2 Corinthians 6:10Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Yet not only here, but often in other things, one opposite produces another opposite.

If it still seems wondrous to you that one who has nothing can possess everything, I will present the Apostle himself as an example.

He commanded the whole world and was master not only of their possessions, but even of their eyes.

“If it had been possible,” he wrote, “you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me” (Gal 4:15).

He says all this to teach us not to be troubled by human judgments about us.

This remains true whether they call us deceivers, refuse even to know us, or count us as criminals condemned to death.

It remains true whether they consider us sorrowful, poor, having nothing, or despondent even when we rejoice.

For the sun does not shine for the blind, and the pleasures of the wise are unknown to the senseless.

Only the faithful know how to evaluate matters rightly, and they do not rejoice and grieve over the same things as others.

If someone with no understanding of contests saw an athlete crowned yet wounded, he would not know the delight brought to the athlete by the crown.

He would surely think only that the athlete suffers painful anguish because of the wounds.

So too, those people know only what we suffer. They do not know for what price we suffer.

Therefore they naturally think that we only suffer. They see only the struggle and the calamities, but they do not see the rewards, crowns, and foundation of the labors.

What, then, did Paul possess when he said, “as having nothing, and yet possessing all things”? Earthly and spiritual goods.

Indeed, if cities received him like an angel, and people were ready to pluck out and give him their eyes, and to lay down their heads for him, how was he not master of all their belongings?

If you wish to see his spiritual goods, you will see that in them also he was very rich.

He was so close to the King of all that the Master of angels communicated hidden mysteries to him.

How then did he not surpass all in abundance of spiritual goods, and how did he not possess everything?

Otherwise demons would not have obeyed him so, and diseases and infirmities would not have fled from him with such haste.

Glory did not lead him to arrogance, and dishonor did not abase him. Praise did not puff him up, and evil report about him did not grieve him. Passing through these opposites, he remained unchanged.

By “right-hand” things he seems to mean what is pleasant, and by “left-hand” things the opposite, giving these names according to common opinion.

His final words are also worthy of admiration. Having said, “as poor,” he did not add, “but abounding in necessities,” but says, “making many rich.”

For while collecting money from all, he sent it to the poor. Having nothing, he was master in every pious household.

Weapons of the right hand and of the left mean all-sided weapons.”

“When they praised us and when they reviled us, we conducted ourselves as servants of God should. We were not exalted by the former and did not lose heart because of the latter.

Setting forth a series of opposites, what they were considered to be and what they were in fact, the Apostle says: ‘as deceivers, and yet true.’

Deceivers belongs to the side of those who revile, but true to the side of those who praise; compare Acts 14:19 and 1 Jn 4:6.

Some said: we do not understand what sort of people these are. Others, however, immediately recognized them and clung to them.

He despaired even of life, but God delivered him (2 Cor 1:10). Death was right at hand, and yet we are alive.

A similar confession is heard from the lips of holy David: ‘The Lord chastened me severely, but He did not give me over to death’ (Ps 118:18).

Drawing a conclusion from all the good qualities of the Apostles, Saint John Chrysostom says:

“Therefore, if we endure anything for Christ, we must bear it not only courageously, but also with joy.

Not only when giving alms, but in every other virtue, think not of the harshness of the labors, but of the sweetness of the rewards.

Above all, keep in view the Lord Jesus Christ, for Whom you undertake these or other labors. Then you will more readily go forth to the contests and will spend the whole time of life in gladness.”

From this height of spirit he lowers his gaze to his external condition and to the supposed goods that occupy our cares.

He looks at everything differently from the fainthearted children of the world.

Authority, he reasons, is not for the one who rules, but for the one subject to rule. Therefore it contains nothing alluring, except the pleasure of doing good.

Yet this pleasure is possible even without authority.

Wealth beyond what is necessary and needful is the property of orphans and the poor. If heaven has not been pleased to grant it to me, then it guards me from temptation.

Or else, it has more trustworthy hands for it.

Splendor is more a burden than an adornment. Sensual pleasures are rather a pledge of future sickness or repentance.

The fewer occasions I have for them, the less labor I have in guarding myself from dangerous excess.

Poverty, misfortunes, insults, persecutions. Ah, does not Providence send all this? Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Ah, why do we not all think this way?

Why, while completing the journey of a few days, which is what our life is, do some foolishly burden themselves with a year’s provision?

Why do others lift a shining trifle from the ground and crush themselves beneath a useless weight?

Some choose paths where one may walk upon flowers, disregarding that they lead to a precipice.

Others walk upon high mountains and steep places. What variety there is in tormenting ourselves!

Why do we not now think of the one Being Who would lighten our journey?

“Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” says the Lord (Mt 11:28).

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (Jn 14:6). Behold, this one thing is needful for all. Amen.

They all recognized themselves as spiritually rich. They were enriched in knowledge, in virtues, and in gracious powers.

If this is understood materially, then nothing else comes to mind except that he collected alms and delivered them abundantly to the poor believers in Jerusalem.

This can be called enrichment because, for a poor man, it is already wealth when he has something with which to feed himself.

But perhaps the Apostle points here to the fact that God blesses poor households with wealth because of their loving reception of him.

Although not one such instance is noted in Acts, one cannot doubt that this happened.

For it is known that God often blessed households for the sake of His saints. If this happened for their sake, why not allow that it happened for the sake of the Apostles?

As confirmation of this, one may take the Apostle’s present word: I was always poor, he says, yet enriched many.

By this he means that God enriched many households for his sake.

“As having nothing, and yet possessing all things.” This “possessing all things” can also be understood spiritually.

That is, the Apostles were rich in the Spirit and possessed all spiritual blessings in such abundance that they would suffice for the whole universe, for they bore the all-sustaining Spirit.

It can also be understood materially. The believers, feeling what spiritual good they had been granted through their ministry, were ready to do everything for them.

Thus the property of all believers was as though in the hands of the Apostles. All houses and all treasuries were open to them.

Chrysostom says: “This too can be referred to their wealth, that in a wondrous manner they everywhere had all houses open for themselves.

“If it still seems astonishing to you how one who has nothing can have everything, I will present Saint Paul himself as an example.

“He had great authority over whole peoples and was master not only of their possessions, but even of their eyes.

“‘If it had been possible,’ he wrote to the Galatians, ‘you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me’ (Gal 4:15).

“What then was it that Saint Paul possessed when he says, ‘as having nothing, and yet possessing all things’?

“Earthly and spiritual blessings.

“For one whom cities received as an angel, for whom they were ready to pluck out their eyes and give them, and for whom they were ready to lay down their heads, how was he not master of all that belonged to them?

“If you wish to see his spiritual blessings, you will see that he was rich in these also.

“For one who was so near to the King of all that the Lord of Angels communicated hidden mysteries to him, how did he not surpass all in the abundance of spiritual blessings?

“And how did he not possess everything? Otherwise demons would not have obeyed him so, nor diseases and infirmities fled from him with such haste.”

Chrysostom concludes this little section with the following instruction:

“The Apostle says all this to teach us not to be troubled by men’s judgments about us.

“Let them call us deceivers, refuse even to know us, count us criminals condemned to death, sorrowful, poor, and having nothing.

“Let them suppose we are in despondency even when we are of good spirit and rejoicing.

“For the sun does not shine for the blind, and the pleasures of the wise are unknown to the foolish.

“Only the faithful and pious know how to judge matters rightly. They rejoice and grieve not over the things over which others do.

“If someone who had no notion of military games saw a fighter, crowned though he was, yet bearing wounds, he would not know the pleasure the crown brings to the fighter.

“He would certainly think only of the pain that the fighter suffers because of the wounds.

“So also they know only what we endure. They see only the struggle and misfortunes, but they do not see the rewards, crowns, and recompense for the struggles.

“Therefore if we bear anything for Christ, we must bear it not only courageously, but also with joy.

“If we fast, let us be cheerful, as those who feast. If we endure reproach, let us conduct ourselves as those showered with praises.

“If we spend our possessions, let us strive to have such a disposition as though we were increasing them.

“If we give something to the poor, let us think that we are acquiring.

“And not only in giving alms, but also in every other virtue, think not of the severity of the labors, but of the sweetness of the rewards.

“Above all, keep before your eyes our Lord Jesus Christ, for whom you undertake these or other struggles.

“From this you will more willingly go out to the struggles and will pass the whole time of life in gladness.”