2 Corinthians 1:19Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What, then, is this "word"? "For the Son of God," he says, "Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not Yes and No" (v. 19). Here he brings other teachers onto the scene. By pointing not only to the hearers, but also to the teachers, he confirms the trustworthiness of his testimony still more. It is true that those whom the Apostle mentions were also disciples. Yet in his humility he numbers them among the rank of teachers. What does "was not Yes and No" mean? "I did not distort," he says, "the meaning of my first preaching. I did not preach to you one way today and another way tomorrow. Such conduct belongs only to a mind gone astray, not to faith." "But in Him was Yes," that is, the word of preaching remains unshaken and firm.

Finally he says what word was not "Yes" and "No." He whom we preached to you was not "Yes" and "No." That is, one thing was not preached now, and another at the same time. Rather, it was "Yes," meaning that it was preached firmly and without wavering. He also lists many of those who preached, presenting their testimony as worthy of trust. At the same time he teaches humility, since he presents his own disciples as fellow teachers.

When we confess that we have lied, we speak the truth, since we say what we know, and we know that we have lied. But the Word, who is God and stronger than we are, cannot do this. He does not speak of Himself, but of the Father, from whom comes all that He says, for the Father speaks in a special way. The great power of this Word is that He cannot lie, because in Him yes and no can be nothing other than "Yes, yes" and "No, no." What is not true cannot even be called a word.

"The Son of God, Jesus Christ, who through me and Silvanus," in the Synodal Russian translation, Siluanus, "and Timothy was preached among you." I do not mean that they entered Corinth together with me, but that Christ was preached among you not in "Yes" and "No," but in "Yes," that is, in the word of truth.

For He never desired anything except what was profitable. His will is always in harmony with what is profitable. His will is unchangeable, unlike the will of men, and is foreign to changeability and to every obscurity in anything.

Jesus Christ, preached among you by us, by me and Silvanus and Timothy. These were the first founders of the Church of Corinth. Although the Apostle always speaks in his epistles in his own person, here, wishing to show the constancy and correctness of his preaching about Christ, he joins to his own name the names of his disciples and fellow workers, teaching us both humility and oneness of mind.

For special attention, the following words of the Apostle stand out in this section: "God is faithful, that our word to you was not Yes and No. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me, Silvanus, and Timothy, was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes... to the glory of God through us." That is, our preaching is as firm and unchanging as Christ Himself is unchanging and one. "He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us" is God. He anointed us as certain spiritual kings, priests, and prophets in the mystery of Chrismation; cf. Rev 1:6. He "has also sealed us," as a sign that we belong to Him. He "has given the pledge of the Spirit" in our hearts, betrothing and espousing us to Himself.

Certain ill-disposed people drew an excessive conclusion from the Apostle's change in his travel plan. They suggested that the teaching of the Apostles in general was unstable. Refuting this very false conclusion, the Apostle reminds the Corinthians that they always proclaimed one and the same teaching concerning Jesus Christ the Savior. For He Himself is always equal to Himself, as the Father is faithful to Himself. So also are all the promises of God, which proved to be faithfully and exactly fulfilled in Jesus Christ, to the glory of God. This glory is spread through the concordant gospel of all the Apostles. Together with the Apostle Paul, two other Apostles also preached to the Corinthians: Silvanus and Timothy.

He proves the unchanging faithfulness of his word by the very deed, by the very effect of the preaching. When, he says, we preached Christ the Savior among you, did it happen that we said one thing and another came about? No. Whatever we said was justified in deed, in you and upon you yourselves. We said: believe in the crucified Son of God and you will receive remission of sins. Through Baptism you will receive new life. Through the laying on of our hands, which is what Chrismation is now, you will be counted worthy of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. You will be filled with power to overcome every sin, every passion, and every hostile assault. Did it come to pass as we said? It did, and you know this. Therefore do not think or say that Christ, whom we preached among you, was Yes and No.