1 Corinthians 2:3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He often calls persecutions weakness. For example: "You did not despise the weakness of my flesh" (Gal 4:13-14). And again: "If I must glory, I will glory in my weakness" (2 Cor 11:30). What weakness? The pagan "governor under King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus, in order to seize me" (2 Cor 11:32). And again: "Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses." In what weaknesses? He explains further: "in insults, in needs, in persecutions" (2 Cor 12:10).

He says the same now. After saying, "And I was with you in weakness," he does not stop there. To show that by weakness he means dangers, he adds: "and in fear and in much trembling." What is this? Did Paul also fear dangers? Yes, he feared, and feared greatly. For though he was Paul, he was still a man.

This is not Paul’s fault, but the weakness of human nature. At the same time, it is praise of his will that, even while fearing death and wounds, he did nothing unworthy under the influence of fear. Therefore those who say that he did not fear wounds not only do him no honor, but greatly diminish his dignity.

If he had not feared, what firmness, or what philosophy, would there have been in enduring calamities? I marvel at him for this reason: although he feared, and did not simply fear but trembled before calamities, he nevertheless always struggled with glory. He weakened before no danger, cleansing the whole world and everywhere, on land and sea, sowing the seeds of preaching.

The Apostle, while among the Corinthians, was, as he himself testifies, in great fear and trembling: "And I was with you in weakness, and in fear. And in much trembling." Such faintheartedness in the Apostle Paul seems inconsistent with the command he received from the Lord in a vision when he was to go to Corinth: "The Lord said to Paul in a vision by night: Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not be silent" (Acts 18:9).

Explanation. The fear that seized the Apostle Paul while he was among the Corinthians did not arise from faintheartedness or from any other blameworthy causes. It arose from his extreme humility and from his great reverence for the office which, by the command of God Himself, he had to carry out among so corrupt a people.

Therefore he considered himself unworthy to convert to the Christian faith not only a countless people, but even one man. He trembled as he imagined so great an embassy. Nevertheless, true and noble zeal, joined to the distinctive gravity proper to the apostolic ministry, always accompanied him in carrying out the office appointed to him directly by God Himself. Furnished by His grace, he had the gift of mixing his word with humility and strictness, while fearing no human authority or power.

A clear example of such teaching is seen in the following fourth chapter, where he writes: "What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of meekness?" (1 Cor 4:21). Moreover, Saint Paul himself used both humility and a certain authority in his teaching. Through his epistle he also urges the Apostle Titus to use the same kind of teaching: "Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you" (Tit 2:15).

It follows from this that the preacher of the word of God not only may, but must, mix his teaching with humility, arising from recognition of his own unworthiness and weakness, and founded on reverence for the majesty of God. At the same time, he must mix it with true zeal and proper strictness, without any fear or servility toward human strength and power.

This alone, according to the Apostle’s rebuking thought, that is, his example, should already have taught the Corinthians not to be carried away by the external learning and eloquence of the local teachers. Rather, with all heart and mind, they should have listened to the chief saving subject of apostolic preaching.

"Here is another circumstance. Not only were the believers simple people, not only was the preacher a simple man, not only was the manner of teaching full of simplicity, and not only could the very subject of the preaching trouble the hearers, since that subject was the Cross and death. There were also other obstacles: calamities and intrigues, daily dangers and persecutions.

He often calls persecutions weakness. For example: If I must glory, I will glory in my weakness (2 Cor 11:30). What weakness? The ruler under Aretas the king guarded the city of Damascus, desiring to seize me (v. 32). And again: Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses. In what weaknesses? He explains further: in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in distresses (2 Cor 12:10).

He says the same now. For after saying, And I was with you in weakness, he does not stop there. To show that by weakness he means dangers, he adds: and in fear and in much trembling. What is this? Did Paul also fear dangers? He feared, and feared greatly. For though he was Paul, he was also a man.

This is not Paul’s fault, but the weakness of human nature. At the same time, it is praise of his will that, even while fearing death and wounds, he did nothing unworthy because of fear. Therefore those who say that he did not fear wounds not only do him no honor, but greatly diminish his dignity.

For if he did not fear, what firmness or philosophy would there have been in enduring calamities? I marvel at him for this reason: although he feared, and did not merely fear but trembled before calamities, he nevertheless always struggled gloriously. He weakened before no danger, cleansing the whole world and everywhere, on land and sea, sowing the seeds of preaching."