John Calvin Commentary 2 Corinthians 6

Assisting. He has repeated the instructions of the commission with which God has furnished the ministers of the gospel. After they have faithfully communicated these instructions, they must also make every effort so that these instructions are carried into effect, ensuring their labor is not in vain. They must, I say, add continual exhortations, so that their commission may be efficacious. This is what he means by συνεργοῦντες, (fellow-workers), that is, those devoted to advancing the work; for it is not enough to teach, if you do not also urge.

In this way, the particle σύν would relate to God, or to the commission, which He assigns to His servants. For the doctrine of the gospel is helped by exhortations so that it is not without effect, and ministers connect their efforts with God’s commission, just as it is the role of an ambassador to reinforce with arguments what he presents in his prince's name.

The particle σύν may also be understood as referring to the common efforts of ministers; for if they do the Lord’s work earnestly, they must mutually assist each other. I prefer, however, the former exposition. Chrysostom interprets it as referring to the hearers, with whom ministers are fellow-workers when they rouse them from sloth and indolence.

Ministers are taught here that it is not enough simply to present doctrine. They must also labor for it to be received by the hearers, and not just once, but continually. For as they are messengers between God and men, the first duty incumbent upon them is to offer the grace of God, and the second is to strive with all their might so that it is not offered in vain.

For he says, In an acceptable time. He quotes a prediction of Isaiah, exceedingly appropriate to the exhortation about which he speaks. He undoubtedly speaks there of the kingdom of Christ, as is clear from the context. The Father, then, appointing his Son a leader for the purpose of gathering together a Church, addresses him in these words:

I have heard you in an acceptable time (Isaiah 49:8).

We know, however, the degree of correspondence that exists between the Head and the members. For Christ was heard in our name, as the salvation of all of us is entrusted to his hand, and he has taken nothing else under his charge. Therefore, we are all admonished in the person of Christ not to neglect the opportunity that is provided for obtaining salvation. While the rendering of the Greek interpreter is, εὐπρόσδεκτον, (acceptable,) the word used by the Prophet is, רצון, (ratson,) that is, benevolence, or free favour.

The quotation must be applied to the subject at hand in this way: “As God specifies a particular time for the exhibition of his grace, it follows that not all times are suitable for it. As a particular day of salvation is named, it follows that a free offer of salvation is not made every day.” Now this depends entirely on the providence of God, for the acceptable time is no other than what is called in Galatians 4:4, the fullness of the time. The order of arrangement also must be observed.

First, he makes mention of a time of benevolence, and then afterwards of a day of salvation. By this it is implied that salvation flows to us exclusively from the mercy of God, as from a fountainhead. Therefore, we must not seek the cause in ourselves, as if by our own works we moved God to grant us his favor, for from where does the day of salvation come? It is because it is the acceptable time, that is, the time which God has in his free favor appointed.

Meanwhile, we must keep in view what Paul intends to teach—that swift action is needed, so that we do not let the opportunity pass unused, since it displeases God if the grace he offers us is received with coolness and indifference.

Behold now is the time. The Prophet had spoken of the time when Christ was to be manifested in the flesh for the redemption of men. Paul transfers the prophecy to the time when Christ is revealed by the continued preaching of the gospel, and he does so with good reason. For as salvation was once sent to the whole world when Christ appeared, so now it is sent to us every day, when we are made partakers of the gospel.

This is a beautiful passage, offering no ordinary consolation. For while the gospel is preached to us, we know with certainty that the way is opened for us into the kingdom of God. A signal of divine benevolence is raised high to invite us to receive salvation, for the opportunity to obtain it must be judged by the call.

Unless, however, we embrace the opportunity, we must fear the threatening that Paul brings forward: that, in a short time, the door will be shut against all who have not entered while opportunity was provided. For this retribution always follows contempt of the word.

Giving no offense. We have already remarked on several occasions that Paul sometimes commends the ministry of the gospel generally, and at other times his own integrity. In the present instance, then, he speaks of himself and sets before us, in his own person, a living picture of a good and faithful apostle, so that the Corinthians may be led to see how unfair they were in their judgment in preferring empty blusterers over him.

For as they assigned praise to mere pretenses, they held in the highest esteem persons who were effeminate and devoid of zeal, while, on the other hand, concerning the best ministers, they cherished no views but such as were mean and abject. Nor is there any reason to doubt that those very things Paul mentions for his own commendation had been brought forward by them partly as a ground of contempt. And they were all the more deserving of reproof, inasmuch as they converted into a matter of reproach what was a basis for just praise.

Paul, therefore, discusses here three things:

1. First, he shows what excellences are the basis on which preachers of the gospel ought to be esteemed.
2. Secondly, he shows that he himself is endowed with those excellences.
3. Thirdly, he admonishes the Corinthians not to acknowledge as Christ’s servants those who conduct themselves differently than he prescribes here by his example.

His design is to procure authority for himself and those who were like him—for the glory of God and the good of the Church—or to restore it where it has fallen into decay. And secondly, it is to call back the Corinthians from an unreasonable attachment to the false apostles, which was a hindrance to them making as much progress in the gospel as was necessary.

Ministers cause stumbling when, by their own misconduct, they hinder the progress of the gospel among their hearers. That Paul says he does not do; for he declares that he carefully takes heed not to stain his apostleship with any spot of disgrace.

For this is Satan's artifice: to seek some misconduct in ministers that may lead to the dishonor of the gospel. For when he has succeeded in bringing the ministry into contempt, all hope of profit is at an end. Therefore, the man who wishes to serve Christ effectively must strive with all his might to maintain the credit of his ministry. The method is to take care that he is deserving of honor, for nothing is more ridiculous than striving to maintain your reputation before others while you bring reproach upon yourself by a wicked and base life. That man, therefore, alone will be honorable who allows himself nothing unworthy of a minister of Christ.

In much patience. The whole of the following enumeration is intended to show that all the tests by which the Lord is accustomed to testing His servants were to be found in Paul, and that there was no kind of test to which he had not been subjected, so that the faithfulness of his ministry might be more fully established. Among other things that he enumerates, there are some that are always required of all the servants of Christ. Of this nature are labors, sincerity, knowledge, watchings, gentleness, love, the word of truth, the Spirit, the power of God, the armor of righteousness.

There are other things that are not necessary in all cases. For example, for anyone to be a servant of Christ, it is not absolutely necessary to be tested by means of stripes and imprisonments. Hence, these things will in some cases be lacking in the experience of the best. It is fitting for all, however, to be of such a disposition as to present themselves to be tried, as Paul was, with stripes and imprisonments, if the Lord sees fit.

Patience is the regulation of the mind in adversity, an excellence that should invariably distinguish a good minister. Afflictions include more than necessities; for by the term necessity here I understand poverty. Now, this is common to many ministers, since many of them are in poor circumstances; yet, at the same time, it is not true for all.

For why should a moderate amount of riches prevent a man from being considered a servant of Christ, who, in other respects, is pious, is of upright mind and honorable conduct, and is distinguished by other virtues? Just as the man who is poor is not on that account to be immediately considered a good minister, so the man who is rich is not on that account to be rejected. Moreover, Paul in another passage glories no less in his knowing how to abound, than in knowing how to be in want (Philippians 4:12). Hence, we must observe the distinction that I have mentioned, between occasional and invariable grounds of commendation.

In tumults: In proportion to the calmness and gentleness of Paul’s disposition, the greater excellence was displayed in his standing undaunted in the face of tumults; and he rightly takes credit for this—that while he abhorred tumults, he nevertheless faced them bravely. Nor does the praise simply consist in his being unmoved by tumults, (as this is commonly found among all riotous people), but in his not being alarmed by tumults that had been stirred up through the fault of others.

Unquestionably, two things are required of ministers of the Gospel: they should endeavor with all their power to maintain peace, and yet, on the other hand, go forward undaunted through the midst of commotions, so that they do not turn aside from the right course, even if heaven and earth were to be thrown into chaos.

Chrysostom, however, prefers to understand ἀκαταστασίαις to mean—frequent expulsions, since these afforded Paul no place of rest. In fastings: He does not mean—hunger arising from destitution, but a voluntary exercise of abstinence.

Knowledge may be understood in two senses: either as meaning doctrine itself, or skill in acting properly and knowingly. The latter appears to me more likely, as Paul immediately adds—the word of truth.

The Spirit is taken by metonymy, to denote spiritual graces. Frivolous, however, is the objection of Chrysostom, who infers from this that the other excellences are unique to the Apostle, because Paul mentions the Spirit separately, as if kindness, knowledge, pureness, armor of righteousness, came from any source other than the Holy Spirit.

Paul mentions the Spirit separately, however, as a general term among particular instances. The power of God showed itself in many things—in magnanimity, in effectiveness in maintaining the truth, in the propagation of the Gospel, in victory over enemies, and similar things.