THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
The Apostle spoke of his temptations and sorrows: "In patience," he says, "in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in banishments, in labors, in watchings."
He showed how weighty and beneficial they are: "We are sorrowful," he says, "yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing all things" (v. 10).
He called them weapons: "We are chastened," he says, "yet not killed" (v. 9).
He revealed in them God's great care for us and His power: "That the surpassing power may be of God and not of us" (2 Cor 4:7).
He described the danger of his struggles: "Always," he says, "bearing about His dying" (v. 10).
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He also showed that this dying is clear proof of the resurrection: "That the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body" (v. 11).
He said what he had been deemed worthy to receive from the Lord, and what ministry had been entrusted to him: "As though God Himself were exhorting through us, we beseech you on behalf of Christ" (2 Cor 5:20).
He also said what he was a minister of, namely "not of the letter, but of the Spirit" (2 Cor 3:6).
He showed that he deserved respect not only for this reason, but also because of the sorrows themselves: "Thanks be to God," he says, "who always makes us triumph" (2 Cor 2:14).
After all this, at last he turns to rebuking the Corinthians because they have little affection for him.
Yet he does not begin rebuking them at once. First he speaks to them about the love he had always shown them, and only then proceeds to rebuke.
Even if the one who rebukes deserves the listeners' respect because of his virtues, his word is received more gladly when he also shows love for those whom he rebukes.
Therefore the Apostle, after first mentioning his temptations, labors, and struggles, turns to speaking about his love for them. Only then does he begin to rebuke them.
How, then, does he testify to his love for them? "Our mouth," he says, "is open to you, O Corinthians" (v. 11).
What testimony of love is this? What do these words mean at all?
"We do not wish," he says, "to be silent before you. We always desire to speak and converse with you. Those who love usually act in this way."
"What the embrace of the arms is for the body, friendly conversation is for the soul."
Together with this, he also hints here at something else. What is it?
"It is," he says, "that we speak openly with you as with beloved ones, concealing nothing from you and hiding nothing."
Since he is about to rebuke them, he as it were asks their pardon for this. He makes the rebuke itself, boldly spoken, a proof of his strong love for them.
The very name, "Corinthians," expresses great love, affection, and warmth of feeling. We know that we often repeat even the names alone of those whom we love.
"Our heart is enlarged." As warmth expands things, so it is the property of love to enlarge the heart. Love is a virtue that is both warm and warming.
It opened Paul's mouth and enlarged his heart. "I do not love you with my lips only," he says, "but the heart agrees with the lips."
"Therefore I speak boldly, with an open mouth and from my whole heart."
Truly, there is nothing broader than the heart of Paul. He loved all the faithful as warmly as anyone loves his own friend.
He did not divide his love into parts and thereby weaken it. He remained wholly present in each one.
And is it wonderful that Paul had such love for the faithful, when his heart embraced the whole world, and even unbelievers?
Therefore he did not say, "I love you," but much more expressively: "Our mouth is open; our heart is enlarged."
"We have all of you in our heart, and not in some narrow way, but with great spaciousness. In such a case, the beloved safely finds room in the heart of the one who loves."
Therefore he says: "You are not restricted in us, but you are restricted in your own hearts" (v. 12).
See how he spares them even in his rebukes. This is the mark of those who love deeply.
He did not say, "You do not love us." He says only, "You do not love us to the same degree," because he does not wish to reproach them severely.
Anyone who reads his letters can see everywhere how much he loved the faithful.
To the Romans, for example, he writes: "I greatly long, επιποθώ, to see you" (2 Cor 1:11).
Again: "I often intended to come to you" (2 Cor 1:13). Likewise: "That by the will of God I may at last be prospered to come to you" (2 Cor 1:10).
To the Galatians he writes: "My little children, for whom I travail in birth again" (Gal 4:19).
Again, to the Ephesians: "For this reason I bow my knees for you" (Eph 3:14).
To the Philippians he wrote: "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of boasting?" (1 Thess 2:19; Phil 4:1).
He also said that he bore them "in his heart and in his bonds" (Phil 1:7).
To the Colossians: "I want you to know what a great struggle I have for you, and for all who have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts may be comforted" (Col 2:1).
To the Thessalonians: "As a nursing mother cherishes her own children, so, being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to impart to you not only the Gospel of God, but also our own souls" (1 Thess 2:7-8).
Or to Timothy: "Remembering your tears, that I may be filled with joy" (2 Tim 1:4).
Likewise to Titus: "A true son" (Tit 1:4). He writes similarly to Philemon.
He writes many similar things to the Hebrews, never ceasing to comfort them like a mother persuading her sorrowful children: "Yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not delay" (Heb 10:37).
With the same love he says also to the Corinthians: "You are not restricted in us."
Moreover, he says not only that he loves them, but also that they love him. By this he wishes to draw them still more to himself.
He testifies the same thing about them when he says that Titus came, "telling us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal" (2 Cor 7:6-7).
He says the same to the Galatians: "If possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me" (Gal 4:15).
And to the Thessalonians: "What manner of entry we had among you" (1 Thess 1:9).
And to Timothy: "Remembering your tears, that I may be filled with joy" (2 Tim 1:4).
Everywhere in his letters one may find testimonies of his love for his disciples and of their love for him, though theirs was not equal.
So also in the present letter he says: "Loving you more abundantly, I am loved less" (2 Cor 12:15).
But he says this already at the end of the letter. Here he speaks even more strongly: "You are not restricted in us, but you are restricted in your own hearts."
"You receive," he says, "one person, but I receive a whole city and so numerous a people."
Again, he did not say, "You do not receive us," but "You are restricted in your own hearts."
By these words he indicated the same thing, but more gently, so that the rebuke would not be too harsh.