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but he makes it a necessity of his priesthood. For since he spoke more boldly, he also shows his authority more clearly. For this reason, in the one case he simply says, "As also among the other Gentiles"; but here he also says "every" place, so that their pride might be cut down on every side. And he did not simply say, "to preach the Gospel," but "to have fulfilled the Gospel of Christ." So making it my ambition to preach the Gospel where Christ was not named. 3. Behold, again another exaggeration, that not only did he evangelize and persuade so many, but that he did not even go to those who had already learned. So far was he from thrusting himself upon other men's disciples, and doing this for the sake of glory, that he was even eager to teach those who had not 60.657 heard. For he did not say, "Where they were not persuaded," but, "Where Christ was not even named"; which is more. And for what reason did he have such ambition? "So that I might not build on another man's foundation," he says. He says these things, showing himself to be a stranger to vainglory, and teaching them that he did not come to write out of a love for glory and for honor from them, but as fulfilling a ministry, as completing a priestly service, as loving their salvation. But he says "another man's" meaning that of the apostles, not with regard to the quality of the person, nor with regard to the nature of the preaching, but with regard to the matter of the reward; since the preachings were not another's, but only as regards the reward were they another's. For the reward for labors done by others was another's than his. Then he shows also a prophecy being fulfilled, saying: "As it is written, 'They to whom it was not announced concerning him, shall see; and they who have not heard, shall understand.'" Do you see him running to where the labor is greater, where the sweat is more intense? Therefore I was often hindered from coming to you. Observe again how he weaves the conclusion in a way similar to the introduction. For indeed, at the beginning of the epistle he said, "I often intended to come to you, and was hindered until now"; but here he also gives the reason why he was hindered, and not once, but both twice and many times. For just as he says there, "I often intended to come to you," so also here, "I was often hindered from coming to you." Which especially shows his desire, his trying many times. But now having no longer any place in these regions. Do you see how he showed that he neither wrote nor was coming because he desired glory from them? But having a great desire these many years to come to you. Whenever I go to Spain, I hope to see you in passing, and to be sent on my way there by you, if first I may be filled with you in part. For so that he might not seem to be slighting them by saying, "Since I have nothing to do, for this reason I am coming to you," he again stirs up the theme of love, saying, "Having a great desire these many years to come to you." For I did not desire to come for this reason, because I have leisure, but in order that I might bring to birth this desire with which I have long been in travail. Then, so that this might not again puff them up, observe how he restrains them, by saying, "Whenever I go to Spain, I hope to see you in passing." For he has set this down for this reason, so that they might not think highly of themselves; for he wishes both to show his love and at the same time prevent them from being puffed up. Therefore he continually brings this up, and in turn alternates the things that establish each of these two points. For this very reason again, so that they might not say, "He makes us a side-issue of his journey," he added, "And to be sent on my way by you"; that is, "So that you may be my witnesses, that I am passing by not out of contempt for you, but because I am drawn away by necessity." But since this still causes pain, he treats it more soothingly, saying, "If first I am filled with you in part." For by saying, "in passing," he shows he is not seeking their glory; but by saying, "I am filled," he shows that he loves their affection, and not simply loves, but also ardently; therefore he did not just say, "I am filled," but, "in part." For no amount of time can satisfy me, nor give me my fill of your company. Did you see how he shows his love, when even though 60.658 in a hurry he does not leave before he is filled? And this is a sign of his great affection, that in his words

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δὲ ἀνάγκην ἱερωσύνης τίθησιν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τραχύτερον ἐφθέγξατο, καὶ σαφέστερον αὐτοῦ δείκνυσι τὴν ἐξουσίαν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ἐκεῖ μὲν ἁπλῶς φησι, Καθὼς καὶ ἐν τοῖς λοιποῖς ἔθνεσιν· ἐνταῦθα δὲ καὶ τὸν τόπον λέγει πάντα, ὥστε πάντοθεν αὐτῶν ὑποτέμνεσθαι τὸ φρόνημα. Καὶ οὐχ ἁπλῶς εἶπε, Κηρῦξαι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον, ἀλλὰ Πεπληρωκέναι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Οὕτω δὲ φιλοτιμούμενον εὐαγγελίζεσθαι, ὅπου οὐκ ὠνομάσθη ὁ Χριστός. γʹ. Ἰδοὺ πάλιν ἑτέρα ὑπερβολὴ, ὅτι οὐ μόνον τοσούτους εὐηγγελίσατο καὶ ἔπεισεν, ἀλλ' ὅτι οὐδὲ πρὸς μεμαθηκότας ἀπῆλθε. Τοσοῦτον ἀπεῖχε τοῦ ἐπιῤῥίπτειν ἑαυτὸν ἀλλοτρίοις μαθηταῖς, καὶ δόξης ἕνεκεν τοῦτο ποιεῖν, ὅτι καὶ ἐσπούδαζε, τοὺς μὴ ἀκη 60.657 κοότας διδάσκειν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ εἶπεν, Ὅπου οὐκ ἐπείσθησαν, ἀλλ', Ὅπου οὐδὲ ὠνομάσθη ὁ Χριστός· ὃ πλέον ἐστί. Καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν τοιαῦτα ἐφιλοτιμεῖτο; Ἵνα μὴ ἐπ' ἀλλότριον θεμέλιον οἰκοδομήσω, φησί. Ταῦτα δὲ λέγει, δεικνὺς ἑαυτὸν ἀλλότριον ὄντα κενοδοξίας, καὶ παιδεύων αὐτοὺς, ὅτι οὐκ ἀπὸ τοῦ δόξης ἐρᾷν καὶ τῆς παρ' αὐτῶν τιμῆς ἐπὶ τὸ γράψαι ἦλθεν, ἀλλ' ὡς διακονίαν πληρῶν, ὡς ἱερουργίαν ἀπαρτίζων, ὡς τῆς σωτηρίας αὐτῶν ἐρῶν. Ἀλλότριον δὲ τὸ τῶν ἀποστόλων φησὶν, οὐ κατὰ τὴν τοῦ προσώπου ποιότητα, οὐδὲ κατὰ τὴν τοῦ κηρύγματος φύσιν, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸν τοῦ μισθοῦ λόγον· ἐπεὶ τὰ κηρύγματα οὐκ ἀλλότρια ἦν, ἀλλ' ὅσον εἰς μισθὸν ἀλλότρια. Ὁ γὰρ τῶν ἑτέροις πεπονημένων μισθὸς, τούτου ἀλλότριος ἦν. Εἶτα δείκνυσι καὶ προφητείαν πληρουμένην, λέγων· Καθὼς γέγραπται, Οἷς οὐκ ἀνηγγέλη περὶ αὐτοῦ, ὄψονται· καὶ οἳ οὐκ ἀκηκόασι, συνήσουσιν. Ὁρᾷς ἐπιτρέχοντα ὅπου πλείων ὁ πόνος, ὅπου μείζων ὁ ἱδρώς; ∆ιὸ καὶ ἐνεκοπτόμην τὰ πολλὰ τοῦ ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς. Σκόπει πάλιν πῶς τῷ προοιμίῳ ὁμοίως τὸ τέλος ὑφαίνει. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἀρχόμενος τῆς ἐπιστολῆς ἔλεγεν, ὅτι Πολλάκις προεθέμην ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, καὶ ἐκωλύθην ἄχρι τοῦ δεῦρο· ἐνταῦθα δὲ καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν τίθησι, δι' ἣν ἐκωλύθη, καὶ οὐχ ἅπαξ, ἀλλὰ καὶ δὶς καὶ πολλάκις. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖ φησι, Πολλάκις προεθέμην ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα, Ἐνεκοπτόμην τὰ πολλὰ ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς. Ὅπερ μάλιστα τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν αὐτοῦ δείκνυσι, τὸ πολλάκις ἐπιχειρεῖν. Νυνὶ δὲ μηκέτι τόπον ἔχων ἐν τοῖς κλίμασι τούτοις. Ὁρᾷς πῶς ἔδειξεν, ὅτι οὐ τῆς παρ' αὐτῶν ἐφιέμενος δόξης ἔγραφέ τε καὶ παρεγίνετο; Ἐπιποθίαν δὲ ἔχων τοῦ ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ πολλῶν ἐτῶν. Ὡς ἂν πορεύωμαι εἰς τὴν Σπανίαν, ἐλπίζω διαπορευόμενος θεάσασθαι ὑμᾶς, καὶ ὑφ' ὑμῶν προπεμφθῆναι ἐκεῖ, ἐὰν ὑμῶν πρῶτον ἀπὸ μέρους ἐμπλησθῶ. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ δόξῃ ἐξευτελίζειν αὐτοὺς τῷ λέγειν, ὅτι Ἐπειδὴ οὐδὲν ἔχω ποιῆσαι, διὰ τοῦτο ἔρχομαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς, πάλιν τὸν τῆς ἀγάπης κινεῖ λόγον εἰπὼν, Ἐπιποθίαν ἔχων τοῦ ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ πολλῶν ἐτῶν. Οὐ γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο ἐπεθύμησα ἐλθεῖν, ἐπειδὴ σχολὴν ἄγω, ἀλλ' ἵνα τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν, ἣν πάλαι ὤδινον, ταύτην ἀποτέκω. Εἶτα, ἵνα μὴ τοῦτο πάλιν αὐτοὺς φυσήσῃ, σκόπει πῶς αὐτοὺς καταστέλλει, εἰπὼν, Ὡς ἐὰν πορεύωμαι εἰς τὴν Σπανίαν, ἐλπίζω διαπορευόμενος θεάσασθαι ὑμᾶς. ∆ιὰ γὰρ τοῦτο τέθεικε τοῦτο, ἵνα μὴ μέγα φρονῶσιν· ὁμοῦ γὰρ καὶ τὴν ἀγάπην δεῖξαι βούλεται, καὶ κωλῦσαι θρύπτεσθαι ἐκείνους. ∆ιὸ συνεχῶς αὐτὸ τίθησι, καὶ ἐφεξῆς ἐναλλάττων τὰ ἑκατέρων τούτων κατασκευαστικά. ∆ιά τοι τοῦτο πάλιν, ἵνα μὴ λέγωσιν, Ὁδοῦ πάρεργον ἡμᾶς ποιεῖ, ἐπήγαγε, Καὶ ὑφ' ὑμῶν προπεμφθῆναι· τουτέστιν, Ἵνα ὑμεῖς μοι μάρτυρες ἦτε, ὅτι οὐ καταφρονῶν ὑμῶν, ἀλλ' ἑλκόμενος ὑπὸ τῆς χρείας παρατρέχω. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο ἔτι λυπεῖ, λιπαρώτερον αὐτὸ θεραπεύει, λέγων, Ἐὰν ὑμῶν πρῶτον ἀπὸ μέρους ἐμπλησθῶ. Τῷ μὲν γὰρ εἰπεῖν, ∆ιαπορευόμενος, δείκνυσιν οὐκ ἐφιέμενος αὐτῶν τῆς δόξης· τῷ δὲ εἰπεῖν, Ἐμπλησθῶ, δείκνυσιν ἐρῶν αὐτῶν τῆς ἀγάπης, καὶ οὐχ ἁπλῶς ἐρῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ σφοδρῶς· διὸ οὐδὲ εἶπεν, Ἐμπλησθῶ, ἀλλ', Ἀπὸ μέρους. Οὐδεὶς μὲν γὰρ χρόνος ἐμπλῆσαι δύναται, οὐδὲ ἐμποιῆσαί μοι κόρον τῆς συνουσίας ὑμῶν. Εἶδες πῶς τὴν ἀγάπην δείκνυσιν, ὅταν καὶ 60.658 ἐπειγόμενος μὴ πρότερον ἀνίστηται, ἕως ἂν ἐμπλησθῇ; Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ τῆς πολλῆς αὐτοῦ φιλοστοργίας σημεῖον τὸ τοῖς ῥήμασιν