2 Corinthians 11:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Human jealousy is not like this. It has one's own satisfaction as its aim. It is not directed toward keeping the beloved from being offended, but toward keeping the lovers from suffering something, losing respect, or being lowered in the eyes of those they love.

Here it is otherwise. "I am not concerned," says the Apostle, "that I should not be lowered in your opinion, but that I should not see you corrupted by false teachers. Such is the jealousy of God. Such also is my jealousy: strong and at the same time pure."

Then follows the necessary reason for this: "For I betrothed you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ." "Therefore I am jealous not for myself, but for Him to whom I betrothed you."

The present time is the time of betrothal. The time of the bridal chambers is another, namely when they shall say, "The bridegroom has arisen."

What a new thing! In the world, maidens are usually virgins only until marriage, and after marriage they are no longer virgins. Here it is not so. Even if they were not virgins before marriage, after marriage they become virgins.

Thus the whole Church is a virgin, because the Apostle says this to all, both married men and married women. Let us see what he brought when he betrothed us, and what gifts. Not gold or silver, but the Kingdom of Heaven.

Therefore he said, "We are ambassadors in Christ's name" (2 Cor 5:20). He also entreats when he wishes to take the bride. What happened with Abraham served as a type of this. He too sent a faithful servant for the betrothal of a Gentile maiden.

Here also God sent His servants to betroth the Church to His Son. Earlier He sent the prophets, who said: "Hear, O daughter, and see, and forget your people and your father's house. Then the King will desire your beauty" (Ps 44:11-12).

Do you see the prophet betrothing? Do you see also the Apostle repeating the same thing with great boldness and saying, "For I betrothed you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ"?

Do you notice again the Apostle's prudence? After saying, "You must condescend to me," he did not add, "because I am your teacher," or, "I speak for my own sake." He used an expression that gave them special honor.

He presented himself as the one who leads the bride, and them as the bride.

"For I betrothed you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ." I betrothed you, he says, to Christ. Therefore I am jealous for Him, not for myself. For I am not the husband, but the friend of the bridegroom.

Notice that he did not say, "I am your teacher, and therefore you must hold to me." Instead he placed them in the position of the bride, and himself in that of the friend of the bridegroom. Thus he gives them greater honor.

He ascribed something wondrous to the Church. In the world, after marriage, women do not remain virgins. Here, however, even those who were not virgins before become virgins after this marriage.

Thus the whole Church is a virgin. For Paul says this to all, both men and women. What did he promise as a dowry? The Kingdom of Heaven.

Something similar happened with Abraham, when he sent his servant to betroth a bride of his own kindred to his son (Gen 24:4). Here also God sent His servants, the prophets, to betroth the Church to His Son Christ.

For example, He sent David, who says: "Hear, O daughter, and see, and incline your ear" (Ps 44:11). He also sent the Apostles, such as Paul, who says, "We are ambassadors in Christ's name."

Therefore the present time is the time of betrothal. The future time is that of marriage, when the cry will be heard: "Behold, the bridegroom comes" (Mt 25:6).

Thus, for example, the divine David, foretelling this mystery to us, addresses her in one place with the words: "Hear, O daughter, and see, and incline your ear, and forget your people and your father's house."

For "the King desired your beauty; for He is your Lord, and you shall worship Him" (Ps 44:11-12). Paul also confessed, as I said recently, that he presented those who believed to Christ as a kind of bride.

But anyone may see this honorable and truly remarkable mystery no less in us, and also in what follows (Gen 24).

He said this to the Church. But to which Church? To any Church his epistle could reach. "I betrothed you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ."

"But I fear," he says, "lest, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness" (2 Cor 11:3). Did that serpent physically seduce Eve? Nevertheless he destroyed the chastity of her heart.

Therefore Paul continues: "But I fear lest, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ."

Therefore the Church is a virgin. She is a virgin, and let her remain a virgin. Let her guard herself against the tempter, lest he become a corrupter. The Church is a virgin.

Perhaps you ask me: "If the Church is a virgin, how does she bear children? Or if she does not bear children, how did we give our names so that we might be born of her?"

I answer: she is a virgin, and she bears her children. She imitates Mary, who bore the Lord. Did not the Most Holy Virgin bear a Child and remain a virgin? So also the Church bears children and remains a virgin.

And if you consider it, she also bears Christ, for those who receive baptism become His members.

And the Bridegroom Himself, fair in beauty beyond all the sons of men, as pure and blameless, tells in the Gospels of the marriage of the glorious and beautiful Son of the King (Mt 22:1-14).

Thus in Himself and by Himself He also accomplished what pertains to the Mystery of Marriage.

Chrysostom exclaims: "Do you see his prudence? To express a wish, 'Would that you bore,' is to leave the matter to their will. To speak affirmatively, 'bear with me,' belongs to one firmly hoping in their love. It already shows that he loves them and is loved by them in return."

But where there is love, there is also jealousy. "For souls that burn strongly for those they love are jealous. Jealousy arises from nothing other than strong friendship.

"Moreover, lest they think he seeks their friendship for authority, honor, money, or anything similar, he adds, 'with a jealousy of God.' For jealousy is also ascribed to God, not so that you should imagine any passion in God, for God is passionless.

"Rather, it is to teach you that God does all things for the very ones over whom He is jealous. Such is my jealousy also. It is strong and at the same time pure."

"The Apostle says, 'I am not concerned that I should not be lowered in your opinion, but that I should not see you corrupted by false teachers. I was the helper and mediator of your bridal union.

"Through me you received the gifts from the bridegroom. Therefore I am zealous for you, fearing and trembling lest wickedness overcome your simplicity'" (Theodoret).

"The enemy who deceived Eve does not sleep. Then he used the serpent as his instrument. Now he acts through false teachers, through the charms of the world and the pleasures of desires" (Theophan).

"For although the serpent was very crafty and Eve simple, this did not save her from accusation. Therefore watch, the Apostle says, lest you too suffer the same. Then nothing will defend you" (Chrysostom).

Chrysostom says: "He did not say, 'for I love you,' but used a much stronger expression. Souls that burn intensely for those whom they love are jealous. Jealousy arises from nothing other than ardent friendship. Moreover, lest they think he sought their friendship for authority, honor, money, or anything similar, he added, 'with divine jealousy.' Jealousy is attributed to God, not so that you should imagine any passion in God, for God is passionless. Rather, it teaches all that God does everything for no other end than for the very ones for whom He is jealous. He does not seek to gain anything Himself, but to save them. Human jealousy is not like this. Its aim is its own relief. It is not that the beloved should not be offended, but that the lovers should not suffer something, lose esteem, or be humbled in the beloved's eyes. Here it is otherwise. The Apostle says: I do not care lest I be humbled in your opinion, but lest I see you corrupted by false teachers. Such is God's jealousy, and such also is mine. It is strong and at the same time pure. Then follows the necessary reason for it."

"For I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ." Betrothal takes place when the bride says to the bridegroom, "From now on I will belong to you alone." The bridegroom, having loved her already, receives her and makes her his own. Christ the Savior redeemed all souls, having loved them first, and prepared everything for them. Then He sent the Apostles to call souls into a bridal union with Himself. The Apostles went throughout the world and proclaimed this joy to all. The souls that believed, left everything, and gave themselves to the Lord were betrothed to Him by the Apostles through holy Baptism and the laying on of hands, that is, Chrismation. Every such bride received from the Lord, by virtue of the betrothal, forgiveness of sins, renewal of life, and the grace of the Holy Spirit. This was given as a pledge of future eternal blessedness with Christ the Lord, if she remained faithful to the end. The Apostle did all this for the Corinthians and now says: This is the relation to Christ the Lord into which I placed you. I am jealous that you preserve this condition forever, without turning aside from the union into which you entered with the Lord Jesus Christ.

"I was the helper and mediator of your bridal union. Through me you received the gifts from the Bridegroom. Therefore I occupy myself with you jealously, fearing and trembling lest wickedness overcome your simplicity. The Apostle called the whole Church a virgin, using this name for the purity of faith. Not all believers make a vow of virginity, but all must be adorned with sincerity of faith" (Theodoret).

Chrysostom says: "What a new thing! In the world, virgins are usually such only before marriage, and after marriage they are no longer virgins. But here it is not so. Even if they were not virgins before the marriage, after the marriage they become virgins. Thus the whole Church is a virgin. For the Apostle says this to all, to men and women who have entered married life."