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plies to God alone ; not many , is however sufficiently explained by the following word, I. Not only Apollos, his successor, is ex- cluded, but also his companions Silas and Timotheus, Acts xviii. 5. Spiritual fatherhood has in it a peculiar tie of relationship and affection connected with it, above every other kind of pro- pinquity.— sv yap Xpnsrti * Ir\<sovyfor in Christ Jesus) This is more express than the phrase above, in Christ , where he is speaking of other instructors.
16. TlapanaXu, I exhort) A short exhortation after a long and true account of his own example is valuable. — lu^rai /uou, imitators of me) as sons. Having laid aside pride, cultivate that feeling even without the cross, which is fostered in us by means of the cross. He proposes the imitation of himself to those, with whom he had been, Gal. iv. 12 ; Phil. iii. 17.
17. Tiftofoov, Timotheus) xvi. 10. — rsxm my son) and
therefore imitator. Paul calls Timothy his brother ; see 2 Cor. i. 1, note ; but in this passage the affection of the father is uppermost in his thought. — dyartrjrbv, beloved) to whom I have willingly committed the business. — ntusrhy faithful) to whom I could safely commit the business. — dm/^vhcfi, will re- mind you) He does not say will teach. The Corinthians had knowledge; they had need of admonition. — rag odoug fiovy my ways) in which I walked whilst with you. — xaO&g, even as) as hiaxovog, a minister. — hxXriGicf, in the church) emphatically in the singular number.
18. 'fig, as though) Because I send Timothy, they think, that I will not come. This is the meaning of the particle ds, but. — tyv<ri66ti<r&v nvsg, some were 'puffed up) Paul wrote this under Divine illumination, laying bare and clearly showing their thoughts, which would rise in their minds at the very time, when they were reading these words. They were puffed up about various things ; see next verse, and ch. v. 2. He says, I will restrain such persons, when I come. Perhaps also the apostle might have learned about this puffed up spirit of the Corinthians from the members of the house of Chloe (i. 11). But the Corinthians seem to have been puffed up about the delay of the coming of Paul, not until after he had sent 'fimothy, his second self, with this very epistle. Then indeed these puffed up thoughts suddenly arose in their minds ; Paul himself, then,
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