What will you? Shall I come to you with a rod? Or in charity and in the spirit of meekness?
τι θελετε εν ραβδω ελθω προς υμας η εν αγαπη πνευματι τε πραοτητος
8 Church Fathers comment on this verse
By “rod” he means punishment. Therefore he says: it depends on you whether I come to you with one or the other. If you remain careless, I will come and punish you, as I did Elymas (Acts 13:8-11). But if you become sober, I will deal with you in a spirit of meekness. In him there is also a spirit of severity and punishment, but he names it from the better side. Likewise he calls God compassionate and merciful, and not punitive, although He is truly such as well.
Paul first mentioned the rod in order afterward to comfort them with the spirit of meekness.
He leaves both choices to them, for he says: I will come as you yourselves wish, either spiritually or in the form of a judge. By “rod” he means punitive power, for by it he deprived Elymas’s eyes of light (Acts 13:11).
By “rod” he meant the compelling power of the Spirit, which Paul used against Elymas the magician (Acts 13:4-12), and which God used against Paul himself (Acts 9).
“Shall I come to you with a rod?” According to Chrysostom, this means: for punishment, for torment, that is, to kill or blind, as Peter did with Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:9), or as he himself did with Elymas the magician (Acts 13:11). Here he no longer compares himself with the other teachers, but speaks with authority.
With what does the Apostle threaten the Corinthians under the metaphorical image of the rod? The rod signifies the severity of authority, but it can also signify punitive power, by which Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1) and Elymas (Acts 13:11) were struck. The Apostle used it among the Corinthians as well, when he delivered the incestuous man to Satan. It is no wonder that here also, foretelling the severity of judgment, he had in mind to put such power into effect, if the good of the Church required it.
The farther he proceeds, the more definitely and clearly the Apostle shows the various shortcomings of the Corinthian Christians. At the same time, his reproving pastoral voice rises more sharply, filled with indignation and threats.
He points to pride as their special defect. Since pride springs from a false opinion of one's own worth, he promises to test their worth. Yet first he declares that only spiritual and moral grace-filled power deserves respect.
The supposed power recognized by the Corinthians, for example in eloquence, does not deserve such respect. The Apostle said all this as a good and wise teacher, in order to change the Corinthians and direct them to the true path even before his coming.
For this same reason he first sent Timothy. Wise rulers also act in this way, sending messengers to their faithful subjects to prepare them for a worthy and joyful meeting with them. Only unfaithful and wicked servants need the unexpected appearance of those who have authority over them.
If this is so in ordinary wise governance, then in spiritual guidance preventive measures of meekness and love are still more necessary. With these the Apostle Paul hastens to the Corinthians, although it seems some of them needed severe measures, such as the incestuous man discussed later.
According to Saint John Chrysostom's explanation, the Apostle here rises chiefly against those proud of eloquence. Therefore he presents the Apostle as if saying to the Corinthians: "Now the arena and the time belong not to rhetoricians, but to Apostles who proclaim the truth and confirm it by signs performed by the power of the Spirit.
Thus, if those who now exalt themselves wish to be great, then when I come let them show whether they have such power. Let them not display to me the pomp of eloquence, for that art is of no use to us."
By these words he urges the guilty to repentance and correction. He has already pointed out their sin, exposed the nothingness of their pride, and said that this is intolerable in the Kingdom of God. For it casts out every illusion and stands only on what is substantial.
To maintain the Churches and believers in this way is his apostolic work. From this it followed naturally that if those rebuked did not acknowledge their guilt and correct themselves, then, when he came to them, nothing would remain for him but to pronounce a strict judgment over them.
But if they repented and corrected themselves, he would receive them with love. Since their correction or lack of correction lay in their own power, it also depended on them how the Apostle would have to appear when he came: meek or strict.
Therefore he says: "What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod?" Remain in your pride, and if you do, then that will happen. But if you do not want this, cast away pride, and I will appear to you as a father full of love.
When he says, "with a rod?" he seems to ascend the judge's seat and from there pronounce his word with full authority. The rod signifies the severity of authority. It can also signify punitive power, by which Ananias and Sapphira were punished (Acts 5:9), and Elymas also (Acts 13:11) (Chrysostom, Theodoret).
The Apostle also used it among the Corinthians when he delivered the incestuous man to Satan. It is no wonder that here too, foretelling the strictness of judgment, he had in mind the use of such power, if the good of the Church should require it.
"Shall I come with a rod, or with love?" "Was coming with a rod not also a sign of love? It was a sign of love. Yet one who loves strongly does not easily incline to punishment, and for this reason he speaks so.
When speaking of punishment, he did not express himself in the same way as when speaking of meekness. Here he says, 'with a spirit of meekness,' but there, 'with a rod.' Yet this too was the work of the Spirit.
For there is a Spirit of meekness and a Spirit of strength, that is, of severity. But he does not wish to call Him by this name, and he ascribes to Him the gentler works.
See also Paul's wisdom. Although he has authority, he offers them a choice between both and says, 'What do you want?' This depends on you. Likewise, it depends on us whether we fall into Gehenna or receive the Kingdom, because this is pleasing to God.
'Behold,' He says, 'fire and water. Stretch out your hand to whichever you will' (Sir 15:16). And again: 'If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good things of the land. But if you are unwilling and disobedient, the sword shall devour you' (Isa 1:19-20)" (Chrysostom).
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 13 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS