Ver. 5. “In all utterance, and all knowledge.” “Word” [“or utterance,”] not such as the heathen, but that of God. For there is knowledge without “word,” and there is knowledge with “word.” For so there are many who possess knowledge, but have not the power of speech; as those who are uneducated and unable to exhibit clearly what they have in their mind. Ye, saith he, are not such as these, but competent both to understand and to speak. Ver. 6. “Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you.” Under the color of praises and thanksgiving he touches them sharply. “For not by heathen philosophy,” saith he, “neither by heathen discipline, but “the grace of God,” and by the “riches,” and the “knowledge,” and the “word” given by Him, were you enabled to learn the doctrines of the truth, and to be confirmed unto the testimony of the Lord; that is, unto the Gospel. For ye had the benefit of many signs, many wonders, unspeakable grace, to make you receive the Gospel. If therefore ye were established by signs and grace, why do ye waver?” Now these are the words of one both reproving, and at the same time prepossessing them in his favor. [4.] Ver. 7. “So that ye come behind in no gift.” A great question here arises. They who had been “enriched in all utterance,” so as in no respect to “come behind in any gift,” are 7 they carnal? For if they were such at the beginning, much more now. How then does he call them “carnal?” For, saith he, (1 Cor. iii. 1.) “I was not able to speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal.” What must we say then? That having in the beginning believed, and obtained all gifts, (for indeed they sought them earnestly,) they became remiss afterwards. Or, if not so, that not unto all are either these things said or those; but the one to such as were amenable to his censures, the other to such as were adorned with his praises. For as to the fact that they still had gifts; (1 Cor. xiv. 26, 29.) “Each one,” saith he, “hath a psalm, hath a revelation, hath a tongue, hath an interpretation; let all things be done unto edifying.” And, “Let the prophets speak two or three.” Or we may state it somewhat differently; that as it is usual with us to call the greater part the whole, so also he hath spoken in this place. Withal, I think he hints at his own proceedings; for he too had shewn forth signs; even as also he saith in the second Epistle to them, (2 Cor. xii. 12, 13.) “Truly the signs of an Apostle were wrought among you in all patience:” and again, “For what is there wherein you were inferior to other churches?” Or, as I was saying, he both reminds them of his own miracles and speaks thus with an eye to those who were still approved. For many holy men were there who had “set themselves to minister unto the saints,” and had become “the first fruits of Achaia;” as he declareth (ch. xvi. 15.) towards the end. [5.] In any case, although the praises be not very close to the truth, still however they are inserted by way of precaution, (οἰκονομικῶς) preparing the way beforehand for his discourse. For whoever at the very outset speaks things unpleasant, excludes his words from a hearing among the weaker: since if the hearers be his equals in degree they feel angry; if vastly inferior they will be vexed. To avoid this, he begins with what seem to be praises. I 16 Homily II