Even a vessel of diamond could not withstand such attacks. Yet now the earthen vessel remains unharmed by the grace of God, and the treasure is preserved” (Saint Chrysostom).
“If all this had not befallen us, the greatness of the power of God would not have become manifest. But since we are like plants that bloom in fire, by the very fact that we suffer and are preserved unharmed, we proclaim the power of God who defends us” (Theodoret).
“We are afflicted in every way.” In every way means “at every time and in every place, by everything and by everyone” (Theophylact).
“By enemies and by friends, by adversaries and by our own, by lack of necessities and by other things we need” (Saint Chrysostom).
“We are afflicted,” θλιβομενοι. We do not merely endure outward deprivations and troubles, but sorrows that strike the heart. They cause us grief, wound the soul with feeling, and inflict wounds upon the heart.
Yet “we are not crushed,” ου στενοχωρουμενοι. This does not constrict the breast, seize the breath, or compress the heart.
We are not insensible to these sorrows. But God sends such breadth to our heart that they do not press or suffocate it.
“We are not crushed, because God enlarges our hearts” (Theophylact). “Not to be crushed in sorrows is the work of the grace of God” (Oecumenius).
All outside witnesses of the apostolic sorrows should have seen and confessed this grace of God and help of God for the heart. By every calculation the Apostles ought to have been slain in spirit.
Yet in their look, words, and actions they reveal complete good courage.
Or perhaps ου στενοχωρουμενοι, “we are not constrained,” refers not to the inward constraint of the heart, but to the outward. The Apostle may mean that this does not restrict the sphere of our activity.
Despite every sorrow, we do our work without being constrained. Sorrow does not take from us the desire to act in our order, and it is no hindrance to us.
“We are perplexed,” απορουμενοι, “but not in despair,” ουκ εξαπορουμενοι. Απορια is a blow to the mind by something unexpected and extraordinary, so that it cannot come to itself or understand anything. Εξαπορειν means to be at a loss.
We are placed, he says, in such circumstances that we cannot apply our mind to what should be done. We are in a position with no way out.
But we do not lose presence of spirit, knowing that God is with us and that no one can do anything to us against His will.
It always happens that God arranges for us a way out of extremities, one incomprehensible to us. Help comes from we know not where or how, and grants us freedom.
“We are not in despair, that is, we do not lose hope. For although we are often afflicted, we are not afflicted so as to have already lost hope” (Saint Chrysostom).
“In circumstances without escape, we find saving exits for ourselves” (Theodoret).
“Often it happens that you cannot apply your mind to what should be done amid attacks from all and constraints from every side. But this does not strike us so far that we are lost, that is, fall in spirit. It does not kill us” (Oecumenius).
“Falling into extremities and impasses, we do not despair or fall beneath their weight. We stand alert, and God arranges our exit and manifests us as victors” (Theophylact).
THEOSIS