2 Corinthians 6:3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed" (v. 3).

He draws his persuasion not only from the time, but also from the example of those who struggled as they should.

And see how modestly he does this. He did not say, "Look at us, for we are such and such." Rather, as though defending himself against an accusation, he lists his labors.

He sets down two distinguishing marks of a blameless life. The first is: "we give no offense in anything."

He did not say "accusation," but something much smaller, "offense," meaning that we give no one even an occasion for reproaches against us.

"That our ministry may be without blame," so that no one may attack this ministry.

Again, he did not say, "so that no one may reproach or accuse it," but that it may not give even an incidental occasion by which anyone could reproach it in anything.

He said, we beseech and work together. How? By a blameless life. By the very course of his narrative he advises them to give attention to him.

For, he says, I order my life in such a way that I give no occasion to anyone. I do not mean for accusation, but even for an ordinary reproach, and still more for scandal.

This is so that our ministry may not be blamed.

Again, he did not say, "so that I may not fall under accusation," but, "so that my work and my ministry may not receive even an incidental reproach."

Some explain it this way: that reproach may not pass over onto the preaching, for he calls this his ministry.

When I live badly, the preaching too is subjected to contempt and blame.

Unnoticed, he also hints to them that when they live badly, blasphemy is directed against Christ and the faith.

We place no stumbling block before anyone in anything. That is, we do nothing blameworthy in our life, so that the apostolic ministry may not be reproached.

Do not give anyone any obstacle in anything, in Greek, "not giving"; compare the Syriac and Ethiopic. Other translations have "we do not give," as in the Arabic; compare the Vulgate, Gothic, and Russian. The Slavonic reads impersonally: giving and commending. This is so that our ministry, that is, our preaching of the Gospel, may not be blasphemed.

The Apostle Paul speaks of the time as now having come when sinners can draw near to the remission of sins.

He speaks of the time as now having come when a remedy can be received for mortal diseases.

In this connection he expresses confidence in the healing of the sick. It remains only for them to apply their good will and not neglect the remedy, so as to attain its healing effect.

Therefore by his faith and vigilance Paul cuts off everything that could serve as a fall for the incautious.

He does this so that through their sluggishness no basis for the fall of his disciples may arise.

And by preaching the healing word in simplicity and with all zeal, they mark themselves out as free.

Therefore the Apostle adds below, "that the ministry may not be blamed." For the ministry of the apostles themselves would be blamed if by their deeds they did not provide examples of what they taught in words.

"Giving no offense in anything, that the ministry may be without reproach, but in all things commending ourselves as servants of God." Our care is to give no one even an accidental occasion for scandal, but to show in all things that we ourselves are worthy of God's ministry. What are the forms of this ministry? "In much patience, in tribulations, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in prisons, in disorders." The Apostle has listed separately the things that befall from outside. To involuntary labors he then adds voluntary ones.

What relation do the present words have to the preceding ones? They refer to this: "Working together, we beseech you" (2 Cor 6:1).

This is how, he says, we help you: "giving no offense in anything," that is, giving you not even the slightest occasion for scandal.

Thus our ministry, that is, the evangelical ministry consisting in the preaching of faith in Christ, may be "without reproach," meaning that it will not be blamed.

And truly, this Apostle avoided every occasion of scandal with the greatest attention and care.

He withdrew even from the very prescriptions of the Law when he saw that they could produce scandal.

For example, the Law prescribed that "those who perform sacred things should eat from the sanctuary" (Lev 6:16; 1 Cor 9:13).

In preaching these fundamental truths of Christianity, we strive in our life and conduct to give no offense to anyone in anything.

That is, we allow nothing scandalous, so that our apostolic ministry may not be blamed.

"But in all things we commend ourselves as servants of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in prisons," and so forth.

In the following words Saint Paul the Apostle forcefully depicts the outward discrepancy between the narrowness and oppression of his position and the greatness of the labors undertaken so as to give believers no offense in anything.

"We are unknown, yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet enriching many; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things."

As though defending himself against accusation, the Apostle lists his labors and virtues.

He sets down two chief distinguishing marks of a blameless life. The first is freedom from accusations. The second is faithfulness to service to God, expressed in patiently enduring every kind of suffering while fulfilling his apostolic duty.

Saint Paul himself speaks of these sufferings in more detail elsewhere in part, for example in 1 Cor 11:23 and 2 Cor 11:24-25 and following.

In part, others also speak of them. See Acts 14-18 and 20:7-11.

"Each of these temptations is heavy even by itself," says Saint John Chrysostom. "It is hard to endure scourging, hard to be in chains, and hard to have no rest from persecutions.

We do our work, he says, as we should, with all zeal. To help you advance in the life of grace, we use everything on our part.

We not only persuade you by word, but also conduct ourselves so as not to be a stumbling block to anyone.

On the contrary, we present in ourselves to all an example of how servants of God should live.

Looking at us, no one can reasonably think that we are not servants of God, and therefore suspect our word of untruth.

When you hold the conviction that our word is not false, and receive it as wholly true, you have in this an impulse to fulfill it faithfully.

As for how to fulfill it, our life will teach you.

Chrysostom says: “Since the Apostle has the custom of putting himself forward, so that others may take example from him, he does this here also.