Fathers

2 Corinthians 6

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Working together, we entreat also that you do not receive the grace of God in vain, for he says, “At an acceptable time I listened to you. In a day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. We give no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our service may not be blamed, but in everything commending ourselves, as servants of God, in great endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; in pureness, in knowledge, in perseverance, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in sincere love, in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians. Our heart is enlarged. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections. Now in return, I speak as to my children: you also open your hearts. Don’t be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship do righteousness and iniquity have? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what portion does a believer have with an unbeliever? What agreement does a temple of God have with idols? For you are a temple of the living God. Even as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk in them. I will be their God and they will be my people.” Therefore “ ‘Come out from among them, and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Touch no unclean thing. I will receive you. I will be to you a Father. You will be to me sons and daughters,’ says the Lord Almighty.”

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What the Fathers say

2 Corinthians 6:16

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

"What agreement hath a temple of God with idols? For ye are a temple of the living God." Now what he says is this. Neither hath your King aught in common with him, "for what concord hath Christ with Beliar?" nor have the things [aught in common'], "for what communion hath light with darkness?" Therefore neither should ye. And first he mentions their king and then themselves; by this separating them most effectually. …

Homily 13 on 2 Corinthians ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

The unfaithful are temples of idols, or even the very idols themselves, while you are the temple of God—not of the one about whom they tell fables, but of the living God. So what "compatibility," that is, likeness, similarity is there between you and them? Lest it should seem that he flatters, he confirms by Scripture that they are the temple of God. The indwelling of God in us is conditioned by purity of life, and His walking in us is acquired by diligence. …

Commentary on 2 Corinthians ↗

Clement of Alexandria

"We are God's temples; as the prophet said, I will dwell among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people," if our behaviour conforms to the commandments both as individuals and also as a society, as the Church. …

The Stromata Book 3 ↗

Western Saints

Thomas Aquinas

As to the state of grace he says, What agreement has the temple of God with idols? As if to say: there is no agreement. Hence, you are a temple of God by grace: "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?" (1 Cor. 3:16). Therefore, you should not communicate with unbelievers, who are temples of idols. But it should be noted that in Ez. 25, the Lord forbids idols to be worshipped in God's temple. …

Commentary on 2 Corinthians ↗