Chapter 1

Theophylact of Ohrid, Exposition of the First Epistle of St Paul to the Corinthians

1 Theophylact of Ohrid, Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians — Chapter One

¹ Argument of the First Epistle to the Corinthians. Corinth is a city of Greece; and at that time it abounded in wealth, and in wisdom, and in the other advantages. In this city Paul suffered many things. For Christ, appearing to him there, said, Be not silent, but speak, for I have much people in this city. The devil, therefore, seeing so great and populous a city laid hold of by the truth, divides the people; and some became self-appointed teachers, while of the multitude … [those] who were able to serve them for patronage.[1] And thus, vying with one another in ambition, they administered the Church. This, then, was grievous. And there was another thing: that a certain man, having consorted with his own stepmother, not only was not rebuked by the others, but even drew a following and was puffed up over the outward wisdom. And yet another thing again: out of fear of those supposedly more perfect, some out of gluttony were eating things sacrificed to idols, and reclining in the temples, were harming many. And others, quarrelling with one another over money, went to law before those outside the Church. And others, eating by themselves in the assemblies, did not share with those in need. And still others thought great things of themselves over the spiritual gifts.

² He writes back, then, in turn, not only concerning the things about which they had written, but also concerning the things about which they had not written, having learned all with exactness. Since, then, the greatest of all the rest was that there were schisms in the Church, and this was begotten of high-mindedness, he first pulls down the high-mindedness; wherefore he thus begins.

³ Chapter One. Paul, a called apostle. Observe the prologue, which at once lays hold of the false teachers.

⁴ Of Jesus Christ. Christ is the teacher; how then do you enroll men as teachers for yourselves?

⁵ By the will of God. Because he did not say, “It was because we were worthy,” but, He willed it, and so he saved and called. So that now also he wills me to be your apostle; and how is it that you want other teachers? Are you then without responsibility? And note the διά (“through”) set with reference to the Father.

⁶ And Sosthenes the brother. Out of modesty he joins to himself one far inferior; and this for the shaming of the high-minded Corinthians, who looked down upon all.

⁷ To the Church of God which is in Corinth. Not of this man or of that, but “of God.” How then do you have men as patrons? And if you are indeed a Church, you ought by all means to be united. For the very name of “Church” is indicative of union.

⁸ To those sanctified in Christ Jesus. Not in any man, but in Christ were you sanctified—through baptism, that is, and not through wisdom or wealth, on which you pride yourselves.

⁹ Called saints. Even the very believing was not your own, but, being called by God, you thus obeyed and believed. So that faith too has its beginning from God. For had he not called, you would not have believed.

¹⁰ With all who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Not to you Corinthians alone, he says, may grace and peace be, but also to “all who call upon the name of Christ,” not of this man or of that.

¹¹ In every place, both theirs and ours. He makes mention of the believers in every place, that he may show that all the faithful are one Church, wherever they may be. And how is it that you, being in one city, are divided? And a second time he added “ours.” For having said “of our Lord Jesus Christ,” and inserting in the middle “in every place,” he again took it up and said, “both our Lord and theirs,” that he might show him to be the common Master. But some understand it thus: “in every place, both theirs and ours”—that is, In which we also are, and they.

¹² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. From God are grace and peace. Both formerly, when, being at war against him, through his grace we were brought to peace; and now too I ever pray that these may be present to you from God, that you may fall away neither from his grace nor from peace, as men rising in faction against one another. How then do you assign yourselves to men, and seek from them grace and approval, as from teachers?

¹³ And of the Lord Jesus Christ. For the things which the Father gives, these the Son also gives. For this is indicative of the equality in both.

¹⁴ I give thanks. He trains us to be thankful; and in every Epistle, but more seasonably now, he employs thanksgiving. For thanksgiving is made over grace; and grace is no debt, nor a recompense. And this pulls down the conceit of the Corinthians.

¹⁵ To my God. Out of much love he makes the common God of all his own.

¹⁶ Always concerning you, for the grace of God. Through this he trains the Corinthians to be themselves always thankful to God, and not [to credit] their own achievements. “For the grace of God,” he says, not for your works, do I give thanks.

¹⁷ Which was given you in Christ Jesus. That is, through Christ Jesus, not through this man or that. So then, why do you give heed to men?

¹⁸ That in everything you were enriched in him. Again, instead of, through him. When, therefore, there is both wealth, and the wealth of God, and that in everything, and through the Only-begotten himself, how is it that you, being unthankful, enroll men as teachers for yourselves?

¹⁹ In all speech and all knowledge. There is speech without knowledge, as when one utters vain things devoid of meaning; and there is knowledge without speech, when one understands lofty things but has no faculty of interpretation. But for both to run together is to be able both to understand and to speak.

²⁰ Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you. The “even as” stands for “through which.” Through the speech, he says, and the knowledge, in which you were enriched, the testimony was confirmed in you—that is, the testimony of Christ. For not through the outward wisdom did you receive the preaching, but through the signs and the gifts of which you were counted worthy.

²¹ So that you come behind in no gift. If they had the gifts unfailing, how does he later call them carnal? It may be said, then, that they were neither all spiritual nor all carnal; and so the things he now says, he says to the spiritual, while those things [he says] to the carnal. Or, that in the beginning it was likely they obtained all the gifts, but later grew slothful and lived according to the flesh.

²² Awaiting the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Here he strikes fear into them, reminding them of the second coming of Christ. For if Christ is to be revealed, how is it that you have other patrons? And he shows also that, along with the gifts, there is need of the rest of virtue too. For in that day the gifts profit no one, unless he have also a virtuous life. And by saying “revelation” he makes it plain that even now he is present, but hidden; and then he will be revealed.

²³ Who will also confirm you unto the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. In saying “will confirm,” he shows them to be wavering; and in saying “blameless,” he shows them to be subject now to charges. And he is many times mindful here of the Lord Jesus Christ, as often as in no other Epistle. So that through this he reminds the Corinthians by whom they were saved, and by whose name they are called. For they are Christians from Christ, and not from the name of any other man.

²⁴ Faithful is God, by whom you were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. That is, true is God. And if true, he called us unto the fellowship of his Son—that is, so as to glorify us together with the Son in his kingdom; it is plain that he will fulfill what he promised. And you were called, he says; you did not come forward of yourselves. How then are you high-minded, as over your own works? And note here, more clearly, the “by whom” set with reference to the Father.

²⁵ Now I exhort you, brethren, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Since he is about to discourse with them rather sharply, taking it beforehand, he says he exhortes them through Christ; that is, It is not I who suffice for the entreaty, but I take along with me the name of the Lord, from whom you are called Christians; yet, having insulted this name, you have chosen to be called from men. Let this, then, put you to shame.

²⁶ That you all say the same thing, and that there be no schisms among you. What is it that I exhort? That you, he says, may all be in agreement, and not be divided. For that which is divided seems indeed to become many instead of one, yet neither did it become many (for what use is there in many fragments?), and it has destroyed the one. Most forcibly, then, he called schisms the things being done among them.

²⁷ But that you be fitly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. Since he had said above, “That you all say the same thing,” lest they should suppose the concord to be only as far as words, he adds that it is also “in the same mind”—that is, That you may also think the same things. And since many agree in this matter but not in that, on this account he added “fitly joined together”—that is, perfect, in agreement in all matters. And since many are united as to their thoughts but stand apart as to their judgment (for when we have the same faith, but are not knit together in love, we think the same things, yet stand apart in judgment), on this account, having said “in the same mind,” he added, “and in the same judgment”; that they may stand apart neither in faith nor in judgment.

²⁸ For it was declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe. That they might not deny it, nor that he might set them at war with these, he brings forward those whom he called upon as witnesses; and lest he himself should seem to be inventing, he adduces testimony for them. And he did not say “by Chloe,” but “by those of Chloe”—that is, by those of the household of Chloe. Now there was in Corinth a woman so named, Chloe. And he still names them brethren; for if the sin be manifest, nothing hinders his still calling them brethren. But he did not tell them who they were that had spoken, but set forth the whole household, that he might not set them at war with those persons.

²⁹ That there are contentions among you. He reports the matter from those there, using the milder word “contentions.” But when he speaks from his own term, he calls them schisms, which is far worse than contention.

³⁰ Now I say this, that each of you says: I am of Paul, and I of Apollos. He does not say a part [of you], but each of you. Yet they were not saying this; rather, he himself thus shapes the discourse, that he may show that, if to say “of Paul” makes them liable, much more to say “of others.”

³¹ And I of Cephas. Not exalting himself above Peter by placing him later, but rather honoring him the more; just as indeed he has placed Christ too last. For in matters not fit to be set first, he made mention of his own person.

³² And I of Christ. He does not bring this charge, that they say “And I of Christ,” but that not all say this. Rather, he set down this also of himself, wishing to make the accusation weightier, and to show that even Christ was assigned to one party, even if they were not doing this.

³³ Is Christ divided? Have you cut Christ in pieces? Have you parted his body? The word is full of indignation. But some understood “Is Christ divided?” thus: Did he distribute among men the Church that was divided, that, taking one portion, he should give the others to them?

³⁴ Was Paul crucified for you? He does away with the absurdity being done among them, and makes mention of his own name, that he might not seem out of envy to make mention of others’ names. And he did not say, Did Paul fashion you, or make you? but, what is far greater, declaring his ineffable love for man, he brings the cross into the midst. And he did not say, Did Paul die? but, “Was he crucified?”—showing the seeming dishonor of the death.

³⁵ Or were you baptized into the name of Paul? I too baptized many, he says, but into the name of Christ. And he says this since this also became a cause of schism, namely, to be called after those who baptized. Yet this is not what is in question, who it was that baptized, but into whose name he baptizes; for it is he that forgives the sins, not the one baptizing.

³⁶ I give thanks to God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius. Why do you think great things, he says, over baptizing, when I rather give thanks that I did not do this? And he says these things not to overthrow the power of baptism, but their arrogance, which they had over it. For baptism is a great thing, but to baptize is not great.

³⁷ Lest anyone should say that I baptized into my own name. Not that they were saying this concerning those men, but, I fear, he says, lest the disease should advance to this. For if, when imperfect men baptized, a heresy arose, perhaps, had I the herald baptized, some might with show of reason have ascribed the baptism to me.

³⁸ And I baptized also the household of Stephanas. All those in his house, that is. And he was a great man in Corinth, and most notable.

³⁹ Besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. So little, he says, is baptizing a matter of eagerness to me, that I do not even remember whether I baptized any other. How then do you exalt yourselves over this?

⁴⁰ For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel. For the more laborious task, and the one needing a soul of iron, was the preaching of the gospel. For to win over a man, and to remove him from doctrines firmly fixed, and that amid dangers, [belongs] to a great and noble soul. But to receive one ready and to baptize him would belong to anyone holding the priesthood. And if he was not sent to baptize, how did he baptize at all? He was not sent for this as his chief charge; yet he was not hindered from doing it. For he was sent for the greater work, but from the lesser he was not hindered. “Not in wisdom of speech”—that is, in eloquence and fine phrasing—lest the cross, or rather the preaching concerning the cross, be made empty and suffer diminishment. For this is the “be made empty”—that is, be found useless and void. For if the apostles had preached in wisdom of speech, some might have said that they persuaded through the plausibility of their words, and not through the power of what was preached; and this too would have been an emptying and a harm to the Crucified. But now, having preached in plain manner, they show the power of the Crucified to have wrought the whole. And the cross is wholly made empty in this way: suppose you should dispute with a Greek concerning some one of the divine things that surpass comprehension; if, then, I should undertake to demonstrate these to him from syllogisms and the outward wisdom, I shall be powerless—for no reasoning can establish them—and so my weakness will appear to be the weakness of the preaching, and thenceforth the cross is made empty, appearing as something vain and void.

⁴¹ For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness. Since there were certain unbelievers in Corinth who mocked the cross and said: It is truly folly to preach a crucified God. For if he were God, he would have defended himself when crucified; but he who could not thrust off death, how could he rise from the dead?—it was likely that the faithful would set themselves against these by their own wisdom. He says, therefore: Be not astonished. For to those who are perishing the things given by God for salvation seem foolishness. And by “word of the cross” he means the preaching of the cross—that is, of Christ crucified.

⁴² But to us who are being saved it is the power of God. To us, he says, who have not perished but are being saved, it is the power of God. But the cross displays also wisdom: power, in that by death it loosed death—for it is an abundance of power to conquer while falling; and wisdom, in that by this very means it saved those who had perished.

⁴³ For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the understanding of the prudent I will set at nought. Having called the unbelieving wise men “those who perish,” he establishes this from Scripture. For it said, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise”—of those outside—that is, I will show it to be profitless, which is no part of wisdom; and the understanding of those who seem to understand and perceive, I will set at nought.

⁴⁴ Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? He spoke the words of Scripture; now, then, he brings also the proof from facts. And he convicts the Greeks in saying “Where is the wise?”—that is, the philosopher; and the Jews in saying “Where is the scribe?” And he named “disputers” those who entrust all things to reasonings and inquiries. For none of these saved us, but the fishermen drew us out of error. And “God made foolish the wisdom” stands for, He showed it to be inoperative.

⁴⁵ For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom knew not God, that is, those who [pursue] the things of the world (seeking, that is, through the wisdom that lies in eloquence), it pleased God through the foolishness of the preaching to save those who believe. The Greeks might indeed have had as teacher the wisdom of God, contemplated, that is, in the creatures; but they knew not God through the wisdom that lies in diction. There is no need, then, of such wisdom.

⁴⁶ Since both the Jews ask for a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom; but we [preach] Christ crucified. Paul wishes to show that through contraries God wrought the contrary effects; and he says: Whenever I say to the Jew, Believe, at once he seeks signs; but we preach Christ crucified, which is so far from being a display of signs that it is even [a display] of weakness, so far as appears; and yet by this seeming weakness he is led on to faith. Again: the Greeks seek wisdom from us, but to them too we preach the cross, which in both respects seems to be folly; yet thus too they are persuaded. The Jews, he says, have the Crucified as a stumbling-block; while the Greeks deride the mystery as folly, because it is by faith alone that the crucifixion of God is apprehended, and because it is not adorned with fine phrasing.

⁴⁷ But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. To the unbelieving Jews, he says, Christ is a stumbling-block; and to the unbelieving Greeks he seems folly, because the things they seek they do not find in him. But to the called Jews and the called Greeks—that is, to those called by God—Christ is found to be both. For what do you seek, O Jew? Signs? Behold, Christ is the power of God. And you, what do you say, O Greek? You seek wisdom? You have Christ, who is the wisdom of the Father.

⁴⁸ For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. He names the cross “foolish,” as it seems thus; yet it is wiser than men. For the philosophers busied themselves about cold and profitless things; but the cross saved the world. And it seems weak too, as Christ was crucified out of weakness; but it is stronger than men, not only because, though countless men wished to quench this name, it rather flourishes, but also because through the seeming weak the strong devil was bound. And you may understand these things also thus: that in the case of God the supremely-wise is called unwise, that is, foolish; and the supremely-strong, weak; just as his super-luminous brightness too is called darkness and gloom.

⁴⁹ For behold your calling, brethren, that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble. Examine, he says, and search out those called to the faith, and you will find that not many are wise according to the flesh—that is, according to appearance. But he did not say that no one is wise, but, “not many.” For there were wise men also in the faith, as the Areopagite, as the proconsul, and others not now known by name. And mighty men also and noble believed. On this account, then, he said of all, “Not many.” So then, behold the power of the preaching, how it taught such unlettered men doctrines so wise, and how the outward wisdom is shown to be a useless thing.

⁵⁰ But God chose the foolish things of the world, that he might put to shame the wise; and God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the strong. For it is a shame to the Greeks, when they see the craftsman in the marketplace philosophizing beyond them, and the weak man putting to shame those in positions of power.

⁵¹ And God chose the base things of the world and the things that are despised, and the things that are not, that he might bring to nought the things that are. Those who are reckoned to be nothing, these he names “the things that are not”; and “the things that are,” those who seem to be something. That he might therefore show these to be idle and useless, he chose those others. For this is the greatest shame to the renowned, that he made the despised to shine, and the renowned to fail.

⁵² That no flesh should boast before God. For this reason, he says, God did these things: that he might lay low the conceit and arrogance of those who mind the things of the world, and persuade them to refer all things to him, and not to boast before him. How then do you, O Corinthians, exalt yourselves over this?

⁵³ But of him are you in Christ Jesus. Do not understand the “of him” to be said concerning the bringing into being, but concerning the bringing into well-being. And what he says is of this kind: You became children of God, and are of him, having become his sons in Christ—that is, through Christ. And since he said, “He chose the base things,” he shows that they are more noble than all.

⁵⁴ Who was made to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. That is, He made us prudent, and righteous, and holy, and free. For this is redemption, the recall from captivity. And just as, having chosen the base, he made them noble, setting them as sons of God, so also [he made] the foolish wise, having become to us wisdom. Why then did he not say that he made us wise, but “He was made to us wisdom”? To display the loftiness of the gift. And having said great things concerning the Son, he adds the “from God,” that no one may suppose [the Son to be unoriginate], but may run up to the cause, the Father. And observe the order: first he made them wise, having freed them from error and taught them the knowledge of God; and then righteous, having granted forgiveness of sins; then having also sanctified them through the Holy Spirit; and thus he wrought a complete deliverance from all evils, and made us free, and consecrated to himself.

⁵⁵ That, as it is written: He that boasts, let him boast in the Lord. All these things, he says, came to pass, that no one might reckon himself to be something, nor boast in himself, or in any other, but in God, who bestowed such things on us. How then are you puffed up both over yourselves and over men as teachers?

2 Theophylact of Ohrid, Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians — Chapter Two

¹ Chapter Two. And I, when I came to you, brethren, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring to you the testimony of God. Not only, he says, were the disciples of the gospel chosen as unlearned and lowborn, but I myself also, the herald of the gospel, came not with prepared words and human wisdom, declaring to you the testimony of God—that is, the death of Christ. Observe, then, that the herald too is unlearned and a plain man, and the thing preached is death and a cross; and yet it conquered. It is plain, therefore, that there is an ineffable power which makes these things to be thus. But what? Even if Paul had wished, could he have been [a man] of wisdom? He himself could not, for he was truly a plain man; but Christ could, who bestowed greater things on him, yet it was not expedient for the preaching. For Christ is the more glorified, conquering through the plainness of Paul, than if he had conquered through wisdom and speech.

² For I judged not to know anything among you, except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. Both Christ, he says, willed this, that I should be a plain man; and I myself judged this very thing good, to know nothing of the outward wisdom, save only that Jesus Christ was crucified, and to preach him to you.

³ And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. Not only, he says, did I come to you mean in respect of speech, but I also spent my time among you in weakness, and fear, and trembling—that is, persecuted, and tried, and assailed by countless fears. For he too, as a man, feared the dangers, or rather even trembled. Whence his praise is the greater, that, being of the same nature with us, he surpassed it by his resolve. And he says these things, showing the power of Christ, that, though there were so many hindrances, yet it prevailed; and it cast down the haughtiness of the Corinthians, who trusted in wisdom, and wealth, and power.

⁴ And my speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. My preaching, he says, was not made clever with outward plausibility and eloquence, but in demonstration of the Spirit—that is, having as its demonstration the Holy Spirit itself; partly, perhaps, because in some unspeakable way it wrought faith in the hearers through the gracing of the word; and partly because he also performed signs and wonders. “And of power”—that is, of the signs. For the greatest demonstration unto faith is to see the dead raised. And since powers are wrought deceitfully even by demons, having first said “of the Spirit,” he then added “of power,” showing that the things done were spiritual. And you may take the “of power” also in another way. For since he said, I came not in wisdom, but also in weakness, with reference to the wisdom he said “in demonstration of the Spirit,” and with reference to the “in weakness,” the “of power”—that is, Though persecuted and beaten, yet I was shown to be the more powerful; which is itself the greatest demonstration of the word.

⁵ That your faith should not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. By “wisdom of men” he means plausibility and eloquence; and by “power of God,” both the strengthening of the weak and persecuted, and the display of signs, which indeed established your faith, O Corinthians—not plausibility and eloquence, but the power of God.

⁶ Yet we speak wisdom among the perfect; but a wisdom not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nought. He named the preaching “folly” above, even as the Greeks too named it; but since he demonstrated through facts that this is the true wisdom, thenceforth he takes courage to name the preaching concerning Christ “wisdom” also; for it is of the greatest wisdom to bring death to nought by death. And by “the perfect” he means the faithful; for these are perfect, who have despised all things and soared toward heaven. And by “wisdom of this age” he names the outward wisdom, as temporary and dissolved together with this age. And by “rulers of this age” [he means] not demons, as some have understood, but the wise, and the writers, and the orators, who became also popular leaders and rulers. And as being themselves temporary, he names them “of this age,” and “coming to nought”—that is, ceasing, and not enduring forever.

⁷ But we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom. He calls the preaching according to Christ a “mystery”; for though it is a preaching, yet it is also a mystery, inasmuch as not even the angels knew it before it came to pass, and inasmuch as, seeing one thing, we understand another. For I see a cross and a passion, and I understand power; I hear of a servant, and I worship a Master. And this wisdom is hidden, from the unbelievers wholly, but from the faithful not wholly. For we see now as in a mirror.

⁸ Which God foreordained before the ages unto our glory. He said “foreordained,” that he might show the love of God toward us. For we are the more loved by those who are prepared long beforehand to do us good; thus God too, before the ages, foreordained the salvation through the cross, which is the greatest wisdom. And “unto our glory,” inasmuch as he made us partakers of it. For it is the glory of a servant to share with his Master in a hidden mystery.

⁹ Which none of the rulers of this age has known. By “rulers” he now means Pilate and Herod. And if you should say also the chief priests and scribes, you would not err. And “of this age,” because of the temporariness of their rule, as has been said above.

¹⁰ For had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. If they had known the hidden wisdom, and the mysteries of the divine economy—such as the things concerning the incarnation of God, the things concerning the cross, the things concerning the calling and adoption of the nations, the things concerning the regeneration and sonship, and the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven [they would not have crucified him]. But the chief priests too, had they known that their city would be taken and they themselves led away captive, would not have crucified him. And here he named Christ “Lord of glory”; for since the cross seemed to be a dishonor, he shows that nothing was harmed in respect of glory by the cross, but rather he was the more glorified.

¹¹ But as it is written: The “came to pass” is wanting; for in many places the Apostle uses the elliptical form.

¹² Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not, and which entered not into the heart of man, the things which God prepared for those who love him. But what did God prepare for those who love him? The knowledge of Christ, and the salvation of the incarnation. For these things neither human eye saw, nor human ear heard, nor did human heart conceive. For the prophets did not see with human eyes, nor hear with human ears, nor, using a human mind, understand the things concerning Christ; but all these things were divine to them. For the Lord, he says, added to me an ear, a spiritual one, that is; and the rest likewise. But where is this passage written? Perhaps it is likely that it was indeed written thus in these very words, and that the book is now not to be found; or perhaps the most wise Paul paraphrased into this form the passage, They to whom it was not told concerning him shall see, and they who have not heard shall understand.

¹³ But to us God revealed them through his Spirit. As though someone had said: If it entered not into the heart of man, how have you learned it? he says, “God revealed it to us through the Spirit,” not through human wisdom. For this could not see the mysteries of God.

¹⁴ For the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the things of a man, save the spirit of the man which is in him? So also the things of God none knows, save the Spirit of God. So great, he says, was the mystery, and so hidden, that we could not have learned it from another, had not the Spirit taught us, who knows even the depths of God. For “searches” is not indicative of ignorance, but of exact comprehension; just as it is said of the Father also, “He who searches the hearts,” instead of, he who knows their depths. And in another sense, as taking delight in the contemplation of the mysteries of God, the Spirit is said to search them. And he shows also through what follows the exact knowledge of the Spirit. For as the human spirit knows the things in the man, so also, he says, the Spirit of God [knows] the things of God. And we learn from this that the Spirit is not of another essence than the Father, just as neither is that of the man of another [essence] than himself.

¹⁵ But we received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God. By “spirit of the world” he named human wisdom; this we did not receive, lest it should make our preaching empty and useless. “But the Spirit which is of God”—that is, the consubstantial with God, that which is of his essence—this we had as teacher.

¹⁶ That we might know the things that are freely given us by God. The Spirit, he says, is light, and we received this light, that we might see the things hitherto veiled, being illumined by it. What things? The things freely given by God—that is, the things concerning the economy of Christ: how he died for us, how he made us sons of God, how he seated us at the right hand of the Father in himself. So that those who have not the Spirit cannot see.

¹⁷ Which things also we speak, not in words taught of human wisdom, but in [words] taught of the Holy Spirit. By so much, he says, are we wiser than the wise men among the Greeks, as those were taught by men, while we speak the things we speak, having been taught by the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸ Comparing spiritual things with spiritual. That is, If certain spiritual questions arise, we compare them—that is, we resolve them by means of certain other spiritual notions or histories. For example, that Christ rose is a question. This, then, being a spiritual question, is compared and resolved out of another spiritual thing—that is, the history concerning Jonah. And that a virgin gave birth, this too is a question, and it is resolved from the barrenness of Sarah, of Rebecca, of Elizabeth, who conceived not by natural sequence, so far at least as the power of each womb was concerned; and from the fact that Eve came to be from Adam without seed, and from other things contemplated in the first bringing into being. And you may understand “comparing spiritual things with spiritual” also thus, instead of, comparing and resolving the spiritual things for spiritual men; for these alone are able to contain such things.

¹⁹ But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him. The natural man is he who gives all to the reasonings of the soul, and does not think he has need of the help from above, nor is willing to receive anything by faith, but reckons all things folly that do not admit of demonstration. Him, then, who supposes that all things come to pass by natural sequence, and holds that nothing comes to pass above nature, he calls “natural”—that is, [governed by] nature. For the soul is occupied about the economy of nature. And just as the eyes of the body, though most beautiful and most useful, have not strength to see without light, so also the soul, fashioned to be receptive of the Holy Spirit, cannot without him behold the divine things.

²⁰ And he cannot know them, because they are spiritually discerned. That is, he does not consider that the things spoken need faith, and that it is not possible to grasp them by reasonings. For this is the “they are spiritually discerned,” instead of, they have their resolution through faith and the Spirit.

²¹ But the spiritual man discerns indeed all things, yet he himself is discerned of no one. The spiritual man, he says, knows all things: both the things here, that they are temporary; and the things there, that they are abiding; and the things of the faithful, that they will obtain salvation; and the things of the unbelievers, that they will be punished. Wherefore he also convicts these. He himself, however, is discerned by none of these—that is, convicted; just as he that sees both beholds his own things and the things of those who see not, while they see neither their own things nor his.

²² For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him? The spiritual mind he names “the mind of the Lord.” And the “instruct” stands for, set right. Since, then, he had said before that the spiritual man is discerned of no one, he now says that I said this with reason: “For who has known the mind of the Lord, who shall instruct him”—that is, set him right? For if no one can know the mind of the Lord, which the spiritual man has, much less [can he] teach and set it right.

²³ But we have the mind of the Lord. Marvel not, he says, that I called the spiritual man “the mind of the Lord,” and his mind [the mind of the Lord]; for we all have the mind of Christ—that is, All things that we know, Christ revealed to us; and the mind which we have concerning the divine things is Christ’s—that is, The knowledge which we have concerning the spiritual things of the faith, we have from Christ; so that with reason we are discerned of no one. But some have named “the mind of Christ” the Father, others the Spirit also.

3 Theophylact of Ohrid, Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians — Chapter Three

¹ Chapter Three. And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual, but as to carnal. He cast down their conceit over the outward wisdom, that they might not be able to say, We pride ourselves not over that, but over the spiritual; now he shows that they have not the perfect even in our wisdom, but are still imperfect; and he says, You have not yet heard any of the more perfect things. And well did he say “I could not,” lest he should seem out of envy not to tell them the more perfect things. For because you are still occupied about carnal things, I could not speak [to you] as to perfect men. And how, being carnal, did they perform signs? There were such men also, which has been said at the outset. And besides, it is possible both to do signs and to be carnal, as those who cast out demons by the name of Christ. For signs come to pass for the benefit of others; wherefore they are often wrought even through the unworthy.

² As to babes in Christ, I gave you milk to drink, and not meat. For you were not yet able, nay, neither even now are you able; for you are still carnal. So far as concerns the things of Christ, he says, you are babes; wherefore “milk”—that is, the simpler teaching—“I gave you to drink, and not meat” did I offer you—that is, the more perfect teaching. Why? Because you were not able. And pulling down their haughtiness, he says: “Neither even now are you able; for you still mind the things of the flesh.” Do you see that for this reason they cannot, because they will not be spiritual, but carnal?

³ For where there is among you jealousy and strife and divisions, are you not carnal, and walk according to man? The things he said before, he said all toward the rulers who exalted themselves over wisdom and noble birth; but now at last he strips himself for action against the ruled, and says: With reason do I name you carnal, where there is among you jealousy, and strife, and divisions. For he might have charged them also concerning fornication and many other faults; but since the pressing matter was the divisions and strifes, of these he makes mention. And everywhere he joins jealousy to strife. For jealousy is the father of strife; and this begets the divisions. Having these things, then, do you not walk according to man?—that is, Do you not mind carnal and human and earthly things?

⁴ For when one says, I am of Paul, and another, I of Apollos, are you not carnal? By the name of Paul and Apollos he hints at those among them who were renowned and teachers.

⁵ What then is Paul, and what Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed? Under his own name and that of Apollos he accomplishes what he wishes. For he establishes [the point]: If we are nothing, what would one say concerning the teachers among you? We are ministers, he says, not the very root and fountain of good things; for this is Christ. Be not exalted, then, because we ministered to you the things from God. For the whole belongs to him, the bestower of good things. And he did not say, We are evangelists, but “ministers.” For the former belongs to word only; but to minister has works also.

⁶ To each as the Lord gave. Not even this small thing of the ministry, he says, have we from ourselves, but this too we received from the Lord, one in one measure, another in another.

⁷ I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. I, he says, first sowed the preaching; and Apollos, by his own teaching, watered; yet God increased you.

⁸ So then, neither is he that plants anything, nor he that waters, but God that gives the increase. Observe how he makes inoffensive the setting-at-nought of the wise and rich who presided in Corinth, having set at nought himself and Apollos, so far as appears, and having taught that one must give heed to God alone, and refer to him all the good things that befall.

⁹ Now he that plants and he that waters are one. So far as concerns not being able to do anything without God, they are one. How then are you exalted against one another, being one?

¹⁰ But each shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. Since it was likely that those who had labored more about the faith would become more slothful on hearing that all are one, he at once sets this right, saying that “They are one,” so far as concerns not being able to do anything without the God who gives the increase; for so far as concerns the recompense, each shall have his reward according to his own labor. And he did not say, According to his own work, but, “According to the labor”; for what if one accomplished no work, but labored?

¹¹ For we are God’s fellow-workers. Those who teach, he says, are God’s fellow-workers, cooperating with the purpose of God, who wills to save; not being themselves the agents of salvation, or the givers of it. Neither, then, are they worthy to be despised—for we are God’s fellow-workers; nor to be exalted—for God’s is the whole.

¹² You are God’s husbandry, God’s building. Having said above, “I planted,” he keeps to the figure, and calls them husbandry. If, then, you are husbandry and a building, you ought to be called from the Master, not from the husbandmen or the builders. As husbandry, then, you ought to be fenced by one fence, that of concord; and as a building, to be united, and not torn apart.

¹³ According to the grace of God which was given me, as a wise master-builder I laid a foundation. He calls himself a wise master-builder, not exalting himself, but wishing to show what this is, the part of a wise master-builder, namely, to lay such a foundation—that is, Christ; and that he said this not in exaltation of himself is plain from this. For he says, “According to the grace of God.” For it is not my achievement to have become wise, but the grace of God.

¹⁴ But another builds upon it; and let each take heed how he builds upon it. Since he had discoursed to them concerning union, he now discourses to them concerning conduct, calling each man’s deeds a “building-upon.”

¹⁵ For other foundation can no one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. No one can, so long as he remains a wise master-builder; since, when one is not a wise master-builder, he is able to lay [another], and from the first the heresies [arise]. Among you Corinthians, then, since the one foundation is Christ, you also ought to build upon this, not the things of strife and jealousy, but the works of virtue.

¹⁶ If anyone builds upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, each man’s work shall be made manifest. After we have received the foundation of the faith, we each build upon it—some good deeds, which differ, being greater and lesser; for example, virginity, as gold; honorable marriage, as silver; voluntary poverty, as precious stones; almsgiving in wealth, as some other of the less precious things. And others of us build evil deeds, which themselves too have their gradations; so that hay and stubble are the name for those readier to be burned—I mean, uncleanness, idolatry, covetousness; and wood, the less such; for example, drunkenness, scurrility, and the like. And perhaps some will say the contrary: wood, the things mentioned first; and hay and stubble, these latter.

¹⁷ For the day shall declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and of what sort each man’s work is, the fire shall prove. By “the day” he means the day of judgment; and “in fire” he says that the works are revealed—that is, made manifest, of what nature they are, whether gold, or the contrary.

¹⁸ If any man’s work abide which he built upon it, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned up, he shall suffer loss. If you have silver or gold, your work shall by all means abide, and you shall receive a reward; but if hay and the like, your work shall not bear the rush of the fire (for this is the “shall be burned up”), but shall be proved to be evil. For just as, if one with golden armor should pass through a river of fire, he passes through unharmed; but if he should pass through having hay, not only did he gain nothing, but he even destroys himself; so is it also with works. So that faith does not profit without good works. For behold, here the foundation was Christ, yet the works that are not according to Christ are said to be worthy of being burned up.

¹⁹ But he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire. Not as the works, so also shall he himself perish, passing into nothing, but he shall be saved—that is, preserved, so as to be burned in the fire. For we too are accustomed to say of wood that is not burned up nor easily reduced to ashes, that it is “preserved” in the fire, so that the burning becomes more lasting. The sinner, then, suffers loss, in that he labored over such things, from which he perished, casting down all his labors upon things that have no substance and are not (for all evil is non-being); just as if one, paying a great price, should buy something dead, as though living. He himself, however—the sinner, that is—is saved, that is, is kept whole, undergoing eternal punishments.

²⁰ Know you not that you are a temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in you? And observe how reprovingly he uses the discourse. For from the grace given us, that is, the indwelling of the Spirit, he puts the fornicator to shame, even though he has not plainly set forth the person, but makes the discourse in common. And if we are a temple of God, since the Spirit dwells in us, then the Spirit is God.

²¹ If any man destroys the temple of God, him shall God destroy. That is, shall bring to nought. And this he says not as one cursing, but as one foretelling what shall be.

²² For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. Therefore the fornicator cannot be holy, since he has destroyed his being a temple, the Spirit that sanctified him having departed. And which is the temple? You, plainly, if you remain pure.

²³ Let no one deceive himself. Thinking that the matter stands otherwise, and not as I have said.

²⁴ If any among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool, that he may become wise. Having hinted at a few things concerning the fornicator, he again makes his discourse against those who exalted themselves over the outward wisdom, and says: “Let him who seems to be wise among you become a fool”—instead of, let him hold the outward wisdom in dishonor, that he may gain the divine. For just as poverty according to God is wealth, and dishonor likewise glory, so also folly according to God is wisdom. And observe, he did not say, Let him put away wisdom, but, what is far greater, “Let him become a fool”—that is, conceiving nothing of himself, not trusting to his own reasonings, but following God like a beast of burden, and believing all the things of God.

²⁵ For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For not only does it contribute nothing toward the true wisdom, but it rather hinders, inasmuch as out of self-conceit it disdains to learn, and on this account ever keeps him who uses it in ignorance; whence as fools they are tripped up by God.

²⁶ For it is written: He that takes the wise in their own craftiness. He brings forward a testimony, how human wisdom is foolishness with God, and says that God catches the wise as fools—that is, he subdues them with their own weapons. For though they be crafty and wise, they are convicted as fools and senseless. For example: those men supposed they had no need of God, but conceived all things of themselves; God showed them, by the very facts, that their cleverness and craftiness profited them nothing, but that they most of all have need of God, even those who seem to have no need. So that in their craftiness, in which they thought to know all things, they were found to know nothing, but to be more boorish than fishermen and cobblers in the things needful.

²⁷ And again: The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are vain. If, then, the Lord knows the reasonings, that they are vain, inasmuch as they grasp nothing of the needful and saving things, how is it that you, O Corinthians, know the things contrary to God, and court these men as profitable?

²⁸ So then let no one boast in men; for all things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas. These things he seems indeed to say toward the ruled; but he strikes the rulers, saying that one ought not to boast at all, neither over the outward wisdom—for it is folly—nor over the spiritual gifts; for they are God’s, and are given for the sake of the ruled. For this is what he means by, “For all things are yours”—that is, Why do your teachers exalt themselves, and you puff them up and lift them on high? For have they anything of their own? Nay, the things they have are yours, given them for your benefit, and they rather owe thanks to you. And again he made mention of himself and of Peter, for the sake of inoffensiveness, and that he might show: If we received the gifts for your sakes, and for your sakes have been put forward as teachers, much more ought your present teachers not, as over their own achievements, to exalt themselves over the gifts, which are good things belonging to another.

²⁹ Whether world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come. And the life, he says, of the teachers is for your sakes, that you may be benefited by being taught; and their death is for your sakes; for it is on your behalf that they are in danger, and for your salvation. Or also otherwise: That the death of Adam too is for your sakes, that you may be brought to sobriety; and that of Christ, that you may be saved; and, simply, the whole world is for your sakes, that through it you may be guided to the Creator, and may use its corruptibility as a teacher unto the longing for the incorruptible things. And the things present are yours—that is, the good things which God already bestows here on those who believe; and the things to come have been prepared for your sakes.

³⁰ All things are yours; and you are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s. Not as we are Christ’s, so also is Christ God’s. For we are Christ’s as his work and handiwork; but Christ is God’s as a Son pre-eternal, and as having the Father for his cause. So that, though the word is one, the meaning is diverse; since neither are all things ours in the same way as we are Christ’s. For we are servants of Christ and his handiwork; but all things are not our servants, nor our handiwork. So that you do not well, assigning yourselves to men, and that when you are Christ’s.

4 Theophylact of Ohrid, Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians — Chapter Four

¹ Chapter Four. So let a man account us, as servants of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Since we teachers are servants, why do you, forsaking the Master, name yourselves after us the servants? And by naming the apostles and teachers stewards of mysteries, he showed that one must not dispense the word to all without discernment, but to those to whom one ought, and when one ought, and as one ought; and besides, since they are mysteries, they ought not to be uncovered to all—for this is not the mark of a prudent steward.

² Now what is further sought in stewards is that a man be found faithful. That is, that he may not appropriate the Master’s goods to himself, that he may not handle the affairs as a master, but administer them as belonging to another and to the Master—not saying that the Master’s things are his own, but, on the contrary, that his own things are the Master’s.

³ But to me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by man’s day. Such a sickness was prevalent in Corinth. For those who were divided over their teachers, sitting as judges presiding, mocked and cast out men pious and beloved of God on account of their lack of learning, while they approved men laden with countless evils on account of their eloquence, rashly casting such votes: This man is better than that, and this one inferior to that, and that one better than this, and that one than this. Since, then, Paul had said that in stewards it is sought that one be found faithful, and he seemed to give them an opening to judge each man’s life—and this made the dissensions greater—lest they suffer this, he restrains them from judging, and says, “But to me it is a very small thing”; as if to say, I count it the greatest dishonor to be judged by you at all. Then, lest he wound them as men despised, he added, “Or by man’s day”—that is, or by any other man of repute and exalted; for Scripture is wont to name a man’s loftiness his “day.” But let no one charge Paul with arrogance; for these things he does not say truly concerning himself, since he did not judge himself at all; but, that they might not judge others, he sets right in his own person what he wishes.

⁴ But neither do I judge myself; for I am conscious of nothing against myself; yet I am not thereby justified; but he who judges me is the Lord. Do not think, he says, that in making light of you, or of all other men, I disdain to be judged; but neither do I deem myself sufficient for such exactness. For I am not conscious to myself of any fault, inasmuch as I am unable to judge rightly and exactly. “Yet I am not thereby justified”—that is, Not as though I were clean from sin. For it is likely that some things have been sinned by me, but that I am ignorant of them; and the Lord alone is he who judges exactly and surely. And from this consider for me how great is the exactness of the judgment to come.

⁵ Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come. Do you see that Paul said these things that others might not be judged by the Corinthians, and not for his own sake? For such was Paul, ever taking upon his own person the things of others, and in himself teaching what he means to teach.

⁶ Who will also bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts. Now, he says, wicked deeds are hidden (for these are “the hidden things of darkness”), and often a man seems to be something, while he is profane and corrupt. But then God will uncover all things, yea, and will make manifest also the counsels of the hearts. For example: Here someone praises another; behold, the deed is good, but perhaps the counsel is corrupt—for it may be that he does this not with a good aim. Again, someone reproves another, as it seems, but not so as to set him right, but so as to parade his brother’s faults. And countless such counsels of hearts will then be made manifest.

⁷ Then shall each man have his praise from God. It would have followed to say, Either punishment or praise; but he laid up the saying in the more auspicious form.

⁸ But these things, my brethren, I have transferred in a figure to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that in us you may learn not to be minded above that which is written. “These things”—both what was said above concerning the dissensions, and what was said immediately concerning those who condemn others. “That,” he says, through our person, “you may learn not to be minded above that which is written.” For Scripture says, concerning not being lifted up: He who wishes to be first, let him be last of all; and, He who humbles himself shall be exalted; and countless such things. And concerning not judging: Judge not, that you be not judged.

⁹ That none of you be puffed up for the one against the other. This he says to the people. For he varies the teaching, and at one time directs his words to the disciples, at another to the teachers and the rulers, as indeed also now. For they were puffed up over their teachers. For example, he who had this man for teacher was high-minded against that disciple, being puffed up on behalf of his own teacher against the other teacher. And well did he name the thing a “puffing up,” as it were a swelling and a tumor, by a metaphor from a body swollen by some evil humor or wind.

¹⁰ For who distinguishes you? And what do you have that you did not receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you had not received it? Again he directs his words to the teachers, and says: Who distinguished you and voted you worthy to be praised? A man? But human judgment errs. But grant that you do have something worthy of praise; this is not yours, but belongs to the giver; and you received it, you did not achieve it. And if you did receive it, how, then, are you lifted up as though you had not received it, but as having this of yourself and from your own labors? For he who has received ought not to be lifted up over what he received; for it belongs to another.

¹¹ Already you are filled, already you are rich. These are the words of one bearing them heavily. So quickly, he says, do you need nothing? Are you in want of nothing? But already you are sated, having in a little time arrived at perfection, and received all the wealth both of knowledge and of the gifts of grace? And yet perfection is in the world to come; but you, it seems, already have it; for your boasting shows this, that you have arrived at perfection itself. And these things he says, showing that they are imperfect, if indeed they are so disposed.

¹² Without us you have reigned. And these things also he says with the same temper, showing their want of conscience, that, Having been deemed worthy of gifts so great, you do not wish to take us, who labored, as partakers.

¹³ And would that you did reign, that we also might reign together with you. Would, he says, that you reigned—that is, that you had attained perfection. Then, lest the saying should seem to be irony, he adds, “That we also might reign together with you”—that is, that we might attain the same good things. For your glory is mine; since to every teacher the perfecting of his disciples is a thing longed for.

¹⁴ For I think that God has set forth us the apostles last, as men appointed to death. He speaks words of one grieving, or rather of one putting them to shame. For as I see, he says, from the things you do, we the apostles have been shown forth by God last of all, and appointed to death—that is, condemned men, prepared to be put to death. For from the fact that you have already reigned, I conjecture that we, thereafter, have been condemned to be last, and as condemned men; we the apostles, that is, we who have suffered so much for Christ.

¹⁵ For we have become a spectacle to the world, and to angels, and to men. That is, We suffer not in one place, but everywhere on earth; and not men only behold us (for the things that happen are not so paltry), but angels also. For great are our wrestlings, so as to be worthy even of angelic beholding. For we wrestle not against men only, but also against the powers of the wicked angels.

¹⁶ We are fools for Christ’s sake; but you are wise in Christ. Again this also he says by way of shaming. For since the apostles were beaten and despised for Christ’s sake, while those men were honored and reckoned wise, and boasted that these things were in Christ—How, he says, is it possible for contraries to come together in those who are of the same mind? It is necessary, then, either that we are not minded according to Christ, or that you are. But surely it is absurd that the apostles of Christ should not be minded according to Christ; you, therefore, are they who err.

¹⁷ We are weak, but you are strong; you are honored, but we are without honor. That is, We are driven, persecuted; but you enjoy security. For everywhere he calls the trials “weakness.” And you indeed are honored and noble; but we are in dishonor. All these things he says bearing them heavily. For the sense is such: How is it likely that we should suffer ill, while you enjoy security and are amid good things? So that it is plain that you are not amid good things, but rather are now ill and unworthily of the apostles. You ought not, then, to be lifted up over these things.

¹⁸ Even unto the present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked. Why, he says, do I speak of the old things? Look at the things of now: how you indeed live luxuriously, but we…

¹⁹ And are buffeted. That is, are beaten. And this is against those who are puffed up.

²⁰ And have no fixed abode. That is, We are driven, we flee. And this is against those who are rich.

²¹ And we toil, working with our own hands. These things he says, putting to shame those who, for the sake of gain and profit, undertake and dare to preach.

²² Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being slandered, we entreat. And the greatest of all, he says, is that we are not even vexed at these things. And whence is this plain? From the fact that we requite even those who do such things to us with the contrary. For we speak well of those who revile us, and those who bear themselves somewhat more harshly (for this is slander, the harsher assault), these too we entreat, addressing them with the gentler and softer word, and requiting them with the contraries. For this is “entreaty,” the discourse that soothes. On this account the Christians seem to be fools, because they do these things.

²³ We have become as the offscourings of the world, the refuse of all, even until now. What is the “offscouring”? That which is called a wiping-off. When one wipes off something filthy, that wiping-off is called the offscouring. And the “refuse” itself signifies the same; for “to wipe round” means to sponge off all around. He says, then, that We are worthy to be cast off, and to be reckoned as an abomination, not to you alone, but to the whole world, and to all men; and not for a season, but until now. And see what manner of man the Christian must be, and that he ought to strive until the end.

²⁴ I write these things not to shame you, but as admonishing you as my beloved children. Not putting you to shame, he says, nor with a wicked and hateful mind do I say these things, but as children; and not simply children, but beloved. Pardon me if anything burdensome has been said; for these things come of love. And he did not say, I rebuke, but, “I admonish.” And who would not bear with a father admonishing?

²⁵ For though you have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet you have not many fathers. What then? they say; do not the others love us? Not so, he says, as I do. For they indeed are tutors, but I am a father; just as, then, in the case of children, the father is one, but the tutors are perhaps many—and compared with the affection of the one, the father, I say, their disposition falls far short—so also in our case, he says. And see how he added “in Christ” in the case of the tutors, that he might not altogether wound them; but he gave to them the more laborious part (for such is the tutor), while he reserved for himself the surpassing measure of love.

²⁶ For in Christ Jesus, through the Gospel, I begot you. Establishing how he is a father, he says that, By the help of Christ I begot you through the Gospel. For I do not, as do the many among you, reckon the deed to myself, but to Christ. And he did not say, I taught, but, “I begot,” displaying his love by the name of nature, and showing that these are his most intimate and most genuine disciples, as he declares everywhere in the Epistle.

²⁷ I exhort you, therefore, become imitators of me. Imitate me, he says, in all things, being lifted up neither over wisdom nor over wealth, nor standing apart from the brethren; but knowing both wisdom and wealth to be the love toward Christ and the brethren. And see his tender affection, how he exhortes, he does not command. And it belongs to great boldness to set oneself forth as a pattern.

²⁸ For this cause I sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved child. Because, he says, I care for you as for children, I sent to you Timothy. For I myself wished to come, that I might set you in order; but since it was not possible, I sent this man, who is my beloved child. And this he said, that he might at once show how much he loves them, if indeed he was willing to be parted from him for their sakes; and at the same time, that he might become worthy of reverence to them.

²⁹ And faithful in the Lord. That is, not in matters of mere reflection, but in the things that are according to Christ. So that in the things concerning you also he will minister faithfully.

³⁰ Who will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, even as I teach everywhere in every Church. He did not say, He will teach, lest they be vexed (for Timothy was young), but, “He will remind.” The things you know, he says, these he will renew in you. And by “ways” he means the dispensations in the preaching, the canons, the customs, the divine laws; how one is to walk, that is, not puffed up as you are, not bringing in divisions and schisms. And he said “which are in Christ”—that is, those which have nothing human, but all according to Christ, or also those which are accomplished by the help of Christ. And he will show you, even as I teach in every Church. For I said nothing new to you, but all bear me witness of these things. So that you should be ashamed, having fallen away from our ways beyond all the other Churches.

³¹ But as though I were not coming to you, some are puffed up. Since he had said, “I sent Timothy,” lest they should become the more careless, he says that, Even if I do not come now—and on this account my absence has puffed up some—nevertheless I will come. And he shows their understanding to be childish. For it is the mark of children, when the teacher is absent, to be disorderly. And who were they that were puffed up? Those about the fornicator, who was both wise and rich; and simply all who were lifted up over such things, and who, as though there were no Paul to reprove them, were high-minded.

³² But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will. This saying is of one repressing them and preparing them to be sober. And well did he add, “If the Lord will.” For all things are led by his nod.

³³ And I will know not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. Since they were confident in their eloquence and set Paul at naught as an unlettered man, he says that, I will see, not your eloquence—for there is no need of this—but power, the power that is in signs. For the kingdom of God was preached and confirmed not through elegant speech, but through signs, which came to pass by the power of the Spirit.

³⁴ What will you? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love, and a spirit of meekness? By “rod” he means the chastisement, the punishment. He says, then, that, You are lords of my coming either in this way or in that; if you are careless, I will come and chastise, as I did Elymas; but if you are sober, I will use the spirit of meekness. For there is in him an inclination both to severity and to punishment, but he names it from the kindlier qualities; just as we call God compassionate and merciful, and not a chastiser, although he is this also.

5 Theophylact of Ohrid, Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians — Chapter Five

¹ Chapter Five. It is actually reported that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not even named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. He makes the charge common to all, that they may not be careless as though the offense were another’s, but may be zealous to set this right as a common reproach. And he did not say, It is dared, but, “It is actually reported.” But if even the report of it is forbidden, how much more the daring of it? And further, “among you,” who have been counted worthy of the spiritual mysteries. And, heightening the charge, he says, Such as not even among the Gentiles. And he did not say, It is done, but, “It is not even named, that one should have his father’s wife.” He did not say, A stepmother, but, “His father’s wife,” so as to strike the more opportunely by the mention of the father. And he used the more decorous word, “have,” being ashamed of the name of fornication.

² And you are puffed up. Over the teaching that came from that man; for he was wise. And see his wisdom: nowhere does he deem that man worthy of a word, as dishonored, and not even worthy to be brought into the midst; but with the others he converses as concerning a common charge.

³ And have you not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from your midst? You ought, he says, to have mourned, because the calumny went forth into the common reproach of the Church; you ought to have prayed and wept, as over a sickness and a plague. “That he might be taken away from among you”—that is, cut off as a common harm. And not even here does he make mention of his name, but said, “He who has done this deed.”

⁴ For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged, as though present. See his indignation. He does not even allow them to await his coming, nor to wait for him, and then to bind the man, but he hastens to lay hold of him as a plague, before it be spread into the whole body of the Church. “But present in spirit,” he said, urging them to the sentence, and striking fear into them, as one who knew the things that would there be judged, and would not be ignorant—through the Spirit, that is, through the gift of discernment—of whatever they should do; and saying also that “I have already judged, as though present,” he does not allow them to think anything else. For I, he says, have brought forth the sentence, and nothing else must be done.

⁵ Him who has so wrought this thing, when you are gathered together in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and my spirit. Lest he should seem self-willed, he then takes them also as partakers. “For when you are gathered together,” he says, “in the name of Christ”—that is, That the gathering may take place not according to human partiality, but according to God; that Christ himself may gather you, for whose sake also you come together. And he set over them his own spirit also, that they might not deem the man worthy of pardon, but might judge rightly, as though he too were present.

⁶ With the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such a one to Satan; that is, to give authority; to hand him over to the devil; or because, Together with you also, he casts the vote against him. And well did he not say, To give him up, but, “To deliver,” opening to him a little the doors of repentance. And again he does not make mention of the name, but says, “Such a one.”

⁷ Unto the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. That is, that he may waste him away in sickness. For since the desires come from bodily luxury, he wills that the body be chastised, that the spirit—that is, the soul—may be saved; not because this alone is saved, but because, as a thing agreed upon, when this is saved, the body too shall be saved. But some say that “spirit” means the gift of grace, that it may be kept safe for him and not depart, as from an impious man; and this belongs rather to one caring for him than punishing him. And well did he make mention of that day, that those men also, being afraid, might apply the cure, and that he too might likewise receive it. And he sets a limit for the devil, just as also in the case of Job, to lay hold of the body, but not also of the soul.

⁸ Your boasting is not good. He hints that they themselves did not allow him to repent, boasting over him. For this man too was one of the wise among them.

⁹ Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? I care, he says, for you also, not for him alone. For the evil, if neglected, can corrupt the rest of the body of the Church also. For just as the leaven, being little, leavens the whole lump and changes it to itself, so also the sin of this man will draw many to itself.

¹⁰ Purge out, therefore, the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, as you are unleavened. That is, Cast out this fornicator, or rather others also who are evil. For by “old leaven” he means all wickedness. And he did not say, Cleanse, but, “Purge out”—that is, Cleanse with exactness, that you may be a new lump and unmingled with wickedness. “As you are,” instead of, As it befits you to be, without leaven—that is, without the old wickedness, which is sour and biting by its admixture.

¹¹ For our Passover, Christ, was sacrificed for us. Since he had made mention of unleavened bread, and these were eaten at the Passover, having allegorized what the unleavened things are—namely, the disposition unmingled with wickedness—he now allegorizes the Passover also, and says that Christ is our Passover, sacrificed for us. We ought, then, to procure the unleavened things—that is, purity from all wickedness.

¹² So then let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness. He shows that all time is a season of feast for Christians, on account of the surpassing greatness of the good things given to them. For on this account the Son of God became man, and was sacrificed, that he might make you keep feast—not with the leaven of the old Adam, nor in a life full of malice, or rather, what is worse, of wickedness. For evil is everyone who does evil; but wicked is he who does it also with a most profound and deceitful mind.

¹³ But with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. That is, in a sincere—that is, pure—life, in contradistinction to malice; and a true—that is, unfeigned, guileless—life, in contradistinction to wickedness. Or you may understand “truth” in contradistinction to the old types, which were not truth. For he wishes the Christian to be superior even to the things in the Old Covenant that were in types. Or by “sincerity” understand the purity that comes through action, and by “truth,” contemplation.

¹⁴ I wrote to you in the Epistle not to mingle with fornicators. In what Epistle? In this very one. For since he had said above, “Purge out the old leaven,” hinting, as has been shown, at the fornicator—through which was signified the not mingling with fornicators—perhaps they might have supposed that one must separate from all fornicators, even those among the Greeks. He therefore explains concerning what sort he gave the charge.

¹⁵ And not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or the covetous, or the rapacious, or idolaters; since then you would need to go out of the world. The word “altogether” he has set down as concerning a thing agreed upon. And the construction of the saying is this: And I did not altogether forbid mingling with the fornicators of this world—that is, those of the Greeks; since you would have to seek another inhabited world. For how is it possible, in the same city, when the Greeks are more numerous, not to mingle with such men?

¹⁶ But now I have written to you not to mingle, if any man called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or rapacious; with such a one not even to eat. Do you see that there was not one fornicator only, but others also, and in divers wickednesses? And how, being a brother, can he be an idolater? Just as happened once in the case of the Samaritans, who were half-religious; so also among these, some were attached to the idols in some measure. And at the same time he lays beforehand the foundation of the discourse concerning those who eat things offered to idols. And well did he say, “Called a brother.” For he has only the name of a brother, but is not so in truth, but is like one liable to the things enumerated. And the phrase “or a fornicator” can be understood both as a disjunctive conjunction, like the things that follow; and it can also be understood as a verb, instead of, If any man called a brother be—that is, exist as—a fornicator, and the rest, with such a one not even to eat, that, knowing himself to be an abomination on account of his wickedness, he may abstain from it.

¹⁷ For what have I to do with judging those outside? By “those outside” he names the Greeks; and by “those within,” the Christians. I have no concern, he says, with those outside; for this very thing—they are outside my laws. It is superfluous, therefore, to set the ordinances of God before those outside the fold of Christ; for whatsoever the law says, it says to those within the law.

¹⁸ Do you not judge those within? But those outside, God judges. Some place a stop at the “not”; then, from another beginning, they read without a question: “Those within you judge.” For having said above, “What have I to do with judging those outside?” he added “not,” instead of, It is not for me to judge them. But others read it conjointly and as a question: “Do you not judge those within?”—instead of, Ought you not to judge the Christians? But those outside, God, the more terrible judge, will take in hand. So that, if those within are judged among you, they will escape the more terrible judgment of God.

¹⁹ And you shall put away the wicked man from among yourselves. He made mention of a saying lying in the Old Testament, that he might show that even from of old it seemed good to the Lawgiver that the wicked should be cut off. And the phrase “from among yourselves” shows that the putting away of the wicked is rather for their own benefit.

6 Theophylact of Ohrid, Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians — Chapter Six

¹ Chapter Six. Dare any of you, having a matter against his brother, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Many, having lawsuits over money, were judged before the Greek judges, as being learned in the law. This, then, he sets right, it having fallen in between. For since he had made mention of the covetous, he straightway grew hot with care concerning those who sin in such things. And see how he shows indignation from the very beginning, and calls the thing daring and lawlessness. And he did not say, Before the unbelievers, but, “Before the unjust.” For since he who goes to law wishes to obtain justice, he shows that they do not obtain it. For the Greeks who judge, he says, are unjust; how, then, will they judge you justly? And by “saints” he means the faithful, showing the difference from the very names: for the one sort are unjust, but the others are saints.

² Or do you not know that the saints shall judge the world? Since the faithful, being private men, did not seem trustworthy to decide a matter, he makes them trustworthy, first by calling them saints, then by saying that they shall judge the world—not they themselves sitting and giving judgment (for the Lord shall judge), but they shall condemn; for when, being of like passions, they themselves shall be found to have believed, while those others disbelieved, is not this a condemnation of the unbelievers?

³ And if the world is judged in you, are you unworthy of the smallest tribunals? See, he did not say, Is judged by you, but, “In you”—that is, It is judged by God, but condemned in you, instead of, In that you, having believed, are an example. And the phrase “Are you unworthy of the smallest tribunals” has this sense. For since it was likely that they were ashamed at being judged by those within, on the contrary, he says, it is rather a shame when you are judged by those outside. For those are the smallest tribunals, not those within.

⁴ Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more things of this life? By “angels” he means the demons. These, then, we shall also condemn, when we who are in the flesh shall be found to have more than those bodiless ones.

⁵ If then you have tribunals of things pertaining to this life, set those who are least esteemed in the Church to judge. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you one wise man, who shall be able to decide between his brother and brother? Wishing, out of superfluity, to draw them away from the tribunals outside, he says that, Perhaps someone might say that there is not among you a wise man able to decide. For if, according to your account, there is no wise man, you are setting men least esteemed as judges rather than the unbelievers. But this I said to your shame, going along with your false pretext, that there is then so great a scarcity of wise men among you that men paltry and rather private should judge. And the phrase “his brother” he added, signifying that, when the suit is against a brother, there is need neither of much subtlety nor of knowledge, inasmuch as the brotherly disposition contributes much toward the dissolving of the contention.

⁶ But brother goes to law with brother, and this before unbelievers? The evil is twofold: both that the suit is against a brother, and that it is before unbelievers.

⁷ Now therefore there is altogether a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. First he took away the being judged before unbelievers; but now he takes away the being judged at all, saying that it is “altogether a defeat”—that is, A condemnation, a shame, that you have lawsuits at all—that is, suits with one another; for this is the meaning of “with one another.” And he said this emphatically; for we Christians ought to reckon the brethren as our own selves.

⁸ Why do you not rather suffer wrong? Why do you not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? But you yourselves do wrong and defraud, and that your brethren. The charge is manifold: first, that they do not know how to bear being wronged; second, that they rather do wrong themselves; third, that it is the brethren. It were good, he says, neither to wrong nor to be wronged; but in the choice, it is better to be wronged.

⁹ Or do you not know that the unjust shall not inherit the kingdom of God? He shuts up the exhortation in a threat, making the word stronger, and questioning them as concerning a thing agreed upon.

¹⁰ Be not deceived. Here he hints that there were certain among them who said that God is loving toward men, and will not punish, but will bring them into the kingdom. He says, therefore, “Be not deceived.” For it is indeed of deceit and of error to hope for good things here, and there to obtain the contrary.

¹¹ Neither fornicators. Him who had already been condemned he places first.

¹² Nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor the effeminate. By “effeminate” he means those who suffer shamefully. He then brings in also those who do shamefully.

¹³ Nor sodomites, nor covetous, nor thieves, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor rapacious, shall inherit the kingdom of God. Some inquire why ever he set the drunkards and revilers together with the idolaters and those who do unspeakable things. Because Christ too said that he who said Fool to his brother is liable to hell-fire; and again, the Jews from drunkenness came to idolatry. And further, the discourse now is not concerning punishment, but concerning falling away from the kingdom. And from the kingdom all fall away alike; but whether they shall have a difference in their punishments is not for the present occasion to inquire.

¹⁴ And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and in the Spirit of our God. Consider, he says, from how great evils God delivered you, and how great good things he bestowed upon you. For you also had all the things mentioned; but he made you clean of them; and not only this, but he also sanctified you. How? By justifying you, he says. For he washed you, then, having justified, he sanctified; not in the name of this or that teacher, but in the name of Christ, and in the Holy Spirit—that is, The Trinity bestowed these things upon you. For in saying that God, in the name of Christ and in the Holy Spirit, sanctified, he sets forth nothing other than the Trinity.

¹⁵ All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. Since he had spoken concerning the fornicator, and is about again to speak concerning him, he meanwhile interposes also the discourse concerning gluttony. For from this, for the most part, comes the passion of fornication. He says, then, that “It is lawful for me to eat and to drink,” but it is not profitable to do these things without measure.

¹⁶ All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. I am lord, he says, of eating and drinking; but if I give myself over to these without measure, I shall be found their slave instead of their lord. For he who uses them as he ought is himself their lord; but he who goes out into excess is no longer lord, but becomes their slave, gluttony tyrannizing within him. Do you see how he showed him who thought he had authority to be under authority? For consider: each of those men said, It is lawful for me to live luxuriously; he says that one does this not as having authority over it, but as being himself subject to this authority. For you have no authority over the belly, so long as you are profligate, but it has the authority over you.

¹⁷ Foods for the belly, and the belly for foods. By “belly” he means gluttony, not our member; and by “foods,” the immoderation of foods. He says, then, that the immoderation of foods has a friendship and kinship toward gluttony, and that toward this; and these cannot lead us to Christ, but send those who obey them over to themselves—the immoderation to the gluttony, and that to this.

¹⁸ But God will bring to nought both this and these. Not the belly, but gluttony; not the food, but the immoderation. And as to the “will bring to nought,” some say that it is a prediction concerning the age to come, that there is neither eating nor drinking there. And if eating in measure is not there, much more shall immoderation and gluttony be brought to nought. But the Theologian,[2] by saying that the thing brought to nought is straightway brought to nought together with the foods that are brought to nought, declared that, as soon as one is satisfied, that which until then sought after many things is brought to nought. But others say that he sealed the exhortation with a prayer, praying that both immoderation and gluttony might be brought to nought, that is, made to cease.

¹⁹ But the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. Behold, he showed that it was on account of the discourse concerning fornication that he spoke beforehand concerning gluttony. For it would have followed to say, But the body is not for foods, nor for the belly; but he did not so speak, but, “For fornication,” showing what is the outcome of luxury—namely, fornication. And what he means is this: The body, he says, was not fashioned for this, that it should live luxuriously and fall into fornication; but that it should follow Christ as its head, and that the Lord, in turn, as head, should be set over it.

²⁰ And God both raised up the Lord, and will raise up us through his power. Be not troubled at hearing that God raised up the Lord; for he condescends to them as to babes. And since concerning the Father, as cause, all confessedly glorified great things, on this account he ascribes the resurrection to him, and declares that we too shall be raised by him. For just as he raised up our head, Christ I mean, so also he will raise up the rest of the body, namely, us. And confirming the saying, he added, “Through his power,” as if saying this: Do not disbelieve the things I say; for the power of God, which accomplishes great things, will do this also. And that he ascribes the resurrection of Christ to the Father as cause is plain from the Lord’s saying concerning himself, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. And again it is written that He presented himself alive. So that, he himself having raised himself, the deed is ascribed to the Father as cause.

²¹ Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Again he came to the exhortation set before him, that against fornication; and he handles the discourse in the most awe-striking manner.

²² Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them members of a harlot? God forbid! He did not say, Shall I join them to a harlot, but what was awe-striking, “Shall I make them members of a harlot?” For who will not shudder on hearing this—to tear away the members of Christ, and to make them a harlot’s?

²³ Do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body? For the two, he says, shall be one flesh. He confirms what he said, how the members of Christ become a harlot’s. Through the union, he says, the man becomes one with the harlot. So that his members also, which were Christ’s, became members of her.

²⁴ But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit. See how, even from the bare names themselves of the harlot and of Christ, he advances the accusation, making it dreadful. He says, then, that he who is joined to the Lord becomes spirit only, by doing nothing carnal—that is, he is made spiritual. For union with the Lord furnishes him the sanctification of the Spirit. And through these things he showed the reasons why the faithful become members of Christ.

²⁵ Flee fornication. As though it were a kind of pursuer, ever pressing upon us, he exhorts us to flee it, enjoining upon us a strained abstinence from it. For nothing pursues us so much as carnal desire.

²⁶ Every sin that a man may do is outside the body; but he who commits fornication sins against his own body. By fornication, he says, the whole body is defiled; whence it is also the custom for those who have fornicated to run to the baths, as the body has, of course, been defiled. Against the body itself, then, the fornicator sins, defiling it and befouling it. For even if murder too seems to be done through the body, yet it does not defile the whole body. For it is possible to strike with a stone, or with wood, or with some other instrument, and the body not be defiled; but for fornication to be accomplished without the body is impossible; whence it is necessarily defiled also. And he wished to exalt the matter, since the exhortation concerning it lies before him. For fornication is not altogether worse than all things. I know also other solutions to this: for instance, that the fornicator sins against his own body, inasmuch as he is joined not from desire of begetting children, as with a lawful wife, but vainly corrupts it by the effusion, and weakens it. And again otherwise, that the fornicator sins against the woman with whom he is joined, who is his body through the union; for inasmuch as he is not joined to her lawfully, he sins against her. But the solution of the great John is better than all—the first one, namely. And some are at a loss: What then? Does not envy waste the body? And they solve it again, that envy is a passion, not an activity; but the discourse now to the Apostle is concerning activity. For he says, “Every sin that a man may do”; but not concerning passion. For envy is not done by us, but is worked within us.

²⁷ Or do you not know that your bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? He strikes fear yet more, both by the greatness of the gift—that is, of the Spirit—and by the worth of the giver—that is, of God. A temple, he says, not simply, but of the Holy Spirit. Do not, then, defile the holy temple, nor make useless the gift of God; for from God you have the gift and so great a Spirit.

²⁸ And you are not your own; for you were bought with a price. You are under a Master, he says, and have nothing of your own, not even the body. “For you were bought with a price”—that is, Through the blood of Christ. So that your members are subject to another Master, and where he wills, there they must be led. And these things he says, not taking away free will, but showing the justice of our being bound to serve God, by whom also we were bought.

²⁹ Glorify, then, God in your body. Since, then, you were bought, he says, glorify God in your body, accomplishing good deeds through the body, and keeping it holy and pure. For God is glorified when men see your good works and accordingly glorify him.

³⁰ And in your spirit. He shows that one must flee fornication not in body only, but also in soul, by not being defiled even in thought (for by “spirit” he called the mind); for adultery in the heart also is forbidden in the Gospels. These too belong to God.[3] Continually he reminds us that we are not our own, but belong as servants to God, who bought both our soul and our body.

7 Theophylact of Ohrid, Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians — Chapter Seven

¹ Chapter Seven. Now concerning the things whereof you wrote to me. He had set right the schisms, the fornication, the covetousness; now, then, he ordains concerning marriage and virginity. For they had written to him whether one ought to abstain from a wife, or not.

² It is good for a man not to touch a woman. The good and surpassing thing, he says, is for every man, and not for the priest only (as some wrongly understand), wholly not to touch a woman, but to remain virgin; yet the safer thing, and that which aids our weakness, is the institution of marriage. He adds, then:

³ But on account of fornications, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. He discourses concerning each part. For it is likely that the husband loved chastity, but the wife not; and the reverse. By saying “on account of fornications,” he urges on continence. For if marriage is conceded on account of fornications, those in marriage ought not thereafter to come together licentiously, but chastely.

⁴ Let the husband render to the wife the goodwill that is owed; and likewise also the wife to the husband. You have, he says, a debt—the goodwill toward one another; as a debt, then, it is necessary that you render it.

⁵ The wife has not authority over her own body, but the husband; and likewise also the husband has not authority over his own body, but the wife. That the goodwill toward one another is an obligation and a debt, he now shows. For they have not authority, he says, over their own bodies; but the wife is both slave and mistress of the husband—slave, inasmuch as she has not her own body in her own authority, so as to give it to whom she wills, but the husband is master of it; and mistress, because, in turn, the husband’s body is hers, and he has not authority over it, so as to give it to harlots. Likewise, then, the husband also is both slave and master of the wife.

⁶ Defraud not one another, except it be by consent for a season. That is, Let not the wife practice continence against the husband’s will, nor the husband against the wife’s will. For the one doing this against the other’s will is to defraud, as is said also in the case of money; but doing it with the other’s consent, no longer; as, for instance, when the two by agreement set apart some season for abstaining from one another.

⁷ That you may have leisure for fasting and prayer. He explains how he said “for a season”—namely, when it is a season to have leisure for prayer, that is, to pray intently. For he did not say simply, “That you may pray,” but, “That you may have leisure for prayer.” For if he debars those who come together from praying simply, how does he say elsewhere, Pray without ceasing? In order, then, that the prayer may be more earnest, abstain, he says, from one another, since the intercourse makes only a hindrance of leisure, not an uncleanness.

⁸ And come together again, that Satan tempt you not because of your incontinence. Your coming together again, he says, I say not as legislating, but “that Satan tempt you not”—unto fornication, that is. And since the devil is not of himself the cause of fornication, but rather, first of all, our incontinence, he added, “Because of your incontinence.” For this is the cause of the devil’s tempting us also.

⁹ But this I say by way of concession, not by way of command. The not defrauding one another “for a season,” he says, I said by way of concession—that is, condescending to your weakness, not laying down a law for you and an inviolable command.

¹⁰ For I would that all men were even as I myself. Wherever he enjoins a difficult thing, he is wont to bring himself into the midst. He says, then, that I wish all to practice continence always.

¹¹ But each has his own gift from God, one in this way, another in that. To remain a virgin, he says, is a gift from God. And yet the matter needs also our own zeal. How, then, does he call it a gift? That he may console them, as having sufficiently struck them in what he said, “Because of your incontinence.” And note that he sets down marriage also as a gift, in saying, “Each has his own gift; one in this way”—that is, to be virgin; “another in that”—that is, to marry.

¹² But I say to the unmarried and to the widows, it is good for them if they remain even as I. But if they have not continence, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn. Do you see the wisdom of Paul, how he both shows continence to be the better, and does not compel him who is unable, lest a worse fall come to pass? For if you endure, he says, much force and burning (for great is the tyranny of desire), be rid of toils and sweats, lest at some time you be utterly overthrown.

¹³ But to those who have married I give charge, not I, but the Lord. Since the Lord expressly legislated that one should not be put asunder save for the cause of fornication, on this account he says, “Not I, but the Lord.” For the things said before were not expressly legislated by the Lord; even though whatever Paul says is of the Lord, and not human. For going on a little further he says, For I think that I also have the Spirit of God.

¹⁴ That the wife depart not from her husband. But if she also depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband; and that the husband put not away his wife. For since divorces come about through a longing for continence, and through other pretexts and faintheartedness, he says: It is better that no separation at all take place; but if it do take place, let the wife remain keeping her husband—if not by intercourse, yet at least by bringing in no other; or, if she is unable to practice continence, let her be reconciled to him.

¹⁵ But to the rest I say, not the Lord: If any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is content to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he is content to dwell with her, let her not put him away. What do you say? If he is an unbeliever, let her remain with the man; but if he is a fornicator, no longer? And yet unbelief is worse than fornication. Worse indeed; but God avenges what is ours rather than what is his own. “For leave,” he says, “your offering, and be reconciled to your brother.” And the ten thousand talents which were owing to himself he made light of; but the insolence toward the one owing the hundred denarii he avenged. So then here also, the unbelief, which is referred to himself, he overlooks; but the fornication he punishes, as a wrong done against the wife. But some say that unbelief comes about through ignorance, which is also likely to cease, as he himself says, For what do you know, O wife, whether you shall save your husband? But fornication comes about through an admitted wickedness. And besides, the fornicator has already gone before and parted himself off. “For having taken his members from the wife, he made them members of a harlot.” But the unbeliever has not sinned at all against the carnal union. Rather, indeed, through it perhaps he will be united even according to the faith; not to say that an overturning of life was likely to come about, and a calumny against the Gospel, if the believing part were to be separated from the one who had not believed. And understand these things of the case when they were joined together while both were in unbelief, but the one part believed. For if the man, or the woman, was a believer beforehand, it was by no means permitted to be yoked to an unbeliever. For he did not say, If anyone wishes to take an unbeliever, but, “If anyone has.” But neither does he simply settle the believing part to dwell with the unbeliever, but only when willing. For the “is content” means this, instead of, if it is willing.

¹⁶ For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife; and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the husband. That is, by the superabundance of the purity of the believing part, the uncleanness of the unbeliever is overcome; not that the Greek becomes holy—for he did not say that he is holy, but, “Is sanctified”—that is, is overcome by the holiness of the believer. And these things he says, that the believing wife may not fear, as though she were becoming unclean through the intercourse. But it is inquired: If he who is joined to a harlot, being one body, is unclean, it is clear that she also who is joined to an idolater is one body; how, then, does she not become unclean? Because in the case of fornication that very thing in which they have communion with one another, namely the intercourse, has the uncleanness, and on this account both are unclean. But in the case of the believing part and the unbelieving, the matter stands otherwise. For the unbeliever is indeed unclean according to his unbelief; but the wife has not communion with him according to this, but has communion according to the intercourse, in which no uncleanness appears; for it is marriage. On this account, then, the believing part is not unclean.

¹⁷ Else were your children unclean. For if the unbelieving part is not overcome by the purity of the believing, then the children born are unclean, or rather half-pure.

¹⁸ But now they are holy. That is, not unclean; for by the superabundance of the word “holy” he casts out the fear of such a suspicion.

¹⁹ But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart. That is, if he bids you either to share in his unbelief, or to withdraw from the marriage, let him withdraw. For it is better that the marriage be dissolved than godliness.

²⁰ A brother or a sister is not enslaved in such cases; but God has called us in peace. If he contends with you, he says, because you do not share in his unbelief, be put asunder. For you are not enslaved in such things—that is, he does not constrain you to bear with him even in such things. For it is better to be released than to contend; since God too does not will this. “For in peace God has called you.” So that, if he contends, that man has furnished the cause of the divorce.

²¹ For what do you know, O wife, whether you shall save your husband? Again, having run back to the “Let her not put away,” he says this: For if he does not contend with you, remain, he says, and perhaps by exhorting you will prevail. And he sets this down in a doubtful form, at once that he may not seem to lay a necessity upon the wife of by all means persuading the husband; and at the same time also making her in suspense by the ever hoping, so that she may not despair.

²² And what do you know, O husband, whether you shall save your wife? Only, as God has distributed to each, as the Lord has called each, so let him walk. Some read it thus: “What do you know, O husband, whether you shall save your wife, or not?”—then, from another beginning: “To each as God has distributed”—that is, Whence do you know, whether you shall save her or not? It is altogether uncertain. And since it is uncertain, the marriage must not be dissolved. For if you do not save him, you have not been harmed; but if you save him, you have profited him and been profited yourself. But John, who is among the saints, did not so read it, but, “Only, as God has distributed to each”; which is altogether better. For it is as though the Apostle said: The separation does not take place on account of the unbelief, “only as to each”—instead of, But let each so hold himself, as God has been well pleased with him. “Were you called having an unbelieving wife? Remain having her, and do not, on account of the unbelief, cast her out.”

²³ And so I ordain in all the Churches. This he said, that by their having others also as partakers, they might be disposed more readily toward obedience.

²⁴ Was any man called being circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. It was likely that many, being ashamed of the circumcision, by some surgical means brought the circumcised member back to its original state, drawing on the skin.

²⁵ Was any man called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised. Again, some, on account of the seeming repute of circumcision, after believing were getting circumcised. He says, then, that these things contribute nothing to the faith.

²⁶ Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. Everywhere this is sought: together with faith, the working of virtue; but the other things, either less, or not at all.

²⁷ Let each remain in the calling wherein he was called. Were you called being a slave? Let it not concern you; but even if you can become free, use it rather. “In the calling wherein he was called”—that is, In what manner of life, and in what order and polity he was when he believed, in this let him remain. For by “calling” he means the leading on to the faith. Didst you believe being a slave? Be not anxious, nor troubled. For slavery harms you so little that, rather, even if you can be set free, use it—that is, Serve, give thyself over for use.

²⁸ For he who was called in the Lord being a slave is the Lord’s freedman; likewise he who was called being free is Christ’s slave. A “freedman” is he who has been set free from slavery. He says, then, that, You who believed in slavery are Christ’s freedman; for he set you free both from sin, and from this outward slavery also, even if you are a slave. For whenever one has been rid of the passions, and has a noble soul, he is not a slave, even though he seem to be. Again, another, being free, was called to the faith; he is Christ’s slave. So that, if the name of slavery troubles the slave, let him consider that in Christ he has been set free, which is far greater than human freedom. And again, if the name of freedom lifts up the free man, let him consider that he is Christ’s slave, and let him draw himself in, as being under so great a Master, and owing it to please him. Do you see the wisdom, how to both parties he counsels the things that befit them?

²⁹ You were bought with a price; become not slaves of men. Each, brethren, in that wherein he was called, let him remain therein with God. This he says not to household servants only, but also to the free, counseling all Christians not to act for the pleasing of men, nor to yield to them when they enjoin unlawful things. For this is to be a slave of men, and that when one has been bought by God. For he does not, indeed, counsel this—that one should withdraw from his masters; far from it. For that he does not say this is plain from what he adds: “Each in that wherein he was called,” and the rest—that is, even if in slavery, in this let him remain; and the phrase “with God” he added, that we may not again withdraw from God on account of subjection to lawless masters. For he provides for both: that we neither withdraw from our bodily masters on the pretext of God; nor again revolt from God, yielding beyond what is fitting to our masters.

³⁰ Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord; but I give my judgment, as one who has obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful. Since by the words concerning chastity he had exercised us, he runs up to the greater thing, virginity, and says that, The Lord indeed did not legislate, nor command anything concerning it; but said, He who is able to receive it, let him receive it. Neither, then, do I dare to command; for the matter is great and perilous; but nevertheless I give my judgment—that is, counsel—inasmuch as I myself also was deemed worthy, through the mercy of God, to be faithful—that is, his own, and worthy to be entrusted with mystic things.

³¹ I think, then, that this is good on account of the present necessity, that it is good for a man to be so. As far as concerns my judgment, he says, it is best for a man to abstain from marriage, on account of the difficulties in it, and the troublesome things of marriage—not on account of any uncleanness.

³² Are you bound to a wife? Seek not to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Seek not a wife. But even if you marry, you have not sinned. In saying “Are you bound?” he showed that marriage brings an affliction, as a bond. And by “loosing” he means not the abstinence by agreement, but the unreasonable separation; since, if they practice continence by agreement, this is not a loosing. And since he had said, “Seek not a wife,” lest he should seem to legislate celibacy, he adds, “But if you marry, you have not sinned.” And see how secretly he leads on into virginity, calling marriage a bond, but virginity a loosing and a freedom.

³³ And if the virgin marry, she has not sinned. By “virgin” here he means not her who has been consecrated (for she alone, if she marries, brings in a setting-aside of her Bridegroom Christ), but the maiden as yet unmarried. She, then, if she marry, has not sinned; for marriage is not unclean.

³⁴ But such shall have affliction in the flesh. But I spare you. By “affliction” he means the cares and griefs in marriage. “But I,” he says, “spare you,” as children, and wish you to be free and without grief; since marriage is indeed a bond, and those under it have not authority over themselves, as has been said above.

³⁵ But this I say, brethren, that the time henceforth is shortened. Since he had said, “They shall have affliction in the flesh,” lest anyone should say, But also pleasure, he cuts away the things of pleasure, by bringing in the thought that the time is shortened. For all things press on toward dissolution, and the kingdom of Christ has drawn near, and henceforth we must journey away to him. So that, even if there is any pleasure, yet it is brief and short-lived; and this very thing is an affliction.

³⁶ That both those who have wives may be as though they had none; and those who weep, as though they wept not; and those who rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and those who buy, as though they possessed not; and those who use this world, as not abusing it. Since even those who have ought to be as though they had not, what need is there thereafter to be married at all, and to lay a burden upon oneself? And what is “as though they had not”? Instead of, not nailed fast to them, nor spending all their zeal upon marriage and wives. Likewise, neither concerning any of the other things—whether griefs, which he intimated by “weeping”; or delights, which he showed by “rejoicing”; or business dealings, which he indicated by “buying”—ought one to be exceedingly more zealous. And why, he says, do I enumerate this and that? Simply, those who use this world ought not to abuse it—that is, to attend to it with all zeal and with attachment to it. For “abuse” is the superfluous use, and more than is needful.

³⁷ For the fashion of this world passes away. Instead of, it passes by and is dissolved. Why, then, ought one to cling to that which is being dissolved? And he called it “fashion,” showing that the things of the present world are but on the surface of sight, and superficial, having nothing fixed and substantial.

³⁸ But I would have you without care. And how should we be without care? If we are unmarried. He adds, then:

³⁹ The unmarried man cares for the things of the Lord, how he shall please the Lord. But he who has married cares for the things of the world, how he shall please his wife. How is it, Paul, that wishing us to be without care, and on this account keeping us unmarried, you again say, “The unmarried man cares for the things of the Lord”? For behold, here again are cares. But of what kind, he says, are they? Such as the cares of marriage? For the cares of the Lord are saving and delightful; but those of marriage are harmful and grievous. For how is it not an affliction and a trouble to be eager to please a wife, and that a worldly one, demanding gold and pearls, and the rest of her folly? Hence the pitiable husbands are pushed even into injustice and into soul-harming managements of affairs.

⁴⁰ The wife and the virgin are divided. That is, they differ from one another, and have not the same concern, but are divided in their zeals; and the one is zealous about some things, the other about others; and their cares differ; and one must choose the better things and the less laborious.

⁴¹ The unmarried woman cares for the things of the Lord, how she shall please the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit; but she who has married cares for the things of the world, how she shall please her husband. It does not suffice to be holy in body, but one must be so also in spirit. For this is the true virginity, the purity of the soul; since many, being chaste and undefiled in body, are stained in soul. But consider this also, that she who cares for the things of the world is not a virgin. Whenever, then, you see a woman professing virginity, but caring for the things of the world, know that she is in no way different from her who is in marriage. For Paul has set down boundaries for both, by which they are distinguished—not marriage and continence, but busyness and freedom from business. So that the busy woman is no virgin. And she who has married cares how she shall please her husband; perhaps attending to beauty; perhaps also, in order to seem a good housekeeper, showing herself merciless and miserly.

⁴² But this I say for your own profit, not that I may cast a noose upon you. I have raised, he says, the words concerning virginity, knowing the thing to be profitable for you, on account of its being free from grief and care, and more beneficial to the soul; not that I may compel you, even against your will, to be virgins; for by “noose” he named compulsion.

⁴³ But for that which is seemly, and for waiting upon the Lord without distraction. That, he says, you may live in a seemly manner and in purity (for what is more seemly and more pure than virginity?), and that, being free from the troubles of marriage, you may serve the Lord without distraction and wait upon him, transferring your whole care upon him.

⁴⁴ But if any man thinks that he behaves unseemly toward his virgin, if she be past the flower of her age, and so it ought to be, let him do what he will, he sins not; let them marry. If anyone, he says, being truly weak in mind, thinks it unseemly to have a virgin daughter, and her past the flower of her age, let it be so, he says, even thus. How? “Let him do what he will”—that is, if he wishes to give her to a man, let him give her; for he sins not. Nevertheless it is better to keep her a virgin, as he says next.

⁴⁵ But he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but has authority over his own will, and has so decreed in his heart, to keep his own virgin, does well. So then he who gives in marriage does well; but he who gives not in marriage does better. See how, from the very outset, he marvels at him who keeps her a virgin, calling him steadfast and firmly fixed, and one doing in judgment the things he does. “For he has decreed,” he says, “in his heart.” So that he who gives in marriage does not stand steadfast. And the phrase “having no necessity” shows this, that he has authority to give her a husband, and there is no one compelling him not to give her. So that it is a point of honor for him to keep his daughter a virgin, and on this account he is praised. “He does well,” he says. And yet he who gives in marriage, that man also does well. For to give in marriage is not a sin; and what is not a sin is well done. But better is it not to give in marriage; for it is an achievement of virtue.

⁴⁶ The wife is bound by law for as long a time as her husband lives; but if her husband fall asleep, she is free to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord. But she is more blessed if she so remain, according to my judgment. And I think that I also have the Spirit of God. Here he teaches concerning second marriage, conceding this also; nevertheless setting her who does not marry twice as the more blessed. For as virginity is better than the first marriage, so also the first marriage is better than the second. The wife, then, is bound by law—that is, is held by the law that deals with adulteries, so that she would become an adulteress if she were yoked to another while her husband lived; but when he has died, she has been set free from the first bond and law, and is loosed. “Only in the Lord”—that is, with chastity, with decorum, for the begetting of children and for their protection, not with a passion of desire. And the phrase “according to my judgment” he says, that you may not deem the matter a necessity, but a counsel, and a divine counsel. “For I think,” he says, “that I also have the Spirit of God.” And this is a mark of great humility. For he did not say, I have, but, “I think I have”—that is, I suppose, I surmise.

8 Theophylact of Ohrid, Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians — Chapter Eight

¹ Chapter Eight. Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. There were among the Corinthians certain perfect ones, who knew that the things which enter do not defile a man, and that the idols are wood and stones and cannot harm; and so without scruple they entered into the idol-temples, and gorged themselves on the things sacrificed to idols. Seeing these, others more imperfect went in also, after them, into the idol-temples, and ate things sacrificed to idols—not with the same mind, but as though the idols were honorable and received sacrifices. This moved Paul to zeal, inasmuch as it harmed both: the perfect, as enjoying demonic tables; and the imperfect, as being thrust toward idolatry. He hastens, then, to correct this; and he addresses his words to the perfect, leaving aside the more imperfect, as is his custom. And first he abates their conceit over knowledge, and says that Not you alone have this, but we all know that there is no idol in the world; only, knowledge not merely profits nothing, but rather even harms, puffing up and swelling the one who has it, and on this account cutting him off from his neighbor member, unless he have love also with him—which love, on the contrary, is able to build up. For whatever knowledge without love pulls down, these things love raises up and builds, doing all things for the neighbor.

² But if anyone thinks he knows something, he has not yet known anything as he ought to know. He says the greater thing here: that even if knowledge be joined with love, not even so is it perfect; for no one knows anything as he ought to know it, even were he Peter, even were he Paul. So why do you exalt yourselves, you who have knowledge without love, when, even had you had it with love, not even so would you know anything perfectly?

³ But if anyone loves God, this one is known by him. What he says is this: If anyone loves his neighbor, he assuredly loves God also. And loving God, he did not say that he knew God, but, “He is known by God”—that is, he is rendered known to him and his own. And having become known to God, he receives knowledge from him, and not even this does he have complete. So that even if you have knowledge, do not be exalted; for neither is it perfect, nor is it your own achievement, but it is a gift of God. See, then, through how many things he abates their conceit.

⁴ Concerning the eating, then, of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no idol in the world, and that there is no other God but one. Again he makes the knowledge common, abating them. For we all, he says, know that there is no idol in the world. Are there, then, no idols? are there no carved images? There are indeed, but it is nothing—that is, it has no power; nor are they gods, but stones and demons. For since among the Greeks there were both the unlearned and the wise—and the unlearned knew nothing more than the stones, while the philosophers supposed divine powers to dwell in them, which they also called gods—to the unlearned he said, “There is no idol in the world”; and to the philosophers, that “There is no other God but one.” So that not even divine powers dwell in the idols; for God is one, and not many.

⁵ For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods, and many lords), yet for us there is one God the Father, from whom are all things, and we unto him. Since he had said, “There is no other God,” and many gods were spoken of among the Greeks—lest he should seem to contend with what is manifest—he says that “Even if there are so-called gods,” that is, not being gods in truth, but in word; “whether in heaven,” as the sun and moon and the rest of the stars, which the Greeks deified; “whether on earth,” as those deified by them from among men; “yet for us there is one God the Father, from whom are all things”—which declares him to be the Creator. And the phrase, “And we unto him,” declares the principle of our faith and of our being made his own; as if he had said: And we have been turned toward him, and upon him we are made to depend.

⁶ And one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him. Through the Son all things were brought into being, and we too were brought through him into being, and into well-being—that is, to become believers, and to pass over from error to the truth. And hearing, “One God the Father,” and, “One Lord Jesus Christ,” do not suppose that “God” is allotted to the Father alone, and “Lord” to the Son. For indistinguishably the Son too is God; as in, Of whom is Christ according to the flesh, who is God over all; and again, the Father is Lord, as in, The Lord said to my Lord. But since his discourse was to Greeks, who professed a multitude of gods and a multitude of lords, on this account he neither called the Son God, lest they should suppose two gods, being accustomed to polytheism; nor the Father Lord, lest they should suppose that among us too there are many lords. And for this same cause he made no mention here of the Spirit, sparing the weakness of his hearers; just as the prophets too do not clearly make mention of the Son, on account of the Jews, lest they should suppose the begetting to be subject to passion; wherefore he continually sets down “One,” saying that “There is no God but one”; and, “One God”; and, “One Lord.” And so it was by way of contrast with the falsely-named gods, and not with the Son, that he called the Father one God; and by way of contrast with the falsely-named lords, but not with the Father, that he called the Son one Lord.

⁷ But not in all is there knowledge. Not all, he says, know that there is one God, and not many, or that the idols are nothing.

⁸ But some, with conscience of the idol until now, eat it as a thing sacrificed to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. “Some,” he said, indefinitely, not wishing to expose them publicly. For there were many who had come to the faith from idolatry, who until now—that is, even after believing—eat the things sacrificed to idols, as things sacrificed to idols. For “with conscience,” he says, “of the idol”—that is, having the same mind concerning the idols, and supposing them to be something, and dreading them as able to harm. Wherefore he did not say that they defile those things, but, “Their conscience is defiled,” as being weak and unable to perceive that they are nothing; since those things in themselves cannot defile anyone. Understand, then, that those people suffer something like this: as if someone, after the Jewish custom, supposing the touching of a corpse to be a defilement, then seeing others touch with a clean conscience, should touch it himself also, out of shame before these, but be defiled in conscience, as being in doubt.

⁹ But food does not commend us to God. Lest they should say, I eat with a clean conscience, and I care not if anyone through weakness is scandalized—he shows that even the eating itself, wholly out of contempt for the idols, is nothing. For even if the brother were not harmed, not even so would you be doing anything praiseworthy and pleasing to God. For food does not make us God’s own.

¹⁰ For neither if we eat do we abound, nor if we eat not are we in want. That is, Neither if we eat do we have anything more, and stand in good repute with God; nor if we eat not are we in want and diminished.

¹¹ But take heed lest this liberty of yours become a stumbling-block to the weak among the brethren. Through this he strikes fear into them. And he did not say, Your knowledge, but, “Your liberty.” That is, lest your rashness and arrogance become a stumbling-block to the weak; which is a greater accusation of them, that they do not even spare the weak, to whom they ought rather to have stretched out a hand.

¹² For if anyone see you who have knowledge reclining at table in an idol-temple, will not his conscience, since he is weak, be built up to eat the things sacrificed to idols? That is, If a weak person see you—the one who, as you say, are perfect—tasting the things sacrificed to idols, will he not take all the greater occasion himself also to eat the things sacrificed to idols, and be the more confirmed (for this is the meaning of “be built up”) in supposing the idols to be something? For being ignorant of the reasoning with which you do this, he will assuredly reckon it an encouragement.

¹³ And the weak brother, for whom Christ died, will perish through your knowledge. And your perfection will become an occasion of destruction to another—and that, to one who is weak; and that, to one for whom Christ died. And Christ did not even decline to die for him; but you will not even abstain from foods, that he be not scandalized? And Chrysostom reads, “Through your knowledge.”

¹⁴ And thus sinning against the brethren, and striking their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. He did not say, Scandalizing, but, “Striking”; so as to display the cruelty, when they strike even the weak conscience. And he carried the sin up to the very summit of transgression, saying, “You sin against Christ.” But how is the sin referred to Christ? In many ways: both because he makes his servants’ affairs his own, and because those who are struck are his body and members, and because the things which he built up by his own slaying—that is, salvation—these they pull down.

¹⁵ Wherefore if food scandalizes my brother, I will eat no flesh forever, lest I scandalize my brother. As an excellent teacher, he establishes through himself the things he says. And he did not say, If it scandalize justly, but, In any way whatsoever. And he did not say, I will not eat a thing sacrificed to an idol, but, “Flesh” simply, even though it be permitted; and not for one or two days, but for all the time of my life; for this is what “forever” declares. And he did not say, Lest I destroy, but, “Lest” simply “I scandalize.”

9 Theophylact of Ohrid, Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians — Chapter Nine

¹ Chapter Nine. Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Since he had said, “If food scandalizes my brother, I will eat no flesh,” lest anyone should suppose him to be boasting and vaunting himself, he is constrained henceforth to show how he abstained even from things permitted, for the sake of not scandalizing any. For though Christ himself had enjoined that the one who preaches the Gospel should eat of the Gospel—that is, of those who are taught—I chose rather to be destroyed by hunger, and to take nothing from you, but laboring with my own hands, working and providing for myself. For there were among them too, as it seems, certain wealthy teachers, who made it a point of honor to teach without charge, and thereby contrived to put Paul to shame. Which he himself perceiving, abstained, as I said, from being fed by the disciples, although permitted this. I indeed, he says, am thus; but you do not even abstain from things sacrificed to idols. The whole sense of the passage, then, is this, which he works out through many lines; but now let us look also at each word. “Am I not an apostle?” Lest anyone should say to him, It is not lawful for you, and on this account you do not take—he says, How so? Do not the other apostles take? Yes, he says. What then? “Am I not an apostle?” That is, as those are. “Am I not free?” That is, Have I anyone who hinders me from taking? And again, lest they should say that the other apostles have something more, in that they saw the Lord—he says, “Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?”

² Are you not my work in the Lord? If you are free and an apostle, but have shown no work of an apostle, what of it? For Judas too was an apostle, and saw the Lord. On this account, then, he says, “My work you are.” So that I fulfilled an apostolic ministry. And since he had said a great thing, he added, “In the Lord”—that is, Not in my own power, but in the Lord’s.

³ If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least to you I am. I do not say that I am teacher of the whole inhabited world, but, Am I not your teacher? How then did I not take from you, from whom most of all I ought to have taken? And he sets down the saying by way of concession.

⁴ For the seal of my apostleship are you in the Lord. That is, the proof. And if anyone wishes to learn whether I am an apostle, I point to you; and you are those who seal and confirm my apostleship. For all the works that are an apostle’s, I displayed among you.

⁵ My defense to those who examine me is this. To those who seek to learn whence it is manifest that I am an apostle, this defense I put forward—that is, You. For by showing you all to have been taught by me, I beat back those who examine me.

⁶ Have we not authority to eat and to drink? That is, having received from the disciples. And indeed we have authority, but we do not use it.

⁷ Have we not authority to lead about a sister, a wife, as also the rest of the apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? The well-to-do women followed the apostles, supplying them with the necessaries, and procuring for them all freedom from care in these things, so that they might be occupied with the preaching alone. And observe that he has placed the chief one last, as the greater, hinting at this: And why, he says, do I speak of the others? Peter himself does this. And by brethren of the Lord he means James, the bishop of Jerusalem, and Joses, and Simon, and Jude; who were named brethren of the Lord, on account of Joseph’s betrothal to the Theotokos.

⁸ Or do I alone and Barnabas not have authority to refrain from working? That is, Have we not authority to live idly, and to be fed by those who are taught, working nothing? And he did not conceal Barnabas, who shared with him the strictness in this matter; for he too lived by working.

⁹ Who ever serves as a soldier at his own expense? That is, at his own rations. For all who serve as soldiers are fed from the public treasury. And well did he set the example of the soldier first. For this is fitting to the apostleship, on account of the dangers in it, and the war against the spiritual enemies.

¹⁰ Who plants a vineyard, and does not eat of its fruit? Through this example he indicated the labor, and the great hardship, and the diligence. And he did not say, He eats the whole fruit, but, “Of the fruit.” Nor did he say, Who does not drink of the fruit? but, “Does not eat”; everywhere exhorting to seek the needful, not the superfluous.

¹¹ Who tends a flock, and does not eat of the milk of the flock? He did not say that He sells the sheep, or, He eats them, or, All the milk, but, “Of the milk”; showing us that the teacher ought to be content with a small solace, and with the necessary nourishment. And the great solicitude which the teacher ought to have, he declared through the “tending.”

¹² Do I say these things according to man? Or does not the law also say these things? That is, Do I establish these things from human examples only, and have I not also testimony from the Scripture? I am able to show that these things seem good to God also, and that the law—which is not human, but divine—declares these things.

¹³ For in the law of Moses it is written: You shall not muzzle an ox while it threshes. Out of abundance he establishes what he wishes; on this account he brings in also the example of the oxen.

¹⁴ Is it for the oxen that God cares? What then? Does he not care? Yes, assuredly; but not so as even to lay down laws concerning them. So that he was hinting at something else through his benevolence toward the irrational creatures, training the Jews in zeal toward their teachers. And from this we learn that whatever is said about irrational creatures in the Old Testament contributes to the teaching of men.

¹⁵ Or does he say it altogether for our sake? For it was written for our sake. The word “altogether” he set down as of a thing agreed upon, that he might not allow the hearer to gainsay in anything whatsoever.

¹⁶ That the plowman ought to plow in hope; That is, the teacher ought to plow and labor in hope of recompense and reward.

¹⁷ And he that threshes, to partake of his hope, in hope. From the sowing he passed to the threshing-floor, and thence shows the many sweats of the apostles; that they both plow and watch over the threshing-floor. And since the plowman only hopes, while the thresher already enjoys something, on this account he said that “He that threshes partakes of his hope.” Lest, then, anyone should say: What then? of so many sweats do you give the apostles this recompense alone, merely to be fed?—he added, “In hope”; that is, of the good things to come. So that one ought both to hope for those things, and also to be fed.

¹⁸ If we sowed to you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? Here he shows the justice of the matter. For you do not give, he says, things like to those which you received. For we sowed to you spiritual things, but you give back to us carnal things in return. Is this, then, a great thing?

¹⁹ If others partake of authority over you, not much more we? He hints at certain false teachers, who took from them shamelessly and brazenly. Wherefore he did not even say, If others take, but, “If they partake of authority over you”—that is, They hold sway over you, they exercise authority, they treat you as servants; not much more we, who are the true teachers?

²⁰ But we did not use this authority. And yet, he says, though having authority to be fed by you, we did not use this authority, that you might not be scandalized; and do you not even abstain from things sacrificed to idols, for the sake of not scandalizing the weaker among the brethren?

²¹ But we bear all things, lest we should give any hindrance to the Gospel of Christ. Lest anyone should say, Since you had no need, on this account you did not take—he says, Being in great straits, nevertheless we bear all things, both hunger and thirst and nakedness, lest any hindrance should arise—that is, even the small and chance delay—to the Gospel and the preaching.

²² Do you not know that those who work at the sacred things eat of the temple? Not content with the first arguments, he brings others also from the law, showing that it was permitted him to take from the disciples. For since the things concerning the oxen were taken by him allegorically, he says that Expressly the law declares that those who work at the sacred things should eat of the temple—that is, the Levites, who are inferior to the priests in rank. And he did not say, They eat of those who offer, but, “Of the temple”; that neither those who take might be ashamed, as being fed by men, nor those who give might be exalted.

²³ Those who attend at the altar share with the altar. That is, the priests and the high priests. And he indicates their continual servitude and perseverance through the “attending.” And he did not say that they take the sacred things, showing the moderation, and that one ought not to gather money. Nor did he say that they take from those who sacrifice, but, “They share with the altar.” For the things offered were no longer the offerers’, but the temple’s and the altar’s. And he said, “They share,” since of the things sacrificed the blood was poured out at the altar, and the fat was burnt as incense; but certain portions of the flesh the priest took—such as the breast and the right shoulder and the maw; the whole burnt-offerings, however, belonged to the altar alone.

²⁴ So also the Lord ordained that those who proclaim the Gospel should live of the Gospel. The strongest of all he set down last. For why, he says, do I say this and that? The Lord so ordained, legislating in accordance with the Old Testament. And just as above he said, “To eat of the temple,” so also here, not, “Of those who are taught,” but, “Of the Gospel,” that those who feed them might not be exalted. For it is not you, he says, who feed him, but his work, the Gospel. And he said, “Live,” not, “Make merchandise,” nor, “Lay up treasure.”

²⁵ But I have used none of these things. That is, Neither any of the examples which I mentioned, nor those of the Old Testament, nor the injunction of Christ, have I used toward being fed by you.

²⁶ But I did not write these things, that it should be so done in my case. Lest anyone should say to him: What then? if you did not use it now, but wish to use it for the future, and on this account say these things?—he quickly sets it right, that “I did not write, that it should be so done”—that is, that I might take.

²⁷ For it were better for me to die, than that anyone should make my boasting void. I choose, he says, rather to be destroyed by hunger, than that anyone should make void—that is, prove vain and empty—my boasting. And he said “boasting,” that he might show the excess of his joy. For perhaps someone said, Truly he did not take, but he did this groaning and in pain. So far, then, he says, am I from being grieved, that I even boast.

²⁸ For if I preach the Gospel, it is no boasting to me; for necessity is laid upon me. But woe is me, if I preach not the Gospel. What do you say? Is the preaching of the Gospel no boasting to you, but the preaching without charge? Is this, then, greater than that? Away with the thought, he says; but the preaching of the Gospel is an injunction and a debt, and if I fulfill it, it is no achievement. For woe is me if I fulfill it not; for I shall be beaten with many stripes, as not doing the injunction of the Master. But to preach without charge is the generosity of free choice; and on this account it is a boasting. And the words, “Necessity is laid upon me,” are said not toward the abolition of free will, but by way of contrast with the liberty that lies in taking, and on account of the fear of the punishment for not doing it.

²⁹ For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if unwillingly, I am entrusted with a stewardship. If, then, the preaching had not been put into my hands, he says, and I did this of myself, I have a great and abundant reward; but if it was put into my hands, it is plain that I do this not of myself, but fulfill a Master’s commandment. For this is the meaning of “unwillingly.” And on this account the matter is no generosity; for being entrusted with a stewardship, I administer it. But observe that he did not say, But if unwillingly, I have no reward; showing that he has indeed a reward even for preaching, although he fulfills a Master’s injunction. For it would be absurd if all the apostles should not receive a reward for the things they preached; only it is not such as his who preached without charge.

³⁰ What then is the reward? [That, in preaching the Gospel, I may make the Gospel of Christ free of charge, so as not to abuse my authority in the Gospel.] That is, the greater reward, and one worthy of boasting: that I may not abuse my authority—that is, use it at all; for the simple use he named abuse. And everywhere he calls the matter “authority,” showing that not even those who take did anything amiss. And he said, “In the Gospel,” that he might show that he who preaches and labors ought to take; but he who is idle, no.

³¹ For being free from all, I enslaved myself to all, that I might gain the more. He says the greater thing: that Not only did I not take, though having authority; but also, being free, and subject to no one, nor having necessity, I enslaved myself to all—not to one or two, but to the inhabited world; not that I might please them as men, but that I might gain the more; for all, it is impossible.

³² And I became to the Jews as a Jew, that I might gain Jews. When he circumcised Timothy. And he did not say, A Jew, but, “As a Jew,” that he might show that the matter was a stewardship.

³³ To those under the law, as under the law, that I might gain those under the law. He means the proselytes, or those who had become believers from among the Jews, but still clung to the law. And these things came to pass when he shaved his head, when he offered the things of purification. And he did these things by way of stewardship, and for show, that he might set right those who truly did them.

³⁴ To those without law, as without law. By those without law he means those who do not have the law of Moses, those from among the nations, such as Cornelius was; to whom also, in visiting them, he condescended to their weakness. Or also the Greeks, as when he disputed with the Athenians, conversing with them from the altar among them, and teaching not as concerning God, [namely] Christ, but as concerning a man. For they could not bear to hear any such thing; but they accounted this one also as one of those deified among them, such as Heracles, such as Asclepius. And everywhere the “as” is added, that you may learn that he displayed these things, not being so in truth.

³⁵ (Being not without law toward God, but under law to Christ), that I might gain those without law. Lest you should suppose that he changed his mind, conversing with those without law, he says, “Being not without law toward God”—instead of, being not outside the laws of God, but under law; and not simply under law, but “to Christ”—that is, having a law higher than the older law, the law of Christ. And what is the gain? “That I might gain those without law.”

³⁶ I became to the weak as weak, that I might gain the weak. As now to you, on account of your weak and easily-scandalized mind, in not having wished to be fed by you. But also, when you see him speaking plainly either of the Godhead of the Son or of that of the Spirit, on account of the weakness of the hearers, then too know that he became to the weak as weak.

³⁷ To all I became all things, that I might by all means save some. And why do I enumerate many things? To all I condescended; and that, not expecting to save all, but that I might save even a few; which is the more wonderful. For to labor in hope of a great harvest is not so wonderful; but to toil so greatly for the sake even of a small one—this is great. And the “by all means” he added, consoling those who teach. For even if one save not all, he will by all means save a few. So that he ought not to grow deadened.

³⁸ And this I do for the Gospel’s sake, that I may become a fellow-partaker of it. By “Gospel” he means the believers, those saved through the Gospel; just as above he said, “To live of the Gospel,” instead of, of those who believe. That, then, I may be able, he says, to share the crowns with the believers, on this account I do these things; not because he himself did these things for reward, but that he might persuade those others to do all things for the brethren’s sake, in hope of the good things above. And observe the humility, how he who is worthy of the chief place ranks himself with the simple believers in the fellowship of the good things.

³⁹ Do you not know that those who run in the stadium all run indeed, but one receives the prize? After showing that one ought to condescend to the brethren, he addresses to them the more startling word. And what he says is this: Do not suppose that, because you believed and entered into the stadium of the Church, this already suffices you for salvation; just as neither for those runners does the running simply suffice, unless there be added also the running blamelessly, and to the very end. Wherefore also he alone receives the prize who has so run; which you are in danger of not receiving, despising the brethren on the pretext, forsooth, of the perfection of your knowledge, and gorging yourselves on the things sacrificed to idols.

⁴⁰ So run, that you may obtain. And everyone who strives is temperate in all things. You ought, he says, to run, “that you may obtain.” But this comes not to pass without love, which you do not have, even if you suppose yourselves perfect; which is not so; for you have not yet obtained. And hinting that they fall short in many things, inasmuch as gluttony has its citizenship in them, and fornication, and drunkenness, he says that “He who strives is temperate in all things”—not abstaining from this and not from that, but from all. Know, then, how much you are lacking, and learn the manner by which you shall be crowned, namely, by being temperate.

⁴¹ Those, then, that they may receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. This word is shaming: if indeed those for the sake of a corruptible crown are temperate, but we do not do this for the sake of the incorruptible.

⁴² I therefore so run, as not uncertainly. What is “not uncertainly”? That is, I do all things with a purpose, both circumcising and shaving, and nothing at random and in vain, as you do. For what is the purpose of eating the things sacrificed to idols, while others are perishing? None at all. So that, doing this irrationally, you run uncertainly and aimlessly, and in vain. And as an excellent teacher, he sets himself in the midst as an example.

⁴³ So I box, as not beating the air. For I have one whom I may strike—that is, the devil; but you do not strike him, but in vain have used the perfection of your knowledge.

⁴⁴ But I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage. Here he shows them to be held also by gluttony, and to be pampering it under the pretext of perfection. I, therefore, he says, endure every labor, so as to live temperately. For “I buffet”—that is, I box against the body; for the wounds beneath the eyes are called “buffetings,”[4] which came to be in boxing. He shows, then, the great contest against nature. For the body is a very great tyranny, and a great adversary. And since he said, “I buffet,” and made mention of wounds, he added concisely, “And I bring it into bondage”; that you may learn that one ought not to throttle it, but, like a refractory servant, to restrain and subdue it; which belongs to a master, and not to an enemy. But some understand “I buffet” to be said in a more idiomatic manner, instead of, I deliver it over to hunger. Which is not so; for it ought to have been “I buffet.”

⁴⁵ Lest, having preached to others, I myself should become disapproved. And through this also he makes them more sober. For if to me, he says, the preaching and teaching do not suffice for salvation, unless I render myself in all things beyond reproach—how shall you be saved from faith alone, being worsted by so many passions?

10 Theophylact of Ohrid, Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians — Chapter Ten

¹ Chapter Ten. But I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea. He recounts of how many gifts the Jews were deemed worthy from God; and he shows that, after these gifts, the many did not please God. And he says these things, showing that, just as it did not profit those to have enjoyed so much, since they did not furnish the things that were of themselves, so neither will faith profit you, and the being deemed worthy of spiritual mysteries, unless you also render yourselves worthy of the grace of God. “All,” he says, “were under the cloud.” For he spread out a cloud for a covering over them, “and they passed through the sea.”

² And all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. That is, they shared with Moses both the shade under the cloud, and the passage of the sea. For seeing him first cross over, they too made bold for the waters; just as in our case also, Christ having first died and risen, we too are baptized, imitating the death through the immersion, and the resurrection through the emersion. “They were baptized into Moses,” then, instead of, they had him as the originator of the type of baptism; for it was a type of baptism, both the being under the cloud, and the passing through the sea.

³ And all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. Just as we, after being baptized, eat the Master’s body, so those ate the manna after the sea. And just as we drink the Master’s blood, so those drank the water that gushed from the precipitous rock. And he calls these things spiritual, since, even though they were perceptible, yet they came to be not by a sequence of nature, but by spiritual grace, nourishing the souls along with the body, and leading on to faith.

⁴ For they drank of the spiritual rock that followed; and the rock was Christ. Concerning the food, then, he needed no elaboration; for of itself it was something altered. But concerning the drink, since only the manner of the supply was altered, he needed elaboration. And he says that It was not the nature of the rock that supplied this (for it would have gushed forth even before this), but some other spiritual rock wrought the whole—that is, Christ. And he said, “Following,” that he might show that he was the one present to them everywhere, and working all wonders.

⁵ But with the most of them God was not well pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness. Even though God displayed many tokens of love toward them, and deemed them worthy of so many good things; nevertheless he was not, he says, well pleased with the most of them; for this is the meaning of “was well pleased.” For not all were rejected, but the most. And by saying, “With the most,” he shows that even their multitude profited them nothing, because they did not display the things of love toward their benefactor. And by, “They were laid low,” he indicates their sudden destruction, and the God-sent punishments.

⁶ Now these things became types of us, to the end that we should not be lusters after evil things, as those also lusted. Just as the benefactions were types, so also the punishments. And he shows not only that they shall be punished, but also that they shall be punished more greatly than those, by as much as those things were a type, but these the reality. And just as in the gifts there is the preeminence, so also in the punishments. And having said, “Lusters after evil things,” he speaks universally concerning all wickedness, since all wickedness too is from lust. Then he sets down the wickednesses also according to kind. And what did those lust after? Garlic, flesh, gods of their own, as he himself through what follows declares their idolatry.

⁷ Neither be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. First he takes hold of those who eat in the idol-temples, and shows that, just as those fell from gluttony into idolatry (for setting up dances around the calf, they played before it), so for you too there is danger of falling into this, from eating the things sacrificed to idols through gluttony. So that, where is your seeming perfection, when you are thrust out into idolatry?

⁸ Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed fornication, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Again he makes mention of fornication, by the continuousness of the reproof making his word more effectual. And this sin too comes from gluttony. And when did three and twenty thousand fall? When, by the counsel of Balaam, the Midianite women, appearing at the battle-line, drew on the younger men, and through fornication called them forth to sacrifice to Baal-Peor, and the people fell in the battle-line.

⁹ Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by the serpents. He intimates that the Corinthians were tempting, demanding signs.

¹⁰ Neither murmur, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed by the destroyer. That is, by some avenging power. And he hints at them through this also, that in their trials they did not bear nobly, but murmured, saying: When will the good things come? and until when the afflictions?

¹¹ Now all these things happened to them as types; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. He frightens them both by saying that “They were written for our admonition,” and we ought henceforth, we too, to expect punishments, and more dreadful ones, by as much as we have enjoyed greater gifts; and by setting before them the end, and showing that the punishments are not temporary, but the immortal ones after the consummation will receive you. For already that tribunal is at the doors, since the ages of the world are coming to an end.

¹² Wherefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. Again he hints at those who think great things over their knowledge. For even if you think you stand, take heed, he says, lest you fall; for the very being confident that you stand is not even to stand. For you think it, you do not truly stand; and even if you do, the fall from presumption is easy.

¹³ No temptation has taken you but such as is human; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. Since he had frightened them, saying, “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall”—and there were many who had already endured temptations—lest they should say: Why do you frighten us? for having endured many temptations we have not fallen—he says that No temptation has taken you, but a small and proportionate one; for everywhere he calls the small thing “human.” Then he consoles them again, persuading them to look to God, who is faithful—that is, true, and will not deceive. For he promised: Come, you that labor, and I will give you rest. “He will not, then, allow you to be tempted above what you are able”—not simply, but he will make the temptation come proportionate to your power; or rather, every temptation is greater than your power, unless he help. “And he will make the way of escape”—that is, the release from the temptation—“with the temptation”—that is, swiftly; so that even at the same time as the temptation comes upon you. So that, through the swift release also, this becomes bearable to you. “For he will make the way of escape,” he says, for the sake of “your being able to bear it”—that is, that the temptation may appear to you light and endurable.

¹⁴ Wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. Since he had sufficiently taken hold of them, he now heals them, calling them brethren; and no longer, on account of the harm to the brethren, does he forbid them the things sacrificed to idols, but he assails the matter itself in itself, naming it idolatry, and demanding the swift withdrawal from it. For “Flee,” he says.

¹⁵ I speak as to wise men; judge you what I say. Since he had attached a great charge to them, naming what they did idolatry, he smooths the harshness of the word, and makes the very accused the judges (it belongs to one confident in his own words, as true); and he says: I need no other judges; you, as wise, judge.

¹⁶ The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a communion of the blood of Christ? That is, of the Eucharist. For holding it in our hands we bless and give thanks to him who poured out his blood for us, and deemed us worthy of unspeakable good things. And he did not say, Participation, but, “Communion,” that he might declare something more, namely the utmost union. What he says is this: that This which is in the cup is that which flowed from the side; and partaking of it, we have communion—that is, we are united to Christ. Are you not ashamed, then, O Corinthians, running to the cup of the idols, after this cup which delivered you from that cup of the idols?

¹⁷ The bread which we break, is it not a communion of the body of Christ? That which on the cross the Lord did not suffer (for not a bone of his was broken), this he now undergoes, being broken in pieces for our sake. For “Which we break,” he says, “is a communion of the body of Christ”—instead of, Just as that body is united to Christ, so we too are united to him through this bread.

¹⁸ Because there is one bread, we the many are one body. Since he had said, “A communion of the body”—and that which has communion is other than that of which it has communion—he now shows the greater thing, and says that we are that very body. For what is the bread? The body of Christ. And what do those who partake become? The body of Christ; not many bodies, but one body. For just as the bread becomes one from many grains, so we too, being many, become one body of Christ.

¹⁹ For we all partake of the one bread. So that we are also one body. How, then, do we not keep love, and become also in this respect one? And yet God, he says, gives us his body for this reason, that he may unite us, both to himself and to one another. For since the former nature of the flesh was corrupted by sin, and became destitute of life, he gave us his own flesh, sinless and life-giving, but like to ours, that, partaking of it, we might be mingled with it, and might live sinlessly, as far as is possible.

²⁰ Behold Israel according to the flesh: are not those who eat the sacrifices partakers of the altar? From the grosser things, he says, be instructed, that what is done by you is a communion of idols. And “Israel according to the flesh” he said, as against them who are Israel according to the Spirit. And observe how, in the case of the Jews, he did not say that they have communion with God, but, “They are partakers of the altar.” For indeed that which was set apart for God, being placed upon the altar, was burnt up; but in the case of the body of Christ, it is not so, but it is a communion of the body of Christ. For we become partakers not of the altar, but of Christ himself. Fearing, then, lest the hearers should suppose that, since the God who there received the sacrifice was able to harm, therefore the idols also which here receive the sacrifice are able to harm those who do not sacrifice, he added:

²¹ What then do I say? That an idol is anything? Or that a thing sacrificed to an idol is anything? Not as though the idols had any power, and were able to harm or to profit, do I lead you away from these things; for they are not at all; but I lead you away because the thing sacrificed is not offered to your Master.

²² But that the things which the nations sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God. Do not, then, run to the enemies of your Master; for indeed, if leaving a royal table you ran to that of the condemned, you would assuredly be sinning—not because that table harmed or profited, but because this seemed an insult to the royal table.

²³ But I would not that you should become partakers of demons. For if those who partake of the mystic table have communion with Christ, those who partake of the table of demons plainly have communion with demons.

²⁴ You cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons. Since he had said by way of exhortation, “I would not that you should become partakers of demons”—lest the exhortation should be despised, he now sets it down by way of declaration, saying, “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons.”

²⁵ You cannot partake of the table of the Lord, and of the table of demons. From the names alone he establishes the necessity of abstaining from the things sacrificed to idols.

²⁶ Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? This he set down by way of shaming. Or do we tempt, he says, and provoke God to anger, as if to ask whether he is able to punish us when we depart to his enemies? Then, leading the argument to an absurdity, he says: “Are we stronger than he?”—reminding them very strikingly of the Mosaic saying: They provoked me to jealousy with that which is no God, they provoked me to anger with their idols.

²⁷ All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. Lest anyone should say to him, Eating with a clean conscience I have authority to do this—Yes, he says, all things are indeed lawful for you, since you yourself have become self-determining from God; but it is not by all means profitable for you to eat; for advancing along the road, you will acquire a disposition toward the idols, by continually having communion with their tables.

²⁸ All things are lawful for me, but not all things build up. Neither is it profitable for you, he says, even as I said before; nor for your brother; for it does not build him up, but rather pulls down and undermines his faith. So that, since it profits neither you nor your brother, why do you do this?

²⁹ Let no one seek his own, but each that of his neighbor. Do not seek this, whether you eat with a clean conscience, but whether what is done builds up your brother. And in many places of the Epistles he sets this down, as most necessary. And he does not simply bid us not seek our own advantage, but whenever this harms the brother. For then one ought to prefer and choose his advantage above one’s own.

³⁰ Everything sold in the meat-market eat, asking no question for conscience’ sake. Since he had established through many arguments that they ought to abstain from the things sacrificed to idols—lest again they should become more scrupulous than was needful, so as to refuse even the meats in the market, fearing lest these too might be things sacrificed to idols—he says that “Everything sold eat,” not examining those who sell, and asking whether it be a thing sacrificed to an idol, as if smitten in conscience, and wishing to cleanse it.

³¹ For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof. Not the demons’. And if the earth, then also the fruits and the trees and the animals. And if all things are his, nothing is unclean by nature, but only from the mind of each.

³² But if any of the unbelievers invite you, and you wish to go, eat everything set before you, asking no question for conscience’ sake. Well did he say, “You wish”; for he wished neither to urge them on, nor to turn them away. And ask no question, that you may not, by the excessive scrupulosity, be thought to dread the idols, and that you may keep your conscience clean and unsmitten.

³³ But if anyone say to you: This is a thing sacrificed to an idol—eat not, for the sake of that one who disclosed it, and for conscience’ sake; for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof. Not as of things harmful do I bid you abstain, but for the sake of that one who disclosed it, that he be not harmed, and suppose that the things of the idols are not to be rejected by Christians. For that it is not as of unclean things, nor of things alien to our Lord, that I teach you to abstain, is plain from this: “For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof”—that is, all the things that fill it, the things contained in it.

³⁴ But conscience I mean, not your own, but that of the other. That is, of the Greek. For perhaps (as I said) he will be scandalized, either judging you a glutton, or as one who, like himself, equally approves the idols.

³⁵ For why is my liberty judged by another’s conscience? By liberty he means the being unobserved and unhindered. For I indeed, he says, eat freely and unobservedly; but the Greek will condemn me, and will say: A fable is the Christians’ profession, who say they abhor the idols, and eagerly eat the things sacrificed to them. But perhaps someone might say: Why do you take thought of the one who disclosed it? for you said before: What have I to do with judging those outside? It is not for him that I take thought, he says, but for you, that you be not condemned; wherefore also he went on:

³⁶ If I by grace partake, why am I blasphemed for that for which I give thanks? I indeed partake, he says, of God’s creatures freely, on account of the grace of God which made me steadfast and firm, so as to observe nothing scrupulously; but the Greek will blaspheme me, as one feigning to flee the idols, and yet again through gluttony eating the things that come from them. And the words, “For that for which I give thanks,” mean this: that I indeed give thanks to God, that he made me so lofty, and above Jewish lowliness, so as to be harmed from nowhere; but, as I said, the Greek is scandalized and blasphemes.

³⁷ Whether, then, you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. “Do all things,” he says, “to the glory of God”; since the things now done among you are a dishonor of God, or rather a blasphemy. And one eats and drinks to the glory of God, when not for the scandal of anyone, when not as a glutton, or a pleasure-lover, but as one wishing to keep the body together for the working of virtue.

³⁸ Be without offense both to Jews and to Greeks, and to the Church of God. That is, giving to no one any occasion of blame. And this will be, if we scandalize neither Jew nor Greek, nor yet the brethren; for they themselves are the Church of God. And observe, he said the greater thing last; for the others too it befits us to draw on toward the faith; but the brethren we ought by no means to drive away.

³⁹ Even as I also please all in all things, not seeking my own advantage, but that of the many, that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, even as I also of Christ. Since he had enjoined a great thing on them, to render themselves accountable to the verdict of both Greeks and Jews, he brought himself into the midst, that he might show the matter to be easy. And that he did not seek his own advantage is plain from many things, which he also said before, that “To all I became all things”; and most of all from the things in which he prayed to be anathema for the brethren’s sake. “Be imitators of me.” And the words, “Even as I also of Christ,” understand not as the word of a boaster, but rather of one exhorting to the imitation. For I, he says, imitated Christ, who despised even his own life that you might live; how much more ought you to imitate me? For I am not so much better than you, as he than me, who incomparably surpasses all.

11 Theophylact of Ohrid, Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians — Chapter Eleven

¹ Chapter Eleven. Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things. Since he had brought to completion the discourse concerning the things sacrificed to idols, which were great matters, he now sets right a lighter fault. For he is accustomed to place the lighter faults in between the weighty ones. And what was this? The women both prayed and prophesied with heads uncovered; while the men wore their hair long, inasmuch as they were given to philosophy, both when they prayed and when they prophesied. And these things were of Greek custom. Since, then, he had admonished them concerning these matters—perhaps when he was present—and some of them obeyed, while others were disobedient, he says, concerning those who obeyed, that “I praise you, that you remember me in all things.” And yet this was a single thing, namely, that the men should not wear their hair long; but nevertheless he says, “You remember me in all things.” For he is ever accustomed to adorn with praises those who are expected to be made better thereby.

² And that you hold fast the traditions, even as I delivered them to you. From this it is plain that he too, and the rest of the apostles, delivered many things unwritten.

³ But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ. He seems, so far as may be judged from the sequence, to be conversing with those praised by him for holding fast the traditions; but at the same time he sets right those who had been disobedient. And when you hear “of every man,” understand that Christ is the head of the believer; for it is we who are believers who are his body, and not also the Greeks; so that neither is Christ the head of those.

⁴ And the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. The head of the woman is the man, because he is her cause, since she was generated from his rib. And the head of Christ is God, that is, his cause, as Father of the Son. For we must not understand the things said concerning headship in the same way also in the case of Christ; but Christ is our head both as Creator and as our being his body; while the Father is the head of Christ, as his cause. And if you should also understand it according to the human nature, that the Father is thus called the head of Christ, just as Christ himself was called our head, there is nothing impious; since the Father is also called God of Christ according to the human nature. For since he condescended to be made like us, and was named our brother and head, it is nothing strange if he also accepts the names of lowliness, and has the Father—who according to the Godhead is his Father—as his head according to the human nature, as his ruler, and as his God.

⁵ Every man praying or prophesying, having anything on his head, dishonors his head. He does not always forbid the man to be covered, but only in prayer and prophecy. And he did not say, “Having his head covered,” but, “Having anything on his head,” that he might do away not only with covering by a garment, but also by long hair; for he too who wears long hair has something on his head, namely, the hair. And how does he dishonor his head? Because, having become a ruler and one in authority, he makes himself subject to authority. For to have the head covered is to place authority upon the head; for the covering on the head stands in the place of one in authority over him, and is a sign of subjection. It is worth inquiring why the Apostle sets this down as a charge. A symbol has been given to the man and to the woman; to the one, of rule; to the other, of subjection—among other things, this very thing also, that the one should be uncovered and the other covered. How, then, is it not a charge that the bounds of nature should be transgressed, and that the man should wear long hair, and the woman go unveiled? This, then, he does away with, as a sign of self-will, a thing not seen in ecclesiastical affairs. For from this very thing come also the heresies, from each one’s overstepping the things appointed.

⁶ But every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered dishonors her head; for it is one and the same as if she were shaven. For there were, as we have said, women also who had the gift of prophecy, such as the daughters of Philip, and many others. And how does she dishonor her head? Because she renders her head a kind of fugitive, deprived of the authority entrusted to it by God. And know that the man, as has been said, he forbids to be covered in prayer and prophecy; but the woman not only at these times, but always. For this is what he intends by saying, “For it is one and the same as if she were shaven”; for just as it is always shameful for her to be shaven, so plainly is it also to be uncovered. For the hair is in the place of a covering. So that she who casts off the covering is like her who casts off her hair.

⁷ For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn; but if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. He continues to show that uncovering is equal to shaving; and just as the latter is shameful, so also is this. And through these things he also makes plain what I said, that it is always shameful for the woman to be uncovered.

⁸ For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, being the image and glory of God. The first cause he stated was that he has Christ as his head, and ought not to be covered; and now he sets down a second also, that he is the glory of God—that is, the vicegerent of God, and his image. The ruler under the King of all, then, ought to appear before him with the symbols of his rule, namely, the uncovered head; for this signifies that the man is not under the authority of any earthly thing, but that he himself rules over all, as the image of God.

⁹ But the woman is the glory of the man. That is, she is ruled by the man; she ought, therefore, to appear with the symbols of subjection, which are the having of the head covered.

¹⁰ For the man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man. For neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman for the man. He states the causes for which the man surpasses the woman: both that the woman is from his rib, and that not he was made for her, but she for him. Let us make a helper for him. How, then, shall the man cover himself, having been thus honored by God? For he seizes the woman’s appearance, and does the same as if one, having received a diadem, should cast it from his head, and [take up] a servile token instead.

¹¹ For this cause ought the woman to have authority on her head, because of the angels. Because of all the things said, he says, the woman ought to have the symbol of being under authority—that is, the covering—upon her head, if for no other reason, out of reverence for the angels, lest she appear shameless even to them. For just as being covered prepares one to look downward and to be modest, and to maintain the appearance of one who is ruled; so being uncovered displays shamelessness, which the angels too, who attend the believers, abhor. But Clement the author of the Stromateis understood “angels” more elaborately to mean the just men of the Church. For let her be covered, he says, lest she scandalize these unto fornication.

¹² Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, nor the woman without the man, in the Lord. These things he says because he had given great preeminence to the man, having shown that the woman is from him, and for his sake, and under him. In order, then, that he might neither exalt the men more than is fitting, nor humble the women, he says that truly indeed in the first creation the woman thus came to be from the man; but now neither is the man begotten without the woman. “Nevertheless in the Lord”; that is, since God does the whole, and gives life to the seed, and strengthens the womb.

¹³ For as the woman is from the man, so also is the man through the woman. The woman, he says, is from the man; for this remains to the man inviolate, that the woman is from him; but the man is through the woman—that is, the woman is a minister unto the begetting of the man; but the greater operation is of the seed. So that the man would not properly be said to be from the woman, but from his father through the woman, who became as it were a minister unto the begetting. But concerning the Lord, Paul did not speak thus, but says that he was made of a woman. For he was afraid to use the preposition “through,” lest he should give occasion to the heretics to say that he came as through a pipe of the Virgin; or also because, no man having entered in, the fruit of her womb was of her alone.

¹⁴ But all things are of God. This achievement, he says, is not of the man, but of God. If, therefore, all things come to pass by the power of God, and he himself has ordered the things of men and of women, do not contradict, but be persuaded.

¹⁵ Judge in your own selves. Again he seats them as judges, establishing out of abundance what he wishes.

¹⁶ Is it seemly that a woman pray to God uncovered? Here he hints at something more fearful, that the insult runs up to God.

¹⁷ Does not even nature itself teach you, that if a man wears long hair, it is a dishonor to him; but if a woman wears long hair, it is a glory to her? For her hair is given to her in the place of a covering. And how is it a dishonor to the man to wear long hair? Because he takes up the appearance of a woman, and, having been appointed to rule, receives the symbol of subjection. But to the woman the hair is a glory, because she keeps her own proper order. And honor for each one is the keeping of order. But why must she add another covering also, that of the veil, if indeed the hair is a covering? In order that she may confess the subjection not only of nature, but also of deliberate choice.

¹⁸ But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the Churches of God. It is contentiousness, then, to strive against in such matters—what comes from custom, not from reasoning and understanding. For since perhaps the Corinthians, wishing to make a show of cleverness, strove against [him] through reasonings, showing the matter to be indifferent, he says that We have no such custom—either of being contentious, or of the man’s wearing long hair and the woman’s not being covered—but neither have the other Churches, he says. So that you set yourselves against not us only, but also against the whole Church.

¹⁹ Now in declaring this I praise you not. Just as those who believed in the beginning, having all things common, passed their life in common; so, in a kind of imitation of these—though not an exact one—in Corinth, on certain appointed days, perhaps festal ones, they feasted in common after partaking of the mysteries, the rich bringing in the provisions, and the poor being called and entertained by them. But through dissension the wonderful and loving and philosophical custom was corrupted, and was not kept by all. Paul, therefore, writes to set it right; and in the charge before this one, since he had many who obeyed, he said, “Now I praise you”; but here, the matter being otherwise, he says, “Now in declaring this I praise you not”—that is, I praise you not, that I command you at all concerning this which I am about to speak of and to admonish. For you ought, understanding of yourselves, neither to have sinned at all, nor to have needed any command.

²⁰ That you come together not for the better, but for the worse. You ought to advance to the better, and to make your assemblies more honorable; but you have diminished even the custom that had already prevailed; and you come together indeed in the one Church, yet not so as to sup together as you ought. This, then, is “the worse”—that is, that wherein you are diminished.

²¹ For first of all, when you come together in the Church, I hear that there are divisions among you. He does not at once rush into the discourse concerning the tables, but first strikes them, that there are divisions among them. For indeed, because they were torn asunder, on this account each one ate privately.

²² And I partly believe it. Lest they should say, What if those who accuse us lie? he neither said, “I believe it,” lest he make them more shameless; nor, “I disbelieve it,” lest he seem to censure in vain; but, A little, he says, I believe. And at the same time it is also likely that no one transgressed the custom in all things, but only some in part.

²³ For there must be also heresies among you. He does not mean the heresies of doctrines, but those of such divisions, those concerning the tables. And what is “there must be”? In the sense of, it is admitted, or also that, It is necessary, you being men, that not all of you walk uprightly. On this account, then, I also believe it; just as the Lord also said, “It is necessary that offenses come”—in the sense of, Since there are wicked men in the world, it is necessary that offenses also be, and come.

²⁴ That they who are approved may be made manifest among you. The “that” here is not causal, but [denotes] the outcome of the matter, as is plain from many places. For from the more arrogant not accepting the feasting, the approved are made manifest—that is, the poor, in that they bear being overlooked; whereas before, their endurance was not apparent.

²⁵ When you come together therefore into one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s supper. The coming together, he says, displays love and fellowship; yet this [other] is the deed that is done. And he calls the feasting “the Lord’s supper,” as an imitation of that fearful one which the Lord ate with his disciples; wherefore he also called this a “supper.” See, then, he says, of what you are deprived, you who [ought] to imitate the Master’s table.

²⁶ For each one takes before others his own supper in eating. This Lord’s supper you have made a private one. For so long as it was common, it was also called the Lord’s supper; for the things of the Master are common to all the servants. But since each one takes beforehand, eating his own supper, and does not wait for the poor, but eats privately by himself, you have dishonored the supper, making it private instead of the Lord’s.

²⁷ And one is hungry, and another is drunken. The poor man is hungry, but the rich is drunken. And he speaks of two charges: that the poor are overlooked, and that you are drunken, alone consuming the things which ought to have been prepared for the poor as well. And the word “is drunken” is emphatic.

²⁸ What, have you not houses to eat and to drink in? For if you are not going to eat in common, why do you not eat in your houses?

²⁹ Or do you despise the Church of God? For when you make the Lord’s supper a private one, doing it by yourself, you insult the Church and the place.

³⁰ And put to shame those who have not. It is not so much, he says, a care to the poor that you do not feed them, as that they are put to shame, being reproved for not themselves having, while you recline in lavishness and are drunken.

³¹ What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I praise you not. After the demonstration of the fault, he converses with them more kindly. For though he might say that they were worthy of ten thousand deaths, yet what does he say? “Shall I praise you? In this I praise you not.” And this he does, that he may render them gentler toward the poor.

³² For I received from the Lord that which also I delivered to you. For what reason does he make mention of the mysteries and of that evening? Very necessarily; that he may persuade them, [saying]: Your Master deemed all worthy of the same table, and do you thrust away and deem unworthy him who is of your own kind? But how does he say that he received from the Lord? for he was not even present then, but was a persecutor. That you may learn that today also, at the mystical table, it is he himself who delivers the mysteries, just as also then.

³³ That the Lord Jesus, in the night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and having given thanks he broke it, and said: Take, eat; this is my body which is broken for you. At once, he says, [observe] that he gave you this mystic rite as the last, and in that very night in which he was about to be slain; and he had the betrayer as his table-companion; and do you deem your brother unworthy? And you were taught indeed to give thanks; for he too gave thanks, giving us a pattern; but you do things unworthy of the thanksgiving, insulting the Church, and, while another is hungry, yourself being drunken. And he said to all in common, “Take, eat,” and this, his body, which he broke equally for all, giving it unto death; but you take beforehand in eating, and do not even set the common bread in the midst, nor break it, that it may be given to many, but hold it for yourself.

³⁴ This do in remembrance of me. What do you say? If indeed you were making a remembrance of a son or of a father, you would be smitten by conscience if you did not fulfill the customary things and call the poor; but performing a remembrance of the Master, you do not even share the table simply.

³⁵ Likewise also the cup after he had supped, saying: This cup is the New Covenant in my blood. There were cups in the Old [Covenant] also, in which they poured out the blood of irrational creatures after sacrificing. Instead, therefore, of the blood of irrational creatures, which sealed the Old Covenant, I now set my own blood, sealing the New Covenant. Be not troubled, then, at hearing of blood. For if you received that of irrational creatures in the Old [Covenant], how much more the divine [blood] now?

³⁶ This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me. Through the cup also, he says, you perform a remembrance of the Master’s death. How, then, do you alone drink and become drunken, when the fearful cup has been given equally to all?

³⁷ For as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he come. Thus, he says, you ought to be disposed, as though in that very evening, and reclining upon that very couch, and receiving the sacrifice from Christ himself. For it is that very supper, and we proclaim that very death—that is, we set it forth—until the second coming.

³⁸ Wherefore, whosoever shall eat this bread, or drink the cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. He hints at them as partaking unworthily, as overlooking the poor. And how does he who partakes unworthily become guilty? As one who himself also poured out the blood. For just as then those who pierced him pierced not that they might drink, but that they might pour out; so also he who drinks unworthily, but reaps nothing from it, has poured out the blood in vain. And the Jews indeed rent the King’s robe; but he who communicates unworthily cast this [blood] into the mire—I mean, into his own soul.

³⁹ But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup. Paul is accustomed, whenever in the midst of one subject another necessary one falls in, to treat this also thoroughly; so therefore now too, another subject being set before him, that concerning the tables, since he fell into the discourse concerning the mysteries, he works it out as most necessary, and demonstrates the chief of good things, namely, to approach with a pure conscience; and he says that I set over you no other judge, but yourself over yourself. Judge, then, with your conscience, and then approach—not when it is a feast, but when you find yourself pure and worthy.

⁴⁰ For he who eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks judgment to himself. Not because of the nature of the mysteries—for these are life-giving—but because of the unworthiness of the one approaching; just as the sun also is harmful to those whose sight is corrupted.

⁴¹ Not discerning the body of the Lord. That is, not examining, not considering the greatness of that which is set forth. For if we should learn who he is that is set forth, we shall need nothing else, but this very thing will prepare us to be sober.

⁴² For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and a good number sleep. From the things that come to pass among you, take the proofs. For on this account come untimely deaths and long sicknesses, because many partake unworthily. What then? Those who are kept without sickness unto deepest old age, do they not sin? They sin indeed, but the punishments here are not the only ones for those who approach unworthily; rather, there harsher things are laid up for them. But we would not have been punished even here, had we not sinned.

⁴³ For if we judged ourselves, we should not be judged. He did not say, “If we punished ourselves,” but only, “If we judged” and condemned ourselves, we would not even here be condemned by God, but we would escape both the punishments here and those there.

⁴⁴ But being judged by the Lord, we are chastened, that we may not be condemned with the world. Since, he says, we do not do the thing so light and easy—that is, the condemning of ourselves—not even so does God deal with us unsparingly, but he chastens us here, that there he may have mercy. For we are chastened, he says, here; we are not punished, but we are admonished by a Father, “that we may not”—with the world, that is, with the unbelievers—“be condemned” there. For the faithful, being held in reverence before God, here expend their sins.

⁴⁵ Wherefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. Again he came to the discourse concerning the poor, after he had made mention of punishments and deaths. And he did not say, “Share with one another,” but, “Wait for one another,” showing that the things brought in there are common, and that one must await the common assembly.

⁴⁶ And if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home. The word is reproachful; for as with children who are peevish because of hunger, he converses with them, and condemns their gluttony. Wherefore also, leading them out from the Church, he sends them off to the house; which is no small shame.

⁴⁷ That you come not together unto judgment. That is, unto your harm, and unto condemnation. For on this account the assemblies were appointed, that you might be benefited, coming together in love; but if not, it is better to be at home. And this he says, not that they may be at home, but that he may rather draw them on toward coming together as they ought.

⁴⁸ And the rest I will set in order whenever I come. Either he speaks of certain other things sinned among them and needing arrangement, or he says concerning this very matter, that It is likely that some will use excuses against the things I have said; but for the present let the things I have said be kept. And if anyone has anything else to say, let this be reserved for my presence. And he frightens them as one who is about to be present, that they may be subdued and set right, if they have anything not well.

12 Theophylact of Ohrid, Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians — Chapter Twelve

¹ Chapter Twelve. Now concerning spiritual things, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. That is, concerning the gifts of the Spirit. And the subject is this: Those who believed in the beginning and were baptized all received the Spirit; but since this was invisible, a perceptible proof of its working was given, and they either spoke with tongues, or prophesied, or worked miracles. Among the Corinthians, then, on account of the gifts there were factions, both of those who received the greater being lifted up, and of those who received the lesser being envious toward the former. Then too there were certain diviners and false prophets, and these were distinguished with difficulty from the inspired prophets. All these things, then, he sets right, and first that of the diviners.

² You know that when you were Gentiles, you were led away to the dumb idols, even as you were led. He gives a sign of the diviner and of the prophet; and he says that among the idols, if anyone divined, being possessed by an unclean spirit, as one led away, he was thus dragged, bound by the spirit, knowing nothing of the things he said, but being beside himself and raving; whereas the prophet [is] not so, but utters all things with a sober mind; so that this is the first sign of a demonic diviner and a divine prophet.

³ Wherefore I make known to you, that no one speaking in the Spirit of God says, Jesus is accursed; and no one can say, Lord Jesus, except in the Holy Spirit. And let this too, he says, be a sign to you of a diviner: the anathematizing—that is, the blaspheming and speaking evil of—Jesus; and again, of a prophet: the naming with good words of the name of the Lord. What, then, of the catechumens? how, not yet having the Holy Spirit, do they name Jesus? But the discourse is not now concerning these, but concerning the believers and the unbelievers. And what of the demons? did they not name the name of the Lord? But [they did so] when scourged and compelled; willingly, however, and not scourged, nowhere.

⁴ Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. After showing the difference of the prophet and the false prophet, he speaks also concerning the gifts, that he may set right those also who were in faction over these. And first he heals the one who received the lesser gift, and was grieved on this account. For why are you grieved, that you did not receive as much as another? For it is not a debt, but a gift and a free bestowal. So that give thanks, that God, owing you nothing, has given you something at all; but he is also the same Giver both to you and to that other, namely, God. For it is not that an angel gave to you, but God to that other; rather, the same Spirit to both.

⁵ And there are diversities of ministrations, but the same Lord. He makes mention also of the Son, as Giver of good things. And consoling yet more the one who is grieved, he said, “ministrations.” For he who heard “gift,” and received the lesser, might perhaps be grieved as having been lessened concerning the bestowal; but he who [heard] “ministration,” not so; for this is indicative of toil and sweat. For why are you grieved, if he bade another toil more, sparing you?

⁶ And there are diversities of operations, but the same God who works all things in all. Here he made mention of the Father also, who works the operations in all the believers. And behold, the Trinity is complete for you. And gift, and operation, and ministration are the same things, even if they differ in their names; for the things given by the Spirit and the Son and the Father are equal. And observe how he made mention of the Spirit first, and last of the Father, on account of those who busy themselves about the order.

⁷ But to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for profit. Lest anyone say: What then, if it is the same Lord, and the same Spirit, and the same God, but I received the lesser? he says that This was profitable for you. And by “the manifestation of the Spirit” he means the signs. For through these the Spirit was shown dwelling in those who were baptized. So that, if you are grieved, whether [it be] the greater gift or the lesser, you have it from the same Spirit.

⁸ For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom. Such as John had, the son of thunder; such as Paul himself. And note the “through,” in the case of the Spirit.

⁹ And to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit. Such as many of the believers had, themselves having knowledge, but not being able to teach. For wisdom teaches, being something clear, as also making plain the hidden things. And everywhere he makes mention of the same Spirit, consoling the one who received the lesser.

¹⁰ And to another faith, in the same Spirit. Not that of doctrines, but that of signs, which also removes mountains.

¹¹ And to another gifts of healings, in the same Spirit. The healing of every disease and every infirmity.

¹² And to another workings of powers. This one was able also to punish the disobedient, as Paul blinded Elymas, and Peter slew Ananias; which he who received the gifts of healings did not have.

¹³ And to another prophecy; and to another discernings of spirits. That is, the knowing who is spiritual, and who is not spiritual; who is the prophet, and who the deceiver.

¹⁴ And to another kinds of tongues; and to another interpretation of tongues. Great was the gift of tongues among the Corinthians, on which they prided themselves the more, as having been given first to the apostles, and on this account they held it to be greater than the others. But it is not so. For the gift of teaching is greater, and the interpretation of tongues is greater than simply to speak with tongues. And most fittingly, instead of “tongues,” he said “kinds,” calling their differences “kinds.”

¹⁵ But all these works the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally as he wills. Again he sets down the same consolation, that the same Spirit works all things. And he rather stops the mouth of the one who is displeased at the distribution. For “as he wills,” he says, so also he does; and who are you who are not pleased? And note the saying, on account of the Pneumatomachi; for [it is] not, “As he is commanded,” but, “As he wills.” So that [he is] master and God. And [it is] not, “He is worked,” but, “He works,” just as also the Father.

¹⁶ For as the body is one, and has many members, but all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. And from the illustration drawn from the body he consoles the one who is pained at the lesser gift, showing him that he has not been lessened. For just as the body is both one thing and many, by reason of its having members; so also the members are both many and one, by reason of their contributing unto one body. Where, then, is the difference? where the greater? where the lesser? for all are one. “So now,” he says, “is Christ also”—that is, the Church of Christ. For since Christ is the head of the Church, he thus named the Church from the head. For just as the body and the head are one man; so, knowing the Church and Christ, as body and head, to be one, he set “Christ” in the place of the Church.

¹⁷ For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free. Now he shows how the Church resembles the illustration of the one body. And he says that By the same and one Spirit we all, and I Paul, were baptized into one body—that is, so as to be one body. For [it is] not that you were baptized in one [Spirit], and I in another, but in the same. So that neither do I have anything more than you. For “into one body were we baptized.” In the sense of, That we might be one body, both Jews and Greeks, both slaves and free. And if the Spirit united those who stood so far apart, much more, after they have become one, ought we not to be grieved, as though there were some difference among us.

¹⁸ And we were all made to drink into one Spirit. He seems indeed to be speaking concerning the spiritual table, of the bread and the wine. For having called “Spirit” that which gave us drink, he made plain both, the blood and the flesh. But rather—what is truer—he speaks here of the visitation of the Spirit which came to us from baptism. And “we were made to drink,” he said, from the metaphor of trees, whose branches are watered from the root. One Spirit, then, gave us drink and watered us, and made us to be one body.

¹⁹ For the body also is not one member, but many. Marvel not, he says, if, being so many, we are one body. For also in the case of the human body it is possible to find one body out of many members.

²⁰ If the foot should say, Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? He introduces the members speaking and murmuring because they had been made less than the other members, in order that, by showing the murmuring of the members to come about contrary to reason, he may shame those in the Church who murmur because there are some greater than themselves. But the foot is the same [in essence] as the eye, yet differing in order. And then you are not a member, if you tear yourself away, and break off from the union. Keep, therefore, the union, if you wish to be a member.

²¹ If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? Since he had made mention of eye and hand, of the superiority and the inferiority, that they might be consoled, yet not beyond what is fitting; now he shows that it is profitable to be thus different. For if the whole body were one [member], where would the rest be? Are you not ashamed, then, of deeming yourself alone to be [everything]?

²² But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body, even as he willed. The head, having the upper place, ought to be well content; for this is of God, this is not its own achievement. So therefore also in the case of the Church: he who set that one to be below—it is also profitable for him; and that one to be above; and this one too, having been brought to soberness, must not be lifted up.

²³ And if all were one member, where were the body? But now there are many members, yet one body. See his wisdom; from this very thing he stops their mouths—from that which seemed to produce the littleness of soul, I mean, the gifts being different and not equal in honor. For if the members were not different, neither would there be one body; and there being no one body, neither would there be equality of honor. But now on this account there is equality of honor in all, because all contribute unto one body. From the members being different, one body is brought to completion; from their being one comes the equality of honor, by this very thing, in that they contribute unto the filling up of one body.

²⁴ And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you; or [the eye] to the head; or again the head to the feet, I have no need of you; for the greater have need of the lesser, since they are not themselves self-sufficient to build up the Church. He said, “cannot.” For though it wish many things, he says, yet the matter is not so by nature.

²⁵ But much more those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those parts of the body which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. Now he shows that the things which seem lesser are useful and necessary. And what are these, the things that seem weaker and less honorable, but are necessary? Some say the generative parts, which seem indeed to be dishonorable and uncomely; yet they are so necessary that without them there is not even a race. But we also bestow more abundant honor upon these; for though one were naked over the whole body, these at least he does not endure to leave naked. And as weaker indeed, but necessary, some say the eyes; for being small, and weaker than the other members, they are most necessary. And as less honorable and uncomely, the feet. The eyes, then, we deem [worthy] of much care, as weak; and the feet too we both cover and deem worthy of forethought, although they lie below, and seem dishonorable.

²⁶ But our comely parts have no need. Lest anyone say: And what kind of reasoning is this, to take forethought for the uncomely and dishonorable, but to despise the comely? We do not despise them, he says, but those do not so need [help] from us, having comeliness by nature.

²⁷ But God tempered the body together. Both from nature, and by our forethought it was cared for; but the others did not [need] even the regard from us.[5] They would not have been torn away; but, being unable to bear the bond [as something] everlasting, and these being torn away, this would befall the rest also, inasmuch as the body would be rent asunder. Let not, therefore, you, he says, who have the greater gifts, trample upon the lesser, lest, when those are torn away, you also be harmed.

²⁸ But that the members should have the same care one for another. Not only that they may be members, but that there may also be much love and concord. And the great one cares and is anxious for the small, not simply, but “the same”—that is, that the small one also may enjoy the same forethought as the great. Thus, at any rate, when a thorn has fallen in and been fixed in the heel, the whole body is set in motion; the head stoops, the back is bent together, and the hands of solicitude pluck out that which is fixed.

²⁹ And whether one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or whether one member is glorified, all the members rejoice with it. For the exact union makes both the misfortunes and the good successes common. Thus, at any rate, as we said, when the heel is struck, all suffer together; again, the head is crowned, and it seems good to all, and the whole body seems comely.

³⁰ Now you are the body of Christ, and members in part. Lest they say: For what reason the example of the body and the members? he says that “And you are members, the body of Christ”; for as the human body must not be in faction, how much more that of Christ? But since they themselves alone did not fill up the body of Christ, but the believers in all the world; he added, “And members.” For even if they were not a whole body, yet they were members; and these “in part”—that is, all the members, but in part. For according to the Church among you, you are the body of Christ, as a whole Church; but with respect to the Churches everywhere, having Christ as head, you are members, from being a part in relation to it.

³¹ And those whom God has set in the Church: first apostles, secondly prophets. God has set them; how, then, do you set yourself against God? And he sets the apostles first, as leaders of all good things; and second the prophets—not those of the Old [Covenant] (for those prophesied until then concerning the coming of Christ), but those after the coming of Christ in the New Covenant, such as also the daughters of Philip, and many others; for this grace of the Spirit was abundant in each Church. And he sets down “first” and “second,” that, by ranking the gift of tongues last, he may put down those who were lifted up over it.

³² Thirdly teachers. For the prophet utters straightway from the Spirit; but the teacher [speaks] also from his own resources; on this account this one is third.

³³ Then powers, then gifts of healings. The powers both healed the sick and punished the adversaries; but the gifts of healings only healed; on this account he sets the former before the latter. Of both of these, however, the one who is truly a teacher is better, who is, namely, he who teaches by deed and by word.

³⁴ Helps, governments. That is, the helping of the weak, and the governing—that is, the administering—of the affairs of the brethren. And these, even if they are of our own diligence, yet he says that they too are gifts of God, persuading us to be thankful, and to look toward him, and not to be lifted up.

³⁵ Kinds of tongues. This he set last, that he might put down those who boasted over it.

³⁶ Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all powers? have all gifts of healings? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? Since it was likely that they would rather be grieved, as the greater and lesser gifts had been made manifest through the enumeration, again he consoles the lesser. For what? he says; are you grieved, that you do not happen to have prophecy? Consider that you have this, again, which the prophet does not have; and what another does not have. So that this is profitable and more beneficial for you, to be thus, that each may have need of his neighbor.

³⁷ But earnestly desire the better gifts. Here he gently makes plain that they themselves are the cause of their seeing the lesser things; for by saying, “Earnestly desire,” he requires the diligence on their part, and the greater longing concerning spiritual things. And he did not say, “The greater,” but, “The better”—that is, the more beneficial.

³⁸ And moreover I show to you a way according to excellence. And along with these things (for this is what “And moreover” makes plain), if at all you are earnest desirers of gifts, I will show you one way according to excellence—that is, surpassing—which leads unto all the gifts. And he means love.

13 Theophylact of Ohrid, Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians — Chapter Thirteen

¹ Chapter Thirteen. Though I speak with the tongues of angels, but have not love, I have become as sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. He did not at once point out to them the way, but first compares it with the gift that seemed to them to be the greater—that of tongues—and shows that this [love] incomparably surpasses it, yes, and all the other gifts besides, and then declares it worthy to be longed for. And by tongues of men he means those of the nations everywhere throughout the world. Not content with this, he sets down yet another hyperbole: And of angels, tongues; not that the angels have tongues, but wishing to indicate something greater, and that which surpasses human tongues, for this reason he spoke thus. For an angel’s tongue is the intellectual power of imparting the divine thoughts to one another; and he named it from our own organ, just as also that, Every knee shall bow, of things in heaven. For they have not bones and sinews, but he indicated their intense subjection. And I have become sounding brass; that is, uttering a sound indeed, but speaking to no purpose, and being burdensome, and benefiting no one, because of being deprived of love.

² And though I have prophecy, and know all mysteries, and all knowledge. Not prophecy simply, but the very highest, and that which knows all mysteries. And observe how, in the case of tongues, he said there was no gain at all; but in the case of prophecy, [he speaks of] the knowing of all mysteries, and all knowledge.

³ And though I have all faith. That he might not seem burdensome by speaking of each thing one by one, he came to the mother and the fountain of all, saying “all faith.”

⁴ So as even to remove mountains, I am nothing. Since to the grosser sort it seemed a very great thing to remove mountains, for this reason [he speaks of] his own [faith]—not that all faith can do this only; for to remove mountains is possible to a small part of faith, to him who has a grain of mustard seed. So then, from [prophecy] and from faith he received all the gifts; but if [they be] apart from love, I am nothing and of no account; rather, I am nothing.[6]

⁵ And though I dole out all my goods to feed the poor. He did not say, Though I give a part of my substance, but, all; and he did not say, Give, but, dole out in morsels; so that to the expenditure there is added the ministering also, done with all carefulness.

⁶ And though I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I am profited nothing. Not “that I may die,” but what is harder than all—that one be burned alive; and not even this is anything, apart from love. But one might say: How is it possible, having doled out one’s goods, [to be] without love? It is possible, then, to say that either he laid down a thing that is not, as though it were—which [he does] when he says, If an angel, or we, should preach to you a gospel other than that which you received; and yet neither he himself nor an angel was ever going to preach otherwise; and in many other places he says such things—or [the meaning is] that it is possible to give without love, whenever it comes about not through compassion toward those in need, but through the desire to please men. But it comes about with love, whenever one does this while suffering-with and being inflamed [with sympathy].

⁷ Love is long-suffering, is kind. Henceforth he goes through the marks of love, and first sets down long-suffering, the root of all virtue. For the long-suffering man is he who has a large and great soul. And since some use long-suffering not for virtue, but often, by slandering and treating with irony those who are angry against them, being in no way long-suffering, rather cause them the more to be inflamed with anger; for this reason he says, is kind, instead of, displays a kindly and guileless character—not, like those just spoken of, festering and deceitful. And these things he said touching the contentious and festering among them.

⁸ Envies not. That is, bears no ill will; for it is possible to be long-suffering, and yet to envy; but love has escaped this too. And this he said because of the envious.

⁹ Is not rash. That is, is not headlong, but renders the one who has it forbearing and steadfast; for he is light who is lifted up, light who is borne aloft. And this too [is said] toward the young and youthful-minded among them.

¹⁰ Is not puffed up. For it is possible to have the aforesaid good things, yet to be puffed up over them; but love has not this either, but along with the things mentioned it is also humble-minded. And [this is said] toward the boastful.

¹¹ Does not behave unseemly. That is, not only is it not puffed up, but even if it should suffer the most shameful things for the sake of the beloved, it does not consider the matter to be unseemliness and loss; just as Christ also, on account of his love toward us, not only accepted the dishonorable cross, but even counted it his own glory. And you may understand it also thus: Does not behave unseemly, instead of, does not insult. For nothing is more unseemly than an insolent man. And this [is said] toward the uncondescending.

¹² Seeks not its own, is not provoked. He tells the manner in which it does not behave unseemly. Because, he says, it seeks not its own advantage, but that of the neighbor; and it counts it unseemliness then, whenever it does not deliver the neighbor who is behaving unseemly. And this, while the rest look on; nor is it provoked, since it does not behave unseemly. For a wrathful man is not seemly. So that love does not behave unseemly, because neither is it provoked—that is, it does not leap up into anger. This [is said] toward those who are insulted.

¹³ Thinks no evil. Suffering all evils, he says, it is not provoked to anger; and not only does it not work evil in return, for vengeance, but it does not even reckon it. And observe everywhere how he does not say that love is jealous indeed, but prevails; or is provoked indeed, but masters [it]; but [he says] that it does not at the very outset allow any wickedness whatever to spring up; as here also: Thinks no evil. And this too [is said] toward the same persons, that they may not return insult for insult.

¹⁴ Rejoices not in iniquity. That is, is not gladdened, whenever someone is wronged, and is abused, and suffers ill.

¹⁵ But rejoices with the truth. But, what is far greater, he says, it rejoices together over those who are well-esteemed; and whenever the truth prospers, it counts this its own glory. And this [is said] toward the envious.

¹⁶ Bears all things. Both insults, and blows, and death; for this its long-suffering bestows upon it, which he said belonged to it. And this [is said] toward those who are plotted against.

¹⁷ Believes all things. Whatever the beloved may say; and it neither speaks anything festering itself, nor supposes that another speaks [so].

¹⁸ Hopes all things, endures all things. It does not despair, he says, of the beloved, but ever hopes that he will advance to the better. And this he said toward those who despair. But if, even having hoped, it should fail, that one remaining in his wickedness, it nobly bears his shortcomings; For it endures all things. And this [is said] toward those who easily fall apart from one another.

¹⁹ Love never fails. That is, never misses the mark, but sets all things aright; or, what is better, instead of: it is not dissolved, is not cut off, never ceases, but abides even in the age to come, while all the others are done away, as he will say next.

²⁰ But whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether tongues, they shall cease. Having enumerated the offshoots of love, again he exalts it in another way also, by saying that both prophecy and tongues shall then have an end, but that love is abiding and unending. For if both the prophecies and the tongues, because faith has been received within, the truth being everywhere spread abroad, will reasonably be idle as superfluous—both now, but most of all then.

²¹ Whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. If knowledge is going to be done away, are we then going to pass our time in ignorance? God forbid; rather the word speaks concerning the partial knowledge, as he himself also interprets this. The partial knowledge shall be done away, the perfect [knowledge] dawning, namely, that which is according to the life to come. For we shall no longer know [only] so much, but far more; for instance, that God is [the God] of all things, we know now; but how, we know not; and that a virgin gave birth, we know; but how, not yet; but then we shall know something more than these things.

²² When I was a child. Having said that, the perfect having come, that which is in part is done away, now he brings also an example, through which he shows how great is the interval between the present knowledge and that which shall be then. For now we are like children; but then we shall be men.

²³ I spoke as a child. As regards the tongues, [is] this I spoke.

²⁴ I thought as a child. This [is] as regards the prophecies.

²⁵ I reasoned as a child. This [is] as regards the knowledge.

²⁶ But when I became a man, I did away with the things of the child. That is, when in the age to come I shall have the more manly knowledge, then shall be done away the knowledge resembling that of children, which we have here. He adds therefore:

²⁷ For now we see through a mirror, in a riddle. He makes clear what was said about the child, and shows that our knowledge now is somewhat dim, but later will be more distinct. For now we see through a mirror, he says. Then, since the mirror shows the imitation of the thing reflected more in outline [than the reality], he added, In a riddle, showing with hyperbole that the present knowledge is most partial.

²⁸ But then face to face. Not that God has a face, but [signifying] through this the clearer and more manifest knowledge, and that which is unveiled.

²⁹ Now I know in part; but then I shall fully know, even as I also was fully known. In a twofold way he pulls down their inflation, showing both that the present knowledge is partial, and that it is not from ourselves. For it was not I, he says, who knew God, but he made me known. As, then, now he himself knew me, and himself ran toward me, so I shall run toward him then more greatly than now; just as one sitting in darkness, so long as he does not see the sun, does not himself run toward the beauty of the ray, but it shows itself, whenever it shines; but when he has received its splendor, then he himself also pursues the light. This, then, is the [meaning of] Even as I also was fully known; not that we shall know him so exactly [as he knows us], but that, just as he ran toward us now, so we shall hold to him then. Or [it is] as if someone, finding a well-born infant exposed, comely in form, and himself recognizing it, should take it up, and deem it worthy of care, and rearing it nobly, should at the last enrich it with wealth, and bring it into the palace; and the child, so long as it was an infant, would perceive none of these things, nor recognize the loving-kindness of the one who took it up; but when it was grown to manhood, then it would recognize the benefactor, and love him worthily. Behold, through the example what was shadowed over in the saying has been illumined for you.

³⁰ And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. There are indeed tongues, and prophecies, and [kinds of] knowledge, even if they are dim; yet, faith being set in all, as has been said above also, they shall be wholly idle; faith, however, hope, love, are more abiding than these (for this is what he signifies by saying, And now abide, indicating the abidingness of the three); and of these themselves love is the greatest, since it extends also into the age to come.

³¹ And now abide faith, hope, love, these three. Here, he says, faith, hope, love are more abiding. For the faith of the preaching, as has been said, being spread abroad everywhere, the tongues and the prophecies and the rest of the gifts shall cease. But faith—that concerning the things to come, the judgment and the recompense—and the hope of the rewards, and love toward one another, shall abide until the age to come.

³² But the greatest of these is love. And again, of these more abiding excellences love is the greatest. For when the consummation has come, faith and hope shall cease; but love shall abide, becoming mightier and more intense.

14 Theophylact of Ohrid, Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians — Chapter Fourteen

¹ Chapter Fourteen. Pursue love. Since he had shown this [love] to be great, he henceforth urges them on toward it. And he did not say, Follow after it, but, Pursue, demanding intense earnestness. It flees from us, and there is need of much running, that we may overtake it.

² But earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, but rather that you may prophesy. That they might not suppose that he exalted love for this reason, to quench the gifts, he adds: Earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, that is, the gifts. But especially prophecy. And this he said because of the tongues, over which they were boasting.

³ For he who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men, but to God; for no one hears him. But in the Spirit he speaks mysteries. But he who prophesies speaks to men edification, and exhortation, and comfort. He compares the tongues with prophecy, and shows them neither wholly useless, nor wholly profitable in themselves. For they speak not to men, but to God; that is, they say things not easily understood by men and not clear, but in the Holy Spirit they speak mysteries. So that, in so far as they speak from the Spirit, the thing is good; but in so far as it benefits not men, it falls short of prophecy. For that is both from the Spirit and the more profitable, building up the unsteady, exhorting and rousing the more careless, comforting the faint-hearted. Everywhere, then, Paul sets that as the greater—the more profitable.

⁴ He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but he who prophesies edifies the Church. Many having tongues were not able to interpret to others also what they said. These, then, benefited themselves alone. But he who prophesies benefited all who heard. As great as is the interval between one being benefited and the Church [being benefited], so great is the interval between tongues and prophecy.

⁵ Now I would that you all spoke with tongues, but rather that you prophesied. Since among them many spoke with tongues, that he might not seem out of envy to belittle the tongues, I would that all spoke, not one, or two; but rather that you prophesied, because of its being far more profitable.

⁶ For greater is he who prophesies than he who speaks with tongues, except he interpret, that the Church may receive edification. Greater, he says, is the prophet; but [only when] that other merely speaks with tongues, not knowing how to interpret. For if he knows also how to interpret, he who speaks with tongues is equal to the prophet. For he edifies the Church, through interpreting the things obscurely spoken in a tongue. And interpretation too was a gift, given to some of those who spoke with tongues, but to some not given.

⁷ But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either in revelation, or in knowledge, or in prophecy, or in teaching? Do you wish to know the unprofitableness of uninterpreted tongues? For suppose that I, Paul, your teacher, utter with tongues; not even so will there be any good to those who hear, unless I say something in revelation; that is, such things as those are wont to say who obtain a revelation—which is itself also a kind of prophecy, whenever, while many stand by, the counsels of each are revealed. Or in knowledge; that is, such things as those can say who have knowledge, and unfold the mysteries of God to those who hear. Or in prophecy; both concerning the things that are past, and concerning the things that are to be; for all these are either prophecy or revelation. Or in teaching; that is, in the form of a didactic discourse, whenever the discussion is about virtue, or about doctrines. For teaching too is for the benefit of those who hear. But some understood the In revelation thus, [as meaning] the saying of certain things easily grasped and clear and unveiled; and the In knowledge, the saying of the things that can be known.

⁸ Even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, if they give not a distinction in the notes, how shall it be known what is piped or what is harped? And why do I say, he says, that with us the unclear is unprofitable, but the clear profitable? For even in lifeless instruments, if the notes have not a distinction—that is, discrimination and clarity—but all are confused, what is piped will not be known, nor will there be any leading of the soul and gladness from it.

⁹ For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself for war? From the superfluous things he came to the more necessary, and makes mention of the trumpet, and says that on it too there are certain rhythms—some preparing for war, others sounding the recall from war. If, then, it give an unclear and uncertain sound, the soldiers will be unprepared, and what is the benefit of the unclear sound?

¹⁰ So you also, unless through the tongue you give speech easily understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. That they might not say: And what is the example of the pipe and the trumpet to us? he says that You also, unless through this gift and the tongue you give something clear and easily marked, you speak in vain and to no purpose, no one hearing. For this is the whole point, that the gift be a benefit. And if the gift of tongues were unprofitable, for what reason was it given? That he alone who received it might be benefited? But if it was going to be profitable to others also, he ought either to ask God, and, being cleansed in his life, to receive interpretation, or to go to another able to interpret. For Paul too says these things for this reason, that he may glue them together to one another, and that they may not think themselves self-sufficient, but may take to themselves those able also to interpret; for then is the gift the more profitable.

¹¹ There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without voice. That is, so many voices happen to be in the world—of Scythians, of Indians, of Thracians, and of other nations—and all the tribes say something; for they are not voiceless.

¹² If, then, I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be a barbarian to him who speaks, and he who speaks a barbarian in my regard. If, then, I do not discern the meaning of the tongue, he who speaks will seem to me a barbarian—that is, uttering unintelligible things; and I likewise to him; not through any badness of the voices, but through the [lack of] understanding on either side.

¹³ So you also, since you are zealous of spirits, seek that you may abound to the edification of the Church. Some put the stop at the So you also, and interpret it thus, that So you also, speaking with tongues unclearly, seem barbarians to those who hear; then from another beginning they read this [next clause]. But I do not accept this, as I have said before; rather, seek that you may abound to the edification, or benefit, of the Church. For so far am I from forbidding you to speak with tongues, that I even wish you to abound, only if you handle them toward the common benefit.

¹⁴ Wherefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. He tells the manner through which this gift will be for the benefit of many. For let him who speaks in a tongue pray, he says, that he may receive interpretation also. So then they themselves are the cause of their not receiving the interpretation also, because they do not ask it of God.

¹⁵ For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. For of old, receiving even the gift of prayer in a tongue, they would utter [it] in the tongue of the Persians or of the Romans, but the mind did not know what was being said. Paul says, then, that My spirit prays, that is, the gift that moves the tongue; but my mind is unfruitful, understanding nothing of the things said. And observe how, advancing on his way, he showed the one who speaks in a tongue to be useless even to himself. This is [the view] of John, who is among the saints.[7] But some [take it] thus: If I speak in a tongue, but do not interpret, my spirit—that is, my soul—is itself by itself benefited; but my mind is unfruitful, in that it benefits not others also. But those who take the saying thus have, it seems to me, watered the raving of Montanus. For he introduced a heresy of this sort, that the prophets simply did not understand the things they spoke, but, held by the Spirit, said certain things, yet knew not what they said. But this has no place here. For the Apostle did not say this concerning the prophets—the not understanding, I mean, the things said—but concerning those who speak with tongues; and not even of all these, but of those alone who are not even able to interpret.

¹⁶ What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, but I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit, but I will sing with the mind also. What is it, then, he says, that is the more profitable and must be asked of God? To pray with the spirit—that is, with the gift—but yet also with the mind, that is, with the understanding. And likewise also in the case of singing.

¹⁷ Since if you bless with the spirit, how shall he who fills the place of the unlearned say the Amen at your thanksgiving, since he knows not what you say? When, he says, you sing, if you bless with the spirit—that is, with the spiritual gift through the tongue—he who fills the place of the unlearned, that is, the layman, how shall he say the Amen at your prayer? For when you have said the Unto the ages of the ages unclearly and in a tongue, he did not hear; so that neither is he benefited.

¹⁸ Brethren, be not children in your minds; but in malice be babes, but in your minds be full-grown. After showing the imperfection of the gift of tongues in the not interpreting, he henceforth in a more stinging manner shows them plainly, and reproaches them as [behaving] childishly. For to babble with tongues belongs to babes, because of its unproductiveness. Be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

¹⁹ In the law it is written: With men of other tongues, and with other lips, will I speak to this people; and not even so will they hearken to me, says the Lord. Again he compares prophecy with tongues, and shows it surpassing; and how, is clear from what follows. He is wont to call the whole Old Testament “law”; wherefore now also he says that the things written in Isaiah are written “in the law.” And by saying, Not even so will they hearken to me, he shows that the wonder was able to astound them; but if they were not persuaded, theirs is the blame. For God always does his own part, and shows his providence, although knowing that they would not be persuaded, that they might be without excuse.

²⁰ So that tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to the unbelievers. But the sign astounds indeed, yet does not altogether benefit; it often even gives offense and harms, like the tongue without interpretation, as he says going on, that They will say that you are mad; but behold the reason for which the signs have been given; for the faithful, being faithful, do not at all seek signs.[8]

²¹ But prophecy is not for the unbelievers, but for those who believe. Prophecy, he says, benefits the faithful, instructing them. Is prophecy, then, not for the unbelievers? And going on he says, that If all prophesy, and there come in some unbeliever; behold, then, prophecy is for the unbelievers also. It is possible, then, to say that the Apostle did not say that prophecy is not useful to the unbelievers, but that it is not for an unprofitable sign, like the tongue. So that, to say it in sum, the tongue is for a sign to the unbelievers, that is, for astounding only; but prophecy is useful both to the faithful, and to the unbelievers, convicting them, even if it be said not to be for a sign to them.

²² If, then, the whole Church come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in unlearned or unbelievers, will they not say that you are mad? Quietly he shows that the tongue has an occasion of harm also, if it have not interpretation as well. And this he says, pulling down their inflation. For since they thought that the tongues made them admired, Paul shows the contrary rather, that they are for an ill repute to them, making them seem to be mad. But that you may not suppose this to be the work of the gift—the wrapping of the one who has it in ill report—he says that it is the senseless who will say that you are mad. For unlearned, and unbelievers, such as also [were] in the time of the apostles, those who said that they were filled with new wine; since the more sober-minded even gain from the tongues, as those in the time of the apostles who admired them, as declaring the great things of God.

²³ But if all prophesy, and there come in some unbeliever or unlearned, he is convicted by all, he is judged by all; and so the hidden things of his heart become manifest; and so, falling on his face, he will worship God, declaring that God is truly among you. You see how prophecy is the more profitable—how, revealing the hidden things of the heart, it makes the unbeliever recognize God, falling on his face and worshipping, and confessing that God is truly among you. Which happened also in the case of Nebuchadnezzar; for when Daniel had revealed to him the dream, he said: In truth your God, he is a God who reveals mysteries. Know, then, from this, what that was which was said above, the In revelation. For behold, revelation is a kind of prophecy. And note also how the Spirit is God; for he says, God is truly among you. But in those who prophesy is the Spirit, assuredly; for so he said above, that prophecies are given in the Spirit.

²⁴ What is it then, brethren? When you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation; let all things be done for edification. They made psalms also of old from a gift, and a gift of teaching was given. And he calls prophecy “revelation,” naming the genus from the species. And he makes mention of the tongue, that the gift might not seem wholly contemptible, and not even in the rank of a gift. Let all these things, then, be done for edification; for this is proper to the Christian—to edify, to benefit. But how can he who has only a tongue edify? If he come together with one who has interpretation, and they display the gifts in union.

²⁵ If anyone speak in a tongue, let it be by two, or at the most three, and in turn; and let one interpret. I do not forbid the speaking in a tongue, but the [doing it] without an interpreter. Let not many, then, speak with tongues, that there be not confusion and disorder. And in turn, that is, by succession. But by all means let there be an interpreter.

²⁶ But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. If he have no interpreter, let him not speak in the Church, that he seem not a barbarian, uttering things unintelligible and inconceivable to the many. But if he be so vainglorious as not to endure to keep silence, let him speak to himself, and to God, that is, soundlessly and quietly by himself, so that the things said be audible to God alone, not to men. And observe how, while seeming to permit, he turns [them] away.

²⁷ Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the others discern. There were among the prophets diviners also lying hidden; wherefore he says that let them discern these, the others, lest some diviner be concealed. For just as has been said above also, there was the gift of discernment, so as to know the false and the true. And for this reason he commands two or three to prophesy, both for the sake of the better order, and that the diviners be not concealed in the multitude.

²⁸ But if anything be revealed to another sitting by, let the first keep silence. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted. Here he teaches good order and humility. For when the Spirit inspires another, he says, do you keep silence; for if the Spirit had wished you to speak first, it would not have moved that one. Then, comforting that one, he says: For you can all prophesy one by one; that is, Grieve not; for you can, and another, and all, in turn and by succession, prophesy. For the gift is not enclosed in one alone, but is given to all, that the whole Church may learn, and receive exhortation toward virtue.

²⁹ And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. This too is for the comfort of him who is bidden to keep silence. And what he says is of this sort: Be not contentious, nor make faction; for the Spirit itself—that is, the gift in you, and the working of the Spirit in you—is subject to the gift of the other who is called to prophesy; and if the Spirit is subject, much more ought you yourself, who possess the Spirit, not to be contentious. But some understood this thus: The diviners among the Greeks, once they had been seized by the demon, were not able, when they wished, to keep silence. But the prophets among us who are such are not so, but it is in their own power, he says, to keep silence, or to speak; and this is what he says, that the spirits of the prophets—that is, the gifts—are subject to them, and it is in the prophets’ power to keep silence and not to keep silence. For that you may not say, How shall I keep silence, as you bid, when I speak being moved by the Spirit? he says, that But this Spirit yields to you, is subject to you, and it lies henceforth in your own authority to keep silence; and do not vainly put forward the Spirit.

³⁰ For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. They resolve [it thus], that this too seems good to God—the keeping silence of the first; for God is not a God of disorder and confusion (which comes from the not keeping silence, but all prophesying), but is a God of peace. This peace dwells as citizen in all the churches of the saints—that is, of the faithful; for there are churches both of Greeks and of Jews. Be ashamed, then, you who conduct yourselves contrary to all the churches.

³¹ Let your women keep silence in the churches; for it is not permitted to them to speak, but to be subject, as also the law says. Since he had ordered all things well—both the matters of the tongues and the matters of the prophets, that not many should prophesy, and that confusion and disorder come from this—now he restrains the tumult from the women, saying that Let them keep silence in church; then he says the greater thing, that to be subject is more fitting for them. For subjection with fear shows silence, as happens in the case of bondwomen; and the book of Genesis indicates [this], in which it is written: Your turning shall be toward your husband, and he shall rule over you. If, then, it was appointed to be subject to the husband, much more to the spiritual teachers in the Church.

³² But if they wish to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home. As though one had soberly said: If they speak not, how shall we learn the things we do not know? he says that Let them learn at home from their husbands. And this both adorns those women, and makes the husbands more attentive, since they ought to set before the women, who ask them, the things they heard in church. And note that not even concerning necessary and soul-profiting things is it permitted to women to speak in church.

³³ For it is shameful for women to speak in church. Since those women perhaps prided themselves on their supposedly spiritual discourses in church, he says the contrary, that this is an ill repute and a shame to them.

³⁴ Or did the word of God go out from you? or did it come to you only? As though toward certain ones contradicting him the discourse is fashioned. For why, he says, do you set yourselves against this, and not consider it good that the women keep silence in church? Are you the teachers? and did the preaching go out from you, and to the rest? or did the faith stand fast in you only? and ought you not to receive likewise the things received from others? You are, then, neither the first of the faithful, nor the only ones. You ought, therefore, to be content with the things that seem good to the whole world.

³⁵ If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge the things that I write to you, that they are the commandments of the Lord. The strongest of all he has set last, that God ordains these things through me, and that whoever seems among you to be a prophet, or to have some other spiritual gift, will assuredly know—that is, will recognize these to be commandments of the Lord.

³⁶ [Having concluded] the discourse about the women, now, then, he speaks again about the gifts, and gives the first place to prophecy, saying, Earnestly desire; but to the tongues, the second place. And he did not say, Permit [them] to speak, but, Forbid not; which we are wont to say of things indifferent, neither urging on, nor turning away.[9]

³⁷ Let all things be done decently and in order. As in summary he sets all things aright—both the matters of those who speak with tongues, and those of the women speaking in disorder; and, in a word, all the things among them not done according to order. And decently and in order would it be, if those who speak with tongues speak with interpretation, and not as madmen; if the prophets give place to one another; if the women keep silence.

15 Theophylact of Ohrid, Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians — Chapter Fifteen

¹ Chapter Fifteen. Now I make known to you, brethren, the Gospel which I preached to you. He launches into the discourse concerning the resurrection, which is the chief point of our faith. For if there is no resurrection, neither has Christ been raised; and if he was not raised, neither was he made flesh; and thus our whole faith is gone. Since, then, this was thus impeded among the Corinthians (for the Greek-minded sages would have accepted anything rather than the resurrection), Paul contends concerning this. And wisely he reminds them of the things already believed by them. For I say nothing strange to you, he says, but the thing already made known to you, though it had escaped you; this I make known—that is, I call to remembrance. And by naming them brethren, at once he soothed them, and at once reminded them whence we have become brethren—both that it is from the incarnate presence of Christ that the faith is in danger of being disbelieved, and that it is from baptism, which is a figure of the burial and the resurrection of the Lord. And by saying “Gospel,” he reminded them of the ten thousand good things which we have enjoyed through the incarnate presence and the resurrection.

² Which also you received. He did not say, Which you heard, but, “Which you received.” For not by word only, but also through works and wonders did they receive it; and at the same time that he might persuade them to hold it fast as a deposit.

³ In which also you stand, through which also you are being saved. Although they were being shaken, nevertheless he says that they stand in this, willingly feigning ignorance, and forestalling them, that not even, if they should greatly wish it, might they be able to deny it. And what is the gain of standing in this? To be saved.

⁴ By what word I preached to you. He means something of this sort: Concerning the being of a resurrection, I make nothing known to you; for neither were you shaken in this. But this perhaps you need to learn—in what manner I preached to you that the resurrection comes to pass; and this too I make known to you, namely, concerning how the resurrection comes to pass.

⁵ If you hold it fast, unless you believed in vain. Since he said, “You stand,” that he might not make them more careless, he says, “If you hold it fast.” And you do assuredly hold it fast, “unless you believed in vain,” instead of, Unless, then, you are named Christians to no purpose. For the whole of Christianity lies in the doctrine of the resurrection.

⁶ For I delivered to you among the first things that which I also received. As being a great thing, the doctrine concerning the resurrection, I delivered it among the first things; for it is, as it were, the foundation of all the faith. And I too received it, from Christ, namely. As, then, I hold it fast, so ought you also to hold it fast; and as having received it among the first things, you are now not justified in doubting, not even on account of the time.

⁷ That Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures. These are manifestly the words of Christ speaking in Paul. For since the Manichaeans were going to say that Paul calls the sins “death,” and the deliverance from these “resurrection,” he was pleased that from these words they be convicted. For Christ died; what death? a bodily one, assuredly; for surely not the death in sins; For he did no sin. But if they should even be shameless, saying that he too died the death in sins; how does he say, “For our sins”? For if he too was a sinner, how did he die for our sins? But by saying also, “According to the Scriptures,” he most clearly puts them to shame. For everywhere the Scriptures testify to Christ this bodily death. They pierced my hands and my feet; and, They shall look on him whom they pierced; and, He was wounded for our sins; and, For the sins of my people he came to death.

⁸ And that he was buried. Therefore he had a body also; for that which is buried is a body. But he did not add, “According to the Scriptures,” either because the tomb was manifest to all, or because the “According to the Scriptures” lies in common.

⁹ And that he has been raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures. And where do the Scriptures say that “On the third day he has been raised”? Through the figure of Jonah; and before this, the figure of Isaac, who in three days was brought back safe and alive to his mother, and was not slaughtered, and through ten thousand other figures; and from the words, on the one hand, of Isaiah, The Lord wills to cleanse him from the stroke, to show him light; and, on the other, of David, You will not abandon my soul to Hades.

¹⁰ And that he appeared to Cephas. Among the first he sets the most worthy of all. And yet the Gospel says that he appeared first to Mary; but among men, he appeared first to Peter, as to the foremost of the disciples. For it was fitting that he who confessed first should also see the resurrection first; and because of his denial too he appears to him first, that he might show him that he was not cast off.

¹¹ Then to the twelve. And yet Matthias was brought in after the ascension of the Lord, in place of Judas; how then does he say, “Then to the twelve”? We say, then, that he saw him in the company of Matthias, and that after the ascension also he appeared; since to Paul too, called after the ascension, he appeared; wherefore he did not say the time, but reckoned the company. But some say that it is a scribal error; or that the Lord, knowing through a certain foreknowing perception that he would be numbered with the eleven, appeared to him too, that not even in this might he be less than the rest of the apostles. Something of this sort John too intimates, saying: But Thomas was not one of the twelve. For one would rather say that he ranked Matthias, according to the foreknowledge, with the rest of the apostles, than Judas, who had ended in betrayal and the noose.

¹² Then he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once. After the demonstration from the Scriptures, he brings forward witnesses also—both the apostles and other trustworthy men. The “Above,” some took as, From above, out of the heavens, they say; for above and over their heads he appeared to them, that he might confirm the ascension also. But some understood the “Above five hundred” as, to more than five hundred.

¹³ Of whom the greater part remain until now; but some have also fallen asleep. I have, he says, living witnesses. And by the word “have fallen asleep,” he laid down beforehand a beginning of the resurrection; for he who falls asleep also rises.

¹⁴ Then he appeared to James. To the brother of the Lord, he means, who was appointed by him first bishop of Jerusalem.

¹⁵ Then to all the apostles. For there were other apostles also, such as the seventy.

¹⁶ And last of all, as to the untimely birth, to me also. A word of humility; and wisely he uses humility, that when he says next, “I labored more than all,” he might not be disbelieved as a boaster. An “untimely birth” is properly the unformed embryo which the womb casts out. From the fact, then, that he says himself to be unworthy to be an apostle, and an outcast, he so named himself, as unformed in respect of the apostolic dignity. But some understood the “untimely birth” as the later offspring, because he too was the last of the apostles. Yet Paul is not lessened, because he saw the Lord last. For neither was James less than the other five hundred, because he saw the Lord last of them.

¹⁷ For I am the least of the apostles, who am not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God. He declares concerning himself; and he did not say, I am the least of the twelve only, but also of all the rest. And observe that through these things he makes mention of the sins from which he was freed through baptism, that he might show what God bestowed on him. But for what reason, while bringing himself forward as a witness of the resurrection of Christ, as having appeared to him too, does he recount his own faults? That he might be the more trustworthy. For he who with truth sets down his own disgraces would not vainly bestow a false favor on another.

¹⁸ But by the grace of God I am what I am. The faults he reckons to himself; but the right achievements he attributes to the grace of God.

¹⁹ And his grace which was toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all. And this too he has said with reserve; for he did not say, I did things worthy of the grace, but, The grace of God, he says, was not found vain in me. How? Because I labored more than all the apostles. And he did not say that I was endangered, but with restraint, under the name of labor, cutting short his own praise. And for the sake of appearing trustworthy, he says these things about himself. For the teacher must be trustworthy.

²⁰ Yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. And the very laboring is of the grace of God, not my own achievement.

²¹ Whether, then, I or they, so we preach, and so you believed. Whether I labored more, or they, concerning the preaching at least we are all of one voice, he says. And he did not say, If you believe not me, be persuaded by them; for he would have cheapened himself; but he says both that he himself is sufficient by himself, and that they are sufficient by themselves. And by saying, “We preach,” he shows the truth of the things said. For we speak not in a corner, but openly; “And so you believed.” But he did not say, You now believe, because they were being shaken. And along with the others he calls also their own faith a witness of the truth. For you would not, he says, simply have believed lying words, unless you had been persuaded that the things preached were true.

²² But if Christ is preached, that he has been raised from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? Most excellently he reasons. For having first demonstrated that Christ has been raised, and that he is so preached by himself and by the apostles, from his rising he establishes the common resurrection also, as the rest of the body follows the head. But he does not make the accusation against all, that he might not make them more shameless; but, “Some,” he says, “say.”

²³ But if there is no resurrection of the dead, neither has Christ been raised. That they might not say, Christ indeed has been raised, but yet there will be no general resurrection; he establishes this, and says: “If there is no resurrection, neither has Christ been raised”; for each is establishing of the other. For on what account did he rise, if he was not going to be the firstfruits of us?

²⁴ And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, and your faith is also vain. For if, having died, he had not power to rise, neither has sin been taken away, nor has death been destroyed; and consequently, we preached vain things, and you too believed vain things.

²⁵ And we are found also false witnesses of God, because we testified concerning God that he raised Christ; whom he did not raise, if indeed the dead are not raised. Unholy, he says, are we found, because we slandered God, that he raised him. And this comes about, if indeed the dead are not raised. So that, since the consequence is absurd, neither is that to be believed—namely, that the dead are not raised.

²⁶ For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile. Again he contends by the same argument. For on this account he rose, that he might bring about a general resurrection. But if there is no resurrection, then neither did he himself rise. And this being granted, your faith is futile; which is absurd.

²⁷ You are still in your sins. For if he was not raised, neither did he die; and if he did not die, neither did he loose sin; for his death is the loosing of sin. For behold, he says, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. And he called him “Lamb” assuredly because of the slaughter. But if sin has not been loosed, you are assuredly in it even now; how then did you believe that you were freed from it?

²⁸ Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. That is, those who died for Christ and bore witness have perished, if there is no resurrection; and simply all those who have fallen asleep in the faith according to Christ, and in the strait and afflicted manner of life, have perished, deprived of the delights of the world, and not even going to enjoy any good thing thereafter, if indeed there will be no resurrection.

²⁹ If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most to be pitied. If, he says, our portion is as far as the life here, and we who have hoped in Christ are circumscribed by this alone, and there is no other life there; we are more wretched than all, as never having enjoyed the present things, as has been said above also, and not having the things to come, because neither shall we rise. But perhaps someone will say that the soul alone will enjoy them. And what of that? For not it alone labored, but the body also. Where, then, is the justice, that the body, which underwent the greater toil, passing into non-being, and not having enjoyed any good thing, the soul alone should be crowned?

³⁰ But now Christ has been raised from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. Having shown how many absurdities are born from the resurrection not being believed, he takes up the argument again, and says something of this sort, that These things indeed come about, if indeed there is no common resurrection, as though Christ too had not been raised. “But now Christ has been raised”; therefore there will be a common resurrection also, and these absurdities will not come about. And continually he adds the “From the dead,” stitching up the mouths of the Manichaeans. If he is the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep, these too must assuredly rise. For the firstfruits have those who follow also; as when, of many, one first begins what the rest also are going to do in succession.

³¹ For since by man came death, by man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. He adds the cause through which he confirms the things said. For it was fitting, he says, that the very nature which had been defeated should conquer, and that the one who had been cast down should himself prevail. For in Adam—that is, through the fall of Adam—all fell under death. So, then, in Christ all shall rise; that is, through Christ’s being found sinless and not liable to death, and having indeed to die, but to rise, inasmuch as it was not possible that the Author of life should be held fast by corruption. And all these things too are against the Manichaeans.

³² But each in his own order. That you may not, on hearing that “all shall be made alive,” suppose that the sinners too are saved, he added this. As far as concerns the rising, “all shall be made alive”; but “each” shall be “in his own order,” and among those of whom he is worthy.

³³ Christ the firstfruits, then those who are Christ’s at his coming; then the end. Christ became the firstfruits and the beginning of the resurrection; after him, then, his own—that is, the faithful and those who have been well-pleasing in him—shall rise first, at his coming from the heavens. For this is the meaning of “At his coming”; for the righteous must have a certain privilege in the very rising. For since they are going to be caught up into the air to meet the Lord, they are raised beforehand; whereas the sinners remain below for the Judge, as condemned. Then the end of all things, and of the resurrection itself, inasmuch as all are raised in common; for not as now, Christ alone having risen, the human affairs have remained in their place, so will it be then also; but all things shall receive their end.

³⁴ When he shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father. Scripture knows two kingdoms: the one according to appropriation, the other according to creation. For he reigns over all—both Greeks, and Jews, and the demons themselves, even against their will—according to the principle of creation; but he reigns over the faithful and the saints, who submit willingly, according to the principle of appropriation. Concerning this kingdom he speaks. Ask of me, and I will give you the nations; and, All authority has been given to me; this too he delivers up to the Father—that is, he sets it right, he perfects it; just as a king has entrusted to his son a war against rebellious nations, that he might administer it for him; when, then, the son has completed the war, having subdued the nations, he is then said to deliver up the war to the father—that is, to show forth the work entrusted to him accomplished. Paul says, then, that when the Son shall have subjected all things, then will be the end. For then will Christ reign over us perfectly, men being no longer divided between God and the ruler of the world; for, as it were, having taken out the kingdom plundered by a tyrant, he presents it free to the Father.

³⁵ When he shall have done away with all rule, and all authority and power. That is, when he shall have conquered and stopped the wicked powers. For now they work in many places, but then they shall cease.

³⁶ For he must reign, until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy that is done away is death. Since he said that he is going to do away with the apostate powers, and to set up trophies, and it was likely that someone would doubt and say, Perhaps he will grow weak until he does all these things; he says that He will not grow weak, but “he must reign”—that is, must bear himself as a king and as one mighty—until he subjects the enemies, and last of all, death. For he who has subjected the devil, plainly will subject also his work, death. And how would it appear that death has been subjected, unless it vomit forth the bodies which it held? For then is it properly defeated, when the spoils too are plundered. Do not, then, he says, on hearing that he will do away with all rule and authority, fear that he will grow weak. For he will do all things, and will carry through and wage the war, until he subjects all. You see that the “Until” is not for the doing away of the “After these things,” but for the cause stated? For his kingdom, he says, prevails, and does not grow weak, until he sets all things right. But after he has set them right, much more does it prevail; For of his kingdom there shall be no end. But Gregory the Theologian says that “to reign” is here said to mean, to work the subjection, and to set us under his own kingdom; whence also, after we have been subjected to him, such a kingdom ceases—that is, the zeal and working toward our being reigned over by him. For just as the builder builds until he sets the roof in place, but after this rests from this work of building; so also the Son reigns—that is, works his reign over us—until we are brought under his reign.

³⁷ For he has put all things under his feet. But when he says that all things have been put under, it is clear that he is excepted who put all things under him. Since he had said concerning the Son that he will do away with the enemies, and work a trophy, he feared lest the Son be thought to be some other unbegotten principle. He refers all things, then, to the Father, saying that he subjected the enemies to the Son. And since he was writing to Greeks, who hold that Zeus rose up against his father Cronus, and stripped him of the kingdom, he feared lest they suspect something of this sort concerning the Son, as though he had risen up against the Father; and he says that All things have been subjected to the Son, except the Father; for it was rather he who subjected all the other things also to the Son.

³⁸ But when all things have been subjected to him, then shall the Son himself also be subjected to him who subjected all things to him. That no one may say, that Even if the Father is not subjected to the Son, nothing hinders the Son from being mightier than he; this suspicion he removes out of abundance of caution, and says that the Son too shall be subjected to the Father, showing the great concord of the Son with the Father. So that you may know that the Father is the cause and fountain of this power to the Son, and that the Son is not some other power without beginning, apart from the Father. But if he used a more lowly expression than was needful, do not wonder; for it is Paul’s custom, when he is about to pluck up something by the roots, to use much abundance of emphasis; for instance, being about to show that the believing wife is not harmed by living with the unbelieving husband, he said that The unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife; not saying this, that the husband, being an unbeliever, becomes holy, but by the hyperbole of the expression showing that the believing wife is in no way harmed. So here also, by the name of subjection, he plucks up by the roots the wicked suspicion which someone might have suspected, that the Son is perhaps mightier than the Father, as being able to set right so many things. But Gregory the Theologian says that the Son, appropriating all our things to himself, deems our subjection also his own. Now, then, we are in faction against God: the unbelievers, denying him; the faithful, many being enslaved to the passions, in this respect are insubordinate. But when the one sort shall have come to know him whom they now deny, and the other sort shall be transformed from the passions in this life, then assuredly it comes about that the Son is subjected; for, putting on the person of humanity, he makes our things his own.

³⁹ That God may be all in all. That is, that all things may be dependent on the Father, that no one may suspect two principles without beginning and severed from each other. For when the enemies are under the feet of the Son, and the Son is not in faction against the Father, but, as befits a Son, is subjected to God the Father; then assuredly God and Father will be all things in all. But some say that the doing away of wickedness is signified through these things, as all things being subjected; for when sin is no more, it is evident that God will be all things in all, when we are no longer many in the motions and the passions, bearing nothing at all of God, or little, in ourselves, but being wholly God-formed, wholly able to contain God and him alone. For God will be all things to us—both food, and drink, and clothing, and thought, and motion.

⁴⁰ Else what shall they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead are not raised at all? why are they then baptized for the dead? The Marcionite heretics, whenever someone among them dies unbaptized, hiding a living person under the bed of the deceased, approach the bed and ask the dead man whether he wishes to be baptized; and the one hidden underneath answers that he wishes; and so they baptize him in place of the departed. Then, being accused for this, they make their defense, that the Apostle said this, and these madmen bring forward this saying. But it is not so; rather, how? All who are about to be baptized recite the symbol of the faith, in which is set down, among the rest, this also which is confessed: I believe in the resurrection of the dead. He says, then, that Those who have believed that there will be a resurrection of dead bodies, and have been baptized upon such articles of faith, what will they do, having been deceived? and why at all are men baptized for resurrection—that is, in expectation of resurrection—if the dead are not raised?

⁴¹ [Why do we also stand in jeopardy every hour?] If you do not believe, for the demonstration of the resurrection, the confession through words which those being baptized make, believe also the voice given through deeds. We, all the apostles, are ever in dangers; and if there were no resurrection, for what reason were we endangered? that we might enjoy what? For if someone should choose to be endangered through vainglory, he would do this once or twice; but the doing it every hour, as we do, is the greatest demonstration of being fully assured concerning the resurrection.[10]

⁴² I die daily, by your boasting, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord. Having said, “We are endangered,” he showed the dangers; or rather, something greater—daily deaths. How did he die daily? By his readiness, and by being prepared for this, and by suffering such things as brought death. By your boasting—that is, By your progress, in which I boast. For the progress of the disciples is a boast to the teacher. Then, attributing this to Christ, he says: Which I have in Christ Jesus; for it is his work, not mine. And most wisely he reminds them, that Just as I boast when you are progressing, so I shall be put to shame, if to the end you are so wretched as to disbelieve the resurrection.

⁴³ If after the manner of men I fought with beasts at Ephesus, what is my profit? As if to say, What of my having fought with beasts among men? for what is it, if God snatched me from the dangers? what, then, is my profit, if there is no resurrection? And he calls “fighting with beasts” the battle against the Jews and Demetrius the silversmith. For in what did these differ from beasts?

⁴⁴ If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die. If the dead are not raised, and there will be no enjoyment there, let us then enjoy the good things in this life, eating and drinking; for these we shall gain. And this saying he brought forward from Isaiah, making comedy of the folly of those who deny the resurrection.

⁴⁵ Be not deceived; evil communications corrupt good characters. He turns the discourse to exhortation; and quietly he accuses them as senseless and light; for this he indicates through the “Be not deceived.” And he calls “good characters” the easily-deceived; he indicates, however, that others also drag them down into such things.

⁴⁶ Awake to soberness righteously, and sin not; for some have ignorance of God. As over those who are drunk [is] the Awake to soberness; and the Righteously, as it were, profitably. For it is possible also to be sober unrighteously—for instance, unto evil. And sin not, he says; for from this also you disbelieve the resurrection. For those conscious of evils in themselves are not persuaded that there is a resurrection, where there are many punishments. And they have ignorance of God, those who disbelieve the resurrection. For they know not the power of God. And he did not say, You have, but, They have, making the charge lighter.

⁴⁷ I speak to your shame. Since he had laid hold of them sufficiently, he comforts them, saying that These things I said to you, not as an enemy reproaching, but in order to shame you, so as to lead you back to correction, ashamed, and minded as is fitting.

⁴⁸ But someone will say: How are the dead raised? with what body do they come? He did not say, You say, that thus the discourse might become inoffensive, as being examined in [the persons of] others who disbelieve. And two things are doubted: both the manner of the resurrection—how the body once dissolved is raised; and with what body it rises, this one or some other. And through the example of the grain he resolves the two.

⁴⁹ Fool, that which you sow is not made alive, unless it die. From something manifest, and done by them every day, he makes the resolution; wherefore he calls them fools, as ignorant of things so clear. You, he says, that which you sow—you, the corruptible, how do you doubt concerning God? And he said, It is not made alive, unless it die, using expressions proper not to seeds, but to bodies. For he did not say that it does not sprout at all, unless it be dissolved, but, It is not made alive, unless it die. And see how he turned the argument into the contrary; for to them it seemed a dreadful thing, how after death we are raised; but he says the contrary, that on this account we are raised, because we die, as it not being possible to be made alive otherwise, unless there were death.

⁵⁰ And that which you sow, you sow not the body that shall be, but a bare grain, it may be of wheat, or of some of the rest. Having said that two things are doubted—both how the dead are raised, and with what body—how they are raised he resolved, namely, that it is through dying, just like a grain; and now, interpreting also with what body they are raised, he resolves the other difficulty too, and says that the same body is raised, that is, of the same substance, but more splendid and more comely. But the heretics say that it is not the same that is raised. For this, they say, the Apostle indicates by saying, Not that which shall be. But the Apostle does not say this; rather, what? You do not sow such as it will be—splendid, namely, and comely—but a bare grain; yet the ear grows up more seemly. Neither is it altogether the same, because the ear was not sown with the stalk, namely, and the awns, but a bare grain; nor altogether other, because the ear is not from another grain, but from that bare one.

⁵¹ But God gives it a body, as he willed. If, then, God gives a body, why do you still busy yourself overmuch with what body we are raised, and disbelieve the resurrection, hearing of God’s power and will? For God raises the body that was dissolved, only more seemly and more spiritual. For this too may be found in the case of the seeds, that what springs up comes up more seemly than what was cast in.

⁵² And to each of the seeds its own body. This irrefutably stops the mouths of the heretics who say that the same body is not raised in the resurrection, but another. For behold, you hear that its own body is given to each.

⁵³ Not all flesh is the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another flesh of birds, another of fish. That you may not, on hearing about the wheat, suppose that, as in its case all the ears come up of equal honor, so also in the resurrection all will be of equal honor; he wishes to show that there is a difference among those who rise (which he touched on earlier also, saying, Each in his own order), and he says that “Not all flesh is the same flesh”; that is, Not all rise in the same honor, but they have a difference—first, the righteous as compared with the sinners, such as the heavenly bodies have toward the earthly; then, even among the righteous themselves, a great difference of degrees, as he will say further on; and among the sinners themselves also. For just as, he says, there is a difference between the flesh of men, and that of beasts, and of the rest of living things; so also among the sinners there will be a difference in the punishments. All, then, that has been said by him here is said concerning the difference of sinners. For concerning the righteous he speaks further on, when he enumerates heavenly bodies.

⁵⁴ There are also heavenly bodies, and earthly bodies; but the glory of the heavenly is one, and that of the earthly another. Here, as I said above, he indicates the difference of the righteous as compared with the sinners; calling the former heavenly bodies, but the latter, the sinners, earthly; and the glory of the righteous is one, and that of the sinners another—no longer “glory” (for we must not supply this), but their condition of life.

⁵⁵ There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. As a little before he spoke of the differences of the bodies of sinners, beginning from men, and next making mention of birds, and beasts, and fish—because the sinners too, having become men in the beginning, then were carried down to the likeness of the irrational—so too he shows the great difference of the righteous. For all indeed are in glory; but the light of the sun is one, and that of the moon another, and so on down to whatever there is. For stars too differ from stars in glory, that is, in light; for the glory of the stars is their light. But some understood “heavenly bodies” as the angels—not aptly, I think; and this is clear from his adducing the sun, and the moon, and the stars. So that the discourse is concerning these.

⁵⁶ So also is the resurrection of the dead. So—how? In great difference, as the examples written above also showed.

⁵⁷ It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. Above, speaking about seeds, he used expressions proper to bodies; as when he said, “It is not made alive, unless it die”; now, speaking about bodies, he uses expressions proper to seeds; “For it is sown,” he says, “in corruption.” And he calls “sowing” now, not the sowing in the womb, but the laying away of the dead bodies in the earth, as if he said: The dead body is laid away in the earth in corruption, that is, so as to rot. And well did he say, “It is raised,” and not, “It rises up,” that you might not suppose the work to be the earth’s.

⁵⁸ It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. For what is more dishonorable than a corpse? but in the glory of incorruption it is raised, even if not all enjoy the same honor.

⁵⁹ It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. For not yet are there five days, and the flesh has not strength to hold out against corruption; but it is raised in the power of incorruption, being henceforth proof against all corruption, even if the incorruption is for the sinners rather unto greater punishment.

⁶⁰ It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. A “natural body” is that governed by the natural powers, and in which the soul has the authority and the leadership; but a “spiritual” body, that which is enriched with the working of the Holy Spirit, and governed in all things by him. For even if now the Spirit works in us, yet not so, nor always; for it flies away from those who sin. And, the Spirit being present, the soul governs the body; but then the Spirit abides perpetually in the bodies of the righteous. Or by “spiritual” he simply means the incorruptible, as being finer and lighter, such as even to be borne upon the air; only not as Origen says, airy and ethereal—that is, from the substance of the air and the ether. But if you disbelieve the incorruption, look at the heavenly bodies, which for so long are unaging and unwearied; for he who made these such, will also make incorruptible our corruptible things.

⁶¹ There is a natural body, which we now have in the present life.

⁶² And there is a spiritual body, which we are going to have in the age to come, being the same indeed, but refined—that is, incorruptible.

⁶³ So also it is written: The first man Adam became a living soul; the last Adam a life-giving Spirit. And indeed the one is written, but the other was not afterward written; rather, from the sequence of the matters he says that the outcome was written, just as the prophet too said that Jerusalem would be called a city of righteousness, and it was not expressly so called; and the Gospel that the Lord [would be called] Emmanuel, and he was not himself so called, but the events let go this utterance. The first Adam, then, was a natural man, that is, he had a body governed by natural powers; “but the last Adam,” the Lord, “a life-giving Spirit.” He did not say, A living spirit, but, “Life-giving,” saying the greater thing. For the Lord had the Holy Spirit essentially conjoined to him, through whom he both made alive his own flesh, and through it bestowed on us incorruption. So that of this corruptible life we have the pledges in the first Adam; but of the life to come, in Christ.

⁶⁴ But not first the spiritual, but the natural, then the spiritual. That no one may say, Why do we now have the natural and worse body, but the spiritual is to come? he says that the beginnings of each were thus ordained also. And Adam was first, but Christ later. So that our things ever advance toward the better; and believe that the things now in you, corruptible and worse, shall be transformed into the incorruptible and better.

⁶⁵ The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man, the Lord, is from heaven. That they might not be careless of the best life, he is henceforth going to exhort concerning a God-pleasing manner of life, and he says that “Adam was from the earth”; for this very reason he was so named too; for “Adam” signifies earthy and of dust. “But the second man, the Lord,” was “from heaven.” And the one he names from the worse, the second from the better; not that the man—that is, the human nature assumed—was from heaven, as the foolish Apollinarius raved; but because, there being one person of the one Christ, the man too is said to be from heaven on account of the union, and God to be crucified, for the same cause.

⁶⁶ As is the earthy, such also are the earthy. That is, so they will perish and come to their end; or, that those nailed to the earth will die the death of sin.

⁶⁷ And as is the heavenly, such also are the heavenly. That is, so they will remain immortal and shining. For even if the second Adam died, yet it was that he might destroy death; or, that so they too will be glorified who have lived in God-like fashion, as minding the things of heaven.

⁶⁸ And as we have borne the image of the earthy, here he more nakedly reveals the hortatory form of the discourse. By “image of the earthy” he means the base deeds; by “image of the heavenly,” the good. As, then, we have lived through in wickedness as sons of the earthy, and minding the things of the earth; so let us also live henceforth in virtue, as keeping the image and the imitation of the heavenly. And an image of the earthy is also the, You are earth, and to earth you shall return; but an image of the heavenly is the resurrection from the dead and incorruption. So that, if these be among the things said concerning resurrection, we must not understand them as concerning the manner of life; and the We shall bear the image of the heavenly we must understand or write not as said by way of counsel, but as indicative of a coming fact—that is, that we are going to bear it.

⁶⁹ But this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Since he said, “Image of the earthy,” as if interpreting it, he says that flesh and blood are the image of the earthy; that is, the fleshly deeds, and those proper to the grossness of the body, which “cannot inherit the kingdom of God.”

⁷⁰ Neither does corruption inherit incorruption. That is, wickedness, which corrupts the nobility of the soul, cannot inherit that glory and the incorruptible good things. But you may take all these things not as said about the manner of life, but as about resurrection; for instance, the Flesh and blood; as meaning that A body such as this, composed of flesh and blood, will not in the age to come enjoy the kingdom. For there is no eating and drinking there, by which a body of this kind is assuredly nourished. Neither corruption—that is, the corruptible body—shall inherit the incorruptible things; so that of necessity our body shall be spiritual and incorruptible. Know, however, that Chrysostom received these things as said by the Apostle by way of exhortation, concerning the best life.

⁷¹ Behold, I tell you a mystery. Again he comes back to the discourse concerning the resurrection, and says that he is going to tell them something secret and unspeakable. And through this he shows also the great honor toward them, as telling them the secret things.

⁷² We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. Not all, he says, will die, but all assuredly shall be changed, even those who do not die—that is, they shall pass into incorruption. Do not, then, because you die, fear that you will not rise. For behold, I tell you that some will not die, and yet this does not suffice them for that kingdom, unless they be changed, and so come into immortality from this mortality of the bodies they bear. As, then, the not dying does not profit those, so neither will the dying harm us. For to them too the change is a death; for in them corruption dies, being changed into incorruption.

⁷³ In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. In an instant and indivisible time, and as much as the closing of an eyelid, such great things shall come to pass; and it is full of wonder. For not only that things rotted shall rise, nor that each shall receive his own body, must one wonder at; but that it shall be so swiftly as cannot even be told. But some understood the “At the last trumpet” thus, as from the Apocalypse of John the Evangelist. For there being seven trumpets, he says, the first ones bring about the consummation of men (for not all are consummated together, but in part); and this by a dispensation of God, he says, that those who are left, seeing the first ones perishing, may themselves repent; but the last trumpet brings about the rising and the change of those already risen, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.”

⁷⁴ For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible. That no one may disbelieve how such great things come to pass in the twinkling of an eye, he shows the trustworthiness of the saying from the power of God who does these things, and says that “The trumpet shall sound, and they shall come to be”; like the, He spoke, and they came to be. For the trumpet signifies nothing else than the command and the nod of God, which reaches through all things.

⁷⁵ And we shall be changed. He does not say this concerning himself, but concerning those who are found living at that time.

⁷⁶ For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. That no one, on hearing that “Flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God,” and again, that “The dead shall rise incorruptible,” might suppose that the bodies do not rise, because they are now composed of flesh and blood, he adds, that the bodies do rise, but not as being flesh and blood, but transformed into incorruption. And note these expressions against those who say that not the same bodies are raised, but others. For “This corruptible,” he says, “and this mortal,” not another, but this, demonstratively. So that the body itself remains the same (for it is itself that which is clothed); but the mortality and the corruptibility vanish, incorruption and immortality encompassing it. And mortality and corruption differ in this, that mortality is said only of things ensouled, but corruption of things soulless too. There are, then, in us certain things resembling soulless things—for instance, hairs, nails; and these too shall put on incorruption.

⁷⁷ When, then, this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the word that is written: Death was swallowed up in victory. When these things come to pass, then is fulfilled the Scripture of Hosea. For since he said paradoxical things, he confirms them by a scriptural testimony. And the “In victory”—that is, unto an end; so that, being utterly conquered, it is put away, and has not even visibly any strength henceforth.

⁷⁸ O death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? As if seeing the things already come to pass, he is filled with divine ardor, and shouts the victory-song, and raises the war-cry, as if treading upon death lying prostrate, and trampling him down. And you may find a certain difference between Hades and death, in that Hades holds the souls, but death the bodies; for the souls are immortal.

⁷⁹ But the sting of death is sin. For through it death had strength, using this as a kind of weapon and sting. For just as the scorpion is itself some small creature, but has its strength in its sting; so also death had strength through sin, being otherwise without effect. And the case of the Lord shows it too; for in him also, finding no sin, it remained without effect.

⁸⁰ And the power of sin is the law. How? Because, the law not being, sinning in ignorance, we were not so condemned; but the law, having made it manifest, condemned us the more, as sinning in knowledge; and it made it strong—not by reason of its own nature, but by reason of our carelessness, who did not use well the medicine given; as has been said also in the [Epistle] to the Romans more broadly and at greater length. Do not, then, O man, doubt concerning the resurrection, seeing that sin too, which was the weapon of death, has been done away; and the law, which by its effect was the power of sin, has been abolished. For it is manifest that death, being disarmed, has no longer any strength.

⁸¹ But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. The contest is the Lord Jesus’, but to us the victory is given; not in recompense, nor according to debt, but according to the grace and loving-kindness of God and Father, who made us to conquer through the contest of his Son.

⁸² Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. Since you have come to know, he says, that there will be a resurrection, and a recompense of good and bad, be steadfast. For they were being shaken in the discourses concerning the resurrection. And since they were careless also of a good life, as though there were no resurrection thence, he says: “Abounding in the work of the Lord always”; not only working it, but doing it out of abundance. And the “work of the Lord”—that is, what the Lord loves, and what he requires of us—is virtue.

⁸³ Knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. That is, hoping that there will be a resurrection, and that whatever you labor, you shall not lose. For formerly you were careless of virtue, as not believing there to be a resurrection, and on this account not willing to labor in vain; but now you know that, if you labor anything, it will not be in vain. And the “In the Lord” means either that Your labor which is in the Lord—that is, which has also the help from above, as being done upon God-pleasing works; or that With the Lord the labor shall not be made vain, but you shall receive from him the recompenses.

16 Theophylact of Ohrid, Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians — Chapter Sixteen

¹ Chapter Sixteen. Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the Churches of Galatia, so do you also. Having brought to completion his discourse concerning the doctrines, he came to the chief of the virtues, namely almsgiving. And he calls it a “collection,” at once making the matter light from the very outset; for what is contributed by many was light for each one. Then he leads them to emulation: “As it was directed by me, things already set right by others.” For as the Galatians, he says, have done. And he did not say, “I exhorted,” but “I directed,” which is more authoritative, that you may learn that it is a royal ordinance, and may not hold the matter in contempt.

² On the first day of the week let each of you lay aside by himself, storing up whatever he may be prospered in. By “the first day of the week” he means the Lord’s Day, that is, the first of the days of the week. And from the day itself he urges them on to almsgiving, reminding them of the mysteries accomplished on it. And very providently he commands each to store up whatever he may be prospered in—that is, whatever God may send, and what he may have ready to hand. For he did not say, “Bring it at once,” lest anyone who has little be ashamed, but, “Gather it beside yourself, and when it has become worth mentioning, then bring it.”

³ That there be no collections when I come. That there be no gathering, he says, at the very time when there is need to expend. And by saying “When I come,” he makes them more eager toward the collection, since the contribution is to be made, as it were, before his very eyes.

⁴ And when I arrive, whomever you approve by letters, these I will send to carry your gift to Jerusalem. Well has he set down “whomever you approve,” everywhere avoiding occasions of stumbling, lest they suspect that he himself wishes to embezzle anything from what is gathered. Place a stop, then, at “approve”; then read on, “by letters these I will send”; so that the sequence is as follows: Whomever you approve, these I will send by my letters—as though saying, “I too will be present with them, and will share in the ministry through my letters.” And he called the matter a “gift,” that is, a generous bounty, in order to show that they were doing something great, and not out of grief or out of necessity; for such is a gift. For to have called it almsgiving would have been unworthy of those illustrious saints.

⁵ And if it be worthwhile that I also should go, they will go with me. If what is gathered, he says, be so much as to be worthy even of my own ministry, I will go. And by this he urges them on to liberality. And in this way too he wishes to have witnesses, that he himself will take nothing; wherefore he says, “They will go with me.”

⁶ But I will come to you when I have passed through Macedonia (for I am passing through Macedonia); and with you perhaps I will even remain, or even spend the winter, that you may send me forward, wherever I may go. For I do not wish to see you now in passing; but I hope to abide some time with you, if the Lord permits. He did not say, “I am going away to Macedonia,” lest they say, “You prefer the Macedonians to us,” but, “I am passing through Macedonia,” that is, “I look upon them as in haste and in passing, but with you I remain.” And by this he shows both that he prefers them to the Macedonians, as more genuine disciples and more worthy of mention—for great was the Church in Corinth—and he also strikes fear into those who were sinning, by the word “I will remain.” And he adds “perhaps,” because of the uncertainty; for he did not know whether this would be permitted him by the Spirit or not, since he was led by the Spirit wherever It willed. And being in Ephesus, he then looked to go away into Macedonia, and to pass through it more quickly, and then to go away to them. And in many ways he shows his disposition toward them, both by not wishing to see them in passing, and by wishing to be sent forward by them.

⁷ But I will remain at Ephesus until Pentecost,—and this too belongs to one who loves greatly: both to say where he will remain, and until when; and moreover to add the reason. For he goes on to say:

⁸ For a door has been opened to me, great and effectual, and the adversaries are many. That is, “Many are about to come to the faith, and a broad entrance to them has been opened to me, inasmuch as their ministry toward the faith is at its height.” For to the teacher there is straitness when he does not have eager disciples, but spaciousness when he finds them. And the adversaries are many—which does not hinder, but rather provokes; for the devil, seeing himself being stripped bare, is the more troubled, and stirs up those who oppose.

⁹ Now if Timothy come, see that he be without fear among you. Since it was likely that Timothy, having come to Corinth, would lay hold of those who were sinning and rebuke them, he secures them, lest the rich and wise rise up against him—not because Timothy, being unmanly, was about to fall, but because they themselves were about to be harmed. For that man was exceedingly well prepared for dangers. And well did he say, “among you.” For do not cite to me the Greeks; for the present I require it of you.

¹⁰ For he works the work of the Lord, as I also do; let no one therefore despise him. That is, “He preaches and teaches; and not simply, but as I do.” Which is great praise for Timothy. Since, then, he is such a one, “let no one despise him”; for he was young, and alone, and had been entrusted with the care of so great and so haughty a people, and it was likely that he would be held in contempt.

¹¹ But send him forward in peace, that he may come to me; for I am awaiting him with the brethren. “Rather, then,” he says, “honor him also”; for “send him forward” makes this plain. And “in peace,” that is, without fear, without battle and contention, with all submission. And “I am awaiting him” belongs to one striking fear, that, knowing he will report everything to him, they may in no way grieve him; and at the same time he makes him more reverend, seeing that he holds him so necessary as even to await him.

¹² But concerning Apollos the brother, I greatly besought him to come to you with the brethren; and it was altogether not his will to come now. Apollos was both older than Timothy and an eloquent man. So that they might not say, “Why ever did he not send him, but the younger man?” he says, “I besought him much.” And he does not say, “He withstood me,” but, absolving him too of blame, he says, “It was altogether not the will”—that is, God did not will it. And lest they say that these things are a pretext and an excuse, he says:

¹³ But he will come when he has opportunity. At once both making his defense on that man’s behalf, and consoling them, who longed to see him, with the hope of his coming.

¹⁴ Watch. Again he exhorts them toward the end, showing that they must not place their hopes upon their teachers, but also in themselves. “Watch,” because of those who deceive; and he said this as to men who were drowsing.

¹⁵ Stand firm in the faith. Not in the outward wisdom; for in that it is not possible to stand, but to be carried about; and he said this as to men who were being shaken.

¹⁶ Be manful, be strong. Because of those who plot against them; and he said this as to men growing soft.

¹⁷ Let all your affairs be done in love. This is directed against those who were forming factions and tearing apart the Church. For whether, he says, one teaches, or learns, or rebukes, let all be in love; and there will be no puffing up nor division, with love mediating.

¹⁸ Now I exhort you, brethren. This is a transposition: “I exhort you, that you also submit yourselves to such as these”; and the rest is inserted between.

¹⁹ You know the household of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia. “You,” he says, “know it, and have no need to learn it from me.” And he calls the household of Stephanas the firstfruits of Achaia, either because they were the first to believe, or because they also chose the best manner of life. For the firstfruits must in every respect have the most excellent of those things whose firstfruits it is. And by Achaia he means Hellas.

²⁰ And they appointed themselves to the ministry of the saints. To receiving the faithful poor, and ministering to them, they appointed and set apart themselves—not constrained by others through necessity, but willingly, of themselves.

²¹ That you also submit yourselves to such as these, and to everyone who works together and labors. That is, “Take part with them both in the expending of money and in bodily service.” And he did not say simply, “Work together,” but, showing an intensified obedience, “Submit yourselves.” And lest he should seem to be favoring Stephanas alone, he adds, “and to everyone who works together and labors.” Where? In the ministry of the saints. For all such are worthy of honor; for thus would they also bear their toil nobly.

²² And I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas, and Fortunatus, and Achaicus, because these supplied what was lacking on your part. These were the ones who announced to Paul concerning the dissension in Corinth and the other sins; and those of Chloe’s household perhaps disclosed it through them. Since, then, it was likely that the Corinthians had been made savage toward these men, he commends them, saying, “They supplied what was lacking on your part”—that is, “They came in the stead of all of you, and for your sakes undertook so great a journey to me.”

²³ For they refreshed my spirit and yours. He showed them that his own refreshment is theirs. So that, since when I was refreshed by them you too gained it, namely my refreshment, you should display nothing ungracious toward these same men.

²⁴ Acknowledge, therefore, such as these. That is, “Hold them in honor.”

²⁵ The Churches of Asia greet you. He glues together the members of Christ through the greeting, as he is ever wont to do.

²⁶ Aquila and Priscilla greet you much in the Lord, with the Church that is in their house. For with them he abode, being himself also a tentmaker. And observe their virtue, that they made their house a Church, having made within it a gathering of the faithful.

²⁷ All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. This addition of the holy kiss he adds here alone, because of the many dissensions. Since, then, he had exhorted them much concerning being united, he now unites them also through the holy kiss—the genuine, the guileless, the unfeigned.

²⁸ The greeting of Paul with my own hand. He makes the greeting with his own hand, in order to show that he made much of the Epistle.

²⁹ If anyone does not love our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema. By this one saying he struck fear into all—the fornicators, the dissenters, those who ate things sacrificed to idols, those who disbelieved the resurrection, and, in a word, all those among them who were living outside his teaching and tradition. For all such do not love the Lord.

³⁰ Maran atha.[11] That is, “The Lord has come.” And he said this, at once confirming the word of the Incarnation, and thereby the resurrection; and at the same time putting them to shame, that “The Master accepted all things on our behalf, while you provoke Him to anger—some being called after men, and some doing base things.” And he did not use the Greek tongue, but the Hebrew, or rather the Syrians’ language, since he was speaking to the Corinthians, who prided themselves greatly on the outward wisdom and on the elegance of the Greek tongue, showing that he himself had so little need of it that he gloried in his plainness of speech, so as even to utter a barbarian tongue.

³¹ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. This belongs to a teacher: not only to exhort, but also to pray, and to give support in twofold manner—both by teaching, and by the supply of the help from above through prayers.

³² My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. Since he was separated from them by place, as it were by the stretching out of some right hand, he embraces them with the hands of love, saying, “My love be with you”—which is, “I am with you all; for I am not absent, even though I am separated by place.” And through these words he shows that the things written were not of wrath nor of anger, but of love and solicitude, even if they revealed some bitterness. And lest they think that he says these things to flatter them, he says, “in Christ Jesus”—that is, “My love has nothing human or fleshly, but is spiritual and in Christ.” Let us, then, pray also ourselves that, loving one another in Christ, we may carry about within ourselves nothing of worldly love, which is enmity toward God. For thus shall we also be counted worthy of the beloved tabernacles of God, in Christ Jesus our Lord, who has loved us; to whom be the glory unto the ages of ages. Amen.