CHAPTER X. his person and ministry The apostle vindicates himself against the aspersions cast on his person, by the false apostle; and takes occasion to men N 2 But I beseech you, d that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (f For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but a Rom 12 1.-b Ver. 10. Ch. 125, 7, 9-e Or, in outward appearanced 1 Cor. 4.) 21. Ch.13.9, 10.- Or, re-kon (Eph.6 13. 1 Thess.5.5-1 Tim 1.18 2.3-h Acts 7.22. 1 Cor.2.5 Ch.6.7.& 13.3,4. 2 Tim. NOTES-Verse 1. I Paul myself beseech you by the meek ness] Having now finished his directions and advices relative to the collection for the poor, he resumes his argument relative to the false apostle, who had gained considerable influ ence, by representing St. Paul as despicable in his person, his ministry, and his influence. Under this obloquy, the apostle was supported by the meekness and gentleness of Christ: and through the same heavenly disposition, he delayed inflicting that punishment which, in virtue of his apostolical authority, he might have inflicted on him who had disturbed, and laboured to corrupt the Christian church. Who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold towards you] He seems to quote these as the words of his calumniator-as if he had said, "This apostle of yours is a mere braggadocio; when he is among you, you know how base and contemptible he is; when absent, see how he brags and boasts." The word ranɛvos, which we render base, signifles lowly; and, as some think, short of stature. The insinuation is, that when there was danger or opposition at hand; St. Paul acted with great obsequiousness, fearing for his person and authority, lest he should lose his secular influence. See the following verse. 2. Some, which think of us as if we walked according to the Resh] As it is customary for cowards and overbearing men to threaten the weak and the timid when present; to bluster when absent; and to be very obsequious in the presence of the strong and courageous. This conduct they appear to have charged against the apostle, which he calls here walking after the flesh acting as a man who had worldly ends in view; and would use any means in order to accomplish them. 3. Though we walk in the flesh] That is, although I am in the common condition of human nature, and must live as a man being, yet I do not war after the flesh; I do not act the coward or the poltron, as they insinuate. I have a good cause, a good captain, strength at will, and courage at hand. I neither fear them nor their master. 4. The weapons of our warfare] The apostle often uses the metaphor of a warfare, to represent the life and trials of a Christian minister. See Ephes. vi. 10-17. 1 Tin. i. 18. 2 Tim. ii. 3, 4, 5. Are not carnal) Here he refers to the means used by the false apostle, in order to secure his party; he calumniated St. Paul; traduced the truth; preached false and licentions doctrines; and supported these with sophistical reason mngs. But mighty through God] Our doctrines are true and pure: they come from God, and lead to him; and he accompanies thein with his mighty power to the hearts of those who hear them and the strong holds, the apparently solid and cogent reasoning of the philosophers, we, by these doctrines pull doen; and thus the fortifications of heathenism are destroy. ed; and the cause of Christ triumphs, wherever we come; and we put to flight the armies of the aliens. 5. Casting down imaginations] Aoyicpovs, reasonings or minions. The Greek philosophers valued themselves especially on their ethic systems, in which their reasonings appeared to be very profound and conclusive; but they were obliged to assume principles, which were either such as did not exist, or were false in themselves; as the whole of their my. thologic system most evidently was: truly, from what remains of them, we see that their metaphysics were generally bom hast; and, as to their philosophy, it was in general good for nothing. When the apostles came against their gods many, and their lords many, with the ONE SUPREME and ETERNAL BEthey were confounded. scattered, annihilated:-when they came ageist their various modes of purifying the mind, their sacrificid and mediatorial system, with the LORD JESUS CHRIST; his agony and blody swent; his cross and passion; his death and burial; and his glorious resurrection and as cension, they sunk before them; and appeared to be what they really were, as dust upon the balance; and lighter than vanity. PNG, Every high thing! Even the pretendedly sublime doctrines 186 mighty through God in the pulling down of strong holds :) 5k Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into 6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. 7° Do ye look on things after the outward appearance! If think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's. any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself Or, to God.--k 1 Cor 1.19.&3.19-1 Or, reasonings- Chap 13 2, 10-n Chap 2.9. & 7.15-a John 7.24. Chap 5.12.& 11.13.-p1 Cor.14.37. 1 John 4.6-1 Ca 3.23. & 9.1. Chap. 11.23. for instance of Plato, Aristotle, and the Stoies in general, fell before the simple preaching of Christ crucified. The knowledge of God] The doctrine of the unify and plurality of their idols: and the generation of their gods, eternity of the Divine nature; which was opposed by the and their men-made deities. It is amazing how feeble a re sistance heathenisin made, by argument or reasoning, against the doctrine of the Gospel! It instantly shrunk from the Divine light, and called on the secular power to contend for it! Popery sunk before Protestantism in the same way, ed heathenism wherever they came: the Protestants coband defended itself by the same means. The apostles destroyfuted Popery wherever their voice was permitted to be beard. not recover itself: in vain did its thousands of altars snoše with reiterated hecatombs; their demons were silent; and Bringing into captivity every thought) HEATHENISM could their idols were proved to be nothing in the world POPERY could never, by any power of self-reviviscence, restore itself after its defeat by the reformation: it had no Scripture consecutively understood: no reason, no argument; in vain were its bells rung; its candles lighted; its auto da fes exh rable human victims immolated on its altars! The light of bited in vain did its fires blaze; and in vain were innume three-headed Cerberus into open day: the monster sickened, God penetrated its hidden works of darkness, and dragged its vomited his henbane, and fled for refuge to his native shader. ted by the progess of the Gospel among the heathens; and The obedience of Christ] Subjection to idols was annihie they soon had but one Lord, and his name one. In like ma pulled down, demolished, and brought into captivity the ner the doctrines of the reformation, mighty through God, the pretended vicar of God upon earth, obedience to Christ, as whole Papal system and instead of obedience to the pope, the sole almighty head of the church, was established psrcularly in Great Britain, where it continues to prevail. Hallelujah! the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Iam ready, through this mighty armour of God, to punish these 6. And haring in a readiness to revenge all disobedience opposers of the doctrine of Christ; and the disobedience which has been produced by them. fullest manner, discountenanced those men, and separated yourselves from their communion. The apostle was not in When your obedience is fulfilled] When you have, in the haste to pull up the fares, lest he should pull up the heat sin made to a strongly fortified city, where the enemy had made All the terms in these two verses are military. Allusion is his last stand; entrenching himself about the strengthening all his redoubts and ramparts; raising castles, towers, and various engines of defence and offence upon the walls; and neglecting nothing that might tend to render has walls; strong hold impregnable. The army of God comes against the place, and attacks it; the strong holds, xepospara, ail the gines, and whatever the imagination or skill of man could raise, are speedily taken and destroyed. Every high thing, fortified places, are carried. The imaginations, doviera, es down, and demolished; the walls are battered into breaches ; may bwun, all the castles and toucers are supped, throars and the besieging army, carrying every thing at the point of where defeated, the conquered submit, and are brought in the sword, enter the city, storm and take the citadel. captivity, aixpadwričovies, are led away captives; and this the whole government is destroyed. Every with the apostle's design. The general sense I have given in not be carried away with appearances; do not be satisfied in several other places of this, and the preceding epistle, the Calumnies of the false CHAPTER X. 8 For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed: 9 That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters. 10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible. 11 Let such an one think this, that such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present. 12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or com. pare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. 43 But we will not boast of things without our measure, but Christ's messenger: it would not do to attempt to subvert Let him of himself] Without any authority certainly from God; but, as he arrogates to himself the character of a minister of Christ, let him acknowledge that even so, we are Christ's ministers; and that I have, by my preaching, and the miracles which I have wrought, given the fullest proof that I am especially commissioned by Him. 8. For though I should boast, &c.] I have a greater authority, and spiritual power, than I have yet shown; both to edify and to punish: but I employ this for your edification in right. eousness; and not for the destruction of any delinquent. "This," says Calmet, "is the rule which the pastors of the church ever propose to themselves in the exercise of their authority; whether to enjoin or forbid; to dispense or to They should use this power only oblige; to bind or to loose. as Jesus Christ used it, for the salvation, and not for the destruction of souls." 9. That I may not seem, &c.] This is an elliptical sentence, and may be supplied thus: "I have not used this authority; nor will I add any more concerning this part of the subject, lest I should seem, as my adversary has insinuated, to wish to terrify you by my letters." 10. For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful He boasts of high powers, and that he can do great things. See on ver. 1, 2. But his bodily presence is weak] When you behold the man, you find him a feeble, contemptible mortal; and when you hear him speak, his speech, o Aoyos, probably his doctrine, ekovlevnuevos, is good for nothing; his person, matter, and menner, are altogether uninteresting, unimpressive, and too contemptible to be valued by the wise and the learned. This seems to be the spirit and design of this slander. Many, both among the ancients and moderns, have endea voured to find out the ground there was for any part of this calumny as to the moral conduct of the apostle, that was invulnerable; his motives, it is true, were suspected and denounced by this false apostle and his partizans; but they could never find any thing in his conduct which could support their insinuations. What they could not attach to his character, they disingenuously attached to his person and his elocution. If we can credit some ancient writers, such as Nicephorus, we shall find the apostle thus described-Havλos pixpos ny και συνοςαλμένος, το του σωματος μέγεθος. Και ωσπερ αγκυλον σ' αυτό κεκτημένος. Σμικρον δε, και κεκυφος. Την οψιν λευκος, KAL TO TROGIROV Kroonens, Wixos in Kepaλny, K.T.). Nicephor. lib. ii. cap. 17. Paul was a little man, crooked and almost bent like a bow; with a pale countenance, long and wrinkled; a bald head; his eyes full of fire and benevolence; his beard long, thick, and interspersed with gray hairs, as was his head, &c. I quote from Calmet, not having Nicephorus at hand. An old Greek writer, says the same author, whose works are found among those of Chrysostom, Tom. vi. Hom. 30. page 265. represents him thus-Havλos ó rpiηxos avoρños, Kai Tv var arroμevos; "Paul was a man about three cubits in height, (four feet six,) and yet, nevertheless, touched the heavens." Others say, that "he was a little man, had a bald head, and a large nose." See the above, and several other authorities, in Calmet.-Perhaps there is not one of these statements correct: as to Nicephorus, he is a writer of the xivth century, weak and credulous, and worthy of no regard. And the writer found in the works of Chrysostom, in making the apostle little more than a pigmy, has rendered his account incredible. That St. Paul could be no such diminutive person, we may fairly presume from the office he filled under the high-priest, in the persecution of the church of Christ; and that he had not an impediment in his speech, but was a graceful orator, we may learn from his whole history; and especially from the account we have, Acts xiv. 12. where the Lycaonians took him for Mercury, the god of eloquene, induced thereto by his powerful and persuasive elocution. In short, there ⚫does not appear to be any substantial evidence of the apos. tle's deformity, pigmy stature, bald head, pale and wrinkled Jace, large nose, stammering speech, &c. &c. these are probably all figments of unbridled fancy, and foolish surmisings, 11. Such as we are in word] A threatening of this kind would, doubtless, alarm the false apostle; and it is very likely, apostle against St. Paul. a 15 Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, b of 16 To preach the Gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to 18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but z Or, line,a 1 Cor.3.5, 10. & 4. 15. & 9. 1.-b Romans 15, 20.- Or, magnified In that he did not await the apostle's coming, as he would not be 12. We dare not make ourselves, &c.] As if he had said, I dare neither associate with, nor compare myself to those who are full of self commendation.-Some think this to be an ironical speech. But they measuring themselves by themselves] They are not sent of God; they are not inspired by his Spirit; there fore they have no rule to think or act by. They are also full of pride and self-conceit; they look within themselves for accomplishments which their self-love will soon find out; for, to it, real and fictitious are the same. As they dare not compare themselves with the true apostles of Christ, they compare themselves with each other; and, as they have no perfect standard, they can have no excellence; nor can they ever attain true wisdom, which is not to be had from looking at what we are, but to what we should be: and, if without a directory, what we should be will never appear; and consequently, our ig norance must continue. This was the case with the self-conceited false apostles: but, ov avviwow, are not wise, Mr. Wakefield contends, is an elegant Græcism, signifying they are not 13. Things without our measure] There is a great deal of aware that they are measuring themselves by themselves, &c. difficulty in this and the three following verses: and there is a great diversity among the MSS. and which is the true reading can scarcely be determined. Our version is, perhaps, the plainest that can be made of the text. By the mea sure mentioned here, it seems as if the apostle meant the commission he received from God to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles; a measure or district that extended through all Asia Minor and Greece, down to Achaia, where Corinth was situated, a measure to reach even unto you. But the expres sions in these verses are all agonistical, and taken from the stadium or race-course in the Olympic and Isthmian games. The perpov, or measure, was the length of the doouos, or course: and the kavov, rule or line, ver. 15 and 16, was pro bably the same with the ypappa, or white line, which marked out the boundaries of the stadium: and the verbs reach unto, As this subject is so frequently alluded to th stretch out, &c. are all references to the exertions made to win the race. these epistles, I have thought it of importance to consider it particularly in the different places where it occurs. 14. For we stretch not ourselves beyond) We have not proceeded straight from Macedonia, through Thessaly, and across the Adriatic gulf into Italy, which would have led us beyond you westward; but knowing the mind of our God, we left this direct path, and came southward through Greece, down into Achaia; and there we planted the Gospel. The false apostle has therefore got into our province, and entered into our labours; and there boasts as if the conversion of the hea. As there is an allu. then Achaians had been his own work. sion here to the stadium, and to the Olympic games in general; we may consider the apostle as laying to the charge of the disturber at Corinth, that he had got his name surrepti tiously inserted on the military list; that he was not striving lawfully; had no right to the stadium, and none to the crown. See the observations at the end of 1 Cor. ix. and the note on ver. 13. of this chapter. 15. Not boasting of things without our measure] We speak only of the work which God has done by us; for, we have never attempted to enter into other men's labours, and we study to convert those regions assigned to us by the Holy Spirit. We enter the course lawfully; and run according to rule. See above. When your faith is increased] When you receive more of the life and power of godliness; and when you can better spare me to go to other places. We shall be enlarged by you.] Meyaλuvonvat probably sig. nifies here, to be praised or commended; and the sense would be this :-We hope that shortly, on your gaining an increase of true religion, after your long distractions and divisions, you will plainly see that we are the true messengers of God to you; and that in all your intercourse with your neighbours, or to foreign parts, you will speak of this Gospel preached by us, as a glorious system of saving truth; and that in consequence, the heathen countries around you, will be the better prepared to receive our message, and thus, our rule or district will be abundantly extended. This interpretation agrees well with the following verse. 16. To preach the Gospel in the regions beyond you] He 187 The apostle's concern for II. CORINTHIANS. probably refers to those parts of the Morea, such as Sparta, Corinthians, no measure by which God had distributed the the Corinthian church. Corinthians to them as their province, he could do so. We have a measure to reach even to you, ver. 13. (2) That whereas they went out of their line, leaping from one church thens, from Judea through all the interjacent provinces, till to another, he went on orderly, in the conversion of the hea he came to Corinth. (3.) Whereas they only came in and perverted the churches, where the faith had already been preached; and so could only boast of things made ready to their hands, ver. 16. he had laboured to preach the Gospel where Christ had not been named, lest he should build on another man's foundation, Rom. xv. 20. Not to boast in another man's line] So very scrupulous was the apostle not to build on another man's foundation; that he would not even go to those places where other apostles were labouring. He appears to think that every apostle had a particular district or province of the heathen world allotted to him; and which God commissioned him to convert to the Christian faith. No doubt every apostle was influenced in the same way and this was a wise order of God: for by these means the Gospel was more quickly spread through the hea-man his province; and to every man his labour; and would then provinces, than it otherwise would have been. The apostles had deacons or ministers with them, whose business it was to water the seed sown but the apostles alone, under Christ, sowed and planted. 17. He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord.] Instead of boasting or exulting, even in your own success in preaching the Gospel, as none can be successful without the especial blessing of God, let God who gave the blessing have the glory. Even the genuine apostle, who has his commission immediately from God himself, takes no praise to himself from the prosperity of his work but gives it all to God. How little cause then have your uncommissioned men to boast, to whom God has assigned no province; and who only boast in another man's line of things made ready to their hands! 18. Not he that commendeth himself] Not the person who makes a parade of his own attainments; who preaches himself, and not Christ Jesus the Lord; and far from being your servant for Christ's sake, affects to be your ruler; not such a one shall be approved of God, by an especial blessing on his labours; but he whom the Lord commendeth, by giving him the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit; and convert ing the heathen by his ministry. These were qualifications, to which the false apostle at Corinth could not pretend. He had language, and eloquence, and show, and parade; but he had neither the gifts of an apostle, nor an apostle's success. 1. Dr. Whitby observes, that the apostle, in the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th verses, endeavours to advance himself above the false apostles in the three following particulars. (1.) That whereas they could show no commission to preach to the 2. We find that from the beginning, God appointed to every not suffer even one apostle to interfere with another. This was a very wise appointment; for by this the Gospel was not only more speedily diffused over the heathen nations, as tended to, the Christian doctrine preserved in its purity, and we have already remarked, but the churches were better atthe Christian discipline properly enforced. man's work is no man's in particular: and thus the work is neglected. In every church of God, there should be some What is any one who has the care of it; who may be properly called its pastor; and who is accountable for its purity in the faith, and its godly discipline. assured of his call to the work; without this, he can labour 3. Every man who ministers in holy things, should be well ful to watch over the flock, that no destroying wolf be per neither with confidence nor comfort. And he should be caremitted to enter the sacred fold; and that the fences of a boly discipline be kept in proper repair. thrust himself into other men's labours, and by sowing doubtful disputations among a Christian people, distract and divide 4. It is base, abominable, and deeply sinful for a man to them, that he may get a party to himself. Such persons ge nerally act as the false apostle at Corinth, preach a relaxed morality place great stress upon certain doctrines which flatter and sooth self-love; calumniate the person, system of doctrines, and mode of discipline of the pastor who perhaps hated that church; or who, in the order of God's providence in all ages of the church; there is at present much of it in the Christian world; and Christianity is disgraced by it. the oversight of it. This is an evil that has prevailed much CHAPTER XI. The apostle apologizes for expressing his jealousy relative to the true state of the Corinthians; still fearing lest their minds should have been drawn aside from the simplicity of the Gospel, 1-3. From this he takes occasion to extol his own ministry, which had been without charge to them, having been supported by the churches of Macedonia while be preached the Gospel at Corinth, 4-11. Gives the character of the false apostles, 12-15. boast of secular advantages of birth, education, divine call to the ministry, labours in that ministry, grievous persers. tions, great sufferings, and extraordinary hazards, 16-33. [A. M. 4061. A. D. 57. A. U. C. 810. An. Imp. Neronis Cæs. 4.1 Shows what reasons he has to W YOULD to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from and indeed bear with me. the simplicity that is in Christ. 2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy for d I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you (as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve a Ver. 16. Ch.5.13-b Or, ye do bear with me.-e Gal.4.17, IS.--d Hos. 2. 19, 2. Cor. 4.15.-e Col. 1.28-f Lev.21.13. NOTES.-Verse 1. Would to God you could bear with me] Opedov neixede pov pikov as the word God is not men. tioned here, it would have been much better to have transla ted the passage literally thus; I wish you could bear a little with me. The too frequent use of this sacred name, produces a familiarity with it that is not at all conducive to reverence and godly fear. In my folly] In my seeming folly, for being obliged to vindicate his ministry, it was necessary that he should speak much of himself, his sufferings, and his success. And as this would appear like boasting; and boasting is always the effect of an empty, foolish mind, those who were not acquainted, with the necessity that lay upon him to make this defence, might be led to impute it to vanity. As if he had said-Sup. pose you allow this to be folly, have the goodness to bear with me: for though I glory, I should not be a fool, ch. xii. 6. And let no man think me a fool for my boasting, ch. xi. 16. 2. I am jealous over you, &c.] The apostle evidently alludes either to the D shoshabinim or paranymphs among the Hebrews, whose office is largely explained in the notes on John iii. 29. and the observations at the end of that chapter; or to the harmosyni, a sort of magistrates among the Lacedemonians, who had the care of virgins, and whose business it was to see them well educated, kept pure, and properly prepared for married life. That I may present you as a chaste virgin] The allusion is still kept up; and there seems to be a reference to Lev. xxi. 14. that the high-priest must not marry any one that was not a pure virgin. Here, then, Christ is the high-priest, the spouse or husband: the Corinthian church the pure virgin to be espoused: the apostle and his helpers the shoshabinim, or harmosyni, who had educated and prepared this virgin for her husband, and espoused her to him. See the observations already referred to, at the end of the third chapter of John. 3. As the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty) This is a strong reflection on the false apostle and his teaching he was subtle, avovpyos, and by his subtilty, wavovpyta, from 188 have not preached; or if ye receive another spirit which ye Gen.3.4. John 8.44-b Eph.6.24. Col. 24, 8, 18. 1 Tim.1.3&4.1. He21 2 Pet. 3, 17-1 Gal. 1.7,9.-k Or, with ine. nav, all, and epyov, work, his versatility of character and conduct, his capability of doing all work; and accommodating himself to the caprices, prejudices, and evil propensities of those to whom he ministered: he was enabled to corrupt the minds of the people from the simplicity of the Gospel of Christ; or, to follow the metaphor, he had seduced the pure. allegiance to her one and only true husband, the High-priest chuste, well educated virgin, from her duty, affection, and Jesus Christ And here he seems to intimate that the serpent bad seduced the mind of Eve from her affections and allegi ance to Adam, her true husband; and certainly from God, ber creator and governor. See at the end of the chapter. St. Paul had left Corinth. more powerfully, than that Jesus whom I have preached lieving in this new Saviour, ye receive another spirit, the Or ye receive another spirit] And if in consequence of be gifts, graces, and consolations of which are greater than those which ye have received from the Holy Ghost, which has been given to you, on your believing on the Christ whom we preached. advantages, and stronger excitements to holiness, than that Or another Gospel] Containing more privileges, spiritual might well bear with him. This would be a sufficient reason which we have preached, and which ye have accepted, ye why you should not only bear with him, but prefer him to me. might well bear with ME; notwithstanding he brought you Others think that the last clause should be rendered ye another Jesus, Spirit, and Gospel, ye might bear with me, who have already ministered so long to, and done so much for you. But the former sense seems best. ministered the Spirit, explained and enforced the doctrines 5. I was not-behind the very chiefest apostles] That is, the most eminent of the apostles have not preached Christ, of the Gospel in a more powerful and effectual manner then I have done' The apostle preached the CHAPTER XI. 5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles. 6 But though I be rude in speech, yet not " in knowledge; but we have been thoroughly made manifest ainong you in all things. 7 Have I committed an offence P in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the Gospel of God freely 3 SI robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service. 9 And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself. 10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia. Gospel without charge from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, trans- 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also he 16 d I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, 21 I speak as concerning reproach, I as though we had been propose to continue to act thus? is it because I love you not? and will not permit you to contribute to my support. God 12. But what I do, &c.] I act thus, that I may cut off occa knoweth to the contrary: I do most affectionately love you. sion of glorying, boasting, or calumniating, from them, the false apostle and his partizans; who seek occasion; who would in some sort vindicate them, who exact much from you; for be glad that I should become chargeable to you, that it might they bring you into bondage, and devour you, ver. 20. Nothing could mortify these persons more than to find that the apostle did take nothing, and was resolved to take nothing; while they were fleecing the people. It is certain that the pas sage is not to be understood, as though the false apostles took nothing from the people, to whatever disinterestedness they might pretend: for the apostle is positive on the contrary; and he was determined to act so that his example should not authorize these deceivers, who had nothing but their self-interest in view, from exacting contribution from the people; so that if they continued to boast, they must be bound even as the apostle, taking nothing for their labours; which could never comport with their views of gain and secular profit. 13. For such are false apostles] Persons who pretend to be apostles, but have no mission from Christ. Deceitful workers] They do preach and labour, but they have nothing but their own emolument in view. Transforming themselves] Assuming as far as they possibly can, consistently with their sinister views, the habit, manner, and doctrine of the apostles of Christ. 14. And no marvel] Kai ov Oavpasov, and no wonder; it need not surprise you what the disciples do, when you consi der the character of the master. Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.] As in ver. 3. the apostle had the history of the temptation and fall of man, particularly in view, it is very likely that here he refers to the same thing. In whatever form Satan appeared to our first mother, his pretensions and professions gave him the appearance of a good angel; and by pretending that Eve should get a great increase of light, that is, wisdom and understanding, he deceived her, and led her to transgress. It is generally said that Satan has three forms under which he tempts men:-1. The subtle serpent, 2. The roaring lion. 3. The angel of light. He often, as the angel of light, persuades men to do things under the name of religion, which are subversive of it. Hence all the persecutions. faggots, and fires of a certain church, under pretence of keeping heresy out of the church: and hence, all the horrors and infernali ties of the inquisition. 2. In the form of heathen persecu tion, like a lion he has ravaged the heritage of the Lord. And, 3. By means of our senses and passions, as the subtle serpent, he is frequently deceiving us, so that often the workings of corrupt nature are mistaken for the operations of the Spirit of God. 15. Whose end shall be according to their works.] A bad way leads to a bad end. The way of sin is the way to hell. 16. Let no man think me a fool] See the note on ver. 1. As the apostle was now going to enter into a particular detail of his qualifications, natural, acquired, and spiritual; and particularly of his labours and sufferings, he thinks it necessary to introduce the discourse once more, as he did ver. 1. 17. I speak it not after the Lord] Were it not for the necessity under which I am laid to vindicate my apostleship, my present glorying would be inconsistent with my Christian profession of humility, and knowing no one after the flesh. 18. Seeing that many glory after the flesh] Boast of exter nal and secular things. 19. Ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wisel A very fine irony. Ye are so profoundly wise, as to be able to discern that I am a fool-Well, it would be dishonourable to you as wise men, to fall out with a fool: you will therefore gladly bear with his impertinence and foolishness, because of your own profound wisdom. 20. For ye suffer] As you are so meek and gentle, as to submit to be brought into bondage, to have your property de189 poured, your goods taken away, yourselves laid in the dust, 55* The apostle's privileges II. CORINTHIANS. 22 Are they Hebrews?" so am I. Are they Israelites? so am 23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, P in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, 9 in deaths oft. and sufferings. 25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thries deep; I "suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the bers, vin perils by mine own countrymen, win perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, is 26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of rob perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 24 Of the Jews, five times received I forty stripes save one. m Phil.3.4.-n Acts 22.3. Rom. 11.1. Phil.9.5.-0 1 Cor. 15.10.-p Acts 9.16,& 20. 23.& 21.11. Ch.6.4.5.-q 1 Cor. 15.31,31,32 Ch.1.9, 10. & 4.11.& 6.9.-r Deu. 25.3. 27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in s Ac. 16.92-t Ac. 14. 19-u Ar.27.41.- Ac.9.23. & 13.50.& 14.5.& 17.5.& 90.34 so that others may exalt themselves over you; yea, and will it right to stop under forty, lest the person who counted should 21.31. & 23.10,11. & 25.3- Acts 14.5.& 19.23-x Acts 20.31. Ch.6.5-yi Car.Lll. bear from those the most degrading indignity; then, of course, make a mistake, and the criminal get more than forty stripes, you will bear with one, who has never insulted, defrauded, which would be injustice; as the law required only forty devoured, taken of you, exalted himself against you, or offer- The manner in which this punishment was inflicted is de ed you any kind of indignity; and who only wishes you to scribed in the Mishna, fol. 22. 2. "The two hands of the cri bear his confident boasting, concerning matters which he can minal are bound to a post, and then the servant of the synasubstantiate. The expressions in this verse, are some evi-gogue either pulls or tears off his clothes, till he leave his dence that the false apostle was a judaizing teacher, suffer, says the apostle, if a man, Karadovλot, bring you into him, on which the servant stands; he holds in his hands a You breast and shoulders bare. A stone or block is placed behind bondage, probably meaning to the Jewish rites and ceremo scourge, made of leather, divided into four tails. He who nies, Gal. iv. 9. ver. 1. If he devour you-as the Pharisees scourges lays one third on the criminal's breast, another third did the patrimony of the widows; and for a pretence made on his right shoulder, and another on his left. The man who long prayers; if a man take of you-exact different contribu- receives the punishment is neither sitting nor standing, but tions; pretendedly for the temple at Jerusalem, &c. If he ex- all the while stooping; and the man smites with all his alt himself-pretending to be of the seed of Abraham; infi- strength, with one hand." The severity of this punishment nitely higher in honour and dignity than all the families of the depends on the nature of the scourge, and the strength of the Gentiles: if he smite you on the face-treat you with indigni- executioner. ty, as the Jews did the Gentiles: considering them only as dogs, and not fit to be ranked with any of the descendants of Jacob. except for enormous offences. But they had scourged the It is also observed, that the Jews did not repeat scourgings, 21. I speak ás concerning reproach] Dr Whitby thus pa- apostle five times; for with those murderers, no quarter raphrases this verse:-"That which I said of smiting you would be given to the disciples, as none was given to the Mas upon the face, I speak as concerning the reproach they cast ter. See Schoettgen. upon you as profane and uncircumcised, whereas they all profess to be a holy nation; as though we had been weak, inferior to them in these things, not able to ascribe to ourselves those advantages as well as they." Howbeit, whereinsoever any is bold, and can justly value himself on these advantages, I am bold also, and can claim the same distinction, though I speak foolishly in setting any value on those things: but it is necessary that Ishould show that such men have not even one natural good that they can boast of beyond me. 22. Are they Hebrews ?] Speaking the sacred language, and reading in the congregation from the Hebrew Scriptures; the same is my own language. Are they Israelites ?] Regularly descended from Jacob, and not from Esau; I am also one. Are they the seed of Abraham ?] Circumcised, and in the bond of the covenant? So am I. I am no proselyte, but I am a Hebrew of the Hebrews, both by father and mother; and can trace my genealogy through the tribe of Benjamin, up to the father of the faithful. 23. Are they ministers of Christ ?] So, we find that these were professors of Christianity and that they were genuine Jews, and such as endeavoured to incorporate both systems; and no doubt to oblige those who had believed, to be circumcised; and this appears to have been the bondage into which they had brought many of the believing Corinthians. I am more] More of a minister of Christ than they are, and have given fuller proofs of it. I have suffered persecution for the cross of Christ, and of the Jews too; and had I preached up the necessity of circumcision, I should have been as free from opposition as these are. In labours more abundant] Far from sitting down to take my ease in a church already gathered in to Christ: I travel incessantly, preach every where, and at all risks, in order to get the heathen brought from the empire of darkness, into the kingdom of God's beloved Son. In stripes above measure] Being beaten by the heathen, who had no particular rule according to which they scourged criminals and we find from Acts xvi. 22, 23. that they beat Paul unmercifully, with many stripes. See the note on the above passage. In prisons more frequent] See Acts xxi. 11. and the whole of the apostle's history; and his long imprisonment, of at least two years, at Rome, Acts xxviii. It does not appear that there is any one instance of a false apostle having been imprisoned for the testimony of Christ; this was a badge of the true apostles. In deaths oft] That is, in the most imminent dangers. See 1 Cor. xv. 31. chap. iv. 11. And see the apostle's history in the Acts. 24. Of the Jews, five times received 1 forty stripes save one.] That is, he was five times scourged by the Jews, whose law, Deut. xxv. 3. allowed forty stripes; but they, pretending to be lenient, and to act within the letter of the law, inflicted but thirty-nine. To except one stripe from the forty, was a very ancient canon among the Jews, as we learn from Josephus, Antiq. lib. iv. ch. viii. sec. 21. who mentions the same thing Any as pias XELTOVONS TEGGаpаKovra, forty stripes, excepting one. The Mishna gives this as a rule, MISH. Maccoth. fol. 22. 10. "How often shall he, the culprit, be smitten? Ans. A forty stripes wanting one: i. e. with the number which is nighest to forty." Frequently a man was Scourged according to his ability to bear the punishment: and it is a canon in the Mishna, "that he who cannot bear forty stripes should receive only eighteen, and yet be considered as having suffered the whole punishment." They also thought 190 Roman government, as their lictors beat criminals in this refers, we cannot tell; it is generally supposed that in some which he took to different places, for the purpose of propaga- rivers; for of rivers, the original rorapov, must be understood. was grievously infested by banditti of this kind: and no doubt the apostle in his frequent peregrinations was often atracked; Of robbers] Judea itself, and perhaps every other country, but being poor, and having nothing to lose, he passed unhurt, though not without great danger. an apostate from the true faith; and also the means of per- he went to preach the Gospel. Several instances of these him, particularly in Jerusalem, to which Ephesus and Da- which he was obliged to pass, in order to reach from city to seas, such as the Mediterranean, about dangerous coasts, and church, pretending faith in Christ, but intending to act as kind were his constant companions. Lord Lyttleton and of all these outward things, I have innumerable troubles, and of business; this insurrection of cases to be heard, solved, |