence, lest our ministry be blasphemed. But in all things let us prove ourselves servants of God, in great patience, in tribulations, in distresses, in afflictions, in beatings, in prisons, in riots, in labor, in watchings, in fastings, in chastity, in knowledge, in longsuffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in uncontaminated love, in the word of truth, in the power of God, by weapons of righteousness, on the right hand and on the left; by honor and dishonor, by evil rumors and good rumors; as the deceivers, yet true; as the unknown, yet known; as the dying, yet behold we live; as the chastened, yet not slain; as the sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as the poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet having everything.
This epistle is an admonition and exhortation to the Corinthians to do what they already know, and is easy in words but difficult and strange in deeds. For he paints a Christian life whimsically, giving it marks and colors that are quite unkind to look upon.
In the first place he says: "We admonish you as fellow helpers". He calls you helpers, as in 1 Cor. 3:9: "We are God's helpers and co-workers, but you are God's building and God's work," that is, "We preach and work on you with the outward word through teaching and exhortation, but God gives blessing and prosperity inwardly through the Spirit, so that our outward word does not work in vain. Therefore, God is the right master inwardly, who does the best; and we help and serve him outwardly with the ministry of preaching. He praises such helpers because they should not despise the outward word, as if they could not do it, or as if they could do it too well. For even if God would do all things inwardly, without the outward word, by His Spirit alone, He will not do so, but will have the preachers as helpers and co-workers, and do by their word where and when He wills. Because the preachers have the office, name and honor, that they are God's fellow workers
*) Called Invocavit. D. Red.
Let no one be so learned or so holy as to neglect or despise the slightest sermon, not knowing when the hour will come for God to do His work on him through the preachers.
(3) On the other hand, it indicates the journey, so that grace is not missed. So that it certainly shows that the preaching of the gospel is not an eternal, lasting, permanent doctrine; but is like a driving downpour, which runs, what it hits, it hits, what misses, it misses; but it does not come again, nor does it stop, but the sun and heat comes afterwards and licks it up etc. The experience also shows that in no place in the world did the gospel remain pure and clear above a man's memory: but as long as those remained who brought it up, it stood and increased; when they were gone, the light was also gone; and as soon as it was followed by the red spirits and false teachers. Moses also proclaimed in Deut. 31:29 that the children of Israel would soon perish after his death, as the book of Judges testifies. As often as a judge died when the word of God arose, so often did they fall away again and were made worse. And King Jehoash did right as long as Jehoiada the high priest lived, but after that it was finished. And after the time of Christ and the apostles, the world was filled with the spirits of the wicked and with false doctrines.
As St. Paul Acts 20, 29. also proclaimed and said: "I know that after my departure grievous wolves will come among you, which will not spare the flock" etc. So it is also now: the gospel we have is fine and pure, and is the time of grace or blessedness and pleasant day; but soon after it will be over, if the world shall stand longer.
4. to receive the grace of God "in vain" cannot be other than to hear the pure word of God, in which God's grace is presented and offered, and yet do not do so and do not accept it, remaining nevertheless as before: thus we deserve to have it taken away from us again, as from the ungrateful, who are not worthy of it; as the similitude in the Gospel says Matth. 22:8 of the guests invited to the wedding, who would not come, and went and waited for their thing; so they angered the father of the house, that he swore they should not taste his supper. St. Paul also threatens the same here, that we should be careful and accept the gospel with thanksgiving and fear; as Christ also says John 12:35: "Walk in the light, because you have it, lest the darkness overtake you." I think we should be aware of the darkness we have suffered under the papacy, but it is all forgotten, there is no thanksgiving nor improvement. Well, we will find it.
It is a pleasant time, and a day of bliss.
5 Here he describes what a rich blessedness is where the gospel goes. There is all grace and help; there is neither wrath nor punishment; indeed, the words he uses are inexpressible. First of all, that it is "pleasant time". This is spoken in the Hebrew way, and in the German way it means so much: It is a gracious time, in which God turns away His wrath, has delight and love and pleasure in doing us good. Here all sins are forgotten, both those of the past and those yet to come. In short, it is a kingdom of mercy, in which forgiveness and reconciliation is true, the heavens are now open, it is the right golden year, when no one
nothing is denied. Therefore he says: "I hear you in the time of favor", that is, I am favorable to you; what you only want and ask, that you certainly have; only do not miss yourself, and ask, because it lasts.
(6) Secondly, that it is "a day of blessedness," "a day of salvation," a day of help, in which not only are we pleasant, and certain that God is favorable and gracious to us; but also, as we are thus certain, so he also helps and does it, proving it by deed that our petition is heard. This is what we call a blessed day, a happy day, a rich day; for it must and should be both together that God is favorable to us and proves the same favor by deed. That he is favorable to us gives the first, that it is a gracious, pleasant time; that he helps and assists us gives the second, that it is a blessed helper's day. Both of these things must be taken with faith in a good conscience; otherwise, if one were to judge according to the outward man, this blessed time would rather be called an unhappy time of wrath and disgrace. But if we take such spiritual words according to the spirit, we find that these are two glorious, lovely, beautiful names for the evangelical time, so that all the treasure and riches of the kingdom of Christ are praised.
So let's not give anyone any trouble.
(7) Because it is such a blessed time, he says, let us make good use of it and not accept it in vain, and let us be careful not to give anyone offense, so that our preaching ministry will not be blasphemed. With this he indicates what he means by offense, namely, that one cannot punish the teaching of the gospel as if it taught something dishonest.
(8) Now there are two vexations which disgrace the doctrine of the gospel: one, which vexeth the heathen, because thereby some would be free, and set themselves against worldly authority, and turn spiritual liberty into a worldly liberty: wherefore the gospel must suffer reproach, as if it taught such things; and it vexeth the heathen, or worldly men, greatly, that they are prevented, and are given to the
Christians consider those who become hostile to the faith and the word of God without cause, and convert all the less, to be wicked, loose boys; such offenders are therefore guilty of this and are the cause of it. The other trouble is that Christians are angry with themselves, since the weak in faith are made angry by the untimely use of Christian liberty, of which much is said in 1 Corinthians 8 and Romans 14. Now St. Paul wants here, as he says 1 Cor. 10, 32. 33.: "Be unruly, both to Greeks and Jews and to the church of God; just as I please everyone in all things, seeking not what is profitable for me but what is profitable for many" etc. He also teaches Phil. 2, 4, that each one should perceive what is another's and not what is his; so all offences will remain quiet.
That our office is not blasphemed.
(9) Who can prevent our ministry from being blasphemed, since the Word of God must be persecuted, just as Christ Himself was? That the word of God is blasphemed because of unbelievers, who do not understand the faith in God, we cannot resist; for it is a "rock of trouble", Is. 8, 14. Rom. 9, 33. That is the trouble of faith, that goes its way; that is not our fault. But the adversity in love, which happens because of us, in our works and fruits of faith, which we should let shine before men, so that they may see them and thereby also be attracted to faith, is our fault, and we should avoid it, so that the Gentiles, Jews, weak and rulers of the world may not say, "Behold, how these are rascals and loose men; their doctrine must not be right. So then our evil name and rumor and hindrance of others passes over the holy innocent word which God has given us to know and preach, and must bear our shame, and become unfruitful and useless among those who are vexed; this then is hardly sinful.
With great patience.
(10) Here he strikes the color out of a Christian life in outward being: not that thereby any man should become a Christian or devout;
but as he himself says here, one should prove with this as with fruits and signs that we are God's servants, that is, true Christians and pious people. And notice that he says "God's servants". What a strange service this is, when one has to endure much suffering, affliction, distress, fear, beatings, imprisonment, rebellion, work, vigil, fasting, and so on. Here you see no mass, nor vigils, nor other ghosts of our fictitious worship; but the right worship, which constrains the body and deceives the flesh; so that no one despises fasting, watchfulness and work, and throws them to the winds, because no one becomes godly by them. You will not become godly by it, but you should practice it and not let the flesh take over and walk idly.
(11) He also says rebellion: not that we should teach or live rebelliously against others, but to be quiet and obedient, Rom. 13:1, as Christ says Matt. 22:21: "Pray to Caesar what is Caesar's": but that we should suffer rebellion against us from others; just as we should not put on others hardship and fear, beatings and imprisonment, but suffer them from others. That is why he puts "patience" for the first part. Patience, however, does not cause turmoil, but suffers turmoil. But this is comforting to us in our day, when we are blamed for rebellion, that we see here that it is the manner and right color of the Christian life, that it is reproached for the sake of God's word, that it causes rebellion, when it rather suffers rebellion and others arouse rebellion against it. As 1 Kings 18:17, 18, the king Ahab also did to Elijah the prophet, reproaching him for confusing Israel and making it rebellious. Now if we are reproached for sedition, let us remember that not only did the apostles also have to hear, but also Christ, in such innocent guilt and with a seditious title, was reviled on the cross and had to die as a seditious king of the Jews against Caesar, who would have drawn the people to himself and stirred them up.
(12) The other parts, such as patience, affliction, distress, anguish, beatings, imprisonment, riot, labor, watchfulness, fasting, chastity, etc., are easy to understand, as one serves God in them, who does not want lazy, idle freeloaders.
and sleepy nor impatient servants. And especially he hits our idle noblemen, who take interest, have good days, and think they should not work, because they wear plates and long skirts, and howl in church. Everyone should work and earn his bread, as he also teaches the Thessalonians 1 Thess. 4, 11. For with work, he says here, one serves God; and not only that, but one proves by it that one serves God.
With recognition.
13 What is this? In St. Paul, "knowledge" means as much as modesty or understanding, or reason; as he says to the Romans in 10 Cap. V. 2. he says of the Jews: "They strive for God, but not with knowledge," that is, with unreason, with lack of understanding, without all modesty. That is why he wants to say so much here: We are to prove ourselves in a Christian way, sensibly and moderately, so that we do not annoy the weak with the impudent practice of Christian freedom; but rather send ourselves about sensibly and modestly, so that it is better for our neighbor. So also we should work, fast, watch, be chaste; but not with unreasonableness, lest the body be ruined by too much fasting, watching, working, and lest being chaste too much and for too long cause trouble; but let each one see to it with reason and modesty, that it may come to pass; as he also says to married couples in 1 Cor. 7:5, "Let them abstain not too long, lest they be tempted. In such matters, St. Paul cannot and will not give any measure, rule, goal, or law, as the conciliarities, popes, and monks have done, but leaves it up to each one's own discretion to recognize and examine how much, how far, how long, and how great it should be to compel the flesh.
With langmuth and kindness.
14 What this is is said in many other places, especially Romans 2 and Galatians 5.
With the Holy Spirit.
15 What is this? It may have two senses: the first, that it speaks of the Holy One.
The other, that he speaks evil of the spirit or spiritual being, that the Holy Spirit is so much as holy spirits; as if he wanted to say: Beware of the spiritual and beautiful spirits, who boast much of the spirit, and yet there is a false, unclean, unholy spirit, which only brings sectarianism and discord. But abide in the right holy spirit, which comes from the Holy Spirit of God, who gives unity and the same mind, heart and courage; as He says in another place, Eph. 4:3: "Be careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Those who remain in one faith, mind and spirit, prove with a right holy spirit and with the Holy Spirit that they serve God. For right spirituality or a right holy being in the spirit stands in unity and an equanimous heart in faith etc.
[In undyed love, in the word of truth.*]
(16) As he sets the Holy Spirit against the false sects and prophets, so he sets "uncolored love" against the lazy Christians, who have right faith and one mind in holy spirituality, and yet are lazy, cold, even false in love. Item, the "word of truth" he sets against those who misuse the word of God and glossirens according to their conceit for their benefit and honor. For the spirits come without the word and praise the spirit above the word; but these praise the word, and want to be masters in the Scriptures, and their understanding should be right and the best. St. Peter 1 Ep. 4, 11 also speaks against these: "If anyone speaks as if he were speaking the word of God," that is, that he is sure that he is speaking the word of God and not his own word. Here St. Paul calls it the "word of truth," that is, the right word of God, and not the wrong, false word, which is ours, and yet bears the name, it is God's word; for we Germans say: It is the right word, since the Hebrew language says: It is the word of truth, or, true word.
*) [f g]
With the power of God.
(17) The power is also meant by St. Peter, 1 Ep. 4, 11: "If anyone has an office, that he should do it as of the ability that God gives"; and St. Paul himself, Col. 1, 29: "For this I labor and struggle, according to the working of Him who works in me with power"; and Rom. 15, 18: "For I should not speak anything unless Christ works through me to make the Gentiles obedient" (2c). Christians should be certain that they are God's kingdom, and that they do nothing, especially in spiritual offices, concerning the salvation of souls, which they do not know to be true, that it is not they but God who works through them. For in the kingdom of God, God alone should speak, rule, do, create and work; as Christ also says Matth. 5, 16: "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your heavenly Father," as He does them, and you do not. But false spirits go about and create by their own power, storming images, making such order in the church, not asking whether God's power does it or not; therefore it does not exist and no good comes of it.
Through weapons of justice.
18 These "weapons" he describes further to the Ephesians and Thephalonians, of which enough is said in the Advent; as there are, the shield of faith, helmet of salvation, shoe of readiness*) of the gospel. He calls them "weapons of righteousness", and to the Ephesians "weapons of God", to separate the Christians and to turn them away from fleshly and worldly weapons, that they may know how they, a spiritual people, wage spiritual warfare against spiritual enemies, as he tells them all here, and interprets them to the right and to the left.
19. on the left he puts shame, evil rumors that we are as the deceivers, unknown, dying, beaten, sad, poor and needy, that a Christian man must let himself be reviled to his face and mocked, in addition to being reviled in rumor as a deceiver. He must be "unknown", that he is
No one wants to accept or know him, but he is ashamed of himself, even his best friends, because of the shame and bad reputation he has among the great, the wise, the rich, the powerful in the eyes of the world. Item, he must be like a "dying man" who is always waiting for death in the world, through hatred and envy and all kinds of persecution etc. Item, he must also be beaten and chastised, and experience hatred and envy at times, and feel what the world is granting him. He is also like the "sorrowful," for he is outwardly ill and has cause to mourn. "He is like the poor, for they do not give to him, but only harm him. He also has nothing; for if one does not take everything from him, he must wait daily. Against such enemies, so that he does not forsake God and does not become soft, he must be armed "on the left" with divine weapons, with firm faith, with the comfort of divine words, with hope that he will endure and remain patient. In this way he proves to be a true servant of God; which is never done by false teachers, nor by hypocrites in their glittering worship.
020 On the right hand he setteth up praise, good report, that we are as the true, known, living, not dead, merry, rich, and having all things. For a Christian must have some who honor and praise him, and have a good report and praise from some that he is true and righteous in his doctrine, and some who accept and confess him, who are not ashamed of him, and remain with life, however near death may be to him, so that he does not die even in the midst of the stumbling blocks. For his heart rejoices in God; this comes forth in words, works and deeds. And though he be poor in body, he dieth not in hunger, but maketh many rich in spirit by the word. If he has nothing at all, he lacks nothing, but has everything in his hand; for all creatures must serve a believer, as Christ says in Marc. 9:23: "All things are possible to him that believeth." For his own sake he has nothing and gladly lacks; but for his neighbor's sake he is able to do all things and has everything in his possession to serve him where it is necessary. Against these goods is
We also need strong armor so that they do not make us proud and elevate us.
21 Thus a Christian man is a free man, who has nothing before his eyes but God alone, and walks along the right middle road between the left and the right, not allowing evil to overthrow him nor good to take him.
but needs both for the glory of God and the benefit of his neighbor. Such a life, he says, we should lead and practice now, because the time of grace is here, so that we do not neglect it; this is the right service of God that pleases him. God help us to do this, amen.