2 Corinthians 1:18
But God is faithful, for our preaching which was to you, was not, It is, and It is not.
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- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Fidelis autem Deus, quia sermo noster, qui fuit apud vos, non est in illo Est et Non.
- Greek New Testament (SBLGNT)
- πιστὸς δὲ ὁ θεὸς ὅτι ὁ λόγος ἡμῶν ὁ πρὸς ὑμᾶς οὐκ ἔστιν Ναὶ καὶ Οὔ.
Haydock's commentary
But God is faithful: The sense seems to be, as God is faithful, or I appeal to God, who is faithful, that in what I have preached to you, there is not yes and no; my doctrine concerning the faith in Jesus Christ, is and was always the same. Whether I, or Silvanus, or Timothy preached the Son of God, that is, what we taught concerning the Son of God, was not yes and no, was not first one thing, and then another; but in him was yes only, that is, in him, and his doctrine, which we have taught, all is yes, firm, and unchangeable.
And all the promises of God, of sanctification and salvation, made to us in him, by his merits and grace, are equally yes, certain, and infallible; and therefore by him, and his promises are Amen to God, must needs be true, unto our glory, will turn to the salvation and glory of his elect in heaven. (Witham)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St John Chrysostom Homilies on Second Corinthians, Homily III
Ver. 18 . “But as God is faithful, our word toward you was not yea and nay.” He skillfully overturns a rising objection. For one might say, If after having promised, thou hast put off coming, and yea is not yea, and nay nay, with thee, but what thou sayest now thou unsayest afterwards, as thou didst in the case of this Journey: woe is unto us, if all this were the case in the Preaching too. Now lest they should have these thoughts and be troubled thereat, he says, “But as God is faithful, our word toward you was not yea and nay.” This, saith he, was not the case in the Preaching, but only in our travels and journeyings; whereas whatever things we have said in our preaching, these abide steadfast and unmoveable, (for he calleth his preaching here, “word.”) Then he bringeth proof of this that cannot be gainsaid, by referring all to God. …
St John Chrysostom Homilies on Second Corinthians, Homily XXIV
Seest thou how glorying is not “after the Lord?” For He saith, “When ye shall have done all, say, We are unprofitable servants.” ( Luke xvii. 10 .) Howbeit, by itself indeed it is not “after the Lord,” but by the intention it becomes so. And therefore he said, “That which I speak,” not accusing the motive, but the words. Since his aim is so admirable as to dignify the words also. For as a manslayer, though his action be of those most strictly forbidden, has often been approved from the intention; and as circumcision, although it is not ‘after the Lord,’ has become so from the intention, so also glorying. …
St John Chrysostom Homilies on Second Corinthians, Homily XXVIII
And the word “again,” too, is as smiting them. For he means, ‘What happened before is enough;’ as he said also in the beginning [of the Epistle], “to spare you, I came not as yet to Corinth.” ( Chap. i. 18, 23 .) Seest thou how he shows both indignation and tender affection? But what means, “will humble me?” And yet this is glorious rather, to accuse, to take vengeance, to call to account, to be seated in the place of judge; howbeit he calls it a humbling. So far was he from being ashamed of that [cause of] humbling, because, “his bodily presence was weak, and his speech of no account,” that he wished to be even for ever in that case, and deprecated the contrary. And he says this more clearly as he proceeds; and he counts this to be especially humbling, to be involved in such a necessity as the present, of punishing and taking vengeance. …