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 said he would not glory concerning himself. The reason for this determination was not the want of grounds of boasting. ' I could do it, for if I chose to boast, I should not he a fool ; i. e. an empty boaster — for I would speak the truth.' J^iit I forbear [c^dho- fxai 8e sc. Tov KavxaarSai). Abundant as were the materials for boasting at the apostle's command, justly as he could refer to the extraordinary gifts with which he was endowed, and the extraordinary success which had attended his labours, he did not dwell on these things. The reason which he assigns for this forbearance is that others might not be led to think of him too highly. He did not wdsh to be judged of by what lie said of himself or of his experiences. He preferred that men should judge of him by what they saw or heard.
7. And lest I should be exalted above measm'e through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
As Paul determined not to give occasion to others to tliink too highly of him, he here tells us that God provided against his being unduly elated even in his own mind. It is a familiar matter of experience that men are as much exalted in their own estimation by the distinguishing favour of their superiors, as by the possession of personal advantages. There- fore the apostle, although he would not boast of himself, was still in danger of being unduly elated by the extraordinary manifestations of the divine favour. The order of the words is inverted. " And by the excess of revelations lest I should be exalted above measure ; " vTrcpatpw/xat, be lifted up above what is meet or right. The expression excess, or exceeding abundance, of revelations seems to refer not exclusively to the event above mentioned, but to other similar communications made to him at other times. That was not the only occasion