Bible Commentaries
2 Corinthians

A COMMENTARY

ON

THE New Testament Epistles

BY

DAVID LIPSCOMB

EDITED, WITH ADDITIONAL NOTES,

BY

J. W. SHEPHERD

VOLUME III

Second Corinthians AND Galatians

COPYRIGHT BY

GOSPEL ADVOCATE COMPANY

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

1976

PREFACE.

The reception of the volumes on Romans and First Corinthians by thoughtful and competent Bible students is very gratifying, and has encouraged the publishers to make arrangements with competent brethren to write on the Gospels and Revelation, with the hope of publishing a commentary on the whole of the New Testament. The volume on Matthew is now ready for the printer, and that on Mark is nearing completion, and the other volumes will be pushed forward with as much rapidity as consistent with accuracy and good work. Just here I deem it necessary to call attention to the fact that this commentary is intended for the people, and only secondarily for scholars. It, therefore, avoids, so far as consistent with the demands of exegesis, the use of Greek words and of elaborate criticisms on the original. Pains have been taken to make prominent such points in the epistle, and such lessons as promised to make a deep impression on the religious sentiments and daily life of the reader.

While the matter of the work is arranged with a view to its being used as a work of reference, much pain has been taken to adapt it to consecutive reading. To those who may attempt to read it consecutively, and such readers are especially desired, I suggest the propriety of uniformly reading the text of each paragraph before reading the comments which belong to it. By so doing the thought will be more easily grasped.

I especially call attention to the fact that the American Standard Revised Version is the text used. It is recognized as the best by men who are entitled to speak with authority by the leaders of the foremost universities, colleges, theological seminaries, Bible training schools, and publishers of Sunday school literature. It embodies the knowledge of all scientific discoveries in Bible lands up to the time it was made. It is recognized as the best version of the scriptures in any language, because it was made by the greatest Biblical scholars in the world at the time it was produced, and since that time none greater have arisen.

A proper presentation of any subject, according to the methods of common thought, requires a formal designation of its natural divisions. Such designation was not made by the ancient writers, but is an invention of modern times. The division of the Bible into chapters and verses was intended merely to facilitate references, and in many instances quite arbitrary. These divisions have become indispensable, but they should be so printed as to make them only a convenience; and the natural divisions of each book should be restored. In order to this end, the text in this commentary has been distributed into paragraphs. The larger divisions called sections, each including a group of closely-related paragraphs, are also indicated in the notes by proper headings. In addition to these smaller divisions there is a more general division of the matter in nearly every book of the Bible into what is called "Parts." It is necessary to observe these divisions in order to get an intelligible appreciation of the epistle studied and, therefore, they are used in these volumes.

As I stated in the preface to the Commentary on Romans, I have added the notes enclosed in brackets. They neither are nor claim to be original. They have been accumulated from sermons, lectures, commentaries, editorials--in fact, from every source available. These notes I have freely used, the object being to get the thought into the mind and life of the reader.

If life and strength of body and mind permit, I hope to have the next volume--Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians --ready for publication at an early date.

J. W. SHEPHERD.

Nashville, Tennessee,

April 15, 1936.

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND CORINTHIANS.

I. OCCASION OF WRITING.

It is generally agreed among scholars that Paul wrote the first epistle to the Corinthians while at Ephesus, about the time of the Passover, 57 A.D. He proposed to remain there till Pentecost, and then go to Corinth. But the tumult precipitated by Demetrius forced him to flee to Troas. In the meantime Titus had been sent to Corinth to learn the state of things and adjust, if possible, the difficulties that disturbed the church and even threatened its existence, and to further the collection for the poor saints in Judaea. Amid great anxiety and restless apprehension (2 Corinthians 5:6), Paul awaited at Troas for the return of Titus. His devotion to the cause of Christ would not suffer him to remain idle. He says: "A door was opened unto me in the Lord." (2 Corinthians 2:12.) It is probable that at this time the church was planted there. How long he remained is not known, but obviously for some time. Weeks passed, and Titus did not arrive, and Paul suffered all the pangs of hope deferred. (2 Corinthians 2:13.) He passed on to Macedonia, but even there the deep depression felt at Troas continued. He says: "When we were come into Macedonia our flesh had no relief, but we were afflicted on every side; without were fightings, within were fears." (2 Corinthians 7:5.) The final arrival of Titus served in a great measure to lift the burden and calm his anxiety.

The occasion of writing this epistle was the reception of the tidings from Corinth. He was very solicitous touching the reception that had been accorded his epistle. (2 Corinthians 2:3-4; 2 Corinthians 2:9; 2 Corinthians 7:8.) If we thoughtfully ponder the stern force with which he wrote (1 Corinthians 4:8-21; 1 Corinthians 5:1-8; 1 Corinthians 11:17-22; 1 Corinthians 15:35-36), we will find little difficulty in accounting for his uneasiness and dejection. His emphatic rebuke of the factional spirit prevailing in the church was enough in itself to excite his deep solicitude for the issue. For aught he knew, the effect might serve to intensify party feeling instead of allaying it. He was now well aware that his apostolic authority was denied, that his motives were impugned, and that his character for candor was assailed by the faction. With these thoughts in his mind, is it any wonder that he awaited the outcome with the utmost apprehension?

The report brought by Titus was in the main favorable. The majority of the church had bowed submissively to his exhortations and admonitions, and had earnestly set about correcting the excesses and abuses he had so faithfully exposed. (2 Corinthians 1:13-14; 2 Corinthians 7:9; 2 Corinthians 7:15-16.) The Judaizing faction, however, whose animosity was aroused by his solemn rebuke, were doing all in their power to destroy his influence in the church. They were deprecating his authority, misrepresenting his motives, and conduct; even using his epistle to bring charges against him as having failed to keep his promise to visit them, and of having adopted an authoritative style of writing little in unison, as they alleged, with the contemptibleness of his personable appearance and speech. (2 Corinthians 10:10.)

II. PLACE OF WRITING.

There is no ground for supposing that the epistle was written at Philippi as commonly imagined. Such a supposition is itself very improbable. He announces to the Corinthians the generosity which had been the result of God’s grace given among the churches of Macedonia. (2 Corinthians 8:1.) It is not at all likely that he would have made such announcement, if he had not already visited those churches. All that can certainly be said is that the epistle was written at one of the Macedonian churches; more probably at the last visited than at the first. The principal of those churches were Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea. We learn from 1 Thessalonians 2:17-18 how anxious Paul was to visit the Thessalonian church, and in the absence of all details respecting this journey (Acts 20:1-2), we may conclude that he would spend some time in Thessalonica, where he would have time to write the epistle.

III. TIME OF WRITING.

The date may be thus ascertained: It was written after the riot of Demetrius at Ephesus, which occurred in the spring of 57 A.D. (2 Corinthians 1:8.) Paul then traces his passage from Ephesus, through Troas, to Macedonia (2 Corinthians 2:12-13; 2 Corinthians 7:5), where he was engaged in making a collection for the saints in Judaea (2 Corinthians 8:1); and the collection was still proceeding at the time of writing (2 Corinthians 9:1-2). Titus returned to Corinth to continue the collection among the Corinthians, and prepare them for the reception of Paul himself. (2 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 8:17; 2 Corinthians 9:3-5.) Paul alludes to a revelation made to him fourteen years before (2 Corinthians 12:2); and as the vision occurred when he was at Jerusalem at the Passover, 44 A.D., the date of the epistle, under all the circumstances, must be referred to the latter part of the year 57.

IV. SALIENT POINTS IN THE

LIFE OF PAUL IN THE EPISTLE.

The Judaizers, who occupy a prominent place in the epistle were those who dealt with the word of God in the spirit of dishonest tradesmen (2 Corinthians 2:17), it was they who came to Corinth with letters of commendation (2 Corinthians 3:1), and Paul’s charges against them show that some of their methods were as odious as their gospel was false. It was another gospel, different from Paul’s, a gospel with another spirit, that they preached (2 Corinthians 11:4); and with a different gospel went a different and lower moral standard--they had no standard beyond themselves, and so were guilty of ridiculous and immoderate boasting. (2 Corinthians 10:12.) After Paul had done the pioneer work, they came upon the scene like evil spirits (2 Corinthians 11:15), at once appropriating and perverting the results of his labors (2 Corinthians 10:16), but taking good care to break no new ground for the gospel on their own account. As he advanced the indictment took a form of great severity calling them "false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light. It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." (2 Corinthians 11:13-15.)

What had they said or done to call forth such a vehement retort? They accused him of determining his life and conduct by unspiritual motives of walking "according to the flesh." (2 Corinthians 10:2.) They admitted that "his letters are weighty and strong," but used this very circumstance to disparage him, saying, "His bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account." (2 Corinthians 10:10.) His escape from Damascus over the wall was apparently used to make him ridiculous. (2 Corinthians 11:31-33.) Yet, coward as he was, he liked to play the tyrant. (2 Corinthians 1:24.) They taunted him with his lack of rhetorical skill of which the Greeks made so much. (2 Corinthians 11:6.) They argued that he could be no apostle, for he refused to accept support in return for his services. (2 Corinthians 11:7.) Did not this refusal betray an uneasy conscience that he was no apostle? Nay, worse--they were mean enough to insinuate that he knew how to compensate himself for any lack he might suffer through self-denying policy; he was not alone helping himself to the collection--if not directly, at any rate, through his agents. (2 Corinthians 12:16-18.) Ineffective, avaricious, cunning, a tyrant, a coward, a cheat --as such did his opponents choose to picture Paul; and when we see how venomous was their caricature, we can hardly be surprised at the indignant vehemence of his reply.

How very different is the real Paul! It is a dishonor to the human family that such a man as he should have been accused of crooked dealing. Everyone feels that his words palpitate with sincerity--they are spoken in the sight of God (2 Corinthians 2:17; 2 Corinthians 12:19), and he expects them to appeal to a good conscience (2 Corinthians 4:2; 2 Corinthians 5:11). If he modifies or reverses his plan which he has formed, there is, we may be sure, deep and satisfactory reason for the change--however his conduct may be of misconstruction, however liable to the charge of vacillation, his life, like his Master’s, is marked by an unswerving inner consistency. He was not a man who had "yes" and "no" upon his lips or in his heart at the same time; he was a man of honor and decision. (2 Corinthians 1:15-19.) And of courage, too, in spite of the mean insinuations of his detractors. In spite of his manifold sufferings and sorrows, he does not lose heart, his sense of the glory of the dispensation of which he was a minister and of the yet brighter glory that awaited him bore him up. He claimed to be always of good courage (2 Corinthians 5:6; 2 Corinthians 5:8), and the varied and terrible that he faced without flinching for the gospel’s sake would more than justify the most extravagant claims--dangers on land, on rivers, and on the seas (2 Corinthians 11:25-26). Only a man of unbounded devotion to the cause which he embraced would have voluntarily suffered for it hardships so numerous and terrible--hunger, thirst, cold, imprisonment, stripes, stoning, shipwreck (2 Corinthians 11:20-26), to say nothing of continual exposure to misunderstanding, treachery, and cruel forms of persecution (2 Corinthians 6:4-9). He truthfully describes his life as continual "bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus." (2 Corinthians 4:10-11.) In another aspect it is a warfare, with the mighty weapons of the Spirit he fearlessly faces those high things, in which Judaism abounded, that are exalted against the knowledge of God, and leads them captive. (2 Corinthians 10:4-6.)

In all this high enterprise, he was sustained by a profound sense of his mission as "an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God." (2 Corinthians 1:1.) His God-given commission was to carry the gospel to the Gentiles, to Syria, to Greece, and beyond Greece (2 Corinthians 10:16), and to the farthest western confines of the world (Romans 15:24). He moved from place to place on his triumphant missionary career (2 Corinthians 2:14), conscious that he had been enabled by the grace of God to be a competent minister of Christ (3:5, 6), and he sees the success of his work with a deep and humble satisfaction. To the Corinthians he says "Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men" (2 Corinthians 3:2); he needs and asks for no higher commendation than that. He gloried in them (2 Corinthians 7:14; 2 Corinthians 9:3), and is overjoyed when, by their exhibition of true Christian conduct on a critical occasion, they have shown to the world that he but spoke the truth (2 Corinthians 7:4; 2 Corinthians 7:14).

He was a man of the intensest sympathy. He shared the weakness of the weak, and burned with indignant shame when a brother was caught in the snare of sin. (2 Corinthians 11:2; 2 Corinthians 11:9.) He loved those whom he had brought to Christ (2 Corinthians 11:11), and was ever ready to spend and be spent for their souls (2 Corinthians 12:15);and never was there a baser slander than which it was hinted that he had helped himself to money which they had collected for the poor (2 Corinthians 12:16-18)--"I seek not yours, but you" (2 Corinthians 12:14). The wonderful delicacy of his mind came out in the plea which he made for a liberal collection for the poor saints in Judaea. Money is never once mentioned. The contribution he solicited was set in the light of Christian privilege (chs. 8, 9), its spiritual value was glorified as a bond of union between the Gentile and Jewish Christians (2 Corinthians 9:12-14), and the Corinthian liberality was stimulated by being brought into comparison with the infinite condescension of Christ in exchanging for their sakes the heavenly riches for the poverty of an earthly career (2 Corinthians 8:9).

He spoke to his brethren out of the fullness of his warm open heart (2 Corinthians 6:11); but when the occasion demanded it, he was a master of irony. Disappointed at the ease with which the Corinthians had allowed themselves to be imposed upon by their opponents, he ironically bespeaks an indulgent hearing for himself as, like a foolish one, he recounts his claims; their patience with his opponents showed that they tolerated foolish ones with pleasure and well they might, as they were so wise themselves. (2 Corinthians 11:16-19.) He was a brave man, he admits elsewhere, but he did not have the courage to compare himself with his opponents; in boasting he knew well that he was no match for them. (2 Corinthians 10:12-16.) He sarcastically suggests that he was perhaps guilty of a sin in accepting no remuneration from the Corinthians for his services in proclaiming the gospel to them (2 Corinthians 11:7), and asked them to forgive him this wrong (2 Corinthians 12:13).

It is clear from these expressions that the tension between Paul and the Judaizing faction was tense. Any resentment of his authority that may have been created by his peremptory order regarding the incestuous man (1 Corinthians 5:1-8) must have been deeply intensified by the Judaizers, and this accounts, in part, for the large space devoted to them (chs. 10-13). He had, as with the Galatians, to assert vigorously and unambiguously that apostolic authority which had been conferred upon him by the Lord himself, and whose ultimate object was the building up of the church. (2 Corinthians 10:8; 2 Corinthians 13:10.) He had no alternative but to deal severely with his opponents, for the honor and the safety were at stake. They were preaching another gospel (2 Corinthians 11:4) which was no gospel (Galatians 1:6-7);and the deep contrast between the two dispensations represented respectively by himself and them was present to his mind, and stung him into an assault upon all who would wantonly rob the gospel of its freedom and glory (2 Corinthians 3:1-18). He spoke with plainness, with fearlessness, and with power, as a minister of the new covenant (2 Corinthians 3:6) and an ambassador on behalf of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). The love of Christ constrained him (2 Corinthians 5:14) Christ who is the great realization of the promises of God (2 Corinthians 1:20), Christ who, though he was rich, yet for our sakes became poor (8:9), Christ, in whom the old things are passed away, and behold! they are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17), Christ, the Emancipator, the Redeemer, the glorious Lord (2 Corinthians 3:18). It was this sublime conception of Christ that explains the earnestness of Paul’s propaganda, his solicitude for the churches that were threatened by the insidious sophistries of the Judaizers, and his uncompromising assault upon them.

The contrast certainly was very remarkable between the physical weakness and the spiritual power of Paul. The precious treasure, as he said, was contained in an earthen vessel. (2 Corinthians 4:7.) Beaten and bruised as he had been by land and on the sea, worn down by his ceaseless anxiety for the churches he had founded (2 Corinthians 11:28), suffering from an incurable infirmity which impeded the progress of his work (2 Corinthians 12:7-9), he literally was dying daily, and even may have looked like a dying man. Yet what a superb impression the epistle leaves upon us of spiritual power. He could accept with joy the refusal of an answer to the most deeply earnest prayers of his life, because his unremoved infirmity gave the most abundant scope to the operation of the grace of Christ within him. (2 Corinthians 12:8-10.)

He enjoyed unique spiritual experiences, in which the other world was as close and real to him as this, and the glories of Paradise were as vivid as the thorn that tormented his flesh (2 Corinthians 12:1-10); but he was fully conscious of the special temptations to pride that accompanied special gifts and experiences, and he had the grace to interpret his infirmity sent to prevent his being "exalted overmuch" (2 Corinthians 12:7). He felt that though the outward man was decaying, the inward man was being renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16), and he learned to face the prospects of his own death with quietness and confidence. In the face of death, then, as of danger, he was always of good courage. (2 Corinthians 5:6-8.) He saw beyond the light affliction to the eternal weight of glory. (2 Corinthians 4:17.)

SECOND EPISTLE TO
THE CORINTHIANS
J.W. McGarvey

INTRODUCTION.

Having dispatched his first Epistle to the Corinthians by their returning messengers (1 Corinthians 16:17-18), and having, as it appears, sent Titus with them as his own messenger (comp. 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 and 2 Corinthians 8:6), Paul became exceedingly anxious as to the effect which his letter would have, and, to get earlier news from it, he advanced from Ephesus to the seacoast at Troas, where he expected to meet Titus. But when Titus did not come, though Paul found "a door opened to him" in Troas, his spirits were so intolerably oppressed by forebodings of evil as to the situation at Corinth, that he crossed over the sea into Macedonia to learn what had occurred there. Here, possibly at Philippi, he meets with Titus, and this second Epistle is called forth by the report which Titus brought (2 Corinthians 2:12-13; 2 Corinthians 7:5-7). The first Epistle was written from Ephesus in the spring of A. D. 57, and this one from Macedonia, probably in September or October of the same year. It shows that Titus reported that the majority of the church was with Paul, accepted him as an apostle, read his message with fear and trembling, received his rebukes with grief, and sought to obey his instructions with holy zeal, promptly excommunicating the incestuous man (7:7-14). But there was still a dangerous and defiant minority for Paul to subdue, an evil influence for him to break down, and this second Epistle is written because of this party. This minority, which existed when the first Epistle was written, had apparently been re-enforced by Judaizers, who came from Jerusalem bearing what purported to be letters of commendation from some high authority. This minority denounced Paul with unscrupulous boldness. They accused him of cowardice, in that he had not come to Corinth, insinuating [167] that he preferred to keep at a distance and thunder in his letters, because he knew that he was weak and contemptible if present. With wanton brazenness they struck at his apostolic authority, asserting that he had no authentic commission, and not even commendatory letters from Jerusalem. They accused him of lying in regard to his journeys and visits, and being so vacillating in his statements and purposes as to be wholly untrustworthy. These, and other charges and innuendoes, were so bold in their character, so gross in their nature and so dangerous in their significance that, for the good of the cause, Paul felt impelled to write this defense. Being strongly emotional from end to end, it is in style the most difficult of all Paul’s Epistles, and it is also the least systematic; but the following analysis is fairly satisfactory. Part I. The maintenance of his genuine apostleship (chs. 1-7). This part is addressed more particularly to that section of the church which was loyal, or even friendly, in its attitude toward him. It is divisible into two subdivisions: (1) Defense against the charge of being unreliable because he had changed his plans as to the time and direction of his journey to visit them, and had apparently contradicted himself (chs. 1, 2). (2) A discussion of his apostolic office (chs. 3-7). Part II. Exhortations as to the offerings for the Judæan poor (chs. 8, 9). Part III. A measurement of his life, powers, ability, etc., with those who opposed and defamed him (chs. 10-13). This part is addressed more particularly to those who held him in doubt, and those who openly defied him, and may be subdivided as follows: (1) Preliminary suggestions as to the measurement (ch. 10-11:21). (2) The measurement in detail (ch. 11:22-13). The Epistle differs very greatly in its tone, passing from the warmest affection to the most startling menace, because the apostle is sometimes addressing the penitent majority, and sometimes the refractory minority. [168]

THANKS FOR COMFORT. DEFENSE AS TO
CHANGE OF PLANS
J.W. McGarvey

2Co 1:1-22.

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints that are in the whole of Achaia: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. [Since Paul’s apostleship was in dispute, and since it seems to have been insinuated that he ought to have had a letter from the apostles or some others, commending him as such (2 Corinthians 3:1), he begins by asserting that he is such through the will of God, and hence needs no human commendation. He joins Timothy with him in the letter, since this young man had assisted in founding the church at Corinth. Anciently Achaia was the northern strip of the Peloponnese, and in this restricted sense Paul appears to have used it at 1 Corinthians 16:15, for he there calls Stephanas the "firstfruits of Achaia." But in the times in which Paul wrote, Achaia was a Roman province embracing all the countries south of Macedonia, and having Corinth as its capital. Since Paul uses the word "whole," it is likely that Paul means this larger Achaia which included Athens, and of which [169] Dionysius the Areopagite, or some other Athenian, was the "firstfruits" (Acts 17:34). As Corinth was the political capital of the region, Paul treated it as the religious headquarters, and addressed all the Achaians through it that any who came to the capital might feel a personal interest in his letter, and read or make copies of it.] 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father [fountain, source--Psalms 86:15; Ephesians 1:17] of mercies and God of all comfort; 4 who comforteth us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort them that are in any affliction, through the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. [Paul regarded affliction as a school wherein one who is comforted of God is thereby instructed and fitted to become a dispenser of comfort unto others. He blesses God for such lofty and blessed instruction.] 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound unto us, even so our comfort also aboundeth through Christ. [By "sufferings of Christ" Paul means the persecutions, etc., suffered for Christ’s sake. As Christ himself suffered while on the earth, so the church, his mystical body, must likewise suffer while in the flesh (Philippians 3:17; Galatians 2:20; Hebrews 3:13; 1 Peter 4:13; Acts 9:4). It does this because it lives as he did, and its work is in a sense supplemental to his (Colossians 1:24; John 17:14; John 18:19-20). It is comforted by the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-18), with the sense of the present love of Christ, and assured hope of reward; a sense of increased power to assist and comfort others; a trust that all things are working together for good (ch. 4:17). The measure of affliction becomes also the measure of comfort.]

6 But whether we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or whether we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which worketh in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer [if, therefore, we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation which is accomplished through the influence of our teaching and example; or if we are comforted, the comfort is given to us for your benefit and profit, that you may receive from us that comfort which causes you to endure with [170] patience the same suffering which we also suffer]: 7 and our hope for you is stedfast; knowing that, as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so also are ye of the comfort. [And we have a firm hope with regard to you, that if Christ has comforted us in our affliction, so will he comfort you, if you partake of our sufferings. The phrases "same sufferings which we also suffer" and "partakers of the sufferings," suggest that Paul may have meant an identity rather than a similarity of suffering. The loyal part of the Corinthian church which he is now addressing, no doubt had in a large measure an identity of suffering, for, by taking part with the apostle, they exposed themselves to the same detraction, contempt, etc., which the pestilential minority were visiting upon him. As the comfort of Christ enabled him to be stedfast, he had an unwavering hope that this same comfort would enable his friends also to be loyal and stedfast. His own stedfastness had been recently tested to the uttermost, but the comforting help of Christ had caused the test to increase his stedfastness. Of this test, and its resulting influence of faith and confidence, he now tells them.]

8 For we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning our affliction which befell us in Asia, that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, insomuch that we despaired even of life: 9 yea, we ourselves have had the sentence [or answer] of death within ourselves [i. e., when we asked ourselves, "Can we possibly live?" we were compelled in our hopelessness to answer, "No; we must die"], that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raiseth the dead: 10 who delivered us out of so great a death, and will deliver: on whom we have set our hope that he will also still deliver us; 11 ye also helping together on our behalf by your supplication; that, for the gift [of special deliverance] bestowed upon us by means of many [who prayed for us], thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf. [Your prayers aided to save our life; and our life, thus saved, may save and bless many, and so cause them to glorify God. The troubles to which the apostle here refers as [171] befalling him in Asia, were evidently those which culminated in the riot at Ephesus (Acts 19:23-41; Acts 20:1). Since Paul was accustomed to make light of ordinary physical danger, and since he did not go into the theater, and since they find nothing on the face of Luke’s record which indicates that Paul suffered any anguish or any other discomfiture at that time, some commentators have sought to find some other danger or distress assailing him, and, failing to find it, they have set about inventing it. This has led to all manner of extravagant and unseemly absurdities, and to assertions that the apostle had cancer, paralysis, epileptic fits, etc. Those learned in books are very often deficient in the knowledge of human nature; but one skilled in the latter knows that no man could pass through Paul’s experience at Ephesus without undergoing immense excitement, constant anxieties and most depressing nervous reaction. If Luke makes no mention of such things as part of the incidents at Ephesus, neither does he mention them elsewhere. He busied himself with the external, not with the consequent distresses of the apostle. One searches his writings in vain for most of that long list of hardships which Paul gives in chapter 11. But Paul himself tells of these anxieties and sufferings (Acts 20:19; Acts 20:27; Acts 20:31; 1 Corinthians 15:32 and note). Had it been any sickness he would likely have mentioned it, and he would hardly in that case have used the expression "so great a death" when referring to it. Death by any natural means was not sufficiently repugnant to Paul for him to use such language (2 Corinthians 5:2; Philippians 1:23). That he contents himself with describing his troubles in this general way is itself significant, for it shows that the apostle thought it would be amply sufficient for the information of the Corinthians. The gossip of merchants and travelers would have acquainted Corinth with the great hubbub which had been raised about Diana and idolatry in Ephesus, and it was prudent in Paul to speak of and commit himself as to his part in it in just such indefinite terms; for his letter would be widely circulated. Having spoken of his life as worth saving, he next takes up that thought, and tells why he dares to speak of himself in this [172] apparently boastful or glorifying manner.]

12 For our glorying is this, the testimony of our conscience [it is often appealed to by Paul--Acts 23:1; Acts 24:16; Romans 9:1; 1 Corinthians 4:4], that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we behaved ourselves in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward. 13 For we write no other things unto you, than what ye read [literally, read aloud] or even acknowledge, and I hope ye will acknowledge unto the end: 14 as also ye did acknowledge us in part, that we are your glorying, even as ye also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus. [1 Corinthians 3:13. If my words sound boastful, my conscience justifies me in using them, since I have manifested the holy and sincere life befitting one who is directed of God, and not the life of one who is moved by worldly policy and wisdom, and is void of principle. Such has been my general conduct, and it has been especially so in my dealings with you. Thus the apostle shows himself conscious of the scrutinizing suspicion with which the Corinthians watched all his actions. He knew that to govern such a people he must walk with more than common circumspection. Therefore, with a careful, guarded spirit he had penned his letters to them so that there was nothing in them of doubtful meaning. If we assume, with Conybeare and Howson, that the apostle had been suspected of sending private letters in which he modified the statements of his public epistles, the reading becomes clear and smooth, and runs thus: "I have written you nothing save what has been read in public and generally acknowledged as authoritatively mine, and I hope you will thus acknowledge my epistles to the end of the world, even as part of you acknowledged me to be an apostle, and gloried in me as your teacher, even as I also gloried in you as disciples, in expectation that I would appear with you before the Lord Jesus (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20; Philippians 2:16). By thus placing himself on a level with his disciples in mutual glorying, the apostle removes every semblance of unseemly self-glorification. But the meaning of the passage is practically the same if we merely understand the apostle as appealing from the false constructions [173] placed upon his letters, to the text of the letters, and as asserting that he wrote no words which justified the ambiguous meaning placed upon them. We shall now be told about these ambiguous words.]

15 And in this confidence [i. e., that you gloried in me and I in you, and that we mutually loved each other] I was minded to come first unto you, that ye might have a second benefit [this word implies the spiritual gifts which he bestowed on his visits--comp. Romans 1:11; Romans 15:29]; 16 and by you to pass into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come unto you, and of you to be set forward on my journey unto Judaea. [i. e., trusting in our mutual love, it was my intention to visit you before visiting the Macedonians, that you might have two visits or benefits, one before I went into Macedonia and one when I came out; and I also, trusting in your love, looked to you, instead of to others, to forward me on my journey. The apostle had evidently told the Corinthians of this plan in the lost letter which has already been mentioned. See Introduction to 1 Corinthians, page 49; also 1 Corinthians 5:9. And then he had changed his plan, as we see by 1 Corinthians 16:5-7, and note. This change of plan gave Paul’s enemies a chance to accuse him of unprincipled equivocation, as though he said: (1) "Yes, I will come to you first: no, I will come to the Macedonians first." (2) "Yes, I will pay you two visits: no, I will pay you only one visit." (3) "Yes, I am coming soon: no, I am not coming soon."]

17 When I therefore was thus minded [to come to you first, etc.], did I show fickleness? [in determining to come to you second, etc.] or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be the yea yea and the nay nay? [Do I form and announce my purposes like an unprincipled worldling, who holds his yes and no subservient to his policy or his pleasure; i. e., does as he pleases, without any regard to his pledges or his promises?] 18 But as God is faithful, our word toward you is not yea and nay. 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timothy [Paul’s [174] fellow-laborers in founding the church at Corinth], was not yea and nay, but in him is yea. 20 For how many soever be the promises of God, in him is the yea: wherefore also through him is the Amen, unto the glory of God through us. 21 Now he that establisheth us with you in Christ, and anointed us, is God; 22 who also sealed us, and gave us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. ["Every one when he is perfected shall be as his teacher," said Jesus (Luke 6:40). Paul has this truth in mind, and his meaning is as follows: "As God the teacher is a promise-keeper whose yea is absolute, unchangeable and immutable, so also am I, his pupil, a promise-keeper, a yea-man. I showed my approval of promise-keeping, and likewise taught you the value of such a characteristic, in that I, together with my colleagues, preached Christ as he is--a promise-keeper. For God, no matter how varied his promises, is indeed a promise-keeper, so that he has begotten in us that assurance of faith which causes us to say an expectant amen to all his promises, and to glorify him by living as in anticipation of their fulfillment. Such a God could never indorse a promise-breaker, but God has indorsed me. He has established me, with you, in Christ, and by anointing me he has set me apart to the apostolic office, and has sealed me as his own, and has given me the earnest of the Spirit. If I am thus his apostle and still recognized as his, then am I like him, and raised above suspicion of being a pledge-breaker." The seal was then a sign or symbol indicating ownership (Acts 9:15; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:30; Revelation 7:3; Revelation 9:4). False apostles might attempt to prove their claims by insufficient evidence, such as letters of recommendation, but Paul was truly certified as such by the unction of the Spirit (Acts 9:17; 1 John 2:20). Earnest money was a partial payment given to bind a contract, or given to a servant to encourage and stimulate his faithfulness. As a servant might exhibit such earnest-money in proof of his employment, so Paul pointed to the power of the Spirit in his life as an evidence that he was in the divine service. [175]

EXPLANATION AS TO CHANGE OF PLANS. AS TO
THE INCESTUOUS PERSON A PEAN OF JOY.
J.W. McGarvey

2 Corinthians 1:23 to 2 Corinthians 2:17.

[Having first argued that he could not be guilty of duplicity because of the very nature of his relationships to the true and faithful God, Paul in this section answers the charge more specifically by giving such an explanation of his actions as clearly demonstrated his sincerity in the entire premises.] 23 But I call God for a witness upon my soul, that to spare you I forbare to come unto Corinth. 24 Not that we have Lordship over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for in faith ye stand fast.

II. 1 But I determined this for myself, that I would not come again to you with sorrow. 2 For if I make you sorry, who then is he that maketh me glad but he that is made sorry by me? [But I call God, who knows all things, even the searcher of hearts, to look upon the secret purposes of my soul, and to confirm the truth if I speak it, and to testify against and punish me if I lie (Malachi 3:5), that I delayed to come to Corinth in order that you might have time to repent, and show your repentance by obedience; for had I come at the time which I first mentioned to you, I would have been compelled to discipline you, and therefore make you sorry (1 Corinthians 4:21). Not that I have lordship over your faith, for in this realm I am only a fellow-helper of your joy by confirming you in your belief (Romans 15:13; Philippians 1:25); for by your faith you stand as free and independent, full-aged children of God (Galatians 3:23-26; Galatians 4:1-7; Galatians 4:31; Galatians 5:1). But when through lack of faith you fall into sinful practices I must discipline you. But I determined that for my own gladness I would not come speedily so as to bring you sorrow as I did on my last visit. For if I make you sorry, who will make me glad? will I not have made that very people sorry to whom I myself look for gladness?]

3 And I wrote this very thing, lest, when I came, I [176] should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all. 4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be made sorry, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you. [I wrote this very thing to you (viz.: how my coming endangered your joy, and how you must repent before I came (1 Corinthians 4:21); and how I would delay my coming, and come by the long and not the short route (1 Corinthians 16:5-8), lest when I came I should have sorrow from those to whom I looked for joy. And I do look for joy from you, for I have this confidence in you all, that, though many of you oppose me, yet there is none of you that does not desire my personal happiness. Moreover, my feelings at the time of writing are a witness unto God of the spirit in which I wrote, for I wrote out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, which shows that I took no pleasure in thus administering correction. I did not correct you to cause you grief, but that you might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you, and which can not keep quiet when it sees you injuring yourself (Psalms 141:5; Proverbs 27:6). By referring to 1 Corinthians 4:21; 1 Corinthians 5:1, it will be found that the threat of correction at his coming, and the case of the incestuous person, were twin thoughts in the apostle’s mind. The punishment of this offender was one of the principal items that Paul wished them to attend to before he came; in fact, the whole subject of visits, delays, corrections, etc., centered in this offender, and very naturally, therefore, while here explaining the causes for his delay, the case of this incestuous person comes to mind, and the apostle uses him to flood the entire situation with light.]

5 But if any [thus delicately does the apostle introduce this sinner] hath caused sorrow, he hath caused sorrow, not to me, but in part (that I press not too heavily) to you all. [As I have said, I did not write to cause you sorrow. But if the incestuous person has caused you sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but to a large part of you. I will not weigh him down with a greater [177] burden of guilt by saying to whom else he has caused sorrow. The apostle is not to be understood too literally. This sinner had added to the sorrows which he has just mentioned (verse 4). But the apostle’s sorrow was so small compared with the great grief of the Corinthian church as to not be worth mentioning. Comp. Luke 23:28.]

6 Sufficient to such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the many; 7 So that contrariwise ye should rather forgive him and comfort him, lest by any means such a one should be swallowed up with his overmuch sorrow. [Paul’s purpose had been to save this sinner (1 Corinthians 5:5). It seems that a minority had espoused his cause, but the majority had excommunicated him according to the apostle’s instruction at 1 Corinthians 5:13. The apostle here writes that this punishment has already proved sufficient, and should not be continued, but that, on the contrary, the offender should be forgiven, received back and comforted, lest he should be swallowed up by despair, and thus the punishment should defeat the very end for which it was designed. We should note here that excommunication and restoration are actions of the church, and not of the officers.]

8 Wherefore I beseech you to confirm your love toward him. 9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye are obedient in all things. [This shows that Paul had made his instructions concerning the incestuous man a test. If they obeyed him, in this, he could come to them bringing joy: if they disobeyed, their condition would call for further delay and more letters on his part. Where, then, is laid bare before the Corinthians the inner thoughts which were governing the actions of the apostle at the time when he was penning the fifth chapter of his first epistle. They could see now for themselves that their own foolish conduct, and not the fickleness of the apostle, had caused the delay and the change of plan; that so far as the apostle was concerned, he had always intended to visit them, and that all his statements about his visits had been made in good faith. Observe that as the apostle had become the leader in punishment or discipline, he here becomes [178] the leader in forgiveness.]

10 But to whom ye forgive anything, I forgive also: for what I also have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, for your sakes have I forgiven it in the presence of Christ; 11 that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan: for we are not ignorant of his devices. [There is a close correlation between verse 10 and 1 Corinthians 5:3. There Paul identified himself with the church, and, though absent, anticipated its action and acted with it. Here he ratifies beforehand the action which he bids it take. There he acted in the name of the Lord and here he does it in the presence of Christ. He forgives the sinner for the sake of the church, that he may not be lost to the church. When a church, through carelessness in exercising mercy and forgiveness, loses a member, it is permitting Satan to overreach it. Paul was too well versed in Satan’s methods to be thus outwitted by that adversary.]

12 Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ [i. e., intending to preach], and when a door [an opportunity--1 Corinthians 16:9 and note] was opened unto me in the Lord, 13 I had no relief for my spirit [worrying about you], because I found not Titus my brother [who had agreed to bring me word about you, and meet me at Troas]: but taking my leave of them [the brethren at Troas], I went forth into Macedonia. [hoping to meet Titus there. For fuller details of Paul’s movements and intentions see the Introduction. The relief which came to him in Macedonia when he met Titus causes him at this point to break forth into an expression of thanksgiving. But as it does not at this time suit his purpose to give a detailed statement of his reason for thankfulness, he curbs his rising emotion and directs his thought in another channel.]

14 But thanks be unto God, who always leadeth us in triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest through us the savor of his knowledge in every place. 15 For we are a sweet savor of Christ unto God, in them that are saved, and in them that perish; 16 to the one a savor from death unto death; to the other a savor from life unto life. And who is [179] sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not as the many, corrupting the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, speak we in Christ. [But thanks be unto God for the relief which we received in Macedonia. And God’s readings are ever thus. He leads us as a bound, anxious, trembling captive in his triumphal procession, but is constantly showing us mercy; for the procession is the triumph of Christ. He leads us in this procession as a priest bearing a censer, of which the gospel is the incense, giving forth, as a sweet-smelling savor, the knowledge of Christ at Ephesus, Troas, Macedonia or every place whither he leads us. Yea, we ourselves (because Christ liveth in us--Philippians 1:21) are a sweet savor of Christ unto God, both to them that are saved and to them that perish. To the one the incense of our presence is a deadly savor, and to the other a veritable source of life, for we make them all conscious of the triumph of Christ of which they are part. Now in every triumph some captives know that they are being led to death, and others that they are approaching the moment of forgiveness and life, and of these fates the incense keeps them in mind. And who, therefore, is sufficient to the task of being such a warning, despair-dealing, hope-dispensing, life-giving savor? who is able to preach this gospel of life and death befittingly? Realizing our insufficiency to such a task, we nevertheless do our best, for we are not like the many who oppose us ready to adulterate the word of God to make it popular or to suit our own selfish ends; but, discharging our duty in all sincerity as men inspired of God, and laboring in the sight of God, we speak under authority of Christ. It will be remembered that Paul wrote these words in an age when all the world was familiar with the glorious pageantry of a Roman triumph. When L. Mummius had conquered Corinth, the procession in his honor was one of the most splendid which the world had ever seen. In A. D. 51, just a short while before Paul penned these words, the emperor Claudius had celebrated his triumph over the Britons, and their king Caractacus was led in the triumph, but was spared. Ordinarily when the victor reached the capitol it was [180] the signal for the slaying of many of the captives in his honor, and for the forgiveness of others. Thus the incense of the procession which permeated the air, and kept the captives conscious of the nature of the journey on which they marched, was redolent with hope or sorrow, according to the expectations held out to them by their victors. The phrases "from death unto death" and "from life unto life" are regarded by some as mere Hebrew superlatives; but "from" indicates source: the meaning therefore is, the gospel, which arises from Christ and which is preached through us, is to the unbelieving, but the incense arising from one crucified and dead, and so it is to them a savor from the dead and producing death. But to the believing it is a savor from the living, producing life.]

APOSTLESHIP ABOVE HUMAN COMMENDATION,
AND THE MINISTRY OF MOSES
J.W. McGarvey

2 Corinthians 3:1-18

[The closing verse of the preceding chapter was capable of being construed as an outburst of self-laudation, and as the apostle well knew that his enemies at Corinth accused him of this very vice, and hence would make the most of words susceptible of misconstruction, he anticipates their move by discussing not only his words, but the whole subject of this (apparent) self-glorying.] 1 Are we beginning again [for places where he might be construed as having done so before, see 1 Corinthians 2:6; 1 Corinthians 4:3-4; 1 Corinthians 4:14-16; 1 Corinthians 7:7; 1 Corinthians 9:1-6; 1 Corinthians 9:15; 1 Corinthians 9:19; 1 Corinthians 9:26-27; 1 Corinthians 14:18; 1 Corinthians 16:10] to commend ourselves? or need we, as do some, epistles of commendation to you or from you? [These questions are cuttingly ironical. Evidently his opponents at Corinth had come thither with letters of commendation, either from brethren of repute, or from churches, and had drawn disparaging contrasts between their own formal, official, letter-proved standing in the church, and what they were pleased to describe as Paul’s self-asserted, self-manufactured, [181] boast-sustained standing. The apostle therefore turns the edge of their own weapon against them, and shows how ridiculous their claims to reverence and respect were in comparison with his own. Such powerless creatures needed letters of commendation--it was all they had to commend them! Without letters they would be utter nobodies. But the letter which was the top of their honor did not rise to the level of the bottom of the apostle’s honor. For himself how ridiculous such letters would be! Could he bring a letter to them? it would be like a father seeking introduction and commendation to his own children. Could he ask a letter from them? why, all the knowledge, grace, etc., which made them capable of commending had come from him, their founder, so that their commendation would, after all, be only another form of self-commendation. Could they think that he overpraised himself to them, hoping thus to cozen them into giving him exaggerated, undeserved commendation to others ? Very early the churches learned to grant letters of commendation. See Romans 16:1; Acts 18:27; Acts 15:25; Colossians 4:10; Titus 3:13; but such commendation was always fallible, and liable therefore to abuse--Galatians 1:7; Galatians 2:12.]

2 Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men; 3 being made manifest that ye are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in tables that are hearts of flesh. [Do we need an epistle to any one? Surely not while you exist as a church which we have founded, for ye are our epistle copied by the hand of love in our hearts, so that everywhere we go your conversion vouches for us, that we are true messengers of God. For as men learn of you, either by acquaintance with you as the original epistle, or from what our own heart’s copy holds recorded about you, it becomes manifest to them that ye are an epistle of which Christ is the author and dictator; of which I am the amanuensis, or earthly penman; of which the fleshly tables of the heart--the very sources of life itself--are that which receives and holds the message; and the Holy Spirit, the means employed to convey, impress, and make [182] abiding the message. All men, seeing your transformed lives, read you as such an epistle; and as ye are my fruit in the Lord, so they need no other commendation of me (Matthew 7:16). The presentation of life under the figure of a writing was familiar to Old Testament readers (Ezekiel 36:26; Jeremiah 31:33; Proverbs 3:3; Proverbs 7:3). Some have thought that Paul uses the contrast between stone and heart as a reference to Ezekiel 36:26; but his use of the word "tables," and the context, forbids such a reference. Paul has the tables of the law in mind, and introduces the idea here that he may lead up to the comparison which begins at verse 6.]

4 And such confidence have we through Christ to God-ward: 5 not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God; 6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit [i. e., not a minister of the old, legal dispensation, but of the new, spiritual dispensation]: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. [And I have such bold assurance through Christ that God will thus consider you to be my epistle. Not that I am sufficient of myself to account myself as having truly done any part of that which makes you an epistle, save as I have received the power from God. The truth which, written in your hearts, has thus transformed you, is wholly of God; so that our ability or sufficiency to write such an epistle as ye are, is all from God, who made us thus sufficient by calling us to be ministers of that new covenant which performs such wonders of regeneration, instead of calling us to be (as my Judaizing opponents ever seek to coerce me to be) a minister of the old covenant. This old covenant was given in letters graven on stone, and hence was a law of letters governing us wholly from without. But the new covenant, though also committed to writing, and hence in a sense external to us, is a code of principles governing us from within, through the power of the Holy Spirit. This law of letters without could only bring upon us condemnation and death (Romans 7:7-11; 1 Corinthians 15:56); but this law of the spirit within us (verse 2) gives us life [183] (Romans 2:27-29; Romans 6:4; Romans 6:11; Romans 8:2; Romans 8:10-11; 1 Corinthians 15:45; Galatians 5:18). The contrast in verse 6 is not between the outward and inward sense of Scripture, but between the outward and inward power of those two great dispensations, Jewish and Christian. That perversion of the passage which gave it the former meaning, has been used to countenance those baneful allegorical interpretations of Scripture which have been the pest of the church from the days of Origen to the present time. Having shown that the minister of the new covenant had a power not enjoyed by that of the old, Paul proceeds to show that he likewise has a glory (and Paul’s enemies were criticizing him for glorying) not enjoyed by any minister of the old dispensation; no, not even by Moses himself.]

7 But if the ministration of death, written [literally, "in letters"], and engraven on stones, came [was introduced] with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly upon the face of Moses for the glory of his face [Exodus 34:29-35]; which glory was passing away: 8 how shall not rather the ministration of the spirit be with glory? 9 For if the ministration of condemnation hath glory, much rather doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10 For verily that which hath been made glorious hath not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasseth. 11 For if that which passeth away was with glory, much more that which remaineth is in glory. [If the old covenant which brought death glorified its introducing minister, so that the face of Moses shone as he brought it from God to the people, and glowed so resplendently that the children of Israel could not look steadily at him (though we should note in passing that this glory was of a temporary, evanescent nature); is it not more to be expected that the initiatory ministers of that new covenant which brings life shall be glorified? For if there was glory in ministering under that covenant which brought condemnation, much more is there glory in ministering under that which brings justification through righteousness. For even though the old covenant was made glorious it had no glory in respect to or comparison [184] with the new covenant by reason of the excelling glory of the latter. For if that which was outshone is glorious, much more is that glorious which outshines it and continues to obscure it. Paul’s language suggests the rising sun. Before he comes the stars seem glorious, yet they have no glory in comparison with him. If they are glorious, much more is the king of day glorious, who, by his superior brightness, reminds all their glittering orbs to darkness.]

12 Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech, 13 and are not as Moses, who put a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel should not look stedfastly on the end of that which was passing away: 14 but their minds were hardened: for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remaineth, it not being revealed to them that it is done away in Christ. 15 But unto this day, whensoever Moses is read, a veil lieth upon their heart. 16 But whensoever it shall turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away. [The word "end" in verse 13 is the bone of contention in this passage. It has two meanings: (1) The termination or stopping-point. (2) The purpose, design or ultimate result. Macknight, Alford and others give it the first meaning, and construe Paul as saying that Moses covered his face that the children of Israel might not see the termination of the glory, as it faded from his face. But this construction limits the typical concealment to the mere fact that the Mosaic dispensation was to pass away, and is not large enough for Paul’s thought, as is shown by the context. Cameron, Barnes, etc., give it the second meaning, which we have embodied in the following paraphrase: "In dealing with the glory of our ministration we do not veil our meaning in types and shadows, as Moses showed that he did with his ministration, when he typically concealed the glory of his face by putting a veil upon it. He concealed the meaning of his ministration that the children of Israel should not look stedfastly on Christ, the end or fulfillment of that dispensation or law which was typically passing away in the fading glory of Moses’ face (now, Christ is thus the end of Moses’ [185] law--Romans 10:4); but the true hindrance was not the typical veil worn by Moses, but the real veil on the minds of the people, who were dull of understanding and sinfully hardened, so that from the very beginning they understood not his dispensation, nor do they yet, for even now when the law is read the great truth is not revealed to them that it is all done away, having ended in Christ. But unto this day, whensoever Moses is read, a veil is upon their heart, and they do not see that Moses preaches Christ. But whensoever the Jewish nation shall turn to the Lord, then the veil is taken away, and they see that the end or purpose of the law is to lead to Christ."--Galatians 3:24.]

17 Now the Lord is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. [Now, Jesus is that Spirit or new covenant of which I have been speaking (2 Corinthians 3:3; 2 Corinthians 3:6; 2 Corinthians 3:8); and where that new covenant is, there is liberty, especially the liberty of seeing. Those living under Moses, as I have said, are veiled so that they can not see Christ in their dispensation, but all we who live under the new covenant see the glory of Christ with unveiled faces as he is mirrored in that new covenant--our dispensation; and our faces, like that of Moses, are transformed at the sight, reflecting the glory of what we see even as the glory shines upon us from the Lord, who is indeed the very covenant itself. However, none of the ministers of Christ, not even the apostles (2 Corinthians 5:16), continually beheld Christ glorified as an objective reality, for it is only in our future state that we shall thus look upon him, and that look will fully effect the transformation into his likeness which our knowledge of him in the gospel has been slowly working out within us during our earthly life--John 17:24; 1 John 3:2; Colossians 3:3-4; Romans 8:17; Philippians 3:12-14; Colossians 1:27.] [186]

THE HOPE OF FUTURE GLORY
SUSTAINS IN PRESENT TRIALS.
J.W. McGarvey

2 Corinthians 4:1 to 2 Corinthians 5:10.

[Having shown that the Christian ministry is superior to the Mosaic, Paul, in this section, enlarges upon the two antithetical phases of that ministry, showing that viewed carnally it leads to the severest suffering and to death, while, viewed spiritually, it leads to ever-increasing life, culminating in celestial and eternal glory. The prospect of this blessed culmination enables the minister to sustain his present distress without fainting.] 1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtain mercy, we faint not [having been forgiven for prosecuting the church, and having been graciously called to this glorious ministry of the open vision, we are moved and inspired to holy courage and perseverance]: 2 but we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. [This verse contrasts the true Christian ministry with that false form of it employed by Paul’s enemies. They, preaching from selfish motives, had sought to undermine Paul’s influence by calumny, by crafty perversions of his statements, and by adulterating the gospel with obsolete Judaism. Paul, on the contrary, had practiced nothing which shame would prompt him to hide, had used no crooked or partisan arts, had taught nothing in private which he did not teach in public; and had, by his open, candid frankness in presenting the truth, commended himself to every variety of conscience, behaving himself as in the sight of God.]

3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in them that perish: 4 in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of [187] Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them. [These words are called out by the word in "every" found in verse 2. The apostle anticipates that some Jew would challenge his statement, asserting that the gospel was as much veiled to him and his brethren, as Paul had above asserted the law to be (3:7-18). Paul replies that their failure to acknowledge the truth may indeed form an exception, but does not weaken his general assertion, since the obscurity lies in their own bigotry-closed eyes and not in the truth presented to them. The fault lay, not in the nature of the gospel, but in their own nature. By unbelief they had fallen into Satan’s power, and he had blinded them (just as, conversely, those who believe are enlightened by the Spirit). The completeness and hopelessness of their blindness is made most apparent by the glorious luminosity of the divine gospel which they failed to perceive. Some have been needlessly puzzled by this passage, because Paul called Satan a "god." The apostle does not mean to attribute divinity to the devil. Satan is not a god properly, but is merely one in reference to those who have sinfully made him such. Paul calls him a god as he would call an idol a god; it being only such in the eyes of its worshipers. (Comp. Philippians 3:19.) The phrase is equivalent to "prince of this world," found at John 12:31; John 14:30; John 16:11, though in John the word kosmos, or space-world, is used, while here it is the word aioon, or time-world. He is prince over this world of space, and prince also over that time-world which began with the fall of Adam and closes at the second advent. One of the methods by which Satan blinds the eyes will be found at John 5:44. South pithily remarks, "When the malefactor’s eyes are covered, he is not far from execution" (Esther 7:8).

5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 Seeing it is God, that said, Light shall shine out of darkness [Genesis 1:3; Isaiah 60:1-2], who shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. [From such passages as [188] 1 Corinthians 2:6-7; 1 Corinthians 4:16; 1 Corinthians 11:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; 1 Thessalonians 2:4; 1 Thessalonians 3:9; Galatians 4:12; Philippians 3:17, Paul might have been accused of preaching himself; but he had preached himself as a servant (1 Corinthians 9:19). Paul’s rivals had preached themselves and had sought to make the preaching a contest between him and them. Paul declines this contest, and declares that it is his business to reflect the light of Christ which has shone in his heart; for God sent his Son to be the light of earth’s darkness. The apostle here alludes to the glorified face of the Christ which appeared to him on the way to Damascus. After such a vision it was impossible that Paul could look upon himself as any other than a reflector of the true Light which was sent from God. It was also impossible that he should regard the face of Moses as comparable with it. Moreover, the prophecy spoke of but one light, and took no account of Moses.]

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves [We, in our mortal bodies, hold the divine and heavenly truth. God has thus committed his gospel to men that it may be evident to all that it is from him. The power of the gospel so transcends that of the human agent who preaches it as to make it apparent to all that the preacher is but an agent performing duties which are beyond the compass of his own unaided faculties. Farrar sees in this a reference to the torches of Gideon’s pitchers, but the word "treasure" evidently changes the figure, so that Paul no longer speaks of the gospel as a light. Besides, the Gideon incident conveys the idea of concealment, which is not in Paul’s thoughts. The apostle is here supposing that some one will object to his high claims for the Christian ministry, asserting that the humiliations and sufferings endured by the apostle refute the idea that he can be an ambassador of God. His answer is that God put the treasure in an earthen vessel in order that the survival of the perishing vessel when subjected to all manner of vicissitudes might prove the value, in the sight of God, of the treasure within it];

8 we are pressed on every side, yet not straitened; perplexed, yet not unto despair; 9 pursued, yet not forsaken; smitten down, yet not destroyed [The apostle again [189] changes his figure, and describes the Christian minister as a warrior defending a divine treasure. His enemies press upon him very closely, yet still leave him room to wield his weapons. He is greatly disturbed in mind because of his imperiled position, yet does not lose hope; as the conflict grows more strenuous he seeks refuge in flight, but feels that Providence has not forsaken him; finally the overtaking enemy strikes him down, and would overcome him, did not God deliver him for the sake of the treasure committed to his defense];

10 always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you. [The apostle has been speaking of having and holding the knowledge of God in a mortal body. But the knowledge of God brings with it the eternal life that is within God, so that to have divine knowledge is to have divine life (1 John 1:3; 1 John 5:19). The knowledge of verse 6, therefore, gives place in this passage to the life which it produces. The minister of Christ, having in him the life of Christ (Galatians 2:20), becomes in a large measure a reduplication of the life and experiences of Christ. He is, as it were, constantly dying and being resurrected. With Paul death was a matter of daily experience (1 Corinthians 15:31). But by thus constantly dying and yet continuing to live, Paul typically re-enacted the crucifixion and resurrection of the Lord. By surviving so many trials he made it evident to the world that he was sustained by a life other than human, viz.: the life of Jesus. Moreover, the daily sacrifice of the life of Paul, like the sacrifice of Christ, worked out life and blessing for others, notably the Corinthians, to whom he wrote.]

13 But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written [Psalms 116:10], I believed, and therefore did I speak; we also believe, and therefore also we speak [having the same spirit of faith which was in the Psalmist who proclaimed his faith despite his afflictions, we preach right [190] on despite all opposition]; 14 knowing that he that raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also with Jesus, and shall present us with you. [The daily preservation of his weak body was to the apostle an earnest, as it were, of the final resurrection, and the hope of this resurrection, in company and fellowship with the Corinthians, as the fruit of his labors, encouraged him to speak out and proclaim the gospel despite all forms of persecution.] 15 For all things are for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound unto the glory of God. [The whole gospel ministry is for the sake of the believer, for the believer is the recipient of the grace of God, and the returner of thanks to God. God is glorified in him both by the grace which he bestows upon him and the thanksgiving which he receives from him. It therefore follows that the more believers there are, the more grace there is bestowed and the more thanksgiving there is received, and hence the more God is glorified.]

16 Wherefore [because each death is followed by a co-ordinate resurrection] we faint not; but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. [The sacrifice of the carnal ever tends to the increase of the spiritual. The apostle knew that the transfiguration described at 3:18 was perfecting itself daily]. 17 For our light affliction, which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly [Literally, in excess unto excess: a Hebraism: a method of expressing intensity by repetition of the same word. It might well be rendered "an abounding upon an abounding," thus suggesting the idea of progression by upward steps] an eternal weight of glory; 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. [We have here the same law for the Christian which governed the life of Christ (Philippians 2:7-11). If afflictions are viewed with regard to temporal affairs, they seem heavy and profitless; but when we look upon them as part of God’s [191] discipline which prepares us for an unseen world, then they seem light and momentary. In proportion as we keep our eyes upon the future kingdom of God, with its glorious circumstances and modes of existence, our afflictions increase our faith and enlarge our character, and so work out for us a more glorious future. The phrase "eternal weight" suggests a royal garment, richly freighted with ornaments of gold and jewels. Trapp quaintly observes, "For affliction, here’s glory; for light affliction, a weight of glory; for momentary affliction, eternal glory."]

V. 1 For we know that if the earthly house of our tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. [An allusion to the merging of the tabernacle into the temple of Solomon. As the Spirit of God dwelt in the frail tent during the pilgrimage in the wilderness, and afterwards took up his abode in the substantial and immovable temple in the midst of an established city, so the spirit of man sojourns in a tent-dwelling--a mortal body--while on his journey to the new Jerusalem, but at the journey’s end he shall have a "house not made with hands;" i. e., not this present, material body which seems almost within the compass of human construction, but a spiritual body which is utterly beyond it (comp. Mark 14:58). Hence it is also spoken of as "from heaven," to distinguish it from this present body, the substance of which comes from the earth. The present tense "we have" is used, not because our spiritual bodies now exist in organic form (a mechanical view), but to give vivid expression to the certainty of our receiving such bodies (comp. 2 Timothy 4:8); and perhaps also to indicate that in divine contemplation and plan our future bodies are growing and taking form according to the daily growth and development of our inner man.]

2 For verily in this we groan [Romans 7:24; Romans 8:23], longing to be clothed upon with our habitation which is from heaven: 3 if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 4 For indeed we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened; not for that we would [192] be unclothed, but that we would be clothed upon, that what is mortal may be swallowed up of life. [The apostle here expresses two wishes, suited to either contingency which confronted him. If he survived till the Lord’s coming, he longed to be clothed with the spiritual body which the redeemed shall then receive; and expressed the hope that if he survived to that day he would be found clothed in that body, and not be left naked as an outcast (Revelation 3:18). If, on the other hand, it was his lot to die before the Lord came, he wished for the full consummation of God’s purpose. He had no desire to be a disembodied spirit, but he wished to pass through that state to his final spiritual body; just as a seed might say that it did not wish for the germinal death, but was ready to pass through that stage in order to reach its future as a new plant. Paul did not long for divestment, but for the superinvestment of immortality, the swallowing up of the carnal by the spiritual, as in the case of Enoch (Genesis 5:24) and Elijah (2 Kings 2:11). "The transition of figure from building to clothing is very easy, for our clothes are but a tighter house. One is a habit, the other a habitation" (Whedon).

5 Now he that wrought us for this very thing is God, who gave unto us the earnest of the Spirit. [God designed man for such super-investment, and hence placed in him the longing or groaning for its accomplishment. As an infallible guarantee that the longing should be satisfied, he has given to the redeemed an earnest of the Spirit. Having given unto us of his own Spirit, it is a light thing that he should give us the spiritual body (Romans 8:32). 6 Being therefore always of good courage, and knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord 7 (for we walk by faith, not by sight); 8 we are of good courage, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord. [The soul has two homes, a bodily and a spiritual, and the latter is preferable; but the latter is not attained before the resurrection day. In the state between death and resurrection, of which Paul speaks in [193] verse 4, the spirit is with Christ, as we are here informed. Though Christ is with us now while we are in the flesh, yet we walk by faith and have no perception of him. After death we have a spiritual perception of his presence, as Paul’s language indicates; but it is only at the resurrection, when we are fully incorporated in our spiritual body, that we shall see him as he is (1 John 3:2), and know as we are known (1 Corinthians 13:12). The disembodied state, though inferior in happiness to the resurrection glory, is yet preferable to our present state. Though such a condition may be lower than the highest heaven, yet it is "home" and "with the Lord."]

9 Wherefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well-pleasing unto him. 10 For we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad. [Paul’s aspirations caused no laxity as to duty. He tried to so live as to please Christ now, and also when summoned before him; i. e., he strove to please Christ whether conscious of his presence or not, realizing that all his deeds would come to public and open manifestation and judgment. In thus outlining his own course, the apostle gave a salutary warning to his enemies that they should follow his example, and also gave them a tacit notice that, no matter how ill they might use him, they would still find him sustaining the conflict with untiring zeal.]

RECONCILIATION, AND THE
MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION
J.W. McGarvey

2 Corinthians 5:11-21

11 Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest unto God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences. [Knowing therefore what reason there is to fear displeasing God, we do not court his displeasure by abandoning [194] our ministry because men misjudge and slander us, nor by letting our ministry lose its force and power through our indifference to the good opinion of men concerning us; but, on the contrary, we continue in our ministry, and patiently persuade our opponents of our sincerity and integrity when we assert (verse 9) that our sole ambition is to please God. But we do not need to persuade God in this matter, for our hearts are known and manifest to him, and I trust that they are also in like manner manifest to you by reason of this apology which you have caused me to make.]

12 We are not again commending ourselves unto you, but speak as giving you occasion [literally a "starting-point," or, in warfare, "a base of operations"] of glorying on our behalf, that ye may have wherewith to answer them that glory in appearance, and not in heart. [In thus speaking of his manifest righteousness in the sight of God and the church, the language of Paul might be construed as boastful and self-commendatory. To prevent such a misconstruction he tells them plainly that his purpose is to draw a contrast between himself and his opponents, a contrast which Paul’s friends in Corinth might use with telling effect when contending for the superiority of the apostle. Paul’s opponents gloried in those things which were outward, or which made an external show, taking pride in their letters of recommendation, their personal knowledge of Christ in the flesh, their learning and eloquence, their intercourse with the original apostles, their Hebrew descent, circumcision, etc. Paul, on the contrary, gloried in the vital religion of the heart, in that moral and spiritual imitation of Christ which is well pleasing to God, and which delights in the thought that it is constantly manifest to God.]

13 For whether we are beside ourselves, it is unto God; or whether we are of sober mind, it is unto you. [Paul could not appeal to the approval of his character in the sight of God without bringing to his own mind and the mind of his readers the striking difference between the manifestations of divine communion, inspiration, etc., which characterized his own life, and the dry, barren formalism [195] which characterized the lives of his critics; yet he well knew that if his friends gloried in those things wherein his life touched upon the divine, his enemies would sneer at them as mere evidences of insanity and madness. To answer this sneer the apostle sets forth his whole life in its two grand divisions or forms of manifestation, viz.: his insanity and sanity. That which his enemies knew as the insane part of it was wholly devoted to God, and that which was generally recognized as the sane part of it was wholly devoted to the church, and at this time especially directed toward Corinth. Hence it appeared that in neither department of his life was there any room for self-seeking. His friends therefore could answer his enemies thus: "Viewed in one aspect, Paul’s life is wholly devoted to the glory of God, and viewed in another it is utterly sacrificed for us and our salvation. It is evident, therefore, that having but these two ends in view, he can not be seeking self-exaltation." Paul’s opponents looked upon his madness as commencing with his conversion, and in their eyes his ecstasies, visions, revelations, trances, inspiration and mystic intercourse with God and Christ were conclusive evidences that his mind was unbalanced. But the very nature of the phenomena showed a character void of all self-seeking. Paul’s sanity consisted in his sound judgment, forbearance, tact, consideration, charity, etc., in the handling of the churches as is displayed in all his epistles. It is true that in this field the apostle maintains his dignity and authority, but in every instance where he does so, it is for the obvious purpose of directing and benefiting others, and not with any design to exalt himself.]

14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and he died for all, that they that live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who for their sakes died and rose again. [Paul’s life was devoted to Christ, and to man for Christ’s sake. When tempted to swerve from either of these services, Christ’s love for him confined him within the limits of the life of sacrifice which he has described, and which he regarded as [196] prescribed for him by the Lord. His reasons for regarding this life as prescribed for him grew out of his view of the death of Christ. He regarded the death of Christ as representative. As Christ had died as the head of the race, therefore all men had died with him to their sins, and so were obligated to lead self-sacrificing, unselfish, sinless lives for the sake of him who, on their behalf, had died and risen again. Compare Romans 6:1-11; Galatians 5:4; Galatians 2:19-20; Colossians 3:3]

16 Wherefore we henceforth know no man after the flesh: even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more. 17 Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new. [By his spiritual participation in the death and resurrection of Christ, Paul had become a regenerated man, and as such he refused to judge or look upon men after that carnal, superficial, unregenerate method which estimates them according to outward appearances, and not according to their inward spiritual life. In asserting this great principle he is reminded that before his conversion he had known and judged Christ after this carnal fashion. The allusion suggests that if he made a woeful mistake in thus doing, his enemies were even now following in his footsteps in thus judging him, a minister and servant of Jesus Christ. Christian men, being spiritual beings, are to be judged as such. The old standards of the law can not be applied to them; they are not to be accepted because they are children of Abraham, nor rejected because they are Gentiles. To them all things are become new, and they must judge and be judged by the new environment into which the providence of God has brought them.]

18 But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation. [Christ’s love, I say, constrains me to sacrifice for men, and to persuade [197] them when they grossly misconstrue me, and to seek reconciliation with them when they fight against me. For the whole dispensation under which I work is from God, and is an effort on his part to reconcile his human enemies unto himself. When I myself was such an enemy God reconciled me, and gave to me the work or ministry of reconciling others; so that I am obliged, both by a sense of duty and of gratitude, to proclaim to man that God sent Christ to reconcile the world to him through the forgiveness of those trespasses which made them fear and hate him; and that I may not fail in this sacred office I am likewise obliged to persuade men that this ministry of reconciliation is committed to me.]

20 We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God. 21 Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him. [Wherefore, I have no choice in the matter, but must meet enmity with persuasion and an effort at reconciliation; for if men attack me I am not a free and independent man, but an ambassador to Christ the Reconciler; and if they attack my ministry, lo, it also is not mine, but is Christ’s ministry of reconciliation; so on Christ’s behalf I am constrained to seek reconciliation, not with myself alone, but with God. And surely my appeal is not without weight, for it has the constraining power of the love of God--a love manifested in God’s gift of his sinless Son, who was made sin for us that we might be reconciled to God by attaining the righteousness of God in him; i. e., by virtue of our union with him as part of his mystical body.] [198]

INTRODUCTION TO A WARNING,
AND THE WARNING
J.W. McGarvey

2 Corinthians 6:1 to 2 Corinthians 7:1

1 And working together with him we entreat also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain 2 (for he saith, At an acceptable time I hearkened unto thee, And in a day of salvation did I succor thee: behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation) [The apostle here begins to give a warning which is fully set forth later (vs. 14-18). Before giving the warning he pauses to establish his character, influence and authority among them, that his warning may have weight. This establishment of his authority, etc., fills up the intervening space (vs. 3-13). These two verses of introduction will be considered together with the warning itself]:

3 giving no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our ministration be not blamed [The participle "giving" co-ordinates with "entreats" found in verse 1. To give force and effect to his entreaty, Paul conducted himself in the manner described in this and the following verses. It is a well-recognized fact that whenever blame attaches to a minister, his ministry will be weakened, if not neutralized. Without the confidence of the people the minister possesses little power, no matter how extraordinary his talent. Therefore, before proceeding to fully express the matter of his beseeching, the apostle pauses to fully set forth all the pains, cares, suffering, etc., which he had habitually undergone in order to make his beseeching effective];

4 but in everything commending ourselves, as ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 5 in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings [Instead of weakening his ministry by making it blameworthy, Paul had striven to make it commendable by the patient endurance of all manner of trials. Had he shrunk from [199] enduring these trials, he would have been ill qualified to prescribe for others those rules of duty which called for self-sacrifice, one of which rules he is about to lay down for the Corinthians. Paul specifies three classes of sufferings which he endured, and each class contained three members. In the first three the idea of hindrance predominates, and in the second that of violent opposition, and in the third that of hardship. For a sample of Paul’s afflictions see chap. 1:4-11. For necessities arising from his poverty, etc., see Acts 20:34, and compare with incidents in his later life; as, Philippians 4:12 and 2 Timothy 4:13. The word "distresses," which forms the climax of the first triplet, means "extreme pressure" and is used to describe one who is jammed in a corner, or so pressed upon by the multitude that he can not move: it is found at 4:8. For the "stripes" see 11:23-28. The only instance of imprisonment of which Luke tells us is found at Acts 16:24. The imprisonments at Jerusalem, Cæsarea and Rome took place after this was written. As to the tumults, they were the normal incidents of Paul’s daily life (Acts 13:50; Acts 14:19; Acts 26:22; Acts 17:4-5; Acts 18:12; Acts 19:28-29; Acts 21:27-39; Acts 22:22-23; Acts 23:9-10; Acts 27:42, etc.). As to Paul’s wasting labors, see ch. 11:28; 1 Corinthians 4:12; 1 Corinthians 15:10; Acts 20:34; 1 Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:8; Romans 16:12. We may well imagine that so many tumults and such incessant labor would result in many sleepless nights or painful watchings (ch. 11:27); but Paul also labored at night (Acts 20:31; 1 Thessalonians 2:9, etc.). The fastings mentioned were not voluntary, but indicate the unavoidable hunger which came upon him by reason of his incessant ministry. Having rehearsed the sufferings which he endured, the apostle next names six especial gifts or virtues which he manifested while thus enduring]; 6 in pureness [he had lived a holy and chaste life], in knowledge [His sufferings had not perverted his understanding of the gospel, or of God’s plan. As he had endured all temptations to self-indulgence, so had he likewise withstood all those whisperings of Satan which bade him make life easier by compromising the truth which he knew], in longsuffering, in kindness [If he had been loyal in the sight of God, in that he had abstained from self-indulgence and [200] heresy, so he had been faithful toward men in patiently enduring their misconstructions and insults, and in constantly returning good for evil], in the Holy Spirit, in love unfeigned [If Paul’s sufferings had given an appearance of weakness to his life, the Holy Spirit had given it unquestioned power and had crowned his ministry with success (1 Thessalonians 1:5; Romans 15:18-19). And if the Spirit had thus sanctioned his work by outward conquests, he had likewise sanctioned it by inward victories, so that Paul had risen to that love unfeigned which is the supreme gift of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 8:1; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13; Romans 12:9-21; ch. 12:15; 1 Peter 1:22; 2 Peter 1:5-8). From those traits and gifts which were more passive, Paul now turns to enumerate those which were more active],

7 in the word of truth, in the power of God [If Paul had kept his private life in fit condition for the ministry, he had likewise demeaned himself publicly as a true apostle. If he had kept his heart loyal to the truth, he had likewise kept his tongue faithful to the proclamation of it. In exercising discipline he had manifested the fullness of the power of God which was in him--ch. 4:7; 1 Corinthians 2:4-5; 1 Corinthians 4:19-21; Acts 13:9-12]; by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left [The armor of the right hand was offensive, and that of the left was defensive. As a true minister of Christ engaged in the Christian warfare, Paul knew how to strike so as to discipline all real offenders, and he also was well able to defend himself against the attacks of unchristian Jews, etc., and false brethren, who assailed his character as they had here at Corinth],

8 by glory and dishonor [When present in such cities as Philippi, Thessalonica and Corinth, etc., Paul had been held in glory and honor by the converts of his ministry, but had been dishonored by heathens, Jews and Judaizing Christians], by evil report and good report [in his absence those who honored him spoke well of him, and those who dishonored him gave him an evil report]; as deceivers, and yet true [regarded by some as a deliberate cheat and a misleading impostor, yet approved of God and his own conscience as a true apostle]; 9 as unknown, and yet well known [ignored and unrecognized by the rulers and the [201] general public, yet well known by all those in any way interested in the gospel of Christ, either as friends or enemies]; as dying, and behold, we live [the life of the apostle was constantly exposed to death and just as constantly delivered and preserved]; as chastened, and not killed [Paul was being continually schooled and educated by suffering and yet the suffering was not more than he could bear--Psalms 118:18; Hebrews 12:5-10]; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing [having abundant sorrow as to this present life, yet boundless rejoicing in contemplation of the life to come]; as poor, yet making many rich [being penniless indeed in worldly goods, yet able to enrich all men with the knowledge of the grace of God, and the heavenly blessings and benefits resulting and to result from that grace]; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. [As having sacrificed all things for Christ and his gospel (Philippians 3:7-8), and yet sensible of having lost nothing by the exchange, but of having made infinite gain thereby (Matthew 16:25; 1 Corinthians 3:21-22). Such had been the ministry of the apostle on behalf of the Corinthians, and therefore in the next three verses the apostle appeals to them to show to him an affection like that which he has bestowed upon them.]

11 Our mouth is open unto you, O Corinthians, our heart is enlarged. 12 Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own affections. 13 Now for a recompense in like kind (I speak as unto my children), be ye also enlarged. [When Paul had written his former letter his heart had been narrowed by his suspicious as to the loyalty of the Corinthians, and he had spoken to them as with compressed and guarded lips, weighing not only his words, but mindful, as it were, of the tone in which he uttered them. But by their obedience to the instructions which he gave them his confidence in them had been restored, his heart had dilated to its former largeness and wealth of affection toward them, and his mouth had been set free to speak to them unreservedly and openly. If any strained or straitened relations existed between them, they arose from the hearts of the Corinthians themselves. Paul therefore beseeches them to recompense his love with their love, [202] his largeheartedness with corresponding largeness of heart on their part, and he does this in the spirit and with the expectation which a father has when talking with his children. Thus, after the long parenthetical digression which began at verse 3, the apostle comes back to the subject-matter of verses 1 and 2. Having put himself in a proper position to give an admonition, and the Corinthians in the right attitude to receive it, he imparts the warning which he began to introduce in [verse 1.]

14 Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers [a figure drawn from the law--Deuteronomy 22:9-11]: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? [Literally, "worthlessness," "depravity." The term is here used as a synonym for Satan, Who is the impersonation of impurity] or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement hath a temple of God with idols? for we are a temple of the living God; even as God said [Leviticus 26:12; Exodus 29:45; Ezekiel 37:27; Jeremiah 31:1], I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. [In the first epistle to the Corinthians the apostle had reasoned with the church, giving it instruction as to marriage ties between pagans and believers, and as to the social and other fellowships which tempted the Corinthians to take part in idol feasts. In all this his language had been careful and guarded, and he had recognized to the full every principle of Christian liberty involved in these questions. He now lays aside the argumentative reserve which characterized his first letter and tells them plainly that by thus going to the extreme limits of their liberty they are liable to make the grace of God in vain as to them. That life is a brief day of probation wherein they should not hazard their salvation. Then, by a series of short, terse questions he shows the utter folly, the inconsistency and incongruity of every form of alliance which entangles the children of God with the children of the devil. The world has not so improved, and Satan has not so repented, as to in any way nullify, or even weaken, the weight and applicability of this apostolic warning.]

17 Wherefore [203] Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord [Isaiah 52:11], And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you, 18 And will be to you a Father, And ye shall be to me sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. [Hosea 1:10; Isaiah 43:6.]

VII. 1 Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. [By an appeal to the prophets the apostle shows how it was God’s design that his people should avoid all fellowship with unrighteous people in their unrighteous practices. To stimulate them to obedience, God had given them the wonderful promise that he would adopt them as his children if they would obey him in these things. This promise of adoption had been renewed in the new covenant, and belonged to all Christians, and therefore it behooved Christians not to temporize with evil because of any vainglorious desire to display their liberty, lest they should thereby lose the real and eternal glory of being adopted sons and daughters of God.] [204]

AN APPEAL TO BE ACCEPTED
J.W. McGarvey

2 Corinthians 7:2-16

[In this section the apostle appeals to the Corinthians to accept him as a true apostle and minister of Christ, and as persuasive to this end he sets forth his affection for them, his anxiety concerning them, and his joy at learning of their loyalty to him.] 2 Open your hearts to us: we wronged no man, we corrupted no man, we took advantage of no man. [Open your hearts and receive us into your love and confidence, for, despite all that our enemies have said about us, it must be apparent to you when you have sifted their accusations that they have proved nothing which should shake your confidence in us. We have replied to their accusations without in any way dealing unjustly by them, and they have failed to [204] show that we have corrupted any one, either in morals or doctrine, or that we have in any way overreached anybody, or shown any mercenary spirit (1 Corinthians 9:1-6.) Compare Numbers 16:15; 1 Samuel 12:3-5.]

3 I say it not to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die together and live together. [I do not say these things as though I would complain of you that you are so ungrateful and unjust as to accuse me of them. I am merely defending myself and not condemning you. I have no desire to do the latter, for as I have before said, I love you so that I am ready to die with you or live with you. Compare 1 Thessalonians 2:8; Philippians 1:7; Philippians 1:20; Philippians 1:24; Philippians 2:17-18; also John 10:11. The apostle mentions death first, because to him death seemed daily more probable than life. He would have loved to dwell among the Corinthians as James then dwelt with the church at Jerusalem, and afterwards John took up his abiding-place at Corinth, but his duties as apostle to the Gentiles made him a wanderer.] 4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying on your behalf: I am filled with comfort, I overflow with joy in all our affliction. [This verse tells of Paul’s restored confidence in the Corinthians, and his consequent freedom of speech and joyfulness of heart. The next few verses show us that these changes were wrought in him by the report which he received from Titus concerning affairs at Corinth.]

5 For even when we were come into Macedonia our flesh had no relief, but we were afflicted on every side; without were fightings, within were fears. [The apostle here resumes the thread of his narrative begun at 2:12, 13. For the connection see the comment on those verses. He here tells us that even after he came to Macedonia his burdens were increased rather than lightened; for, in addition to the fears and anxieties which he felt concerning Corinth, he became the object of persecution. His condition, therefore, was less agreeable than at Troas, for there he had a full and free opportunity to preach the gospel.]

6 Nevertheless he that comforteth the lowly, even God, comforted us by the coming of Titus; 7 and not by his coming only, but also by the comfort wherewith he [205] was comforted in you, while he told us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced yet more. [The apostle was not only refreshed by the presence of Titus, and the report which he brought, but he was more especially cheered by the visible satisfaction of Titus with regard to affairs at Corinth. Paul regarded the feeling of Titus as a more palpable proof of the improved state of things at Corinth than even the substance of the report which he brought. Thus the consolation felt by Titus became transferred to the heart of Paul, and the joyful manner in which Titus gave his report, as he told how the Corinthians longed to see the apostle, how they mourned over those things which they had done to displease him, and what zeal they showed to carry out his instructions, was more to Paul than the mere facts which he narrated. If Titus felt comfort or joy in narrating these facts, Paul felt more joy in hearing them thus narrated. Or we can take the phrase "yet more" as a comparison between his present joy and his previous sorrow. This latter construction fits better with what is said in the next two verses.]

8 For though I made you sorry with my epistle, I do not regret it: though I did regret it (for I see that that epistle made you sorry, though but for a season), 9 I now rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye were made sorry unto repentance; for ye were made sorry after a godly sort, that ye might suffer loss by us in nothing. [In his first epistle to the Corinthians Paul had sternly rebuked them. Though recognizing that the rebuke was well deserved, the apostle regretted that he had written so sternly and uncompromisingly, fearing lest his letter might not work the results which he wished, for speaking what is right does not always lead to happy results (John 6:60-68). His words were calculated to cause them the sorrow of vexation or hurt vanity, or the sorrow of mortified pride, etc. But when he learned from Titus that it had caused them to sorrow as being culpable in the sight of God, and so caused them to repent as he desired, the apostle was glad that he had written as he had, for they hall lost nothing by [206] reason of his timidity or tenderheartedness. He had made them sorry but for a season, and could now make them glad by this second epistle which contained the consolation of his approval.]

10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation, a repentance which bringeth no regret: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. [Godly sorrow results in repentance, and repentance results in salvation, and this result is never to be regretted, either by those who attain it, or by those who have helped towards its attainment. While it is true that the sorrow of the world tends toward despair and suicide and so towards death, as is witnessed by the cases of Saul, Ahithophel and Judas, yet this is not the apostle’s thought; he means that worldly sorrow tends toward that eternal death which is the antithesis of salvation. This becomes apparent when we consider that a worldly sorrow, arising because of and by means of the consequences of sin, tends to make the sinner worse instead of better, for it breeds in him a boldness, a malignant recklessness and a morbid despair which tend to paralyze all efforts toward reformation.]

11 For behold, this selfsame thing, that ye were made sorry after a godly sort, what earnest care it wrought in you, yea what clearing of yourselves, yea what indignation, yea what fear, yea what longing, yea what zeal, yea what avenging! In everything ye approved yourselves to be pure in the matter. [This very selfsame incident is an example of godly sorrow worthy of your consideration. For you see in how many ways it brought forth the fruit of repentance in you. As to yourselves, it made you most careful to set yourselves right with God, and indignant with yourselves that you had been so lax in your discipline. As to me, it made you fearful that 1 would come with a rod as I had promised, and punish you, and after you had removed the cause for such punishment, you felt a longing for my presence. As to the offender, it roused you to aggressive action against him to punish him for having injured the cause of Christ. Thus, your sorrow worked a repentance which rested not until it had cleared your hands of all blame. The apostle here, of course, refers to the discipline of the incestuous person, which, [207] as he has said, he made a test case of their obedience or willingness to repent under his instruction (chap. 2:9). As to the phrase "this matter," it has been well said that Paul, in accordance with his usual manner, "speaks indefinitely of what is odious"--1 Thessalonians 4:6.]

12 So although I wrote unto you [for what he had written, see 1 Corinthians 5:1-5], I wrote not for his cause that did the wrong [i. e., the incestuous son], nor for his cause that suffered the wrong [i. e., the injured father], but that your earnest core for us might be made manifest unto you in the sight of God. [In writing to you to discipline the incestuous man, I was not moved by the small motive of setting to rights a difficulty between two parties, though one of them was clearly a wrongdoer, and the other obviously a sufferer by reason of his wrong-doing. My motive was much larger. I wished you to see that despite all the accusations brought against me to which you gave ear, you still show, by your own conduct, as you view it in the sight of God, that you know better than to disobey me.] 13 Therefore we have been comforted: and in our comfort we joyed the more exceedingly for the joy of Titus, because his spirit hath been refreshed by you all. [Therefore, as we have said before, our anxiety has been removed, and we have been comforted when we have seen how you have obeyed us, and stood the test which we imposed upon you, and our joy has been greatly increased as we have seen the joy felt by Titus at your conduct.]

14 For if in anything I have gloried to him on your behalf, I was not put to shame; but as we spake all things to you in truth, so our glorying also which I made before Titus was found to be truth. [Paul had evidently told Titus that he would find the Corinthians true and loyal, and ready to obey the apostle’s letter. Had events proved otherwise, Paul would have been put to shame in the eyes of Titus. But as the apostle, despite the accusations of the Corinthians to the contrary (1:15-17), had always spoken truth to them, so he had always been truthful in speaking to Titus about them. Paul’s affection for the Corinthians had not caused him to overstep the limits of perfect accuracy while [208] boasting of them to Titus.]

15 And his affection is more abundantly toward you, while he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him. 16 I rejoice that in everything I am of good courage concerning you. [The affections which the Corinthians had awakened in the heart of Titus, who had come among them and had been received as Paul’s messenger, greatly established the confidence of the apostle in that church, as he here tells them. Having thus led up to a well-grounded expression of confidence, Paul makes it a basis on which to rest the second division of his epistle--a division in which he appeals to them to fulfill their promises with regard to the collection for the poor at Jerusalem.] [209]

THE COLLECTION AND THE MESSENGERS
IN CHARGE OF IT
J.W. McGarvey

2 Corinthians 8:1-24

[In this section Paul exhorts the Corinthians to proceed with the collection for the poor of the Jerusalem church. For Paul’s instructions in regard to this collection, and the reasons for it, see 1 Corinthians 16:1-3, and notes thereon.] 1 Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God which hath been given in the churches of Macedonia; 2 how that in much proof of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. [The only Macedonian churches known to us were those at Philippi, Thessalonica and Beroea. The district of Macedonia had suffered in the three civil wars, and had been reduced to such poverty that Tiberius Cæsar, hearkening to their petitions, had lightened their taxes. But in addition to this general poverty, the churches had been made poor by persecution (2 Thessalonians 1:4). This poverty put their Christian character to the proof, and Paul wishes the Corinthians to know, that they may be benefited by the example, how nobly the Macedonians endured the proof. Despite their afflictions they were so filled with the grace of God that their joy abounded and worked positively in combination with their abysmal poverty, which worked negatively to manifest the extreme riches of their liberality.]

3 For [210] according to their power, I bear witness, yea and beyond their power, they gave of their own accord, 4 beseeching us with much entreaty in regard of this grace and the fellowship in the ministering to the saints: 5 and this, not as we had hoped, but first they gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God. [The apostle here sets forth the liberality of the Macedonians, and shows that of their own accord, and without any entreaty on his part, they gave, not only according to their means, but even beyond their means. When he, recognizing that they were giving beyond their means, sought to restrain them, they laid siege to him with persistent entreaty, both that they might be allowed to exercise the grace of liberality which God had put in their hearts, and that they might have fellowship in so worthy a work as ministering to the needs of God’s people. The apostle, knowing their poverty, had hoped for but little from them, but they had exceeded all his expectations, for (and here was the secret of their liberality) they had surrendered their will to the will of God, so that before attempting to give their money they had first given themselves to the Lord, and to the apostle as the Lord’s servant.]

6 Insomuch that we exhorted Titus, that as he had made a beginning before, so he would also complete in you this grace also. [Inspired by the example of the Macedonians, Paul was moved to exhort Titus to return to Corinth, that having begun the work of gathering an offering from the church there, he might continue until the Corinthians made a liberal offering.] 7 But as ye abound in everything, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all earnestness, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. 8 I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love. [Paul here speaks of liberality as a grace or gift of the Spirit. Paul testifies that the Corinthians abounded in spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 4:7). He here reminds them of some of these prominent gifts, and exhorted them to add thereto the gift of liberality, and to make it [211] conspicuous among the other gifts by its perfection. He does not command them to give, for the very virtue or value of giving lies in its spontaneity, but, using the case of the Macedonians as an example or means of comparison, he measures or tests the love of the Corinthians by it.]

9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might become rich. [In making liberality the test of love, Paul is reminded of that supreme love of Christ and the test which it endured. The grace of liberality in Jesus caused him to lay aside his glory, and those other attributes of his divinity which were not compatible with his being made flesh, and took upon him our poor and despised humanity, that he might enrich it with all that he had surrendered. The words here should be compared with Philippians 2:5-11. What Christ gave up for us becomes to us a criterion for giving. The love which promoted such a sacrifice should constrain us to sacrifice for others.] 10 And herein I give my judgment: for this is expedient for you, who were the first to make a beginning a year ago, not only to do, but also to will. [I do not, as I have said, command you to give, but I think that, having undertaken the work, you should complete your collection. If it was a mere matter of doing, I would command you, but, as it is a matter of willing, I can only advise you, therefore I do advise you to willingly give (ch. 9:7). As Paul wrote soon after the beginning of the Jewish year, the phrase "a year ago" might mean only a few months. But the mention of this collection in Paul’s first Epistle shows that the Corinthians had had it in mind for more than six months.]

11 But now complete the doing also; that as there was the readiness to will, so there may be the completion also out of your ability. 12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according as a man hath, not according as he hath not. [As you once had the willingness to give, let your will perfect itself in doing, and take up the collection according to your ability to give, for if a man is willing to give, God accepts the gift, not valuing it [212] according to its magnitude, but according to the proportion which it bears to the means in the possession of the giver.] 13 For I say not this that others may be eased and ye distressed; 14 but by equality: your abundance being a supply at this present time for their want, that their abundance also may become a supply for your want; that there may be equality [The apostle did not take money from the Corinthians for the purpose of impoverishing them and enriching the church at Jerusalem: his idea was that the abundance enjoyed by the Corinthians might be withdrawn from their side of the scales and placed in the Jerusalem side, so that the scales might balance--not a literal balancing, but such a one as would insure that those at Jerusalem would not suffer because of their poverty. And he did this with the expectation and understanding that whenever conditions were reversed, those at Jerusalem would donate their superfluity to the support of Corinth. That such equality is approved of God, was shown by the manner in which he meted out his manna, as appears by the citation in the next verse]:

15 as it is written [Exodus 16:17-18], He that gathered much had nothing over; and he that gathered little had no lack. [In the gathering of the manna some of the Israelites were able to find more than the others, but when they came to measure what they gathered, God’s providence so intervened and ordered that each found he had an omer. Now that which God effected by irresistible law under the old dispensation, he was now seeking to effect under the new dispensation through the gracious influence of brotherly love. Our differences in ability make it inevitable that some shall surpass others in the gathering of wealth; but as selfishness gives place to Christian love, the inequality in earthly possessions will become more even.] 16 But thanks be to God, who putteth the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus. 17 For he accepted indeed our exhortation; but being himself very earnest, he went forth unto you of his own accord. [The apostle thanks God that he had given to Titus the same desire to benefit the Corinthians which animated Paul [213] himself, so that Titus not only accepted the apostle’s exhortation to go back to Corinth and induce them to take up the collection, but was even ready of his own accord to undertake the work.]

18 And we have sent together with him the brother whose praise in the gospel is spread through all the churches [Baynes, in his "Horæ Lucanæ," argues very conclusively that this was Luke. He was at Philippi about this time, and was among those who accompanied Paul from Macedonia (or perhaps Corinth) to Jerusalem (Acts 20:2-6). The phrase "In the gospel" can hardly be taken as indicating that at this time Luke had written his Gospel, but the Gospel which he wrote is evidently not the work of a day. No doubt at this time Luke was so versed in the gospel history as to be fittingly described by the words here used by Paul]; 19 and not only so, but who was also appointed by the churches to travel with us in the matter of this grace, which is ministered by us to the glory of the Lord, and to show our readiness [Paul is commending those whom he sent to gather the collections. Luke’s primary commendation is his general character revealed in his love for the gospel facts; his further qualification is his appointment by the churches in Macedonia to assist in this very work. He had resided in Macedonia for some six years, or since Paul had first come to Philippi, and so was well known and fully trusted by the Macedonians. He was appointed that the glory of Christ might not be tarnished by any suspicion that the money was raised for selfish purposes, and that Paul’s zeal to raise the money might not be regarded with evil surmises]:

20 avoiding this, that any man should blame us in the matter of this bounty which is ministered by us: 21 for we take thought for things honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. [Paul welcomed the appointment of assistance in this work, for their co-operation lifted him above suspicion, which was according to his desire, for he wished not only to have a good character in the sight of God, but also a fair reputation among men.] 22 And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have many [214] times proved earnest in many things, but now much more earnest, by reason of the great confidence which he hath in you. [As to this third party, Alford well says, "Every possible person has been guessed." There is no means of determining who it was. Paul’s words show that he had been often used by the apostle because of his earnestness, and that he was employed in this work because he evidently knew and had great confidence in the Corinthians.]

23 Whether any inquire about Titus, he is my partner and my fellow-worker to you-ward; or our brethren, they are the messengers of the churches, they are the glory of Christ. 24 Show ye therefore unto them in the face of the churches the proof of your love, and of our glorying on your behalf. [As a final commendation, and as one calculated to stop the mouths of all objectors, Paul describes Titus as a partner with himself in raising the contribution of Corinth, and he describes the other two who went with Titus as not only messengers of the churches in this behalf, but as men whose daily life glorified the Master whom they served. In view, therefore, of the fitness of those whom he sent to them, Paul asks the Corinthian church to raise the collection under their direction as an evidence of the general benevolence of their disposition, and as a proof that he spoke the truth when he boasted of their liberality.]

EXHORTATION TO HAVE
HIS BOASTING SUSTAINED
J.W. McGarvey

2 Corinthians 9:1-15

1 For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you: 2 for I know your readiness, of which I glory on your behalf to them of Macedonia, that Achaia hath been prepared for a year past; and your zeal hath stirred up very many of them. [It is needless for me to urge upon you the fact that [215] it is a becoming thing in you to minister to the poor in the churches, for you have long since acknowledged the becomingness of the deed by pledging yourself to do it. And this readiness on your part I have used with great effect in Macedonia, for I told them how last year you consented to take this collection, so that many of them, feeling their tardiness in comparison with you, have been stirred to great activity and zeal in this matter.]

3 But I have sent the brethren [Titus and the other two], that our glorying on your behalf may not be made void in this respect; that, even as I said, ye may be prepared: 4 lest by any means, if there come with me any of Macedonia and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be put to shame in this confidence. [I have gloried or boasted concerning you in many respects, and have hitherto had to retract nothing which I said. That my glorying concerning your liberality may not prove an exception and require a retraction, I have sent these messengers that they might gather together the collection which you pledged, and perhaps began to take up last year. For if any Macedonians should come with me to Corinth and find the collection ungathered, I would be ashamed for having represented you as better than you were, and you would be ashamed of having been held up as a model for the emulation of those who were, in fact, better than you.]

5 I thought it necessary therefore to entreat the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand [i. e., before my coming] your afore-promised bounty, that the same might be ready as a matter of bounty, and not of extortion. [I sent these messengers on before me that they might stir you up to gather the collection before I came, that the offering might be seen to be your own free gift and not a veritable tax extorted from you by the fear of my displeasure and your shame at being exposed in your selfishness.]

6 But this I say, He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. [The same law which pertains to the physical world pertains with equal effect in the moral [216] and spiritual realm, so that those who are stingy and niggardly in giving to others, shall receive scantily of the blessings bestowed by God.] 7 Let each man do according as he hath purposed in his heart: not grudgingly [literally, of sorrow], or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. [Let each man give as his own heart prompts him and not as improperly influenced by others. Let no one give as if half crying to part with his money, and let no one feel constrained to give from any motives of necessity, such as popular applause, or to keep up with his neighbors, or to be rid of the solicitations of some urgent collector. Such giving is valueless in the sight of God, who values gifts only as they are really and truly such, and in no way extortions. The spirit of extortion is sorrow, but that of giving is cheerfulness.]

8 And God is able to make all grace abound unto you; that ye, having always all sufficiency in everything, may abound unto every good work: 9 as it is written, He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the poor; His righteousness abideth for ever. [Psalms 112:9. God is able to bestow every blessing, both temporal and spiritual, and so he can give blessings to those who dispense them, and thus enable them to abound in good works which they are performing. That this is true is shown by the Psalmist’s description of the man who fears the Lord. Such a man is profuse in his liberality and his remembrance of the poor, and he is able to keep up his right-doing in giving, for the lord continually supplies him with means to that end. We should, however, note that Paul’s words here, like those at Psalms 91:11-12, which Satan quoted to the Lord in his temptation (Matthew 4:6), are not to be so interpreted and applied as to tempt the Lord.]

10 And he that supplieth seed to the sower and bread for food, shall supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness [and he that, in the economy of nature, makes returns to the sower, so that he not only has his seed again, but bread for food, shall in like manner in the domain of grace, supply and multiply the seeds of charity which you sow, so that you will not only be able [217] to do again the deed of charity which you have done, but he will also bless all your other acts of righteousness by making them fruitful]: 11 ye being enriched in everything unto all liberality, which worketh through us thanksgiving to God. [Thus, your liberality multiplies your means of liberality, and also works, through the agents which dispense it, thanksgiving to God from the poor in Jerusalem who receive it.]

12 For the ministration of this service not only filleth up the measure of the wants of the saints, but aboundeth also through many thanksgivings unto God; 13 seeing that through the proving of you by this ministration they glorify God for the obedience of your confession unto the gospel of Christ, and for the liberality of your contribution unto them, and unto all; 14 while they themselves also, with supplication on your behalf, long after you by reason of the exceeding grace of God in you. [This ministry of yours, in giving to the poor at Jerusalem, not only fills up the measure of the wants of these people of God, but overflows that measure, for it results in many thanksgivings to God. And these results are evident, for by thus showing your liberality to the Jewish church at Jerusalem, you prove to it that you are indeed true and obedient to your confession of your faith in the gospel of Christ, and thus cause them to glorify God, as they also do for the liberality of your contribution unto them and (potentially) unto all. You cause them also to pray for you and long to see you face to face, that they may know those in whom God’s grace abounds to so full a measure. It will be remembered that the church in Jerusalem, influenced by the prejudices of the Jews which surrounded it, and also by the sentiments and feelings which it inherited from its previous life, looked upon the church as planted by Paul, with eyes full of suspicion. They regarded these churches as lawless bodies, inimical to all that the Jews held as ancient or sacred. They were ready to believe any wild rumor which might start with regard to the unchristian character of the apostle’s converts, and the reckless lawlessness of the apostle himself. The riot which arose soon after when [218] Paul was found in the temple at Jerusalem aptly illustrates the attitude of the Jewish mind toward him and his work. Now the apostle felt confident that a liberal gift from his Gentile churches would bring about a better understanding, and would work wonderful changes in the thoughts of Jewish Christians. He felt that it would persuade the latter that his Gentile converts were truly obedient to the religion which they confessed, and that it would persuade them also that those who had overcome their prejudices sufficiently to give liberally to Jews would have no prejudices which would prevent them from giving liberally to other people. He was likewise confident that the Jewish Christians, seeing these things, would be fully persuaded of the genuine Christian grace of his converts, and therefore would not only pray for them, but even long for personal acquaintance and fellowship with them. How far the apostle was correct in this judgment we cannot say; but he certainly seems to have been well received by the Christians at Jerusalem when he came as the representative of these Gentile churches. If the attitude of the unchristian Jewish mind toward him was still relentlessly bitter, it must be borne in mind that he took no collection for them, and that they were in no manner in his thought in this connection.]

15 Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift. [Of course, the Christ himself is God’s great gift to man, but the personality of Christ is not in the trend of Paul’s argument. The thought that fills his mind is that the Corinthians, by their liberality, are showing themselves truly changed and converted by the gospel of Christ, and that this gospel, modifying and softening the Jewish mind, is preparing it to step over the middle wall of partition, and receive the Gentiles as part of the family of God. For the unspeakable gift, therefore, of a gospel which works such blessed changes in the bigoted, stubborn and selfish hearts of men, Paul gives thanks. The thanksgiving, therefore, is proximately for the gospel and ultimately for Christ, the author of the gospel.] [219]

FOES, WEAPONS AND MEASUREMENTS
J.W. McGarvey

2 Corinthians 10:1-18

[The two previous parts of this epistle have been mainly addressed to that portion of the congregation at Corinth which was loyal to the apostle. This third part, however, is especially addressed to his enemies, though he at times evidently speaks to his friends. The apostle in neither case formally indicated which party he was addressing, for he rightly assumed that each would wisely appropriate to itself the sentiments which properly belonged to it.] 1 Now I Paul myself entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am of good courage toward you: 2 yea, I beseech you, that I may not when present show courage with the confidence wherewith I count to be bold against some, who count of us as if we walked according to the flesh. [Hitherto the apostle had associated Timothy as a joint author of this letter, but as he now prepares to deal with his enemies and matters personal to himself, he disengages himself from all entangling fellowships and steps forth alone to defend his name and influence. That there may be no doubt as to his purpose in thus standing alone, and that his enemies may understand the spirit in which he presents himself before them, he quotes their own belittling description of him: for they had described him as a coward who threatened and thundered [220] when absent, but was meek and lowly enough when present. Accepting for the moment this false estimate of himself, he beseeches them by the meekness and gentleness of Christ (for Jesus ever preferred gentleness to severity) that they may so amend their conduct as to make their estimate of him true thus far; viz.: that at his coming he may indeed be permitted to show them gentleness, and may not, as he now confidently expected, be compelled to show his severity toward those who accused him of conducting himself as an unprincipled worldling.]

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh 4 (for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds); 5 casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ; 6 and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be made full. [For though we are indeed human, we do not contend after a human or worldly fashion (for our weapons are not slander, detraction, misrepresentation, etc., which are the methods employed by the world in overcoming opponents, but we use divine powers in our conflicts (1 Corinthians 4:19-21; 1 Corinthians 5:5), powers which are mighty in the sight of God to tear down defenses), and which can cast down all false human reasonings, sophistries and vain deductions, and every like thing which men presumptuously rear in opposition to the word of God, and which can bring every rebellious thought into captivity, so that it shall obey Christ. With this power, therefore, I am ready to come to punish all the disobedient; but I pause that all who desire to repent may do so, and after the number of the obedient is made full I will punish the rebellious remnant that remain. In verse 4 Paul evidently alludes to the crow, a large military engine with a great claw to it, which was used to pull down the walls of castles, forts and other strongholds. Stanley thinks that Paul has in mind in this passage certain military operations which occurred in Cilicia, the province in which he was born. In [221] the hills and mountains of that locality, certain bands of pirates and robbers entrenched themselves, and for awhile withstood the Roman arms. Cicero made some headway in suppressing them, and on his return was honored with a Roman triumph, but the final victory was achieved by Pompey the generation before Paul was born. Pompey made great use of the crow, for he pulled down one hundred and twenty fortresses. But the crow was then in as general use as the cannon is now, and a writer would hardly be thought to refer to Gettysburg if he happened to use cannonading as a figure of speech. However, Pompey’s campaign is a useful bit of history, for it shows us how forceful the figure was which Paul employed.]

7 Ye look at the things that are before your face. If any man trusteth in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again with himself, that, even as he is Christ’s, so also are we. [You false teachers who oppose me view things very shallowly and superficially, for ye deem yourselves to be Christ’s because ye came from Judæa, or perhaps have seen him, or been present with him during a large part of his ministry (Acts 1:21-22); and ye make bold to reject us as his because we seem to have been denied these privileges, failing to notice that our claims to be the Lord’s are (at the least!) equal to yours. If they were apostles merely because they had seen the Lord, so also was Paul, and in addition he had, what they did not, a direct, official appointment from Christ (Acts 9:15), a recognition from the twelve (Acts 15:25) and a compact or arrangement with them regarding the division of their work--Galatians 2:9.]

8 For though I should glory somewhat abundantly concerning our authority (which the Lord gave for building you up, and not for casting you down), I shall not be put to shame: 9 that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters. 10 For, His letters, they say [a general expression, equivalent to "it is said"], are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account. [Now even if I boast most freely that my authority is greater than yours, my boasting will not bring shame upon me if you [222] put me to the test. You will find that I am not terrible in letters alone, but also in my presence, and you will find how falsely you have spoken when you said that my letters were the only part of me calculated to cause fear. However, I shall regret to thus demonstrate my power against you, for God gave me this power to use rather in building you up than in tearing you down. The apostle thus draws a subtle contrast between himself and his adversaries, for they had delighted in destructive rather than constructive works.]

11 Let such a one reckon this, that, what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such are we also in deed when we are present. 12 For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with certain of them that commend themselves: but they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding. [Let all who thus accuse me of cowardice know assuredly that when I come my deeds will comport with the threatenings and warnings in my letters. I have in no way exaggerated my authority or power in my writing to you, for in this art of exaggerated self-praise or self-commendation I am not the equal of the false leaders in Corinth. In this art I am not so proficient that I can presume to measure myself with these Corinthian experts, for they, never looking outside their own narrow circle, but comparing themselves with each other, have swelled with an inflated sense of self-importance which would have long since been punctured so that it would have collapsed if they had brought themselves into comparison with the real apostles. Real worth can never speak so highly of itself as can conceited and unreasoning vanity. Those who compare themselves with Christ lose that self-exaltation which belongs to those who compare themselves only with men, hence they are too handicapped to enter into competition with any such in the matter of boasting.]

13 But we will not glory beyond our measure, but according to the measure of the province which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even unto you. [Paul got no false idea of his own stature by measuring himself with other men; [223] but as the most apt measure for the point to be determined, viz.: his stature or capacity as a minister of the gospel, he chose the province or territory which God had assigned him as his field of operation. Though the whole world was his bishopric (Galatians 2:7-9), yet he contents himself with saying it included Corinth. In the eyes of his opponents Corinth was the sum and center of all things, but in the larger life of Paul it was a mere dot in a limitless field of operations. See 11:28.]

14 For we stretch not ourselves overmuch, as though we reached not unto you: for we came even as far as unto you in the gospel of Christ: 15 not glorying beyond our measure, that is, in other men’s labors; but having hope that, as your faith groweth, we shall be magnified in you according to our province unto further abundance, 16 so as to preach the gospel even unto the parts beyond you, and not to glory in another’s province in regard of things ready to our hand. [Though God gave us so vast a bishopric, we indeed filled so much of it as to reach you. We were not so much smaller than this bishopric which God gave to us, that we had to stretch ourselves to cover it. To make a show of covering our territory we did not need to take possession of other men’s labors and claim the fruits of their ministry, as though they wrought as our agents. If we had done this, we would indeed be glorying beyond our measure. But thus far (i. e., as far as unto you) we have covered the province assigned to us and we have hope that as your faith groweth, and ye become subject to Christ through being subject to his true ministers, we ourselves shall grow and be magnified so that we shall more nearly attain to the magnitude of our great province. At present your vacillation and infidelity confine our labors to you. Having taken you as a fortress for Christ, we can not leave you assailed by Satan and half surrendered to him. When you are again established in the faith I expect to go on into Italy and into Spain, and do work in those parts of my province which lie far beyond you. It is no part of my plan or intention to take possession of some other man’s labor and glory in it, as you false leaders have done by [224] coming to Corinth and taking possession of the church which I left there ready to your hand.]

17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. [Paul here gives the rule of boasting as condensed from Jeremiah 9:23-24. Paul’s enemies had not observed this rule; he had. In verse 5 he ascribed all his power to God, and in verse 13 he shows that, vast as his work was, it was far less than God demanded of him.] 18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. [The self-commendation of a man rests on no higher evidence than the testimony of his own lips, but the commendation of God is shown by the works which he enables those to do whom he approves.]

APOLOGY FOR SELF-COMMENDATION,
DENIAL OF CHARGES AND LAYING OF
COUNTER CHARGES
J.W. McGarvey

2 Corinthians 11:1-15

[While this third part of Paul’s epistle is directed against his enemies, it is obvious that even these are, in his estimation, divided into two classes; i. e., the leaders and the led. The apostle does not always keep these separate in his mind, yet we frequently find him, as in this section, appealing to those who were led, and denouncing those who led them.] 1 Would that ye could bear with me in a little foolishness: but indeed ye do bear with me. 2 For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy: for I espoused you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward Christ. 4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or if ye receive a different spirit, which ye did not receive, or a different gospel, which ye did not accept, ye do well to [225] bear with him. [These first four verses are introductory. The apostle, seeing the effect which the self-glorification of these false teachers has had upon certain of the Corinthians, determines, for a time, to adopt their tactics, descend to the foolishness of boasting, and thus overcome them on their own ground. Paul, in his consecration to Christ and forgetfulness of self, could not thus descend to the level of boasting, even though he merely related facts, without a sense of shame and a petition for consideration. When he considers the folly of the situation, it seems to him that the Corinthians could not put up with it, but when he remembers their affection for him, he is sure they will. He tells them that nothing but the strongest motives could induce him to thus belittle himself, but he found such a motive in his extreme jealousy for them on Christ’s behalf. As the paranymph, or "bridegroom’s friend" (John 3:29), the one whose office it was to procure and arrange the marriage, he had espoused them to one husband, even Christ, and had so instructed and led them as to present them pure and spotless before the Lord at his coming. But now he feared that as the serpent led Eve into sin by his crafty wickedness, so these false teachers were corrupting the church at Corinth from that simplicity of doctrine and purity of life which they owed to Christ, their espoused husband. Now, if these false teachers (and Paul speaks of one of them as a sample of them all) had come professing to preach another Jesus and another religious spirit, and a different gospel from any that Paul preached, there might have been sonic excuse in giving them a patient hearing. But such had not been the case. Professedly they were preaching the same Jesus, etc., that he did, and so the Corinthians were without excuse in permitting them to assail Paul. They had sold their apostle and had received nothing in exchange for him. With the next verse his boasting begins, but in a very mild and apologetic form.]

5 For I reckon that I am not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles. [I can not think that you receive these rival teachers and professed apostles as so much superior to me, for I am not behind these super-apostolic apostles. Paul is not [226] here comparing himself with the twelve, but with these spurious apostles at Corinth. Paul reveals his emotion by the use of that strange word which is translated "very chiefest." It means "out-and-out," "extra-super," "overmuch," a term he would have never applied to the twelve. It is as though he said, Though these men claim to be apostles a hundred times over, yet I can certainly take my place in the front ranks with them.] 6 But though I be rude in speech, yet am I not in knowledge; nay, in every way have we made this manifest unto you in all things. [Paul admits that one criticism of him was true. He did indeed pay little regard to the laws of rhetoric, and scorned to weaken his thought by loading it with verbal ornament or the studied expressions which the schools regarded as eloquence. But though he was thus rude in speech, a very unimportant matter, he was not deficient in the all-important sphere of knowledge. The Corinthians had had every opportunity to test him in this particular, and he felt that the truth of his statement must be so manifest to them as to need no further proof.]

7 Or did I commit a sin in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I preached to you the gospel of God for nought? [A second accusation which his enemies never wearied in presenting was that he had preached the gospel in Corinth without charge. They had said that he did this because he knew that he was not an apostle, and so was hindered by his conscience from taking the wages of an apostle--see 1 Corinthians 9:1-15 and notes. As Paul has already refuted this charge, he does not repeat the refutation; he merely asks them if he had committed a sin in so doing.]

8 I robbed other churches [Paul again shows his emotion by the indignant hyperbole "robbed"], taking wages of them that I might minister unto you; 9 and when I was present with you and was in want, I was not a burden on any man; for the brethren [i. e., Silas and Timothy, Acts 18:5], when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my want; and in everything I kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself. [227] [Here the apostle relates the well-known history of his ministry at Corinth. The church at Philippi is the only one which we know of that contributed to his needs while in Corinth (Philippians 4:15-16). When his necessities had reached a crisis and he had come to want, he had not appealed to the Corinthians, but had endured until relieved by the coming of his friends from Macedonia. His enemies had slandered him as to this, hoping to drive him to receive wages that they might reduce his influence in this respect to the level of their own; but in this hope they would be disappointed, for he would continue to preach without compensation as he always had done.]

10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this glorying in the regions of Achaia. 11 Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth. 12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them that desire an occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. [The apostle is determined that whatever he may do elsewhere he will receive no compensation for any preaching in Achaia. Knowing that they would wish to know why he thus made an exception in their case, he raises the question himself, but does not answer it, because to do so frankly would have been to show the deficiencies of their entire character and nature. But that he does not thus except them because of any lack of love, is shown by his appeal to God, who knew his heart. Compare 6:11-13; 7:2; 12:15. One motive for his conduct he will tell them, and that is that he may silence the tongues of those who seek an opportunity to detract him. Here the language of the apostle grows bitterly sarcastic. The false teachers had received wages from the beginning, yet he speaks of them as if they gloried in preaching the gospel for nothing and declares that he will do likewise that they may be found no better than he. In the next three verses Paul speaks with the most unreserved plainness, and, as Bengel observes, "calls a spade a spade."]

13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ. [Thus he declares plainly that these men are not apostles, that they maintained their false [228] position by imposture, and that they assumed the name and office of apostles, though never having been called to be such by Christ.] 14 And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light. 15 It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. [The apostle says that no one need stand aghast at such awful presumption, for Satan himself sets an example in this respect and his ministers may be expected to follow it. Some think that Satan fashioned himself as an angel of light when he appeared before God as narrated in the Book of Job; others, that he did so when he appeared before Jesus to tempt him. It is not clear to what incident in the life of Satan Paul refers. In this age, as in all ages, these warning words of the apostle should be weighed and considered. As Jesus bade us beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing, so Paul bids us beware of the emissaries of Satan, who come claiming to be leaders in religion. The servants of Satan do not hesitate to hold ecclesiastical offices, or occupy pulpits.

A COMPARISON OF LABOR, SIGNS, ETC.
J.W. McGarvey

2 Corinthians 11:16 to 2 Corinthians 12:13

[In this section the apostle draws a comparison between himself and the false apostles, showing how he excelled them in labors, revelations, signs, etc.] 16 I say again [having twice swerved from the distasteful task, Paul unwillingly resumes his apparent boasting], Let no man think me foolish; but if ye do, yet as foolish receive me, that I also may glory a little. 17 That which I speak, I speak not after the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of glorying. [Let no man think that I am foolish enough to boast wittingly of my own accord, but if any one does so think, let him, nevertheless, bear with me a little while in my boasting, since my adversaries have made it the order of [229] the day. I am painfully conscious that the Spirit of God does not prompt to boasting, but I do so on my own responsibility, or according to my own confident folly, my so doing having been made a permissible necessity by your behavior toward me.]

18 Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also. [I am about to follow the carnal example of the boasters, that I may defeat them with their own weapon.] 19 For ye bear with the foolish gladly, being wise yourselves. 20 For ye bear with a man, if he bringeth you into bondage, if he devoureth you, if he taketh you captive, if he exalteth himself, if he smiteth you on the face. 21 I speak by way of disparagement, as though we had been weak. Yet whereinsoever any is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also. [You encourage me to talk foolishly, for it pleaseth you to indulge fools that ye may thereby flatter yourselves with a show of superiority, and by your recent conduct toward these, my rivals in boasting, you have shown to what lengths of patient endurance you will go in this matter, for you have permitted them to bring you into bondage to their authority and their false doctrine, to impoverish you by exorbitant exactions of wages, to treat you as their captives, and to exalt themselves over you as though they were your conquerors, and even to smite you as though you had become their slaves. If you bore with such strenuous boastfulness, you can bear with me in my weak foolishness. But I have indeed disparaged myself when I talked about my meekness, as I will now show you, for if any ever addressed bold words to you, you are now about to hear such from me also. And yet my words will all be foolishness, for all the things whereof I boast are really worthless as commendations to you in comparison with my being called of Christ as his apostle. The apostle speaks of the whole class of false apostles as if they were a single individual. Thus, after many preliminary apologies and explanations, Paul comes at last to his boast, not of his exploits or talents, as one Fight expect, but of his sufferings and humiliations, revelations and self-sacrifices.]

22 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? [230] so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. [This verse shows clearly that Paul’s enemies were Judaizing Jews. They had evidently boasted of their race, nationality, etc., to the disparagement of Paul. They probably urged that Paul was greatly inferior to them because he was born at Tarsus, was a Roman citizen, lived much like a Gentile, and did not abjectly obey the Jewish law. By their whisperings they no doubt laid the foundation for that calumny which was long after found formed against him; for "it would appear from Epiphanius," says Stanley, "that Judaizers went so far as to assert that he was altogether a Gentile by birth, and only adopted circumcision in order to marry the high priest’s daughter." In answer to this rising cloud of slander, Paul asserts his racial, national, etc., equality with his enemies. He was a Hebrew, he belonged to the sacred nation and spoke the sacred language (Acts 22:2); and an Israelite, he belonged to the theocracy, and being of the seed of Abraham, he was by birth an heir to the promises, and was not a proselyte nor descended from one.]

23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself) I more; in labors more abundantly [1 Corinthians 15:10], in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths oft. [1 Corinthians 15:31. On Jewish grounds Paul claimed equality, but as a minister of Christ, superiority. Knowing that his enemies would say that it accorded with his general insanity to thus assert his superiority, he ironically admits his madness in thus asserting that his ministerial labors exceeded those of his easy-living adversaries--theirs being in fact no labor at all, but rather an effort to steal the credit of his labors. This verse gives the general bodily distresses endured, while the next three tell of special cases. According to Acts, Paul had, up to this date, been imprisoned but once, and was afterwards imprisoned thrice. Clement of Rome, who wrote toward the close of the first century, says that Paul was imprisoned seven times. Paul’s life for long periods was hourly exposed to death (Acts 9:23; Acts 13:50; Acts 14:5-6; Acts 14:19; Acts 17:5; Acts 17:13); but the best comment on this expression is the catalogue of sufferings which follow.]

24 Of the Jews five times [231] received I forty stripes save one. [Deuteronomy 25:2. The law limited all beatings to forty stripes; but one stripe was omitted lest the law should be accidentally broken through careless counting. Such a scourging inflicted the agony of death, and generally resulted in it. Not one of these scourgings is mentioned in Acts.] 25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day have I been in the deep [The Romans punished by using the vine rods of the soldiers or the fasces of the lictors, and no law limited the number of strokes. Such beatings often caused death. Roman citizenship was presumed to protect from such punishment, but in his orations Cicero tells us that in the provinces the rights of citizenship were often set at nought in this respect. Luke tells of but one of these beatings (Acts 26:22). The stoning took place at Lystra (Acts 14:19). Luke tells in all six sea voyages, but says nothing of the wreckings here mentioned. In referring to the twenty-four-hour struggle for life amidst the waves, Paul uses the present tense, showing that the horror of his situation was still vividly remembered]:

26 in journeyings often, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from my countrymen, in perils from the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren [Disasters at sea remind Paul of similar trials by land, and the eightfold reiteration of "perils" emphasizes the fact that he was nowhere safe. Traveling in those days was both arduous and dangerous. The highways were infested with robbers and the streams were often without bridges, the mountain torrents were sudden and violent in their risings, and the science of navigation and the art of shipbuilding were each extremely crude. For perils from his own countrymen, see Acts 13:45; Acts 13:50; Acts 14:2; Acts 14:5; Acts 17:5; Acts 17:13; Acts 18:15; Acts 19:9; Acts 21:27. They even attempted to take his life a few weeks later as he was leaving Jerusalem (Acts 23). For perils from the Gentiles, see Acts 19:30-31. For his perils in the cities, see verse 32 and Acts 9:24-25; Acts 9:29; Acts 13:50; Acts 14:5; Acts 14:19; Acts 16:19; Acts 17:5; Acts 17:13; Acts 18:12; Acts 19:23. Perils from false brethren [232] were the most distressing of all, for they wounded the affections--Philippians 3:18; Galatians 2:4];

27 in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. [The apostle here tells how he labored until labor became a pain; how he sacrificed his sleep that he might teach, preach and pray (Acts 20:31; 1 Thessalonians 3:10); how his journeyings often took him where he suffered for water and was faint with hunger; how he often fasted for the good of the cause (Acts 13:2-3; Acts 14:23; 1 Corinthians 9:27); and how he was cold and insufficiently clad. The apostle makes no mention of the frequency of his hunger and thirst, etc., for the recurrency of these trials was beyond his control. He employs the word "often" when speaking of the watchings and fastings which were directly under his control, and which he might have avoided had he chosen to do so. Surely this catalogue of privations must have made the apostle’s character stand in strong contrast to the self-indulgent spirit of his adversaries. From physical trials Paul now turns to those which were mental.]

28 Besides those things that are without, there is that which presseth upon me daily, anxiety for all the churches. [Besides the things which I have already mentioned--trials which come from external circumstances--there are others which attack me daily; I mean the wranglings, disputes, backslidings and apostasies of all the churches which are constantly brought to my attention that I may instruct, arbitrate or discipline according as the cases may demand. This verse may also be taken to mean that there were trials other than those mentioned, which came upon Paul from without.] 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is caused to stumble, and I burn not? [In this verse Paul shows what the care of the churches meant to him. It was an excessive drain upon his sympathies. If any weak one suffered through the rash selfishness of a brother who abused his liberty by eating in an idol temple, Paul suffered with him as if he also were weak, and if any were caused to stumble, Paul made the case of such a one his own, and burned with indignation.]

30 If I must needs [233] glory, I will glory of the things that concern my weakness. [If my enemies force upon me the moral necessity of boasting, I will at least not boast of my exploits, but of those things which others might regard as matters of shame. Thus the apostle shows how impossible it was for him to really boast after the fashion of a worldly mind.] 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed for evermore knoweth that I lie not. [This solemn asseveration is not to be restricted to the statements contained in the next two verses, but applies to all he has said or is about to say in this entire section. No doubt in the apostle’s own mind it was called forth by what he was about to say concerning his revelations, his mind looking forward to what he intended to say when he added the last item to his catalogue of sufferings.]

32 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes in order to take me: 33 and through a window was I let down in a basket by the wall, and escaped his hands. [In the walled cities of the Orient, houses were often built against the walls so that the windows projected over them. No doubt in Paul’s mind an apostle in a basket seemed the depth of humiliation. Aretas was king of Arabia from B. C. 7 to A. D. 40. Damascus belonged to Rome, and it has puzzled some to find it at this time under the control of the king of Arabia. But it will be remembered that Aretas engaged in war with Herod, because he dismissed the Arab’s daughter and took his niece, Herodias, for a wife. Aretas defeated Herod, and the Romans took up the quarrel, and it seems likely that in the ensuing contest the city of Damascus fell, for a time, into the hands of the Arabians.]

XII. 1 I must needs glory, though it is not expedient; but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. [I feel constrained to go on with my boosting, though I recognize that it is not expedient for me to do so since it gives my enemies further material for detraction and vilification. Yet I will speak of the visions which the Lord gave me and the revelations which they brought me.]

2 I know a [234] man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I know not; or whether out of the body, I know not; God knoweth), such a one caught up even to the third heaven. 3 And I know such a man (whether in the body, or apart from the body, I know not; God knoweth); 4 how that he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for man to utter. 5 On behalf of such a one will I glory: but on mine own behalf I will not glory, save in my weaknesses. [Here Paul speaks of an experience of his, but declines to name himself, or use the first person, lest he might be thought to be glorying in his own exaltation. He had been caught up into paradise, or the secret place of the Almighty. This he calls the third heaven, for in the Jewish estimation the air was the first heaven, the region of the sun, moon and stars was the second heaven. Somewhere beyond the stars was the abode of the Almighty. He was miraculously drawn up into heaven, but whether his whole personality went thither, or whether merely that part of him (his spiritual nature) which was suited to comprehend and enjoy heaven, he could not tell. While here he had heard words which it was not lawful for him to try to interpret by the insufficient and consequently misleading worth of earth. He tells this event, but it was an honor so much above his deserving that he avoids even such a method of telling it as might be construed to be boastful. If he gloried on his own behalf, it would still be in his weaknesses. As Paul wrote this epistle in A. D. 57, the deduction of fourteen years would bring us to A. D. 43, the season when Paul was in Antioch.]

6 For if I should desire to glory, I shall not be foolish; for I shall speak the truth: but I forbear, lest any man should account of me above that which he seeth me to be, or heareth from me. [Now, if I should desire to boast, I should not need to foolishly vaunt myself as to imaginary things, but I could confine myself to truth, and tell many wonderful experiences of visions exposed to my eyes and revelations imparted to my mind. But I forbear to proceed further, [235] lest any man should think of me as more excellent than my conduct or my speech would indicate. This I do not want. I desire no exaggerated reverence, but seek only that goodwill and esteem which my conduct merits.]

7 And by reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted overmuch, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, that I should not be exalted overmuch. [From the earliest ages down men have indulged in wild speculation as to what Paul meant by his thorn in the flesh. See comment on 1:10. The most plausible theory is that it was disfiguring and acute ophthalmia. Suffice it to say that it was some bodily infirmity which acted as a balance to Paul’s mind, drawing his thoughts and attention to his earthly state, lest they should dwell too constantly in meditation upon the things which had been revealed to him.]

8 Concerning this thing I besought the Lord thrice [Matthew 26:44], that it might depart from me. 9 And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect in weakness. [Philippians 4:13; 1 Corinthians 2:3-5.] Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. [The prayer was not granted, but a compensation was made for denying it. How evident it must have been to the Corinthians, from the sufferings he so cheerfully endured, that he was the true messenger of Christ! Paul’s use of the phrase "rest upon me" suggests the resting of the Spirit on the apostles at Pentecost--Acts 2:3.]

10 Wherefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. [God so orders it that the times of my weakness are the very hours when my strength is revealed, and thus each period of death is turned into a season of resurrection--4:10.] 11 I am become foolish: ye compelled me; for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing was I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I am nothing. [You, [236] who should have spoken in my defense and commendation, by keeping silence have compelled me to boast, and to show that, nobody as I am, I am at least equal to these overmuch apostles.]

12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, by signs and wonders and mighty works. 13 For what is there wherein ye were made inferior to the rest of the churches, except it be that I myself was not a burden to you? forgive me this wrong. [And you are without excuse in thus compelling me to defend myself by proving my apostleship, for it was proved long since among you by the miracles which I wrought among you as signs and evidences of it (evidences which his enemies wholly lacked); and also by the patient spirit in which I wrought the miracles, for I have again and again forborne to use my power to crush my wicked opposers (1:1-3; 1 Corinthians 4:21). And I so fully proved my apostleship among you, that you showed to no disadvantage whatever when compared with other churches founded by any others, for you had all the signs, gifts, graces, etc., which they had, unless it be that I myself did not aid my opposers in the good work of extorting wages from you--forgive me for thus wronging you! These last words, though ironical, are superbly dignified and pathetic. By his disinterested kindness to them, the apostle had favored them above all other churches--11:8.] [237]

THE THIRD VISIT. CONCLUSION
J.W. McGarvey

2 Corinthians 12:14 to 2 Corinthians 13:14

14 Behold, this is the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be a burden to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. [There has been much dispute as to whether Paul says that this is his third visit, or the third time he has intended to visit. Evidently it was to be his third visit. See 2 Corinthians 2:1; 2 Corinthians 12:21; 2 Corinthians 13:1-2. [237] Knowing that if this letter moved them to repentance or shame, the Corinthians would wish him to accept some compensation for his services, and that if he did so his enemies would revive their slanders against him, and assert that his whole purpose in writing was to gratify his mercenary desires, Paul makes it easy to decline any such offer on their part by declining it now beforehand. He asserts that he will maintain himself without their support, as he has done on his two former visits, and lest they should resent this independence on his part, he declares that he is actuated thereto by an intense love for them--a love which seeks not their money for his benefit, but their souls for their own benefit. He affectionately, yet almost playfully, bases his conduct on that rule as to parents and children which, though it sometimes permits children to aid parents, obliges parents always to maintain children. He was their spiritual father (1 Corinthians 4:14-15), and he claims the obligations of his parental relation as if they were much-coveted rights. Thus, as throughout the epistle, the thunders of the apostle have quickly subsided into the tender accents of the parent.]

15 And I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less? 16 But be it so, I did not myself burden you; but, being crafty, I caught you with guile. [And as a doting parent I will gladly spend all that I have and all that I am for your soul’s sake. Gladly, as it were, will I break the earthen vessel that its contents may be lavishly poured out upon you (2 Corinthians 4:7; Mark 14:3). And can it be possible that you will be so unnatural as to love me less in proportion as I love you the more? "But," say my detractors, "you apparently did not burden us; we concede this to be so; but you caught us with guile, for you have levied contributions, ostensibly for the poor in Jerusalem, but really to reimburse yourself for the wages which you feel to be due you, and about which you have been so noisily boasting."]

17 Did I take advantage of you by any one of them whom I have sent unto you? 18 I exhorted Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? walked we [238] not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps? [Now let us look at the facts and see where I used such guile. My detractors admit that I myself took nothing: then I must have taken it through the agency of others. If so, by whom? Titus and the brother who accompanied him were the only agents I sent. Did Titus thus cheat you in my behalf? Did he not, on the contrary, show you the same inner spirit of self-sacrifice which I displayed? Did he not outwardly follow my plans, exhorting you not to give it to him, or send it to me, but to lay it up in your own treasury weekly as I directed? See 1 Corinthians 16:1-2. If Titus, as we have supposed, accompanied the messengers who bore Paul’s first epistle to Corinth, he very naturally carried out the directions of that epistle. Who was then with him we do not know. Titus had not yet reached Corinth to undertake this work a second time as Paul directed (8:6, 16, 17). Paul’s actions were ever free from guile or covetousness--1 Thessalonians 2:3-5.]

19 Ye think all this time that we are excusing ourselves unto you. In the sight of God speak we in Christ. But all things, beloved, are for your edifying. 20 For I fear, lest by any means, when I come, I should find you not such as I would, and should myself be found of you such as ye would not; lest by any means there should be strife [1 Corinthians 6:7], jealousy [2 Corinthians 11:19; 2 Corinthians 11:22], wraths, factions [1 Corinthians 1:11], backbitings, whisperings, swellings [1 Corinthians 8:1-2], tumults [disorders]; 21 lest again when I come my God should humble me before you, and I should mourn for many of them that have sinned heretofore, and repented not of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they committed. [Doubtless all the while you have been reading or listening to my words you have been thinking that you are sitting in judgment on my case, and that I have been making my defense before you, anxiously hoping for a favorable verdict. Be not deceived. We can never be judged by you, but are divinely appointed a judge over you (Matthew 19:28). My only object is to speak before God in Christ, that is, to [239] acquaint you with the truth as it appears in God’s sight, that you may be instructed and not left in harmful ignorance. For I fear that even yet after all this instruction you may not profit by it, so that when I come I may find you not obedient as I would have you, and that I may be found of you not gentle as you would have me to be. For I expect to find among you the very sins which I have reproved in these epistles, and which were there when I last visited you (2 Corinthians 2:1). I will not spare you this time as I did then, but I shall exercise discipline, and therefore I fear that I shall mourn for many whom I shall be compelled to deliver over to Satan (1 Corinthians 5:5), because they still impenitently persist in their unchaste sins despite all my reproof.]

XIII. 1 This is the third time I am coming to you. At the mouth of two witnesses or three shall every word be established. [Deuteronomy 19:15.] 2 I have said beforehand, and I do say beforehand, as when I was present the second time, so now, being absent, to them that have sinned heretofore, and to all the rest, that, if I come again, I will not spare [The apostle here declares that patience has reached its just limit. Twice he has been present and has forborne, but at the third coming he will handle them with rigorous discipline. He will not, however, proceed rashly, nor will he decide who is guilty by direct or immediate revelation, lest he be regarded as arrogating to himself the offices of both witness and judge. He will proceed by due legal form, and call witnesses, since they are to be had, and obviate the necessity of employing miraculous knowledge. Some argue from the context that Paul means to say that his three visits will be, as it were, three witnesses against them, or that his thrice-repeated threats are shown to be true by these repetitions. But such interpretations are fanciful. There may, however, be a parallelism in Paul’s thought; thus: Let my three warnings, repeated at such long intervals, persuade you that my words will testify against me if I do not keep them by punishing you, for I have thrice said I would do this thing, viz.: when I first wrote, when I was present, and now, when [240] I am writing again, that I would do this thing];

3 seeing that ye seek a proof of Christ that speaketh in me; who to you-ward is not weak, but is powerful in you: 4 for he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth through the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him through the power of God toward you. [The apostle here gives the reason why he had so fully decided to discipline: they had tauntingly desired it. You ascribe, says he, weakness to the Christ who speaks in me, and strength to the Christ, who, according to their profession, speaks in these false apostles, and you would put me to the test. Their Christ, ye say, is the mighty Keeper of the Jewish law, while mine is the weak, crucified Christ. But you should remember that he has not been weak toward you, either in my ministry (2 Corinthians 12:12), or in miracles and judgments (2 Corinthians 6:7; 1 Corinthians 2:4-5; 1 Corinthians 11:30), or in the bestowal of gifts (1 Corinthians 1:7), for, though he did indeed manifest through the weakness of our humanity a mortal life susceptible to death by crucifixion (Philippians 2:7-8; 1 Corinthians 1:23; Hebrews 2:14); yet, per contra, through the power of God the Father working in him (Romans 1:4; Romans 6:4; Ephesians 1:20), he overcome this weakness and lives again. And by virtue of our union with him, we follow the pattern of his life in our dealings with you; for you who have beheld our physical weakness, infirmities, gentle forbearance, etc. (2 Corinthians 10:10; 2 Corinthians 12:5; 2 Corinthians 12:9-10), and have, as it were, put our influence and power to death among you, shall behold also in me the same divine power of God effecting a resurrection of us because of our union with Christ, that we may exercise our rightful authority over you. We should note the direct assertion of inspiration, and the willingness to have it tested contained in verse 3.]

5 Try your own selves, whether ye are in the faith; prove your own selves. Or know ye not as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you? unless indeed ye be reprobate. 6 But I hope that ye shall know that we are not reprobate. [Ye who are so eager to put me to the test as to whether I am united with Christ, would exercise a truer wisdom if you tested your own selves to see whether you are [241] in possession of that faith which should unite you with Christ--yea, test your own selves and do not foolishly wait for me to apply the rigors of my testing. Ye seek to know whether Christ is in me, but the obvious, immediate way of testing this is to see if I have been able to impart Christ to you. Or have you indeed lost all consciousness of Christ being in you, using you as his temple? Compare John 15:4-5; 1 John 3:24; Galatians 2:20; Galatians 4:19; Ephesians 3:17; Colossians 1:27. Surely you have this consciousness which is the conclusive test of my ministry (3:1-3; 1 Corinthians 9:2), unless indeed ye are proved to be no Christians at all, by the application of this test. But I hope that by my testing when I come, the true authority of Christ in me may be vindicated, and that, testing me, you may find me approved by the testing. Reprobate means that which fails to stand the test (Jeremiah 6:30). It is evident to the casual observer that Paul uses the word in an entirely different sense from that horrible meaning read into it by Calvin.]

7 Now we pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we may appear approved, but that ye may do that which is honorable, though we be as reprobate. 8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. [While hoping or expecting to be vindicated, his prayer is of a different sort. We pray, says he, that you may be kept from evil, and thus escape the discipline. We do not thus pray for the sake of approving ourselves by showing our power to restrain you from evil (and thus our approval would result from our prayer), but we thus pray because of our earnest desire for your righteousness. We would have you do that which is honorable, even though you thereby deprive us of the opportunity of vindicating ourself, so that we shall still be looked upon by you as untrustworthy, and not capable of enduring tests. Compare with the like unselfishness at Romans 9:3. For our apostolic power is given to us to use, not against, but for, the truth. We are powerless against anything which is right and true. If ye, therefore, do the truth, you withdraw your demand for a test of us, and deprive us of this chance of vindicating ourselves by showing our power, and this we desire that you should do.]

9 For we rejoice, when [242] we are weak, and ye are strong: this we also pray for, even your perfecting. 10 For this cause I write these things while absent, that I may not when present deal sharply, according to the authority which the Lord gave me for building up, and not for casting down. [Here Paul amplifies the thought of verses 7 and 8. If the Corinthians are only perfected in strength, if they are mighty in faith and righteousness, he is content to be looked upon as weak by them; and therefore to spare himself the pains of disciplining them at his coming, he has taken the milder method of doing so by letter. For it indeed pained him to use divine power in tearing down a Church, when that power was given him for the purpose of building up churches. In short, Paul was content that they should look upon him as no apostle it all, provided they could do so without any injury to themselves. He was zealous for his apostolic authority over them, because without his guiding power they would make shipwreck of the faith.]

11 Finally, brethren, farewell. [Literally, rejoice; a reverting to the purpose declared in 2 Corinthians 1:24. Compare Philippians 4:4.] Be perfected [Ephesians 4:13; Matthew 5:48]; be comforted [1:6; 7:8-13; 1 Thessalonians 4:18]; be of the same mind [1 Corinthians 1:10; Philippians 2:2; 1 Peter 3:8; Romans 12:16; Romans 12:18]; live in peace [Ephesians 4:3]: and the God of love and peace shall be with you. 12 Salute one another with a holy kiss. [Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 1 Peter 5:14. See note on 1 Thessalonians 5:26.] 13 All the saints salute you. [That is, all the saints with me in Macedonia.] 14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. [This is the full apostolic benediction. It contains three blessings respectively derived from the three divine sources. It occurs nowhere else in the Scripture. Coming, as it does, after this, the most severe of letters, it reminds one that the greatest showers of blessing often follow the fiercest flashes of lightning and the mightiest reverberations of thunder. Thus closes Paul’s second epistle to the church at Corinth. It evidently furthered the good work set in motion by the first epistle and by Titus; for when Paul a little later [243] wrote his letter to the Romans from Corinth, he was evidently in a calm and peaceful frame of mind. Also compare 10:15, 16 and notes, with Romans 15:22-24. Moreover, the collection for Jerusalem was taken, and was apparently generous, for Paul accompanied them who bore it to Jerusalem. Compare 1 Corinthians 16:4 and note, with Romans 16:18; Acts 20:4.] [244]

LESSON 1

COMFORT AND AFFLICTION

2 Corinthians 1:1-24

1. Who wrote this letter to what group of people? Ans. 2 Corinthians 1:1.

2. Paul was an apostle through the will of whom? Ans. 2 Corinthians 1:1.

3. Where is all comfort to be found? Ans. 2 Corinthians 1:3.

4. Those whom God comforts in their afflictions are able to do what? Ans. 2 Corinthians 1:4.

5. When can we expect our comfort to abound through Christ? Ans. 2 Corinthians 1:5.

6. Who can expect persecution in this life? Ans. 2 Timothy 3:12.

7. What consolation could the Corinthians gain from the afflictions and sufferings of Paul? Ans. 2 Corinthians 1:6-7.

8. How great and terrible were these afflictions in Asia? Ans. 2 Corinthians 1:8.

9. What did Paul learn from his being sentenced to death? Ans. 2 Corinthians 1:9.

10. What was Paul’s hope concerning further deliverances? Ans. 2 Corinthians 1:10.

11. Although God did the delivering, how did the Corinthians help? Ans. 2 Corinthians 1:11.

12. What was Paul glorying in? Ans. 2 Corinthians 1:12.

13. What other things did Paul write to them? Ans. 2 Corinthians 1:13.

14. When shall be the complete glorying in one another? Ans. 2 Corinthians 1:14.

15. Where was Paul minded to go first? Why? Ans. 2 Corinthians 1:15.

16. Where did Paul intend to go after leaving Macedonia? Ans. 2 Corinthians 1:16.

17. What did he expect the Corinthians to do about his journey into Judea? Ans. 2 Corinthians 1:16.

18. What does Paul say about purposing things according to the flesh? Ans. 2 Corinthians 1:17-18.

19. Who preached Jesus Christ unto the Corinthians? Ans. 2 Corinthians 1:19.

20. What did God do for these three men who preached Christ? Ans. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22.

21. Why did Paul fail to come to Corinth? Ans. 2 Corinthians 1:23.

22. Paul did not claim lordship over what? Ans. 2 Corinthians 1:24.

LESSON 2

FORGIVING AN ERRING BROTHER

2 Corinthians 2:1-17

1. In what way would Paul not come to the Corinthians again? Ans. 2 Corinthians 2:1.

2. Who could make Paul glad? Ans. 2 Corinthians 2:2.

3. Paul wrote this to them because he expected what? Ans. 2 Corinthians 2:3.

4. How did Paul write to them? Ans. 2 Corinthians 2:4.

5. Paul’s reason for writing this was not what? Ans. 2 Corinthians 2:4.

6. How much love did Paul have for them? Ans. 2 Corinthians 2:4.

7. Anyone that had caused sorrow to Paul had also caused sorrow to whom? Ans. 2 Corinthians 2:5.

8. How much had the one who caused sorrow been punished? Ans. 2 Corinthians 2:6.

9. Why should this one then be forgiven and comforted? Ans. 2 Corinthians 2:7.

10. What did Paul beg them to confirm toward this man? Ans. 2 Corinthians 2:8.

11. What was another reason for Paul’s writing unto them? Ans. 2 Corinthians 2:9.

12. How did Paul feel toward one whom they had forgiven? Ans. 2 Corinthians 2:10.

13. Whatever Paul had forgiven, for whose sake did he do it? Ans. 2 Corinthians 2:10.

14. If we fail to forgive, who can gain an advantage over us? Ans. 2 Corinthians 2:11.

15. Do you believe this is the same person written about in 1 Corinthians 5:1-8? What are your reasons?

16. Why did Paul come to Troas? Ans. 2 Corinthians 2:12.

17. What was opened unto him there? Ans. 2 Corinthians 2:12.

18. What did he fail to find there? Ans. 2 Corinthians 2:13.

19. Where did Paul go from Troas? Ans. 2 Corinthians 2:13.

20. Through whom was the knowledge of God made manifest? Ans. 2 Corinthians 2:14.

21. Where is our triumph? Ans. 2 Corinthians 2:14.

22. What were the apostles to them that are saved and to them that perish? Explain this. Ans. 2 Corinthians 2:15-16.

23. What were many doing to the word of God? Ans. 2 Corinthians 2:17.

24. What is another way that the word of God can be handled? Ans. 2 Corinthians 4:2.

25. How should it be handled? Ans. 2 Timothy 2:15.

FOR CLASS DISCUSSION

1. How To Restore The Erring.

2. Forgiving The Erring.

LESSON 3

THE OLD AND THE NEW COVENANTS

2 Corinthians 3:1 to 2 Corinthians 4:18

1. What did Paul say some had need of? Ans. 2 Corinthians 3:1.

2. What were the Corinthians to Paul? Ans. 2 Corinthians 3:2.

3. This epistle was written with what? Ans. 2 Corinthians 3:3.

4. What had been written on tables of stone? Ans. Deuteronomy 4:13.

5. The apostles were ministers of what? Ans. 2 Corinthians 3:6.

6. What happened when the old covenant was given? Ans. 2 Corinthians 3:7.

7. Compare the ministration of condemnation with the ministration of righteousness. Ans. 2 Corinthians 3:9.

8. What happened to the law which came by Moses? Ans. 2 Corinthians 3:7; 2 Corinthians 3:11.

9. What about those who place themselves under that law? Ans. Galatians 5:4.

10. How did Paul differ from Moses? Ans. 2 Corinthians 3:12-13.

11. Why did some not know that the old law was done away in Christ? Ans. 2 Corinthians 3:14-15.

12. What shall happen when their hearts turn toward the Lord? Ans. 2 Corinthians 3:16.

13. What else is always where the Spirit of the Lord is? Ans. 2 Corinthians 3:17.

14. What about those who are unveiled and whose minds are not hardened? Ans. 2 Corinthians 3:18.

15. What was renounced and how was the word of God handled? Ans. 2 Corinthians 4:1-2.

16. What happens to those in whom the gospel is veiled? Ans. 2 Corinthians 4:3.

17. The light of the gospel of Christ does not shine upon whom? Ans. 2 Corinthians 4:4.

18. What did Paul preach? Ans. 2 Corinthians 4:5.

19. In what was the treasure of Christ placed? Why? Ans. 2 Corinthians 4:7.

20. The death of Jesus was borne about in the bodies of the apostles for what reason? Ans. 2 Corinthians 4:10-11.

21. What worked in the apostles? In the Corinthians? Ans. 2 Corinthians 4:12.

22. What did Paul believe and speak about the one who raised Christ? Ans. 2 Corinthians 4:13-14.

23. Why was the grace multiplied through the many? Ans. 2 Corinthians 4:15.

24. What was happening to the outward man? The inner man? Ans. 2 Corinthians 4:16.

25. How long was the affliction to last? Ans. 2 Corinthians 4:17.

26. What did the affliction work for them? Ans. 2 Corinthians 4:17.

27. Tell the difference between the things which are seen and things which are not seen. Ans. 2 Corinthians 4:18.

LESSON 4

THE TREASURE IN EARTHEN VESSELS

2 Corinthians 5:1-21

1. What shall be dissolved? Ans. 2 Corinthians 5:1.

2. What shall we have in the heavens? Ans. 2 Corinthians 5:1.

3. Paul was longing and desiring to be clothed with what? Ans. 2 Corinthians 5:2.

4. Why was Paul anxious to be unburdened from the earthly tabernacle? Ans. 2 Corinthians 5:4.

5. What did God give to them? Ans. 2 Corinthians 5:5.

6. When are we absent from the Lord? Ans. 2 Corinthians 5:6.

7. We walk by what? Ans. 2 Corinthians 5:7.

8. How do we get this faith? Ans. Romans 10:17.

9. Regardless of what might be, what was the aim of Paul? Ans. 2 Corinthians 5:9.

10. In the judgment we shall receive according to what? Ans. 2 Corinthians 5:10.

11. Where was Paul made manifest? Where did he hope to be manifest? Ans. 2 Corinthians 5:11.

12. Why were the Corinthians being told these things? Ans. 2 Corinthians 5:12.

13. What did the love of Christ do? Ans. 2 Corinthians 5:14.

14. For whom should we live? Ans. 2 Corinthians 5:15.

15. How did Paul once know Christ? Ans. 2 Corinthians 5:16.

16. What of the person who is in Christ? Ans. 2 Corinthians 5:17.

17. Through whom are people reconciled unto God? Ans. 2 Corinthians 5:18.

18. What about the trespasses of those who are reconciled unto God? Ans. 2 Corinthians 5:19.

19. To whom was the word of reconciliation committed? Ans. 2 Corinthians 5:19.

20. The apostles were ambassadors on behalf of whom? Ans. 2 Corinthians 5:20.

21. What are these ambassadors beseeching people to do? Ans. 2 Corinthians 5:20.

22. What happened to him who knew no sin? Ans. 2 Corinthians 5:21.

23. In whom can we become the righteousness of God? Ans. 2 Corinthians 5:21.

LESSON 5

BE NOT UNEQUALLY YOKED

2 Corinthians 6:1 to 2 Corinthians 7:16

1. How were the Corinthians not to receive the grace of God? Ans. 2 Corinthians 6:1.

2. What does the grace of God do for us? Ans. Titus 2:11-12.

3. When is the acceptable time and the day of salvation? Ans. 2 Corinthians 6:2.

4. What physical hardships did the ministers of God undergo? Ans. 2 Corinthians 6:4-5.

5. In what did the ministers of God commend themselves? Ans. 2 Corinthians 6:6-10.

6. What was Paul’s attitude toward the Corinthians? Ans. 2 Corinthians 6:11.

7. How did Paul speak to them? Ans. 2 Corinthians 6:13.

8. What are believers forbidden to do and why? Ans. 2 Corinthians 6:14-15.

9. What people are a temple of the living God? Ans. 2 Corinthians 6:16.

10. What should the people of God do? Ans. 2 Corinthians 6:17.

11. Then how shall God treat his people? Ans. 2 Corinthians 6:18.

12. From what should God’s children cleanse themselves? Ans. 2 Corinthians 7:1.

13. How should our holiness be perfected? Ans. 2 Corinthians 7:1.

14. What three things did Paul say he had done to no man? Ans. 2 Corinthians 7:2.

15. How did Paul express his deep feeling for them? Ans. 2 Corinthians 7:3-4.

16. What did they find in Macedonia? Ans. 2 Corinthians 7:5.

17. By what means were they comforted? Ans. 2 Corinthians 7:6.

18. What did Titus tell Paul about the Corinthians that caused Paul to rejoice? Ans. 2 Corinthians 7:7.

19. Why was Paul made glad that they were made sorry by his other letter? Ans. 2 Corinthians 7:8-9.

20. Godly sorrow works what? Ans. 2 Corinthians 7:10.

21. This other letter was not written for what cause? Ans. 2 Corinthians 7:12.

22. Great comfort was experienced by Paul because the Corinthians had done what for Titus? Ans. 2 Corinthians 7:13.

23. What increased the affection of Titus toward the Corinthians? Ans. 2 Corinthians 7:15.

24. Paul rejoiced in what? Ans. 2 Corinthians 7:16.

LESSON 6

GRACE OF GIVING

2 Corinthians 8:1 to 2 Corinthians 9:15

1. On whom had the grace of God been bestowed? Ans. 2 Corinthians 8:1.

2. How great was the material wealth of the Macedonians? Ans. 2 Corinthians 8:2.

3. How, and to what extent, did the Macedonians give? Ans. 2 Corinthians 8:3-4.

4. What did they give first of all? Ans. 2 Corinthians 8:5.

5. Whom did Paul desire to finish the work of this grace? Ans. 2 Corinthians 8:6.

6. In what did the Corinthians abound? Ans. 2 Corinthians 8:7.

7. What was Christ, what did he become, and for what reason? Ans. 2 Corinthians 8:9.

8. The Corinthians were the first to do what? Ans. 2 Corinthians 8:10.

9. To what extent were they advised to complete this grace? Ans. 2 Corinthians 8:11.

10. How is our giving judged? Ans. 2 Corinthians 8:12.

11. Why did Titus go to the Corinthians? Ans. 2 Corinthians 8:16-17.

12. Who was sent with Titus? Ans. 2 Corinthians 8:18.

13. How was this man chocen and what was he to do? Ans. 2 Corinthians 8:19.

14. What excellent practical reason did Paul give for the presence of this man? Ans. 2 Corinthians 8:20-21.

15. Who else was with this man and Titus? Ans. 2 Corinthians 8:22.

16. In case the question arose as to who these men were, how was it to be answered? Ans. 2 Corinthians 8:23.

17. What did Paul tell the Macedonians about the Corinthians? Ans. 2 Corinthians 9:1-2.

18. Why did Paul send these brethren to Corinth? Ans. 2 Corinthians 9:3.

19. Paul felt there was a chance of what happening? Ans. 2 Corinthians 9:4.

20. What does your sowing have to do with your reaping? Ans. 2 Corinthians 9:6.

21. How should each man give? Ans. 2 Corinthians 9:7.

22. If we give bountifully, what shall God do for us? Ans. 2 Corinthians 9:10-11.

23. Giving not only supplies material needs of Christians, but does what else? Ans. 2 Corinthians 9:12.

24. The poor saints would glorify whom for the gifts received from the Corinthians? Ans. 2 Corinthians 9:13.

25. Paul thanks God for what? Ans. 2 Corinthians 9:15.

LESSON 7

PAUL’S DEFENSE OF HIS APOSTOLIC OFFICE

2 Corinthians 10:1 to 2 Corinthians 11:33

1. By what did Paul entreat the Corinthians? Ans. 2 Corinthians 10:1.

2. Some had accused Paul of walking in what manner? Ans. 2 Corinthians 10:2.

3. The apostles did not war according to what? Ans. 2 Corinthians 10:3.

4. What were the weapons of their warfare? Ans. 2 Corinthians 10:4-6.

5. Any man that thought he belonged to Christ was to do what? Ans. 2 Corinthians 10:7.

6. Paul’s authority was to be used for what purpose? Ans. 2 Corinthians 10:8.

7. What had some said about Paul’s letters? His bodily presence? His speech? Ans. 2 Corinthians 10:10.

8. How would the words of Paul’s letters compare with his deeds when he arrived in person? Ans. 2 Corinthians 10:11.

9. By what standard were some measuring themselves? Ans. 2 Corinthians 10:12.

10. What did these people lack? Ans. 2 Corinthians 10:12.

11. Paul would glory only in what measure? Ans. 2 Corinthians 10:13.

12. Who brought the gospel to Corinth? Ans. 2 Corinthians 10:14.

13. As the faith of the Corinthians increased, what did Paul hope for? Ans. 2 Corinthians 10:15-16.

14. Where should one glory? Ans. 2 Corinthians 10:17.

15. Who stands approved? Ans. 2 Corinthians 10:18.

16. Paul asks them to bear with him in what? Ans. 2 Corinthians 11:1.

17. What had Paul done for them? Ans. 2 Corinthians 11:2.

18. Paul was afraid what might happen? Ans. 2 Corinthians 11:3.

19. How was the preacher of another doctrine received by the Corinthians? Ans. 2 Corinthians 11:4.

20. What question did Paul ask about his preaching to them without pay? Ans. 2 Corinthians 11:7.

21. Who helped Paul financially in his preaching at Corinth? Ans. 2 Corinthians 11:8-9.

22. What reason did Paul give for continuing to support himself? Ans. 2 Corinthians 11:12.

23. The servants of Satan sometimes appear as what? Ans. 2 Corinthians 11:14-15.

24. What prompted Paul to speak in a foolish manner? Ans. 2 Corinthians 11:16-18.

25. The Corinthians would bear with what kind of man? Ans. 2 Corinthians 11:20.

26. Name several of Paul’s sufferings and tribulations. Ans. 2 Corinthians 11:23-27.

27. In addition to all these things, what else caused him much anxiety? Ans. 2 Corinthians 11:28.

28. How did Paul escape at Damascus? Ans. 2 Corinthians 11:32-33.

LESSON 8

PROOF OF PAUL’S APOSTLESHIP

2 Corinthians 12:1 to 2 Corinthians 13:14

1. What does Paul plan to present now as proof of his apostleship? Ans. 2 Corinthians 12:1.

2. What did Paul not know about this man who was caught up into the third heaven? Ans. 2 Corinthians 12:2.

3. What kind of things did this man hear? Ans. 2 Corinthians 12:4.

4. On whose behalf will Paul glory? Ans. 2 Corinthians 12:5.

5. Why did Paul refrain from boasting of this vision of Paradise? Ans. 2 Corinthians 12:6.

6. Why was Paul given a thorn in the flesh? Ans. 2 Corinthians 12:7.

7. What did Paul do about this physical affliction? Ans. 2 Corinthians 12:8.

8. What answer did he get? Ans. 2 Corinthians 12:9.

9. Paul took pleasure in what? Ans. 2 Corinthians 12:10.

10. How did Paul rank with the chief apostles? Ans. 2 Corinthians 12:11.

11. What final arguments did he present in proof of his apostleship? Ans. 2 Corinthians 12:12-13.

12. Who should lay up things for whom? Ans. 2 Corinthians 12:14.

13. Some accused Paul of what? Ans. 2 Corinthians 12:16.

14. How did Paul refute this accusation? Ans. 2 Corinthians 12:17-18.

15. All of these things said by him were in whom and for what purpose? Ans. 2 Corinthians 12:19.

16. What was Paul afraid he might find when he reached Corinth? Ans. 2 Corinthians 12:20-21.

17. How many witnesses were necessary to sustain an accusation? Ans. 2 Corinthians 13:1.

18. As proof that Christ really spoke through him, what would Paul do to the sinners when he arrived? Ans. 2 Corinthians 13:2-3.

19. Christ lives through the power of whom? Ans. 2 Corinthians 13:4.

20. What should the Corinthians do? Ans. 2 Corinthians 13:5.

21. Why did Paul pray that they would do no evil? Ans. 2 Corinthians 13:7.

22. Paul was glad to be weak if they only would be what? Ans. 2 Corinthians 13:9.

23. Why was Paul writing these things to Corinth? Ans. 2 Corinthians 13:10.

24. The Lord gave Paul authority for what? Ans. 2 Corinthians 13:10.

25. If they were of the same mind and living in peace, who would be with them? Ans. 2 Corinthians 13:11.

26. How were they to greet one another? Ans. 2 Corinthians 13:12.

27. What were the last words Paul wrote to the church at Corinth? Ans. 2 Corinthians 13:14.