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 6:3

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

"Giving no occasion of stumbling, that our ministration be not blamed." Persuading them not from considering "the time" only, but also those that had successfully labored with them. And behold with what absence of pride. For he said not, 'Look at us how we are such and such,' but, for the present, it is only to do away accusation that he relates his own conduct. And he mentions two chief points of a blameless life, "none" in "any" thing. …

Homily 12 on 2 Corinthians ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

We exhort, he said, and we assist. In what way? By a blameless life. And by the very course of his narrative he advises them to pay attention to him. For, he says, I so order my life that I give no one occasion—I do not say for accusation, but even for ordinary reproach, and still more for scandal—so that our ministry may not be blamed. Again, he did not say: so as not to fall under accusation, but so that my work and my ministry may not receive even an incidental reproach. …

Commentary on 2 Corinthians ↗

Clement of Alexandria

For those who strive after perfection, according to the same apostle, must "give no offence in anything, but in everything approve themselves not to men, but to God." And, as a consequence, also they ought to yield to men; for it is reasonable, on account of abusive calumnies: Here is the specification: "in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings, in pureness, in knowledge, in long-suffering, in kindness, in the Holy Ghost, in love …

The Stromata Book 4 ↗

Western Saints

Thomas Aquinas

Then when he says, we put no obstacle, he teaches them the way to use grace conferred on them; first, in general, namely, that they not receive it in vain; secondly, in particular (v. 4b). He says therefore: use grace in such a way as putting no obstacle in any one's way. For grace is given for two things: to avoid evil and to do good. Therefore, he teaches these two things, namely, that we avoid evil, in regard to which he says, putting no obstacle in any one's way. …

Commentary on 2 Corinthians ↗