above. ' Under the influence of the fear of the Lord, we en- deavour to convince men, i. e. as he had said in 4, 2, to com- mend himself to every man's conscience, and whether success- ful in this or not he was at least known to God.' Made manifest u7ito God^ i. e. to God I am (c^avepo?) apparent^ my true character is known. And I trust also are made manifest in your conscience. Although misunderstood and defamed by others, he trusted that the Corinthian Christians as a body had an inward conviction of his integrity. The evidence of his sincerity was his moral excellence, and therefore it ad- dressed itself to their consciences. There may be many re- ports against a good man which we cannot contradict ; many charges which we cannot refute ; and yet the self-evidencing light of goodness will produce the conviction of his integrity in the consciences even of wicked men, and much more in the hearts of the good.
12. Por we commend not om'selves again mi to you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to (answer) them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.
His object in thus speaking of himself was not self-praise, nor to secure the confidence of the Corinthians, w^hich he al- ready possessed ; but to give them materials for a vindication of his character against the aspersions of his enemies. The connection, as indicated by /or, is with the preceding verse, of which this is a confirmation. ' I am assured of your confi- dence, for the object of my self-commendation is not to re- commend myself to you, but, &c.' In chapter 3, 1, Paul had had occasion to repel the charge of self-laudation, and hence he says, he was not about to commend himself again^ as some said he had before done. Mut give you^ literally, giving (8i8ovTes), and therefore a verb must be supplied, ' Giving you occasion loe say these things? An occasion of glorying in our behalf a(^op/>t^i/ KavxyfJ-o.TO'; ; KavxqfJia being taken in the sense of Kavxncns. On our behalf virlp ry/xoiv, not simply over us, or about us, but for our benefit. That is, for our vindica- tion. Some commentators suppose that there is somethhig ironical in this whole passage. As though the apostle de- signed to taunt the Corinthians witli their readiness to listen to the false representations of his opponents, and with the