2 Corinthians 6 | Holy Bible

Catholic Commentary on 2 Corinthians 6

"I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." (2 Corinthians 6:18)

The Day of Salvation

As God's co-workers, Paul urges the Corinthians not to receive his grace in vain. Now is the time of God's favour; now is the day of salvation. He puts no stumbling block in anyone's path so that his ministry will not be discredited. Instead he commends himself as a servant of God in every way: in great endurance, in troubles, hardships, distresses, in beatings, imprisonments, riots, hard work, sleepless nights, hunger. In purity, understanding, patience, kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in sincere love, in truthful speech, in the power of God, with weapons of righteousness in right hand and left. Through glory and dishonour, bad report and good report, genuine yet regarded as impostors, dying yet still alive, sorrowful yet always rejoicing, poor yet making many rich, having nothing yet possessing everything.

This catalogue of paradoxes is the most compressed portrait of authentic apostolic ministry in all of Paul's letters, and the Catechism cites it as the pattern of all Christian witness: the servant of God is not validated by success or comfort but by the quality of endurance and the integrity of conduct in every circumstance (CCC 2473).

Do Not Be Unequally Yoked

Paul calls the Corinthians to a clear separation from what is incompatible with their identity as the temple of the living God. Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers: what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? What fellowship does light have with darkness? What agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, as God has said: I will live with them and walk among them. Therefore come out from them and be separate, and touch no unclean thing. I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. The promise of divine fatherhood is the ground of the call to holiness: we separate from what is incompatible not to earn God's love but because we already have it, and what we have is too precious to be compromised.

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, now is the day of salvation. Not tomorrow when circumstances improve. Not after the relationship is sorted out. Now is the acceptable time. Every day we delay receiving grace fully is a day of God's favour received in vain. What is the one area of your life where you are still yoked to something incompatible with being the temple of the living God? Come out from it. The Father who calls you is the Lord Almighty.

Prayer

Lord Almighty, you have promised to be a Father to us and to walk among us as your temple. Purify us from every attachment that is incompatible with your presence. Let us receive your grace today, not in vain, but in the full surrender that makes us truly your sons and daughters. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Paul’s Hardships and God’s Grace

1 As God’s fellow workers,* then, we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 2 For He says:

“In the time of favor I heard you,

and in the day of salvation I helped you.”†

Behold, now is the time of favor; now is the day of salvation!

3 We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no one can discredit our ministry.

4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships, and calamities; 5 in beatings, imprisonments, and riots; in labor, sleepless nights, and hunger; 6 in purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonor, slander and praise; viewed as imposters, yet genuine; 9 as unknown, yet well-known; dying, and yet we live on; punished, yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians. Our hearts are open wide. 12 It is not our affection, but yours, that is restrained. 13 As a fair exchange, I ask you as my children: Open wide your hearts also.

Do Not Be Unequally Yoked

14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial?‡ Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

“I will dwell with them

and walk among them,

and I will be their God,

and they will be My people.”§

17 “Therefore come out from among them

and be separate, says the Lord.

Touch no unclean thing,

and I will receive you.”*

18 And:

“I will be a Father to you,

and you will be My sons and daughters,

says the Lord Almighty.”†

*6:1 6:1 Literally Now working together

†6:2 6:2 Isaiah 49:8 (see also LXX)

‡6:15 6:15 Scrivener’s TR and GOC; many Greek sources Beliar

§6:16 6:16 Leviticus 26:12; Jeremiah 32:38; Ezekiel 37:27

*6:17 6:17 Isaiah 52:11; see also Ezekiel 20:34, including LXX.

†6:18 6:18 See 2 Samuel 7:14.

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