Two points are remarkable in this account of the mission: First. The Apostle's worldly prudence, in securing his own character from any unworthy attacks by the presence of constant companions. It is remarkable in itself, as exemplifying a combination rarely seen, of common sense and sagacity with great enthusiasm, and as thus fulfilling our Lord's precept, "Be ye wise as serpents and harmless as doves." 1 It is remarkable also, as agreeing exactly with similar traits recorded in the Acts; his conduct in the Sanhedrin 2, in effecting his escape from the conspiracy3, in his appeal to the Emperor, and on board the ship.5 Secondly. The insight which is afforded into the outward administration of the early Church. (1.) We find, in the expressions, "through all the Churches," "messengers of Churches," a certain intercommunication between the different congregations. They are not independent of each other, on the one hand; and, on the other hand, they are not united to each other by any external polity. (2.) The officers of the Church are elected by these congregations. This agrees with the form of election. of the chief officers, "the Bishops," which continued down to the fifth century. (3.) They are elected for specific purposes; in this case for the administration of the alms of the Churches for the Christian poor in Jerusalem, and to travel with the Apostle. With this agree the frequent indications in the Acts, that (to use the words of Jeremy Taylor®) "There was scarce any public design or grand em ployment, but the Apostolic men had a new ordination to it, a new imposition of hands."1 (4.) This is the earliest detailed instance of the especial missions on which the Apostle sent out his favourite and confidential companions at the head of other disciples, to arrange the affairs of a particular Church. What Titus does here at Corinth, is the same in kind as what he is afterwards charged to do at Crete, returning when his work is ended.3 And the same may be said of the charge to Timotheus at Ephesus.4 IX. (3.) The Spirit in which the Collection is to be made. IX. 1-15. 1 περὶ μὲν γὰρ τῆς διακονίας τῆς εἰς τοὺς ἁγίους The Apostle now once more turns back to the collection itself, but reluctantly, as if he was afraid that he should annoy them by importunity; and he therefore hangs what he has to say on the mission of the brethren, which he has just mentioned; and presses upon them (1.) speed, ix. 1— 5.; (2.) readiness, ix. 6-7.; (3.) bounty, lx. 8-16. It is difficult in this Section to determine how much of his eagerness is caused by anxiety for the actual contribution, and how much by fear lest the Corinthians should play him false by not fulfilling their promises. Hence it is safer to leave the inference to be gathered from each particular passage. IX. 1. πEpì μèvyaρ TŶs diaкоνίας, κ. τ. λ. This complication of thoughts just noticed, is apparent in the complicated construction of this first sentence. The sense required is, "I have “ I have made a boast concerning you to the Macedonian Churches, which I trust will not be nullified by your lukewarmness. For this reason, though knowing your zeal, I sent the bre thren beforehand." Accord- The parenthesis thus introduced continues to verse 2., and the original sentence is resumed in ἐπεμψα δέ, in verse 3. μὲν may either have a relation to this dé, as though the sentence were περὶ δὲ τῶν ἀδελφῶν οὐ περισσόν, or may stand by itself to limit his words to the contribution, as in 1 Cor. v. 3. Tò pás is the subject and Teрioσòv the predicate. "My writing to you is superfluous." TO περισσόν μοι ἐστιν τὸ γράφειν ὑμῖν· 2 οἶδα γὰρ τὴν προθυ μίαν ὑμῶν ἣν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν καυχῶμαι Μακεδόσιν, ὅτι Αχαΐα παρεσκεύασται ἀπὸ πέρυσι, καὶ τὸ ὑμῶν ζῆλος ἠρέθισεν τοὺς πλείονας· ὃ ἔπεμψα δὲ τοὺς ἀδελφούς, ἵνα μὴ τὸ καύχημα · καὶ ὁ ἐξ. ὅτι 2. οἶδα γὰρ τὴν προθυμίαν ὑμῶν ἣν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν καυχῶμαι Μακεδόσιν. This is the reason for περισσόν, “I say superfluous, for I know your readiness," &c. Makedóσ, without the article, would in classical Greek mean, "to such a people as the Macedonians." Here, Here, however, it probably is used simply as a proper name, like Axata in the next clause. or Αχαΐα παρεσκεύασται ἀπὸ πέρυσι. For the meaning of 'Axata, see i. 1. For the fact of the preparation of the Corinthian Church in the past year, see viii. 10. παρεσκεύασται need not perhaps necessarily mean more than Tò Tоiñσaι and Tò Jeev in that passage. But it is a strong expression, especially from the tense, if it only was intended to mean that they had begun the contribution; and the entreaty in the next verse that they would "be prepared" (va πаρаσкеνаσμέVOL TE), as though they were not now prepared, seems to intimate that the Apostle in his over confidence had overstated to the Macedonians the actual fact, and that he now presses the fact of his having done so upon the Corinthians, partly with the natural view of not giving a cause of com plaint to the Macedonians, partly with the view of delicately giving another motive to the Corinthians to complete their work. That he should have made an over-statement is not to be wondered at, if we consider his eagerness and his love for the Church of Corinth, and is paralleled by the hasty exclamation about the High Priest in Acts xxiii. 3.-5. καὶ τὸ ὑμῶν ζῆλος ἠρέθισεν τοὺς πλείονας. "And it was by your zeal that the majority of the Macedonian Christians were stimulated to their generosity," Toùs Tλelovas being the principal word in the sentence. ἐξ in ὁ ἐξ ὑμῶν ξῆλος, which occurs in D. G., and is omitted in B. C., probably was inserted, by a later hand, in order to imply, without directly expressing, that he alluded, not so much to the real zeal of the Corinthians, as the report of the zeal which emanated from them. λos "zealous affection," see xi. 1. For the neuter τὸ ζῆλος compare τὸ TAOÛTOS, viii. 2. ἠρέθισεν, "provoked," so in a bad sense, Col. iii. 21. He now proceeds to state that the "brethren" (viii. 16 24.), were sent beforehand, ἡμῶν τὸ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν κενωθῇ ἐν τω μέρει τούτω, ἵνα καθὼς ἔλεγον παρεσκευασμένοι ἦτε, 4 μή πως, ἐὰν ἔλθωσιν σὺν ἐμοὶ Μακεδόνες καὶ εὕρωσιν ὑμᾶς ἀπαρασκευάστους, καταισχυν θῶμεν ἡμεῖς (ἵνα μὴ λέγωμεν ὑμεῖς ἐν τῇ ὑποστάσει ταύτῃ. 5 ἀναγκαῖον οὖν ἡγησάμην παρακαλέσαι τοὺς ἀδελφούς, ἵνα προέλθωσιν πρὸς ὑμᾶς καὶ προκαταρτίσωσιν τὴν προεπηγ • Add τῆς καυχήσεως. to prevent the appearance of his having exaggerated the generosity of Corinth. The KEVOO, "nullified." κενωθῇ, same word is with καύχημα, in 1 Cor. ix. 15. ἐν τῷ μερεὶ TOÚTY “in this matter," as distinguished from those other matters, in viii. 11-16., in which he knew that his boast would not be nullified. ἵνα καθὼς ἔλεγον παρεσκευaoμévo Te," that you might ασμένοι ήτε, be prepared, as I said that you were prepared." 4. MakedóVES," any MaceΜακεδόνες, σε donians." This shows that the brothers in viii. 17-24., were not Macedonians. It also agrees with the fact that Macedonians did accompany him to Corinth, viz., Sopater, Aristarchus, and Secundus, Acts, xx. 4. 66 b eis. a and the Versions, were probably copied from xi. 17., and this omission (as well as the analogy of that passage) renders it necessary that ὑπόστα σις here should mean not substance," or "solidity," as in Ps. lxviii. 3. (LXX.); but as in Heb. iii. 14., xi. 1.; Ps. xxxviii. 8.; Ezek. xix. 5., and the numerous passages quoted by Wetstein ad h. 1. from Polybius and Josephus, "confidence," the fundamental meaning of the word being "firmness," "something on which to take one's stand."' 5. παρακαλέσαι. viii. 6. See on |