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the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Bible Commentaries
International Critical Commentary NT International Critical
Copyright Statement
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Text Courtesy of BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
These files are public domain.
Text Courtesy of BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliographical Information
Driver, S.A., Plummer, A.A., Briggs, C.A. "Commentary on 2 Corinthians 8". International Critical Commentary NT. https://studylight.org/commentaries/eng/icc/2-corinthians-8.html. 1896-1924.
Driver, S.A., Plummer, A.A., Briggs, C.A. "Commentary on 2 Corinthians 8". International Critical Commentary NT. https://studylight.org/
Whole Bible (52)New Testament (19)Gospels Only (1)Individual Books (10)
Verses 1-99
8:1-9:15. THE COLLECTION FOR THE POOR CHRISTIANS AT JERUSALEM
This is the second of the main divisions of the Epistle, and it may be divided into five sections, which, however, are made for convenience of study, without any assumption that they were intended by the Apostle. In 8:1-7 he sets forth the Example of Liberality set by the Macedonian congregations; 8:8-15 he points to the Example of Christ and indicates the proportion to be observed in contributing; 8:16-24 he informs the Corinthians that this new Mission to them is to be entrusted to Titus with two others; 9:1-5 he exhorts them to have everything ready when he comes; and 9:6-15 he exhorts them to be liberal, for their own sakes and for the good of the Church.
The subject of this Palestine Relief Fund is mentioned in four places in N.T.; 1 Corinthians 16:1-3; these two chapters; Romans 15:26, Romans 15:27; Acts 24:17. Paley (Horae Paulinae, ii. 1) has shown how these four passages fit into one another and explain one another, and his arguments well repay study. The fact that St Paul mentions the collection of this fund in three of his four great Epistles, and that in this one he devotes so large a portion of the letter to the subject, is evidence that he took a very keen interest in the matter and was most anxious that the collection should be a success; and there was no place in which it was more important that the collection should be a generous one than at Corinth. The distress at Jerusalem was great; that was an argument that could be urged everywhere. But it was specially fitting that it should be pressed home in Gentile Churches; for seeing that the Gentiles had been admitted to share the spiritual possessions of the Jews, it was not unreasonable that the Jews should be admitted to a share of the worldly possessions of the Gentiles. If this was freely done, the union of Jew and Gentile in Christ would be shown to be a very real and practical thing, and would be made all the more binding in future. âThis collection formed the one visible expression of that brotherly unity which otherwise was rooted merely in their common faithâ (Harnack, Mission and Expansion, i. p. 183). It was specially desirable that Corinth should come to the front in this matter. Here Judaizing teachers had been at work, claiming to have the sanction of the Mother Church at Jerusalem, and denying that St Paul had any such sanction; they said that he had no authority from the Twelve and was disowned by them. Therefore, if he succeeded in raising a good sum in Corinth for the Jerusalem poor, it would show Christians in Palestine that his authority in Corinth was an influence for good, and show his detractors that he was on good terms with the Mother Church. But perhaps his chief aim was to strengthen the ties which bound Gentile Christians and Jewish Christians together. See notes on 1 Corinthians 16:1-4. It is there pointed out that St Paul uses seven different words in speaking of this collection. Excepting λογία, which is peculiar to 1 Corinthians 16:1, all are found in 2 Cor., viz., ÏάÏÎ¹Ï (1 and 2 Cor.), κοινÏνία (2 Cor. and Rom.), διακονία, á¼Î´ÏÏÏηÏ, εá½Î»Î¿Î³Î¯Î±, and λειÏÎ¿Ï Ïγία (2 Cor. only). Theodoret notes that ÏιλανθÏÏÏία is not used in this sense. What is still more remarkable, St Paul does not use�
His thus asking the Corinthians to bring to a generous and speedy conclusion the collection which they had begun to make before their recent attitude of rebellion against the Apostle, was of course strong evidence that he regarded the old happy relation between himself and them as being completely restored. He could not easily have given them a more convincing proof of his complete confidence in them. But at the same time there was risk in doing so. After restoring friendly relations with persons who have been cherishing resentment against us, we do not think it politic to begin at once to ask favours or to remind them of their duties; and yet this is just what the Apostle feels bound to do with the Corinthians, to whom he has only just become reconciled. One sees that he feels the difficulty of the situation. He desires to be, and to seem to be, confident of success; confident that his beloved converts will do all that he wishes them to do, and all that they ought to do, in this matter. And yet he does not quite feel this confidence.* It looks as if the Corinthians were not very generous givers in this or in other things (11:8, 9, 12:13; 1 Corinthians 9:11, 1 Corinthians 9:12, 1 Corinthians 9:16:4). No one from Corinth is mentioned Acts 20:4. That may be accidental; yet it may mean that what was subscribed at Corinth was so insignificant that it did not require a special delegate, but was entrusted to one of the others. Be this as it may, St Paul evidently feels his way cautiously, weighing his words and careful about his arguments. The thought of the malice of the Judaizing teachers is still in his mind, and he knows that he has to deal with excitable people. No word of his must give a handle to the former or provocation to the latter. It was probably owing to the Judaizing teachers that the collection had hung fire. They would oppose any scheme that St Paul advocated.
There is no good reason for suspecting that these two chapters are part of another letter, different from both the first seven chapters and the last four. They follow the seventh chapter quite naturally, and the change of tone is thoroughly intelligible. The tone is similar to that in the Epistle to Philemon. In both cases he makes a request with diffidence, delicacy, and courtesy, but at the same time with firmness, with the conviction that it ought to be granted, and the hope that it will be. And in both cases the favour which he asks is not a personal one; he will not be the richer, if it is granted. He pleads for others, assuring those who can grant the favour that they themselves will be the better for granting it.
8:1-7. The Example of the Macedonian Churches is Worthy of Imitation
1 Now I should like to justify this expression of the good courage which I feel respecting you all. Let me make known to you, my Brothers, the grace of God which has been and still is being exhibited very remarkably in the Churches of Macedonia. 2 In the midst of an ordeal of affliction which has served to bring out their genuine Christianity, their overflowing happiness, combined with quite desperate poverty, has issued in a rich stream of simpleminded generosity. 3 For I can testify that up to the very limits, yes, and beyond the limits of their very slender means, they have given freely, and this without one word of suggestion from me. 4 So far from my asking them to help, they begged us most urgently to be allowed the privilege of taking part in the work of ministering to the necessities of their fellow-Christians in Jerusalem. 5 I should be misleading you if I were to say that in this they acted just as we expected that they would; one does not expect much from very poor people; they did far more than we expected. It was their own selves that they gave first and foremost to the Lord and also to us, and they made the offering in both cases because it was so willed by God. 6 The result of their double self-dedication was this. I urged Titus that, as he had been the person to start the raising of a relief-fund on a former visit, so he would now go once more and complete among yourselves this gracious undertaking. 7 Well now, as in everything ye are found to be abundant,âin faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and every kind of zeal, and in the love which unites your hearts with ours,âdo see to it that in this gracious undertaking also ye are found to be abundant. The possession of so many rich gifts may well bear this noble fruit, and you ought not to fall short of your endowments.
1. ÎνÏÏίζομεν δὲ á½Î¼á¿Î½,�Romans 15:14, Romans 15:16:17; 1 Corinthians 1:10, 1 Corinthians 4:6, 1 Corinthians 7:29, 1 Corinthians 12:1, etc., the δΠand the address mark a transition to something more or less different from what has preceded, and here δΠperhaps suggests some such connexion as âNow do not let the joy which I have just expressed prove vain,â or âNow I must pass on from the happiness which you have brought me to the happiness which I had in Macedonia.â ÎνÏÏÎ¯Î¶Ï á½Î¼á¿Î½ intimates that what he is about to communicate deserves attention (Galatians 1:11; 1 Corinthians 12:3, 1 Corinthians 15:1, where see note). The phrase is found only in the Epistles of this group, but the verb is freq. in N.T. See on 1:8.
Ïὴν ÏάÏιν Ïοῦ Îεοῦ Ïὴν δεδομÎνην á¼Î½ Ï. á¼ÎºÎºÎ». Ï. Îακ. âThe grace of God which has been given in the Churches of Macedonia.â Godâs grace has been and still is operating there, producing in the converts a marvellous degree of Christian generosity. Not âbestowed on the Churchesâ (AV), but âgiven inâ them (RV). Contrast 1 Corinthians 1:4. It was among the Christians there that this grace was exhibited. St Paul probably means the ancient kingdom of Macedonia, in which Philippi, Thessalonica, and Beroea were situated, rather than the Roman province, which included Thessaly and Epirus. The Romans had been very hard on these Macedonians; they had taken possession of the gold and silver mines which were rich sources of revenue, and had taxed the right of smelting copper and iron; they had also reserved to themselves the importation of salt and the felling of timber for building ships. The Macedonians said that their nation was like a lacerated and disjointed animal (Livy, 45:30). On the top of this had come persecution in the case of Christian converts. But God had enabled these impoverished people to do great things for their fellow-Christians; no doubt, with the grace of God, the Corinthians would do the like.
2. á½ Ïι á¼Î½ ÏολλῠδοκιμῠÏλίÏεÏÏ. âThat in much testing of affliction.â The á½ Ïι depends on γνÏÏίζομεν, âwe make known to you that.â For δοκιμή see on 2:9; here it seems to mean âtestingâ rather than âproofâ (RV); cf. Romans 5:4. With the general sense comp. James 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 3:3. Affliction tested the Macedonians and showed what genuine Christians they were. The test was severe and prolonged (Ïολλá¿); οá½Î´á½² Î³á½°Ï á¼ÏÎ»á¿¶Ï á¼Î¸Î»Î¯Î²Î·Ïαν,�1 Thessalonians 1:6, 1 Thessalonians 2:14.
ἡ ÏεÏιÏÏεία Ïá¿Ï ÏαÏá¾¶Ï Î±á½Ïῶν. âThe abundance of their joyâ; a strange thing to be found âin much testing of affliction.â But few things are more characteristic of the Christians of the Apostolic Age than their exuberant joy. Both substantive and verb are freq. in N.T., and there is plenty of evidence elsewhere. This abiding and conspicuous effect of âthe good tidingsâ was one leading cause of the Gospelâs rapid success. Its missionary power was then, and is still, where it exists, very great. Those who witness great joy in people whose lives are full of trouble are led to think that such people are in possession of something which is well worth having. ΠεÏιÏÏεία (10:15; Romans 5:17) is a rare word in literature, but it is found in inscriptions (Deissmann, Light from the Anc. East, p. 80). The repetition of αá½Ïῶν in this verse has rather a heavy effect; but the Apostle desires to make quite clear that the joy and the poverty and the liberality are found in the very same people, and that it was the joy and the poverty which produced the liberality. The poverty, extreme though it was, neither extinguished the joy nor prevented the liberality.
ἡ καÏá½° Î²Î¬Î¸Î¿Ï Ï ÏÏÏÏεία αá½Ïῶν. âTheir down-to-depth poverty.â Perhaps a phrase of St Paulâs own coining. It does not mean that their poverty was going deeper and deeper, but that it had already reached the lowest stage. Straboâs á¼Î½ÏÏον κοá¿Î»Î¿Î½ καÏá½° Î²Î¬Î¸Î¿Ï Ï is quoted in illustration. Cf. καÏá½° κεÏαλá¿Ï (1 Corinthians 9:4). There is an effective oxymoron in ἡ ÏÏÏÏεία á¼ÏεÏίÏÏÎµÏ Ïεν Îµá¼°Ï Ïὸ ÏλοῦÏοÏ. Cf. The widowâs two mites given out of her want (Luke 21:4), and one Christian having this worldâs good while another has only need (1 John 3:17).
Ïὸ ÏλοῦÏÎ¿Ï Ïá¿Ï á¼ÏλÏÏηÏÎ¿Ï Î±á½Ïῶν. âThe riches of their liberality.â The passage from âsingle-mindednessâ or âsimplicityâ to âliberalityâ as the meaning of á¼ÏλÏÏÎ·Ï is not quite obvious. In LXX it means âinnocencyâ (2 Samuel 15:11; 1 Chronicles 29:17; Wisd. 1:1; 1 Macc. 2:37, 60), generally, if not quite always. In N.T. it is peculiar to Paul, and in 11:3 it seems to mean âinnocencyâ or âsimplicity.â But in these two chapters (9:11, 13) and in Romans 12:8 (see note there) it seems to mean that simplicity of purpose which is directed towards relieving the necessities of others, and hence to denote âgenerosityâ or âliberality.â* St Paul speaks of the richness, not of their gifts, which could not have been large, but of their minds. Munificence is measured, not by the amount given, but by the will of the giver. Excepting 1 Timothy 6:17, ÏλοῦÏÎ¿Ï is always used in the Pauline Epp. of moral and spiritual riches; and here, as in Ephesians 1:7, Ephesians 1:2:7, Ephesians 1:3:8, Ephesians 1:16; Philippians 4:19; Colossians 1:27, Colossians 2:2, the best texts make ÏλοῦÏÎ¿Ï neut. In Romans 9:23 and Ephesians 1:18 it is masc., as perhaps elsewhere in N.T.
Ïὸ ÏλοῦÏÎ¿Ï (×* B C P) rather than Ïὸν ÏλοῦÏον (×3 D F G K L).
3-5. á½ Ïι καÏá½° δÏναμιν ⦠διὰ θελήμαÏÎ¿Ï Îεοῦ. It will be convenient to take the whole of this long sentence first, and then examine the separate clauses; the constr. is irregular, owing to prolonged dictation. âFor according to their power, I bear witness, and beyond their power, of their own accord, with much entreaty beseeching of us the favour and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints; and [this] not in the way that we expected, but it was their own selves that they gave first of all to the Lord and to us, through the will of God.â Three things have been already stated with regard to the help given by the Macedonian Christians. It was rendered (1) in a time of great affliction, (2) in spite of great poverty, (3) with great joy. The Apostle now adds four more particulars. The help was rendered (4) to an extent quite beyond their small means, (5) of their own free will, (6) so much so that they begged to be permitted to take part in ministering to their fellow-Christians, (7) placing themselves at the disposal of St Paul in a way quite beyond his expectation. The long and awkward sentence requires to be broken up, and this almost necessarily involves inserting a few words. But AV is not quite consistent in putting what is inserted in italics; for âtake upon usâ (v. 4) and âthisâ (v. 5) should be in italics as well as âtheir,â âthey were,â and âthey did.â Moreover, âthat we should receiveâ (v. 4) is no part of the true text (see below). In RV. âthis graceâ (v. 4) is in excess of the Greek, which has âthe grace.â But, in order to make the meaning clear it is almost necessary, with RV., to have âthey gaveâ twice, although it comes only once in the Greek.
3. μαÏÏÏ Ïá¿¶. Nowhere else is the word used absolutely, as here; cf. Galatians 4:15; Romans 10:2; Colossians 4:13; Revelation 22:18. With this parenthetical insertion of a confirmatory statement comp. á½¡Ï ÏÎÎºÎ½Î¿Î¹Ï Î»ÎÎ³Ï (6:13), λÎÎ³Ï á½Î¼á¿Î½ (Luke 13:24), and the classical οἶδα, οἶμαι, á½Ïá¾·Ï. Blass, § 79.7.
ÏαÏá½° δÏναμιν. Somewhat stronger than á½Ïá½²Ï Î´Ïναμιν (1:8), which K L P have here; it implies not only âabove and beyond,â but âagainst, contrary toâ (Hebrews 11:11). It was a sort of contradiction to their poverty to give so much. The words do not belong to αá½Î¸Î±Î¯ÏεÏοι, âspontaneous beyond their power,â but to the belated á¼Î´Ïκαν.*
αá½Î¸Î±Î¯ÏεÏοι. The word occurs nowhere in Bibl. Grk., excepting here and v. 17. In Xen. Anab. v. vii. 29 we have it of selfelected commanders, but it is more often used of things which are spontaneously accepted, death, slavery, etc. (Thuc. 6:40). Cf. αá½Î¸Î±Î¹ÏÎÏÏÏ (2 Macc. 6:19; 3 Macc. 6:6), in the same sense as αá½Î¸Î±Î¯ÏεÏοι here, viz. of persons acting spontaneously. The combination á¼ÎºÎ¿Ï ÏίÏÏ ÎºÎ±á½¶ αá½Î¸Î±Î¹ÏÎÏÏÏ is freq. in papyri. Of course this excludes only the Apostleâs asking; vv. 1 and 5 show that the Divine prompting is fully recognized.
4. δεÏμενοι ἡμῶν Ïὴν ÏάÏιν καὶ Ïὴν κοινÏνίαν Ïá¿Ï διακονίαÏ. âBegging of us the favour, viz. the sharing in the ministering to the saints.â The Macedonians entreated to be allowed the privilege of fellowship in so good a work. Cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:3. St Paul had possibly been unwilling to take much from people who were so poor. οá½Ï ἡμεá¿Ï αá½Ïῶν á¼Î´ÎµÎ®Î¸Î·Î¼ÎµÎ½ï¿½Acts 24:27, Acts 25:3. They knew that it was more blessed to give than to receive. The καί probably epexegetic. An aec. of a substantive after δÎομαι is unusual, although ÏοῦÏο δÎμαι á½Î¼á¿¶Î½ is common.
Ïá¿Ï Î´Î¹Î±ÎºÎ¿Î½Î¯Î±Ï Ïá¿Ï Îµá¼°Ï ÏÎ¿á½ºÏ á¼Î³Î¯Î¿Ï Ï. âThe charitable ministering to the Christians.â This is a freq. meaning of διακÏινα (9:1, 12, 13; Acts 6:1, Acts 11:29, Acts 12:25), a word which occurs more often in 2 Cor. and Acts than in all the rest of the N.T. He adds Îµá¼°Ï ÏÎ¿á½ºÏ á¼Î³Î¯Î¿Ï Ï to explain the motive of the Macedonians; it was because help was wanted for Christians that they were so urgent in asking to be allowed to contribute; sic mavult dicere quam âpauperesâ; id facit ad impetrandum (Beng. on 1 Corinthians 16:1). Deissmann (Bib. St. p. 117) thinks that this use of Îµá¼°Ï instead of the dat. comm. is Alexandrian rather than Hebraistic; it is found in papyri.
δÎξαÏθαι á¼¡Î¼á¾¶Ï after á¼Î³Î¯Î¿Ï Ï is an unintelligent gloss found in a few cursives and other inferior authorities.
5. ὠκαὶ Î¿á½ ÎºÎ±Î¸á½¼Ï á¼ Î»ÏίÏαμεν. âAnd they did this, not as we expected (but far beyond our expectations).â To confine this to their giving spontaneously is probably a mistake. What follows shows what is meant. Cf. οὠÏá½° á½Î¼á¿¶Î½ï¿½
á¼Î»Î»Ê¼ á¼Î±Ï ÏÎ¿Ï Ï á¼Î´Ïκαν ÏÏá¿¶Ïον. The emphasis is á¼Î±ÏοÏÏ by position. âOn the contrary, it was their own selves that they first and foremost gave to the Lord and to us.â Cf. Exodus 14:31. Î Ïá¿¶Ïον here does not mean âbefore I asked them,â and probably does not mean âbefore they gave money.â It means âfirst in importanceâ; the crowning part of their generosity was their complete self-surrender. They placed themselves at the Apostleâs disposal for the service of Christ. It is possible that this means no more than a general disposition to do all that was within their power; but it may refer to âpersonal service in the work of spreading the Gospel, such as was given by Sopater of Beroea, Aristarchus and Secundus of Thessalonica, and Epaphroditus of Philippiâ (J. H. Bernard). To these we may add Jason and Gaius, who were Macedonians, and perhaps Demas. With Ïá¿· ÎºÏ Ïίῳ καὶ ἡμá¿Î½ comp. Ïá¿· ÏνεÏμαÏι Ïá¿· á¼Î³Î¯á¿³ καὶ ἡμá¿Î½ (Acts 15:28).
διὰ θελήμαÏÎ¿Ï Îεοῦ. Some confine this to καὶ ἡμá¿Î½ but it belongs to the whole clause; their offering of themselves was governed by the will of God; see v. 1.
B has ἠλÏίκαμεν, which may be safely rejected; the aor. is quite in place.
6. Îµá¼°Ï Ïὸ ÏαÏακαλÎÏαι á¼¡Î¼á¾¶Ï Î¤Î¯Ïον. We are still under the influence of the rather hard-worked á¼Î´Ïκαν, which totam periochae structuram sustinet (Beng.). âIt was their own selves that they gave ⦠so that we entreated Titus, that, just as he started (the collection) before, so he would also complete among you this gracious work also.â The Îµá¼°Ï ÏÏ implies some such connecting thought as âI was so encouraged by the generosity of the Macedonians that I thought I would send Titus to you.â We hardly need καί in both places, but the pleonasm would easily be made in dictating. The second καί, however, may mean that there were other things which Titus had started. The rare verb ÏÏοενήÏξαÏο implies that Titus has been at Corinth before he took the severe letter alluded to in 7:12. This is some confirmation of the view that he, rather than Timothy, was the bearer of 1 Cor. But he may have been in Corinth before 1 Cor. to start the collection. In 1 Corinthians 16:1 the λογία is mentioned as a subject already known to the Corinthians; see note there. They may have asked about it. See on 12:18. B here has á¼Î½Î®ÏξαÏο, a verb which occurs Galatians 3:3 and Philippians 1:6, in both of which passages it is combined with á¼ÏιÏελÎÏ, and in both of them Lightfoot thinks that a sacrificial metaphor may be intended, for both verbs are sometimes used of religious ceremonials, the one of initiatory rites and the other of sacrifices and other sacred observances. See Westcott on Hebrews 9:6. * The ἵνα gives the purport rather than the purpose of the entreaty or exhortation, and ἵνα á¼ÏιÏελÎÏá¿ is almost equivalent to a simple infinitive; cf. 1 Corinthians 4:3, 1 Corinthians 16:12.
Îµá¼°Ï á½Î¼á¾¶Ï. âAmong youâ; lit. âtowards you,â âin reference to you.â
καὶ Ïὴν ÏάÏιν ÏαÏÏην. âThis gracious work also.â This has no reference to Ïὴν ÏάÏιν Ïοῦ Îεοῦ (v. 1): it is not âthe grace of Godâ which Titus is to make efficacious, but the gracious efforts for the poor Christians that he is to bring to a fruitful conclusion. Nor is it likely that there is any reference to the good work done by Titus in reconciling the Corinthians to the Apostle; that would hardly be spoken of as ÏάÏιÏ. It is remarkable how frequently ÏαÏÏην, ÏαÏÏá¿ or ÏαÏÏÎ·Ï recurs in this connexion; vv. 7, 19, 20, 9:5, 12, 13. In 9:1. Îµá¼°Ï ÏÎ¿á½ºÏ á¼Î³Î¯Î¿Ï Ï takes its place for variety. The precise force of καί, âas well as something else,â remains doubtful.
7�
ÏίÏÏει. Faith in Christ, such as every believer has. See on Romans 1:17, pp. 31f.
λÏγῳ καὶ γνÏÏει. These were specially valued at Corinth; St Paul treats both as Divine gifts, and, except in his Epistles and 2 Pet., γνῶÏÎ¹Ï is rarely so regarded in N.T. There is probably no reference to speaking with Tongues. See on 1 Corinthians 1:5, which to a considerable extent is parallel to this.
ÏÏÎ¿Ï Î´á¿. The word combines the ideas of eagerness, earnestness, and carefulness. AV employs seven different terms in translating it; in the Epistles, âcarefulness,â âcare,â âdiligence,â âforwardness,â âearnest care,â and âbusinessâ; in the Gospels, âhaste.â Even the Revisers use four; in the Epistles, âearnest care,â âearnestness,â and âdiligenceâ; in the Gospels, âhaste.â These variations show the wide compass of the word.
Ïá¿ á¼Î¾ á½Î¼á¿¶Î½ á¼Î½ ἡμá¿Î½ï¿½
ἵνα καὶ á¼Î½ ÏαÏÏá¿ Ïá¿ ÏάÏιÏι Ï. This shows clearly the meaning of Ïὴν ÏάÏιν ÏαÏÏην in v. 6. The ἵνα is probably elliptical, and we may understand ÏαÏακαλῶ from v. 6, or a similar verb. The elliptical ἵνα is then a gentle substitute for the direct imperative, as in the letter of the Jerusalem Jews to those in Egypt, 2 Macc. 1:9; καὶ νῦν ἵνα á¼Î³Î·Ïε Ïá½°Ï á¼¡Î¼ÎÏÎ±Ï Ïá¿Ï ÏκηνοÏÎ·Î³Î¯Î±Ï Ïοῦ ΧαÏιλεὺ μηνÏÏ. Cf. also Galatians 2:10; 33; 23. This use of ἵνα is found in papyri. The�Matthew 9:18; Mark 9:22; Luke 7:7). ΤαÏÏá¿ is emphatic by position; âin this gracious work also,â as in faith, utterance, knowledge, and love. He is anxious not to seem to be finding fault.
8:8-15. I Give No Orders. The Example of Christ Need Only Be Mentioned. Each of You Must Decide How Much He Ought to Give.
3 Do not think that I am issuing commands. I am not dictating to you. Not at all. I am merely calling your attention to the enthusiasm of the Macedonians in order to prove how genuine is your love also. (9 There is no need to give orders to you. You know how gracious the Lord Jesus Christ was. He was so rich in the glory of the Godhead; yet all for your sake He became so poor, in order that you, yes you, might become spiritually rich.) 10 I say I am not giving orders; it is just a view of the matter that I am offering you in what I write. This surely is the proper way in dealing with people like you, who were first in the field, not merely in doing something but in cherishing a desire to help, and that was as far back as last year. 11 But now do carry the doing also through, so that your readiness in desiring to help may be equalled by your way of carrying it through, so far, of course, as your means allow. 12 For if the readiness to give is forthcoming, and to give in proportion to oneâs possessions, this is very acceptable: no one is expected to give in proportion to what he does not possess. 13 I do not mean that other people should be relieved at the cost of bringing distress on you, but that there should be equality of burdens. At the present crisis your surplus goes to meet their deficit, 14 in order that some day their surplus may come to meet your deficit, so that there may be equality. 15 This is just what stands written in Scripture;â
âHe who gathered his much had not too much,
And he who gathered his little had not too little.
8. ÎὠκαÏʼ á¼ÏιÏαγὴν λÎγÏ. âNot by way of command am I speaking.â ÎαÏʼ á¼ÏιÏαγήν is a Pauline phrase, and it is used in two different senses. With a negative, as here and 1 Corinthians 7:6 (see note), it means ânot by way of commandâ; there is nothing dictatorial in what he says; he is not issuing orders or laying down rules. Without a negative and with a following gen., e.g. Îεοῦ, as Romans 16:26; 1 Timothy 1:1; Titus 1:3, it means âin accordance with Godâs command,â equivalent to διὰ θελήμαÏÎ¿Ï Îεοῦ (1:1, 8:5; 1 Corinthians 1:1; Ephesians 1:1; Colossians 1:1; 2 Timothy 1:1). Vulg. is capricious; here, non quasi imperans; 1 Corinthians 7:6, non secundum imperium; Romans 16:26, secundum praeceptum; so also 1 Timothy 1:1 and Titus 1:1. Cf. Philemon 1:8, Philemon 1:9.
á¼Î»Î»á½° ⦠δοκιμάζÏν. âBut as proving (13:5), by means of the earnestness of others, the sincerity of your love also.â No verb has to be supplied; λÎÎ³Ï continues. The mention of the zeal of the Macedonians will show that the Corinthiansâ love is as real as theirs. Excepting Luke 12:56, Luke 12:14:19; 1 Peter 1:7; 1 John 4:1, Î´Î¿Ï ÎºÎ¹Î¼Î¬Î¶Ï is a Pauline word, and it is found in all four groups, 17 times in all. Whereas ÏειÏÎ¬Î¶Ï is sometimes neutral, but generally means testing with the sinister object of producing failure, Î´Î¿ÎºÎ¹Î¼Î¬Î¶Ï is sometimes neutral (as in Lk.), is never used in the sense of âtempt,â and often as here, means âproveâ with the hope of a favourable result, or with the implied idea that the testing has had such a result. Hence it acquires the sense of âapproveâ (Romans 2:18, Romans 14:22), and is never used of the attempts of Satan to make men fail. AV in translating uses âexamine,â âtry,â âdiscern,â âprove,â âapprove,â âallow,â âlikeâ; RV. uses some of these and adds âinterpretâ (Luke 12:56). Vulg. has comprobo here, but everywhere else in N.T. probo or temto. The meaning here is that St Paul is quite sure that the good example of the Macedonians will be followed at Corinth. See Trench, Syn. § lxxiv.; Cremer, Lex. s.v.
καὶ Ïὸ Ïá¿Ï á½Î¼ÎµÏÎÏαÏ�James 1:3, Ïὸ δοκίμιον á½Î¼á¿¶Î½ Ïá¿Ï ÏίÏÏεÏÏ, and still more similar in 1 Peter 1:7, if Ïὸ δÏκιμον be the right reading. Deissmann (Bib. St. pp. 250, 259) cites an inscription of Sestos which has ÏÏὸ ÏλείÏÏÎ¿Ï Î¸ÎÎ¼ÎµÎ½Î¿Ï Ïὸ ÏÏá½¸Ï Ïὴν ÏαÏÏίδα γνήÏιον. See Blass, § 47. 1. ÎνήÏÎ¹Î¿Ï means ânot supposititious,â âlegitimate,â âgenuine,â and á½Î¼ÎµÏÎÏÎ±Ï answers to á¼ÏÎÏÏν. both being emphatic.*
9. γινÏÏκεÏε γάÏ. The Î³Î¬Ï introduces the reason why he issues no orders; there is no need. The Corinthians have their own loyal affection; they have the example of the Macedonians; and, if that were absent, they have the far more constraining example of Christ. The Î³Î¬Ï in itself is almost proof that γινÏÏκεÏε is indicative, which is probable on other grounds. Scitis enim gratiam (Vulg.).
Ïοῦ ÎºÏ ÏÎ¯Î¿Ï á¼¡Î¼á¿¶Î½ ἸηÏοῦ [ΧÏιÏÏοῦ]. B omits ΧÏιÏÏοῦ, but it is probably original. The full title adds to the impressiveness of the appeal; Domini nostri Jesu Christi (Vulg.); âthe free gift of our Lord Jesus Christ.â
διʼ á½Î¼á¾¶Ï. Placed first with great emphasis. There is not only the example of a self-sacrificing life, but of a sacrifice made on behalf of the Corinthians. Christ not only claimed obedience by declaring Himself to be the Legislator of a new Church and the Supreme judge of all mankind, He also inspired intense affection and devotion by laying men under an immense obligation. He was One whom it was impossible for men to benefit by conferring on Him earthly advantages, and yet, being so great and rich, He sacrificed for over thirty years more than men can at all comprehend, in order to do them good; Ecce Homo, ch. v. sub fin. The pre-existence of Christ is plainly taught here, as in Galatians 4:4 (see Lightfoot). See on Romans 8:3, Romans 8:4 and Colossians 2:9 f.; also on 1 Corinthians 10:4.
á¼ÏÏÏÏÎµÏ Ïεν ÏλοÏÏÎ¹Î¿Ï á½¤Î½. Egenus factus est, cum esset dives (Vulg.). The ὤν is imperf. part., and the aor. points to the moment of the Incarnation. Previous to that He was rich (John 17:5); at that crisis He became poor. That was the immeasurable impoverishment (Philippians 2:6-8). That for years He lived the life of a carpenter, and that when He left His Motherâs house He had not where to lay His head, is of small account, and would be a very inadequate interpretation of á¼ÏÏÏÏενÏεν. He was not like Moses, who renounced the luxury of the palace in order to serve his brethren; He never had any earthly riches to renounce. âHis riches were prior to His earthly life in a pre-existent life with God. He became poor when He entered the world, with a definite purpose to enrich His disciples, not in earthly goods, but in the same riches He Himself originally possessed in the heavenly worldâ (Briggs, The Messiah of the Apostles, p. 121). * Here is the supreme incentive to benevolence; to being willing, nay, eager, to give up a great deal in order to help others. âThis ineffable surrender was made for you.â
ἵνα á½Î¼Îµá¿Ï Ïá¿ á¼ÎºÎµÎ¯Î½Î¿Ï ÏÏÏÏείᾳ ÏÎ»Î¿Ï ÏήÏηÏε. Both pronouns are emphatic; âthat you, through His poverty, might become rich,â viz. with the heavenly riches of union with God in Christ and the assurance of eternal life. Meum ergo paupertas illa patrimonium est, et infirmitas Domini mea est virtus; maluit sibi indigere, ut omnibus abundaret (Ambrose on Luke 2:41). Perhaps the main lesson of the verse is that Christ gave Himself, and in all genuine liberality something of self must be given. Cf. John 17:22, John 17:24; Romans 8:30; 2 Timothy 2:11, 2 Timothy 2:12.
This motive for liberality is remarkable as being made so incidentally, as if there was no need to do more than mention it. It was so well known, and it was so unanswerable. Perhaps we ought hardly to call it a parenthesis; but such a description is only a slight exaggeration. The Apostle at once returns to the point about which he is nervously anxious. He is not giving commands as an authority who must be obeyed; that would spoil everything. He is laying his own views before them, and they must act of their own free will.
We have again the common confusion between ἡμεá¿Ï and á½Î¼Îµá¿Ï. Read δι á½Î¼á¾¶Ï (× B D F G L P, Latt. Syrr. Copt, Goth.) rather than δι á¼¡Î¼á¾¶Ï (C K), which makes sense, but very inferior sense. To read ἡμεÏÎÏÎ±Ï (some cursives) in v. 8 spoils the sense.
10. καὶ γνÏμην á¼Î½ ÏοÏÏῳ δίδÏμι. âAnd it is an opinion that I am offering you in this,â not a command. Here, as in 1 Corinthians 7:25, where γνÏνμη is contrasted with á¼ÏιÏαγή, Vulg. has considium for the former. He has told them before (1 Corinthians 7:40) that he believes that his opinion is worth considering. Like ÏοῦÏο in the next sentence, á¼Î½ ÏοÏÏῳ is ambiguous. It may mean either âin what I am sayingâ or âin this matter of the relief fund.â
ÏοῦÏο Î³á½°Ï á½Î¼á¿Î½ ÏÏ Î¼ÏÎÏει, οἵÏÎ¹Î½ÎµÏ Îº.Ï.λ. âFor this is expedient for people like you, who, etc.â Lit. âfor you who are of such a character as, etc.â ΤοῦÏο may mean simply âThis giving liberally which I suggest to youâ; and in that case ÏÏ Î¼ÏÎÏει means âis for your good morally.â But ÏοῦÏο may also mean (and with rather more point in connexion with the preceding sentence and v. 8), âTo offer an opinion, and not give a command, is the method which is suitable to people like you, who were to the front, not only in doing something, but also in desiring to do something, as long ago as last year.â People who have not even a wish to move are the kind of people to whom one issues commands. Herveius understands ÏοῦÏο as meaning âTo win the riches of Christ by imitating His poverty is well worth your doing.â This is a more elaborate form of the first interpretation. The force of οἵÏÎ¹Î½ÎµÏ must in any case be preserved.
But why is doing placed in this position, as if it were inferior to willing? To say that in morals it is the will that is of value, and not what is accomplished, is not satisfying. It is not probable that St Paul had any such thought. Nor is it very satisfactory to suppose that in dictating he inadvertently transposed the two verbs. We get a better explanation if we suppose that he wished to say that the Corinthians were the very first in the field, not only in setting to work, but in intending to set to work. This explanation does not require us to give to the ÏÏο- in ÏÏοενήÏξαÏθε the meaning âbefore the Macedonians,â which is perhaps too definite; but, if that is the force of the preposition, the explanation has all the more point. The change from the aor. Ïοιá¿Ïαι to the pres. θÎλειν is to be noted, indicating the difference between some particular action and the continual wishing to act. This may perhaps intimate that the acting has ceased, and that only the wishing remains. They had been first in both, but now others were before them in acting. There are two other explanations, ânot only to do, but to do it willingly,â and ânot indeed with the doing, but at any rate with the willing.â Both make good sense, but neither can be got out of the Greek as we have it. There must be conjectural emendation of the text in order to justify either; and if we are to make conjectures, the simplest is the transposition of the two verbs, as is done in the Peshitto Syriac.
á¼Ïὸ ÏÎÏÏ Ïι. âFrom last year,â i.e. âas long ago as last year.â Not âa year ago,â as AV and RV., which implies twelve months ago. If, as is probable, 2 Cor. was written late in the year, and if St Paul is reckoning, either according to the Jewish civil year, or according to the Macedonian year, then âlast yearâ might mean the spring of the same year, according to our reckoning. If he is following the Olympiads, which he might do in writing to Corinthians, this way of expressing himself would be still more easy. The Macedonian year is said, like the Jewish civil year (Tisri), to have begun about October; and counting by Olympiads the year would begin in the summer. Therefore in all three cases a person writing in November might speak of the previous JanuaryâApril as âlast year.â When 1 Cor. was written the collection of money at Corinth had hardly begun (1 Corinthians 16:1 f). On this point turns the interval between 1 Cor. and 2 Cor. Here we are told that âlast yearâ the collecting had begun. Does this imply an interval of much less than a year or of much more than a year? See Introduction; also K. Lake, Earlier Letters of St Paul. p. 140. The expression�
ÏÏοενήÏζαÏθε (× B C K L P) rather than á¼Î½Î®ÏξαÏθε(D F G); cf. v. 6.
11. Î½Ï Î½á½¶ δὲ καὶ Ïὸ Ïοιá¿Ïαι á¼ÏιÏελÎÏαÏε. âBut now complete the doing also, that as there [was] the readiness to will, so there may be the completion also according to your means.â It would be a sad thing that those who were foremost in willing should be hindermost in performing; they must bring their performance into line with their willingness. There is no verb expressed with καθάÏÎµÏ á¼¡ ÏÏÎ¿Î¸Ï Î¼Î¯Î± Ïοῦ θÎλειν. We may supply either âwasâ or âis.â Each Corinthian would know whether he still possessed this ÏÏÎ¿Î¸Ï Î¼Î¹Î±. The stronger form Î½Ï Î½Î¯ intimates that there should be no more delay; âprecisely now and not later.â It is rare else where in N.T., but freq. in Paul, generally as here in the usual temporal sense, but sometimes logical, as 1 Corinthians 13:13; cf. Heb. 9:29.
á¼Îº Ïοῦ á¼Ïειν. Ambiguous; it might mean âout of that which ye haveâ (AV); which has little point: if they give, it must be out of what they possess. The next verse shows that it meanâs âin proportion to what you possess.â Evidently the readiness to give had for some time not been very great, certainly not since the rupture between the Apostle and the Corinthians, and now he does not wish to alarm them. He had put before them the example of the Macedonians, who had given âbeyond their meansâ (v. 3). He assures the Corinthians that he is not suggesting that they ought to give beyond their means; but they no doubt see that they ought to give, and he urges them to do so without further delay. Excepting Acts 17:11, ÏÏÎ¿Î¸Ï Î¼Î¯Î± is peculiar to 2 Cor. (vv. 12, 19, 9:2).
12. εἰ Î³á½°Ï á¼¡ ÏÏÎ¿Î¸Ï Î¼Î¯Î± ÏÏÏκειÏαι. âFor if the readiness is there (lit. âlies before usâ), it is acceptable according as [a man] may have, and not according as [he] has not.â The ÏÎ¹Ï is not original, but perhaps it ought to be supplied (RV). Otherwise ἡ ÏÏÎ¿Î¸Ï Î¼Î¯Î± personified is the nom. to á¼Ïη and á¼Ïει. Cf. Tobit 4:8, which is one of the offertory sentences in the English Liturgy. It is not likely that ÏÏÏκειÏαι here means âprecedes,â âbe firstâ (AV), prius adsit (Beza). The amount that a man may have is indefinite, á¼á½°Î½ á¼Ïá¿: his not having is a definite fact (οá½Îº á¼Î¾ÎµÎ¹). In Romans 15:31 εá½ÏÏÏÏδεκÏÎ¿Ï is again used in reference to the Palestine relief fund. See on 6:2, and Hort on 1 Peter 2:5; also Index IV. *
á¼Î¬Î½ (B C D3 E K P) rather than á¼Î½ (× D* F G L). × B C* D F G K P omit ÏιÏ, which C2 L have after á¼Ïá¿ and D F G after á¼Ïει.
13, 14. Î¿á½ Î³á½°Ï á¼µÎ½Î± á¼Î»Î»Î¹Î¿Ï á¼ÎµÎ½ÏιÏ. Something is often understood before ἵνα: âI meanâ (AV), or âI say thisâ (RV), or âthe object isâ (Waite and others), etc. But the ellipse is just as intelligible in English as in Greek, and in English no conjunction is needed; âNot that there is to be relief for others, pressure for you: but according to equality, etc.â For á¼Î½ÎµÏÎ¹Ï see on 2:13; also Index IV.
á¼Î»Î»Ê¼ á¼Î¾ á¼°ÏÏÏηÏοÏ. These words may be taken either with what precedes or with what follows. Although á½ ÏÏÏ Î³ÎνηÏαι á¼°ÏÏÏÎ·Ï occurs at the end of the next sentence, it is perhaps best to take�Romans 15:27 of Gentiles giving material help in return for spiritual help. Here the help on both sides is material. The Apostle contemplates the possibility of Corinthian Christians being in distress, and of Jerusalem Christians sending money to relieve it, Vulg. supplies words which are not in the Greek; and something must be supplied; vestra abundantia illorum inopiam suppleat; ut et illorum abundantia vestrae inopiae sit supplementum. Beza has suppleat in both clauses. á¼Î½ Ïá¿· νῦν καιÏá¿· as in Romans 3:26, Romans 11:5.
Ïὸ á½Î¼á¿¶Î½ ÏεÏίÏÏÎµÏ Î¼Î± ⦠Ïὸ á½Î¼á¿¶Î½ á½ÏÏÎÏημα. This use of á½Î¼á¿¶Î½ between the art. and the noun is freq. in Paul; see on 1:6 and cf. 1 Corinthians 7:35, 1 Corinthians 9:12.
The δΠafter á½Î¼á¿Î½ (×3 D E G K L P, Vulg. Goth. Arm.) is probably an insertion for the sake of smoothness; ×* B C 17, d e, Aeth. omit. Note D E and d e.
15. The quotation hardly illustrates more than the idea of equality of some sort; not the equality which is the result of mutual give and take, which is a voluntary process, but that which is the result of the same measure being imposed on all, which is not voluntary. In LXX we have οá½Îº á¼ÏλεÏναÏεν á½ Ïá½² ÏÎ¿Î»Ï and á½ Ïὸ á¼Î»Î±ÏÏον οá½Îº ἠλαÏÏÏνηÏεν (Exodus 16:18). Some Israelites were eager to gather much manna; others through modesty or indifference gathered little. When they came to measure it, they all found they had exactly the prescribed amount. St Paul perhaps suggests that the equality which had to be forced upon those Israelites ought to be joyfully anticipated in the new Israel. The Corinthian Christians ought spontaneously to secure themselves against getting more than their share of this worldâs goods by giving to the Jerusalem Christians before there was any need to require help from them.
ÎºÎ±Î¸á½¼Ï Î³ÎγÏαÏÏαι. Cf. 9:9; 1 Corinthians 1:31. 1 Corinthians 1:11:9; Romans 1:17; ect. This form of citation is in Paul confined to Corinthians and Romans, and it is very freq. in Romans.
á½ Ïὸ Ïολὺ κ.Ï.λ. Qui multum, non abundavit, et qui modicum, non minoravit (Vulg.). âHe who gathered his much had not too much, And he who gathered his little had not too little.â In one sense this equality holds good in the other world also (Matthew 20:9, Matthew 20:10); quia omnes habebunt vitae aeternae aequalitatem (Herveius). But it does not follow from this that there will be no distinctions in that life.
In what follows we have the business arrangements respecting the collection for the fund. It is a kind of á¼ÏιÏÏολὴ ÏÏ ÏÏαÏική (3:1) for the officials.
8:16-9:5. Titus and Two Approved Colleagues Will Help You to Organize the Fund. There Shall Be No Room for Suspecting Underhand Dealing. Give a Hearty Welcome to the Three, and Have Everything Ready in Good Time
16 But thanks be to God, who is putting into the heart of Titus the same eager zeal that I myself always entertain. 17 I am not speaking at random. He not only readily responds to my appeal, but being from the first full of zealous eagerness, it is of his own unprompted choice that he is setting off to go to you. 18 And I am sending with him as a colleague that brother whose services in spreading the Gospel have won him the praise of all the Churches. 19 And, what is more, this brother has been elected by the Churches to be our fellow-traveller in this work of benevolence which is being administered by us to promote the honour of the Lord Himself and increase my own readiness. 20 I want to make quite sure that no one shall be able to criticize or suspect our conduct in the matter of this charity-fund which is being administered by us. 21 For I aim at doing what is absolutely honourable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. 22 And with Titus and the brother just mentioned I am sending another brother of whose eager zeal I have had many proofs in many particulars; and in the present matter his zeal is in a very special degree eager, by reason of the special confidence which he has been led to place in you. 23 If anyone wishes to know about Titus, he is my intimate colleague and my fellow-labourer in all work for you; and as to the two brethren who accompany him, they are apostles of Churches, an honour to Christ. 24 Give them therefore a conspicuous proof of your affection and of the good reason that I have to be proud of you; so that the Churches from which they come may know how well you have behaved.
9. 1 For, in the first place, with regard to the ministration to the poor Christians at Jerusalem, it is really superfluous for me to be writing to you: 2 for I know your readiness, about which I am always boasting on your behalf to the Macedonians. âAchaia,â I tell them, âhas been ready since last year.â And your zeal has been a stimulus to most of them. 3 And, in the second place, I am sending Titus and his two colleagues to make sure that my boasting about you is not stultified in this matter of the relief-fund; that you might be quite ready, as I used to tell the Macedonians that you were. 4 For it would be disastrous if Macedonians were to come with me and find you unprepared. That would bring utter shame to meâto say nothing of youâfor having expressed this great confidence in you. 5 To avoid this possible discredit I thought it absolutely necessary to entreat these three brethren to go to you before me, and get into order before I come the bounty which you promised before, so that all may be ready in good time as really a bounty and not as a grudging and niggardly contribution.
16. ΧάÏÎ¹Ï Î´á½² Ïá¿· Îεῷ Ïá¿· δίδονÏι κ.Ï.λ. âBut thanks be to God who is perpetually putting the same earnest care on your behalf in the heart of Titus.â Vide quam late pateat hoc officium gratias agendi (Beng.). Cf. 2:14, 9:15; 1 Corinthians 15:57; Romans 6:17. We had διδÏναι á¼Î½ Ïαá¿Ï καÏÎ´Î¯Î±Î¹Ï in 1:22; cf. John 3:35; Joh_1 Macc. 2:7, 5:50; 3 Macc. 2:20. The á¼Î½ implies that whatever is given remains where it is placed. The changes of meaning in this chapter with regard to ÏάÏÎ¹Ï should be noted (vv. 4, 6, 7, 19 of the relief-fund; but vv. 1, 9, 16 quite different). âThe same earnest careâ probably means âthat I have on your behalf,â rather than âthat you have for the relief-fund,â or âthat Titus had for the Thessalonians.â There is a delicate touch in á½Ïá½²Ï á½Î¼á¿¶Î½. The Corinthians might think that the zeal of Titus for the relief-fund was zeal on behalf of the Jerusalem poor; but it was really on behalf of the Corinthians. They would be the chief losers if a suitable sum was not raised in Corinth.
δίδονÏι (× * B C K P, g) rather than δÏνÏι (× 3 D E G L, d e Vulg.).
17. á½ Ïι Ïὴν μὲν ÏαÏάκληÏιν á¼Î´ÎξαÏο. âFor, to begin with, he welcomes our appeal.â This and the next two verbs are epistolary aorists, which must be rendered as presents in English. Cf. 2:3, 9:3.
ÏÏÎ¿Ï Î´Î±Î¹ÏÏεÏÎ¿Ï Î´á½² νÌÏάÏÏÏν κ.Ï.λ. âSecondly, in his characteristic earnestness, of his own accord he is going forth to you.â
18. ÏÏ Î½ÎµÏÎμÏαμεν δὲ Ïὸν�Galatians 2:12, a verb compounded with ÏÏ Î½ is followed by μεÏά. The point of a description of the two brethren who are to accompany Titus (vv. 18-23) is that St Paul is not sending to the Corinthians persons of no repute.* Both of them are tried men who have done good service. Lietzmann thinks that in the original letter the names must have been given, and that they were afterwards omitted, possibly because these two delegates proved to be not very acceptable at Corinth. But if the two were as yet unknown at Corinth, to mention their names would be of little use; this letter was to go with them, and Titus would introduce them. It was, however, of importance that the Corinthians should know how highly the Apostle and others thought of them.
There have been many conjectures as to the first of the two brethren; Barnabas (Chrys., Thdrt.), Luke (Origen, Hom. 1. in Luc., Ephraem), and (in modern writers) Silas, Mark, Erastus, Trophimus, Aristarchus, Secundus, and Sopater of Beroea. On the whole, Luke seems to be the best guess, and it is evidently assumed in the Collect for St Lukeâs Day. Bachmann and G. H. Rendall strongly support it. If Luke was left at Philippi from the time when St Paul first visited it to the time of his return to it, a period of about six years, he might have become a favourite in Macedonia and be an obvious person to select to collect alms for Jerusalem in Gentile Churches. Rendall regards it as âhardly short of demonstrable that this was none other than S. Lukeâ (p. 79). Renan rejects it (p. 455 n.). But of course á¼Î½ Ïá¿· εá½Î±Î³Î³ÎµÎ»Î¯á¿³ cannot refer to St Lukeâs Gospel, which was not yet written. Souter takes Ïὸν�
19. οὠμÏνον δὲ�Acts 14:23 only. It is certain that the verb is used by contemporary writers for appointment without election; and the substantive also. Josephus has the verb of Godâs appointing David to be king (Ant. vi. xiii.9) and of Jonathan being appointed high priest by Alexander (Ant. xiii. ii. 2). Philo uses ÏειÏοÏονία of Pharaohâs appointment of Joseph to be governor of Egypt. (De Josepho, § 21, Mang. p. 58). Similar usage is found in inscriptions. Neither here nor in Acts does it mean the imposition of hands in ordination, á¼ÏἰθεÏÎ¹Ï Ïῶν ÏειÏῶν, or the stretching out of the hands previous to imposition, which is a much later use. In Acts 14:23 the ordination of the presbyters is implied in ÏÏοÏÎµÏ Î¾Î¬Î¼ÎµÎ½Î¿Î¹, not in ÏειÏÏονή ÏανÏεÏ. In Acts Vulg. has constituo, here ordino; AV has âordainâ in Acts and âchooseâ here; RV has âappointâ in both.
ÏÏ Î½ÎκδημοÏ. âTo go abroad with us,â âto be our companion in travel,â a subordinate, not a colleague, like Barnabas. Here and Acts 19:20 only. Vulg. has comes perigrinationis here and comites without perigrinationis in Acts, where ÏÏ Î½ÎµÎºÎ´Î®Î¼Î¿Ï Ï is used of Aristarchus and Gaius. Hence some think that it refers to Aristarchus here (Redlich, S. Paul and his Companions, p. 217).
á¼Î½ Ïá¿ ÏάÏιÏι (B C P, f Vulg. Copt. Arm. Aeth.) rather than Ïὺν Ïῠκ. (× D F G K L, d e g, Syrr.). B C D * G L, Latt. Copt. omit αá½Ïοῦ before Ïοῦ ÎºÏ Ïὶαν. F and a few cursives, followed by T. R., have á½Î¼á¿¶Î½ after ÏÏÎ¿Î¸Ï Î¼Î¯Î±Î½, an obvious correction, to agree with v. 11 and 9:2, where the ÏÏÎ¿Î¸Ï Î¼Î¯Î± is in the Corinthians. Baljon conjectures καÏá½° ÏÏοθ. ἡμῶν.
20. ÏÏελλÏμενοι ÏοῦÏο, μή ÏÎ¹Ï á¼¡Î¼á¾¶Ï Î¼ÏμήοηÏαι. âTaking precautions about this, that no man blame (6:3) us in the matter of this bounty which is being administered by us.â The participle explains why this colleague has been given to Titus, and in construction it belongs to ÏÏ Î½ÎµÏÎμÏαμεν: δίδονÏÎµÏ (v. 12) is some what similar in constr. Cf. Wisd. 14:1; 2 Macc. 5:1; also 2 Thessalonians 3:6, the only other passage in N.T. in which ÏÏÎλλομαι occurs. From meaning âtighten,â ÏÏÎÎ»Î»Ï comes to mean âhold back,â âcheck,â and ÏÏÎλλομαι means âdraw back fromâ; cf. á½ÏοÏÏá¼Î»Î»Ï (Galatians 2:13), and see Westcott on Hebrews 10:38. Here Vulg. has devitantes and in 2 Thessalonians 3:6 subtrahatis vos: Τὸ ÏÏÎλλεÏθαι�
Ïá¿ á¼Î´ÏÏÏηÏι. Plenitudine (Vulg.). From âfulness and firmnessâ in the human body and speech it comes to mean any kind of âabundance.â Wetstein says it occurs four times in Zosimus of âmunificent giving,â which is the meaning here. The Apostle assumes that the amount raised will be large, and he must secure himself against all possibility of suspicion that he administered it dishonestly.* He might have repeated á¼Î½ Ïá¿ ÏάÏιÏι ÏαÏÏá¿ (vv. 7, 19), but he prefers an unusual word (nowhere else in Bibl. Grk.) to show that he feels sure that the Corinthians will be bountiful.
21. ÏÏονοοῦμεν Î³á½°Ï ÎºÎ±Î»Î¬. He is quoting LXX of Proverbs 3:4, καὶ ÏÏονοοῦ καλὰ á¼Î½ÏÏιον ÎÏ ÏÎ¯Î¿Ï ÎºÎ±á½¶ï¿½Romans 12:17, ÏÏονοοÏμενοι καλὰ á¼Î½ÏÏιον ÏάνÏÏν�
ÏÏονοοῦμεν Î³á½°Ï ÎºÎ±Î»Î¬ (× B D F G P, Latt. Syrr.) rather than ÏÏονοοÏμενοι καλά (K L) co-ordinate with ÏÏελλÏμενοÏ, or than ÏÏονοοÏμενοι Î³á½°Ï ÎºÎ±Î»Î¬ (C, Copt. Goth.).
22. ÏÏ Î½ÏÎμÏαμεν δὲ αá½Ïοá¿Ï. âAnd we are sending (epistolary aor.) together with them our brother whom we have proved to be in earnest many times in many things.â âOur brotherâ of course does not mean the brother of St Paul,â any more than âthe brotherâ in v. 18 means the brother of Titus. In both cases âbrotherâ means âfellow-Christians.â Giving him a name is pure guesswork; some conjecture Tychicus, others Apollos. The freq. alliteration with Ï is conspicuous in this verse. Cf. 1:5, 7:4, 8:2, 9:8, 11, etc.
Î½Ï Î½á½¶ δὲ Ïολὺ ÏÏÎ¿Ï Î´Î±Î¹ÏÏεÏον. âBut now much more in earnest by reason of much confidence to you-ward.â In this way it is easy to continue the alliteration. See on 1:15 for the Pauline word ÏεÏοίθηÏιÏ, which no doubt means the envoyâs confidence (RV) rather than the Apostleâs (AV). The latter would require a pronoun to make it clear. But this mention of the envoyâs confidence respecting them does not prove that he had been in Corinth. What he had heard about them might make him eager to come. See Index IV.
23. εἴÏε á½Ïá½²Ï Î¤Î¯ÏÎ¿Ï â¦ Îµá¼´Ïε�1 Corinthians 11:7. He does not say âApostles of Christâ; that was true of himself and the Twelve, who had received their commission direct from our Lord, but it was not true of these two brethren who were merely messengers or delegates of Churches, as Epaphroditus of Philippi; legati, qui publico nomine pium exsequuntur officium (Beng.). See Harnack, Mission and Expansion, i. pp. 319, 327. Nevertheless, to be selected by their Churches was a guarantee for their characters and capacities. In these two verses he brings the commendatory section to a close. For εἴÏε ⦠εἴÏε see on 1:6; cf. 1 Corinthians 3:21, 1 Corinthians 13:8. Its use without a verb is classical. Blass, § 78. 2. See Hastings, DB. and DCG. art. âApostle.â
24. Ïὴν οá½Î½ á¼Î½Î´ÎµÎ¹Î¾Î¹Î½ ⦠á¼Î½Î´ÎµÎ¯Î¾Î±Ïθε. See crit. note below. âDemonstrate therefore to them the demonstration of your love and of our glorying on your behalf to the face of the Churches.â âShow the proofâ (AV, RV) does not preserve the repetition, which is probably deliberate. Vulg. has Ostensionem ergo ⦠ostendite. It is easily preserved in English; âExhibit to them the exhibition,â âManifest to them the manifestation.â The Corinthians are urged to show that their own love is genuine and that the Apostleâs pride in them is fully justified. á¼Î½Î´ÎµÎ¹Î¾Î¹Ï in N. T. is a Pauline word (Romans 3:25, Romans 3:26 and Philippians 1:28 only), and it is not found in LXX. It means âan appeal to facts,â demonstratio rebus gestis facta.
Îµá¼°Ï ÏÏÏÏÏÏον Ïῶν á¼ÎºÎºÎ»Î·Ïιῶν. âTo the face of the Churchesâ; i.e. as if the congregations to which they belong were present. They are representative men; delegates, who will report to the Churches that elected them what they see and hear at Corinth, to which they are coming with high expectations; and the Corinthians must take care that there is no disappointment. This last clause is added with solemnity; it points to a host of witnesses, in whose presence the Corinthians will virtually be acting. The Apostle has suggested a variety of motives, from the example of Christ down to respect for their own reputation, for being generous.
It is not easy to decide between á¼Î½Î´ÎµÎ¯Î¾Î±Ïθε (× C D 2 and 3 E * * K L P, f Vulg. Syrr. Copt. Arm. Aeth.) and á¼Î½Î´ÎµÎ¹ÎºÎ½Ïμενοι (B D * E * G 17, d e g Goth.). WH. prefer the former, with the latter in marg. Tisch. prefers the latter, which would be likely to be corrected to á¼Î½Î´ÎµÎ¯Î¾Î±Ïθε. The καί before Îµá¼°Ï ÏÏÏÏÏÏον Ï. á¼ÎºÎºÎ»., âand before the Churchesâ (AV) has very little authority (only a few cursives).
* âLâhabilite, la souplesse de language, la dexterite epistolaire de Paul, etaient employees tout entieres a cette oeuvre. 11 trouve pour la recommandevaux Corinthiens les tours les plus vifs et les plus tendresâ (Renan, Saint Paul, p.453).
* Simplicitas malignitati opponitur (Calvin). In the Testaments the word is freq., esp. in Issachar, e.g. ÏάνÏα Î³á½°Ï ÏÎνηÏι καὶ θλιβομÎÎ½Î¿Î¹Ï ÏαÏεá¿Ïον á¼Îº Ïῶν�Act_13. Ninth century). Now at paris. âThe queen of the cursivesâ and the best for the Pauline Epistles; more than any other it preserves Pre-Syrian readings and agrees with B D L.
d d The Latin companion of D
e d The Latin companion of E
g d The Latin companion of G
* St Paul often gives commendations of this kind; to Timothy and Stephanas (1 Corinthians 16:10-15), Phoebe (Romans 16:1), Tychicus, Onesimus, and Mark (Colossians 4:7-10) Zenas and Apollos (Titus 3:12-14).
f d The Latin companion of F
* Moffatt compares Byronâs remark to Moore in 1822; âI doubt the accuracy of all almoners, or remitters of benevolent cash.â Philo tells of the care that was taken to have trustworthy men to carry the temple-tribute (De Monarch. ii. § 3, Mang. 224, sub fin.). Schürer greatly enlarges Philoâs statement (Jewish People, 11. ii p. 289).
â If he had a brother, he could not have made use of him as a check on himself. We know of no brother.