2 Corinthians 6:8

If we have lived a life deserving "good repute" and have been spoken well of, now let us also bear up under "ill repute" from the ungodly. Still more, if we have been admired as "true" by those who love truth, now let us laugh at being called "imposters." During the many dangers from which we have been delivered many said that we were "well known" by God; now let the one who wishes call us "unknown," when we are probably better known. Thus, in bearing what has happened to us we are "punished" and yet "not killed," and though "rejoicing," we resemble those who are "sorrowful."

Paul is saying that he was recognized as a sincere and faithful preacher by those who believed that the gospel was the glory of God. Even to those who thought that the gospel was vile, he presented himself as a faithful servant of God and was not afraid to say things which they would have been scandalized to hear.

"By glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report." What sayest thou? That thou enjoyest honor, and setting down this as a great thing? 'Yes,' he saith. Why, forsooth? For to bear dishonor indeed is a great thing, but to partake of honor requires not a vigorous soul. Nay, it needs a vigorous and exceeding great soul, that he who enjoys it may not be thrown and break his neck. Wherefore he glories in this as well as in that, for he shone equally in both. But how is it a weapon of righteousness? Because that the teachers are held in honor induceth many unto godliness. And besides, this is a proof of good works, and this glorifieth God. And this is, further, an instance of the wise contrivance of God, that by things which are opposite He brings in the Preaching. For consider. Was Paul bound? This too was on behalf of the Gospel. For, saith he, "the things which happened unto me have fallen out unto the progress of the Gospel; so that most of the brethren, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word without fear." Again, did he enjoy honor? This too again rendered them more forward.

"By evil report and good report." For not only did he bear those things nobly which happen to the body, the 'afflictions, and whatever he enumerated, but those also which touch the soul; for neither are these wont to disturb slightly. Jeremiah at least having borne many temptations, gave in upon these, and when he was reproached, said, "I will not prophesy, neither will I name the Name of the Lord." And David too in many places complains of reproach. Isaiah also, after many things, exhorteth concerning this, saying, "Fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye overcome by their reviling." And again, Christ also to His disciples; "When they shall speak all manner of evil against you falsely, rejoice and be exceeding glad," He saith, "for great is your reward in heaven." Elsewhere too He says, "And leap for joy." But He would not have made the reward so great, had not the pain been great; for the pain is both of the body and of the soul; but here it is of the soul alone. Many at any rate have fallen by these alone, and have lost their own souls. And to Job also the reproaches of his friends appeared more grievous than the worms and the sores. For there is nothing, there is nothing more intolerable to those in affliction than a word capable of stinging the soul.

"As deceivers, and yet true." This is, "by evil report and good report."

Do not angle for compliments, lest while you win the popular applause, you dishonor God. "If I yet pleased men," says the apostle, "I should not be the servant of Christ." He ceased to please men when he became Christ's servant. Christ's soldier marches on through good report and evil report, the one on the right hand and the other on the left. No praise elates him, no reproaches crush him. He is not puffed up by riches nor depressed by poverty. Joy and sorrow he alike despises. The sun will not burn him by day nor the moon by night.

He explained to us that the weapons in the right and left hand signify glory and dishonor. How then does glory serve as a weapon of righteousness? In that the glory of teachers attracts many to piety. What then? Is this a virtue of Paul? Of course, because he, being in glory, did not grow proud, while dishonor, producing patience, made him skilled and contributed to the success of his preaching. And the endurance of reproach is a great feat. For it strongly disturbs the soul. Therefore the Lord also calls blessed those who endure reviling. In tortures the body shares the sufferings together with the soul, but in reproach the entire weight falls upon the soul. Therefore it was also heavier for Job than all the other blows. "Regarded as deceivers" because of the reproaches, "yet true," which is proven by the commendations.

Now there are two things which pertain to pride, namely, excellence of state and of works. Hence he says, in honor, i.e., by a condition of excellence. As if to say: let us show ourselves as God's ministers, namely, by the glory of God, that is, in prosperity: "The LORD of hosts has purposed it, to defile the pride of all glory" (Is. 23:9). That the apostles seemed glorious is shown in Acts (chap. 14), when Paul and Barnabas were taken as gods. And dishonor, which is on the left. As if to say: let us neither be lifted up by glory nor, if we are contemptible, be cast down: "God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are" (1 Cor. 1:28). As to reports about works, he says, in ill repute and good repute. Here it should be noted that, as Gregory says, a man should not be the cause of his own bad reputation among those who are outside; rather he should try to acquire a good reputation, as Sir. (41:15) says: "Better is the man who hides his folly than the man who hides his wisdom," and this for the sake of others, because we need to have a good reputation among those who are outside (1 Tim. 3:7). But if anyone happens to fall into bad repute unjustly, he should not be fainthearted or abandon holiness on that account. But if he has a good reputation among unbelievers, he should not be proud but take a middle path between the two. Then he explains the two things he mentioned. First, the evil reputation they had and to what a degree. Hence he says, as imposters and yet true. As if to say: some regard us as deceivers and some as honest. But this is not strange, because even in the case of Christ some said that he was good, and some that he was not, but that he was deceiving the multitude, as it says in Jn. (7:12). Secondly, he shows how they were noble and ignoble. Hence he says, as unknown and yet well known, i.e., approved by the good and unknown, i.e., despised by the evil: "We have become, and are now, as the refuse of the world, the offscouring of all things" (1 Cor. 4:13).