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18] that they excelled. — rods d-roffroXoug, ec%drovc1 the apostles, last) J<j%aros, the most worthless, ver. 10, 11. The antithetical words are put down in one and the same passage. The prophets also were afflicted, but the apostles much more ; and the prophets were able to destroy their enemies, for example Elias [ and so greatly were they esteemed among men , that even the Nobles considered themselves bound to reverence them, and to follow or send for them with every mark of honour, 2 Kings i. 10, v. 9, viii. 9, 12. — V. g.], but it was the lot of the apostles to suffer and endure to the end. — uvsdei^sv) In Latin, munus osten- dere , munus declarare , are the idiomatic expressions applied to the public shows among the Romans. — etfiQavariouc) tfpoffdoxuiuevoug avodavsTv, expecting to be put to death. See Hesychius. — tSj xotpw, to the world ) which is immediately after divided into angels and men, without the repetition of the article. — xat ayy'sXoig xa; aufyutfoic, to angels and men) i.e. those that are good ; but rather, those that are bad.
10. M upoi, fools) i. 21. — did Xpufrbv — h Xpurru), for Christs sake — in Christ ) These words must be repeated in the two fol- lowing clauses. Without any violation of the truth, different things maybe predicated of one subject; or of different sub- jects, who are regarded as standing on the same footing ; for example, of Paul and the Corinthians ; according to the different point of view in which they are regarded, and which the words, for the sake of , and, in, here express ; for the sake of is applied to slaves ; in, to partners. — svdo^oi) men in the highest estima- tion ; but dn/jjot, applies to persons, who are deprived of even ordinary esteem. — dk, but we) Here the first person takes the second place, and so it goes on in the following verse.
11. Tvfivqrevo/jjzv, we are naked) The highest degree of poverty, 2 Cor. xi. 27. [/So far were the heralds of the kingdom of Christ from being adorned with any splendour. We imagine ourselves to be quite the reverse of all this. — V. g.] — xoXap/^o/^a, we are buffeted) as slaves, therefore we are not kings.
12. Kbrtiu/jsiv, . we labour) as if compelled by necessity. Few of the Corinthians did so. — e vXoyovfizv — dnyf/Aida, — ^apaxaXot^gv, we bless — we endure — we entreat) i.e. we do not return re- proaches, persecution, evil speaking, but we only bless ; nothing else is lawful ; the world thinks that despicable.
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