Ver. 3. μηδεμίαν ἐν μηδενὶ κ.τ.λ.: giving πὸ occasion of stumbling (see reff.; Alford aptly quotes Polybius, xxvii., 6, 10, διδόναι ἀφορμὰς προσκοπῆς) in anything, that our ministration be not blamed. The clause is parallel with ver. 1, διδόντες corresponding to σννερ- γοῦντες, both being descriptive of the way in which παρακαλοῦμεν, etc. ; cf., for like sentiments, 1 poor 13, ix. κε ο. x. 33. We have Ψος ο rather than ανν . Se οὐδενί, ok is the thought or intention of the preacher which is the point to be brought out.
1—6.
4. ἀλλ᾽ " ἐν " παντὶ ᾿ συνιστῶντες !
᾿ ἑαυτοὺς ὡς ™ Θεοῦ ™ διάκονοι," Κὶ See on iv. b
ἐν " ὑπομονῇ πολλῇ, ἐν ° θλίψεσιν, ἐν ο... ev 4 aretigeptars, .. 3. . αστασία ἼΩΝ υ ν ΧΠ 4; 1 5. ἐν Poa ests év fh a ἐν Pes iS) é όποις, ἐ ο.
3 "ἀγρυπνίαις, ἐν "νηστείαις, 6. ἐν " ἁγνότητι, ἐν γνώσει, ἐν 3 µακρο- 2 θυµία, ἐν 7 χρηστότητι, ἐν * πνεύματι " ἁγίῳ, ἐν ἀγάπῃ * ἀνυποκρίτῳ, ο ος 26; chap. xii. 10; 1 Sam. xxii. 2. q Rom. ii. 9, viii. 35; chap. xii. 10; r Acts
xvi. 23; chap. xi, 23; cf. Heb. xi. 36. only; Prov. xxvi. 28; Tobit iv. 13. u Chap. xi. 27 only; 2 Macc. ii. 26. ix. 3. w Chap. xi. 3 only. y Gal. v. 22; Col. iii. 12. z Cf. Rom. xv. 19; i. 5;
s Lk.
t 1 Cor. iii. 8; chaps. x. 15, xi, 23, 27; I Thess. 1. 3) πχ, 5,
v Lk. ii. 37; Acts xiv. 23, xxvii. 9; chap. xi. 27 only; Dan.
x Gal. ν. 22; Eph. iv. 2; Col. i. 11, iii, 12; 2 Tim. iii. 1ο, iv. 2. τ Thess. i. 5.
τ Pet. i. 22; Jas. 111. 17 ἜΚΟΣ Wisd. v. 18, xviii. 16 only.
τ chap. iv. a
xxi. 9; 1 Cor. xiv. 33; 6 ap. xii. 20; Jas. iii. 16
a Rom. xii. 9; 1 Tim. i. 5; 2 Tim.
IggcDcEKL give συνιστωντες; Tisch. reads συνισταντες with $*CD*G 17; W.H. read συνιστανοντες with BP (cf. ili. 1).
2 D* has διακονους; also f, g, vg.
Vv. 4-10. THE CONDITIONS AND THE CHARACTERISTICS OF HIS APOSTOLIC Ministry. We have in this noble de- scription of his service a characteristic outburst of impassioned eloquence on a topic in which the Apostle felt an intense personal interest. But its fervour has not been permitted to interfere with the care- ful choice of words: the balanced anti- theses, the rhythmical cadences and assonances, which abound throughout, betray the literary training of the writer, and recall at once such passages as Rom. Viii. 31-39, 1 Cor. xiii. 1-13. Indeed many of the phrases which follow suggest an acquaintance with the Stoic paradoxes expressive of the αὐτάρκεια of the ideal sage. Compare also chap. xi. 22-28, where he recounts in more detail the trials of his Apostolic ministry.
Ver. 4. GAN ἐν παντὶ συνιστάντες K.T-A.: but in everything (the details being given in the following verses) commending ourselves (see note on iii. 1) as God’s ministers do. We now come to the description of the conditions under which and the means by which God’s minister commends himself to those to whom his message is addressed. The description naturally divides itself into four sections: he commends himself (i.) in outward hardships, vv. 4b, 5, (ii.) in inward graces, vv. 6, 7a, (iii.) by the armour of righteousness, whether he be well or evil spoken of, vv. 7b, 8ab, (iv.) having indeed a character the reverse of that ascribed to him by his opponents, vv. 8¢-10.
(i.) The general description here is év ὑπομονῇ πολλῇ : in much patience (see note on i. 6 and ¢f. xii. 12); and this is further amplified and explained in the three triplets which follow. (a) év
θλίψεσιν, ἐν ἀνάγκαις, ἐν στενοχωρίαις:
in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses (see reff. and cf. Acts ix. 16), 7.6., such trials as sickness (see i. 6, xii. 7), or loss of friends (2 Tim. iv. 10), or perplexity (iv. 8, where see note), or any of the thousand chances (as we call them) of a troubled and anxious life. ‘‘ The pre- vailing idea is that of pressure and con- finement: each stage narrower than the one before, so that no room is left for movement or escape”’ (Stanley).