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 6:8

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

"By evil report and good report." For not only did he bear those things nobly which happen to the body, the 'afflictions, and whatever he enumerated, but those also which touch the soul; for neither are these wont to disturb slightly. Jeremiah at least having borne many temptations, gave in upon these, and when he was reproached, said, "I will not prophesy, neither will I name the Name of the Lord." And David too in many places complains of reproach. …

Homily 12 on 2 Corinthians ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

He explained to us that the weapons in the right and left hand signify glory and dishonor. How then does glory serve as a weapon of righteousness? In that the glory of teachers attracts many to piety. What then? Is this a virtue of Paul? Of course, because he, being in glory, did not grow proud, while dishonor, producing patience, made him skilled and contributed to the success of his preaching. And the endurance of reproach is a great feat. For it strongly disturbs the soul. …

Commentary on 2 Corinthians ↗

Western Saints

Jerome

Do not angle for compliments, lest while you win the popular applause, you dishonor God. "If I yet pleased men," says the apostle, "I should not be the servant of Christ." He ceased to please men when he became Christ's servant. Christ's soldier marches on through good report and evil report, the one on the right hand and the other on the left. No praise elates him, no reproaches crush him. He is not puffed up by riches nor depressed by poverty. Joy and sorrow he alike despises. The sun will not burn him by day nor the moon by night.

Letter 52

Thomas Aquinas

Now there are two things which pertain to pride, namely, excellence of state and of works. Hence he says, in honor, i.e., by a condition of excellence. As if to say: let us show ourselves as God's ministers, namely, by the glory of God, that is, in prosperity: "The LORD of hosts has purposed it, to defile the pride of all glory" (Is. 23:9). That the apostles seemed glorious is shown in Acts (chap. 14), when Paul and Barnabas were taken as gods. And dishonor, which is on the left. …

Commentary on 2 Corinthians ↗