The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Corinthians — Section 300

Ver. 5.-Glnryi111J in weaknesses. It is not to be wondered 11.t that Paul boasted; th.e wonder is that, instead of boasting of the extraordinary visions he had experienced, the extraordinary co=ission be had received, the extraordinary success which bad followed' his labours, he boasted of what other men would ha.ve concealed or have·lamented-""-1:ils' own infirmities, disadvantages, and troubles. I. THE WEA!i:NESSES IN WBl<JH THE APOSTLE GLORIED. 1. Hie own bodily infirmity was especially present to bis thoughts, when using this language. • Whatever this was,: whether general ill health or .some special malady, as of the eyes, it was· naturally distressing to himself, as it prevented him from• doing his work with the ease and 'pleasure which be might have experienced had he possessed health and vigour of body. 2.' The contempt he met with from some amongst whom he laboured was to Paul no cause ·or mortification, but cause of rejoicing. Let men despise him ; if he was able to. serve and please his Master, tbat w~ enough. 3. The hardships and privations and persecutions be endured in the fulfilment of his ministry were matter of glorying. In these he took· pleasure, contrary as such a fact was to ordinary human experience. • II. THE GROUND OF THE APOSTLE'S GLORTING IN BIS WEAKNESSES. 1. There~'n be no doubt that the deepest ground lay in Paul's sympathy with his· Divine Lord.' 'i'he humiliation and obedience unto death of the Lord Jesus in order to secure man's· salvation became a. new source of inspiration, in the direction both of human ac'tion a.nd of human suffering, and Paul was crucified with Christ unto the world. He bore a.bout with him in the body the marks of the Lord Jesus, and of this he justly boasted.·. 2. Personal weakness was t1e occasion of the reception of new and spiritual strength. For Christ made his own grace sufficient when his servant's strength was gone. And by a sublime paradox the apostle learned that, when he was weak, then was he strong. And tlms the very infirmities which seemed to disqualify for service became the occasion of tLe communication of such spiritual power and aid as rendered the apostle more efficient aud successful in the service of the Lord.-T. " Ver. 9.-Sufficient grace. Perhaps there is no verse in Scripture which has brought wore strength and corufort to the hearts of Christ's people than this. The expl,anation of its preciousness and its power is to be sought first in the spiritual, the revealed truth which it communicates, and secondly in the fact that it is the record of personal experience. There iH an instinctive persuasion in the human mind that the experience which bas been realized by one is possible to another. The grace which was actuall:r bestowed upon Paul does not seem inaccessible to the feeble, the tempted, the overbu1 • dened Christian who cries to Heaven for help. L THE NEED FOB THIS SUFFICIENCY. I. The manifold duties, the severe temptations, the varied sorrows and troubles, incidental to the Christian life. There are difficulties and trials common to the Christian with all men, but there are others peculiar to him, urising from the higher view he takes of life, both as a personal discipline and as an opportunity for serving and glorifying God. 2. '!'he conscious insufficiency of human re~ources. Tb,s, indeed. accounts for the universal practice of prayer, frequent. or occasional, deliberate or spontaneous. Men feel their utter helplessness in the presence' of the demands of life, a.ud therefore they call upon God. Ji'Iuch more keenly does the follower of foe Lord Jesus realize his need of a higher than human aid. Conscious that only Di.vine grace has reconciled him to God, he daily acknowledges his dependence ' uµm the sarue grace for the maintenance of l1iij 6piritual life ind usefuniwss. 11. 'l'W! lill()U!-1, o, THU; SUFFICIENCY. l. 'l'he divinity of the Saviour. Caii w11 oe, xu. 1-21,] THE SEOOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. 301