The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Corinthians — Section 4

ondurnnce in m, and, by OUJ' examplo and that we WM"B weighed down exccerl ingly be- tciiching, in you. yond 011,r power. The trial seemed too lrnnvy Vor. 7 .-And cur hopo of you is stea.dtut; for him to bear. • The phrase here rendered Htomlly, And our hope is steadfast on y011,r "out of measure" occurs in eh. iv. 17; Rom. l,ehalf. The varia.tions of text and punctu- vii. 13; I Cor. xii. 31 ; Gal. i. 13; but is ntion in tho verse do not materially affect only found in this particular group of letters. the sense. 'fhe meaning is "And I have a Insomuch that we despaired even of life. sure hopo that you will reap the benefits This rendering conveys the meaning. Lite- of ou1· common fellowsbip with Christ in rally it is, so that we were ei;en in utter per- his nflliction, nnd of the comfort which he plexity (eh. iv. 8) et1en about life. "I fell sends, becnuse I know that you have ex- into such agony of mind that I hardly hoped perienced the sufferings, and am therefore to survive." Generally, although he was sure that he will send you the strength and often in perplexity, he succeeded in resist- the endurance. The close connection of ing despair (eh. iv. 8). tribulation and Divine encouragement are Ver. 9.-But; perhaps rather, yea. 'fhe found also in Matt. v. 4; 2 'l'im. ii. 12 ; word strengthens the phrase, " were in utter 1 Pet. v. 10. The interchange of the two perplexity." We had the sentence of death between tencher nnd taught is part of the in ourselves. The orib'lnal is more emphatic, trno communion of saints (comp.Phil. ii. 26). "Ourselves in our own selves we have had." Ver. 8.-For we would not, brethren, have Not only did all the outer world look dark to you ignorant. This is a favourite phrase me, but the answer which my own spirit with St. Paul (Rom. i. 13; xi. 25; 1 Car. returned to the question," What will be the xii. 1 ; 1 Thess. iv. 13). Of our trouble; end of it all?" was "Death!" and that rather, about our ajfliction. He assumes that doom still seems to echo in my spirit. The they are awe.re what the trouble was, and sentence ; rather, the answer. The word is he does not specially mention i.t. What he- unique in theLXX. and the New Testament. wants them to know is that, by the help of In ourselves. Beoalli!e I seemed. to myself their prayers and sympathy, God had de- to be beyond all human pos;,ibility of de- livered him out of this affliction, crushing liverance. That we should not trust in as it was. Which oame to UB in Allis.. Most ourselves. There was a divinely intended commentators 1·efer this to the tumult at meaning in my despair. It was meant to Ephesus (Acts xi.x.); and since St. Paul's teach me, not only submission, but absolute dangers, sicknesses, and troubles are clearly trust in God (see Jer. xvii. 5, 7). Which understated throughout the Acts, it is pos- ra.iseth the dead. Being practically dead- sible that the perils and personal maltreat- utterly crushed with anguish and despairing ment which were liable to occur during of deliverance-I learnt by my deliverance such e. season of excitement may have to have faith in God as one who can raise brought on some violent illness; or, again, men even from the dead. he may have suffered from some plots (1 Ver. 10.-From so great e. death. From e. Cor. xvi. 9, 32; Acts xx. 19) or shipwreck state of dejection and despair, which seemed (eh. 'xi. 25). In Rom. xvi. 4 he alludes to show denth in all its power (see eh. iv. age.ill to some extreme peril. But St. Paul 10-12). And doth deliver. Perhaps I\ seems systematically to have me.de light of pious marginal gloss which has crept into external dangers and sufferings. All his the text of some mo.nuscripts. We trust; strongest expressions (see Rom. ix. 1-3, etc.) rather, we have set 011,r hope. That. This are reserved for mental anguish and afflic- word is omitted in some good manuscripts, tion. What he felt most keenly was the as also are the words, "and doth deliver." pang of lncerated affections. It is, therefore, Ke will yet deliver us. 'fhis implios either possible that ho is here alluding to the that the perils o.lluded to were not yot abso- overpowering tumult of feelings which hnd lutely at o.n end, or St. Paul's consciousness been nroused by his anxiety as to the that many e. peril of equ1.1l intensity lay reoe{ltion likely to be accorded to his first before him in the future. letter. To this and the accompiinying cir- Ver. 11.-Ye also helping together by cumstnnces he alludes again and again (oh. prayer for us. St. Paul had e. deep con- ii. 4, 12; vii. 5, etc.). 'l'he sense of "com- viction of tho efficacy of interces,ory prayer fort" resulting from the tidings brought by (Hom. xv. 30, 31; Phil. i. 19; Philem. 22). Titus (oh. vii. 6, 7, 13) is as strong as By the means of many persons; literally, that oxpresed in these verses, "nd the e.llu- from many Jae~. Probo.bly the word pro- sion to this anguish· of heart is specially Bopon here ho.a its literal meaning. The appropriate here, because he is dwelling on verse, then, means "th1\t from many faces the sympathetic commuuion between himself the gift to us way be thaukfully acknow- and his converts, both in their sorl'ows and ledged by many on our bol:alf." God, he their consolations. That we were pressed implies, will be well pleased when he see~ ~ut of meas1m,, abovo strength; literally, the gmtitude beaming from the m1my coun•  TH~ SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. [en. 1. 1-24.