2 Corinthians 4:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

They brought some to humility of mind. Others they at least compelled to moderate their pride, and they made them more magnanimous. "Perseverance produces proven character, and proven character hope" (Rom 5:4).

Those who underwent countless afflictions and were delivered from them only by hope in God learned thereby, in every other case also, to cling above all to this hope.

A second-century writer, Tertullian, said that "the blood of the martyrs was the seed of new Christians. We, so to speak, began to exist only yesterday amid every oppressive condition of life.

But see, we fill your cities, islands, fortresses, courts, and senates. That is, Christianity already has its members everywhere. We leave you only your temples."

"Christians," says Quadratus, a bishop of the second century, to Diognetus, "are not distinguished from other men by place of origin or dwelling, nor by language, nor by civil life.

They live in their own cities as sojourners. They take part in everything as citizens and endure everything as travelers. They live in the flesh, but not for the flesh. They obey the laws, but by their life stand above the laws.

They are not known, yet they are accused. They are killed, yet they live. The soul is in all parts of the body, and Christians are throughout the whole earth."

Whence is all this? Is it not a miracle? Is it not the work of God? The evil power tried from the very beginning to destroy those who believe in Christ. But it did not succeed; it itself suffered defeat.

In general, Orthodox Christians, a good, pure, and holy thought never dies together with its victim. One holy and honest man may be destroyed.

But his convictions, his sufferings for truth, and his death remain in the memory of posterity. They draw the sympathy of many. In place of one who has died, tens and hundreds of champions arise for an honorable cause and a holy idea.

Sooner or later such an idea, like a mustard seed, grows into a great tree. It produces a whole series of truths useful to all and serves as the foundation for new and better relations to human life or to the phenomena of nature.

Even in our own life, are there not examples where a sound idea or good knowledge becomes the subject of many fruitful thoughts and sometimes changes all human plans for the better?

But these changes or upheavals do not happen by chance. They come through the action of the providence of God, Who orders the life of each person.

We are persecuted. We are pursued by tyrants, but God does not abandon us. He defends and shelters us, and delivers us from persecutions and disasters.

We are cast down. We are oppressed and grow weak as men, but, being strengthened by divine power, we never perish.

"This above all is wondrous," says St. John Chrysostom, "and it is the greatest miracle of God's power, that an earthen vessel can contain such light and guard this treasure. For then the power of God is especially seen, when through weak instruments He accomplishes great deeds.

This is clear from what the Lord said to this same Apostle: 'My strength is made perfect in weakness' (12:9). Sending only twelve men, He subdued the whole world, and this when those twelve were persecuted.

Whence came such power of persuasion? From nowhere else but the power of God. The newness of the preaching was opposed to everyone, and the preachers came from a people despised by all, poor and unlearned.

How then did they subdue the whole world? Does this not clearly show that they had God as their helper? Such effects do not belong to human strength, but to the almighty power of God."

"And not only this," he says, "is wondrous, that we keep this treasure in earthen vessels. It is also wondrous that, while undergoing countless afflictions and being struck from every side, we preserve it and do not lose it.

Even a vessel of adamant could not withstand such assaults. Yet now an earthen vessel remains unharmed by the grace of God, and the treasure is preserved."

In particular, the earthen vessel means earthly existence. Yet the Apostles were strengthened by hope in the resurrection and the life to come. Clear proofs of these were constantly given in the Apostles' life, filled with many mortal dangers from which they nevertheless emerged alive.

"If anyone does not believe," says St. John Chrysostom in the person of the Apostles, "that Jesus died and rose again, let him be assured of the truth of the resurrection by seeing us daily dying and rising.

When Christ snatches us from the dangers of death, the life of Jesus is thereby manifested in our body. For His power would not be so visible if we never suffered, as it is now, when we suffer and remain unconquered."

"These words may also be understood in another way" (verse 11). How? As he says elsewhere: "If we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him" (Rom 6:8).

For as we bear His death and choose now to die alive for His sake, so He is well pleased then to make us alive after death (cf. Rom 8:17).

"Besides this, eternal life is revealed through the Apostles' great preaching labors in those who profit from them, such as the Corinthians. Therefore they can in no way despise the Apostles because they are in straitened circumstances."

The portion of God, hidden within the mass of mankind, always attaches itself to us and becomes one with us. Here we always find shelter and warmth.

Those who persecute us cannot boast, “Now we have driven them away.” For we remain inseparably with our own, and our own remain with us.

“Struck down, but not destroyed.” It happens that the enemies cast us entirely down. They should be celebrating victory, yet we are found whole and alive, and we do not perish.

This strongly recalls the event when Saint Paul was stoned and thrown out of the city, and afterward appeared alive and well (Acts 14:19-20).

“Judging by the greatness of the temptations, one ought to say, ‘They have perished.’ But by the grace of God we do not perish at all. Even in mortal extremities God opens to us the door of salvation” (Oecumenius).

“In body and outward condition, it happens that the enemies cast us completely down. Yet our soul and our zeal for the work of God always stand firm, and God preserves even our body” (Theophylact).

The Apostle has depicted the increasing force of calamities, taking his example from wrestlers. Among wrestlers, the weaker first receives blows and wounds. Then he grows weak and does not know what to do.

Next he gives himself to flight, and finally he is struck and thrown down.

We, he says, are always found at one of these degrees of weakness before those who attack us. Yet even when brought to the last overthrow, we are not conquered.

Who will not see the power of God in this? Our earthen vessel ought to be broken into fragments, yet it is whole. Not only is it whole, but it is not afraid of being broken in the future.

The temptations are strong, but their consequences are never fulfilled.

Saint Chrysostom says, “Although temptations overtake us, the consequences of these temptations do not overtake us. All this happens through the action of the power and grace of God.

In other places he says that God permits such temptations to come upon us in order both to humble us and to warn others. Thus he says, ‘Lest I be exalted above measure, a thorn in the flesh was given to me’ (2 Cor 12:7).

Or again, ‘that we should not trust in ourselves’ (2 Cor 1:9). But here he says, ‘that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.’

Do you see what benefit comes from temptations? Through them the action of the power and grace of God becomes more evident. For He says, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness’ (2 Cor 12:9).

They brought some to humility of mind. Others they at least compelled to moderate their pride, and made them more magnanimous and forbearing.

For he says, ‘patience produces proven character, and proven character hope’ (Rom 5:4). Those who were subjected to countless calamities and were delivered from them only by hope in God thereby learned, in every other circumstance, to hold most firmly to this hope.”