The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Corinthians — Section 91

J Gsus' sake, So Christ had hllllllclf desired utter despair; but in the normal conditions (Matt. xx. 27). which he here describes he e.lwo.ys, e.s it Ver. 6.-Who commanded the light to were, so.w some outlet out of his worst per- shine out of darkness. The argument of the plexities. verse is that God, who created the material Ver. 9.-Not forse.ken. St. Paul, like the light (Gen. i. 3) o.nd who is the Father of author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, knew lights (Jes. i. 1) and sent .his Son to be the by blossed experience the truth of the pro- Light of the world (John viii. 12), did not mise, "I will never leave thee nor forsake shine in our hearts for our sakes only, or thee" (Heb. xiii. 5, 6). Ce.st down. Flung that we might hide the light under o. bushel to the ground, e.s in some lost be.ttle ; yet tor ourselves, but that we might transmit not doomed, not "perishing." "Though he ,ind reflect it. There is an implied com• fall, he shall not be utterly cast down, for pnrison between the creation of light and the Lord upholdeth him with his hand" the do.wu of the gospel light, and each of (Ps. xxxvil. 24). these was meant for the good ofall the world. Ver. 10.-The dying of the Lord J'esUB; 'l'he verse should be rendered; if we follow literally, the putting to death (Vulgate, 'IIW1'• the best manuscripts," Because it is God, tificatio). Thie ia even stronger than oh. i. who said, Light shall shine out of darkness, 5. It is not only "the sufferings," but even who shone in our hearts for the illumination "the dying," of Christ of which his true of the knowledge of the glory of God." In followers parte.ke (Rom. viii. 36, " For thy the face of J'esUB Christ (see oh. ii. 10; sake a.re we killed e.ll the de.y long"). St. iii. 7). Probably, however, there is o. re- Pe.ul, who was" in deaths oft'' (eh. xi. 23), ference to the glory of God, not a.a reflected was thus being made conformable unto from the fo.ce of Christ, but as concentrated Christ's death (Phil. iii. 10). Philo, too, in and beaming from it (Heh. i. 2). compares life to "the daily ce.rrying a.bout Vera. 7-15.-Glory of the ministry in the of e. corpse," e.nd the Cure d' Are used to midst of its weakness and suffering. speak of his body e.s "ce cade.vre." That the Ver. 7.-ln earthen vessels. The glorioUB life also of J'esUB, etc. The thou1?ht is ex- light which we have to show to the world is, e.ctly the same as in 2 Tim. ii. 11, i, If we be like Gideon's torches, carried in earthen dead with him, we shall also live with him." pitchers. The word skenos, vessel, is used Ver. 11.-l!'or J'e8118' se.ke. St. Paul, e.s in Ma.rk xi. 16, and " vessels of earthen- Bengel se.ys, constantly thus repeats the ware" in Rev. ii. 27. St. Pe.ul, in Acts ix. name of Jesus, as one who felt its sweetness. 15, is called "o. vessel of election," whence The verse contains e. reassertion e.nd ampli- Dante calls him lo ,z,as J: elezione. Man fication of who.t he has just so.id. In our oo.n never be mo.-e tho.n e.n earthen vessel, mortal :flesh. This is added almost by we.y being frail a.ad humble, nnd the mete.phor of clime.x. The life of Jesus is mo.nifestcd, specially suits e.n apostle of Christ (see not only "in our body," but even by way of 1 Cor. ii. 3-5; 2 Tim. ii. 20). But when triumph in its lowest o.nd poorest element. he te.kes the Word of life from the ea1then God manifests life iu our dying, ond death pitcher and waves it in the air, it illumine.tee in our living (Alford). ull on whom the light shines. No com- Ver. 12.-So then. In accordance with mentator seems to he.ve seen the probe.ble what he hos just said. Death worketh in allusion to Gideon's pitchers. It is the us, but life in you. The life of ue opoetloe " light," of which he has been speaking is a constant death (Rom. viii. 36); but of exclusively in the le.et verses, which con- this do.ily dying you reap the benefits; our stitutes the "tree.sure." '£hose who suppose dying is your living; our afflictions becoroo that the "treasure" is gold or silver or to you a source of consolation o.nd joy (eh. i. BOmething else of value, refer to Jer. xxxii. 6; Phil. ii. 17). 14, e.nd Herod., iii. 103; Pers., • Sat.,' ii. 10. Ver. 13.-We; rather, But wi,. The ea.me The el[oellenoy; litere.lly, the ezcess or spirit of faith. 'l'he sph-it manifested by abundance. Of God, e.nd not of na; re.ther, the psalmist in the quotation which follows. of God, and not from us. It is from Pa. cxvi. 10, o. psalm whioh cor- Ver 8.-Troubled; ajfticted, as in eh. i. 4. i-espondcd with St. Paul's mood becuuse it On every Bide; in everything. Distresaed; woe written in trouble susto.ined by faith. rather, driven to straits. Perplo1C8d, but not And this faith inspires him with the convic- in despair. In the 01·iginal is o. beautiful tion that, after" tho body of this death," ond paronomasie., which might, perhaps, ho re- a.Cler this death in lire, there shou)J begin presented in English by "pressed, but not for him also the life in death. St. Po.ul oppressed." Literally the words meo.n, being so.ye nothing as to the authorship of the at a um, but not utterly at a loss. In the peo.Jm, which probably belongs to o. period special anguish of trial of which he spoke fur later than that of Do.vid. The words in eh. i. 8 (comp. eh. vii. 5), he wo.s indoed rue from tho LXX., nnd seem fairly to br a time "utterly nt o. lnsB," rerlucccl lo ·i~prescnt the disputed scnso of the originBl, en. 1v .. 1-18.] THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHfANS. 91