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 you again think, as you have thought before. Instead of TraXtv, again., the MSS. D, E, J, K read iraXai^ formerly., long. This reading is adopted by the majori- ty of modern editors. The sense then is, ' Ye are long of the opinion,' or, ' Ye have long thought.' Comp. d iroXai i-n-iSa- vcv, ichether he had been long dead., m Mark 15, 44. The common reading has so much MSS. authority in its favour, and it gives so good a sense, that it is generally by the older editors and commentators retained. With -koXw the passage is best read interrogatively. Do ye again think ? as tliey had before done. See 3, 1. 5, 12. They were too much disposed to think that the apostle, like the false teachers, was anxious to commend himself to their favour, and to appeal to them as his judges. He on more occasions than one gives them to understand that he was not under their authority, his office was not received from their hands, and he was not accounta- ble to them for the manner in which he exercised it. See 1 Cor. 4, 3. Excuse ourselves unto you j vfuv, before you as judges. Excuse., a.iTokcy^/ko\xo.i^ to talh oneself off., to plead^ or answer for oneself. This was not the position which the apostle occupied. He was not an ofiender, real or supposed, arraigned at their bar. On the contrary, as he says, we speah before God ; i. e. as responsible to him, and as in his presence ; in Christ., i. e. as it becomes one conscious of his union with the Lord Jesus. In all his self-vindication he considers liim- self as a Christian speaking in the presence of God, to whom alone he was, as a divinely commissioned messenger, answera- ble for what he said. All things., dearly beloved., for your edification. This is the second point. His apology, or self- vindication, had their good, not his rej)utation or advantage, for its object.
20. Por I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find yon snch as I wonld, and (that) I shall be fonnd unto you snch as ye wonld not : lest (there be) debates, en- vymgs, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swell- ings, tumnlts.
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