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 sense in which he admitted and professed himself to be weak. He had no self-confidence. He did not believe in his own ability to persuade or convert men. He felt the responsibihty of his office, and he relied both for know^ledge and success entirely on the Spirit of God. His conceited and arrogant opposers were strong in their own estimation ; they contemned the mean-spirited apostle, and considered him des- titute of all sources of power. The weakness of which Paul here speaks is that which was attributed to him by his ene- mies. The w^hole preceding context is ironical, and so is this clause. ' Youi- teachers are great men, I am nothing com- pared to them. They are strong, but, I say it to my shame, I am weak. J3ut^ as opposed to this imj^uted weakness, I am equal to any of them, I speak in folly.' Howhelt icherein- soever any is hold (iv w 8' av ns roX/xa), ' But whatever they dare, I dare. Whatever claims they put forth, I can assert the same. If they boast, I can outboast them. If they are Hebrews, so am I, &c.'
The foregoing interpretation of this passage, which as- sumes that Aeyo) in the first clause refers to what follows, and that the reproach mentioned had Paul for its object, is given by Storr, Flatt, Meyer, and many others. The great majority of commentators, however, understand Xiyoi as referring to what precedes and the Corinthians and not Paul to be the ob- ject of the reproach. ' I say this to your shame.' Compare 1 Cor. 6, 5, TTpos ivTpoTrr]v vfxiv Aeyw. (In this latter passage, however, it will be remarked that the preposition is Trpos and not Kara, as in the passage before us, and that vjxlv is in the text, whereas here there is no i~»ronoun used.) The two prin- cipal objections to this interjjretation are, 1. That if Acyco re- fers to the i-)receding verses the sense must be, ' I make this exhibition of the character of your teachers in order to shame you.' Tiiis would do very well if what follows carried out that idea; but instead of speaking of the Corinthians, and en- deavouring to convince them of their folly in adhering to such men as teachers, he immediately speaks of himscH^ ana shows how he was desj^jised as weak. 2. According to this interpre- tation there is great difficulty in explaining the following