2 Corinthians 5:13Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"If," he says, "we proclaim anything great about ourselves, which he calls 'being beside oneself,' or elsewhere 'folly,' we do it for God, so that you, regarding us as weak, may not become proud and perish. But if we say something humble and self-abasing, we do this for you, so that you may learn humility of mind."

Or his words have this meaning: "If anyone considers us mad, we hope to receive a reward for this from God, for whose sake we fall under such suspicion. But if anyone regards us as humble-minded, let him himself learn humility of mind from us."

And again otherwise: "If anyone considers us mad, let him know that we are thus mad for God." Therefore he adds: "For the love of Christ constrains us, as we judge thus" (v. 14).

If we say anything lofty, the Apostle calls this "being beside ourselves," or elsewhere "folly." We do this for God, so that you, regarding us as weak, may not become proud and perish.

But if we say something humble and self-abasing, we do this for you, so that you may learn humility of mind.

Or otherwise: if anyone suspects that we are mad, we hope to receive a reward from God, for whose sake we fall under such suspicion. But if anyone regards us as humble-minded, let him also profit from our humility of mind.

Or again otherwise: if we are mad, then we are thus mad for God, so that we may bring you to Him.

"For we do not again commend ourselves before you, but give you occasion to boast on our behalf, so that you may have something against those who boast in face and not in heart. For if we are beside ourselves (έξέστημεν), it is for God. If we are sober-minded, it is for you."

Behold, Paul again calls Christ God, for he says that it is to Him that "we are beside ourselves." And he explains precisely how he came into ecstasy (έξέστη). Saying: "But far be it from me to boast except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world" (Gal 6:14).

What does it mean, "we go out of ourselves for God"? It means that we see what it is not lawful for a man to recount. What does it mean, "we are modest for you"? Hear: "For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (1 Cor 2:2). If the Lord Himself ascended and descended, then clearly His preachers also ascend by imitating Him, and descend by preaching Him.

For if we go out of our mind, this pertains to God. If we remain firm in our mind, this is for you. That is, if we undergo torments, this gladdens the Godhead, which rejoices in these sufferings. If we overcome by signs, this gladdens your simplicity, which finds the manifestations of miraculous powers pleasing.

He says this in the sense that if he speaks in lofty or proud language, as though praising himself while telling the truth, all this should be referred to God. But if his words are understood without pride and to the glory of those who hear, then they are for the benefit of the Corinthians. Everything said is sound for the hearers, provided it is understood in the sense stated here. If not, then what is said will be regarded as boasting, madness before God, for every pride is madness.

Here the Apostle called humility "sobriety," and the mention of his progress "being beside ourselves." Both, he says, I do with a right intention.

"If we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are sober-minded, it is for you." Here the Apostle called the mention of his successes "being beside ourselves," because it could appear to be boasting. He called humility "sobriety." The Apostle's thought is to explain to the Corinthians that he boasted of his successes not to exalt himself before them, but to show the power and glory of God. If he greatly humbles himself, it is to show an example of modesty.

How, then, is the preaching of the Gospel carried out by the labors of Christ's evangelists? That is, around what fundamental truths does it revolve, and what general methods do they use for it? (2 Cor 5:11-7:1).

2 Cor 5:11-14. "Knowing the fear of the Lord, we," says the Apostle, "instruct men." We do not care to recommend ourselves to them, for we know that "we are manifest to God," that is, our merits and true worth are fully known to Him. "I hope that we are manifest also to your consciences," Corinthians, that is, you will not disparage us if you judge us according to conscience.

Slanderers wish to discredit me before you, now for my excessive zeal, now for my excessive quietness. But "if we are beside ourselves, it is for God. If we are sober-minded, it is for you."

From the general thoughts of Christian teaching, the Apostle seems to pass to a defense of himself. Yet this defense is conducted in such a way that it is also an unfolding of the work whose representative and accomplisher he was. That work is the preaching of the Gospel, the ways it is carried out, and the essence of its content (vv. 14-18).

First of all, as proof of his faithfulness, the Apostle points to the fact that he has fear before God. This fear must necessarily preserve him in faithfulness to God and in sincerity toward men. This is expressed in his instructing others, thereby warning them away from the eternal destruction of which he had just spoken.

The Apostle calls "being beside himself" the fact that he spoke great things about himself. Elsewhere he calls this "folly" (St. Chrysostom). By "sobriety" he means humble speech about himself (Theodoret).

All interpreters understand these concepts alike. But they understand differently in what respect the first is "for God" and the second "for you." From this have come different paraphrases of the text. St. Chrysostom gives as many as three, without showing which should be preferred.