7. " εὔχομαι ϑ δὲ πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, μὴ ποιῆσαι ὑμᾶς κακὸν
στη
5. ἑαυτοὺς 9 Rev. ii.2
iii. το; Ps. ἢ οὐκ XXV. 2.
p Reff. viii. εἰ ια 8. μη q Reff. i. 13.
6. ἐλπίζω δὲ ὅτι γνώσεσθε ὅτι ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἐσμὲν τ Rom. i. 28;
1 Cor. ix. 27;2 Tim. ili. 8; Tit.
s Rom. ix. 8. οὐ γὰρ δυνάμεθά τι κατὰ 3; 3 John
τῆς ἀληθείας, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας. 9. χαίρομεν 1! γὰρ 12 ὅταν ε Κοῇ x. 18,
u Rom. vii.
ἡμεῖς " ἀσθενῶμεν, ὑμεῖς δὲ δυνατοὶ ἦτε τοῦτο δὲ 15 καὶ εὐχόμεθα, 21; Gal.
vi. 9; 1 Thess. v.21; Amosv.14. v Ref xi 29.
1 DcEKL support ζησομεθα ; G has ζησωμεν; better ζησομεν with MABD* 17. 2 D* 17, d, 6, g give Eno. εν αντῳ (a reading which may be the true one).
3 6, g om. εκ δυναμ. Θεου; K om. Θεου.
4 BDcE om. εις vpas, wherefore W.H. bracket the words.
5 A om. εαυτους Soxipal.
δ δ ἢ om. η.
7 BDEKL, d, ε and the Syriac support the order Ἴησ. Xp.; ΝΑΡ, f, g, vg. and
the Bohairic give Xp. Ἴησ.
8 BD* 17 om. εστιν after ev υμιν; but it is found in all the remaining uncials and
in the primary vss.
9 DcEKL and the Peshitto support evxopar; better ευχοµεθα with HRABD*GP 17, 37, the Latin, Harclean and Bohairic vss.
10 ΚΙ, have ποιειτε for ποιητε.
12 DcE**K om, yap; the Peshitto has Se.
1 DEP, f give xatpwpev.
15 K9cDcEKL and the Peshitto give δε και; better om. δε with S*ABD*GP, the
Latin and Bohairic vss.
we can confidently submit to any testing of our apostolic authority.
Ver. 7. εὐχόμεθα δὲ κ.τ.λ.: now we pray to God (for εὐχ. πρὸς cf. Num. xi. 2) that ye do no evil; not that ye may appear approved, i.e., the motive of his prayer was not that his ministry should be accredited by its success, but that ye may do that which ts honourable (see reff. and mark the contrast between τὸ κακόν and τὸ καλόν), even though we be as repro- bate. That is, his prayer was for their sakes, and it was sincerely offered although, if it were fully answered, there would be no occasion for the exercise of his apostolic authority, and so the δοκιμή or ‘‘ proof” which the malcontents were asking for (ver. 3) would not be mani- fested. And he gives two reasons for this disinterestedness of his intercessions for them: (i.) he could not exercise his authority, even if he would, except in con- formity with the facts (ver. 8), and (ii.) their moral growth is a real joy to him (ver. 9).
Ver. 8. οὐ γὰρ Suvap, κ.τ.λ. : for we
can do nothing, exhibit no Apostolic power, against the truth, i.e., against the facts of the case, but for the truth (cf. 1 Cor. iii. 1 for the elliptical constr.). The principle here laid down is of far wider application than an accurate exegesis can assign to it in its context. Itis a general principle, which Christian theology has not always sufficiently remembered, that to fight against truth, whether ethical or historical or scientific, is to fight against Him who is the Truth, and so is to court defeat. We can do nothing, even if we would, against the truth (cf. 1 Esdr. iv. 38). Ver. 9. χαίρομεν γὰρ «.7.A.: for we rejoice when we are weak and ye are strong, 1.ε., in Christian graces. The primary reference is to that weakness which the non-exercise of Apostolic authority would seem to suggest to them (ver. 4, xi. 21), and of which his opponents were very ready to accuse him (x. 10); but in all weakness of his he repeatedly declares his contentment, if it minister in any way to their edification (see iv. 12,