2 Corinthians 1:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Do you see again Paul's strength and firmness? He comforts them by the very thing that troubled them.

"The more grievous our persecutions become," he says, "the more good hope should increase in you. For the means of your salvation and the occasions for comfort become all the more manifest. Indeed, what can bring you so much comfort as the great blessings you receive from our preaching?"

Then, lest they suppose that he attributes all praise in this matter to himself alone, see how he makes them sharers in the same praises. After saying, "Whether we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation," he adds: "which is accomplished in the endurance of the same sufferings that we also suffer."

He expresses this same thing more clearly below, saying: "You are partakers both of our sufferings and of our comfort." Here, for the moment, he expressed it generally with the words, "the same sufferings."

The meaning of his words is this: "We were not the only causes of your salvation; you yourselves were also. As we suffer afflictions while preaching, so you suffer the same thing while receiving our word. We suffer in order to hand on to you what we have received. You suffer in order to receive what is handed on and not lose it."

With what can one compare such humility in Paul? He places those who stand so far from him in virtue on the same level of endurance with himself.

Indeed, he says: "which is accomplished in the endurance of the same sufferings." That is, your salvation is arranged not only by your believing, but also by your suffering and enduring just as we do.

A combatant arouses admiration even when he merely appears before the spectators and displays his bodily strength and the skill he possesses. Yet he is crowned with incomparably greater glory when he wrestles with an enemy, withstands his blows, and strikes him in return.

Then especially his strength is revealed, and the height of his skill is shown in deed.

So also your salvation is especially being worked, that is, made manifest, increased, and exalted, when it is joined with patience, sufferings, and the courageous endurance of all evils.

Thus the true power of salvation consists not in not doing evil, but in courageously enduring evil oneself. And he did not say, "which we accomplish," but, "which is accomplished," showing that, alongside their own zeal, grace working in them also accomplished much.

He keeps them from condemning the manner of his activity. At the same time, he interests them in the course of that activity, since their sorrow and joy concerning salvation depend on it.

Consolation removes the destructive action from afflictions. It does not allow them to hinder the ordering of salvation, and even positively accomplishes salvation through participation in the sufferings of Christ.

From Him, as One Who is in divine glory, grace-filled consolation immediately pours forth. It awakens greater zeal, first in the Apostles, and through them in all believers.

St. John Chrysostom presents the Apostle as speaking here in this way: “We are not the only authors of your salvation; you are also authors of it yourselves.

For just as we, while preaching, endure afflictions, so you, while receiving our word, endure the same. We suffer in order to transmit to you what we ourselves received; you suffer in order to receive what is given and not lose it.

Salvation is accomplished not only by your believing, but also by your suffering and enduring as we do. From this it is clear that the true power of salvation consists not only in not doing evil.

It also consists in bravely enduring evil oneself.”

“Our consolation turns to your rest, even if we should not happen to comfort you with words. Even if only we receive consolation, this already comforts you.

For as you receive our sufferings as your own, so you must count every consolation of ours as your own. As you share in our afflictions, so we are confident that, when we receive consolation, you receive it as though you yourselves enjoyed it.”

Having prepared the Corinthians to hear worthily about his afflictions, the Apostle proceeds to tell them of them.

It is worthy of mention that in his prayer of thanksgiving, the holy Apostle Paul calls the Father the God of Jesus Christ and speaks of Him as Comforter.

Regarding the first point, blessed Theophylact observes: “There is nothing novel in these words. Of one and the same Christ, according to His humanity He is God, and according to His divinity He is Father.”

The prophet David had already presented God as the source of consolation, saying, “Thy consolations have gladdened my soul” (Ps 93:19).

From God the Father proceeds the Spirit, the Comforter. He is love (1 Jn 4:16). Therefore the Father is the God of all comfort.

This comfort is given both through the Spirit consubstantial with the Father, and by the Father Himself directly, as the Father of mercies (Isa 63:7).

From this it is evident that the Apostles suffer so as to be filled with comfort themselves, and then to pour it into the souls of others who are in every affliction. Thus they both suffer and are comforted for the comfort of others.

But where is salvation here? It is the chief thing. The Apostles suffered for the preaching of the Gospel, and the Gospel is the good tidings of the only way of salvation for us. Those who accepted the good tidings by faith were saved.

Zeal for this salvation inspired the Apostles in the labors of preaching and in bearing every affliction. It came first, and it also drew comfort after it.

Likewise, when the faithful received the good tidings from the Apostles, they entered the path of salvation. Yet with this entrance they also became subject to afflictions. Suffering for this reason, they were counted worthy of comfort from the Apostles, who suffered for the Gospel and for their salvation.

Thus this inseparable bond of sufferings and consolations in the Apostles and in the faithful exists because salvation is being wrought in the one through the other.

Only in the order of salvation does it happen that sufferings themselves pour forth comfort. This is because, as was said above, sufferings bring the faithful and those being saved into communion with the sufferings of Christ, and into union with Christ Himself.

From Him, since He abides in blessed glory, comfort immediately pours forth. Therefore, the chief thing in both the Apostles and the faithful is the working out of salvation. Comfort works this salvation and, by removing the destructive effect from afflictions, does not allow them to hinder the ordering of salvation.

Blessed Theodoret writes: "For your sake we Apostles fall into every kind of temptation and affliction. If we had not wished to impart to you the saving preaching, no one would have caused us suffering. But since we care for your salvation, we receive from our adversaries the assault of sorrows against us, and from the Master God we enjoy comfort. Thus, for your sake we have both. Therefore share with us in both, since you make all that is ours your own."

This appropriation of all that was apostolic was already active in them. They had received the faith. Through faith they had begun to work out salvation. For the sake of both, they had also begun to suffer.

Therefore the Apostle says, "We suffer for your comfort and salvation, which is at work in the endurance of the same sufferings that we also suffer." They believed, abandoned the pagan gods, withdrew from pagan customs, and became estranged from the patterns of pagan fleshly life.

They became strangers among their own people, and for this they were subjected to unpleasantness, deprivation, and oppression. They were working out salvation. Yet since this could not help provoking others, this working out of salvation was accompanied by the endurance of sufferings.

The Apostle says, "the same sufferings," meaning sufferings of the same kind, that is, for the same cause for which we also suffer, the working out of salvation. He is not writing an exhortation, but setting forth the matter as it is.

We suffer, bringing you salvation through the good tidings. You suffer, having received the good tidings. This is the testimony that salvation is being wrought in you. If salvation is present, then comfort is also present, for they are inseparable.

Saint Chrysostom says: "We Apostles are not the only causes of your salvation; you yourselves are also. As we suffer afflictions while preaching, so you suffer the same thing while receiving our word. We suffer in order to hand on to you what we have received. You suffer in order to receive what is given and not lose it. Your salvation is arranged not only by your believing, but also by your suffering and enduring as we do. From this it is clear that the true power of salvation consists not only in not doing evil, but also in courageously enduring evil oneself."

It is also not superfluous to attend to the word "is at work." Outwardly there are sufferings. Under their covering, salvation is being worked inwardly. By whom and how? It is as though apart from and without the awareness of those being saved.

They only suffer and strain their strength to endure. Meanwhile, there within, salvation is being worked by itself. Yet although it is by itself, it still cannot be worked without One who works it. Who is this? The grace of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

As He Himself was pleased to suffer, so He orders the salvation of all under the weight of sufferings.

Saint Chrysostom comments on this word: "He did not say, 'which works,' but, 'which is being worked,' showing by this that grace, working in them, greatly assisted their zeal."