NOTES for Co2 2:10-11

Readiness to forgive belonged to those seeking a righteous life even in pre-Christian times. Then the need for forgiveness was explained by the features of the path of righteousness itself. After all, it was about nothing other than one's attitude toward one's neighbor, and the chief condition of righteousness, love for God and love for one's neighbor as for oneself, was known even before the Savior came.

And the point, of course, was not only one's neighbor, but oneself as well: it was impossible to preserve inner spiritual wholeness while nourishing hatred for another person. Such hatred in itself slowly but steadily corroded the spiritual core on which a person's whole life rests, both inward and outward. Now, after Christ's coming, readiness to forgive has become even more important.

Before, the issue was the life of an individual person and his spiritual path; now the issue is the life of the Kingdom. It would seem that the life of the Kingdom depends little on the spiritual state of one individual person. But this is true only when that person has no relation to the Kingdom. If, however, we are speaking of Christians, who are by definition inhabitants of the Kingdom, the situation looks completely different.

For the Kingdom, the spiritual state of each of its inhabitants is absolutely important. After all, the Kingdom is precisely relationships; relationships make up its structure. People's relationships with God and with Christ, their relationships with one another, and finally Christ's own relationship with His heavenly Father as the chief relationship of the Kingdom, all of these make the Kingdom what it is before God and before people.

And here, of course, the spiritual state of each person becomes absolutely important and significant. Unwillingness to forgive simply destroys the Kingdom. Of course, this does not mean that every refusal to forgive means the end of the Kingdom. But every such refusal also means a "no" to the Savior Himself, just as every act of forgiveness means readiness to stand beside Him. That is why such a refusal separates the one who refuses from the fullness of the life of the Kingdom of God. And it becomes a loss. A loss that does not destroy the Kingdom, but proves to be as absolutely significant for it as every person saved is absolutely significant for it.

For two thousand years of the Christian history many were said and written about forgiveness. And in pre-Christians times, even in the gentile world, the capacity and the will to forgive were a sign of righteousness. The same thing, even in a higher degree, concerns righteousness as understood it the authors of the biblical books: without forgiveness it is inconceivable, and that was known in the people of God for a long time before the coming of Christ. But there is all the same in the words of the apostle something that in pre-Christians times was still inconceivable, so inconceivable that it even came to speak about nothing like that. "to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ". Of course, before the coming of Christ such thing could not be.

And it is of course about not only because the risen Christ becomes the witness of any act of forgiveness, as the moment of the restoration of these relationships, without which the life of the Kingdom is impossible. The words of the apostle suppose something much bigger: it is about the Church, about the body of Christ, its wholeness and integrity. Indeed, it is impossible to retain and assure the unity and the integrity of the body of Christ by any external means.

The laws of the non transformed world admit the existence of human communities, members of which are bound by common opinions or interests, not forming in more a spiritual unity. However in the Kingdom, such kind of communities are impossible, and especially the Church, the body of Christ cannot exist under such form. Here it is in particular the spiritual component of any relationship that comes to the fore. And if someone has something against one of his neighbors, something that can bind the both within the framework of the not transformed world, he will not enter the Kingdom.

Whatever are their relations in the not transformed world, no matter how depth and fertile they may be, without elimination of what prevents these people on a spiritual level, on the level of personal relationships, which is not conditioned by anything earthly, they will not become part of the Kingdom. And on the level of personal relationships the problem is solved only in the act of forgiveness. That is probably why Paul speaks about the intrigues of satan, which are destroyed by forgiveness: indeed, it is in particular the mutual non-forgiveness that separates people from the Kingdom. And the apostle reminds it to the addressees of his message. Remind so that in daily vanity they do not forget the main thing. Do not lose the Kingdom.

Let us imagine that we heard something similar to what Paul learns about the Corinthian community was happening in some church. What would you feel? Perhaps they can no longer be called Christians, and we had better have nothing at all to do with them? As we see, Paul did not conceal his indignation, yet he writes his letters, which are at times very harsh, “out of much affliction... and with many tears,” so that they might know his love.

The sinner grieved by his sin not only God and not only Paul, who had gathered this community, but the entire Corinthian church (5). Yet Paul fears that the punishment imposed by the community might lead to an even greater evil: tension in relationships, estrangement, and departure from the Church. So that the repentant person “might not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow,” he must be forgiven and comforted. Otherwise, where is our Christian forgiveness? On the other hand, if we “lower the bar” and do nothing but comfort those who sin, will that not lead to still more terrible consequences in the community of believers? How can we avoid falling into either extreme: indulgence toward sin passed off as Christian forgiveness, or cruelty and self-exaltation presented as rigor and uncompromising opposition to evil? Verse 10 is very important, for it speaks of forgiving “on behalf” of someone. Moreover, Paul speaks of forgiving the sinner “on behalf of Christ,” on behalf of the whole Church.

At the end of the passage Paul compares the procession of Christ’s army to the return to Rome of an army led by a commander who has won a victory. Aromatic substances were burned along his route, and captured enemies, with whom the powers of darkness are apparently compared, were executed. Let us not forget who stands at the center of this procession and for whom the fragrances are intended.