The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Corinthians — Section 174

EXPOSITION. OHAPTER VII. to them to get rid of the narrowness of heurt, the constricted affections, of which he has Conclusion of his appeal (ver. 1). The complained in eh. vi. 12. We have wronged apostle's feelings towards them (vers. 2-4). . , . corrupted ... defrauded no man. The Explanation of the objects of hie lust letter, "no man" in tlrn original is placed first, and expreBBion of hie joy at the good results and this emphatic position, together with its triple repetition, marks 8t. Paul's insistence it had brought about (vers. 2-16). on the fact that, whatever hie enemies Ver. 1.-Having then these promises. The might insinuate, there was no single member promises of God's indwelling and fatherly of their Church who could complain of love (eh. vi. 16-18). Dearly beloved. Per- injury, moral harm,orunfair treatment from haps the word is added to soften the etem- him. Clee.rly he is again thinking of defi- neee of the preceding admonition. Let us nite slanders against himself. His sternness oleanee ourselves, Every Christian, even to the offender may have been denoanced the best, has need of daily cleansing from e.s e. wrong ; his generous ee.nction of broad hle daily aeeoilment (John xiii.10), and this views about clean ancl unclean meats, idol- cleansing depends on the purifying activity ofl'erings, etc., may have been represented of moral effort maintained by the help of e.e corrupting others by false teaching (eh.ii. God's grace. Similarly St. John (L John 17) or bad example (eh. iv. 2; l Thess. iii. 1-3), after speaking of God's fother- iv. 6) ; his urgency about the collection for hood and the hopes which it inspires, adds, the saints (eh. xii. 16; Acts l l . 33), or " And every man that he.th this hope in him his assertion of legitimate anthority, may purijfoth himself even as he is pure" (comp. have been specified e.s greed for power. The Ju.e. iv. 8). From ell filthiness; rather, verb pleonektein is often used in connection from all defilement. Sin leaves on the soul with other verbs, implying sensuality. It is the moral stain of guilt, which was typified difficult for us even to imagine that St. Paul by the ceremonial defilements of the had ever been charged with gross immo- Levitice.l Law (comp. Ezek. uxvi. 25, 26). rality; but it may have been so, for in e. The word used for " filth " in I Pet. iii. 21 corrupt atmosphere everything is corrupt. is different. Of the 11.eeh and spirit. From Men like Nero e.nd Heliogabalus, being everything which outwardly pollutes the themselves the vilest of men, openly de- body and inwardly the soul; the two being cle.red their belief that no man w~ pure, cloeoly connected together, so that whe.t and many in the heathen world me.y ha,e defiles the flesh inevitably also defiles the been inclined to similar suspicions. Of soul, and what defiles the spirit degre.dee also Whitefield, the poet says- the body. Uncleanness, for instance, e. sin of the flesh, is almost invarie.bly connected " His sins were such as Sodom never knew, with pride nnd hate and cruelty, which And ce.lumny stood up to swee.r all true." degrade the soul. Perfecting holiness, 'fhis We know too that the Christians were is the goal and aim of the Christie.n, though universally charged with 'fhyestean ban- in this life it cannot be finally attained quets and promiscuous licentiousness. It (Phil. iii. 12). In the fear of God, There is, however, more ne.tural to take pleonehtein is, indeed, one kind of fear, a base and servile in its general sense, in which it means " to four, which is co.st out by perfect love; but overreach," •• to cfaim or seize more than the fear of reverential a.we alwe.ys remains one's just rights" (see eh. ii. 11). In 1 Cur. in the true and wisely instructed Christian, ix. 1-6 he is defending himself ug,unst who will never be guilty of the profane fami- similar charges, WI also in this Epistle ( v liarity adopted by some ignomn11 seotarians, 12; vi. 3; x. 7-11; xi.; xii., passim). For or speak of God "as though he were similar strains of defence, see those of Moses some one in the next street " (Heb. xii. 28 ; tmd of Samuel. I Pet. iii. 15). Ver. 3.-1 speak not this to condemn you. 11 Not by way of condemmtion am I speak- Ver. 2.-lleoeive us; rather, open yo,,r heurts to t••; make room for us (comp. ing." l\I v object is to maintain the old love !\'fork ii, 2; John il. 6). It is _nn C1ppeC1l between 1is; what I say, therefore, is merely  170 THE SECOND EPISTLE TO 'l'HE CORINTHIANS. [c1t. vn.1---16,