times, of which seven are in this Epistle, ᾿
where the word occurs altogether seven- teen times. C/. ver. 6, ii. 7, 8, v. 20, vi. I, Vii. 6, 7, 13, Viii. 6, ix. 5, x. 1, xii. 8, 18, xiii. Τ1.---εἷς τὸ δύνασθαι κ.τ.λ.: to the end that we may be able to comfort them that are in any affliction (sc., any that may happen to arise). This is the final purpose of God's gifts of grace, viz., that they may not only be a blessing to the individual, but through him and as reflected from him to his fellows.—#s παρακαλούμεθα: through the comfort wherewith we ourselves are being com- forted of God. ἧς, for ἥν, has been at- tracted into the case of + ήσεως (cf. 1 Cor. vi. 19, chap. x. 13, Eph. ii. ro). Ver. 5. ὅτι καθὼς περισσεύει κ.τ.λ.: for as Christ's sufferings flow over abun- dantly to us, even so our comfort also aboundeth through Christ. t the Christian is a fellow-sufferer with Christ is frequently urged by St. Paul (Rom.
δὼ.
39
παρακαλούμεθα αὐτοὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ: 5. ὅτι καθὼς περισσεύει τὰ * C/- nae
, 1 a a > Θὰ “ἂς Ὁ α , Eph, iii. παθήματα τοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰς ἡμᾶς, μα ae Χριστοῦ περισσεύει Eph τ ς ε ~ ” ς 4 lel ς fal η καὶ ἡ μάς ἡμῶν. | δ εἴτε δὲ ολα, πες τῆς ὑμῶν | ἀν το νι / a 3 3 ς al a“ 4 παρακλήσεως καὶ σωτηρίας, τῆς ἐνεργουμένης ἐν ᾿ὑπομονῇ τῶν 41: xi. 12. : ie σεώς ἘΣ ὙΠῸ - nS PY ae ns : port εἰς, ™Rom.iv, αὐτῶν παθημάτων ὧν καὶ ἡμεῖς πάσχομεν ' εἴτε παρακαλούμεθα, ὑπὲρ 16; οἱ ver. 21.
τῆς ὑμῶν παρακλήσεως καὶ σωτηρίας ᾿- 7. καὶ ἡ ἐλπὶς ἡμῶν ™BeBaia n τ Cor. x.
δη ρε A 8 ο ει ᾿ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν : εἰδότες ὅτι ὥσπερ ὅ " κοινωνοί ἐστε τῶν παθημάτων, οὕτω v.15 ἃ et. i. 4.
1 DE have το παθημα.
* The uncials have του Χριστου; του is omitted by a few minuscules only.
5 B 17 omit the first και σωτηριας.
4 The order of clauses in the latter part of the verse is variously given in the MSS. The received text (followed by the A.V.) is devoid of MS. authority and was manu- factured by Erasmus, The choice lies between (1) ειτε παρακαλουμεθα υπερ της νµων παρακλησεως (Omitting και σωτηριας) της ενεργουµενης εν υποµονῃ των αντων παθηµατων ων και Ίμεις πασχοµεν και η ελπις .. . Όμων, which is attested by SACMP, τ, the Peshitto and Bohairic vss.; and (2) της ενεργουµενης εν πυπομονῃ τῶν αντων παθημάτων ων και ἡμεις πασχομεν, και ἡ ελπις ημων βεβαια ὑπερ υμων" ειτε παρακαλουμεθα, υπερ της υμων παρακλήσεως και σωτηριας, Which is the order
of BDEGKL, d, e, f, g, and the Harclean.
Tisch., W.H. and the R.V.
We follow (1), which is adopted by
δ For ωσπερ (DbcKL, etc.) read ως, with NABCD*E*MP, etc. ρ
viii. 17, Phil. iii. το, Col. i. 24; see esp. chap. iv. το, 11 below, and cf. Matt. xx. 22). Here he dwells on the thought that this fellowship in suffering implies also the consolation and strength which flow from union with Christ ; cf. 1 Pet. iv. 13.
Vv. 6, 7. We follow the reading of the Revisers (see crit. note) and trans- late: But whether we be afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or whether we be comforted, it is for your comfort, which worketh in the patient endurance of the same things which we also suffer: and our hope for you is stead- fast ; knowing that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so also are ye of the comfort. This is an expansion of the εἰς τὸ δύνασθαι κ.τ.λ. of ver. 4: the Apostle’s afflictions and consolations alike are for the sake of his converts; they and he have a common fellowship in Christ, with all which that involves of sympathy with each other. The nearest parallel (see reff.) is Eph. iii. 13, διὸ αἰτοῦμαι μὴ ἐνκακεῖν ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσίν μου ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, ἥτις ἐστὶν δόξα ὑμῶν. For the constr. etre. . . εἴτε cf. chap. ν. 13 and 1 Cor. xii. 26. Note that ἐνεργεῖσθαι is always in the N.T. middle, not passive, and is used intransitively (see Rom. vii. 5, chap. iv. 12, Gal. v. 6, Eph. iii. 20, Col. i. 29, r Thess. ii. 13); when the verb is used of God it is always in the active voice {1 Cor. xii. 6, Gal. ii.