The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Corinthians — Section 313

EXPOSITION. •C.SAPTER XIII. Ver. 4.-:ror though. The "though" should be omitted. Through weakness ; CONCLUDING APPEALS AND EXIIORTATIONB.. litere.lly, out of weakness; ie. ne e. result Ver. 1.-This is the third time I am com- of that human weakness ofournatiue which ing to you. I he.ve thrice formed the in- be took upon him, and which rendered him tention, though the second time I he.d to liable to agony and death (eh.viii 9; Phil. forego·my.plo.n (eh. i. 15-17).. In the mouth ii. 7, 8; 1 Pet. iii. 18; Heb. ii 10-18). of two or three witnesses. The quote.tion is But we shall live with him ... toward you. from Dent. xix. 15. It has been explained This thought of participation alike in as a reference to examinations which he in- Christ's humiliation e.nd his glory, alike tended to hold on his arrival e.t Corinth. It in his weakness and his might, WW! very is much more pl'Obable that St. Paul is fe.miliar to St. Paul (eh. iv.10-12; Epli. i. representing his separo.te visits as sepa.re.te 19, 20), Here, however, the following attestations to the truths which he preaches. words," toward you," i.e." with reference to Ver. 2.-I told you before; ro.ther, I ha-oe you," show that the life of which he is told you before. Aa if I were present, the thinking is the vigorous re-establishment second time. The meaning seems to be, of his spiritual e.uthority in Christ over the "You must undeist1md this announcement Church of Corinth. o.s distinctly as if I were with· you, and Ver. 5.-Prove your own selves. In other uttered it by word of mouth." And being words, "test your own sincerity.'' JellUll absent now I write; ro.ther, so noto being Christ is in you. To this truth-that the absent. The verb " I write" is almost cer- body of every Christi:in is a temple of the to.inly an explo.natory gloss. And to all Holy Spirit of Christ-St. Pt1nl return~ other; rather, and to the rest, all of them. ngain and again (Gal. ii. 20; iv. 19; Eph. Namely, to those who, though they ruo.y not ii i. 17 ; Col. i. 27). We find the so.me truth ho.ve fallen into gross sin, still rejected St. frequently in St. John(Johnxv. -1,5; I Johu Po.ul's authority, o.nd said that he was iii. :!4, eto. ). Exoept ye be reprobates. The afrai_d to ~ome in .J;lCrson, I will.· not ape.re Greek word adokimoi-from the same roo, (ch.1. 23; IV. 19, 21). as the verb "to test"-mee.ns tried aud found Ver. 3.-0f Christ speaking in me; rather, to be worthless. "Reprobate silver sholl; of the Christ who Bpeakelh in me. Which; men call them, because the Lord he.th re- rather, to/to. But is mighty in you. 'l'he jected them" (Jar. vi. 30). Tile word i11. spirit of Christ, in spite of all their sllort- found almost exclusively in St: Paul (eh. xiii. 1 comiugs, had not deijerted them (see 1 Cor. 5, 6, 7; Rom. i. 28: 1 Cor. ix. :!.7; 2 Tim. iii. i. o, 7; ii. 4). S; Titus i. 16). 'l'he only other passage of  314 THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. [cu. xm.1-14,