that St. Paul’s language in the earlier letter sufficiently shows the high spiritual authority which he would have the Corinthians attach to the deliberate decisions of their assembled leaders. ‘In the name of our Lord Jesus, ye being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of the Lord Jesus” (1 Cor. v. 4). The words “and my spirit” indicate not only his sympathy for them, but his assurance that the decisions to which such an assembly would be guided would be even as the decisions promulgated by his own apostolic authority which was “ not from men, neither through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father ”’.!
11. The second matter which Titus reported was not so satis- factory to St. Paul. Titus explained, as it would seem, that the Corinthians were much distressed at the news that the Apostle’s plans of travel had been changed (2 Cor. i. 16, 17), and that they were ready in consequence to impute to him instability of purpose which amounted to fickleness. St. Paul’s answer is found in 2 Cor. i. 23, ii. 4. He did not carry out his former intention of crossing direct from Ephesus to Corinth because he thought it better that there should be a short interval, during which they might mend their ways, before he again addressed them. His last visit (the “Intermediate Visit ) had been ἐν λύπη; and it was undesirable that his next visit should be of the same character. So instead of visiting them at once, he wrote a severe letter (1 Cor.), and proceeded to Macedonia in the first instance, reserving his visit to Corinth until they should have had time to profit by his written rebukes. In this change of plan there was no display of fickleness; his one desire was to edify them and to do what was best for their true welfare.
12. And, thirdly, Titus had no good news to bring about the factions in Corinth, concerning which St. Paul had already written (1 Cor. i. 12-18, iii. 1-6). When he despatched the First Canonical Epistle he was already aware that his authority had been called in question at Corinth, and that some were passing unfavourable judg- ments upon his acts (1 Cor. iv. 3-5). Already he had bidden the rebellious party not to be too ready to judge by the superficial appear- ance of things, but to distrust their hasty conclusions about him (1 Cor. iv. 5, 10-14). He had written mildly, but with authority, as became an Apostle. ‘‘ Be ye imitators of me” he had twice repeated (1 Cor. iv. 16, xi. 1). And he had assured them that when he came, as he certainly would come (1 Cor. xi. 34), to Corinth, those who had ventured to rebel would be treated with severity, if they did not
1Gal. i. 1.