TctVo/xcv. * We do not stretch ourselves unduly — not boasting, &c.' The reproach to the false teachers here implied is of course obvious. They had done what Paul refused to do. They came to Corinth after the church had been gathered, assumed an authority to which they were not entitled, and endeavoured to destroy the influence of the apostle to whom the church owed its existence, and the people their hope of salvation. Jam, says Calvin, liberius pungit pseudo-apostolos, qui quum in ahenam messem manus intulissent, audebant tamen iis obtrectare, qui sudore ac industria locum illis para- verant.
But having hope^ lohen your faith is increased. This clause the Vulgate renders, ' Habentes spem crescentis fidei vestrae.' This interpretation the words av^avo/xivr]^ rrj^ Trto-rcco? (your faith being increased) do not admit. Corinth was not the limit which Paul had fixed for his field of labour. He had the purpose, as soon as the state of the Corinthians would allow of his leaving them, to press forward to preach the gos- pel in regions beyond them. That we shall be enlarged by you., iv vfjuv ixeyakvv^rjvaL. Luther, Calvin, Beza, and others, connect iv vfuv with the preceding clause — ' Your faith being increased among you.' Beza says this is required by the op- posite clause, as the advantage was mutual. They were to grow in faith among themselves, he was to enlarge his boun- daries. But in this case the words iv vfuv are redundant. They belong to the following word, and are to be rendered either by you, or, among you. This depends on the sense given to fjL^yaXwSrjvaL. This word is used either literally, as in Matt. 23, 5, " They make broad their j^hylacteries ; " or figu- ratively, as in Luke 1,58, "The Lord hath made great his mercy toward her." In every other case where it occurs in the New Testament it means to praise, to declare great. Luke 1, 46, "My soul doth magnify the Lord." So in Acts 5, 13. 10, 46. 19, 17. Phil. 1, 20. This meaning of the word is very commonly retained here. ' I hope to be honoured by you abundantly.' But the object of the apostle's hope was neither to be glorified by them, nor among them. Besides, the following clause (' according to our rule ') does not agree with this interpretation. The word, therefore, is to be taken in its more literal sense — ' He hoped to be enlarged abundant- ly (cig Treptoro-etW) according to his rule.' That is, he hoped to preach the gospel far beyond Corinth, agreeably to the line of action marked out for him. The iv vfxlv may then be ren-