The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Corinthians — Section 241

(Gal. iv. I). This, indeed, we should infor le the reverse of wise. It is a mixtllre ol from . nm ny other .passages (I Oor. ii. 34 ; selfishness, Phariso.ism, and conceit, and GRI. 1v. 13, H), and e.s a natural result of there have been abundo.nt examples of it liis "st.1tko in the flesh." It is, too, the con- 1tmong religious parties in nll nge~. St. Eistent though late trailition respecting him Paul, on the other hand, keeps within his (sec my • Life of St. Paul,' ii. 628). Here, own moo.sure, because he bas learnt to adopt lrnwcver, the words may mean no more thAn larger and loftier stnndards. that" he adds nothing to his cause by being Ver. 13.-Will not boast of things with- present in person, since he shows vacilla- out our measure. This might be rendered, tion and want of energy." Contemptible; "will not indulge in these immcasumble rather, despued (see 1 Cor. ii. 3, 4). boa.stings;" but ver. 15 points to the sense, Ver. 11.-Snoh a one. A formula used " we will not glorr beyond our measure." to avoid mentioning a specie.I name (see Of the rule ; i.e. o the measuring-line. I note on eh. ii. 7). Suoh will we be; rather, will keep to the province and limit which s11,ch are we. The verb is not expressed, but God has assigned to me in my proper moo.- it would have been if tbe future tense had sure. St. Paul declines the favourite office beon intended. In this verse St. Paul is of being " other people's bishop ( li.>.>.0Tpw- not saying what he would do hereafter, but <..-lcr1<01ros)" (1 Pet. iv. 15), !lath distri- is rebutting with calmness and dignity the buted; rather, apportioned. false charge that he was in e.ny we.y dif- Ver. 14.-As though we rea.cheel not unto ferent when absent from what he was when you. In including yon within the renoh ot present. our measuring-line, we are guilty neith!lr of Ver. 12.-We dare not. They are in this presumption nor of intrusion. Your Church respect of self-praise much bolder than L is e. part of our legitimate province e.nd Make ourselves of the number, or oom- range of work (Acts xviii. 1, 4)., We a.re ,pare ourselves; literally, judge ourselves oome e.s fe.r as to you; rather, we antici- onwng or judge ourselves with. There is a pated others in coming to you,; " we were the pi;,y on the words, like tbe Latin, inferre first to come e.s far e.s unto you." To St. or conferre, or the German, zurechnen oder Paul belonged the undisputed glory . of gleichreclmen. Th&t oommend themselves. having first introduced the gospel into the ;.rhe verb rendered "commend" is that regions of Mo.cedonia. e.nd Ache.is.. from which is derived "the commendatory Ver. 15.-That is, of other men's labours. letters" (eh. iii. l) e.t the arrogant and Not to thrust himself obtrusively into intrusive use of which he had glanced spheres of labour which legitimately be- already. St. Pa.nl is once more rebutting longed to others W!!B a pa.rt of St. Paul's the charge of self-commendation (eh. iv. 2; scrupulously chivalrous rule ( eh. iii. 10; v. 12; vi 11). :But they measuring them- Gel. ii. 9; Rom. xv. 20). It contrasted with selves . . . are not wile. The clause is the usurping arrogance of these Jerusalem difficult; for (1) to compare ourselves with emissaries. When your faith is incre!l-lled ; others iil order to learn what we can and rather, increases or gi·ows. He delicately cannot do is usually accounted wise; (2) implies that tlieir lack of faith prevents tµe some manuscripts and editions, omitting ex tension of his labours. He cp1,1ld. not ov cruvwvcrw 71µ.iis ~., render, " But we our- leave in his rear an unstormed fortress of a;elves (ai,.,.ol), measuring ourselves by opposition to the gospel. The spread of the ourselves, e.nd comparing ourselves with gospel depends on them. We shall be en- ourselves, will not boast above measure;" (3) larged by you e.ooording to our rule abun_- some, for cruvwvcrw (they are not wise) read de.ntly. The Revised Version renders it ,11,11,oucrw (with ourselves, who a.re not wise). more clearly, " We shell be magnified in. The reading, however, of the Authorized you according to our province unto further Version is undoubtedly right, e.nd most abnndance." probably the rendering elso. The meaning Ver. 16.-In the regions beyond you. is that the little cliques of factious re- Even to Rome e.nd Spain (Rom. xv. 19, 2!, ligionists, never lookin~ outside. their own 28). narrow circles, bece.me mfle.ted with a sense Ver. 17.-But he that glorietb, etc.: lite- of importance which would have been an- rally, he that boatiteth, etc. (see note on l nihilated if they he.d looked e.t higher Cor. i. 31; Jer. ix. 24). standards. Hence they thought themselves Ver. 18.-But whom the Lord commendeth et liberty to intrude e.nd lay down the law (comp. l Cor. iii 13, H; _iv. 51 Prgv, e.nd usurp e. claim to inf&llibility which :u:vii. 2). tL.ere was nothing io jWBif.y. Such oowiucli 011. x. 1-18.J THE t:lECOND EPISTLE TO TllE CORINTHIANS. 241