And such were some of you: but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
All Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 6:11 Go To 1 Corinthians 6
John Chrysostom
AD 407
In a way to abash them exceedingly, he adds this: as if he said, Consider from what evils God delivered us; how great an experiment and demonstration of loving-kindness He afforded us! He did not limit His redemption to mere deliverance, but greatly extended the benefit: for He also made you clean. Was this then all? Nay: but He also sanctified. Nor even is this all: He also justified. Yet even bare deliverance from our sins were a great gift: but now He also filled you with countless blessing. And this He has done, In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ; not in this name or in that: yea also, In the Spirit of our God.
Knowing therefore these things, beloved, and bearing in mind the greatness of the blessing which has been wrought, let us both continue to live soberly, being pure from all things that have been enumerated; and let us avoid the tribunals which are in the forums of the Gentiles; and the noble birth which God has freely given us, the same let us preserve to the end. For think how full of shame it is that a Greek should take his seat and deal out justice to you.
But you will say, what if he that is within judge contrary to the law? Why should he? Tell me. For I would know by what kind of laws the Greek administers justice, and by what the Christian? Is it not quite plain that the laws of men are the rule of the Greek, but those of God, of the Christian? Surely then with the latter there is greater chance of justice, seeing that these laws are even sent from heaven. For in regard to those without, besides what has been said, there are many other things also to suspect; talent in speakers and corruption in magistrates and many other things which are the ruin of justice. But with us, nothing of this sort.
What then, you will say, if the adversary be one in high place? Well, for this reason more than all one ought to go to law in Christian courts: for in the courts without he will get the better of you at all events. But what if he acquiesce not, but both despise those within and forcibly drag the course without? Better were it to submit willingly to what you are likely to endure by compulsion, and not go to law, that you may have also a reward. For, Matthew 5:40 If any one will go to law with you, and take away your coat, you shall let him have your cloak also: and, Matthew 5:25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are with him in the way. And why need I speak of our rules? For even the pleaders in the heathen courts very often tell us this, saying, it were better to make up matters out of court. But, O wealth, or rather, O the absurd love of wealth! It subverts all things and casts them down; and all things are to the many an idle tale and fables because of money! Now that those who give trouble to courts of laws should be worldly men is no marvel: but that many of those who have bid farewell to the world should do the very same, this is a thing from which all pardon is cut off. For if you choose to see how far you should keep from this sort of need, I mean that of the tribunals, by rule of the Scripture, and to learn for whom the laws are appointed, hear what Paul says; 1 Timothy 1:9 For a righteous man law is not made, but for the lawless, and unruly. And if he says these things about the Mosaic Law, much more about the laws of the heathen.
10. Now then, if you commit injustice, it is plain that you cannot be righteous: but if you are injured and bear it, (for this is a special mark of a righteous man,) you have no need of the laws which are without. How then, say you, shall I be able to bear it when injured? And yet Christ has commanded something even more than this. For not only has he commanded you when injured to bear it, but even to give abundantly more to the wrong-doer; and in your zeal for suffering ill to surpass his eagerness for doing it. For he said not, to him that will sue you at law, and take away your coat, give your coat, but, together with that give also your cloak. But I bid you overcome him, says He, by suffering, not by doing, evil: for this is the certain and splendid victory. Wherefore also Paul goes on to say, Now then it is altogether a defect in (ἥττημα rec. vers. a fault.) you that you have lawsuits one with another. And, Wherefore do ye not rather take wrong? For that the injured person overcomes, rather than he who cannot endure being injured, this I will make evident to you. He that cannot endure injury, though he force the other into court and gain the verdict, yet is he then most of all defeated. For that which he would not, he has suffered; in that the adversary has compelled him both to feel pain and to go to law. For what is it to the point that you have prevailed? And what, that you have recovered all the money? You have in the meanwhile borne what you did not desire, having been compelled to decide the matter by law. But if you endure the injustice, you overcome; deprived indeed of the money, but not at all of the victory which is annexed to such self-command. For the other had no power to oblige you to do what you did not like.
And to show that this is true; tell me, which conquered at the dunghill? Which was defeated? Job who was stripped of all, or the devil who stripped him of all? Evidently the devil who stripped him of all. Whom do we admire for the victory, the devil that smote, or Job that was smitten? Clearly, Job. And yet he could not retain his perishing wealth nor save his children. Why speak I of riches and children? He could not insure to himself bodily health. Yet nevertheless this is the conqueror, he that lost all that he had. His riches indeed he could not keep; but his piety he kept with all strictness. But his children when perishing he could not help. And what then? Since what happened both made them more glorious, and besides in this way he protected himself against the despiteful usage. Now had he not have suffered ill and been wronged of the devil, he would not have gained that signal victory. Had it been an evil thing to suffer wrong, God would not have enjoined it upon us: for God enjoins not evil things. What, know ye not that He is the God of Glory? That it could not be His will to encompass us with shame and ridicule and loss, but to introduce (προξενῆσαι) us to the contrary of these? Therefore He commands us to suffer wrong, and does all to withdraw us from worldly things, and to convince us what is glory, and what shame; what loss, and what gain.
But it is hard to suffer wrong and be spitefully entreated. Nay, O man, it is not, it is not hard. How long will your heart be fluttering about things present? For God, you may be sure, would not have commanded this, had it been hard. Just consider. The wrong-doer goes his way with the money, but with an evil conscience besides: the receiver of the wrong, defrauded indeed of some money, but enriched with confidence towards God; an acquisition more valuable than countless treasures.
11. Knowing these things, therefore, let us of our free choice go on strict principles, and not be like the unwise, who think that they are then not wronged, when their suffering wrong is the result of a trial. But, quite on the contrary, that is the greatest harm; and so in every case when we exercise self-restraint in these matters, not willingly, but after being worsted in that other quarter. For it is no advantage that a man defeated in a trial endures it; for it becomes thenceforth a matter of necessity. What then is the splendid victory? When you look down on it: when you refuse to go to law.
How say you? Have I been stripped of every thing, says one, and do you bid me keep silent? Have I been shamefully used, and do you exhort me to bear it meekly? And how shall I be able? Nay, but it is most easy if you will look up unto heaven; if you will behold the beauty that is in sight; and whither God has promised to receive you, if you bear wrong nobly. Do this then; and looking up unto the heaven, think that you are made like Him that sits there upon the Cherubim. For He also was injured and He bore it; He was reproached and avenged not Himself; and was beaten, yet He asserted not His cause. Nay, He made return, in the contrary kind, to those who did such things, even in benefits without number; and He commanded us to be imitators of Him. Consider that you came naked out of your mother's womb, and that naked both you and he that has done you wrong shall depart; rather, he for his part, with innumerable wounds, breeding worms. Consider that things present are but for a season; count over the tombs of your ancestors; acquaint yourself accurately with past events; and you shall see that the wrong-doer has made you stronger. For his own passion he has aggravated, his covetousness I mean; but yours, he has alleviated, taking away the food of the wild beast. And besides all this, he has set you free from cares, agony, envy, informers, trouble, worry, perpetual fear; and the foul mass of evils he has heaped upon his own head.
What then, says one, if I have to struggle with hunger? You endure this with Paul, who says, 1 Corinthians 4:10 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked. But he did it, you will say, for God's sake: do it also for God's sake. For when you abstain from avenging, you do so for God's sake.
But he that wronged me, takes his pleasure with the wealthy. Nay, rather with the devil. But be you crowned with Paul.
Therefore fear not hunger, for Proverbs 10:3 the Lord will not kill with hunger the souls of the righteous. And again, another says, Psalm 55:23 Cast upon the Lord your care, and He will nourish you. For if the sparrows of the field are nourished by Him, how shall He not nourish you? Now let us not be of little faith nor of little soul, O my beloved! For He who has promised the kingdom of heaven and such great blessings, how shall He not give things present? Let us not covet superfluous things, but let us keep to a sufficiency, and we shall always be rich. Let shelter be what we seek and food, and we shall obtain all things; both these, and such as are far greater.
But if you are still grieving and bowing down, I should like to show you the soul of the wrongdoer after his victory, how it has become ashes. For truly sin is that kind of thing: while one commits it, it affords a certain pleasure; but when it is finished, then the trifling pleasure is gone, one knows not how, and in its place comes dejection. And this is our feeling when we do hurt to any: afterwards, at any rate, we condemn ourselves. So also when we over-reach we have pleasure; but afterwards we are stung by conscience. Do you see in any one's possession some poor man's home? Weep not for him that is spoiled, but for the spoiler: for he has not inflicted, but sustained an evil. For he robbed the other of things present; but himself he cast out of the blessings which cannot be uttered. For if he who gives not to the poor shall go away into hell; what shall he suffer who takes the goods of the poor?
Yet, says one, where is the gain, if I suffer ill? Indeed, the gain is great. For not of the punishment of him that has done you harm does God frame a compensation for you: since that would be no great thing. For what great good is it, if I suffer ill and he suffer ill? And yet I know of many, who consider this the greatest comfort, and who think they have got all back again, when they see those who had insulted them undergoing punishment. But God does not limit His recompense to this.
Would you then desire to know in earnest how great are the blessings which await you? He opens for you the whole heaven; He makes you a fellow-citizen with the Saints; He fits you to bear a part in their choir: from sins He absolves; with righteousness He crowns. For if such as forgive offenders shall obtain forgiveness, those who not only forgive but who also give largely to boot, what blessing shall they not inherit?
Therefore, bear it not with a poor spirit, but even pray for him that injured you. It is for yourself that you do this. Has he taken your money? Well: he took your sins too: which was the case with Naaman and Gehazi. How much wealth would you not give to have your iniquities forgiven you? This, believe me, is the case now. For if you endure nobly and curse not, you have bound on you a glorious crown. It is not my word, but you have heard Christ speaking, Pray for those that despitefully use you. And consider the reward how great! That ye may be like your Father which is in the heavens. So then you have been deprived of nothing, yea, you have been a gainer: you have received no wrongs, rather you have been crowned; in that you have become better disciplined in soul; are made like to God; are set free from the care of money; are made possessor of the kingdom of heaven.
All these things therefore taking into account, let us restrain ourselves in injuries, beloved, in order that we may both be freed from the tumult of this present life, and cast out all unprofitable sadness of spirit, and may obtain the joy to come; through the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, power, honor, now, henceforth, and for ever and ever. Amen.
