Conclusion: Final Exhortations and the Grace (2 Cor. 13:11–13)

2 Cor. 13:11. Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice. Mend your ways, be encouraged, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

“What does ‘Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice’ mean? You have saddened, frightened, plunged into sorrow, made us tremble: how then do you command rejoice? — For this very reason, he says, I command you to rejoice. For if you on your part will correspond to what I am obligated to do on my part, then there will be no obstacle to joy. And on my part everything has been done: I have long endured, delayed, did not separate you, persuaded, admonished, frightened, threatened, so as somehow to produce in you the fruits of repentance. Now you must do your part, and your joy will not be dimmed.” (Saint Chrysostom). If they set themselves in order, they enter the path of virtue; “for those advancing in virtue, spiritual joy is fitting,” (Theodoret) independent of external prosperity. Perhaps for this reason he says: “Rejoice,” because not all were unrepentant, and for that reason not all were terrified by the threat. To all who are corrected, this is most fitting: “Rejoice.” Rejoice that you are Christians, have believed in the Lord, have received forgiveness of sins, received the grace of the Spirit sanctifying you and strengthening you for every good, and have certain hope that, remaining faithful to the Lord, you will inherit the eternal blessed kingdom of heaven. How can one not rejoice, having taken all this to heart?!

“Mend your ways.” “Be perfect, and supply what is lacking” (Saint Chrysostom). Here is the goal of life! One who has entered the court of Christ, into His flock, cannot help but rejoice, seeing what he receives and what he has hope of receiving still. But, having entered such a station of life, one cannot sleep. Much is given, much incomparably more will be given. But the first is an unconditional gift, the second—conditional. One must contribute effort, directing it to cutting off what is imperfect and joining perfect to perfect. This is perfecting oneself.

“Be encouraged.” “Since there are many trials and great dangers, seek encouragement in one another and in us, and in your own correction. For if your joy comes from a pure conscience and if you are perfect, then nothing is lacking to your courage and encouragement, for nothing brings so much encouragement as a pure conscience, even if you were surrounded by countless trials” (Saint Chrysostom).

“Live in peace.” “Bind yourselves more tightly with unity of mind, hold all to one way of thinking” (Theodoret). “He asked for this also at the beginning of the first epistle” (Saint Chrysostom). Perhaps this is the chief thing in these last brief instructions. For from empty infatuation with certain persons, they had begun to separate from one another and group into parties. The first epistle sobered them. They resolved to set themselves in order. It was necessary to seal this decision, which is what the Apostle does here.

“Have peace.” “It happens that people also think the same, yet do not have peace; for example, when they agree in the dogmas of faith, but war against one another. On the contrary, Apostle Paul requires here both unity of mind and harmony” (Saint Chrysostom). — “Have peace.” Ειρηνευετε, live in peace, can have an all-encompassing meaning, that is, both to be at peace within yourselves, and with God, not only with others. Theodoret writes thus: “‘Have peace’ with us and with one another, but first of all with God who saved you.”

“And the God of love and peace will be with you.” “For seeing these improvements, God will grant you all His providence, because He is the lawgiver of all” (Theodoret). “He not only admonishes and advises to have peace, but also prays to God for it. For he either prays here (that is, may God of peace be with you), or foretells the future (that is, that God will be with you for your shown virtues); but rather, both together. If, he says, you act thus, that is, think the same and have peace among yourselves, then God will be with you. Because God is the God of love and peace. In this He rejoices (that is, in love and peace), and in this He is glad. From this—from His love—peace will be in you. From this—deliverance from all evils. This love saved the world; it ended the ancient enmity on earth, it united earth with heaven, it made men angels. Let us too love it, for love is the mother of countless blessings. Through it we are saved, through it we have received unspeakable goods” (Saint Chrysostom).

2 Cor. 13:12. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints send you greetings.

“‘Greet one another with a holy kiss’; that is, without flattery, with chastity, as members of one another and the body of Christ” (Theodoret). “What does ‘holy’ mean? — Not feigned and flattering, as Judas kissed Christ. For the purpose of a kiss is to awaken love, to kindle sincere affection, so that we love one another as brothers love brothers, as children love fathers and fathers love children, or even more: for this is natural love, but ours is spiritual. Through the kiss souls are united with one another. Therefore, returning from travels, we kiss one another, when our souls come into mutual communion. For the lips especially express the disposition of the soul. One can say something more about this holy kiss. What then is it? — We are the temple of Christ. The lips are the door of this temple, through which Christ entered and enters us when we partake. Participants in the mysteries! Do you understand what I am saying? Your lips do not receive mere honor when they receive the Lord’s Body. Therefore especially at this time do we greet one another with a kiss. Let those who kiss shamelessly hear this, and let them tremble at the thought of how they defile their lips!” (Saint Chrysostom).

“All the saints send you greetings.” “In one assembly he joined all believers throughout the world” (Theodoret). “Do you see how he unites all far and near, the former through Scripture and the latter through the kiss?” (Saint Chrysostom).

2 Cor. 13:13. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.

The salvation of all and each is accomplished by the undivided action of the Holy Trinity. Scripture assigns different actions in the production of our salvation to different names and refers them sometimes to one, sometimes to another, sometimes to the third Person of the Holy Trinity, thereby showing that it does not distribute them among the Persons so that one belonged exclusively to one and another to another. So here also “not to indicate a separation did the Apostle express himself thus, and did not give to Christ the Lord one thing, to the Father another, and to the Spirit yet another, for repeatedly he attributed love to the Spirit, communion to the Son, grace to God the Father. Thus in the first epistle, having attributed the action to the Father (1 Cor. 12:6), a few words later he attributes it to the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:11). He placed the Persons in another order, not perverting the order pointed out by the Lord (Matt. 28:19), but teaching that another order of names does not mean difference of nature, or power, or difference of dignity” (Theodoret). “All that belongs to the Trinity is undivided! And where there is communion of the Spirit, there is also communion of the Son, and where there is grace of the Son, there is grace of the Father and Holy Spirit. I say this not as one confusing the Hypostases; not at all: on the contrary, I know both how they are distinguished and separated, and also the unity of their essence” (Saint Chrysostom).

“Let us also hold these dogmas with all precision and attract to ourselves the love of God. For He first loved us, when we still hated Him; and reconciled us to Himself, when we were still enemies of His; and now wants to love us, already loving Him; let us therefore constantly love Him, so that He might also love us. And if, using the love of powerful men, we are feared by all, then all the more when we are in the love of God. If it becomes necessary from love for Him to give up possessions, our body, even our very soul, we will not spare it. For it is not enough to testify to our love for Him only in words; it is necessary to show it also in deeds. For He Himself has shown His love for us not only in words but also in deeds. You also show this in deed and do what is pleasing to Him. In this case you will gain benefit yourself, because He has no need of anything in us. That it is a special proof of His sincere love for us is that, having no need of our love, He does everything so that we love Him. Therefore Moses said: ‘What does the Lord your God seek… from you, only that… you love Him, and be’ prepared ‘to walk after Him’ (Deut. 10:12). Therefore when He commands you to love Him, He thereby shows all the more that He loves you. For our salvation is never as certain as when we love Him” (Saint Chrysostom).

“Let us also pray that we may be deemed worthy of apostolic blessing and obtain the promised goods by the grace and mercy of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him with the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory and majesty, now and always, and to the ages of ages! Amen” (Theodoret).