THE
PULPIT COMMENTARY, EDITED BY THE
VERY REV. H. D. M. SPENCE, D.D., DEAN OF GLOO'CBSTER;
AND BY THE
REV. JOSEPH S. EXELL, M.A.
WI'l'H
INTRODUCTIONS BY THE
VERY REV. F. W. FARRAR, D.D., F.R.S., DEAN OF CANTERBURY. RIGHT REV. H. COTTERILL, D.D., F.R.S.E. VERY REV. PRINCIPAL J. TULLOCH, D.D. REV. CANON G. RAWLINSON, M.A. REV. A. PLUMMER, M.A.., D.D.
NEW EDlTION.
FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY LONDON AND NEW YORK 1907 FRDITED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITKD, LONDON AND BECCLES. THE
PULPIT COMMENTARY, EDlTF.D BY TJTB
VERY REV. H. D. M. SPENCE, D.D., DEA.II OF GLOUO&il'l'BB;
ilfD BY TBB
REV. JOSEPH S. EXELL, M.A.
II. CORINTHIANS. @xposition BY THE VERY REV. F. W. FARRARi D.D.
~omilttlcs BY REV. DAVID THOMAS, D.D.
'J1;1omilfes bu Fatious !autbors. REV. DONALD FRASER, D.D. REV. PROF. J. R. TIIOUSON, M.A. HEY. EX-CHANCELLOR LIPSCOMB, LLD. REV. Il. TUCK, B.A. REV.E. HURNDALL,M.A.
NEW EDITION.
FUNK & WAGNALLS 001\IPANY WNDON AND NEW YORK 1907 THE SECOND EPISTLE OF
PAUL TO THE CORINTIIIANS. INTRODUCTION.
VERY little is needed by way of introcluction to the Second Epistle; for it i,-, in fact, a sequel to the First. The apostle's departure from Ephesus had been precipitated by tho tumult, in which, as appears from various scattered references, he hac1 incurred extreme danger of his life. He went straight to Troas, still eager to preach the gospel of Christ. He1 had told Titus to meet him there ; and it was the fust place where he could hope to receive any tidings as to the reception by the Corinthians of his first letter-a point respecting which he was painfully anxious. But either St. Paul arrived at Truas earlier than tho time appointed, or the journey of Titus had been delayed. St. Paul was preaching with success-" a door was opened for him in the Lord; " but tho anxiety to which he found himself a prey rendered it impossi'ole for him to continue his mission. Seeking some relief for the intolerable oppression of his spirit, he hurried to Macedonia, and thsre, perhaps in Philippi, he first met 'ritus. The meeting at once relieved the tension of his feelings, and causecl an outburst of joy. For the tidings which Titus had to tell were goocl. He had beeu cordially received. The First Epistle had caused among the Corinthians an outburst of salutary grief, of yearning affection, of holy zeal. They had listened to the apostle's message w.th fear and trembling. 'l'he offender had been promptly and even severely dealt with. The news appeared at first to be so encouraging that St. Paul, wito. deep thankfulnes~, determined to send Titus, with" the brother whose praise is in the go,pe1,'' to finish the good work which he had begun, and to arrange about the collection for the poor saints at Jerusalem. And as, this time, Titns was not only ready but anxious to go, St. Paul began to dictate the letter of which Titus was to be the bearer. But little by little the apostle learnt-what perhaps 'l'itus, out of kindness and sympathy, might not have deemed it necessary at onco to tell him- that there was another side to the picture. His change of plan about tho ii INTHODUCTlON TO
double ,isit had given rise to a charge of levity, and many rcmarlcs most injurious to his character had been industriously disseminateu, especially, it would seem, by some Jewish emissary. His opponents hinted at his cowardice in not coming; his vacillation and insincerity in changing his mind ; the couseious inferiority which made him abstain from any claim to maintenance; the meanness of his aspect; the baldness and simplicity of his speech ; the fact t.hat he had no commendatory letters from Jerusalem ; his dubious position as regards the Law. They insinuated doubts about his perfect honesty. They charged bim with underhand guile, and fraudulent or self-interested designs with reference to the collection. They even ,entured to hint their doubt as to his perfect sanity. Such charges would have been hard to endure at any time. They were so especially at a time when the apostle was suffering overwhelming distress-a combination of fears without and fightings within, which produced a mental and physical pros- tration. It became a duty and a necessity, however distasteful, to defend himself. Personally he neither required nor cared for any self-defence. But before God in Christ he felt bound to clear his character from these detestable innuendoes, because they were liable, if unnoticed, to hinder hie work both in Corinth and in other Churches; _and his work had on him a sacred claim. Hence, though nothing was more repellent to hie sensitive humility than any semblance of egotism or boasting, he is driven by the unscrupulosity of his opponents to adopt such a tone of self-defence that the word " boasting" occurs in this Epistle no less than twenty-nine times. He neither could nor would appeal to any letters of comxi.1.endation or to any certificate from his brother apostles, because he. had received his own apostolate direct from God; and hence he is forced to appeal, on the one hand to bis visionB and revelations, and on the other hand to the: seal of approval which in every way God had set to his unparalleled activity and devotion. These circumstances sufficiently ~ark out the characteristics of the letter. 1. It entirely differs from the First Epistle. That is a letter in which he dealt with practical and speculative difficulties, answering the inquiries and correcting the abuses of a most unsatisfactory Church. 'l'he Second Epistle is the impassioned self-defence of a wounded spirit to erring and ungrateful children. It is the apostle's Apologia pro vita sua. 2. Hence, as hope is the key-note of the Epistles to the Thessalonians, joy of that to the Philippiaas, faith of that to the Homans, heavenly tl1i11gs of t1at to the Ephesians, a.fftiction is the one predominant word and thought in the Second Epistle to the Corinthians. 3. As Bengel says, "It reminds us of an itinerary, but interwoven with the noblest precepts." " The very stages of his journey," says Dean Stanley, "are impressed upon it-the troubles at Ephesus, the anxiety of Troae, the consolation of Macedonia, the prospect of moving to Corinth." 4. It is the lc:i.st systematic, as the First Epistle is the most systematic, of all bt. l'uul's writings. TIIE SECOND EPISTLE TO TllE CORINTHIANS. iii