PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
An Exposition of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians
Hodge, Charles, 1797–1878 · 138,725 words · 304 reading sections
CHAPTER XI.
The apostle apologizes for the self-commendation which was forced upon him, vs. 1-15. He contrasts himself and his labours with the assump- tions of the false teachers, vs. 15-33. JReasons for his self-commendation^ vs. 1-15. He had just condemned all self-commendation, yet he was forced to do what had the appearance…
294 wordsSECTION 242250 II. CORINTHIANS 11, 1.2.
apostleship, vs. 7-9. He was determined to refuse any pecu- niary aid from the Christians in Achaia, not because he did not love them, but because he wished to cut off all occasion to question his sincerity from those who sought such occasion, and because he desired to put the false teachers to the same test of disinte…
412 wordsSECTION 243II. CORINTHIANS 11, 2. 251
This is the reason either why they should bear vdth. him, or why he was assured that they would do so. That is, the connection is either with the first and principal clause of y. 1, or with the latter clause. It makes but little difference. The sense is better if the connection is with the first clause. ' Bear with my …
505 wordsSECTION 244252 II. CORINTHIANS 11, 3.
their espousals to Christ, that he could not fail to feel the deepest interest in their fidelity. I have espoused you. The vert) ap/xo^co in the active voice is used of the father who be- troths his daughter ; in the passive of the bride who is be- trothed ; in the middle voice it is generally used of the man who pledg…
428 wordsSECTION 245II. CORINTHIANS 11, 4. 253
to secure her fidelity. Yet by the subtilty of Satan she fell. What reason then have we to fear who are exposed to the machinations of the same great seducer. As the serpeiit be- guiled Eve ; i. e. Satan in the form of a serpent. TJie serpent, i. e. the well-known serpent of which Moses speaks. The New Testament writer…
892 wordsSECTION 246II. CORINTHIANS 11, 5. 255
apostasy to Judaism, says, " This only would I learn of you. Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith ? " Gal. 3, 2 ; and in Heb. 2, 4, he says, God bore witness to the gospel by the gifts of the Holy Ghost. The apostle here supposes the impossible case that a like con- firmation had a…
441 wordsSECTION 247•256 II. CORINTHIANS 11, 6.
in his folly. To this point every thing here refers. They should thns bear with him, 1. Because he was jealous over them with a godly jealousy. 2. Because they would bear with any who really preached another gospel, were that possi- ble. 3. Because he was on a par with the chief apostles. The connection, therefore, is …
448 wordsSECTION 248II. CORINTHIANS 11, 6. 257
been urged as an objection to Paul that he did not speak with the Avisdom of words. 1 Cor. 1, 17. He was no rhetorician, and did not api^ear in the character of an orator. This he here, as in the former epistle, concedes. If that were an ob- jection, he had no answer to make other than that his depend- ence was on the …
480 wordsSECTION 249258 II. CORINTHIANS 11, 7.
Others again, understand the apostle as here asserting his well established character for purity of purpose and conduct. * My Avhole conduct is perfectly open and straightforward for you to see.' There is, however, no impeachment of his con- duct referred to in the context, and therefore no call for this general assert…
417 wordsSECTION 250II. CORINTHIANS 11, 8. 9. 259
invalidity of his claim to the apostleship. As they had no other objection to him, he asks whether they were disposed to urge that. 8. I robbed other churches, taking wages (of them), to do you service. To rob is to take with violence what does not belong to us. It is therefore only in a figurative sense the word is …
363 wordsSECTION 251260 II. CORINTHIANS 11, 9.
came from Macedonia (rather, Hlie brethren ha^ang come from Macedonia,') supplied ; TrpoaaviTrX-qpoicrav, a double com- jDound verb, to siipj^ly in addition. The contribution of the churches were added to what Paul earned by his labour, or, to his diminished stock which he had brought with him to Corinth. The point on …
451 wordsSECTION 252II. CORINTHIANS 11, 10-12. 261
10. As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia. Calvin, Beza, and others, understand this as an oath, or asseveration. Our translators adopted the same view, and therefore supply the word as, which is not in the Greek. This interpretation is not required by the text…
412 wordsSECTION 253262 II. CORINTHIANS 11, 11. 12.
aid fi'om the Corinthians ; and that his special Kav^^y/w-a, oi ground of boasting, was that he preached the gospel gratui tously. He said he would rather die than that any man should take from him that ground of confidence. This of course im plies that the purity of his motives had been assailed, and that his object i…
460 wordsSECTION 254II. CORINTHIANS 11, 13. 263
13. Por such (are) false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. The reason assigned in this verse for the determination expressed in the preceding, to cut off occasion from those who sought to degrade the apostle, is, the unworthy character of his opponents. They were so unpr…
409 wordsSECTION 255264 II. CORINTHIANS 11, 14. 15.
14. And no marvel; for Satan himself is trans- formed into an angel of light. It is not wonderful that false apostles slioulcl put them- selves forward under the guise of apostles of Christ, and ap- pear and be received as such, for Satan himself, the most evil of all beings, assumes the form of the highest and purest…
409 wordsSECTION 256II. CORINTHIANS 11, ]6. 265
called "the righteousness of faith." These false teachers professed to be the preachers of that rio-hteoiisness which is of God and which avails to the justification of sinners in his sight. Satan does not come to us as Satan ; neither does sin present itself as sin, but in the guise of virtue ; and the teach- ers of e…
433 wordsSECTION 257266 II. CORINTHIANS 11, 17
Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. That which I speak^ o \a\Zi. The apostle uses XaXcu and not Aeyo), because the reference is not to any definite words which he had uttered, but general — my talk, or language. Is not after the Lord., i. e. is not such as characterized Christ, or becomes h…
447 wordsSECTION 258II. CORINTHIANS 11, 18. 267
rit is a limitation of what precedes. He was justified in boast- ing in this particular matter. It is, however, more consistent with the common use of the word in the New Testament, that here, as in 9, 4, it should be taken in the sense of confidence^ and kv be rendered icith. ' I speak with this confidence ol boasting…
436 wordsSECTION 259268 II. CORINTHIANS 11, 19. 20.
the apostle. It is not true that he was influenced in boasting by corrupt feelings; that self-conceit and the desire of ap- plause were in him, as in the false teachers, the motives which governed him in this matter. There is no necessity for sup- plying Kara aapKa after the last clause. What Paul says is, ' As many bo…
407 wordsSECTION 260II. CORINTHIANS 11, 21. 269
scribes the Pharisees as devouring widows' houses, Matt. 23, 14. If any take (of you) ; et rt? Xaix/Sdvet- vfxa<; is to be supplied as after KaTea^Ut in the preceding clause. " If any take you^'' i. e. capture you or ensnare you, as a huntsman his prey. Our version by sup^jlying of you alters the sense, and makes this …
442 wordsSECTION 261270 II. CORINTHIANS 11, 21.
ence and contemptible in speech, 10, 10. In reference to this judgment of his opponents he says, 'I acknowledge to my shame that, when present with you (the aorist, ya-Sev^o-afx^v, is used), I was weak.' In 1 Cor. 2, 3 he told the Corinthians that he came among them in w^eakness and fear and much trembling. There was a…
477 wordsSECTION 262II. CORINTHIANS 11, 22. 23. 271
clause. It would not do to say, ' I speak to shame you that I was weak ; ' or, if on be made causal, ' I speak to shame you because I was weak,' still the sense is not good. The former interpretation of this difficult passage is therefore to be pre- ferred. 22. Are they Hebrews? so (am) I. Are they Is- raehtes ? so (a…
395 wordsSECTION 2632Y2 II. CORINTHIANS 11, 24.
Christ in a higher measure than they. That is, I am more devoted, laborious and suffering than they. The latter is the true explanation as is clear from what follows, and because in Paul's language and estimation there was no higher title or service than that of minister of Christ. / speak as a fool, Trapacfiovihv Xa\u…
409 wordsSECTION 264II. CORINTHIANS 11, 26. 273
at the hands of his own countrymen, the Acts of the Apostles contain no record ; and of the three occasions on which he was beaten mth rods, that mentioned in Acts 16, 22 as having occurred at Philippi is the only one of which we have else- where any account. In the law of Moses, Deut. 25, 3, it was forbidden to inflic…
423 wordsSECTION 265274 II. CORINTHIANS 11, 27.
Paul's journeys great danger was often encountered in passing the rivers which crossed his j^ath. Perils of robbers^ to which all traA'ellers were exposed. Perils from my otvti countrymen (e/c ycVovs as opposed to l^ c^vthv). The Jews were, at least in most cases, the first to stir up opposition and to excite the mob a…
829 wordsSECTION 266276 II. CORINTHIANS 11, 29.
tumult, as of the people, see Acts 24, 12, but the former has also the sense of care, or attention. If the corrected text be adopted, then the interpretation just mentioned is to be pre- ferred. ' Without mentioning other things, {y eTrt'o-rao-ts /aov 17 Ktt^' rjjxipav) my daily oversight, the care of all the church.' …
442 wordsSECTION 267II. CORINTHIANS 11, 30.31. 277
thors of their fall. Thus his mind was kept in a state of con- stant agitation by his numerous anxieties and his wide-hearted sympathy. 30. If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things Avhich concern mine infirmities. Paul's boasting was not like that of the false teachers. They boasted not only of their descent…
397 wordsSECTION 268278 II. CORINTHIANS 11, 32.
ties ; others, as Calvin and many others, refer it to what fol- lows, i. e., to the account which he was about to give of his escape from Damascus. To give this explanation the more plausibility, Meyer assumes that Paul had intended to intro- duce an extended narrative of his escape and sufferings, be- ginning with the…
412 wordsSECTION 269II. CORINTHIANS 11, 33. 2Y9
the gates. The \rorcls of the Damascenes (rrjv Aa fxao-K-rjvCJv TToXiv) are omitted in the original edition of 1611 of King James's version, but are now found in all the copies. With a garrison. The word is simply €<f)povp€Lj he kept^ or guarded. Desirous to apprehend me. The governor set a guard at the gates to seize …
178 wordsSECTION 270CHAPTER XH.
The account of a remarkable vision granted to the apostle, vs. 1-6. The other evidences of his apostleship, and his conduct and purooses in the exercise of his office, vs. 7-21. PauVs revelations and visions. He would give over boasting, and refer not to what he had done, but to what God had done ; not to scenes in w…
162 wordsSECTION 271280 II. CORINTHIANS 12, ].
keep him duly humble, vs. V-IO. This reference to his per- sonal experience was exceecling^ly painful to him. He had been forced by their unreasonable opposition to speak of him- self as he had done ; for the external signs of his apostleship should have couAdnced them that he was the immediate mes^ senger of Christ, v…
446 wordsSECTION 272II. CORINTHIANS 12, 2. 281
peatedly spoken of boasting as a kind of folly, something de- rogatory and painful. He expresses the same feeling here when he says it is not expedient. I will come. Our translat- ors omit the yap, for I icill come. The connection is with a thought omitted. Boasting is not expedient, (therefore I de- sist,) for I will …
432 wordsSECTION 273282 II. CORINTHIANS 12, 3. 4.
at the time of Paul's conversion. That was a vision of Christ to the apostle here on earth, this was a translation of the apostle into heaven ; that occurred twenty years before the probable date of this epistle. So that the two agree neither in nature, nor in the time of their occurrence. Whether in the body or out of…
448 wordsSECTION 274II. CORINTHIANS 12, 5. 6. 283
unspeakable words, Avhich it is not lawful for a man to utter. This is a repetition of v. 2, with the exception of the sub- stitution of the word " j^^^^^i^e " for the phrase " the third heaven." Paradise is a word of Sanscrit origin, and signifies a park, or garden. It is used in the Septuagint, Gen. 2, 8, in the des…
420 wordsSECTION 275284 II. CORINTHIANS 12, 1,
be a fool ; for I will say the truth : but (now) I for- bear, lest any man should thmk of jne above that which he seeth me (to be), or (that) he heareth of me. The connection as indicated by (yap) /or, is not immedi- ately with what is expressed in the preceding verse, but with a thought obviously implied. Paul had sa…
409 wordsSECTION 276II. CORINTHIANS 12, 7. 28^
on which God had unveiled to the apostle the treasures of di- vine knowledge. There vxis given to me^ i. e. by God. It was God who sent the trial here referred to, and from God the apostle sought deliverance. A thorn in the fleshy o-KoXoxp rrj aapKL. The word o-Kokoij/ properly means a sharpened stake, a paHsade, then …
479 wordsSECTION 277286 II. CORINTHIANS 12, 8.9.
thorn in the flesh " was a permanent afi*ection under which the apostle continued to sufier. Lest I should he exalted above measure. This last clause expresses the design of God in permitting the apostle to be thus afiiicted. He carried about with him a continued evidence of his weakness. How- ever much he was exalted,…
423 wordsSECTION 278II. CORINTHIANS 12, 8.9. 287
suffering people from that day to this. Each hears the Lord say, 3Iy grace is sufficient for tliee^ apK€L a-oi rj x^P^? fxov. These words should be engraven on the palm of every believ- er's hand. If}/ grace^ either, 'my love,' or metonjTnically, ' the aid of the Holy Spirit,' which is so often meant by the word grace.…
471 wordsSECTION 279288 II. CORINTHIANS 12, 10.
experience was far above that standard. The power of Christ is not only thus manifested in the weakness of his people, but in the means which he employs for the accomplishment of his purposes. These are in all cases in themselves utterly inade- quate and disproportionate to the results to be obtained. The treasure is i…
404 wordsSECTION 280II. CORINTHIANS 12, 11. 289
He gloried in infirmities when he boasted of them, that is, re- ferred to them as things whicli reflected honour on him and were to him a source of joy. As they were thus the occa- sions of manifesting the power of Christ, Paul was pleased with them and was glad that he was subjected to them. In- firmities is a general…
413 wordsSECTION 281290 II. CORINTHIANS 12, 12.
right. Ye have coinjyelled me. It was their conduct which made it necessary for the apostle to commend himself. This is explained in the following clause. For I ought to have been coinmended of you. If they had done their duty in vindicat- ing him from the aspersions of the false teachers, there would have been no nece…
416 wordsSECTION 282II. CORINTHIANS 12, 12. 291
things which by divine appointment were made the evidence of a mission from God. When these were present an obliga- tion rested on all who witnessed them to acknowledge the authority of those who bore those insignia. When they were absent, it was, on the one hand, an act of sacrilege to claim the apostleship ; and, on …
476 wordsSECTION 283292 II. CORINTHIANS 12, 13. 14.
fire different designations for the same thing. Miracles are called signs in reference to their design, which is to confirm the divine mission of those who perform them ; wonders be- cause of the effect which they produced ; and ^nighty deeds (Bvvdjxets) because they are manifestations of divine power. 13. For what is…
409 wordsSECTION 284II. CORINTHIANS 12, 15.16. 293
The Acts of the Apostles mention but one visit of Paul to Corinth prior to the date of this epistle. From this passage, as well as from 2, 1 and 13, 1. 2, it is plain that he had already- been twice in that city. The words, therefore, the third time^ in this verse, belong to the word come^ and not to I am ready. The se…
424 wordsSECTION 285294 II. CORINTHIANS 12, 17-19.
the false teacliers might be disposed to make. They might insinuate that although he refused to receive any thing him- self, he quartered his friends uj^on them, or spoiled them through others. I caught you icith guile^ 8o/\(i) v/xa? eXa/Sov, i. e. I despoiled you by artifice, as an animal is taken by being deceived. T…
391 wordsSECTION 286II. CORINTHIANS 12, 20. 295
designs to correct. First, that he felt himself uccountable to the Corinthians, or that they were the judges at whose bar he was defending himself Second, that his object was in any respect personal or selfish. He spoke before God, not before them ; for their edification, not for his own reputation. Again think ye. Do…
435 wordsSECTION 287296 II. CORINTHIANS 12, 21.
He aimed at their edification, for he feared their state was not what he could desire. He feared lest they would not be acceptable to him, nor he to them. What he feared was that the evils to which frequent reference had already been made, should be found still to exist. Those evils were, tpci?, conten- tions^ such as …
435 wordsSECTION 288II. CORINTPIIANS 12, 21. 297
which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness, and fornication, and lasciviousness, which they have committed. The same apprehension expressed under a different form. The word again may belong to co^ning^ "me coming again;" or with will humble^ " God will humble me again." This im- plies that dur…
437 wordsSECTION 289298 II. CORINTHIANS 13.
cerning the imcleanness they have committed.' The classes of sms most prevalent in Corinth were those referred to in v. 20, arising out of the collisions of the different classes or par- ties in the church ; and those here mentioned, arising out of the corruptions of the age and of the community. To make a holy church …
112 wordsSECTION 290CHAPTER XIII.
Threatening of punishment to impenitent offenders ; exhortation to self-ex- amination and amendment ; conclusion of the epistle. PauVs icaniings and exhortations. Having previously admonished and warned, he now distinctly announces his purpose to exercise his apostolic power in the punishment of offenders, vs. 1. 2. …
674 wordsSECTION 291300 II. CORINTHIANS 13, 2.
been. Paul here announces his determination to adhere, in the administration of discipline, strictly to the rule relating to testimony laid down in the ScrijDtures. There are two expla- nations, however, given of this passage. Some suppose that Paul merely alludes to the prescription in the Law, and says that his three…
418 wordsSECTION 292II. CORINTHIANS 13, 3. 301
who sinned before, not before Paul's second visit, but those who heretofore have sinned, i. e. those who already stand in the category of known sinners, and to all other^ i. e. to those who were not thus known, who had not as yet oifended. If I come again (cts to ndkcv), I will not spare, Paul had for- borne long enoug…
420 wordsSECTION 293302 II. CORINTHIANS 13, 4.
This is part of the sentence begun in v. 2. 'I will not spare since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me.' 01s- hausen says the sense of the context is, 'Since they wished to put the apostle to the test and see whether Christ was in him, they had better try themselves and see whether Christ was in them. If Christ w…
428 wordsSECTION 294II. CORINTHIANS 13, 4. 303
Christ is divinely powerful, for thougli he died as a man, he lives as God. He had a feeble human nature, but also an omnipotent divine nature. So we his apostles, though in one aspect weak, m another are strong. We are associated with Christ both in his weakness and in his power ; in his death and in his life. For tho…
483 wordsSECTION 295804 II. CORINTHIANS 13, 4.
preceding verse. 'Christ is powerful among yon, 1. Because though he died as a man, he lives ; and 2. Because though we are weak, we are strong in him.' In either way the sense is substantially the same. In what sense does the apostle here speak of himself as weak ? It is not a moral Aveakness, for it is conditioned by…
468 wordsSECTION 296II. CORINTHIANS 13,5. 305
5. Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith ; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be repro- bates ? There are two links of association between tins verse ana what precedes. They had been trpng the apostle, seeking proof of Christ speaking in him. He tell…
435 wordsSECTION 297306 II. CORINTHIANS 13, 5.
nos jiibent, ut conscientiie perpetno snspensoe htereant ac perplexa?. Quid autem hie Paulas? rcprobos esse testatur quiciinqiie dubitaiit an possideant Christum, et sint ex ilhus corpore. Quare sit nobis hoec sola recta fides, quae facit ut tuto, neque dubia opinione, sed stabiii constantique certitudi- ne, in gratia …
453 wordsSECTION 298II. CORINTHIANS 13, 6. 7. 307
6. But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates. In V. 3 Paul had said that the Corinthians sought SoKifii^v (evidence) that Christ was in him as an apostle. He exhorted them to seek evidence that he was in them as beUevers. If tliey should prove to be {aSoKL/xo^;) without evidence, he was satisfied that …
432 wordsSECTION 299308 II. CORINTHIANS 13, 8.
clothed ; his success in preaching, or the number and charac- ter of his converts. The good state of the Corinthian church was therefore an evidence that he was approved, i. e. could stand the test. This, however, as he says, Avas not the reason why he prayed that they might do no evil. That reason, as stated positivel…
437 wordsSECTION 300II. CORINTHIANS 13, 9. 10. 309
its religious, scriptural sense ; that revelation which God has made in his word as the rule of oar faith and practice. This passage is of special interest as fixing the limits of all ecclesi- astical power, whether ordinary or miraculous. The decision of the apostle, if against the truth, availed nothing in the sight …
406 wordsSource & rights
Public-domain historical edition (1860). Text from OCR of an original Internet Archive scan; OCR may contain recognition errors.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.