2 Corinthians 13:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"Be comforted." Since the temptations were many and the dangers great, seek consolation in one another, in us, and in your own correction.

If your joy comes from a pure conscience, and if you are perfect, nothing is lacking for your courage and consolation. Nothing brings so much comfort as a pure conscience, even if you are surrounded by countless temptations.

"Be of one mind, live in peace." He asked this also at the beginning of the first epistle. It can happen that people have the same thoughts and yet have no peace.

For example, they may agree in the dogmas of faith, yet be hostile toward one another. Paul, however, requires both here, oneness of mind and concord.

"And the God of love and peace will be with you." He not only exhorts and counsels them to have peace, but also prays to God for this.

Indeed, here he either prays or foretells the future. More precisely, he does both together.

"If," he says, "you act in this way, that is, if you think the same thing and have peace among yourselves, then God will be with you.

"For God is the God of love and peace. He rejoices in this and delights in it. From this, from His love, peace will also be in you.

"From this comes deliverance from all evils. This love saved the whole world. It ended the ancient enmity on earth. It united earth with heaven. It made men angels.

"Let us also love it, for it is the mother of countless blessings. By it we have been saved, and through it all ineffable blessings have been granted to us."

Oneness of mind concerns dogmas. Concord, or living in peace, is the opposite of strife and names human relations with one another. Therefore Paul requires both.

"And the God of love and peace will be with you." He not only exhorts them, but also prays for them. Or these words contain not a prayer, but a prediction.

If you preserve peace with one another, then God will be with you. God is called the God of love because He is its source, or because He abundantly manifests it in us.

He is also so called because where love is, there He is, and He appears as its Lord. Likewise He is called the God of peace because He is its source.

Or He is so called because He reconciled the heavenly with the earthly, or because He is its Lord, as of His own possession.

One peace belongs to God, another to the world. For worldly people, evil and deceitful, have peace, but to their condemnation.

The peace of Christ is peace free from sins. It flees treachery, despises deceit, and repels wicked deeds. Thus a friend is pleasing to God, but an enemy to the devil.

Whoever has peace will also receive love, and the God of both will guard him forever.

Concerning the instruction on oneness of mind, Bishop Theophan says: "Perhaps this is the main point. From empty infatuation with certain personalities, they had begun to divide among themselves and form parties.

"The first epistle sobered them. They resolved to amend themselves. This resolution had to be sealed, and this is what the Apostle does here."

St. John Chrysostom, explaining the words "have peace," says: "It can happen that people think the same thing and yet have no peace.

"For example, they may agree in the dogmas of faith, yet be hostile toward one another. The Apostle, however, requires here both oneness of mind and concord.

"And he not only exhorts them to have peace, but also prays to God for this. For here he either prays or foretells the future, and more precisely both together.

"If, he says, you act in this way, that is, if you think the same thing and have peace among yourselves, then God will be with you, because God is the God of love and peace."

Concerning the kiss, he observes: "Do you see how he joins together all, far and near? He joins the former by writing and the latter by the kiss.

"Through the kiss souls are joined together. The mouth is the door through which Christ entered and enters into us when we partake of communion.

"Therefore at this time especially we kiss one another. Let those who kiss shamefully hear this, and let them tremble at the thought of how they defile their mouths."

Concerning the final blessing, St. John Chrysostom observes: "Thus everything belonging to the Trinity is undivided. Where there is communion of the Spirit, there is also communion of the Son.

"And where there is the grace of the Son, there is the grace of the Father and the Holy Spirit. I say this not as one who confuses the Hypostases. Not at all.

"On the contrary, I know both that by which They are distinct and divided, and the unity of Their essence. Let us hold these dogmas and draw the love of God to ourselves.

"For our salvation is never so secure as when we love Him."

Perhaps he also says, "Rejoice," because not all were uncorrected, and therefore the threat did not frighten all. To all who were corrected, "Rejoice" is very fitting.

Rejoice that you are Christians, have believed in the Lord, have received forgiveness of sins, and have received the grace of the Spirit, which sanctifies you and strengthens you for every good work.

Rejoice that you have the undoubted hope that, if you remain faithful to the Lord, you will inherit the eternally blessed Kingdom of heaven. How could one not rejoice, having received all this into the heart?

"Be perfected." "Be perfect, and fill up what is lacking" (Chrysostom). Behold the goal of life.

One who has entered the court of Christ, into His flock, cannot fail to rejoice when he considers what he receives and what he hopes yet to receive.

But having entered such a rank of life, one cannot sleep. Much has been given, and incomparably more will be given. Yet the first is an unconditional gift, while the second is conditional.

One must bring labor to it, directing it toward cutting off what is imperfect and adding one perfect thing to another. This is the perfection of oneself.

"Be comforted." "Since temptations are many and dangers great, seek consolation in one another, in us, and in your own correction. For if your joy comes from a pure conscience, and if you are perfect, nothing is lacking for your good courage and consolation. Nothing gives so much comfort as a pure conscience, even if you are surrounded by countless temptations" (Chrysostom).

"Be of the same mind." "Bind yourselves more closely by unanimity. All hold to one way of thinking" (Theodoret). "He asked for this also at the beginning of the first epistle" (Chrysostom).

Perhaps this is the chief point in the final brief instructions. For out of empty infatuation with certain persons, they had begun to diverge among themselves and group themselves into parties.

The first epistle sobered them. They resolved to correct themselves. It was necessary to seal this resolution, and this is what the Apostle does here.

"Have peace." "It happens that people think the same thing, yet do not have peace. For example, they agree in the dogmas of faith, but are hostile toward one another. By contrast, the Apostle Paul here requires both unanimity and concord" (Chrysostom).

"Have peace." Ειρηνευετε, "be at peace," can also have an all-embracing meaning. It may mean being at peace within oneself and with God, not only with others.

Theodoret writes in this way: "Have peace with us, with one another, and above all with God who saved you."

"And the God of love and peace will be with you." "For seeing these advances, God will make you worthy of every providential care, because He is the lawgiver of all" (Theodoret).

"He not only exhorts and advises them to have peace, but also prays to God for this. Either he prays here, meaning, 'May the God of peace be with you,' or he foretells what will be, meaning that He will be with you for the good things shown. More accurately, both are present together. If, he says, you act in this way, that is, if you are of the same mind and have peace among yourselves, then God will be with you. For God is the God of love and peace. In these He rejoices, that is, in love and peace, and over these He is glad. From this, from His love, peace will also be in you. From this comes deliverance from all evils. This love saved the world. It ended the ancient enmity on earth. It united earth with heaven. It made men angels. Let us also love it, for love is the mother of countless blessings. By it we have been saved, and through it we have received ineffable blessings" (Chrysostom).