Now he who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, is God;
All Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 1:21 Go To 2 Corinthians 1
John Chrysostom
AD 407
Now He which establishes us with you in Christ, and anointed us, is God; Who also sealed us, and gave us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
Again, from the past He establishes the future. For if it is He that establishes us in Christ; (i.e., who suffers us not to be shaken from the faith which is in Christ;) and He that anointed us and gave the Spirit in our hearts, how shall He not give us the future things?
For if He gave the principles and the foundations, and the root and the fount, (to wit, the true knowledge of Him, the partaking of the Spirit,) how shall He not give the things that come of these: for if for the sake of these those are given, much more will he supply those. And if to such as were enemies he gave these, much more when now made friends will He freely give to them those. Wherefore He said not simply the Spirit, but named earnest, that from this you might have a good hope of the whole as well. For did He not purpose to give the whole, He would never have chosen to give the earnest and to waste it without object or result. And observe Paul's candor. For why need I say, says he, that the truth of the promises stands not in us? The fact of your standing unwavering and fixed is not in us, but this too is of God; for says he, He who establishes us is God. It is not we who strengthen you: for even we also need Him that establishes. So then let none imagine that the Preaching is hazardous in us. He has undertaken the whole, He cared for the whole.
And what is, anointed, and sealed? Gave the Spirit by Whom He did both these things, making at once prophets and priests and kings, for in old times these three sorts were anointed. But we have now not one of these dignities, but all three preeminently. For we are both to enjoy a kingdom and are made priests by offering our bodies for a sacrifice, (for, says he, present your members a living sacrifice unto God;) and withal we are constituted prophets too: for what things eye has not seen, nor ear heard, 1 Corinthians 2:9 these have been revealed unto us.
5. And in another way too we become kings: if we have the mind to get dominion over our unruly thoughts, for that such an one is a king and more than he who wears the diadem, I will now make plain to you. He has many armies, but we again have thoughts exceeding them in number; for it is impossible to number the infinite multitude of the thoughts within us. Nor is their multitude all that one is to consider, but also that in this multitude of thoughts, there are many generals, and colonels, and captains, and archers, and slingers. What else makes a king? His apparel? But this one too is arrayed in a better and braver robe, which neither does moth devour nor age impair. A crown too he has of curious workmanship , that of glory, that of the tender mercies of God. For says [the Psalmist], Bless the Lord, O my soul, that crowns you with pity and tender mercies. Psalm 103:2-4 Again, that of glory: For you have crowned him with glory and honor. Psalm 8:6 And with favor You have crowned us with a shield. Psalm 5:12. Septuagint Again, that of grace: For you shall receive a crown of grace upon your head. Proverbs 1:9. Septuagint Do you see this diadem of many wreaths, and surpassing the other in grace. But let us institute anew and from the beginning a stricter inquiry into the condition of these kings. That king has dominion over his guards, and issues orders to all, and all obey and serve him; but here I show you greater authority. For the number here is as great or even greater: it remains to inquire into their obedience. And bring me not forth those that have ruled amiss , since I too bring those that have been driven from their kingdom and murdered by their very body guards. Let us then bring forth these instances, but seek for those of either kind who have ordered well their kingdom. And do thou put forward whom you will. I oppose unto you the patriarch against all. For when he was commanded to sacrifice his son, consider how many thoughts then rose up against him. Nevertheless, he brought all under submission, and all trembled before him more than before a king his guards; and with a look only he stilled them all and not one of them dared so much as mutter; but down they bowed and as unto a king gave place, one and all, though much exasperated and exceeding relentless. For even the heads of spears raised upright by many soldiers are not as fearful as were then those fearful thoughts, armed not with spears, but what is harder to deal with than many spears, the sympathy of nature! Wherefore they had power to pierce his soul more than sharpened spear point. For never spear could be so sharp as were the goads of those thoughts, which, sharpened and upraised from beneath, from his affections, were piercing through and through the mind of that righteous man. For here there needs time and purpose and a stroke and pain, and then death follows; but there, there needed none of these, so much were the wounds speedier and acuter. But still though so many thoughts were then in arms against him, there was a deep calm, and they stood all in fair array; adorning rather than daunting him. See him at least stretching out the knife, and set forth as many as thou wilt, kings, emperors, Cæsars, yet shall you tell of nought like this, have no like mien to point to, so noble, so worthy of the heavens. For that righteous man erected a trophy at that movement over the most arbitrary of tyrannies. For nothing is so tyrannical as nature; and find ten thousand tyrannicides, one like this shall you never show us. For it was the triumph in that moment of an angel, not a man. For consider. Nature was dashed to the ground with all her weapons, with all her host: and he stood with outstretched hand, grasping not a crown, but a knife more glorious than any crown, and the throng of angels applauded, and God from heaven proclaimed him conquerer.
For seeing that his citizenship was in heaven, thence also he received that proclamation. Philippians 3:20 What could be more glorious than this? Rather, what trophy could ever be equal to it? For if on occasion of a wrestler's success, not a herald below but the king above should have risen up and himself proclaimed the Olympic Victor, would not this have seemed to him more glorious than the crown, and have turned the gaze of the whole theatre upon him? When then no mortal king, but God Himself, not in this theatre but in the theatre of the universe, in the assembly of the angels, the archangels, proclaims his name with uplifted voice shouting from heaven, tell me what place shall we assign to this holy man?
6. But if you will, let us listen too to the voice itself. What then was the voice? Abraham, Abraham, lay not your hand upon Isaac, neither do thou any thing unto him. For now I know that you fear God, and hast not spared your son, your well-beloved, for My sake. Genesis 22:11-12 What is this? He that knows all things before they are, did He now know! And yet even to man the Patriarch's fear of God was evident: so many proofs had he given that his heart was right toward God , as when He said to him, Get you out of your country, and from your kindred; Genesis 12:1 when for His sake and the honor due to Him he relinquished to his sister's son his priority; when He delivered him out of so great perils; when He bade him go into Egypt, and on his wife's being taken from him, he repined not, and more instances besides; and as I said, from these things even man would have learned the Patriarch's fear of God, much more than God Who waits not for the acts to know the end. And how too justified he him, if He knew not? For it is written, Abraham believed, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3
What then means this, Now I know? The Syriac has, Now you have made known; that is, to men. For I knew of old, even before all those commandments. And why, to men even, now? for were not those acts enough to prove his mind was right toward God? They were enough indeed, but this one so much greater than them all that they appear nothing beside it. As exalting then this good work and showing its superiority to all, He so spoke. For of things which exceed and surpass all that went before, most men are wont to speak so: for instance, if one receive from another a gift greater than any former one, he often says, Now I know that such an one loves me, not hereby meaning that he knew not in the time past, but as intending to declare what is now given to be greater than all. So also God, speaking after the manner of men, says, Now I know, intending only to mark the exceeding greatness of the exploit; not that He then came to know either his fear or the greatness of it. For when He says, Come, let Us go down and see, Genesis 11:7; 18:21 He says it not as needing to go down, (for He both fills all things and knows all things certainly,) but to teach us not to give sentence lightly. And when He says, The Lord looked down from Heaven: Psalm 14:2 it describes His perfect knowledge by a metaphor taken from men. So also here He says, Now I know, to declare this to be greater than all which had preceded it. Of this itself too He furnishes proof by adding, Because you spared not your son, your well-beloved, for My sake; He says not your son only, but yet more, your well-beloved. For it was not nature only, but also parental fondness, which having both by natural disposition and by the great goodness of his child, he yet dared in him to spurn. And if about worthless children parents are not easily indifferent, but mourn even for them; when it is his son, his only-begotten, and his well-beloved, even Isaac, and the father himself is on the point of immolating him; who can describe the excessiveness of such philosophy? This exploit outshines thousands of diadems and crowns innumerable. For the wearer of that crown, both death ofttimes assails and annoys, and before death, assaults of circumstances without number; but this diadem shall no one have strength to take from him that wears it; no not even after death; neither of his own household, nor of strangers. And let me point you out the costliest stone in this diadem. For as a costly stone, so this comes at the end and clasps it. What then is this? The words, for My sake? for not herein is the marvel, that he spared not, but that it was for His sake.
Oh! blessed right hand, of what a knife was it accounted worthy? Oh! Wondrous knife, of what a right hand was it accounted worthy? Oh! Wondrous knife, for what a purpose was it prepared? To what an office did it serve? To what a type did it minister? How was it bloodied? How was it not bloodied? For I know not what to say, so awful was that mystery. It touched not the neck of the child, nor passed through the throat of that holy one: nor was crimsoned with the blood of the righteous; rather it both touched, and passed through, and was crimsoned, and was bathed in it, yet was not bathed. Perchance I seem to you beside myself, uttering such contradictions. For, in truth, I am beside myself, with the thought of the wondrous deed of that righteous man; but I utter no contradictions. For indeed the righteous man's hand thrust it in the throat of the lad, but God's Hand suffered it not, so thrust, to be stained with blood of the lad. For it was not Abraham alone that held it back, but God also: and he by his purpose gave the stroke, God by His voice restrained it. For the same voice both armed and disarmed that right hand, which, marshalled under God, as if under a leader, performed all things at His beck, and all were ministered at His voice. For observe; He said, Slay, and straightway it was armed: He said, Slay not, and straightway it was disarmed: for every thing [before] had been fully prepared.
And now God showed the soldier and general to the whole world; this crowned victor to the theatre of the angels; this priest, this king, crowned with that knife beyond a diadem, this trophy-bearer, this champion, this conqueror without a fight. For as if some general having a most valiant soldier, should use his mastery of his weapons, his bearing, his ordered movements to dismay the adversary; so also God, by the purpose, the attitude, the bearing only of that righteous man, dismayed and routed the common enemy of us all, the Devil. For I deem that even he then shrunk away aghast. But if any one say, 'And why did he not suffer that right hand to be bathed, and then immediately raise him up after being sacrificed?' Because God might not accept such bloody offerings; such a table were that of avenging demons. But here two things were displayed, both the loving kindness of the Master, and the faithfulness of the servant. And before, indeed, he went out from his country: but then he abandoned even nature. Wherefore also he received his principal with usury: and very reasonably. For he chose to lose the name of father, to show himself a faithful servant. Wherefore he became not a father only, but also a priest; and because for God's sake he gave up his own, therefore also did God give him with these His own besides. When then enemies devise mischief, He allows it to come even to the trial, and then works miracles; as in the case of the furnace and the lions; Daniel 3 and Daniel 6 but when Himself bids, readiness attained, He stays His bidding. What then, I ask, was wanting further in this noble deed? For did Abraham foreknow what would happen? Did he bargain for the mercy of God? For even though he were a prophet, yet the prophet knows not all things. So the actual sacrifice afterwards was superfluous and unworthy of God. And if it was fit he should learn that God was able to raise from the dead, by the womb he had learned this much more marvellously, or rather he learned it even before that proof, for he had faith.
7. Do not then only admire this righteous man, but also imitate him, and when you see him amid so great uproar and surge of waves sailing as in a calm, take thou in hand in like way the helm of obedience and fortitude. For look, pray, not only at this that he built up the altar and the wood; but remember too the voice of the lad, and reflect what hosts like snow storms assaulted him to dismay him, when he heard the lad say, My father, where is the lamb? Bethink you how many thoughts were then stirred up armed not with iron, but with darts of flame; and piercing into and cutting him through on every side. If even now many, and those not parents, are broken down , and would have wept, did they not know the end: and many, I see, do weep, though they know it; what must it be thought he would feel, who begot, who nurtured him, in old age had him, had him only, him such an one, who sees, who hears him, and is presently about to slay him? What intelligence in the words! What meekness in the question! Who then is here at work? The Devil that he might set nature in a flame? God forbid! But God, the more to prove the golden soul of the righteous man. For when indeed the wife of Job speaks, a Devil is at work. For of such sort the advice is. But this one utters nothing blasphemous, but what is both very devout and thoughtful; and great the grace that overspread the words, much the honey that dropped therefrom, flowing from a calm and gentle soul. Even a heart of stone these words were enough to soften. But they turned not aside, nay, shook not that adamant. Nor said he, 'Why do you call him father, who in a little while will not be your father, yea, who has already lost that title of honor?' And why does the lad ask the question? Not of impertinence merely, not of curiosity, but as anxious about what was proposed. For he reflected that had his father not meant to make him a partner in what was done, he would not have left the servants below, and taken him only with him. For this reason, too, surely, it is that when they were alone, then he asks him, when none heard what was said. So great was the judgment of the lad. Are you not all warmed towards him, both men and women? Does not each one of you mentally infold and kiss the child, and marvel at his judgment; and venerate the piety which, when he was both bound and laid on the wood, made him not be dismayed nor struggle nor accuse his father as mad; but he was even bound and lifted up and laid upon it, and endured all in silence, like a lamb, yea, rather like the common Lord of all. For of Him he both imitated the gentleness, and kept to the type. For He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep dumb before his shearer. Isaiah 53:7 And yet Isaac spoke; for his Lord spoke also. How dumb then? This means, he spoke nothing wilful or harsh, but all was sweet and mild, and the words more than the silence manifested his gentleness. For Christ also said, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you smite Me? John 18:23 and manifested His gentleness more than if He had held His peace. And as this one speaks with his father from the altar, so too does He from the Cross, saying, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. What then said the Patriarch? Genesis 22:8 God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt-offering, my son. Either uses the names of nature; the former, father; the latter, son; and on either side arduous is the war stirred up, and mighty the storm, and yet wreck no where: for religion triumphed over all. Then after he heard of God, he spoke no further word nor was impertinently curious. Of such judgment was the child even in the very bloom of youth. Do you see the king, over how many armies, in how many battles which beset him, he has been victorious? For the barbarians were not so fearful to the city of Jerusalem when they assaulted her oftentimes, as were to this man the thoughts on every side besieging him: but still he overcame all. Would you see the priest also? The instance is at hand. For when you have seen him with fire and a knife; and standing over an altar, what do you doubt after as to his priesthood? But if you would see the sacrifice also, lo, here a twofold one. For he offered a son, he offered also a ram, yea, more and above all, his own will. And with the blood of the lamb he consecrated his right hand , with the sacrifice of his son, his soul. Thus was he ordained a priest, by the blood of his only-begotten, by the sacrifice of a lamb; for the priests also were consecrated by the blood of the victims which were offered to God. Would you see the prophet also? It is written, Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it, and was glad. Leviticus 8; John 8:56
So also art you yourself made king and priest and prophet in the Laver; a king, having dashed to earth all the deeds of wickedness and slain your sins; a priest, in that you offer yourself to God, having sacrificed your body and being yourself slain also, for if we died with Him, says he, we shall also live with Him; 2 Timothy 2:11 a prophet, knowing what shall be, and being inspired of God , and sealed. For as upon soldiers a seal, so is also the Spirit put upon the faithful. And if you desert, you are manifest [by it] to all. For the Jews had circumcision for a seal, but we, the earnest of the Spirit. Knowing then all this, and considering our high estate, let us exhibit a life worthy of the grace , that we may obtain also the kingdom to come; which may we all obtain through the grace and love towards men of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom, to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, honor, now and for ever, and world without end. Amen.
