Cx. XL] THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. 345
1. Folly. As my boasting may seem to you. Ironically spoken of that legitimate self-vindication demanded by the circumstances. Rey., foolishness.
Bear with me (avéyeoJe). Some render as indicative: ye do bear with me.
2. lam jealous (&). The translation is correct. The word is appropriate to the image which follows, in which Paul represents himself as the marriage-friend who has betrothed the bride to the bridegroom, and consequently shares the bride- groom’s jealousy of his bride (see on John iii. 29). Compare the Old-Testament passages in which God is represented as the spouse of His people: Isa. liv. 5; Ixii.5; Jer. iii. 1; Ezek. xvi. 8; Hos. ii. 18,19. For the different senses of the word, see on envying, Jas. iii. 14.* Theodoret’s comment on the passage is: “I was your wooer for your husband, and the med- lator of your marriage; through me you received the bride- groom’s gifts; wherefore I am now affected with jealousy.”
I have espoused (xpyocdunv). Only here in the New Test- ament. Lit., have fitted together. Used in the classics of carpenter’s or joiner’s work; of arranging music, tuning in- struments, and fitting clothes or armor. As here, of betrothing or taking to wife. The Septuagint usage is substantially the same.
Present. Compare Eph. v. 27.
3. The serpent. Paul’s only allusion to the story of the serpent in Eden.
Eve. In accordance with the representation of the Church as the bride.
* Stanley is entirely wrong in saying that the word is used exclusively for zeal or affection, and that the idea of jealousy does not enter into it. See Num. v. 14; Gen. xxxvii. 11; Acts vii. 9.
346 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. [Cu. XI.
Simplicity that is in Christ. Rev. adds, and the purity, following Westcott and Hort’s text. Simplicity, single-hearted loyalty. Jn Christ ; better, as Rev., cowards (ets).
4. Another Jesus—another Spirit (d\Xov-—érepov). Reyv., another Jesus, a different Spirit. See on Matt. vi. 24. An- other denies the identity ; a different denies the simalarity of nature. It is the difference of “individuality and kind” (Al- ford). See on Gal. i. 6, 7.
Ve might well bear (cards jvelyeote). Following the reading which makes the verb in the imperfect tense, putting the matter as a supposed case. The Rev. follows the reading dvexyéaSe, present tense, and puts it as a fact: ye do well to bear. Lit., ye endure them finely. The expression is ironical. You gladly endure these false teachers, why do you not endure me ?
5. The very chiefest apostles (trav tiepAlay arrocTOhwv). Lit., those who are preéminently apostles. Not referring to the genuine apostles, but ironically to the false teachers, the false apostles of ver. 138. Compare ch. xii.11. Farrar renders the eatra-super apostles.
6. Rude (idtwtns). See on 1 Cor. xiv. 16.
Have been made manifest (davepwdévres). The correct reading is gavepwoavtes, active voice, we have made it mani-
fest. 7. Abasing myself. By working at his trade.
Preached the Gospel—freely (Swpedv) gratuitously. Rev., for nought, is not an improvement, but is quite as ambiguous as Freely. Without charge would be better. Paul’s very self-de- nial in this matter had been construed to his injury by his op- ponents, as indicating his want of confidence in the Corinthian Church, and his making gain for himself under the guise of disinterestedness. It was also urged that a real apostle would not thus relinquish his right to claim subsistence from the Church. Hence his question, Did I commit a sin, ete. ?
Cu. XI.] THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. 347
8. I robbed (é€cvAnoa). Only here in the New Testament, though it appears in the verb ‘epoavnéw to commit sacrilege, Rom. ii. 22, and in ‘epocvrot robbers of churches, Acts xix. 37. Orig- inally zo strip off, as arms from a slain foe, and thence, gener- ally, to rob, plunder, with the accompanying notion of violence. Paul thus strongly expresses the fact that he had accepted from other churches more than their share, that he might not draw on the Corinthians.