The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Corinthians — Section 158

Gontilism, Reactions, no matter how wise and truthful in themselves, always involve more or lees danger. Facts are distorted, truths are mixed with prejudices and the victory is our victory. Generally, indeed, only when time ha.a befriended ot{r infirmi- ties and given us on opportunity to recover from reactions are we put in an attitude to see and judge with entire fairness. Bnt, whatever the impulse at the moment on St. Paul's mind, his words are surcharged with energy. Question hastens after ques- tion. "Unequally yoked together with unbelievers" is the trumpet-note of alarm. What the union was he does not specify. It may have been promiscuous intercourse with heathens, or participation in idol festivals, or mixed marriages. Whichever it was, it was unequal yoking, a very ill-devised union; and under how many aspects did it deserve condemnation? The heart of the evil is exposed ; could righteousness have fellowship with unrighteousness, light commune with darkness, Christ have con- cord with Satan, believers have part with infidels, the temple.of God agree with idols? Metaphors multiply, as they commonly do with him when excited. By their profession of Christ they were pledged to depart from all iniquity, especially all associations that might revive their former Gentile tastes and habits, most especially those social usages which identified them with idolatry. Quoting twice from the Old Testament (Leviticus and Isaiah), he shows what the true religion demanded of its subjects in its earlier -stage -under Moses and its later under the prophets, in both CoSes separation from a world given over to heathenism. Only by means of this line of demarcation between them and the corruptions of society would God acknowledge them as his people, walk in their midst, and be a Father unto them. " Touch not the unclean thing." It was the language of Judaism from her tabernacle in the wilderness, from her temple in Jerusalem, and now reaffirmed and emphasized anew and with most solemn intensity by Christianity. St. Paul saw that history repeats itself. Not otherwise were it history. The peril of the gospel was precisely that which had wrecked Judaism. From this point of view it is profitable to re-read this earnest chapter. Chrysostom and others have spoken of its lofty eloquence. Stanley, Robert- son, Webster, and Wilkinson have taught us to appreciate the breadth of its ideas and the classical force of its diction. It is a chapter of warning from the memorials of the past, as that past demonstrates most signally the jealousy of God's rule over men. On the one hand, we have the terrible fascinations of that spirit of idolatry which in some form or other is the besetting sin of the hnman race, the innate disposition to supplant Jehovah, the fatal surrender to" the god of this world," never so blinding as when he makes men as gods unto themselves. On the other hand, we have the visible symbols of God's presence among his people in the temple and its institutions, and further, the proof of the Spirit's power in their hearts, his actual indwelling and sanctifying agency. Yet this grace may be received in vain. The higher the gift, the more freedom in its use. No sooner has the apostle set forth the fact that God was in Christ recovering the world unto himself, than the magnitude of the risk presses on his attention. The risk was altogether in man. It was a risk, moreover, in the Christian man who had received grace and might lose its influence. Law had been violated, but Christ, as the eternal Son of God, had expiated the guilt, and by faith we accepted him as the Divine Recon- ciler. Man's responsibility had utterly failed under Law; would it fail under grace? If it did, there was an end of hope, since thare remaineth no other sacrifice for sin. St. Paul was aware of the local circumstances that enhanced the dangers of the Corin- thians. The style of the appeal recognizes this fact. Let it not be forgotten, however, that, while men as men have these local surroundings, Christianity deals with man as man, and, accordingly, the warning is addressed to us not to receive the grace of God in vain. Our probation goes on in the midst of contingencies; temptation and trial are things most completely shut out from ordinary modes of calculation, and no prophetic eye reads our future. Yet this very sense of uncertainty is the most merciful of all providential arrangerneuts. It is a source of great power. Except for ~ts keen sensi- tiveness, our liability to evil would be far greater. Appreheusion acts in two ways- it constantly reduces the amount of evil existing; and again, it fortifies us to resist the evil that remains. Now, Christianity operates in both these modes. With the latter only have we now to do. The problem for every individual Christian is the ellici~ncy of grace in his resistance to Satanic influence. So far as the Scriptures teach us 011 this subject, Jeeus Christ had no temptations sa,·o those which Sat.in oll.\m:d; a11,!,  154 THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE OORIN'l'RIANS. [ orr. v1. 1-lB.