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rpenriy1 if the Lord permit ) a pious qualification. The destina- tions of the saints have some degree of liberty, which the divine goodness in various ways both precedes and follows.
8. ’E/Epkw, At Ephesus) Paul was at Ephesus: comp. ver. 19, respecting Asia.
9. &vpa,y a door) It is the part of a wise man to watch oppor- tunities.— d v'suye, has been opened) at Ephesus. — (izyd'hri xai svsp- yric, great and effectual) He was about to take advantage of so great an opportunity for some weeks ; comp. ch. v. 7, note. — avrnts/'Asvoi, adversaries) whom I must resist. Often good, and, its contrary, evil, flourish vigorously at one and the same time.
10. As, now) An antithesis between Paul himself and his substitute, Timothy.2 — apdjS ug, without fear) This will be the case, if no man shall have despised him. If some despised Paul, how much more readily would they depise the youthful native of Lystra. — Kupiov, of the Lord) Christ. — spydZzrcu, worJceth) It is right that this work should be performed without fear. This constitutes the foundation of true respect to the ministers of the gospel.
11. ’ A vrov, him) a young man, Ps. cxix. 141, ndrzpog syd
xcli EHOYAENfXMENO*2, I am rather young and am despised. — adeXpuv, the brethren) who likewise are looking for him ; or else, who are likewise to come.
12. IToXXa vrapzxd'hztia, I strongly urged \_greatly desired ]) Paul
was not afraid of the Corinthians preferring Apollos, who was present with them, to himself. Apollos, when Paul sent this epistle, was not present, for he is not mentioned either at ver. 19 or at ch. i. 1. — fizrd ruv adzXpuv, with the brethren) ver. 17. These are different from those at ver. 11. — ovx, the will
was not) An expression as it were impersonal ; where the matter is considered, as to be or not to be the object of the wish [will], without expressing, whose will it is ; wherein however the standard is the will of God ; comp. Matt, xviii. 14. So also
1 The Germ. Ver., after the margin of 2d Ed. has the reading e7rnpz^ri. The Gnomon in this passage follows the former decision. — E. B.
’E-r/rj otypri is the reading of ABC fg Vulg. ’E ^npe^t] is that of D (A) G ; so Rec. Text.
2 T ipi60eo$, Timothy) was the bearer of this epistle. — V. g.
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