ALLEN & .SPIER. Union Book Store, 148 Clay st. £an Francisco, i v&imji *% %M&A<>Tt4%£ LIBRARY OF THE University of California. GIFT OK Mrs. SARAH P. WALSWORTH. Received Oct obey, i8g4. ^Accessions No.Qfp o 13 • Class No. NOTES EXPLANATORY AND PRACTICAL, SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS AND THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS. P^ ( BY ALBERT BARNES. It NEW YORK: HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, 82 CLIFF STREET. 1851. -3$ 1 SIS!? Entered according to Act of Congress, in tlie year 1839, by Albert Barnes, in the Office of the Clerk of the District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. INTRODUCTION § 1. The Design of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, Its the Introduction to the first Epistle to the Corinthians, the situation and character of the city of Corinth, the history of the church there, and the design which Paul had in view in writing to them at first, have been fully stated. In order to a full understanding of the design of this epistle, those facts should be borne in distinct remembrance, and the reader is referred to the statement there made as material to a correct understanding of this epistle. It was shown there that an important part of Paul's design at that time was to reprove the irregu- larities which existed in the church at Corinth. This he had done with great fidelity. He had not only answered the inquiries which they proposed to him, but he had gone with great particularity into an examination of the gross disor- ders of which he had learned by some members of the family of Chloe. A large part of the epistle, therefore, was the language of severe reproof. Paul felt its necessity ; and he had employed that language with unwavering fidelity to his Master. Yet it was natural that he should feel great solicitude in regard to the recep- tion of that letter, and to its influence in accomplishing what he wished. That letter had been sent from Ephesus, where Paul proposed to remain until after the succeeding Pentecost (1 Cor.xvi. 8); evidently hoping by that time to hear from them, and to learn what had been the manner of the reception of his epistle. He proposed then to go to Macedonia, and from that place to go again to Co- rinth (1 Cor. xvi. 5 — 7); but he was evidently desirous to learn in what manner his first epistle had been received, and what was its effect, before he visited them. He sent Timothy and Erastus before him to Macedonia and Achaia (Acts xix. 22. 1 Cor. xvi. 10), intending that they should visit Corinth, and commissioned Timothy to regulate the disordered affairs in the church there. It would appear also that he sent Titus to the church there in order to observe the effect which his epistle would produce, and to return and report to him. 2 Cor. ii. 13; vii. 6 — 16. Evidently Paul felt much solicitude on the subject; and the manner in which they received his admonitions would do much to regulate his own future move- ments. An important case of discipline ; his authority as an apostle ; and the interests of religion in an important city, and in a church which he had himself founded, were all at stake. In this state of mind he himself left Ephesus, and went to Troas on his way to Macedonia, where it appears he had appointed Titus to meet him, and to report to him the manner in which his first epistle had been received. See Note on ch. ii. 13. Then his mind was greatly agitated and distressed because he did not meet Titus as he had expected, and in this state of mind he went for- ward to Macedonia. There he had a direct interview with Titus (ch. vii. 5, 6), and learned from him that his first epistle had accomplished all which he had desired, ch. vii. 7 — 16. The act of discipline which he had directed had been performed ; the abuses had been in a great measure corrected, and the Corin- thians had been brought to a state of true repentance for their former irregulari- ties and disorders. The heart of Paul was greatly comforted by this intelligence, in IT INTRODUCTION. and by the signal success which had attended this effort to produce reform. In this state of mind he wrote to them this second letter. Titus had spent some time in Corinth. He had had $m opportunity of learn- ing the views of the parties, and of ascertaining the true condition of the church. This epistle is designed to meet some of the prevailing views of the party which was opposed to him there, and to refute some of the prevailing slanders in regard to himself. The epistle, therefore, is occupied to a considerable extent in refuting the slanders which had been heaped upon him, and in vindicating his own character. This letter also he sent by the hands of Titus, by whom the former had been sent, and he designed doubtless that the presence of Titus should aid in accomplishing the objects which he had in view in the epistle. See 2 Cor. viii. 17, 18. § 2. The Subjects treated of in this Epistle. It has been generally admitted that this epistle is written without much definite arrangement or plan. It tieats on a variety of topics mainly as they occurred to the mind of the apostle at the time, and perhaps without having formed any defi- nite arrangement before he commenced writing it. Those subjects are all impor- tant, and are all treated in the usual manner of Paul, and are all useful and in teresting to the church at large ; but we shall not find in this epistle the same systematic arrangement which is apparent in the epistle to the Romans, or which occurs in the first epistle to the Corinthians. Some of the subjects of which it treats are the following. (1.) He mentions his own sufferings, and particularly his late trials in Asia. For deliverance from these trials, he expresses his gratitude to God ; and states the design for which God called him to endure such trials to have heen, that he might be better qualified to comfort others who might be afflicted in a similar manner, ch. i. 1—12. (2.) He vindicates himself from one of the accusations which his enemies had brought against him, that he was unstable and fickle-minded. He had promised to visit them ; and he had not yet fulfilled his promise. They took occasion, therefore, to say that he was unstable, and that he was afraid to visit them. He shows to them, in reply, the true reason why he had not come to them, and that his real object in not doing it, had been " to spare" them. ch. i. 13 — 24. (3.) The case of the unhappy individual who had been guilty of incest, had deeply affected his mind. In the first epistle, he had treated of this case at large, and had directed that disoipline should be exercised. He had felt deep solicitude in regard to the manner in which his commands on that subject should be received, and had judged it not best to visit them until he should be informed of the man- ner in which they had complied with his directions. Since they had obeyed him, and had inflicted discipline on him, he now exhorts them to forgive the unhappy man, and to receive him again to their fellowship, ch. ii. 1 — 11. (4.) He mentions the deep solicitude which he had on this subject, and his disappointment when he came to Troas and did not meet with Titus as he had expected, and had not been informed as he hoped to have been of the manner in which his former epistle had been received, ch. ii. 12 — 17. In view of the man- ner in which they had received his former epistle, and of the success of his efforts, which he learned when he reached Macedonia, he gives thanks to God that all his efforts to promote the welfare of the church had been successful, ch. ii. 14 — 17. (5.) Paul vindicates his character, and his claims to be regarded as an apostle. He assures them that he does not need letters of commendation to them, since they were fully acquainted with his character, ch. iii. 1 — 6. This subject leads him into an examination of the nature of the ministry and its importance, which INTRODUCTION. y he illustrates by showing the comparative obscurity of the Mosaic ministrations, and the greater dignity, and permanency of the gospel, ch. iii. 7 — 18. (6.) In chs. iv. v. he states the principles by which he was actuated in the ministry. He and the other apostles were greatly afflicted, and were subjected to great and peculiar trials, but they had also great and peculiar consolations. They were sustained with the hope of heaven, and with the assurance that there was a world of glory. They acted in view of that world, and had gone forth in view of it to entreat men to be reconciled to God. (7.) Having referred in ch. v. to the nature and objects of the Christian minis- try, he expatiates with great beauty on the temper with which he and his bre thren, in the midst of great trials and afflictions, executed this important work ch. vi. 1—10. (8.) Having in this manner pursued a course of remark that was calculated to conciliate their regard, and to show his affection for them, he exhorts them (ch. vi. 11 — 18), to avoid those connexions which would injure their piety, and which were inconsistent with the gospel which they professed to love. The connexions to which he particularly referred were, improper marriages and ruinous alliances with idolaters, to which they were particularly exposed. (9.) In ch. vii. he again makes a transition to Titus, and to the joy which he had brought him in the intelligence which he gave of the manner in which the commands of Paul in the first epistle had been received, and of its happy effect on the minds of the Corinthians. (10.) In chs. viii. and ix. Paul refers to, and discusses the subject on which his neart was so much set — the collection for the poor and afflicted Christians in Judea. He had commenced the collection in Macedonia, and had boasted to them that the Corinthians would aid largely in that benevolent work, and he now sent Titus to complete it in Corinth. (11.) In ch. x. he enters upon a vindication of himself, and of his apostolic authority against the accusation of his enemies ; and pursues the subject through ch. xi. by a comparison of himself with others, and in ch. xii. by an argument di- rectly in favour of his apostolic authority from the favours which God had bestowed on him, and the evidence which he had given of his having been commissioned by God. This subject he pursues also in various illustrations to the end of the epistle. The objects of this epistle, therefore, and subjects discussed, are various. They are, to show his deep interest in their welfare — to express his gratitude that his former letter had been so well received, and had so effectually accomplished what he wished to accomplish — to carry forward the work of reformation among them which had been so auspiciously commenced — to vindicate his authority as an apostle from the objections which he had learned through Titus they had con- tinued to make — to secure the collection for the poor saints in Judea, on which his heart had been so much set — and to assure them of his intention to come and visit them according to his repeated promises. The epistle is substantially of the same character as the first. It was written to a church where great dissensions and other evils prevailed; it was designed to promote a reformation ; and is a model of the manner in which evils are to be corrected in a church. In con- nexion with the first epistle, it shows the manner in which offenders in the church are to be dealt with, and the spirit and design with which the work of discipline should be entered on and pursued. Though these were local evils, yet great principles are involved here of use to the church in all ages ; and to these epistles the church must refer at all times, as an illustration of the proper manner of administering discipline, and of silencing the calumnies of enemies. 1* VI INTRODUCTION. § 3. The time and place in which the Epistle was written. It is manifest that this epistle was written from Macedonia (see ch. viii. 1 — 14, and ix. 2), and was sent by Titus to the church at Corinth. If so, it was writ- ten probably about a year after the former epistle. Paul was on his way to Co- rinth, and was expecting to go there soon. He had left Ephesus, where he was when he wrote the first epistle, and had gone to Troas, and from thence to Mace- donia, where he had met with Titus, and had from him learned what was the effect of his first epistle. In the overflowing of his heart with gratitude for the success of that letter, and with a desire to carry forward the work of reformation in the church, and completely to remove all the objections which had been made to his apostolic authority, and to prepare for his own welcome reception when he went there, he wrote this letter — a letter which we cannot doubt was as kindly received as the former, and which like that accomplished the objects which he had ^W5« THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE COM CHAPTER I. TDAUL, an apostle a of Jesus L Christ by the will of God, CHAPTER I. This chapter consists of the following parts, or subjects : 1. The usual salutation and benedic- tion in the introduction of the epistle, ver. 1. 2. This is found in all the epistles of Paul, and was at once an affectionate salutation and an appropriate expression of his interest in their welfare, and also an appropriate mode of commencing an address to them by one who claimed to be inspired and sent from God. 2. He refers to the consolation which he had had in his heavy trials, and praises God for that consolation, and declares that the reason for which he was comforted was, that he might be qualified to administer consolation to others in the same or in similar circum- stances, ver. 3 — 7. 3. He informs them of the heavy trials which he was called to experience when he was in Ephesus, and of his merciful deliverance from those trials, ver. 8 — 12. He had been exposed to death, and had despaired of life, (ver. 8, 9); yet he had been delivered (ver. 10); he desired them to unite with him in thanksgiving on account of it (ver. 11); and in all this he had endeavoured to keep a good conscience, and had that testimony that he had endeavoured to maintain such a conscience toward all, and especially toward them. ver. 12. 4. He refers to the design which he had in writing the former letter to them, ver. 13. 14. He had written to them only such things as they admitted to be true and proper ; and such as he was persuaded they would always admit. They had always received his instruc- and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at al&2Ti.l. 1. tions favourably and kindly ; and he had always sought their welfare. 5. In this state of mind, Paul had designed to have paid them a second visit, ver. 15, 16. But he had not done it yet, and it appears that his enemies had taken occasion from this to say that he was inconstant and fickle-minded. He, therefore, takes occasion to vindi- cate himself, and to convince them that he was not faithless to his word and pur- poses, and to show them the true reason why he had not visited them. ver. 17 — 24. He states, therefore, that his real intentions had been to visit them (ver. 15, 16); that his failure to do so had not proceeded from either levity or false- hood (ver. 17) ; as they might have known from the uniform doctrine which he had taught them, in which he had inculcated the necessity of a strict ad- herence to promises, from the veracity of Jesus Christ his great example (ver. 1 8—20); and from the fact that God had given to him the Holy Spirit, and anointed him (ver. 21,22); and he states, therefore, that the true reason why he had not come to them was, that he wished to spare them (ver. 23, 24) ; he was willing to remain away from them until they should have time to correct the evils which existed in their church, and prevent the necessity of severe dis- cipline when he should come. 1. Paul an apostle, &c. See Notes on Rom. i. 1, and 1 Cor. i. 1. ^ By the will of God. Through, or agreea- bly to the will of God. Note, 1 Cor. i. 1. •f And Timothy our brother. Paul was accustomed to associate some other per- son or persons with him in writing his 7 II. CORINTHIANS. [A. D. 60. Corinth, with all the saints a which are in all Achaia : 2 Grace * be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. epistles. Thus in the first epistle to the Corinthians, Sosthenes was associated with him. For the reasons of this, see Note on 1 Cor. i. 1. The name of Timothy is associated with his in the epistles to the Philippians and Colos- sians. From the former epistle to the Corinthians (ch. xvi. 10), we learn that Paul had sent Timothy to the church at Corinth, or that he expected that he would visit them. Paul had sent him into Macedonia in company with Eras- tus (Acts xix. 21, 22), intending him- self to follow them, and expecting that they would visit Achaia. From the passage before us, it appears that Timo- thy had returned from this expedition, and was now with Paul. The reason why Paul joined Timothy with him in writ- ing this epistle may have been the fol- lowing: (1.) Timothy had been re- cently with them, and they had become acquainted with him, and it was not only natural that he should express his friendly salutations, but his name and influence among them might serve in some degree to confirm what Paul wished to say to them. Comp. Note, 1 Cor. i. 1. (2.) Paul may have wished to give as much influence as possible to Timothy. He designed that he should be his fellow-labourer ; and as Timothy was much younger than himself, he doubtless expected that he would sur- vive him, and that he would in some sense succeed him in the care of the churches. He was desirous, therefore, of securing for him all the authority which he could, and of letting it be known that he regarded him as abun- dantly qualified for the great work with which he was intrusted. (3.) The in- fluence and name of Timothy might be supposed to have weight with the party In the church that had slandered Paul, by accusing him of insincerity or in- stability in regard to his purposed visit 3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort ; a Ph. 1.1. 6Ro. 1.7. cEp. 1. 3. to them. Paul had designed to go to them directly from Ephesus, but he had changed his mind, and the testimony of Timothy might be important to prove that it was done from motives purely conscientious. Timothy was doubtless acquainted with the reasons ; and his testimony might meet and rebut a part of the charges against him. See ch. i. ver. 13 — 16. Tf Unto the church of God, &c. See Note 1 Cor. i. 2. f With all the saints which are in all Achaia. Achaia, in the largest sense, included the whole of Greece. Achaia proper, however, was the district or pro- vince of which Corinth was the capital. It comprehended the part of Greece lying between Thessaly and the south- ern part of the Peloponnesus, embrac- ing the whole western part of the Pelo ponnesus. It is probable that there were not a few Christians scattered in Achaia, and not improbably some small churches that had been established by the labours of Paul or of others. From Rom. xvi. 1, we know that there was a church at Cenchrea, the eastern port of Corinth, and it is by no means improbable that there were other churches in that region. Paul doubtless designed that copies of this epistle should be circulated among them. 2. Grace be to you, &c. This is the usual Christian salutation. See Note Rom. i. 7. 1 Cor. i. 3. 3. Blessed be God. This is the com- mencement properly of the epistle, and it is the language of a heart that is full of joy, and that bursts forth with grati- tude in view of mercy. It may have been excited by the recollection that he had formerly written to them, and that during the interval which had elapsed between the time when the former epistle was written and when this was penned, he had been called to a most severe trial, and that from that trial he K.D. 60. J CHAPTER I. 4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be had been mercifully delivered. With a heart full of gratitude and joy for this merciful interposition, he com- mences this epistle. It is remarked by Doddridge, that eleven out cf the thir- teen epistles of Paul, begin with excla- mations of praise, joy, and thanksgiv- ing. Paul had been afflicted, but he had also been favoured with remarkable consolations, and it was not unnatural that he should allow himself to give expression to his joy and praise in view of all the mercies which God had con- ferred on him. This entire passage is one that is exceedingly valuable, as showing that there may be elevated joy in the midst of deep affliction, and as showing what is the reason why God visits his servants with trials. The phrase " blessed be God," is equivalent to ' praised be God,' or is an expres- sion of thanksgiving. It is the usual formula of praise (comp. Eph. i. 3) ; and shows his entire confidence in God, and his joy in him, and his gratitude for his mercies. It is one of innumerable instances which show that it is possible and proper to bless God in view of the trials with which he visits his people, and of the consolations which he causes to abound, f The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is mentioned here in the relation of the " Father of the Lord Jesus," doubtless because it was through the Lord Jesus, and him alone, that He had imparted the consolation which he had experienced, ver. 5. Paul knew no other God than the ' Father of the Lord Jesus;' he knew no other source of consolation than the gospel ; he knew of no way in which God im- parted comfort except through his Son. That is genuine Christian con- solation which acknowledges the Lord Jesus as the medium by whom it is im- parted ; that is proper thanksgiving to God which is offered through the Re- deemer ; that only is the proper acknow- ledgment of God which recognises him as the ' Father of the Lord Jesus.' 1 The Father of mercies. This is a able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort Hebrew mode of expression, where a noun performs the place of an adjective, and the phrase is synonymous nearly with ' merciful Father.' The expression has however somewhat more energy and spirit than the simple phrase « merciful Father.' The Hebrews used the word fa/her often to denote the author, or source of any thing ; and the idea in phraseology like this is, that mercy pro- ceeds from God, that he is the source of it, and that it is his nature to impart mercy and compassion, as if he origi- nated it ; or was the source and foun- tain of it — sustaining a relation to all true consolation analogous to that which a father sustains to his offspring. God has the paternity of all true joy. It is one of his peculiar and glorious attributes that he thus produces conso- lation and mercy. <{And the God of all comfort. The source of all consolation. Paul delighted, as all should do, to trace all his comforts to God ; and Paul, as all Christians have, had sufficient reason to regard God as the source of true conso- lation. There is no other real source of happiness but God ; and he is able abundantly, and willing to impart con solation to his people. 4. Who comforteth us. Paul here doubtless refers primarily to himself and his fellow apostles as having been filled with comfort in their trials ; to the support which the promises of God gave ; to the influences of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter ; and to the hopes of eternal life through the gospel of the Redeemer. «[ That- we may be able to comfort, &c. Paul does not say that this was the only design which God had in comforting them that they might be able to impart comfort to others ; but he does say that this is an important and main purpose. It is an object which he seeks, that his people in their afflictions should be supported and com- forted ; and for this purpose he fills the hearts of his ministers with consolation ; gives them personal experience of the sustaining power of grace in their trials; 10 II. CORINTHIANS. [A. D. 60 wherewith we ourselves are com- forted of God 5 For as the sufferings a of Christ ahound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. a Col. 1. 24. and enables them to speak of what fhey have felt in regard to the consolations of the gospel of the Lord Jesus, f By the comfort, &c. By the same topics of consolation ; by the same sources of joy which have sustained us. They would have experience; and by that expe- rience they would be able to minister consolation to those who were in any manner afflicted. It is only by personal experience that we are able to impart consolation to others. Paul refers here undoubtedly to the consolations which are produced by the evidence of the pardon of sin, and of acceptance with God, and the hope of eternal life. These consolations abounded in him and his fellow apostles richly ; and sustained by them he was able also to impart like consolation to others who were in simi- lar circumstances of trial. 5. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us. As we are called to expe- rience the same sufferings which Christ endured ; as we are called to suffer in his cause, and in the promotion of the same object. The sufferings which they endured were in the cause of Christ and his gospel ; were endured in endea- vouring to advance the same object which Christ sought to promote ; and were substantially of the same nature. They arose from opposition, contempt, persecution, trial, and want, and were the same as the Lord Jesus was him- self subjected to during the whole of his public life. Comp. Col. i. 24. Thus Peter says (1 Pet. iv. 13) of Christians, that they were " partakers of Christ's sufferings." % So our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. By means of Christ, or through Christ, consolation is abundantly imparted to us. Paul re- garded the Lord Jesus as the source of consolation, and felt that the comfort 6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for a your consolation and salvation, which is x effectual in the enduring of the same suffer- ings, which we also suffer : or whether we be comforted, it is a c. 4. 15. * or wrought. which he imparted, or which was im- parted through him, was more than sufficient to overbalance all the trials which he endured in his cause. The comforts which he derived from Christ were those, doubtless, which arose from his presence, his supporting grace, from his love shed abroad in the heart ; from the success which he gave to his gos- pel, and from the hope of reward which was held out to him by the Redeemer, as the result of all his sufferings. And it may be observed as an universal truth, that if we suffer in the cause of Christ, if we are persecuted, oppressed, and calumniated on his account, he will take care that our hearts shall be filled with consolation. 6. And whether we be afflicted. If we are afflicted ; or, our affliction is for this purpose. This verse is designed to show one of the reasons of the suf- ferings which the apostles had endured ; and it is a happy specimen of Paul's skill in his epistles. He shows that all his trials were for their welfare and would turn to their benefit. He suf- fered that they might be comforted ; he was afflicted for their advantage. This assurance would tend to conciliate their favour, and strengthen their affection for him, as it would show them that he was disinterested. We are under the deepest obligations of gratitude to one who suf- fers for us; and there is nothing that will bind us more tenderly to any one than the fact that ne has been subjected to great calamity and trial on our account. This is one of the reasons why the Christian feels so tenderly his obligation to the Lord Jesus Christ, f It is for your consolation and salvation. It will be useful for your consolation ; or it is endured in order to secure your com- fort, and promote your salvation. Paul A. D. 60.] CHAPTER I. 11 for your consolation and salva- tion. 7 And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing that as a ye alto. 8. 17. had suffered in Ephesus, and it is to this that he here particularly refers. He does not mean to say that his sufferings there were particularly for the comfort oi the Corinthians ; but that they had been endured in the general purpose of promoting the salvation of men, and that they, together with others, would reap the benefit of his trials. He en- dured them in order to spread the true religion, and they would be benefited by that, and besides, he would be the better able by his trials to administer to them the true consolations of the gospel in their sufferings ; and his example, and experience, and counsel, would ena- ble them to bear up under their own trials in a proper manner, f Which is effectual, <&c. Margin, wrought. The Greek word hi^youfAm; denotes here efficacious, operating to, producing; and the phrase denotes that their salva- tion would be effected, wrought out, or secured by the patient endurance of such sufferings. Those sufferings were necessary ; and a patient endurance of them would tend to promote their salvation. The doctrine that the pa- tient endurance of affliction tends to pro- mote salvation, is everywhere taught in the Bible. See Notes on Rom. v. 3 — 5. Tf In the enduring. By your endur- ing ; or by your patience in such suf- ferings. You are called to endure the same kind of sufferings ; and patience in such trials will tend to promote your salvation, t Or whether we be com- forted, &c. One design of our being comforted is, that we may be able to impart consolation to you in the times of similar trial and calamity. See ver. 4. The sentiment of the whole passage is, that their eternal welfare would be pro- moted by the example of the apostles in their trials, and by the consolations which they would be able to impart as the result of their afflictions. 7. And our hope of you is steadfast. are partakers of the sufferings so shallye be also of the consolation. 8 For we would not, bre- thren, have you ignorant of our We have a firm and unshaken hepe in regard" to you ; we have a confident ex- pectation that you will be saved. We believe that you will be enabled so to bear trial as to show that you are sustained by the Christian hope ; and so as to ad- vance your own piety, and confirm your prospect of heaven. ^ As ye are par- takers of the sufferings. It is evident from this, that the Corinthians had been subjected to trials similar to those which the apostle had endured. It is not known to what afflictions they were then subjected ; but it is not improbable that they were exposed to some kind of persecution and opposition. Such trials were common in all the early churches; and they served to unite all the friends of the Redeemer in common bonds, and to make them feel that they were one. They had united sorrows ; and they had united joys ; and they felt they were tending to the same heaven of glory. United sorrows and united consolations tend more than any thing else to bind people together. We always have a brotherly feeling for one who suffers as we do ; or who has the same kind of joy which we have. 8. For we would not have you igno- rant. We wish you to be fully in- formed. See Note, 1 Cor. x. 1 ; xii. 1. The object of Paul here is, to give a full explanation of the nature of his trials, to which he had referred in ver. 4. He presumed that the Corinthians would feel a deep interest in him and in his trials ; that they would sympathize with him, and would pray that those suffer- ings, and that this deliverance might be attended with a blessing (ver. 11); and perhaps he wished also to conciliate their kindness towards himself by men- tioning more at length the nature of the trials which he had been called to en- dure on account of the Christian reli- gion, of which they were reaping so material benefits. \ Of our trouble 12 II. CORINTHIANS. [A. D. 60 trouble* which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out a Ac. 19. 23. which came to us in Asia. The term Asia is often used to denote that part of Asia Minor of which Ephesus was the capital. See Note, Acts ii. 9. There has been considerable diversity of opinion as to the " troubles" to which Paul here refers. Some have supposed that he refers to the persecutions at Lystra (Acts xiv. 6. 19. 20), from which he had been recovered as it were by mira- cle ; but as that happened so long before this, it seems improbable that he should here refer to it. There is every mark of freshness and reccniness about this event ; and Paul evidently referred to some danger from which he had been lately delivered, and which made a deep impression on his mind when he wrote this epistle. Semler supposes that he refers to the lying in wait of the Jews for him when he was about to go to Macedonia, mentioned in Acts xx. 3. Most commentators have supposed that he refers to the disturbances which were made at Ephesus by Demetrius and his friends, mentioned in Acts xix., and by reason of which he was compelled to leave the city. The only objection to this is, that which is mentioned by Whitby and Macknight, that as Paul did not go into the theatre there (Acts xix. 31), he incurred no such risk of his life as to justify the strong expressions mentioned in ver. 9 and 10. They suppose, therefore, that he refers to the danger to which he was exposed in Ephesus on another occasion, when he was compelled to fight there with wild beasts. See 1 Cor. xv. 32. But nearly all these opinions may be reconciled, per- haps, by supposing that he refers to the group of calamities to which he had been exposed in Asia, and from which he had just escaped by going to Mace- donia — referring perhaps more particu- larly to the conflict which he had been compelled to have with the wild beasts there. There was the riot excited by of measure, above strength, in- somuch that we despaired even of life : Demetrius (Acts xix.), in which his life had been endangered, and from which he had just escaped; and there had been the conflict with the wild beasts at Ephesus (see Note 1 Cor. xv. 32), which perhaps had occurred but just be- fore ; and there were the plots of the Jews against him (Acts xx. 3), from which, also, he had just been delivered. By these trials, his life had been endan- gered, perhaps, more than once, and he had been called to look death calmly in the face, and to anticipate the proba- bility that he might soon die. Of these trials ; of all these trials, he would not have the Corinthians ignorant; but de- sired that they should be fully apprized of them, that they might sympathize with him, and that through their prayers they might be turned to his benefit. ^j That we were pressed out of measure. See Acts xix. We were borne down, or weighed down by calamity (f/S^S-e- ju;v) exceedingly (x.a.& Mng/3cx>r), super- eminently. The expression denotes excess, eminence, or intensity. It is one of Paul's common and very strong expressions to denote any thing that is intensive or great. See Rom. vii. 13. Gal. i. 13. 2 Cor. iv. 17. 1 Above strength. Beyond our strength. More than in ourselves we were able to bear. 1 Insomuch that we despaired even (fife. Either expecting to be destroyed by the wild beasts with which he had to con- tend, or to be destroyed by the people. This was one of the instances undoubt- edly to which he refers in ch. xi. 23, where he says he had been " in death oft." And this was one of the many cases in which Paul was called on to contemplate death as near. It was doubtless one cause of his fidelity, and of his great success in his work, that he was thus called to regard death as near at hand, and that to use the some- what unpoetical, but deeply affecting 1 lines of Baxter, expressing a sentiment A. D 60.] CHAPTER 1. 13 9 But we had the * sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust a in ourselves, » Or answer. a Je. 17. 5,7. which guided all his ministry, and which was one source of his eminent success, He preachM as though he ne'er would preach asain, As a dying man to dying men. 9. But we had the sentence of death in ourselves. Marg. " answer." The word rendered " sentence" (a.7roKgi/ux) means properly an answer, judicial re- sponse, or sentence ; and is here syno- nymous with verdict. It means that Paul felt that he was condemned to die ; that he felt as if he were under sentence of death and with no hope of acquittal ; he was called to contemplate the hour of death as just before him. The words " in ourselves," mean, against ourselves ; or, we expected certainly to die. This seems as if he had been condemned to die, and may either refer to some in- stance when the popular fury was so great that he felt it was determined he should die ; or more probably to a judi- cial sentence that he should be cast to the wild beasts, with the certain ex- pectation that he would be destroyed, as was always the case with those who were subjected to the execution of such a sentence, t That we should not trust in ourselves. This is an exceed- ingly beautiful and important sentiment. It teaches that in the time to which Paul refers, he was in so great danger, and had so certain a prospect of death, that he could put no reliance on himself. He felt that he must die ; and that hu- man aid was vain. According to every probability he would die ; and all that he could do was to cast himself on the protection of that God who had power to save him even then, if he chose, and who, if he did it, would exert power similar to that which is put forth when the dead are raised. The effect, there- fore, of the near prospect of death was to lead him to put increased confidence in God. He felt that God only could but in God which raiseth the dead : 10 Who delivered a us from a2Pe.2. 9. save him ; or that God only could sua tain him if he should die. Perhaps also he means to say that the effect of this was to lead him to put increased con- fidence in God after his deliverance ; not to trust in his own plans, or to confide in his own strength ; but to feel that all that he had was entirely in the hands of God. This is a common, and a happy effect of the near prospect of death to a Christian ; and it is well to contemplate the effect on such a mind as that of Paul in the near prospect of dying, and to see how instinctively then it clings to God. A true Christian in such cir- cumstances will rush to His arms and feel that there he is safe. T But in God which raiseth the dead. Intimating that a rescue in such circumstances would be like raising the dead. It is probable that on this occasion Paul was near dying; that he had given up all hope of life — perhaps, as at Lystra (Acts xiv. 19), he was supposed to be dead. He felt, therefore, that he was raised up by the immediate power of God, and regarded it as an exertion of the same power by which the dead are raised. Paul means to intimate that so far as depended on any power of his own, he was dead. He had no power to recover himself, and but for the gra- cious interposition of God he would have died. 10. WJio delivered us from so great a death. From a death so terrible, and from a prospect so alarming. It is in- timated here by the word which Paul uses, that the death which he appre- hended was one of a character peculiarly terrific — probably a death by wild beasts. Note, ver. 8. He was near to death ; he had no hope of rescue ; and the manner of the death which was threatened was peculiarly frightful. Paul regarded rescue from such a death as a kind of resurrection ,- and felt that 14 II. CORINTHIANS. [A. D. 60. so great a death, and doth de- liver : m whom we trust that he will yet deliver us $ he owed his life to God as if he had raised him from the dead. All deliver- ance from imminent peril, and from dangerous sickness, whether of ourselves or our friends, should be regarded as a kind of resurrection from the dead. God could with infinite ease have taken away our breath, and it is only by his merciful interposition that we live. 1 And doth deliver. Continues yet to deliver us ; or preserve us — intimating perhaps that danger had continued to follow him after the signal deliverance to which he particularly refers, and that he had continued to be in similar peril of his life. Paul was daily exposed to danger ; and was constantly preserved by the good providence of God. In what manner he was rescued from the peril to which he was exposed he has no- where intimated. It is implied, how- ever, that it was by a remarkable divine interposition ; but whether by miracle, or by the ordinary course of providence, he nowhere intimates. Whatever was the mode, however, Paul regarded God as the source of the deliverance, and felt that his obligations were due to him as his kind Preserver. Tf In whom we trust that he will yet deliver us. That he will continue to preserve us. We hope ; we are accustomed to cherish the expectation that he will continue to de- fend us in the perils which we shall yet encounter. Paul felt that he was still exposed to danger. Everywhere he was liable to be persecuted (comp. Note, Acts xx. 23), and everywhere he felt that his life was in peril. Yet he had been thus far preserved in a most re- markable manner ; and he felt assured that God would continue to interpose in his behalf, until his great purpose in regard to him should be fully accom- plished, so that at the close of life he could look to God as his Deliverer, and feel that all along his perilous journey he had been his great Protector. 1 1 Ye also helping- a together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the alto. 15 30. Ph. 1. 19. Ja. 5. 16— 18. 11. Ye also helping together by prayer for us. Tindal renders this in connexion with the close of the previous verse ; " we trust that yet hereafter he will deliver us, by the help of your prayer for us." The word rendered ' helping together,' means co-operating, aiding, assisting ; and the idea is, that Paul felt that his trials might be turned to good account, and give occasion for thanksgiving ; and that this was to be accomplished by the aid of the prayers of his fellow Christians. He felt that the church was one, and that Christians should sympathize with one another. He evinced deep humility and tender re- gard for the Corinthians when he called on them to aid him by their prayers. Nothing would be better calculated to excite their tender affection and re- gard than thus to call on them to sym- pathize with him in his trials, and to pray that those trials might result in thanksgiving throughout the churches. 1 That for the gift bestowed upon us. The sentence which occurs here is very perplexing in the original, and the con- struction is difficult. But the main idea is not difficult to be seen. The " gift" here referred to (to ^agta-jua) means doubtless the favour shown to him in Iris rescue from so imminent a peril ; and he felt that this was owing to the prayers of many persons on his behalf. He believed that he had been remembered in the petitions of his friends and fellow Christians, and that his deliver- ance was owing to their supplications. f By the means of many persons. Probably meaning that the favour refer- red to had been imparted by means of the prayers of many individuals who had taken a deep interest in his welfare. But it may also imply perhaps that he had been directly assisted, and had been rescued from the impending danger by the interposition of many friends who had come to his relief. The usual A.D.60.] CHAPTER I. 15 means of many persons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf. interpretation is, however, that it was by the prayers of many in his behalf. ^f Thanks may be given by many on our behalf. Many may be induced also to render thanks for my deliverance. The idea is, that as he had been deli- vered from great peril by the prayers of many persons, it was proper also that thanksgiving should be offered by as many in his behalf, or on account of his deliverance. " Mercies that have been obtained by prayer should be acknowledged by praise." — Doddridge. God had mercifully interposed in answer to the prayers of his people ; and it was proper that his mercy should be as ex- tensively acknowledged. Paul was de- sirous that God should not be forgotten ; and that those who had sought his de- liverance should render praise to God : perhaps intimating here that those who had obtained mercies by prayer are prone to forget their obligation to return thanks to God for his gracious and mer- ciful interposition. 12. For our rejoicing is this. The source or cause of- our rejoicing. ' I have a just cause of rejoicing, and it is, that I have endeavoured to live a life of simplicity and godly sincerity, and have not been actuated by the principles of worldly wisdom.' The connexion here is not very obvious, and it is not quite easy to trace it. Most expositors, as Doddridge, Locke, Macknight, Bloom- field, «fcc, suppose that he mentions the purity of his life as a reason why he had a right to expect their prayers, as he had requested in ver. 11. They would not doubt, it is supposed, that his life had been characterized by great simplicity and sincerity, and would feel, therefore, a deep interest in his welfare, and be disposed to render thanks that he had been preserved in the day of peril. But the whole context and the scope of the passage is rather to be taken into view. Paul had been ex- posed to death. He had no hope of life 12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sin- Then the ground of his rejoicing, and of his confidence, was that he had lived a holy life. He had not been actuated by " fleshly wisdom," but he had been animated and guided by " the grace of God." His aim had been simple, his purpose holy, and he had the testimony of his conscience that his motives had been right, and he had, therefore, no concern about the result. A good con- science, a holy life through Jesus Christ, will enable a man always to look calm- ly on death. What has a Christian to fear in death ] Paul had kept a good conscience towards all ; but he says that he had special and peculiar joy that he had done it towards the Corinthians. This he says, because many there had accused him of fickleness, and of disregard for their interests. He declares, therefore, that even in the prospect of death he had a consciousness of rectitude towards them, and proceeds to show (v. 13 — 23) that the charge against him was not well founded. I regard this passage, there- fore, as designed to express the fact that Paul, in view of sudden death, had a consciousness of a life of piety, and was comforted with the reflection that he had not been actuated by the " fleshly wisdom" of the world, t The testimo- ny of our conscience. An approving conscience. It does not condemn me on the subject. Though others might accuse him, though his name might be calumniated, yet he had comfort in the approval which his own conscience gave to his course. Paul's conscience was enlightened, and its decisions were cor- rect. Whatever others might charge him with, he knew what had been the aim and purpose of his life ; and the consciousness of upright aims, and of such plans as the ' grace of God' would prompt to, sustained him. An approv- ing conscience is of inestimable value when we are calumniated ; — and, when we draw near to death, t That in simplicity (iv d;rA0T»T/). Tindal renders 16 II. CORINTHIANS. [A. D. 60 cerity, not "with fleshly wis- dom, but by the grace of b God, a 1 Co. 2. 4, 13. b 1 Co. 15, 10. we have had our conversation in the world, and more abun- dantly to you-ward. this forcibly "without doubleness." The word means sincerity, candour, pro- bity, plain-heartedness, Christian sim- plicity, frankness, integrity. See 2 Cor. xi. 3. It stands opposed to double- dealings and purposes ; to deceitful ap- pearances, and crafty plans ; to mere policy, and craftiness in accomplishing an object. A man under the influence of this, is straight-forward, candid, open, frank ; and he expects to accomplish his purpose by integrity and fair-deal- ing, and not by stratagem and cunning. Policy, craft, artful plans, and deep-laid schemes of deceit belong to the world ; simplicity of aim and purpose are the true characteristics of a real Christian. If And godly sincerity. Gr. " sincerity of God." This may be a Hebrew idiom, by which the superlative degree is indicated, when, in order to express the highest degree, they added the name of God, as in the phrases ■ mountains of God,' signifying the highest moun- tains,' or 'cedars of God,' denoting lofty cedars. Or it may mean such sincerity as God manifests and approves ; such as he, by his grace, would produce in the heart ; such as the religion of the gospelis fitted to produce. The word used here, nms£W<^ and rendered sincerity, denotes, properly, clearness, such as is judged of or discerned in sunshine (from iiKu and Kgiva), and thence pureness, in- tegrity. It is most probable that the phrase here denotes that sincerity which God produces and approves; and the sentiment is, that pure religion, the re- ligion of God, produces entire sincerity in the heart. Its purposes and aims are open and manifest, as if seen in the wnshine. The plans of the world are obscure, deceitful, and dark, as if M the night. 1 Not with fleshly wis- uom. Not with the wisdom which is manifested by the men of this world ; not by the principles of cunning, and mere policy, and expediency, which often characterize them. The phrase here stands opposed to simplicity and sincerity, to openness and straight-for- wardness. And Paul means to disclaim for himself, and for his fellow-labourers, all that carnal policy which distinguishes the mere men of the world. And if Paul deemed such policy improper for him, we should deem it improper for us ; if he had no plans which he wished to advance by it, we should have none ; if he would not employ it in the pro- motion of good plans, neither should we. It has been the curse of the church and the bane of religion ; and it is to this day exerting a withering and blight- ing influence on the church. The mo- ment that such plans are resorted to, it is proof that the vitality of religion is gone, and any man who feels that his purposes cannot be accomplished but by such carnal policy, should set it down as full demonstration that his plans are wrong, and that his purpose should be abandoned. Tf But by the grace of God. This phrase stands op- posed, evidently, to " fleshly wisdom." It means that Paul had been influenced by such sentiments and principles as would be suggested or prompted by the influence of his grace. Locke renders it, " by the favour of God directing me." God had shown him favour; God had directed him ; and he had kept him from the crooked and devious ways of mere worldly policy. The idea seems to be not merely that he had pursued a correct and upright course of life, but that he was indebted for this to the mere grace and favour of God, an idea which Paul omitted no opportunity of acknowledging. ^ We have had our conversation. We have conducted our selves (uV5t(TTga'p»//sv). The word here used means literally, to turn up, to over- turn ; then to turn back, to return, and in the middle voice, to turn one's self around, to turn one's self to any thing, and, also, to move about in, to live in, to be conversant with, to conduct one's A. D. 60. J CHAPTER I. 17 13 For we write none other things unto you than what ye self. In this sense it seems to be used here. Gomp. Heb. x. 33 ; xiii. 18. 1 Tim iii. 15. 1 Pet. i. 17. The word conversation, we usually apply to oral discourse, but in the Scriptures, it means conduct, and the sense of the passage is, that Paul had conducted himself in accordance with the principles of the grace of God, and had been influenced by that, f In the world. Everywhere ; wherever I have been. This does not mean in the world as contradistinguish- ed from the church, but in the world at large, or wherever he had been, as con- tradistinguished from the church at Co- rinth. It had been his common and universal practice. ^ And more abun- dantly to you-ward. Especially towards you. This was added doubtless because there had been charges against him in Corinth, that he had been crafty, cun- ning, deceitful, and especially that he had deceived them (see ver. 17), in not visiting them as he had promised. He affirms, therefore, that in all things he had acted in the manner to which the grace of God prompted, and that his conduct, in all respects, had been that of entire simplicity and sincerity. 13. For we write none otlur things, Sec. There has been much variety in the interpretation of this passage; and much difficulty felt in determining what it means. The sense seems to me to be this. Paul had just declared that he had been actuated by pure intentions and by entire sincerity, and had in all things been influenced by the grace of God. This he had shown everywhere, out more particularly among them' at Corinth. That they fully knew. In making this affirmation they had full evidence from what they had known of him in former times that such had been his course of life ; and he trusted that they would be able to acknowledge the same thing to the end, and that they would never have any occasion to form 2* read or acknowledge ; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end ; a different opinion of him. It will be recollected that it is probable that some at Corinth had charged him with insin- cerity ; and some had accused him of fickleness in having promised to come to Corinth and then changing his mind, or had charged him with never having intended to come to them. His object in this verse is to refute such slanders, and he says, therefore, that all that he affirmed in his writings about the sin- cerity and simplicity of his aims, were such as they knew from their past ac- quaintance with him to be true ; and that they knew that he was a man who would keep his promises. It is an in- stance of a minister who was able to appeal to the people among whom he had lived and laboured in regard to the general sincerity and uprightness of his character — such an appeal as every mi- nister oug ht to be able to make to refute all slanders ; and such as he will be able to make successfully, if his life, like that of Paul, is such as to warrant it. Such seems to me to be the sense of the passage. Beza, however, renders it, "I write no other things than what ye read, or may understand," and so Rosenmuller, Wetstein, Macknight, and some others interpret it and they ex- plain it as meaning, '1 write nothing secretly, nothing ambiguously, but I express myself clearly, openly, plainly, so that I may be read and understood by all.' Macknight supposes that they had charged him witli using ambiguous language, that he might afterwards in« terpret it to suit his own purpose. The objection to this is, that Paul never ad- verts to the obscurity or perspicuity of his own language. It was his conduct that was the main subject on which ho was writing, and the connexion seems to demand that we understand nirn as affirming that they had abund tfit evi- dence that what he affirmec oi his simplicity of aim, and integrit) of life. 18 II. CORINTHIANS. [A. D. 60 14 As also ye have acknow- ledged us in part, that a we are your rejoicing, even as ye a Ph. 4. 1. was true. t Than what ye read (dv*- yivS>) means to seal up ; to close and make fast with a seal, or signet ; as, e.g., books, letters, &c. that they may not be read. It is also used in the sense of setting a mark on any thing, or a seal, to denote that it is genuine, authentic, confirmed, or approved, as when a deed, compact, or agreement is sealed. It is thus made sure; and is confirmed or established. Hence it is applied to persons, as de- noting that they are approved, as in Rev. vii. 3: "Hurt not the earth, b 1 Jno.2.20,27. Re. 3. 18. c Ep.l. 13, 14; 4.30. 2 Ti. 2. 19 neither the sea, nor the trees, till wc have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads." Comp. Ezek. ix. 4. See Note, John vi. 27, where it is said of the Saviour, " for him hath God the Father sealed. ,, Comp. John iii. 33. In a similar manner Christians are said to be sealed ; to be sealed by the Holy Spirit (Eph. i. 13 ; iv. 30) ; that is, the Holy Spirit is given to them to confirm them as belonging to God. He grants them his Spirit. He renews and sancti- fies them. He produces in their hearts those feelings, hopes, and desires which are an evidence that they are approved by God ; that they are regarded as his adopted children; that their hope is genuine, and that their redemption and salvation are sure — in the same way as a seal makes a will or an agreement sure. God grants to them his Holy Spirit as the certain pledge that they are his, and shall be approved and saved in the last day. In this there is nothing miraculous, or in the nature of direct revelation. It consists of the ordinary operations of the Spirit on the heart, producing repentance, faith, hope, joy, conformity to God, the love of prayer and praise, and the Christian virtues generally ; and these things are the evidences that the Holy Spirit has re- newed the heart, and that the Christian is sealed for the day of redemption. 1 And given the earnest of the Spirit. The word here used («$a#j# from the Heb. pan]?) means properly a pledge given to ratify a contract ; a part of the price, or purchase money ; a first pay- ment ; that which confirms the bargain, and which is regarded as a pledge that all the price will be paid. The word occurs in the Septuagint and Hebrew, in Gen. xxxviii. 17, 18 ; xxxviii. 20. In the New Testament it occurs only in this place, and in ch. v. 5, and Eph. i. 14, in each place in the same con- nexion as applied to the Holy Spirit, and his influences on the heart. It re- 24 II. CORINTHIANS. [A. D. 60 and given the earnest of the Spirit a in our hearts. a Ro. 8. 0, 14—16. fers to those influences as a pledge of the future glories which await Christians in heaven. In regard to the " earnest," or the part of a price which was paid in a contract, it may he remarked, (1.) That it was of the same nature as the full price, being regarded as a part of it ; (2.) It was regarded as a pledge or assurance that the full price would be paid. So the ' earnest of the Spirit,' de- notes that God gives to his people the influences of his Spirit; his operation on the heart as a part or pledge that all the blessings of the covenant of redemption shall be given to them. And it implies, (1.) That the comforts of the Christian here are of the same nature as they will be in heaven. Heaven will consist of like comforts ; of love, and peace, and joy, and purity begun here, and simply expanded there to complete and eternal perfection. The joys of heaven differ only in degree, not in kind, from those of the Christian on earth. That which is begun here is perfected there ; and the feelings and views which the Christian has here, if expanded and carried out, would constitute heaven. (2.) These comforts, these influences of the Spirit, are a pledge of heaven. They are the security which God gives us that we shall be saved. If we are brought under the renewing influences of the Spirit here ; if we are made meek, and humble, and prayerful by his agency ; if we are made to partake of the joys which result from pardoned sin; if we are filled with the hope of heaven, it is all produced by the Holy Spirit, and is a pledge, or earnest of our future inheritance ; — as the first sheaves of a harvest are a pledge of a harvest; or the first payment under a contract a pledge that all will be payed. God thus gives to his people the assurance that they shall be saved ; and by this ' pledge' makes their title to eternal life sure. 23. Moreover, I call God for a re- cord upon my soul. It is well remarked 23 Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that, to by Rosenmiiller, that the second chapter should have commenced here, since there is here a transition in the subject more distinct than where the second chapter is actually made to begin. Here Tindal commences the second chapter. This verse, with the subse- quent statements, is designed to show them the true reason why he had changed his purpose, and had not vi- sited them according to his first propo- sal. And that reason was not that he was fickle and inconstant ; but it was that he apprehended that if he should go to them in their irregular and disor- derly state, he would be under a neces- sity of resorting to harsh measures, and to a severity of discipline that would be alike painful to then, and to him. Dr. Paley has shown with great plausibili:y, if not with moral certainty, that Paul's change of purpose about visiting them was made before he wrote his first epis- tle ; that he had at first resolved to visit them, but that on subsequent reflection, he thought it would be better to try the effect of a faithful letter to them, admo- nishing them of their errors, and en- treating them to exercise proper disci- pline themselves on the principal offender ; that with this feeling he wrote his first epistle, in which he does not state to them as yet his change of pur- pose, or the reason of it ; but that now after he had written that letter, and after it had had all the effect which he desired, he states the true reason why he had not visited them. It was now proper to do it ; and that reason was, that he desired to spare them the severity of discipline, and had resorted to the more mild and affectionate measure of sending them a letter, and thus not making it necessary personally to administer disci- pline. See Paley 's Horae Paulinse, on 2 Cor. Nos. iv. and v. The phrase, " I call God for a record upon my soul," is in the Greek, "I call God for a wit- ness against my soul." It is a solemn A. D. 60.] CHAPTER I. 25 spare you, I came not as yet un- to Corinth. 24 Not for that we have a do- a 1 Co. 3. 5. I Pe. 5. 3. oath, or appeal to God ; and implies, that if he did not in that case declare the truth, he desired that God would be a witness against him, and would pu- nish him accordingly. The reason why he made this solemn appeal to God was, the importance of his vindicating his own character before the church, from the charges which had been brought against him. 1 That to spare you. To avoid the necessity of inflicting pu- nishment on you ; of exercis-ing severe and painful discipline. If he went among them in the state of irregularity and disorder which prevailed there, he would feel it to be necessary to exert his authority as an apostle, and remove at once the offending members from the church. He expected to avoid the ne- cessity of these painful acts of disci- pline, by sending to them a faithful and affectionate epistle, and thus inducing them to reform, and to avoid the neces- sity of a resort to that which would have been so trying to him and to them. It was not, then, a disregard for them, or a want of attachment to them, which had led him to change his purpose, but it was the result of tender affection. This cause of the change of his purpose, of course, he would not make known to them in his first epistle, but now that that letter had accomplished all he had desired, it was proper that they should be apprized of the reason why he had resorted to this instead of visit- ing them personalty. 24. Not for that we have dominion, &c. The sense of this passage I take to be this : ' The course which we have pursued has been chosen not be- cause we wish to lord it over your faith, to control your belief, but because we desired to promote your happiness. Had the former been our object, had we wished to set up a lordship or dominion over you, we should have come to you with our apostolical authority, and in 3 minion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by b faith ye stand. b Ro. 11. 20. 1 Co. 15. l. the severity of apostolic discipline. We had power to command obedience, and to control your faith. But we chose not to do it. Our object was to promote your highest happiness. We, there- fore, chose the mildest and gentlest manner possible ; we did not exercise authority in discipline, we sent an af- fectionate and tender letter.' While the apostles had the right to prescribe the articles of belief, and to propound the doctrines of God, yet they would not do even that in such a manner as to seem to " lord it over God's heritage" (obx. K'j^tivc/u(v) ; they did not set up ab- solute authority, or prescribe the things to be believed in a lordly and impe- rative manner; nor would they make use of the severity of power to enforce what they taught. They appealed to reason ; they employed persuasion ; they made use of light and love to ac- complish their desires, % Are helpers of your joy. This is our main object, to promote your joy. This object we have pursued in our plans, and in order to secure this, we forbore to come to you, when, if we did come at that time, we should have given occasion perhaps to the charge that we sought to lord it over your faith. •} For by faith ye stand. See Note, 1 Cor. xv. 1. This seems to be a kind of proverbial expres- sion, stating a general truth, that it was by faith that Christians were to be es- tablished or confirmed. The connexion here requires us to understand this as a reason why he would not attempt to lord it over their faith ; or to exercise dominion over them. That reason was, that thus far they had stood firm, in the main, in the faith (1 Cor. xv. 1) ; they had adhered to the truths of the gospel, and in a special manner now, in yield- ing obedience to the commands and en- treaties of Paul in the first epistle, they had showed that they were in the faith, and firm in the faith. It was not no» 96 II. CORINTHIANS. [A. D. CO. cessary or proper, therefore, for him to attempt to exercise lordship over their belief, but all that was needful was to help forward their joy, for they were firm in the faith. We may observe, (1.) That it is a part of the duty of minis- ters to help forward the joy of Chris- tians. (2.) This should be the object even in administering discipline and re- proof. (3.) If even Paul would not attempt to lord it over the faith of Chris- tians, to establish a domination over their belief, how absurd and wicked is it for uninspired ministers now, for indi- vidual ministers, for conferences, conven- tions, presbyteries, synods, councils, or for the pope, to attempt to establish a spi- ritual dominion in controlli?ig the faith of men. The great evils in the church have arisen from their attempting to do what Paul would not do ; from attempt- ing to establish a dominion which Paul never sought, and which Paul would have abhorred. Faith must be free, and religion must be free, or they cannot exist at all. nEMAllKS. In view of this chapter we may re- mark, 1st. God is the only true and real source of comfort in times of trial, ver. 3. It is from him that all real consola- tion must come, and he only can meet and sustain the soul when it is borne down with calamity. All persons are subjected to trial, and at some periods of their lives, to severe trial. Sickness is a trial ; the death of a friend is a trial ; the loss of property or health, disap- pointment, and reproach, and slander, and poverty, and want, are trials to which we are all more or less exposed. In these trials, it is natural to look to some source of consolation ; some way in which they may be borne. Some seek consolation in philosophy, and endea- vour to blunt their feelings and destroy their sensibilities, as the ancient stoics did. But " to destroy sensibility is not to produce comfort." — Dr. Mason. Some plunge deep into pleasures, and endea- vour to drown their soirows in the in- toxicating draught ; but this is not to produce comfort to the soul, even were it possible in such pleasures to forget their sorrows. Such were the ancient epicureans. Some seek consolation in their surviving friends, and look to them to comfort and sustain the sinking heart. But the arm of an earthly friend is fee- ble, when God lays his hand upon us It is only the hand that smites that car, heal ; only the God that sends the af fliction, that can bind up the broken spirit. He is the " Father of mercies," and he " the God of all consolation ;" and in affliction there is no true comfort but in him. (2.) This consolation in God is de- rived from many sources, (a) He is the " Father of mercies," and we may be assured, therefore, that he does no- thing inconsistent with mehct. (b) We may be assured that he is right — always right, and that he does nothing but right. We may not be able to see the reason of his doings, but we may have the assurance that it is all right and will yet be seen to be right, (c) There is comfort in the fact, that our afflictions are ordered by an intelligent Being, by one who is all-wise, and all-knowing. They are not the result of blind chance ; but they are ordered by one who is wise to know what ought to be done ; and who is so just that he will do nothing wrong. There could be no consolation in the feeling that mere chance directed our trials ; nor can there be consolation except in the feeling that a being of in- telligence and goodness directs and or- ders all. The true comfort, therefore, is to be found in religion, not in atheism and philosophy. (3.) It is possible to bless God in the midst of trials, and as the result of trial. It is possible so clearly to see his hand, and to be so fully satisfied with the wis- dom and goodness of his dealingu, even when we are severely afflicted, as to see that he is worthy of our highest confi- dence and most exalted praise, ver. 3. God may be seen, then, to be the " Fa- ther of mercies ;" and he may impart, even then, a consolation which we never experience in the days of prosperity. Some of the purest and most elevated A.. D. 60.] CHAPTER I. joys known upon earth, are experienced in the very midst of outward calamities, and the most sincere and elevated thanks- givings which are offered to God, are often those which are the result of sanc- tified afflictions. It is when we are Drought out from such trials, where we have experienced the rich consolations and the sustaining power of the gospel, that we are most disposed to say with Paul, " Blessed be God ;" and can most clearly see that he is the " Father of mercies." No Christian will ever have occasion to regret the trials through which God has brought him. I never knew a sincere Christian who was not finally benefited by trials. (4.) Christian joy is not apathy, it is comfort, ver. 4, 5. It is not insensi- bility to suffering ; it is not stoical indif- ference. The Christianyeds his suffer- ings as keenly as others. The Lord Jesus was as sensitive to suffering as any one of the human family ever was ; he was as susceptible of emotion from reproach, contempt, and scorn, and he as keenly felt the pain of the scourge, the nails, and the cross, as any one could. But there is positive joy, there is true and solid comfort. There is substantial, pure, and elevated happiness. Religion does not blunt the feelings, or de- stroy the sensibility, but it brings in consolations which enable us to bear our pains, and to endure persecution without murmuring. In this, religion differs from all systems of philosophy. The one attempts to blunt and destroy our sensibilities to suffering ; the other, while it makes us more delicate and tender in our feelings, gives consolation adapted to that delicate sensibility, and fitted to sustain the soul, notwithstand- ing the acuteness of its sufferings. (5.) Ministers of the gospel may ex- pect to be peculiarly tried and afflicted, ver. 5. So it was with Paul and his fellow-apostles; and so it has been since. They are the special objects of the hatred of sinners, as they stand in the way cf he sinful pursuits and plea- sures of the world ; and they are, like their Master, especially hated by the enemy of souls. Besides, they are by their office, required to minister conso- lation to others who are afflicted ; and it is so ordered in the providence of God, that they are subjected to peculiar trials often, in order that they may be able to impart peculiar consolations. They are to be the examples and the guides of the church of God ; and God takes care that they shall be permitted to show by their example, as well as by their preaching, the supporting power of the gospel in times of trial. (6.) If we suffer much in the cause of the Redeemer, we may also expect much consolation, ver. 5. Christ will take care that our hearts shall be filled with joy and peace. As our trials in his cause are, so shall our consolations be. If we suffer much, we shall enjoy much; if we are persecuted much, we shall have much support ; if our names are cast out among men for his sake, we shall have increasing evidence that they are written in his book of life. There are things in the Christian religion which can be learned only in the fur- nace of affliction ; and he who has ne- ver been afflicted on account of his at- tachment to Christ, is a stranger yet to much, very much of the fulness and beauty of that system of religion which has been appointed by the Redeemer, and to much, very much, of the beauty and power of the promises of the Bible. No man will ever understand all the Bible wh.> is not favoured with much persecution and many trials. (7.) We should be willing to suffer, ver. 3 — 5. If we are willing to be happy, we should also be willing to suffer. If we desire to be happy in re- ligion, we should be willing to suffer. If we expect to be happy, we should also he willing to endure much. Trials fit us for enjoyment here, as well as for heaven hereafter. (8.) One great design of the conso- lation which is imparted to Christiana in the time of affliction is, that they may be able to impart consolation also to others, ver. 4, 6, 7. God designs that we should thus be mutual aids. And he comforts a pastor in his trials, that he may, by his own experience, be able II. CORINTHIANS. [A. D. GO. to minister consolation to the people of his eharge ; he comforts a parent, that he may administer consolation to his children ; a friend, that he may comfort a friend. He who attempts to adminis- ter consolation should be able to speak fiom experience; and God, therefore, afflicts and comforts all his people, that they may know how to administer con- solation to those with whom they are connected. (9.) If we have experienced peculiar consolations ourselves in times of trial, we are under obligations to seek out and comfort others who are afflicted. So Paul felt. We should feel that God has qualified us fortius work; and having qualified us for it, that he calls on us to do it. The consolation which God gives in affliction is a rich treasure which we are bound to impart to others ; the experience which we have of the true sources of consolation is an inesti- mable talent which we are to use for the promotion of his glory. No man has a talent for doing more direct good than he who can go to the afflicted, and bear testimony, from his own experience, to the goodness of God. And every man who can testify that God is good, and is able to support the soul in times of trial, — and what Christian cannot do it who has ever been afflicted? — should regard himself as favoured with a pecu- liar talent for doing good, and should rejoice in the privilege of using it to the glory of God. For there is no ta- lent more honourable than that of being able to promote the divine glory, to comfort the afflicted, or to be able, from personal experience, to testify that God is good — always good. * The power of doing good, always implies an obli- gation to do it." — Cotton Mather. (10.) In this chapter, we have a case of a near contemplation of death, ver. 8, 9. Paul expected soon to die. He nad the sentence of death in himself. He saw no human probability of escape. He was called, therefore, calmly to look death in the face, and to contemplate it as an event certain and near. Such a condition is deeply interesting, it is the important crisis of life. And yet it is an event which all must soon contem- plate. We all, in a short period, each one for himself, must look upon death as certain, and as near to us ; as an event in which we are personally inter- ested, and from which we cannot es- cape. Much as we may turn away from it in health, and unanxious as we may be then in regard to it, yet by no possibility can we long avert our minds from the subject. It is interesting, then, to inquire how Paul felt when he looked at death ; how we should feel ; and how we actually shall feel when we come to die. (11.) A contemplation of death as near and certain, is fitted to lead us to trust in God. This was the effect in the case of Paul. ver. 9. He had learn- ed in health to put his trust in him, and now, when the trial was apparently near, he had nowhere else to go, and he confided in him alone. He felt that if he was rescued, it could be only by the interposition of God ; and that there was none but God who could sustain him if he should die. And what event can there be that is so well fitted to lead us to trust in God as death! And where else can we go in view of that dark, hour 1 For, (a) We know not what death is. We have not tried it ; nor do we know what grace may be necessary for us in those unknown pangs and suf- ferings ; in that deep darkness, and that sad gloom, (b) Our friends cannot aid us then. They will, they must, then, give us the parting hand ; and as we en- ter the shades of the dark valley, they must bid us farewell. The skill of the physician then will fail. Our worldly friends will forsake us when we come to die. They do not love to be in the room of death, and they can give us no consolation if they are there. Our pious friends cannot attend us far in the dark valley. They may pray, and commend us to God, but even they must leave us to die alone. Who but G»d can attenJ usl Who but he can Support us then : (c) God only knows what is beyond death. How do we know the way to his bar, to his presence, to his heaven ? How can we direct our own steps in A. D. 60.] CHAPTER I. 29 that dark and unknown world 1 None but God our Saviour can guide us there ; none else can conduct us to his abode, (d) None but God can sustain us in the pain, the anguish, the fee- bleness, the sinking of the powers of body and of mind in that distressing hour. He can uphold us then; and it is an unspeakable privilege to be per- mitted then, " when heart and flesh faint," to say of him, " God is the strength of" our "heart, and" our " portion forever." Ps. lxxiii. 26. (12.) We should regard a restoration from dangerous sickness, and from im- minent peril of death as a kind of resur- rection. So Paul regarded it. ver. 9. We should remember how easy it would have been for God to have re- moved us ; how rapidly we were tending to the grave ; how certainly we should have descended there but for his inter- position. We should feel, therefore, that we owe our lives to him as really and entirely as though we had been raised up from the dead ; and that the same kind of power and goodness have been evinced as would have been had God given us life anew. Life is God's gift; and every instance of recovery from peril, or from dangerous illness, is as really an interposition of his mercy as though we had been raised up from the dead. (13.) We should, in like manner, regard a restoration of our friends from dangerous sickness, or peril of any kind, as a species of resurrection from the dead. When a parent, a husband, a wife or a child has been dangerously ill, or exposed to some imminent danger, and has been recovered, we cannot but feel that the recovery is entirely owing to the interposition of God. With in- finite ease he could have consigned them to the grave; and had he not mercifully interposed, they would have died. As they were originally his gift to us, so we should regard each interpo- sition of that kind as a new gift, and receive the recovered and restored friend as a fresh gift from his hand. (14.) We should feel that lives thus preserved and thus recovered from dan- 3* I ger, belong to God. He has preserved I them. In the most absolute sense they belong to him, and to him they should be consecrated. So Paul felt ; and his whole life shows how entirely he re- garded himself as bound to devote a life often preserved in the midst of peril, to the service of his kind Benefactor. There is no claim more absolute than that which God has on those whom ho has preserved from dangerous situations, or whom he has raised up from the borders of the grave. All the strength which he has imparted, all the talent, learning, skill, which he has thus pre- served, should be regarded in the most absolute sense as his, and should be honestly and entirely consecrated to him. But for him we should have died ; and he has a right to our services and obedience which is entire, and which should be felt to be perpetual. And it may be added, that the right is not less clear and strong to the service of those whom he keeps without their being ex- posed to such peril, or raised up from such beds of sickness. A very few only of the interpositions of God in our be- half are seen by us. A small part of the perils to which we may be really exposed are seen. And it is no less owing to his preserving care that we are kept in health, and strength, and in the enjoyment of reason, than it is that we are raised up from dangerous sick- ness. Man is as much bound to devote himself to God for preserving him from sickness and danger, as he is for raising him up when he has been sick, and de- fending him in danger. (15.) We have here an instance of the principle on which Paul acted, ver. 12. In his aims, and in the manner of ac- complishing his aims he was guided only by the principles of simplicity and sincerity, and by the grace of God. He had no sinister and worldly purpose ; he had no crooked and subtle policy by which to accomplish his purposes. He sought simply the glory of God and tho salvation of man ; and he sought this in a manner plain, direct, honest, and straight-forward. He admitted none of the principles of worldly policy which so II. CORINTHIANS. [A. D. 60. have been so often acted on since in the church; he knew nothing of "pious frauds," which have so often disgraced the professed friends of the Redeemer ; he admitted no form of deception and delusion, even for the promotion of objects which were great, and good, and desirable. He knew that all that ought to be done could be accomplished by straight-forward and simple-hearted purposes ; and that a cause which de- pended on the carnal and crooked policy of the world was a bad cause ; and that such policy would ultimately ruin the best of causes. How happy would it have been if these views had always prevailed in the church ! (16.) We see the value of a good con- science, ver. 12. Paul had the testi- mony of an enlightened conscience to the correctness and uprightness of his course of life everywhere. He felt assured that his aims had been right ; and that he had endeavoured in all sim- plicity and sincerity to pursue a course of life which such a conscience would approve. Such a testimony, such an approving conscience is of inestimable value. It is worth more than gold, and crowns, and all that the earth can give. When like Paul we are exposed to peril, or trial, or calamity, it matters little, if we have an approving con- science. When like him we are per- secuted, it matters little if we have the testimony of our own minds that we have pursued an upright and an honest course of life. When like him we look death in the face, and feel that we "have the sentence of death in our- selves," of what inestimable value then will be an approving conscience ! How unspeakable the consolation if we can look back then on a life spent in conscious integrity; a life spent in endeavouring to promote the glory of God and the salvation of the world ! (17.) Every Christian should feel himself sacredly bound to maintain a character of veracity, ver. 19, 20. Christ was always true to his word ; and all that God has promised shall be certainly fulfilled. And as a Christian is a pro- fessed follower of him who was " the Amen and the true witness," he should feel himself bound by the most sacred obligations to adhere to all his promises, and to fulfil al) his word. No man can do any good who is not a man of truth ; and in no way can Christians more dishonour their profession, and injure the cause of the Redeemer, than by a want of character for unimpeachable veracity. If they make promises which are never fulfilled ; if they state that as true which is not true ; if they overload their narratives with circumstances which had no existence ; if they de- ceive, and defraud others ; and if they are so loose in their statements that no one believes them, it is impossible for them to do good in their Christian profession. Every Christian should have — as he easily may have — such a character for veracity that every man shall put implicit confidence in all his promises and statements ; so implicit that they shall deem his word as good as an oath ; and his promise as certain as though it were secured by notes and bonds in the most solemn manner. The word of a Christian should need no strengthening by oaths and bonds; it should be such that it could really not be strengthened by any thing that notes and bonds could add to it. (18.) All Christians should regard themselves as consecrated to God. ver. 21. They have been anointed, or set apart to his service. They should feel that they are as really set apart to his service as the ancient prophets, priests, and kings were to their appropriate offices by the ceremony of anointing. They belong to God, and are under every sacred and solemn obligation to live to him, and him alone. (19.) It is an inestimable privilege to be a Christian, ver. 21, 22. It is re- garded as a privilege to be an heir to an estate, and to have an assurance that it will be ours. But the Christian has an " earnest," a pledge that heaven ie his. He is anointed of God; he is sealed for heaven. Heaven is his home; and God is giving to him daily evidence in his own experience that he A. D. 60.] CHAPTER II. 31 CHAPTER II. OUT I determined this with -^myself, that I would not vrill soon be admitted to its pure and blissful abodes. (20.) The joys of the Christian on earth are of the same nature as the joys of heaven. These comforts are an " earnest" of the future inheritance ; a part of that which the Christian is to enjoy forever. His joys on earth are " heaven begun ;" and all that is needful to constitute heaven is that these joys should be expanded and perpetuated. There will be no other heaven than that which would be constituted by the expanded joys of a Christian. (21.) No one is a Christian, no one is fitted for heaven, who has not such principles and joys as being fully ex- panded and developed would constitute heaven. The joys of heaven are not to be created for us as some new thing ; they are not to be such as we have had no foretaste, no conception of; but they are to be such as will be produced of necessity by removing imperfection from the joys and feelings of the be- liever, and carrying them out without alloy, and without interruption, and without end. The man, therefore, who has such a character, that if fairly de- veloped would not constitute the joys of heaven, is not a Christian. He has no evi- dence that he has been born again ; and all his joys are fancied and delusive. (22.) Christians should be careful not to grieve the Holy Spirit. Comp. Eph. iv. 30. It is by that Spirit that they are " anointed" and "sealed," and it is by his influences that they have the earnest of their future inheritance. All good influences on their minds pro- ceed from that Spirit ; and it should be their high and constant aim not to grieve him. By no course of conduct, by no conversation, by no impure thought, should they drive that Spirit from their minds. All their peace and joy is dependent on their cherishing his sacred influences; and by all the means in their power they should strive to secure his constant agency on their souls. come again to you in heavi- ness. a a c. 1.23. 12.20,21. 13.10. CHAPTER II. In this chapter Paul continues the discussion of the subject which had been introduced in the previous chapter. At the close of that chapter, he had stated the reasons why he had not vis- ited the church at Corinth. See Notes on ch. i. 23, 24. The main reason was, that instead of coming to them in that disordered, and irregular state, he had preferred to send them an affec- tionate letter. Had he come to them personally he would have felt himself called on to exercise the severity of dis- cipline. He chose, therefore, to try what the effect would be of a faithful and kind epistle. In this chapter, he prosecutes the same subject. He states, therefore, more at length, the reason why he had not come to them. ver. 1 — 5. The reason was, that he resolved not to come to them, if he could avoid it, with severity ; that his heart was pained even with the necessity of sending such a letter; that he wrote it with much anguish of spirit ; yet that he cherished towards them the most tender love. In his former epistle (ch. v.) he had di- rected them to exercise discipline on the offending person in the church. This had been done according to his direc- tion ; and the offender had been suita- bly punished for his offence. He had been excommunicated ; and it would seem that the effect on him had been to induce him to forsake his sin, and pro- bably to put away his father's wife, and he had become a sincere penitent. Paul, therefore, in the next place (ver. 6 — 1 1 ), exhorts them to receive him again into fellowship with the church. The pun ishment he says had been sufficient (ver. 6) ; they ought now to be kind and forgiving to him lest he should be overwhelmed with his sorrow (ver. 7) ; he says, that he had forgiven him, so far as he was concerned, and he entreat- ed them to do the same (ver. 10) ; and says that they ou^ht, by all means, to 32 II. CORINTHIANS. [A. D. 60. 2 For if I make who is he then that you sorry, maketh me pursue such a course that Satan could get no advantage of them. ver. 11. Paul then states the disappointment which he had had at Troas in not seeing Titus, from whom he had expected to learn what was the state of the church at Corinth, and what was the reception of kS letter there ; but that not seeing him there, he had gone on to Macedonia, ver. 12, 13. There, it would seem, he met Titus, and learned that his letter had had all the success which he could have desired. It had been kindly re- ceived ; and all that he had wished in regard to discipline had been performed, ver. 14. The hearing of this success gives him occasion to thank God for it, as one among many instances in which his efforts to advance his cause had been crowned with success. God had made him everywhere successful; and had made him triumph in Christ in every place. This fact gives him occasion (ver. 15, 16) to state the general effect of his preaching and his labours. His efforts, he says, were always acceptable to God — though he could not be igno- rant that in some cases the gospel which he preached was the occasion of the aggravated condemnation of those who heard and rejected it. Yet he had the consolation of reflecting that it was by no fault of his. ver. 17. It was not because he had corrupted the word of God ; it was not because he was un- faithful ; it was not because he was not sincere. He had a good conscience — a conscience which assured him that he spoke in sincerity, and as in the sight of God — though the unhappy effect might be that many would perish from under his ministry. 1. But I determined this with my- self. I made up my mind on this point ; I formed this resolution in re- gard to my course. ^ That I would not come again to you with heaviness. In grief (iv\v?rti). 'I would not come, if I could avoid it, in circumstances which must have grieved both me and you. glad, but the same which made sorry by me ? 13 I would not come while there existed among you such irregularities as must have pained my heart, and as must have compelled me to resort to such acts of discipline as would be painful to you. I resolved, therefore, to endeavour to remove these evils before I came, that when I did come, my visit might be mutually agreeable to us both. For that reason I changed my purpose about visiting you, when I heard of those disorders, and resolved to send an epistle. If that should be successful, then the way would be open for an agreeable visit to you.' This verse, therefore, contains the statement of the principal reason why he had not come to them as he had at first proposed. It was really from no fickleness, but it was from love to them, and a de- sire that his visit should be mutually agreeable. Comp. Notes, ch. i. 23. 2. For if I made you sorry. • If when I should come among you, I should be called on to inflict sorrow by punishing your offending brethren by an act of severe discipline as soon as I came, who would there be to give me comfort but those very persons whom I had affected with grief 1 How little prepared would they be to make me happy, and to comfort me, amidst the deep sorrow which I should have caused by an act of severe discipline. After such an act — an act that would spread sorrow through the whole church, how could I expect that comfort which I should desire to find among you. The whole church would be affected with grief; and though I might be sustained by the sound part of the church, yet my visit would be attended with painful circumstances. I resolved, therefore, to remove all cause of difficulty, if possible, before I came, that my visit might be pleasant to us all.' The idea is, that there was such a sympathy between him and them ; that he was so attached to them, that he could not expect to be happy unless they were happy ; that A. D. 60.] CHAPTER II. 3 And I wrote this same un- to you, lest, when I came, I fhould have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice ; though he might be conscious he was only discharging a duty, and that God would sustain him in it, yet that it would mar the pleasure of his visit, and destroy all his anticipated happiness by the general grief. 3. And I wrote this same unto you. The words "this same" (tow-to ttbro) refer to what he had written to them in the former epistle, particularly to what he had written in regard to the incestuous person, requiring them to excommuni- cate him. Probably the expression also includes the commands in his for- mer epistle to reform their conduct in general, and to put away the abuses and evil practices which prevailed in the church there. If Lest when I come, &c. Lest I should be obliged if I came per- sonally to exercise the severity of disci- pline, and thus to diffuse sorrow throughout the entire church. % I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice. Lest I should have grief in the church. Lest the conduct of the church, and the abuses which prevail in it should give me sorrow. I should be grieved with the existence of these evils ; and I should be obliged to resort to measures which would be painful to me, and to the whole church. Paul sought to avoid this by persuading them before he came to exercise the discipline themselves, and to put away the evil practices which prevailed among them. 1 Having confidence in you all. Having confidence that this is your general character, that whatever adds to my joy, or promotes my happiness, would give joy to you all. Paul had enemies in Corinth ; he knew that there were some there whose minds were alieniated from him, and who were en- deavouring to do him injury. Yet he did not doubt that it was the general character of the church that they wished him well, and would desire to make _im happy ; that what would tend to having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all. 4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote un- promote his happiness would also pro- mote theirs ; and therefore, that they would be willing to do any thing that would make his visit agreeable to him when he came among them. He was, therefore, persuaded that if he wrote them an affectionate letter, they would listen to his injunctions, that thus all that was painful might be avoided when he came among them. 4. For out of much affliction. Pos- sibly Paul's enemies had charged him with being harsh and overbearing. They may have said that there was much needless severity in his letter. He here meets that, and says, that it was with much pain and many tears that he was constrained to write as he did. He was pained at their conduct, and at the ne- cessity which existed for such an epis- tle. This is an eminently beautiful in- stance of Paul's kindness of heart, and his susceptibility to tender impressions. The evil conduct of others gives pain to a good man ; and the necessity of admi- nistering reproof and discipline is often as painful to him who does it, as it is to those who are the subjects of it. | And anguish of heart. The word rendered " anguish" (i) occurs in no other place in the New Testament, except in Col. ii. 15. It is there rendered " triumphing over them in it." that is, triumphing over the principalities and powers which he had spoiled, or plundered ; and it there means that Christ led them in triumph after the manner of a conqueror. The word is here used in a causative sense — the sense of the Hebrew Hiphil conju- gation. It properly refers to a triumph ; or a triumphal procession. Originally the word B-^isL/u^zc meant a hymn which was sung in honour of Bacchus; then the tumultuous and noisy procession which constituted the worship of the god of wine ; and then any procession of a similar kind. — Passow. It was particularly applied among both the Greeks and the Romans to a public and solemn honour conferred on a victorious general on a return from a successful war in which he was allowed a mag- nificent entrance into the capital. In these triumphs, the victorious com- mander was usually preceded or at- tended by the spoils of war; by the most valuable and magnificent articles which he had captured ; and by the princes, nobles, generals, or people whom he had subduedr The victor was drawn in a magnificent chariot, usually by two white horses. Other animals were sometimes used. " When Pompey tri- umphed over Africa, his chariot was drawn by elephants; that of Mark Antony by lions ; that of Heliogabalus manifest the savour b of his knowledge by us in every place. b Ca. 1. 3. by tigers; and that of Aurelius by deer." — Clark. The people of Corinth were not unacquainted with the nature of a triumph. About one hundred and forty-seven years before Christ, Lucius Mummius, the Roman consul, had conquered all Achaia, and had destroy- ed Corinth, Thebes, and Colchis, and by order of the Roman senate was fa- voured with a triumph, and was sur- named Achaious. Tindal renders this place, " Thanks be unto God which always giveth us the victory in Christ." Paul refers here to a victory which he had, and a triumph with which he was favoured by the Redeemer. It was a victory over the enemies of the gospel ; it was success in advancing the interests of the kingdom of Christ ; and he re- joiced in that victory, and in that suc- cess, with more solid and substantial joy than a Roman victor ever felt on re- turning from his conquests over nations, even when attended with the richest spoils of victory, and by humbled princes and kings in chains, and when the assembled thousands shouted Io triumphe! % And maketh manifest. Makes known; spreads abroad — as a pleasant fragrance is diffused through the air. ^ The savour (zcr/uh). The smell ; the fragrance. The word in the New Testament is used to denote a pleasant or fragrant odour, as of incense, or aromatics. John xii. 3. See Eph. v. 2. Phil. iv. 18. There is an allusion here doubtless to the fact that in the triumphal processions fragrant odours were diffused around; flowers, diffusing a grateful smell, were scattered in the way ; and on the altars of the gods in- cense was burned during the procession, and sacrifices offered, and the whole city was filled with the smoke of sacrifices, and with perfumes. So Paul speaks of knowledge — the knowledge of Christ. In his triumphings, the knowledge of the Redeemer was diffused abroad, like the odours which were diffused in the A. D. 60.] CHAPTER II. 41 15 For we are unto God a | a that are saved, and in them that sweet savour of Christ, in them perish: • a 1 Co. 1. 13. triumphal march of the conqueror. And that odour or savour was acceptable to God — as the fragrance of aromatics and of incense was pleasant in the triumphal procession of the returning victor. The phrase " makes manifest the savour of his knowledge," therefore, means, that the knowledge of Christ was diffused everywhere by Paul, as the grateful smell of aromatics was diffused all around the triumphing war- rior and victor. The effect of Paul's conquests everywhere was to diffuse the knowledge of the Saviour — and this was acceptable and pleasant to God — though there might be many who would not avail themselves of it, and would perish. See ver. 15. 15. For we are unto God. We who are his ministers, and who thus triumph. It is implied here that Paul felt that ministers were labouring for God, and felt assured that their labours would be acceptable to him. — The object of Paul in the statement, in this and in the fol- lowing verses, is undoubtedly to meet the charges of his detractors and ene- mies, lie says, therefore, that what- ever was the result of his labours in regard to the future salvation of men ; yet, that his well-meant endeavours, and labours, and self-denials in preaching the gospel, were acceptable to God. The measure of God's approbation in the case was not his success, but his fidelity, his zeal, his self-denial, whatever might be the reception of the gospel among those who heard it. f A sweet savour. Like the smell of pleasant incense, or of grateful aromatics, such as were burned in the triumphal processions of returning conquerors. The meaning is, that their labours were acceptable to God ; he was pleased with them, and would bestow on them the smiles and proofs of his approbation. The word here rendered " sweet savour" («W/*) occurs only in this place, and in Eph. v. 2. Phil. iv. 18 ; and is applied to per- sons or things well-pleasing to God. It 4* properly means good odour, or fragrance, and in the Septuagint it is frequently applied to the incense that was burnt in the public worship of God and to sacrifices in general. Gen. viii. 21. Ex xxix. 18. 25. 41. Lev. i. 9. 13. 17 ; ii 2. 9. 12; iii. 5. 16 ; iv. 31, &c. &c. Here it means that the services of Paul and the other ministers of religion were as grateful to God as sweet incense, or acceptable sacrifices, f Of Christ. That is, we are Christ's sweet savour to God : we are that which he has ap- pointed, and which he has devoted and consecrated to God ; we are the offering, so to speak, which he is continually making to God. % In them that are saved. In regard to them who believe the gospel through our ministry and who are saved. Our labour in carrying the gospel to them, and in bringing them to the knowledge of the truth, is acceptable to God. Their salvation is an object of his highest desire, and he is gratified with our fidelity, and with our success. This reason why their work was acceptable to God is more fully stated in the following verse, where it is said that in reference to them they were the " savour of life unto life." The word "saved" here refers to all who be- come Christians, and who enter heaven; and as the salvation of men is an objecf of such desire to God, it cannot but be that all who bear the gospel to men art engaged in an acceptable service, and that all their efforts will be pleasing to him, and approved in his sight. In re- gard to this part of Paul's statement there can be no difficulty. 1 Andin them that perish. In reference to them who reject the gospel, and who are finally lost. — It is implied here, ( 1 .) That some would reject the gospel and perish- with whatever fidelity and self-denial the ministers of religion might labour. (2.) That though this would be the result, yet the labours of the ministers of religion would be acceptable to God. This is a fearful and awful declaration, 42 II. CORINTHIANS. [A. D. 60. and nas been thought by many to be attended with difficulty. A few re- marks may present the true sense of the passage, and remove the difficulty from it. (1.) It is not affirmed or implied here that the destruction of those who would reject the gospel, and who would perish, was desired by God or would be pleasing to him. This is nowhere affirmed or implied in the Bible. (2.) It is affirmed only that the labours of the ministers of religion in endeavour- ing to save them would be acceptable and pleasing to God. Their labours would be in order to save them, not to destroy them. Their desire was to bring all to heaven — and this was ac- ceptable to God. Whatever might be the result, whether successful or not, yet God would be pleased with self- denial, and toil, and prayer that was honestly and zealously put forth to save others from death. They would be ap- proved by God in proportion to the amount of labour, zeal, and fidelity which they evinced. (3.) It would be by no fault of faithful ministers that men would perish. Their efforts would be to save them, and those efforts would be pleasing to God. (4.) It would be by no fault of the gospel that men would perish. The regular and proper tendency of the gospel is to save, not to destroy men ; as the tendency of medi- cine is to heal them, of food to support the body, of air to give vitality, of light to give pleasure to the eye, &c. It is provided for all, and is adapted to all. There is a sufficiency in the gospel for all men, and in its nature it is as really fitted to save one as another. Whafr- ever may be the manner in which it is received, it is always in itself the same pure and glorious system ; full of be- nevolence and mercy. The bitterest enemy of the gospel cannot point to one of its provisions that is adapted or designed to make men miserable, and to destroy them. All its provisions are adapted to salvation; all its arrange- ments are those of benevolence ; all the powers and influences which it origi- nates, are those which are fitted to save, not to destroy men. The gospel is what it is in itself — a pure, holy, and benevo- lent system, and is answerable only for effects which a pure, holy, and benevo- lent system is fitted to produce. To use the beautiful language of Theo- doret, as quoted by Bloomfield, "We indeed bear the sweet odour of Christ's gospel to all,- but all who participate in it do not experience its salutiferous ef- fects. Thus to diseased eyes even the light of heaven is noxious ; yet the sun does not bring the injury. And to those in a fever, honey is bitter ; yet it is sweet nevertheless. Vultures too, it is said, fly from sweet odours of myrrh ; yet myrrh is myrrh though the vultures avoid it. Thus, if some be saved, though others perish, the gospel retains its own virtue, and we the preachers of it remain just as we are ; and the gospel retains its odorous and salutiferous properties, though some may disbelieve and abuse it, and perish." Yet, (5.) It is implied that the gospel would be the occasion of heavier condemnation to some, and that they would sink into deeper ruin in consequence of its being preached to them. This is implied in the ex- pression in ver. 16. "to the one we are a savour of death unto death." In the explanation of this, we may observe, (a) That those who perish would have pe- rished at any rate. All were under condemnation whether the gospel had come to them or not. None will perish in consequence of the gospel's having been sent to them who would not have perished had it been unknown. Men do not perish because the gospel is sent to them, but for their own sins. (b) It is in fact by their own fault that men reject the gospel, and that they are lost They are voluntary in this ; and, whatever is their final destiny, they are not under compulsion. The gospel compels no one against his will either to go to heaven, or to hell. (c) Men under the gospel sin against greater light than they do without it They have more to answer for. It in- creases their responsibility. If, there- fore, they reject it, and go down to eternal death, they go from higher pri- vileges ; and they go, of course, to meet A. D. GO.] CHAPTER II. 43 16 To ■ the one we are the savour of death unto death ; and a Jno. 9.39. lPe.2. 7,8. a more aggravated condemnation. For condemnation will always be in exact proportion to guilt ; and guilt is in pro- portion to abused light and privileges. (d) The preaching of the gospel, and the offers of life, are often the occasion ol the deeper guilt of the sinner. Often he becomes enraged. He gives vent to the deep malignity of his soul. He op- poses the gospel with malice and infu- riated anger. His eye kindles with in- dignation, and his lip curls with pride and scorn. He is profane and blas- phemous ; and the offering of the gospel to him is the occasion of exciting deep and malignant passions against God, against the Saviour, against the minis- ters of religion. Against the gospel, men often manifest the same malignity and scorn which they did against the Saviour himself. Yet this is not the fault of the gospel, nor of the ministers of religion. It is the fault of sinners themselves ; and while there can be no doubt that such a rejection of the gospel will produce their deeper condemnation, and that it is a savour of death unto death unto them; still the gospel is good and benevolent, and still God will be pleased with those who faithfully offer its provisions, and who urge it on the attention of men. 1 6. To the one. To those who perish. % We are the savour of death unto death. We are the occasion of deepening their condemnation, and of sinking them lower into ruin. The expression here used means literally, ' to the one class we bear a death-conveying odour lead- ing to their death' — a savour, a smell which, under the circumstances, is de- structive to life, and which leads to death. Mr. Locke renders this, "To the one my preaching is of ill savour, unacceptable and offensive, by their re- jecting whereof they draw death on themselves." Grateful as their labours were to God, and acceptable as would to the other the savour of life unto life. And who b is suffi- cient for these things ? be 3.5,6. be their efforts, whatever might be the results, yet Paul could not be ignorant that the gospel would in fact be the means of greater condemnation to many. See Notes on ver. 15. It was in- deed by their own fault ; yet wherever the gospel was preached, it would to many have this result. It is probable that the language here used is borrowed from similar expressions which were common among the Jews. Thus in .Debar im Rabba, sec. 1, fol. 248, it is said, "As the bee brings home honey to the owner, but stings others, so it is with the words of the law." " They (the words of the law) are a savour of life to Israel, but a savour of death to the people of this world." Thus in Taarieth, fol. 7, 1, "Whoever gives attention to the law on account of the law itself, to him it becomes an aroma- tic of life (o^n dd), but to him who does not attend to the law on account of the law itself, to him it becomes an aroma- tic of death (did cd)" — the idea of which is, that as medicines skilfully applied will heal, but if unskilfully applied will aggravate a disease, so it is with the words of the law. Again, " The word of the law which proceeds out of the mouth of God is an odour of life to the Israelites, but an odour of death to the Gentiles." See Rosenmuller, and Bloomfield. The sense of the passage is plain, that the gospel, by the wilful rejection of it, becomes the means of the increased guilt and condemnation of many of those who hear it. 1 And to the other. To those who embrace it, and are saved. 1 The savour of life. An odour, or fragrance producing life, or tending to life. It is a living, or life-giving savour. It is in itself grate- ful and pleasant, t Unto life. Tend- ing to life; or adapted to produce life. The word life here, as often elsewhere, is used to denote salvation. It is ( 1 .) Life in opposition to the death in sin in which 44 II. CORINTHIANS 17 For we are not as many, which corrupt * the word of God : but as of sincerity, but as * or, deal deceitfully with. c. 4. 2. all are by nature ; (2.) In opposition to death in the grave — as it leads to a glorious resurrection ; (3.) In opposition to eternal death ; to the second dying, as it leads to life and peace and joy in heaven. See the words "life" and "death" explained in the Notes on Rom. vi. 23. The gospel is " the sa- vour of life unto life," because, (1.) It is its nature and tendency to produce life and salvation. It is adapted to that ; and is designed to that end. (2.) Be-, cause it actually results in the life and salvation of those who embrace it. It is the immediate and direct cause of their salvation ; of their recovery from sin ; of their glorious resurrection ; of their eternal life in heaven. ^ And who is sufficient for these things? For the arduous and responsible work of the ministry ; for a work whose influ- ence must be felt either in the eternal salvation, or the eternal ruin of the soul. Who is worthy of so important •a charge? Who can undertake it without trembling? Who can engage in it without feeling that he is in him- self unfit for it, and that he needs con- stant divine grace ? This is an excla- mation which any one may well make in view of the responsibilities of the work of the ministry. And we may remark, (1.) If Paul felt this, assuredly others should feel it also. If, with all the divine assistance which he had ; all the proofs of the peculiar presence of God, and all the mighty miraculous powers conferred on him, Paul had such a sense of unfitness for this great work, then a consciousness of unfitness, and a deep sense of responsibility, may well rest on all others. (2.) It was this sense of the responsibility of the minis- try which contributed much to Paul's success. It was a conviction that the results of his work must be seen in the joys of heaven, or the woes of hell, that led him to look to God for aid, and to [A. D. 60 of God, in the sight a of God, speak we 2 in Christ. a He. 11. 27. « or, of. devote himself so entirely to his great work. Men will not feel much concern unless they have a deep sense of the magnitude and responsibility of their work. Men who feel as they should about the ministry will look to God for aid, and will feel that he alone can sus- tain them in their arduous duties. 17. For we are not as many. This refers doubtless to the false teachers at Corinth ; and to all who mingled human philosophy or tradition with the pure word of truth. Paul's design in the statement in this verse seems to be to affirm that he had such a deep sense of the responsibility of the ministerial office, and of its necessary influence on the eternal destiny of man, that it led him to preach the simple gospel, the pure word of God. He did not dare to dilute it with any human mixture. He did not dare to preach philosophy, or human wisdom. He did not dare to mingle with it the crude conceptions of man. He sought to exhibit the simple truth as it was in Jesus ; and so deep was his sense of the responsibility of the office, and so great was his desire on the subject, that he had been enabled to do it, and to triumph always in Christ. So that, although he was conscious that he was in himself unfit for these things, yet by the grace of God he had been able always to exhibit the simple truth, and his labours had been crowned with constant and signal success. 1[ Which corrupt the word of God. Margin, "deal deceitfully with." The word here used (x.a.7nt\svcvri;) occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, and does not occur in the Septuagint. The word is derived from kutthko;, which signifies properly a huckster, or a retailer of wine, a petty chapman ; a man who buys up articles for the purpose of selling them again. It also means sometimes a vintner, or an innkeeper The proper idea is that of a small dealei A. D. 60.] CHAPTER II. 45 and especially in wine. Such persons were notorious, as they are now, for diluting their wines with water (comp. Sept. in Isa. i. 22) ; and for compound- ing wines of other substances than the juice of the grape for purposes of gain. Wine, of all substances in trade, perhaps, affords the greatest facilities for such dishonest tricks; and accordingly the dealers in that article have generally been most distinguished for fraudulent practices and corrupt and diluted mix- tures. Hence the word comes to de- note to adulterate ; to corrupt, &c. It is here applied to those who adulterated or corrupted the pure word of God in any way, and for any purpose. It probably has particular reference to those who did it either by Judaizing opinions, or by the mixtures of a false and de- ceitful philosophy. The latter mode would be likely to prevail among the subtle and philosophizing Greeks. It is in such ways that the gospel has been usually corrupted. (1.) It is done by attempting to attach a philosophical explanation to the facts of revelation, and making the theory as important as the fact. (2.) By attempting to explain away the offensive points of revelation by the aid of philosophy. (3.) By attempting to make the facts of Scripture accord with the prevalent notions of philosophy, and by apply- ing a mode of interpretation to the Bible which would fritter away its meaning, and make it mean any thing or nothing at pleasure. In these, and in various other ways, men have cor- rupted the; word of God; and of all the evils which Christianity has ever sustained in this world, the worst have been those which it has received from philosophy, and from those teachers who have corrupted the word of God. The fires of persecution it could meet, and still be pure; the utmost efforts of princes, and monarchs, and of Satan to destroy it, it has outlived, and has shone purely and brightly amidst all these efforts; but, when corrupted by phi- losophy, and by " science falsely so called," it has been dimmed in its lus- tre, paralyzed in its aims, and shorn of its power, and has ceased to be mighty in pulling down the strong holds of Satan's kingdom. Accordingly, the enemy of God has ceased to excite per- secution, and now aims in various ways to corrupt the gospel by the admixture of philosophy, and of human opinions. Tindal renders this passage, " For we are not as many are which choppe and chaunge with the word of God" — an idea which is important and beautiful — but this is one of the few instances in which he mistook the sense of the original text. In general, the accuracy of his translation and his acquaintance with the true sense of the Greek text are very remarkable. 1 But as of sincerity. Sincerely ; actuated by unmingled ho- nesty and simplicity of aim. See Note on ch. i, 12. f As of God. As influ- enced by him ; as under his control and direction ; as having been sent by him ; as acting by his command. See Note, ch. i. 12. 1 In the sight of God. As if we felt that his eye was always on us. Nothing is better fitted to make a man' sincere and honest, than this. *f Speak we in Christ. In the name, and in the service of Christ. We de- jer our message with a deep con- sciousness that the eye of the all-seeing God is on us; that we can conceal nothing from him ; and that we must soon give up our account to him. nEMAKKS. 1. In this chapter, and in the ma- nagement of the whole case to which Paul here refers, we have an instance of his tenderness in administering dis- cipline. This tenderness was mani- fested in many ways. (1.) He did nothing to wound the feelings of the offending party. (2.) He did nothing in the way of punishment which a stern sense of duty did not demand. (3.) He did it all with many tears. He wept at the necessity of adminis- tering discipline at all. He wept over the remissness of the church. He wept over the fall of the offending brother. (4.) He did not mention even the name of the offender. He did not blazon his fault* abroad ; nor has he left any clue 46 II. CORINTHIANS. [A. D. 60. by which it can be known ; nor did he take any measures which were fitted to pain, unnecessarily, the feelings of his friends. If all discipline in the church were conducted in this manner, it would probably always be effectual and suc- cessful, ver. 1 — 10. 5*. We ought cordially to receive and forgive an offending brother, as soon as he gives evidence of repentance. We should harbour no malice against him ; and if, by repentance, he has put away his sins, we should hasten to forgive him. This we should do as individuals, and as churches. God cheerfully for- gives us, and receives us into favour on our repentance ; and we should hail the privilege of treating all our offend- ing brethren in the same manner, ver. 7,8. 3. Churches should be careful that Satan should not get an advantage over them. ver. 11. In every way possible he will attempt it ; and perhaps in few modes is it more often done than in ad- ministering discipline. In such a case, Satan gains an advantage over a church in the following ways. (1.) In inducing it to neglect discipline. This occurs often because an offender is rich, or ta- lented, or is connected with influential families; because there is a fear of driv- ing off such families from the church ; because the individual is of elevated rank, and the church suffers him to remain in her bosom. The laws of the church, like other laws, are often like cobwebs : Great flies break through, and the small- er ones are caught. The consequence is, that Satan gains an immense advan- tage. Rich and influential offenders re- main in the church; discipline is re- laxed ; the cause of Christ is scanda- lized ; and the church at large feels the influence, and the work of God declines. (2.) Satan gains an advantage in dis- cipline, sometimes, by too great severity of discipline. If he cannot induce a church to relax altogether, and to suffer offenders to remain, then he excites them to improper and needless severity. He drives them on to harsh discipline for small offences. He excites a spirit of persecution. He enkindles a false zeal on account of the Shibboleth of doctrine. He excites a spirit of party, and causes the church to mistake it for zeal for truth. He excites a spirit of persecu- tion against some of the best men in the church, on account of pretended er- rors in doctrine, and kindles the flames of intestine war ; and breaks the church up into parties and fragments. Or he urges on the church, even in cases where discipline is proper, to needless and inappropriate severity ; drives the offender from its bosom ; breaks his spirit; and prevents ever-onward his usefulness, his return, and his happi- ness. One of the chief arts of Satan has been to cause the church, in cases of discipline to use severity instead of kindness ,- to excite a spirit of persecu- tion instead of love. Almost all the evils which grow out of attempts at dis- cipline might have been prevented by a spirit of love. (3.) Satan gains an advantage in cases of discipline, when the church is unwilling to re-admit to fellowship an offending but a penitent member. His spirit is broken ; his use- fulness is destroyed. The world usually takes sides with him against the church, and the cause of religion bleeds. 4. Individual Christicms, as well as churches, should be careful that Satan does not get an advantage over them. ver. 1 1. Among the ways in which he does this are the following : (1.) By inducing them to conform to the world. This is done under the plea that religion is not gloomy, and morose, and ascetic. Thence he often leads professors into all the gayeties, and amusements, and follies of which the world partake. Sa- tan gains an immense advantage to his cause when this is done — for all the in- fluence of the professed Christian is with him (2.) By producing laxness of opinion in regard to doctrine. Christ intends that his cause shall advance by the influence of truth ; and that his church shal be the witness of the truth. The cause of Satan advances by error and falsehood; and when professed Christians embrace falsehood, or are in- different to truth, their whole influence is on the side of Satan, and his advan- A. D. 60.] CHAPTER II. 47 tage is immense when they become the advocates of error. (3.) By producing among Christians despondency, melan- choly, and despair. Some of the best men are often thus afflicted and thrown into darkness, as Job was. Job xxiii. 8 — 9. Indeed, it is commonly the best members of a church that have doubts in this manner, and that fall into tempta- tion, and that are left to the buffetings of Satan. Your gay, and worldly, and fashionable Christians have usually no such troubles — except when they lie on a bed of death. They are not in the way of Satan. They do not oppose him, and he will not trouble them. It is your humble, praying, self-denying Christians that he dreads and hates ; and it is these that he is suffered to tempt, and to make sad, and to fill with gloom and doubt. And when this is done, it is an immense advantage to his cause. It produces the impression that religion is nothing but gloom and me- lancholy, and the people of the world are easily led to hate and avoid it. Chris- tians, therefore, should be cheerful, and benevolent, and happy — as they may be — lest Satan should get an advantage over them. (4.) By fanaticism. For when Satan finds that he can get no advantage over Christians by inducing them to do nothing, or to do any thing positively wrong or immoral, he drives them on with over-heated and ill-timed zeal ; he makes them unreasonably strenuous for some single opinion or measure ; he disposes them to oppose and persecute all who do not fall into their views, and feel as they feel. (5.) By contentions and strifes. Satan often gets an advantage in that way. No matter what the cause may be, whether it be for doctrines, or for any other cause, yet the very fact that there are contentions among the professed follow- ers of " the Prince of peace" does in- jury, and gives Satan an advantage. No small part of his efforts, therefore, have been to excite contentions among Christians, an effort in which he has been, and is still, eminently success- ful. 5. Satan gets an advantage over sin- ners, and they should be on their guard. He does it, (I.) By producing a sense of security in their present condition ; and by leading them to indifference in regard to their eternal condition. In this he is eminently successful; and when this is gained, all is gained that his cause demands. It is impossible to conceive of greater success in any thing than Satan has in producing a state of indifference to the subject of religion among men. (2.) By inducing them to defer attention to religion to some future time. This is an advantage, because, (a) It accomplishes all he wishes at present ; (b) Because it is usually successful altogether. It is usually the same thing as resolving not to attend to religion at all. (3.) By producing false views of religion. He represents it at one time as gloomy, sad, and melancholy ; at an- other, as so easy, that it may be ob- tained whenever they please ; at another, by persuading them that their sins are so great that they cannot be forgiven. One great object of Satan is to blind the minds of sinners to the true nature of religion ; and in this he is usually successful. (4.) He deludes the aged by telling them it is too late ; and the young by telling them that now is the time for mirth and pleasure, and that reli- gion may be attended to at some future period of life. (5.) He gains an advan- tage by plunging the sinner deeper and deeper in sin ; inducing him to listen to the voice of temptation ; by making him the companion of the wicked ; and by deluding him with the promises of plea- sure, honour, and gain in this world until it is too late, and he dies. 6.« Ministers of the gospel may have occasion to triumph in the success of their work. Paul always met with success of some kind ; always had some cause of triumph. In all his trials, he had occasion of rejoicing, and always was assured that he was pursuing that course which would lead him ultimately to triumph, ver. 14. 7. The gospel may be so preached as to be successful, ver. 14. In the hands of Paul it was successful. So it was with the other apostles. So it was 48 II. CORINTHIANS. [A. D. 60. with Luther, Knox, Calvin. So it was with Whitefield, Edwards, Wesley, and Payson. If ministers are not successful, it is not the fault of the gospel. It is adapted to do good, and to save men ; and it may be so preached as to accom- plish those great ends. If all ministers were as self-denying, and laborious, and prayerful as were these men, the gospel would be as successful now as it has ever been. 8. Much of the work of the ministry is pleasant and delightful. It is the savour of life unto life. ver. 15, 16. There is no joy on earth of a higher and purer character than that which the ministers of the gospel have in the success of their work. There is no work more pleasant than that of im- parting the consolations of religion to the sick, and the afflicted ; than that of directing inquiring sinners to the Lamb of God ; no joy on earth so pure and elevated as that which a pastor has in a revival ot religion. In the evidence that God accepts his labours, and that to many his message is a savour of life unto life, there is a joy which no other pursuit can furnish; a joy, even on earth, which is more than a compensa- tion for all the toils, self-denials, and trials of the ministry. 9. In view of the happy and saving results of the work of the ministry, we see the importance of the work. Those results are to be seen in heaven. They are to enter into the eternal destiny of the righteous. They are to be seen in the felicity and holiness of those who shall be redeemed from death. The very happiness of heaven, therefore, is dependent on the fidelity and success of the ministry. This work stretches be- yond the grave. It reaches into eternity. It is to be seen in heaven. Other plans and labours of men terminate at death. But the work of the ministry reaches in its results into the skies ; and is to be seen ever onward in eternity. Well might the apostle ask, " Who is sufficient for these things V 10. The ministers of the gospel will be accepted of God, if faithful, whatever may be the result of their labours; whether seen in the salvation, or the augmented condemnation of those who hear them. ver. 15. They are a sweet savour to God. Their acceptance with him depends not on the measure of their success ; but on their fidelity. If men reject the gospel, and make it the occa- sion of their greater condemnation, the fault is not that of ministers, but is their own. If men are faithful, God accepts their efforts; and even if many reject the message and perish, still a faithful ministry will not be to blame. That such results should follow from their ministry, indeed, increases their respon sibility, and makes their office more awful, but it will not render them less acceptable in their labours in the sight of God. 11. We are to anticipate that the ministry will be the means of the deeper condemnation of many who hear the gospel, ver. 16. The gospel is to them a savour of death unto death. We are to expect that many will reject and despise the message, and sink into deeper pin, and condemnation, and wo. We are not to be disappointed, there- fore, when we see such effects follow, and when the sinner sinks into a deeper hell from under the ministry of the gospel. It always has been the case, and we have reason to suppose it always will be. And painful as is the fact, yet ministers must make up their minds to witness this deeply painful result of their work. 12. The ministry is a deeply and aw- fully responsible work. ver. 16. It is connected with the everlasting happi- ness, or the deep and eternal condemna- tion of all those who hear the gospel. Every sermon that is preached is mak- ing an impression that will never be obliterated, and producing an effect that will never terminate. Its effects will never all be seen until the day of judg- ment, and in the awful solemnities of the eternal world. Well might Paul ask, " Who is sufficient for these things V 13. It is a solemn thing to hear the gospel. If it is solemn for a minister to dispense it, it is not less solemn to hear it It is connected with the eter A. D. 60.] CHAPTER II. 49 nal welfare of those who hear. And thoughtless as are multitudes who hear it, yet it is deeply to affect them hereafter. If they ever embrace it, they will owe their eternal salvation to it ; if they con- tinue to neglect it, it will sink them deep and forever in the world of wo. Every individual, therefore, who hears the gos- pel dispensed, no matter by whom, should remember that he is listening to God's solemn message to men; and that it will and must exert a deep influence on his eternal doom. 14. A people should pray much for a minister. Paul often entreated the churches to which he wrote to pray for him. If Paul needed the prayers of Christians, assuredly Christians now do. Prayer for a minister is demanded be- cause, (1.) He has the same infirmities, conflicts, and temptations which other Christians have. (2.) He has those which are peculiar, and which grow out of the very nature of his office ; for the warfare of Satan is earned on mainly with the leaders of the army of God. (3.) He is engaged in a great and most responsible work — the greatest work ever committed to mortal man. (4.) His success will be generally in propor- tion as a people pray for him. The welfare of a people, therefore, is identi- fied with their praying for their minister. He will preach better, and they will hear better, just in proportion as they pray for him. His preaching will be dull, dry, heavy ; will be without unc- tion, spirituality and life, unless they pray for him ; and their hearing will be dull, lifeless, and uninterested, unless they pray for him. No people will hear the gospel to much advantage who do not feel anxiety enough about it to pray for their minister. 15. The interview between a minis- ter and his people in the day of judg- ment will be a very solemn one. Then the effect of his ministry will be seen. Then it will be known to whom it was a savour of life unto life, and to whom it was a savour of death unto death. Then the eternal destiny of all will be 5 settled. Then the faithful minister will be attended to heaven by all to whom his ministry has been a savour of life unto life ; and then he will part forever with all whom he so often warned and entreated in vain. In dis- tant worlds — worlds forever separated — shall be experienced the result of his labours. O ! how solemn must be the scene when he must give up his account for the manner in which he has preach- ed ; and they, for the manner in which they attended on his ministry ! 16. Let all ministers, then, be care- ful that they do not corrupt the word of God. ver. 17. Let them preach it in simplicity and in truth. Let them not preach philosophy, or metaphysics, or their own fancy, or the tradition of men, or the teaching of the schools, but the simple truth as it is in Jesus. Let them preach as sent by God ; as in the sight of God ; as commissioned by Christ to deliver a simple, plain, pure message to mankind, whether they will hear or forbear. Their success will be in pro- portion to the simplicity and purity of the gospel which they present; their peace and joy in death and in heaven will be just as they sha.ll have evidence then that in simplicity and sincerity they have endeavoured to present every- where, and to all, the pure and simple gospel of Jesus Christ. As ministers, therefore, desire acceptance with God and success in the work, let them preach the pure gospel; not adulterating it with foreign admixtures; not endea- vouring to change it so as to be pala- table to the carnal mind ; not substitut- ing philosophy for the gospel, and not withholding any thing in the gospel be- cause men do not love it; and let the people of God everywhere sustain the ministry by their prayers, and aid them in their work by daily commending them to the God of grace. So shall they be able to perform the solemn functions of their office to divine accept- ance ; and so shall ministers and people find the gospel to be " a savour of lifo unto life." 50 II. CORINTHIANS. [A. D. 60 D CHAPTER III. O we begin again to com- mend ° ourselves ? or need CHAPTER III. This chapter is closely connected in its design with the preceding. Paul had said in that chapter (ver. 14), that he had always occasion to triumph in the success which he had, and that God always blessed his labours ; and espe- cially had spoken, in the close of the previous chapter (ver. 17), of his sin- cerity as contrasted with the conduct of some who corrupted the word of God. This might appear to some as if he de- signed to commend himself to them, or that he had said this for the purpose of securing their favour. It is probable also, that the false teachers at Corinth had been introduced there by letters of recommendation, perhaps from Judea. In reply to this, Paul intimates (ver. 1) that this was not his design ; (ver. 2) that he had no need of letters of recom- mendation to them, since (ver. 2, 3) they were his commendatory epistle; they were themselves the best evidence of his zeal, fidelity, and success in his labours. He could appeal to them as the best proof that he was qualified for the apostolic office. His success among them, he says (ver. 4), was a ground of his trusting in God, an evidence of his acceptance. Yet, as if he should seem to rely on his own strength, and to boast of what he had done, he says (ver. 5) that his success was not owing to any strength which he had, or to any skill of his own, but entirely to the aid which he had received from God. It was God, he says (ver. 6), who had qualified him to preach, and had given him grace to be an able minister of the New Testament. It is not improbable that the false teachers, being of Jewish origin, in Co- rinth, had commended the laws and in- stitutions of Moses as being of superior clearness, and even as excelling the gos- pel of Cferist. Paul takes occasion, therefore (ver. 7 — 11), to show that the laws and institutions of Moses were far we, as some others, epistles h of commendation to you, or let- a c. 5. 12. b Ac. 18. 27. inferior in this respect to the gospel. His was a ministration of death (ver. 7) ; though glorious it was to be done away (ver. 7) ; the ministration of the Spirit was therefore to be presumed to be far more glorious (ver. 8) ; the one was a ministration to condemnation, the other of righteousness (ver. 9) ; the one had comparatively no glory, being so much surpassed by the other (ver. 10); and the former was to be done away, while the latter was to remain, and was therefore far more glorious, ver. 1 1 . This statement of the important dif- ference between the laws of Moses and the gospel, is further illustrated by show- ing the effect which the institutions of Moses had had on the Jews themselves, ver. 12 — 15. That effect was to blind them. Moses had put a veil over his face (ver. 13), and the effect had been that the nation was blinded in reading the Old Testament, and had no just views of the true meaning of their own Scriptures, ver. 14, 15. Yet, Paul says, that that veil should be taken away. ver. 16 — 18. It was the intention of God that it should be re- moved. When that people should turn again to the Lord, it should be taken away. ver. 16. It was done where the Spirit of the Lord was. ver. 17. It was done in fact in regard to all true Chris- tians, ver. 18. They were permitted to behold the glory of the Lord as in a glass, and they were changed into the same image. The same subject is con- tinued in ch. iv., where Paul illustrates the effect of this clear revelation of the gospel, as compared with the institutions of Moses, on the Christian ministry. 1. Do we begin again. This is de- signed evidently to meet an objection. He had been speaking of his triumph in the ministry (ch. ii. 14), and of his sincerity and honesty, as contrasted with the conduct of many who corrupt ed the word of God. ch. ii. 17. It might be objected that he was magnify A. D.60.J CHAPTER III. 51 ters of commendation from you ? ing himself in these statements, and designed to commend himself in this manner to the Corinthians. To this he replies in the following verses, f To commend ourselves? To recommend ourselves ; do we speak this in our own praise, in order to obtain your favour. T Or need we, as some others. Probably some who had brought letters of recom- mendation to them from Judea. The false teachers at Corinth had been ori- ginally introduced there by commend- atory letters from abroad. These were letters of introduction, and were com- mon among the Greeks, the Romans, and the Jews, as they are now. They were usually given to persons who were about to travel, as there were no inns, and as travellers were dependent on the hospitality of those among whom they travelled, f Of commendation from you. To other churches. It is im- plied here by Paul, that he sought no such letters ; that he travelled without them ; and that he depended on his zeal, and self-denial, and success to make him known, and to give him the affections of those to whom he ministered — a much better recommendation than mere in- troductory letters. Such letters were, however, sometimes given by Chris- tians, and are by no means improper. Acts xviii. 27. Yet, they do not ap- pear to have been sought or used by the apostles generally. They depended on their miraculous endowments, and on the attending grace of God to make them known. 2. Ye are our epistle. Comp. 1 Cor. ix. 2. This is a most beautiful and happy turn given to the whole subject. The sense is plain. It is, that the con- version of the Corinthians, under the faithful labours of the apostle, was a better testimonial of his character and fidelity than any letters could be. To ! see the force of this, it must be remem- ! bered, (1.) That Corinth was an ex- ceedingly dissolute and abandoned place ' (see the Introduction to the first epistle) ; ' (2.) That a large number of them had j 2 Ye a are our epistle, writ- a 1 Co. 9. 2. been converted, and a church organized ; (3.) That their conversion, and the or- ganization of a church in suck a city were events that would be known abroad ; and, (4.) That it had been ac complished entirely under the labour oj Paul and his companions. To their knowledge of him, therefore, and to his success there, he could confidently ap„ peal as a testimonial of his character. The characteristics of this commendato- ry epistle, he proceeds immediately to state. The general sense is, that they were the letter of recommendation which God had given to him ; and that their conversion under his ministry was the public testimonial of his character which all might see and read. "J Written in our hearts. A few MSS. and versions read thus, "your hearts;" and Dod- dridge has adopted this reading, and supposes that it means that the change produced not only in their external conduct, but in their inward temper, was so great, that all must see that it was an unanswerable attestation to his ministry. But there is not sufficient authority for changing the text ; nor is it necessary. The sense is, probably, that this letter was, as it were, written on his heart. It was not merely that Paul had a ten der affection for them, as Clarke sup poses ; nor was it that he regarded them as " a copy of the letter of recom- mendation from Christ written in his heart," according to the fanciful conceit of Macknight ; but Paul's idea seems to have been this. He is speaking of the testimonial which he had from God. That testimonial consisted in the con- version of the Corinthians. This he says was written on his heart. It was not a cold letter of introduction, but it was such as, while it left him no room to doubt that God had sent him, also affected his feelings, and was engraven on his soul. It was to him, therefore, far more valuable than any mere letter of commendation or of introduction could be. It was a direct testimonial from God to his own heart of his ap- 52 II. CORINTHIANS. [A. D. 60. ten in our hearts, known and read of all men : 3 Forasmuch as ye are mani- probation, and of his having appointed him to the apostolic office. All the difficulty, therefore, which has been felt by commentators in this passage, may be obviated by supposing that Paul here speaks of this testimonial or epis- tle as addressed to himself, and as sa- tisfactory to him. In the other charac- teristics which he enumerates, he speaks of it, as fitted to be a letter commenda- tory of himself to others. T Known and read of all men. Corinth was a large, splendid, and dissipated city. Their conversion, therefore, would be known afar. All men would hear of it ; and their reformation, their subse- quent life under the instruction of Paul, and the attestation which God had given among them to his labours, was a suffi- cient testimonial to the world at large, that God had called him to the apostolic office. 3. Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared. You are made manifest as the epistle of Christ ; or you, being made manifest, are the epistle, &c. They had been made manifest to be such by their conversion. The sense is, it is plain, or evident, that ye are the epistle of Christ. 1 To be the epistle of Christ. That which Christ has sent to be our testimonial. He has given this letter of recommendation. He has converted you by our ministry, and that is the best evidence which we can have that we have been sent by him, and that our labour is accepted by him. Your con- version is his work, and it is his public attestation to our fidelity in his cause. If Ministered by us. The idea here is, that Christ had employed their ministry in accomplishing this. They were Christ's letter, but it had been prepared by the instrumentality of the apostles. It had not been prepared by him inde- pendently of their labours, but in con- nexion with, and as the result of those labours. Christ, in writing this epistle, I so to speak, has used our aid ; or em- j festly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit ployed us as amanuenses, f Written not with ink. Paul continues and va- ries the image in regard to this " epistle," so that he may make the testimony borne to his fidelity and success more striking and emphatic. He says, there- fore, that it was not written as letters of introduction are, with ink — by traces drawn on a lifeless substance, and in lines that easily fade, or that may be- come easily illegible, or that can be read only by a few, or that may be soon destroyed. ^ But with the Spirit of the living God. In strong contrast thus with letters written with ink. By the Spirit of God moving on the heart, and producing that variety of graces which constitute so striking and so beautiful an evidence of your conver- sion. If written by the Spirit of the living God, it was far more valuable, and precious, and permanent than any record which could be made by ink. Every trace of the Spirit's influences on the heart was an undoubted proof that God had sent the apostles ; and was a proof which they would much more sensibly and tenderly feel than they could any letter of recommendation written in ink. ^ Not in tables of stone. It is generally admitted that Paul here refers to the evidences of the divine mis- sion of Moses which was given by the law engraven on tablets of stone. Comp. ver. 7. Probably those who were false teachers among the Corinthians were Jews, and had insisted much on the divine origin and permanency of the Mosaic institutions. The law had been engraven on stone by the hand of God himself; and had thus the strongest proofs of divine origin, and the divine attestation to its pure and holy nature. To this fact the friends of the law, and the advocates for the permanency of the Jewish institutions, would appeal. Paul says, on the other hand, that the testimonials of the divine favour through him were not on tablets of stone. A. D. 60.] CHAPTER III. 53 of the living God ; not in tables of stone, a but h in fleshly tables of the heart. a Ex. 24. 12. b Je. 31. 33. Eze. 11. 19. They were frail, and easily broken. There was no life in them (comp. ver. 6 and 7) ; and valuable and important as they were, yet they could not be compared with the testimonials which God had given to those who successfully preached the gospel, f But in jletUy tables of the heart. In truths engraven on the heart. This testimonial was of more value than an inscription on stone, because, (1.) No hand but that of God could reach the heart, and inscribe these truths there. (2.) Because it would be attended with a life-giving and living influence. It was not a mere dead letter. (3.) Because it would be per- manent. Stones, even where laws were engraven by the finger of God, would moulder and decay, and the inscription made there would be destroyed. But not so with that which was made on the heart. It would live forever. It would abide in other worlds. It would send its influence into all the relations of life ; into all future scenes in this world; and that influence would be seen and felt in the world that shall never end. By all these considerations, therefore, the testimonials which Paul had of the divine approbation were more valuable than any mere letters of intro- duction, or human commendation could have been ; and more valuable even than the attestation which was given to the divine mission of Moses himself. 4. And such trust have we. Such confidence have we that we are ap- pointed by God, and that he accepts our work. Such evidence have we in the success of our labours ; such irrefragable proof that God blesses us; that we have trust, or confidence that we are sent by God, and are owned by him in our mi- nistry. His confidence did not rest on letters of introduction from men, but in the evidence of the divine presence, and the divine acceptance of his work. ^ Through Christ. By the agency of 5* 4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward : 5 Not that we are sufficient Christ. Paul had no success whicr be did not trace to him ; he had no joy of which he was not the source ; he had no confidence, or trust in God of which Christ was not the author; he had no hope of success in his ministry which did not depend on him. % To God- ward. Toward God ; in regard to God (?rgc$ rov Qiov). Our confidence relates to God. It is confidence that he has ap- pointed us, and sent us forth ; and con- fidence that he will still continue to own and to bless us. 5. Not that we are sufficient of our- selves. This is evidently designed to guard against the appearance of boast- ing, or of self-confidence. He had spoken of his confidence ; of his tri- umph ; of his success ; of his undoubt- ed evidence that God had sent him. He here says, that he did not mean to be understood as affirming that any of his success came from himself, or that he was able by his own strength to accomplish the great things which had been effected by his ministry. He well knew that he had no such self-sufficiency; and he would not insinuate, in the slightest manner, that he believed him- self to be invested with any such power. Comp. Note on John xv. 5. f To think any thing (KciyitrxxrS-ni n). The word here used means properly to rea- son, think, consider ; and then to reckon, count to, or impute to any one. It is the word which is commonly rendered impute. See it explained more fully in the Note on Rom. iv. 5. Robinsor. (Lexicon) renders it in this place, " tf reason out, to think out, to find out \ry thinking." Doddridge renders it, " to reckon upon any thing as from our- selves." Whitby renders it, " to reason ;" as if the apostle had said, We are un- able by any reasoning of our own to bring men to conversion. Macknight gives a similar sense. Locke renders it, " Not as if I were sufficient of myself, 54 II. CORINTHIANS. [A. D. 60. of a ourselves to think any thing, as of ourselves, but b our suffi- ciency is of God ; oJno. 15. 5. 6 1 Co. 15.10. Ph. 2.13. 6 Who also hath made us able a ministers of the New * a Ep. 3. 7. 1 Ti. 1. 12. b Mat. 26. 28. He. 8. 6—10. to reckon upon any thing as from my- self;" and explains it to mean that Paul was not sufficient of himself by any strength of natural parts to attain the knowledge of the gospel truths which he preached. The word may be ren- dered here, to reckon, reason, think, &c; but it should be confined to the imme- diate subject under consideration. It does not refer to thinking in general ; or to the power of thought on any, and on all subjects — however true it may be in itself — but to the preaching the gospel. And the expression may be regarded as referring to the following points, which are immediately under discussion. (1.) Paul did not feel that he was sufficient of himself to have reasoned or thought out the truths of the gospel. They were communicated by God. (2.) He had no power by reasoning to convince or convert sinners. That was all of God. (3.) He had no right to reckon on success by any strength of his own. All success was to be traced to God. It is, however, also true, that all our powers of thinking and reasoning are from God ; and that we have no ability to think clearly, to reason calmly, close- ly, and correctly, unless he shall preside over our minds and give us clearness of thought. How easy is it for God to disarrange all our faculties, and produce insanity ! How easy to suffer our minds to become unsettled, bewildered, and distracted with a multiplicity of thoughts ! How easy to cause every thing to appear cloudy, and dark, and misty ! How easy to affect our bodies with weakness, languor, disease, and through them to destroy all power of close and consecutive thought ! No one who considers on how many things the power of close thinking depends, can doubt that all our sufficiency in this is from God; and that we owe to him every clear idea on the subjects of common life, and on scientific subjects, no less certainly than we do in the. truths of religion. Comp. the case of Bezaleel and Aholiab in common arts. Ex. xxxi. 1 — 6, and Job xxxii. 8. 6. W7io also hath made us able mi- nisters, &c. This translation does not quite meet the force of the original. It would seem to imply that Paul regarded himself and his fellow-labourers as men of talents, and of signal ability ; and that he was inclined to boast of it. But this is not the meaning. It refers properly to his sense of the responsibility and dif- ficulty of the work of the ministry ; and to the fact that he did not esteem him- self to be sufficient for this work in his own strength (ch. ii. 16; iii. 5) ; and he here says that God had made him suffi- cient : not able, talented, learned, but sufficient (iitdvcixrtv »/uuc) ; he has sup- plied our deficiency ; he has rendered us competent, or fit ; — if a word ma} r be coined after the manner of the Greek here, 'he has sufficienced us for this work.' There is no assertion, therefore, here, that they were men of talents, or peculiar ability, but only that God had qualified them for their work, and made them by his grace sufficient to meet the toils and responsibilities of this arduous office. ^ Of the New Testa- ment. Of the new covenant (Note, Matt. xxv. 28), in contradistinction from the old covenant, which was es- tablished through Moses. They were appointed to go forth and make the pro- visions of that new covenant known to a dying uorld. T Not of the letter Not of the literal, or verbal meaning, in contradistinction from the Spirit. See Notes on Rom. ii. 27, 29 ; vii. 6. This is said, doubtless, in opposition to the Jews, and Jewish teachers. They insisted much on the letter of the law, but entered little into its real meaning. They did not seek out the true spiritual sense of the Old Testament; and hence they rested on the mere literal observ- ance of the rites and ceremonies of reli- gion, without understanding their true A. D. 60.] CHAPTER III. 55 Testament ; not of the letter, ° but of the spirit : for the b letter killeth, but c the spirit * giveth life. a Ro. 2. 28, 29. b Ro. 4. 15. 7. 9, 10. c Jno. 6. 63. Ro. 8. 2. » ot, quickeneth. nature and design. Their service, though in many respects conformed to the letter of the law, yet became cold, formal, and hypocritical ; abounding in mere ceremonies, and where the heart had little to do. Hence there was little pure spiritual worship offered to God ; and hence also they rejected the Mes- siah whom the old covenant prefi- gured, and was designed to set forth. t For the letter killeth. Comp. Notes on Rom. iv. 15 ; vii. 9, 10. The mere letter of the law of Moses. The effect of it was merely to produce condemna- tion ; to produce a sense of guilt, and danger, and not to produce pardon, re- lief, and joy. The law denounced death; condemned sin in all forms; and the effect of it was to produce a sense of guilt and condemnation. 1 But the spirit giveth life. The spirit, in contradistinction from the mere literal interpretation of the Scrip- tures. The Spirit, that is, Christ, says Locke. Comp. ver. 17. The spirit here means, says Bloomfield, that new spiritual system, the gospel. The spirit of God speaking in us, says Dod- dridge. The spirit here seems to refer to the New Testament, or the new dis- pensation in contradistinction from the old. That was characterized mainly by its strictness of law, and by its bur- densome rites, and by the severe tone of its denunciation for sin. It did not in itself provide a way of pardon and peace. Law condemns ; it does not speak of forgiveness. On the contrary, the gospel, a spiritual system, is de- signed to impart life and comfort to the soul. It speaks peace. It comes not to condemn, but to save. It discloses a way of mercy, and it invites all to par- take and live. It is called " spirit," probably because its consolations are imparted and secured by the Spirit of 7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of God — the source of all true life to the soul. It is the dispensation of the Spirit ; and it demands a spiritual service — a service that is free, and elevated, and tending eminently to purify the heart, and to save the soul. See Note on ver. 17. 7. But if the ministration of death. In the previous verses, Paul had referred incidentally to the institutions of Moses, and to the superiority of the gospel. He had said that the former were en- graven on stones, but the latter on the heart (ver. 3) ; that the letter of the former tended to death, but the latter to life (ver. 6). This sentiment he pro- ceeds further to illustrate, by showing in what the superior glory of the gos- pel consisted. The design of the whole is, to illustrate the nature, and to show the importance of the ministerial office ; and the manner in which the duties of that office were to be performed. That the phrase " ministration of death" re- fers to the Mosaic institutions, the con- nexion sufficiently indicates, ver. 13 — 15. The word "ministration" (StmtovU) means, properly, ministry; the office of ministering in divine things. It is usually applied to the officers of the church in the New Tes- tament. Acts i. 17. 25. Rom. xi. 13. 1 Cor. xii. 5. The word here, however, seems to refer to the whole arrangement under the Mosaic economy, by which his laws were promulgated, and per- petuated. The expression " a minis- tration — written and engraven on stone," is somewhat harsh; but the sense evidently is, the ministration of a covenant, or of laws written on stones. The word "ministration" there refers to the arrangement, office, &c. by which the knowledge of these laws was main- tained; the ministering under a sys- tem like that of the Jewish ; or, more 56 II. CORINTHIANS. [A. D. 60 Moses for a the glory of his o Ex. 34. 1, 29—35. strictly, the act and occasion on which Moses himself ministered, or promul- gated that system to the Jews, and when the glory of the work was irradiated even from his countenance. And the purpose of the apostle is to show that the ministry of the gospel is more glorious than even the ministry of Moses, when he was admitted near to God on the holy mount; and when such a glory attended his receiving and promulgating the law. It is called the " ministration of death," because it tended to condemnation ; it did not speak of pardon ; it was fitted only to deepen the sense of sin, and to produce alarm and dread. See Note on ver. 6. 1 Written and engraven in stones. The ten commandments — the substance of all the Mosaic institutes, and the principal laws of his economy— were written, or engraven on tables of stone. ^ Was glorious. Was attended with magnificence and splendour. The glory here referred to, consisted in the cir- cumstance of sublimity and grandeur in which the law of Moses was given. It was, (1.) The glory of God as he was manifested on Mount Sinai, as the Law- giver and Ruler of the people. (2.) The glory of the attending circum- stances, of thunder, fire, &c. in which God appeared. The law was given in these circumstances. Its giving — called here the "ministration" — was amidst such displays of the glory of God. It was, (3.) A high honour and glory for Moses to be permitted to ap- proach so near to God; to commune with him ; and to receive at his hand the law for his people, and for the world. These were circumstances of imposing majesty and grandeur, which, however, Paul says were eclipsed and surpassed by the ministry of the gospel. ^ So that the children of Israel, &c. In Ex. xxxiv. 29, 30, it is said, that " When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down countenance ; which glory was to be done away ; from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone, while He talked with him. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone ; and they were afraid to come nigh him." The word rendered " stedfastly behold" (ar&/i?, condemnation. It should be rendered 'the ministration of justifica- tion /' the plan by which God justifies men. See Note, Rom, i. 17. The law of Moses condemns; the gospel is the 58 II. CORINTHIANS. [A. D. 60. of righteousness exceed in glory. 10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in plan by which man is justified. And if that which condemns could be glo- rious, much more must that be by which men can be justified, acquitted, and saved. The superior glory of the gos- pel, therefore, consists in the fact that it is a scheme to justify and save lost sinners. And this glory consists, (1.) In the fad that it can be done when all law condemns. (2.) In the showing forth of the divine character while it is done, as just, and merciful, and bene- volent in doing it — blending all his great and glorious attributes together — while the law disclosed only one of his attributes — his justice. (3.) In the manner in which it is done. It is by the incarnation of the Son of God — a far more glorious manifestation of deity than was made on Mount Sinai. It is by the toils, and sufferings, and death of him who made the atonement, and by the circumstances of awful and im- posing grandeur which attended his death, when the sun was darkened, and the rocks were rent — far more grand and awful scenes than occurred when the law was given. It is by the resurrec- tion, and ascension of the Redeemer — scenes far more sublime than all the ex- ternal glories of Sinai when the law was given. (4.) In the effects, or re- sults. The one condemns; the other justifies and saves. The effect of the one is seen in the convictions of con- science, in alarm, in a sense of guilt, in the conscious desert of condemnation, and in the apprehension of eternal pun- ishment. The other is seen in sins forgiven ; in peace of conscience ; in the joy of pardon ; in the hope of heaven ; in comfort and triumph on the bed of death, and amidst the glories of heaven. 1<0, For even that which was made glorious {to StS-.^ntr/jLivtv). That was splendid, excellent, or glorious. This refers doubtless, to the laws and insti- tutions of Moses, especially to the »ri- this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. 1 1 For if a that which is done a Ro. 5. 20, 21. mary giving of the law. Paul does not deny that it had an honour and majesty such, in some respects, as the Jews claimed for it. It was glorious in the manner in which it was given ; it was glorious in the purity of the law itself; and it was glorious, or splendid in the magnificent and imposing ritual in which the worship of God was cele- brated. But all this was surpassed in the brighter glory of the gospel, t Had no glory. Gr. Was not glorious, or splendid {chit Stfo^sLcrrsu). Had com- paratively no glory, or splendour. Its glory was all eclipsed. It was like the splendour of the moon and stars com- pared with the bright light of the sun. 1 By reason of the glory that excelleth. In the gospel ; in the incarnation, life, sufferings, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus ; in the pardon of sin ; in the peace and joy of the believer ; and in the glories of the heavenly world to which the gospel elevates dying men. 1 1. For if that which is done away, &c. The splendour that attended the giving of the law ; the bright shining of the face of Moses; and the ritual institutions of his religion. It was to be done away. It was never designed to be permanent. Every thing in it had a transient existence, and was so de- signed. Yet it was attended, P^ul admits, with much that was magnifi- cent and splendid. He had, in the pre- vious verses, stated several important differences between the law and the gospel. He here states another. The law he calls (to x.a.ra.gy,v[jLiv<.v) the thing which was to be made to cease , to be put an end to ; to be done away with ; to be abolished. It had no permanency ; and it was designed to have none. Ita glory, therefore, great as in many respects it might be, could not be com- pared with that which was to be per- manent — as the light of the stars fades away at the rising sun. It is implied A. D. 60.] CHAPTER III. 59 away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious. here, that it was originally designed that the Mosaic institutions should not be permanent; that they should be mere shadows and types of better things ; and that when the things which they adumbrated should appear, the shadows would vanish of course. This idea is one which prevails every- where in the New Testament, and which the sacred writers are often at great pains to demonstrate, f Was glorious. Gr. By glory (Jtaiofys). That is, it was attended by glory ; it was in- troduced by glory, it was encompassed with glory when it was established. The idea here is, not that it was glori- ous in itself, but that it was accom- panied with splendour and majesty. Tf That which remaineth. The gos- pel (to fxivw). The thing that is to re- main ; that is permanent, abiding, per- petual ; that has no principle of decay, and whose characteristic it is, that it is everlasting. The gospel is permanent, or abiding, (1.) Because it is designed to remain immutable through the re- motest ages. It is not to be superseded by any new economy, or institution. It is the dispensation under which the affairs of the world are to be wound up, and under which the world is to close. See Note, 1 Cor. xv. 51. (2.) Its effects on the heart are permanent. It is complete in itself. It is not to be succeeded by any other system, and it looks to no other system in order to complete or perfect its operations on the soul. (3.) Its effects are to abide forever. They will exist in heaven. They are to be seen in the soul that shall be recovered from sin, and that shall be glorious in the bosom of God forever and ever. The Mosaic system — glorious as it was — shall be remem- bered as introducing the gospel; the gospel shall be remembered as directly fitting for heaven. Its most great and glorious results shall be seen in the permanent and eternal joys of heaven. The gospel contemplates a great, per- 12 Seeing then that we have manent, and eternal good, adapted to all ages, all climes, all people, and all worlds. It is, therefore, so much more glorious than the limited, temporary, and partial good of the Mosaic system, that that may be said in comparison to have had no glory. 12. Seeing then that we have such hope. Hope properly is a compound emotion, made up of a desire for an object, and an expectation of obtaining it. If there is no desire for it ; or if the object is not pleasant and agreeable, there is no hope, though there may be expectation — as in the expectation of the pestilence, of famine, or sickness, or death. If there is no expectation of it, but a strong desire, there is no hope, as in cases where there is a strong de- sire of wealth, or fame, or pleasure ; or where a man is condemned for murder, and has a strong desire but no prospect of pardon ; or where a man is ship- wrecked, and has a strong desire, but no expectation of again seeing his fa- mily and friends. In such cases, de- spondency or despair are the results. It is the union of the two feelings in pro- per proportions which constitutes hope. There has been considerable variety of views among expositors in regard to the proper meaning of the word in this place. Mr. Locke supposes that Paul here means the honourable employment of an apostle and minister of the gospel, or the glory belonging to the ministry in the gospel ; and that his calling it " hope" instead of " glory" which the connexion would seem to demand, is the language of modesty. Rosenmuller understands it of the hope of the per- petual continuance of the gospel dis- pensation. Macknight renders it " per- suasion," and explains it as meaning the full persuasion or assurance that the gospel excels the law in the manner ot its introduction ^ its permanency, &c A few remarks may, perhaps, make it clear, (l.) It refers primarily to Paui, and the other ministers of the gospel. 60 II. CORINTHIANS. [A. D. 60. such hope, we use great ' plain- ness of speech : or, boldness. It is not properly the Christian hope as such to which he refers, but it is that which the ministers of the gospel had. (2.) It refers to all that he had said be- fore about the superiority of the gospel to the law ; and is designed to express the result of all that on his mind, and on the minds of his fellow-labourers. (3.) It refers to theprospect, confidence, persuasion, anticipation which he had as the effect of what he had just said. It is the prospect of eternal life ; the clear expectation of acceptance, and the anticipation of heaven, based on the fact that this was a ministry of the Spirit (ver. 8) ; that it was a ministry showing the way of justification (ver. 9) ; and that it was never to be done away, but to abide forever, ver. 11. On all these this strong hope was founded ; and in view of these, Paul expressed himself clearly, not enig- matically ; and not in types and figures, as Moses did. Every thing about the gospel was clear and plain; and this led to the confident expectation and assurance of heaven. The word hope, therefore, in this place will express the effect on the mind of Paul in regard to the work of the ministry, produced by the group of considerations which he had suggested, showing that the gospel was superior to the law ; and that it was the ground of more clear and cer- tain confidence and hope than any thing which the law could furnish. ^ We use. We employ ; we are ac- customed to. He refers to the manner in which he preached the gospel. 1 Great plainness of speech. Marg. boldness. We use the word "plain- ness" as applied to speech chiefly in two senses, (1.) To denote boldness, faithful- ness, candour; in opposition to trimming, timidity, and unfaithfulness ; and, (2.) To denote clearness, intelligibleness, and simplicity, in opposition to obscurity, mist, and highly-wrought and laboured forms of expression. The connexion here shows that the latter is the sense 13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the in which the phrase here is to be un- derstood. See ver. 13. It denotes openness, simplicity, freedom from the obscurity which arises from enigmatical, and parabolical, and typical modes of speaking. This stands in opposition to figure, metaphor, and allegory — to an affected and laboured concealment of the idea in the manner which was com- mon among the Jewish doctors and heathen philosophers, where their mean- ing was carefully concealed from the vulgar, and from all except the iniliated. It stands opposed also to the necessary obscurity arising from typical institu- tions like those of Moses. And the doctrine of the passage is, that such is the clearness and fulness of the Chris- tian revelation, arising from the fact, that it is the last economy, and that it does not look to the future, that its mi- nisters may and should use clear and intelligible language. They should not use language abounding in metaphoi and allegory. They should not usi unusual terms. They should not draw their words and illustrations from sci ence. They should not use mere technical language. They should not attempt to vail, or cloak their meaning. They should not seek a refined and overwrought style. They should use expressions which other men use ; and express themselves as far as possible in the language of common life. What is preaching worth that is not under- stood ] Why should a man talk at all unless he is intelligible] Who was ever more plain and simple in his words and illustrations than the Lord Jesus 1 13. And not as Moses. Our conduct is not like that of Moses. We make no attempt to conceal any thing in re- gard to the nature, design, and duration of the gospel. We leave nothing de- signedly in mystery. If Which put a vail over his face. That is, when he came down from Mount Sinai, and when his face shone. Ex. xxxiv. 33. "And till Moses had done speaking A. D. 60.] CHAPTER III. 81 children of Israel could not aRo. 10.4. with them, he put a vail on his face." This vail he put off when he went to speak with God, but put on again when he delivered his commands to the peo- ple. What was the design of this, Moses has not himself declared. The statement which he makes in Exodus would lead us to suppose that it was on account of the exceeding brightness and dazzling splendour which shone around him, and which made it difficult to look intently upon him; and that this was in part the reason, even Paul himself seems to intimate in ver. 7. He, however, in this verse intimates that there was another design, which was that he might be, as Doddridge ex- presses it, "a kind of type and figure of his own dispensation." ^ That the children of Israel. Mr. Locke under- stands this of the apostles, and supposes that it means, " We do not vail the light, so that the obscurity of what we deliver should hinder the children of Israel from seeing in the law which was to be done away, Christ who is the end of the law." But this interpre- tation is forced and unnatural. The phrase rendered "that" (7x^3? to) evi- dently connects what is affirmed here