Thomas Aquinas Commentary 2 Corinthians 6:1-5

"And working together [with him] we entreat also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain (for he saith, At an acceptable time I hearkened unto thee, And in a day of salvation did I succor thee: behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation): giving no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our ministration be not blamed; but in everything commending ourselves, as ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings;" — 2 Corinthians 6:1-5 (ASV)

Having commended the ministry of the apostleship, the Apostle now carries out this ministry for the benefit of his people. In this regard, he does two things. First, he gives a general exhortation to do all the things commonly necessary for a good life. Second, he specifically urges them to help the saints in Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 8).

Concerning the first point, he does two things. First, he urges them to do good in the present. Second, he commends them for the good they have done in the past (2 Corinthians 7). Regarding the present good, he does three things. First, he admonishes them in general not to receive God's grace in vain. Second, he shows that God's grace has been given to them (verse 2). Third, he teaches them specifically how to use this grace (verse 3).

Therefore, he says that because we have the ability to do good by God's grace, and because we are Christ's ambassadors for this purpose, we work together, helping by preaching, by example, and by exhortation. As it is written, A brother helped is like a strong city (Proverbs 18:19). This can also mean helping God, as in, We are God’s helpers (1 Corinthians 3:9).

But this seems to contradict Isaiah 40:13: Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord? Therefore, it is not correct to say we are "helping God." The answer is that "helping God" can be understood in two ways. In one sense, it could mean that a person gives God the power to do something. In this sense, no one helps God or can help Him. In another sense, it can mean that a person carries out His commandment. In this way, holy people are said to help God by carrying out His commands.

Therefore, helping in this way, we urge you, as Paul says, He that exhorts, in his exhortation (Romans 12:8), not to accept the grace of God in vain. This is to say: do not let your reception of grace be useless and empty. This happens when a person does not produce the fruit of the grace he has received. This fruit is twofold: the forgiveness of sins, as in, And this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin (Isaiah 27:9); and that a person, by living righteously, may attain heavenly glory: The return you get is sanctification (Romans 6:22). Therefore, whoever does not use the grace he has received for avoiding sin and obtaining eternal life receives the grace of God in vain. As Paul says, I did not run in vain or labor in vain (Philippians 2:16).

Lest anyone doubt that they have received this grace from God, the Apostle proves that they have either already received it or are prepared to receive it. He does this first by quoting the Prophet, and second by applying the quotation to his argument (in verse 2b). He says, For he says, “At the acceptable time I have listened to you.”

Therefore, he says that you should be prepared to receive this grace fruitfully, which has been given to you or prepared for you, for the Lord says as much in Isaiah 49:8: In a time of favor I have answered you. Concerning this, it should be noted that the Lord is said to grant us grace either by hearing our petitions or by helping us in our actions. He hears us so that we might receive what we ask: If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all men generously and without reproaching, and it will be given him (James 1:5). He also helps us in our actions: If the LORD had not been my help, my soul would soon have dwelt in the land of silence (Psalms 94:17).

This grace is of two kinds, both of which are necessary for us to obtain: prevenient and cooperating (or subsequent) grace. First is prevenient grace, which we ought to desire in order to be accepted by God: Therefore let every one who is godly offer prayer to you (Psalms 32:6). Regarding this, he says, At an acceptable time, meaning a time for being accepted and placed in a state of grace, for in that acceptable time, what is done is done freely: So also David pronounces a blessing upon the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works (Romans 4:6). I have listened to you means "I have accepted you." Alternatively, at an acceptable time refers to the time of grace. In this way, prevenient grace is the name given to the grace by which we are freed from sin, and subsequent grace is that by which virtues and perseverance in good are conferred on us.

Secondly, we need cooperating grace, which David requested in Psalm 23:6: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. Regarding this, he says, and helped you on the day of salvation. This is because the time before Christ was not day, but night: The night is far gone, the day is at hand (Romans 13:12). But the time of Christ is called the day, and not only the day, but the day of salvation. For before Christ, there was no salvation, because no one reached the end of salvation, namely, the vision of God. But now that salvation has been born in the world, people can attain it: And you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21); Work out your salvation (Philippians 2:12). This is done by the help of cooperating grace, by which we arrive at eternal life through our works: For God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).

He then applies this text to his purpose, saying, Behold, now is the acceptable time. It is as if he is saying: The things the Lord spoke through the prophet about the time of grace are now being fulfilled, because behold, now is the acceptable time for being adorned with grace, through which we are heard by God. The fullness of time has already come, namely, the Incarnation of Christ (Galatians 4:4). This relates to the first part of the quotation: At an acceptable time, O God (Psalms 69:13). Behold, now is the day of salvation, in which, helped by cooperating grace, we can work to attain eternal salvation: We must work the works of him who sent me (John 9:4); As we have the opportunity, let us do good to all men (Galatians 6:10).

Then, when he says, we put no obstacle, he teaches them how to use the grace given to them. He does so first in a general way, by telling them not to receive it in vain, and second in a specific way (beginning in verse 4b). Therefore, he says to use grace in such a way that you put no obstacle in anyone's way. For grace is given for two things: to avoid evil and to do good.

This can be explained in two ways. The first way refers to the apostles. It is as if he is saying: We, who are helping you, urge you. And we ourselves give no offense to anyone, because if we were to offend others by a wicked life, our ministry would be blamed and our preaching ridiculed: The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you (Romans 2:24). As Gregory says, "If one’s life is despised, it follows that his preaching is scorned." Therefore, a public and notorious sinner should be wary of preaching; otherwise, he would commit sin: But to the wicked God says: ‘What right have you to recite my statutes, or take my covenant on your lips?’ (Psalms 50:16).

The second way this can be explained refers to his audience. It is as if he is saying: We urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. And you, for your part, should put no obstacle in anyone's way, not doing anything that would scandalize others: Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God (1 Corinthians 10:32); Decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother (Romans 14:13). The reason for this is so that no fault may be found with our ministry, that is, our apostleship. For when the people behave badly, the blame is placed on their leaders: Maintain good conduct among the Gentiles (1 Peter 2:12). Or, it means that the common ministry involving both you and us, who are ministers of God, should not be blamed. We are ministers of God to fulfill His will in you and in others, but you are to fulfill it well in yourselves only: You shall be called the priests of the LORD, men shall speak of you as the ministers of our God (Isaiah 61:6).

Then, when he says, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way, he teaches them how to use the grace they received for doing good. He says, therefore: let us give no offense to anyone, but let us commend ourselves, both you and we, in work and word and in all things that pertain to the virtues, as ministers of God ought to be. That is, let us conform ourselves to God by doing His will: Like the magistrate of the people, so are his officials ; This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God (1 Corinthians 4:1).

Then, when he says, through great endurance, he shows in particular how we should present ourselves as ministers of God in using the grace conferred on us. He addresses this in three areas: first, regarding outward actions; second, regarding greater devotion (verse 11); and third, regarding the avoidance of unbelievers (verse 14). Regarding the first point on outward actions, he addresses the three components of external activity: first, enduring evil, about which he says, through great endurance; second, doing good (verse 6); and third, the interplay of good and bad (verse 7b).

To endure evils, the virtue of patience is necessary; therefore, he says, through great endurance. He addresses this in three ways. First, he exhorts them to patience, because it is written, They will be well off that they may proclaim (Psalms 92:14–15, Vulgate); and, By your patience you will gain your lives (Luke 21:19). He says, in much, on account of the many tribulations they meet.

Secondly, he shows the general circumstances that require patience. These include evils that come upon them, about which he says, in afflictions: Patient in tribulation (Romans 12:12); By many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). They also include the lack of necessities; hence, he says, in hardships, namely, of things necessary for life: Bring me out of my distresses (Psalms 25:17).

Thirdly, he shows the specific matters with which patience is concerned. First, he discusses voluntary tribulations, beginning with those affecting the soul. Hence, he says, in calamities, namely of the heart. This is when we are so surrounded by tribulations that there seems to be no way of escape: Destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (Hebrews 11:37). Then he turns to tribulations affecting the body, saying, in beatings (inflicted by others) and in prisons: And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison (Acts 16:23); Far more imprisonments, with countless beatings (2 Corinthians 11:23). In tumults refers to the uproar of an entire crowd: For we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, there being no cause that we can give to justify this commotion (Acts 19:40).

Second, he discusses necessities. Sometimes necessity is voluntary, and so he says, in labors, referring to working with his own hands among the Corinthians so as not to burden them (because they were greedy), and among the Thessalonians to give them an example of work (because they were idle): You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities, and to those who were with me (Acts 20:34). In watchings refers to staying awake for the sake of preaching: Through many a sleepless night (2 Corinthians 11:27). In hunger can be either voluntary fasting or involuntary due to need: I pommel my body and subdue it (1 Corinthians 9:27).

But this seems to contradict what is said in Matthew 11:30: My yoke is easy and my burden is light. Here, the Apostle speaks of much tribulation, which implies the experience is not sweet but very distasteful. The answer is that these hardships are difficult in themselves, but they are made sweet by love and an inner spiritual fervor. As Augustine says, "All huge and difficult tasks love makes easy and almost nothing."