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AN 
 
 AMERICAN COMMENTARY 
 
 ON THE 
 
 NEW TESTAMENT. 
 
 EDITED BY 
 
 ALVAH HOVEY, D.D., LL.D. 
 
 V 
 
 v.±> 
 
 PHILADELPHIA . 
 AMERICAN BAPTIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY, 
 
 1420 Chestnut Street. 
 
COMMENTARY 
 
 EPISTLES TO THE CORINTHIANS. 
 
 BY 
 
 E. P. GOULD, D. D. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA : 
 
 AMERICAN BAPTIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY, 
 
 1420 Chestnut Street. 
 
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1887, by the 
 
 AMERICAN BAPTIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY, 
 
 in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 
 
INTRODUCTION TO THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE 
 
 CORINTHIANS. 
 
 THE CHURCH AT CORINTH. 
 
 This church was founded by Paul himself, during his second missionary journey. 
 Acts 18 : 1-18. The incidents of that first visit; his dwelling and working with Aquila 
 and Priscilla, and successful reasoning with both Jews and Greeks in the synagogue ; 
 the opposition of the Jews, and Paul's leaving the synagogue, and resorting instead 
 to the house of Justus ; Paul's encouragement by a vision at night, and consequent 
 residence and work in the city, for a year and six months ; the uprising of the Jews 
 against Paul, and Gallio's famous judgment ; and finally, shortly after, his departure — 
 are familiar. No other visit is recorded in Acts, but it is evident from 2 Cor. 12 : 
 14, 21 ; 13 : 1, 2, that Paul came to Corinth again, at some time between the founding 
 of the church, and the writing of the Epistles. After Paul left Corinth, and just be- 
 fore he came to Ephesus, occurred the significant episode of Apollos' powerful preach- 
 ing at Corinth, which occasioned Paul's interesting defence of the simplicity of his own 
 preaching. 
 
 The character of the church was what we might expect. Splendidly situated in the 
 heart of Greece, the city was wealthy and intelligent ; but also corrupt, so as to attract 
 the attention of even the corrupt ancient world. It was the seat of the Isthmian 
 Games, and of the worship of Aphrodite. So the church was intelligent, rich in word 
 and knowledge, but it was also tainted with impurity. And even its intellectual supe- 
 riority proved a snare to it, leading to ambitions, rivalries, and divisions. Out of these 
 two things came the Epistle. 
 
 PROOFS OF PAUL'S AUTHORSHIP. 
 
 There is no need to multiply proofs of this. Nobody doubts it in this critical 
 age. But for external proof, we have, first, the testimony of the Epistle itself, which 
 bears Paul's name. Second, the testimony of Clement of Rome, Polycarp, Irenaeus, 
 Athenagoras, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, and others. For internal evidence, 
 the Epistle corresponds to what we know of the church and of Paul, and its style 
 is unmistakable. 
 
 TIME AND PLACE OF WRITING. 
 
 It appears from 16 : 8, 19, that Paul was in Ephesus ; from 16 : 5, that he was 
 about to go to Macedonia; from 16 : 8, that it was some time before Pentecost; and 
 from 16: 10, 11, that he had sent Timothy to Corinth, but did not know that he 
 had arrived yet. Turning now to the account in Acts, we find from 18 : 19, that 
 Ephesus was the next place to which Paul came, after leaving Corinth ; from 19 : 
 1 seq., that it was also the next place in which he founded a church; from 19: 21, 
 
 5 
 
6 INTRODUCTION TO THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. 
 
 that he was intending to visit Macedonia and Achaia ; from 19 : 22, that he sent 
 Timothy and Erastus to Macedonia ; both these last being in the last part of his 
 stay in Ephesus. He was in Ephesus from A. D. 55-58. And the coincidence of 
 these two accounts points, without doubt, to the conclusion that he wrote this 
 letter near the end of his three years in that city, some time in the year 58. 
 
 OCCASION AND OBJECT OF THE LETTER. 
 
 These, we have to learn from the Epistle itself. Paul tells us that Chloe's people 
 have brought him word of contentions among the members of the church. From 
 1 : 17 — 3 : 23, we learn that this contention ai*ose partly from the preference of one 
 party in the church for the more elaborate and subtle preaching of Apollos, and 
 the disparagement of Paul's simple presentation of the gospel. Again in 5 : 1 seq., 
 Paul speaks of a report brought him of licentiousness, and even of one case of in- 
 cest, among the members of the church. In 5 : 9, he mentions a previous letter, 
 with its instructions about the treatment of fornicators. In 6 : 1 seq., he speaks 
 as if they were going to law with each other. In 7 : 1, he mentions a letter of in- 
 quiry received from them ; and in the chapters following, he specifies the following 
 matters included in this inquiry : first, the desirableness of marriage ; second, the law- 
 fulness of eating things offered to idols ; third, the custom of women praying unveiled ; 
 fourth, the relative value of the charismata, or extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, and 
 especially of prophesying and speaking with tongues. He interjects, 11 : 17 seq., the 
 subject of their disorderly conduct at the celebration of the Supper. And finally he 
 speaks, 15 : 12. of the disbelief of some among them of the Resurrection ; and 16 : 1 
 seq., of the collection for the saints at Jerusalem. The Epistle is intended to instruct 
 the church about these practical matters, and is wholly practical, except the great 
 chapter on the Resurrection. But the range of discussion is wide, and gives scope 
 for the exposition of much underlying and fundamental principle. 
 
 THE TEXT. 
 
 The Greek manuscripts containing this Epistle, either entire or in part, are as 
 follows : 
 
 1. The Vatican Manuscript. This belongs to the Fourth Century, and is generally 
 conceded now to be the most important, as it is the oldest copy of the New Testament. 
 It has for its sign the capital letter B. 
 
 2. Tlie Sinaitic Manuscript. This also belongs to the Fourth Century, and in age 
 and importance, is second only to the Vatican. Its sign is X Aleph, the first letter of 
 the Hebrew alphabet. 
 
 3. The Alexandrian Manuscript, belonging to the Fifth Century. Its sign is the 
 capital letter A. 
 
 4. The Codex Ephraemi, of the Fifth Century. Its sign is the capital letter C. 
 These four are manuscripts of the whole New Testament, though we have only frag- 
 ments of C. They are all authorities of the first rank. 
 
 5. The Codex Claromontanus, containing the Epistles of Paul, and belonging to the 
 Sixth Century. Its sign is the capital letter D. 
 
 6. The Codex Sangermanensis, sign E, of Paul's Epistles, belonging to the Ninth 
 Century. 
 
INTRODUCTION TO THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. 7 
 
 7. The Codex Atigiensis, sign F, of Paul's Epistles, belonging to the Ninth Century. 
 
 8. The Codex Boernerioynus, sign G, of Paul's Epistles, belonging to the Ninth 
 Century. 
 
 9. The Codex Coislinianus, sign H, containing small fragments of 1 Corinthians and 
 other Epistles of Paul. It belongs to to the Sixth Century. 
 
 10. The Codex Petropolitanus, sign I, belonging to the Sixth Century, and con- 
 taining fragments of 1 Corinthians and other parts of the New Testament. 
 
 11. The Codex Mosquensis, sign K, belonging to the Ninth Century, and containing 
 the Catholic Epistles and the Epistles of Paul. 
 
 12. The Codex Angelicus, sign L, of the Ninth Century, containing Paul's, and the 
 Catholic Epistles. 
 
 13. The Codex Porfirianus, sign P, of the Ninth Century, containing the New 
 Testament, except the Gospels. 
 
 Besides these, there are fragments, M, of the Ninth Century, and Q, of the 
 Fifth Century. 
 
 There are also manuscripts in the later, running hand, all of them later than the 
 Tenth Century, and signed with the Arabic numerals, 1, 2, etc. 
 
 Besides the manuscripts, reference is made to the following Ancient Versions. 
 
 1. The Old Latin, commonly called the Itala. It belongs probably to the Second 
 Century. It exists in some thirty MSS., or more or less independent forms, among 
 which the following contain the Epistles of Paul, viz., d, e, f, g, which are the Latin 
 Versions of the MSS., D, E, F, G, cited above, and m. The sign of the Version 
 itself, is — it. These small letters are the signs of the MSS. of the Itala. 
 
 2. The Latin Version of Jerome, commonly called the Vulgate, belonging to the 
 Fourth Century. Its sign is vulg. 
 
 3. The Old Syriac Version, styled the Peschito, belonging to the Second Century. 
 Its sign is syr ntr . 
 
 4. The later Syriac Version, called the Philoxenian Syriac, belonging to the Sixth, 
 and the revision to the Seventh Century. Its sign is syr p . When the two Syriac Ver- 
 sions are quoted together, the sign is syr ntr . 
 
 5. The Egyptian Version, belonging to Lower Egypt, dating back to the Second, or 
 Third Century. Its sign is cop. 
 
 6. Tlie Egyptian Version, belonging to Upper Egypt. Its sign is sah. 
 
 Of the above authorities, the manuscripts rank first, in nearly the order of their 
 age, and the versions last, also in about the order of their age. 
 
THE FIRST EPISTLE OF 
 
 PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 PAUL, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through 
 the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother. 
 
 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 1-3. Salutation. 4-9. Thanksgiving for 
 the graces of the church, and specially for its 
 gift of knowledge and speech. 10-16. Ex- 
 hortation to harmony, in view of the schisms 
 in the church. This is urged on the ground 
 thuc schisms divide Christ (ver. is), and that 
 party leaders are made to usurp the place of 
 Christ. 17-31. Defence of the simplicity 
 with which Paul preaches the gospel. The 
 general principle of the defence is the antag- 
 onism of the gospel and of the wisdom of the 
 world, so that the mixture of them in preach- 
 ing destroj's its real power, (ver. n seq.). This 
 antagonism is shown in ver. 19 seq., hy God's 
 bringing to nought the wisdom of the world 
 (rer.22 seq.) ; by the failure of the gospel to meet 
 the two great tests of a revelation, established 
 by man, while it is in fact God's power and 
 wisdom for salvation; and ver. 26 seq., by the 
 omission from God's call to his kingdom of 
 the wise and great of this world. Finally 
 God is represented (ver. 29-31) as setting himself 
 against the assumptions of human wisdom 
 and self-confidence, and' making their re- 
 demption proceed from himself in Christ. 
 
 Ch. 1 : 1. Paul. The name applied to the 
 apostle at the beginning of his work as the 
 Apostle to the Gentiles. See Acts 13: 9. The 
 most probable explanation of his two names, is 
 that they were given to him at the beginning 
 by his parents; the Hebrew name on account 
 of his Hebrew origin, and the Gentile (Roman) 
 name on account of his birth and residence 
 among Gentiles. The Gentile name was most 
 appropriate to his work among Gentiles, and 
 was used therefore when that work began. 
 Instead of supposing, as some have, that it 
 was assumed by Paul on account of his con- 
 nection with Sergius Paulus (Aot« is), its men- 
 tion in that place is more easily explained on 
 the supposition that the coincidence of names 
 
 suggests the fact of the second name to the 
 writer. (Cf. Hackett on Acts 13: 9.) Called 
 to be an apostle. This refers to the divine 
 call at the time of his conversion. (See Acts 
 9: 6, 15; 22: 14, 15; 26: 16-18.) The word 
 'apostle' means a messenger, and is applied 
 strictly only to those directly commissioned 
 and authorized by the Lord himself as the 
 messengers of his gospel. This apostolic au- 
 thority was frequently denied to the apostle 
 on account of hostility to his doctrine, and 
 probably for this reason, it is usually formally 
 stated in the Introduction of his Epistles. The 
 form of the statement is generally the same 
 as here, simply an apostle of Jesus Christ 
 through the will of God. But in the 
 Epistle to the Galatians, among whom this 
 authority had been especially attacked in the 
 interest of Judaizing doctrine, Paul elabo- 
 rates the proof of his apostleship. The order 
 should be Christ Jesus. See Crit. Notes at end 
 of chapter. 'Jesus' is the personal name of 
 the Lord, and means Saviour. (Cf. Matt. 1 : 21. ) 
 'Christ' was at first an official title, mean- 
 ing Messiah, the Anointed; but it became 
 afterwards a personal name. Through the 
 will of God. The statement that the call 
 came through, instead of by, or from, the will 
 of God, is singular; but it is the common 
 phraseology of the apostle. (Cf.2Cor.l: 1 ; Eph. 
 1:1; Col. 1:1; 2 Tim. 1 : 1. See Winer, p. 378.) 
 It needs to be said in addition that this is 
 really the principal cause, the ultimate source 
 of the act, which cannot certainly be traced 
 further back than the will of God. Neither 
 is this a case in which the cause and the agent 
 or instrument are the same, the latter being 
 expressly Christ. The usage is the same as 
 when we say that a thing is done through 
 the influence of any one. Sosthenes our 
 brother — t. e., in Christ. Nothing further is 
 certainly known of him. He is probably not 
 the Sosthenes of Acts 18: 12 seq. Eusebius 
 says that he was one of the seventy disciples. 
 See Smith's 'Bible Dictionary,' Art. Sos* 
 
 9 
 
10 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. I. 
 
 2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to 
 them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be 
 saints, with all that in every place call upon the name 
 of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: 
 
 3 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, 
 and/row the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 2 the will of God, and Sosthenes Jour brother, unto 
 the church of God which is at Corinth, even them 
 that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, 
 with all that call upon the name of our Lord Jesus 
 
 3 Christ in every place, their Lord and ours: Grace to 
 you and peace from God our Father and the Lord 
 Jesus Christ. 
 
 1 Gr. the brother. 
 
 thenes. He is evidently associated with Paul 
 only in the Salutation, as the Epistle proper is 
 continued in the first person singular. 
 
 2. Unto the church of God. This is an 
 expression peculiar to Paul. (Cf. Acts 20: 28; 
 ch. 10: 32; 11: 22; etc.) It denotes the 
 church as belonging to God. To them that 
 are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to 
 be saints. These clauses show what the 
 members of the church are, the first denoting 
 their spiritual position, and the second the 
 source of that in the call of God. A sancti- 
 fied person, or saint, in the sense in which the 
 terms are used here, is one consecrated to 
 God, and having the holiness that this conse- 
 cration demands. Sanctification is not here 
 the gradual process that the word denotes in 
 our theological language, but the change 
 from sin to holiness which takes place at 
 conversion. For a similar use, cf. Acts 26: 
 18; ch. 6: 11, etc. Neither does saint denote 
 an extraordinary degree of holiness ; but it is a 
 term applied to all Christians. Called. The 
 call here is that issued by God in the inner 
 recesses of the soul, which results in conver- 
 sion; that by virtue of which men become 
 Christians, and is not therefore common to 
 them with other men. In Christ Jesus. 
 This state of holy consecration has been 
 brought about by virtue of spiritual con- 
 nection with Christ. With all that in every 
 place, etc. There is no limitation expressed 
 here; but not to limit these words in some 
 way would make this a catholic or general 
 Epistle, which it evidently is not; the local 
 coloring and design being stronger than in 
 most of the Epistles; and we have to find, 
 therefore, the limitation that was probably in 
 the apostle's mind. Nor can the words be 
 explained as referring to Christians in Corinth 
 outside of the church, as there is the most 
 conclusive evidence that there were no such 
 independent Christians in any place con- 
 taining a church. The most probable expla- 
 nation is reached by comparing this with the 
 address of the Second Epistle, where the 
 apostle says, " To the church of God that is in 
 
 Corinth, with all the saints that are in all 
 Achaia." The Christians in the province are 
 included with those of the mother-church in 
 the capital. Call upon the name of Jesus 
 Christ our Lord. 'Christ' is here repre- 
 sented as invoked in prayer by the disciples, 
 and this is given as their characteristic mark. 
 'Lord' is also to be taken in the connection 
 as a divine title, though the word has other 
 uses. Theirs and ours. Both is probably 
 to be omitted. (See Crit. Notes.) The order in 
 the original is, with all that call on the name 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ, in every place, 
 theirs and ours ; and these last words there- 
 fore belong with 'place,' not with 'Lord.' 
 Their meaning and reference are difficult to 
 explain. But when we consider the peculiar 
 subtlety of the apostle's style, Meyer's expla- 
 nation does not seem unnatural, and is on the 
 whole the best. According to this, the first 
 pronoun refers to the Corinthian Church, and 
 the second to himself and those associated 
 with him in preaching the gospel, such as 
 Sosthenes. These other places containing 
 Christian communities belonged to the Cor- 
 inthian Church as the mother church, and to 
 himself and his associates, as the first preachers 
 of the gospel in Achaia. 
 
 3. Grace and peace. These words are 
 the ordinary apostolic benediction. Paul 
 uses them at the beginning of all his Epistles, 
 inserting 'mercy' between them in the pas- 
 toral Epistles. He employs 'grace' alone at 
 the close of all. They are also used in 1 and 
 2 Peter, 2 John, and Kev. The first means 
 favor; the favor of God toward men, which is 
 its fundamental meaning in the New Testa- 
 ment. (Cf. Luke 2: 52.) Its primary meaning 
 in the Greek is beauty, either of person or of 
 character. Whilo its more specific sense here 
 is favor, grace is the better rendering, as 
 covering nearly the same ground in its dif- 
 ferent meanings as the Greek word. The 
 second word is a translation of the Hebrew 
 salutation shalom, which has the general 
 meaning welfare, prosperity. Whether in 
 this Christian salutation it is to be taken in 
 
Ch. I.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 11 
 
 4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace 
 of God which "is given you by Jesus Christ; 
 
 5 That in everything ye are enriched by him, in all 
 utterance, and in all knowledge; 
 
 6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in 
 you: 
 
 7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for th^' 
 coming of our Lord Jesus Christ : 
 
 4 I thank 1 uiy God always concerning you, for the 
 grace of Gud which was given you in Christ Jesus; 
 
 5 that in every thing ye were enriched in him, in all 
 
 6 'utterance and all knowledge; even as the testimony 
 
 7 of Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye come lie- 
 hind in no gift; waiting for the revelation of our 
 
 1 Some ancient authorities omit, my 2 Gr. word. 
 
 this broad sense, or in the more limited sense 
 peace of the Greek word, is a matter of some 
 doubt. But the former is probable on the 
 whole, so that in this salutation there is 
 invoked on the persons addressed the favor 
 of God, and the corresponding welfare of all 
 kinds resulting from it. From God our 
 Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 The former is the ultimate, the latter the 
 immediate source of these blessings, the one 
 through whose redemptive work they come. 
 See ver. 4. 
 
 4. My God. This is an instance of the 
 apostle's delicacy of feeling, the sympathetic 
 quality so conspicuous in all his Epistles. He 
 identifies himself with his readers, and thanks 
 his God for favor bestowed on them, his chil- 
 dren in the Lord. For the grace of God. 
 See on ver. 3. By Jesus Christ — should be, 
 'in Christ Jesus.' It is in Christ, through 
 their connection with him, not alone and in- 
 dependent of him, that God bestows his favor. 
 
 5. That in everything ye are enriched 
 by him — should be, you were enriched in 
 him. Their enrichment again comes by vir- 
 tue of their connection with Christ. This is 
 the statement of the general blessing given 
 the Corinthian Church in manifestation of the 
 grace of God, ver. 4. They were every way 
 made rich by it. In all utterance and in 
 all knowledge — should be, in every word and 
 every knowledge. The absence of the article 
 in the original renders the expression dis- 
 tributive, viz., every kind of word and knowl- 
 edge. This enrichment in word and knowl- 
 edge is the special blessing given the church, 
 and it denotes the knowledge of the gospel 
 and the power of expressing that knowledge, 
 gifts naturally adapted to the bright and 
 intelligent Greeks. This word of commenda- 
 tion and thanks to God for what there is to 
 commend in them, the apostle introduces 
 with his usual kindliness and tact before pro- 
 ceeding to the severer parts of his letter. 
 
 6. The testimony of Christ. That is, the 
 
 testimony in regard to Christ, who is here the 
 person to whom the testimony is borne, not 
 the witness. Was continued in you. Bet- 
 ter, was made firm in you; denoting the firm- 
 ness with which the testimony was established 
 or fixed in them at the beginning. In con- 
 nection with the preceding it means that the 
 Corinthian Church was conspicuous for its 
 knowledge and skillful utterance of the testi- 
 mony in regard to Jesus, as was to be expected 
 from the solid hold which it originally got on 
 their minds. 
 
 7. So that ye come behind in no gift. 
 
 The verb here is probably to be translated you 
 are lacking or deficient, as this sense preserves 
 the contrast witli the enriching spoken of in 
 ver. 5. In no gift. This word charisma has 
 for its root the word translated grace in ver. 
 3 and 4, and it means a manifestation of the 
 divine grace or favor, "a benefit which one 
 receives from God without any merit of his 
 own." It is used either of the general spir- 
 itual gifts to Christians, or of the special mi- 
 raculous gifts of the early church. See Kom. 
 1 : 1 1 ; 5: 15 seq. ; 6 : 23 ; 1 Cor. 7:7; and ch. 
 12: 4, 9, 28, etc. In this Epistle we should 
 rather expect the latter, as these gifts form an 
 important topic of it. But it is difficult to see 
 how anything so specific should be suggested 
 by ver. 4-6, nor, on the other hand, how to 
 connect the words in this sense with the patient 
 waiting for the Lord which follows. It prob- 
 ably means, therefore, that the Corinthians, 
 being enriched in everything, are deficient in 
 no spiritual gift. Waiting for — "assiduously 
 and patiently," the Lexicon says. The com- 
 ing — should be, the revelation, referring to the 
 second coming of the Lord. (See Tit. 2: 11- 
 14; 1 Thess. 5: 4-8.) These passages tell us 
 how this expectancy of the Lord's coming 
 steadied and strengthened the Christian life, 
 and probably here it is introduced as the mo- 
 tive by which they were kept from anything 
 that would impoverish their spiritual life and 
 cause a deficiency in any gift. 
 
12 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. I. 
 
 8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye 
 may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the 
 fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 
 
 10 Now I bese ch you, brethren, by the name of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and 
 thtil there be no divisions among you; hut that ye be 
 perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the 
 same judgment. 
 
 8 Lord Jesus Christ; who shall also confirm you unto 
 the end, that ye be unreprovable in the day of our 
 
 9 Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, through whom 
 ye were called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus 
 Christ our Lord. 
 
 10 Now I beseech you, brethren, through the name 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same 
 thing, and that there be no divisions among you; 
 but that ye he perfected together in the same mind 
 
 8. Who. This refers to Christ, the immediate 
 and suitable antecedent of the pronoun. Ob- 
 jection has been made to this, that if Christ 
 were the one referred to, we should have his 
 day, instead of day of the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, at the close of the verse. But the pro- 
 noun is then supposed to refer back to God in 
 ver. 4, which is too far to look for the refer- 
 ence of the relative pronoun, overlooking so 
 much that lies between. And besides, in ver. 
 4 we have the same repetition of the noun, ' I 
 thank my God for the grace of God,' instead of 
 for his grace, against which the same objec- 
 tion would hold. Also con firm you unto 
 the end. The verb here is the same as in 
 ver. 6, and the two statements are probably 
 connected in the apostle's thought. The 
 truth of Christ was firmly fixed in them at 
 the beginning, and to that blessing Christ will 
 add that of establishing them to the very end. 
 Cf. Phil. 1:6. It also connects itself with 
 ver. 7 by its mention of the day of the Lord. 
 Blameless — literally, unaccused, denoting one 
 against whom no charge can be brought. The 
 adjective does not denote a purpose, as in our 
 version, 'that ye may be blameless,' as this 
 relation would have to be expressed by some 
 particle ; nor does it denote the position in 
 which they we~e to be established, in which 
 case it would read blameless until the day, 
 etc. ; but the result in the day of the Lord of 
 that establishing is expressed, so as to be 
 blameless in the day, etc. In the day of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ. This is the day of his 
 revelation (ver. 7). (See Luke, 17: 24, 26, 30; 
 Rom. 2: 16; ch. 5: 5; 2 Cor. 1: 14, etc.) It 
 is introduced here as the day of judgment, for 
 which they are to be so kept as to appear be- 
 fore the Judge without accusation against 
 them. Of course, this statement is compara- 
 tive, not absolute. (See Col. 1: 22; 1 Tim. 3: 
 10; Tit. 1 : 6, 7.) Notice, too, that it is by the 
 preservation of the believer's righteous char- 
 acter, not by any act of imputation, that this 
 result is to be achieved. (See Col. 1 : 21-23.) 
 
 9. This verse gives the ground of the apos- 
 
 tle's confidence in the preservation and final 
 acquittal of his Christian disciples, viz., the 
 faithfulness of God. (Cf. John 6: 39, 40; 1 
 Thess. 5: 23, 24; 2 Thess. 3: 3.) It is of the 
 very essence of the Christian hope that it is 
 everlasting, and God's faithfulness is therefore 
 pledged to the continuance of the true Chris- 
 tian life. By whom — literally, through whom. 
 This is represented as God's own act, of which 
 it can be said, therefore, either 'by whom' or 
 'through whom.' Called. See ver. 2, Note. 
 Fellowship. This word means community; 
 and the word following it may denote either 
 that of which one partakes in common with 
 others, or those with whom he is associated. 
 The former use is, on the whole, the common 
 one in the New Testament. Cf. 2 Cor. 8 : 4 ; 13 : 
 14; Eph. 3:9; Phil. 2: 1; 3: 10; Philem. 6; 
 and this use is to be preferred here, viz., par- 
 ticipation in Christ, not with Christ. The 
 apostle's thought is of blessings in Christ, 
 and to be obtained by union with him ; not of 
 external blessings to be obtained by associa- 
 tion with him, as when we are called fellow- 
 heirs with him. Cf. ver. 4, 'the grace given 
 in Christ Jesus,' and ver. 5, 'enriched in 
 him.' 
 
 10. "With this verse, the apostle passes 
 over to his first topic — the divisions among 
 them. But he makes the transition easy by 
 connecting this with the preceding. In the 
 first place, the words ' our Lord Jesus Christ' 
 have occurred so frequently as to become the 
 refrain of the preceding paragraph ; and now 
 they are brought over into this contrasted 
 part of the Epistle with great effect, as if he 
 had said : "There are duties as well as hopes 
 connected with this great name." Then, too, 
 the special gift of the Corinthian Christians, 
 for which he had thanked his God, was their 
 skillful speech (ver. 5), and now the special 
 duty that he enjoins is harmonious speech. 
 I beseech you, brethren, by the name of 
 our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak 
 the same thing. Now, at the beginning 
 of the verse, is better translated but, to indi- 
 
Ch. L] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 13 
 
 11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my 
 brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that 
 there are contentions among you. 
 
 12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am 
 of Paul ; and I of Apollos ; and I of Cephas ; and I of 
 Christ. 
 
 11 and in the same judgment. For it hath been signi- 
 fied unto me concerning you, brethren, by them 
 who are of the household of Chloe, that there are con- 
 
 12 tentions among yon. Now this 1 mean, that each 
 one of you saith, I am of Paul; and 1 of Apollos; 
 
 cate this contrast. 'By the name,' better, 
 through the name. It is through this name 
 that he expects to make his appeal effective. 
 This use of the word 'name' is mainly a 
 Hebrew usage, and stands for the person or 
 thing itself; or rather for every thing belong- 
 ing to it which is conjured up by the mention 
 of the name. Divisions. In the original, 
 this is our word schisms. Their differences 
 of opinion had led to party divisions among 
 them. Perfectly joined together. This 
 verb means to get a thing ready, to com- 
 plete it, and is used to denote either the 
 completing of a thing for the first time, 
 or the restoration to completeness of that 
 which has been impaired ; and so in the 
 passive, either to be perfected, or restored. 
 The former is the meaning here, as the latter 
 would require the preposition into instead of 
 in — that you be perfected in the same mind, 
 etc. These schisms are regarded not as mar- 
 ring their complete harmony, in which case, 
 Paul's prayer would be that you may be re- 
 stored into the same mind ; but as interrupting 
 their progress to complete harmony; and his 
 prayer is that the interrupted process may go 
 on and be perfected. Judgment is better 
 rendered opinion. 
 
 11. For it hath been declared — should 
 be, it was declared. By them which are 
 of the house of Chloe. Our version adds 
 here what is doubtful — viz., that these persons 
 belonged to the household of Chloe. Winer 
 says (" N. T. Grammar," p. 190) that it means 
 " Chloe s people. A more definite explana- 
 tion must be supplied by the facts of the 
 case. Perhaps we should here understand, 
 with most expositors, the members of the 
 household. Others understand the slaves. 
 To the original readers, the expression was 
 clear." (But only because they knew the 
 facts.) Neither is it certain where Chloe be- 
 longed. She may have been an Ephesian, 
 who had been on a visit to Corinth, and had 
 brought back this word ; or a Corinthian, who 
 had come to Ephesus. 
 
 12. Now this I say — viz., in explanation 
 of the statement just made, this is what I say, 
 
 or I say this. I am of Paul ; and I of 
 Apollos. The nature of these two parties is 
 easily gathered from what Paul goes on to 
 say. They were founded on mere personal 
 differences, and preferences, not on doctrinal 
 divisions. Paul had founded the church, 
 while Apollos had contributed largely towards 
 building it up. Besides, Paul's discourse was 
 plain; while Apollos attracted many by his 
 eloquence and learning. These were the 
 things, and not doctrinal beliefs and differ- 
 ences, which separated these two parties from 
 each other. Probably, however, it was differ- 
 ent with the party calling itself by the name 
 of Cephas (the Hebrew equivalent of Peter). 
 The apostle does not give us any further in- 
 formation about this party, but probably it 
 was the Judaizing sect in the church, which 
 called itself by the name of the apostle of the 
 circumcision. Not that Peter actually headed 
 any such party, or allowed any such use of 
 his name; but naturally, in arraying itself 
 against the authority of Paul, this party 
 claimed the authority and leadership of an 
 apostle, and Peter's was the most specious 
 name that they could use. It scarcely seems 
 possible that this great schism of the early 
 church should not be found in a church of 
 so many factions. But we encounter the most 
 difficulty in accounting for the last faction, 
 whose party word was Christ. Without 
 going into the various explanations, we will 
 consider the one that seems on the whole most 
 probable. How would the name of Christ be 
 used most naturally in such controversies as 
 these? We have no record of any sect using 
 his name as the Judaizers used those of Peter 
 and James, and their opponents that of Paul ; 
 nor of any party claiming to be his personal 
 disciples, and setting up his claims, as the 
 Corinthian factions did with Paul and Apol- 
 los. It seems, then, as if the only use that 
 could be made of the name of Christ in the 
 midst of such dissensions, would be to protest 
 against partisanship in the name of the com- 
 mon Lord. This party probably said : "You 
 call yourselves disciples of this man and that 
 man. We are no man's disciples but the 
 
14 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. I. 
 
 13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or 
 were ye baptized in the naiue of Paul? 
 
 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, but 
 Crispus and Gains; 
 
 15 Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine 
 own name. 
 
 1G And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: 
 besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. 
 
 13 and I of Cephas ; and I of Christ. > Is Christ divided ? 
 was Paul crucified for you? or were ye kiptized into 
 
 14 the name of Paul? II thank God that I baptized 
 
 15 none of you, save Crispus and Gaius; lest any man 
 
 16 should say that ye were baptized into my name. 
 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: ue- 
 
 1 Or, Christ is divided. Was Paul crucified far you t i Some ancient authorities read, I give thanks that. 
 
 Lord's; we belong to Christ." How, then, 
 are these men open to the charge which the 
 apostle evidently brings against all these par- 
 ties alike, if their action was against partisan- 
 ship? Evidently, the only ground of such a 
 charge would be that they made a fourth 
 party, based on their opposition to partisan- 
 ship, and so increased the evil which they 
 opposed. Their principle was right, as was 
 that of the Pauline party against the Apolline 
 and the Petrine; but the difficulty was in 
 making it the basis of party division in the 
 church ; in other words, of sectarianism. 
 
 13. Is Christ divided? There is no inter- 
 rogative particle at the beginning of this sen- 
 tence in the original, as there is in the follow- 
 ing sentence. The absence of the particle is 
 not decisive of the question whether it is to be 
 taken interrogatively, but taken in connection 
 with the insertion of it in the next sentence, 
 the omission makes it at least probable that 
 this sentence is affirmative. Christ has been 
 divided! The apostle indignantly declares 
 as the result of this introduction of parties and 
 party names into the church that Christ, who 
 is the head of the one church, has been made 
 thus the head of parties in a divided church, 
 and so has himself been divided. Was Paul 
 crucified for you? or were ye baptized in 
 (rather, into) the name of Paul ? These 
 questions open another phase of the argument, 
 which is more fully developed in chapters 3 
 and 4, viz., that by making Paul or any other 
 man the head of a party, and calling them- 
 selves by his name, men put him in the place 
 of Christ, who is their only legitimate leader, 
 and the only one by whose name Christians 
 have a right to call themselves. The cruci- 
 fixion was that by which Christ established 
 his claim on them. But had Paul established 
 any such claim ? was Paul crucified for them ? 
 Baptism was their public recognition of this 
 claim. But had they recognized any such 
 claim of Paul? were they baptized into the 
 name of Paul? "To baptize into the name 
 
 of a person," says Grimm ('N. T. Lexicon,' 
 article bvoixa, name), "is by baptism to bind 
 one to the recognition and profession of the 
 dignity and authority of another." On the 
 use of the word 'name,' see on ver. 2. 
 
 14. I thank God (on word ' God' see Crit. 
 Notes). The apostle recognizes a providential 
 interference to prevent it. I baptized none 
 of you, but Crispus and Gaius. If he had 
 been intending any such irregular baptism, it 
 would have been natural and necessary for 
 him to administer it himself. And just so far, 
 therefore, the fact that he did not baptize re- 
 moved the chance that any one would suppose 
 him to have baptized into his own name. 
 'Crispus' was ruler of the Jewish synagogue 
 at Corinth at the time of Paul's visit there, 
 and was baptized with his family. See Acts 
 18: 8. It is probable from our passage that 
 Paul himself baptized only Crispus, not his 
 family. 'Gaius.' This brother Paul calls the 
 host of himself and of the whole church at 
 Corinth (Rom. 16: &) • and Gaius sends a mes- 
 sage to the Roman Church. 
 
 15. Lest any one should say — literally, 
 that no one may say. He regards this as the 
 divine purpose in preventing his baptizing in 
 person. That I had baptized in my own 
 name, should be, that you were baptized into 
 my name. (See Crit. Notes.) 
 
 16. And I baptized also the household 
 of Stephanas. This addition to his list 
 occurs to him after his previous statement. 
 'Stephanas' is mentioned elsewhere only in 
 16: 15-17, where he is spoken of as the first- 
 fruits of Achaiaand worthy of special honor. 
 These prominent persons Paul had baptized 
 himself. The baptism of all the rest he had 
 left to his associates, reserving himself for the 
 more important work of preaching; just as 
 Christ is said not to have baptized himself, 
 but his disciples. (John 4: 2). Besides, I know 
 not, etc. By these words he guards against 
 his statement being taken absolutely, so that 
 any slight error in it could be used against him. 
 
Ch. I.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 15 
 
 17 For Christ sent we not to baptize, but to preach 
 the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of 
 Christ should be made of none effect. 
 
 18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that per- 
 ish, foolishness; but unto us which are saved, it is the 
 power of God. 
 
 17 sides, I know not whether I baptized any other. For 
 Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gos- 
 pel : not in wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ 
 should be made void. 
 
 18 For the word of the cross is to them that 'perish 
 foolishness; but unto us who are 2 saved it is the 
 
 1 Or. are perishing '2 Or, are being saved. 
 
 17. For Christ sent me not to baptize. 
 
 This gives the reason why Paul did not bap- 
 tize. The statement does not conflict with the 
 general order given by Christ to his disciples 
 to preach and baptize, as it refers simply to 
 the personal work of the apostle. His con- 
 verts were to be baptized, but not by himself 
 personally. But to preach the gospel. 
 With the mention of this the apostle passes 
 over to the second part of the Epistle proper, 
 containing a defence of his preaching a sim- 
 ple gospel, unmixed with human wisdom. 
 This second part, however, is closely con- 
 nected with the first, as this matter of preach- 
 ing was the question at issue between the 
 party of Paul and that of Anollos. Not with 
 wisdom of words. This refers, not only to 
 his manner of preaching, but to the way in 
 which Christ sent him to preach. The phrase 
 does not denote the rhetorical form of the 
 apostle's preaching on the one side, the elo- 
 quence, or beauty, or power of his utterance; 
 nor, on the other hand, the substance of his 
 preaching. The former would not be denoted 
 by 'wisdom of words,' which has to do with 
 the matter rather than the form of speech. 
 And, besides, the apostle's argument, as it 
 proceeds, is evidently directed against some- 
 thing deeper than this. On the other hand, 
 the subject of preaching would be placed in 
 exact contrast to the preaching of the gospel, 
 instead of being presented as a mode of 
 preaching it, so that it would read, not wis- 
 dom of words. The phrase refers rather to 
 philosophical form of statement or argument. 
 There were those, evidently, who presented 
 Christianity in the form of the old philoso- 
 phies, not only using their phraseology and 
 modes of argument, but treating them and 
 Christianity as related departments of truth, 
 establishing connections between them, and 
 attempting to make out of their mixture a 
 mongrel philosophy of religion. It is evident 
 from the apostle's argument that it is some 
 such fundamental error as this, that he is 
 dealing with. And it is probable also, from 
 rer. 21, that he specially refers to specula- 
 
 tions about the divine nature and law. Such 
 preaching as this would be particularly at- 
 tractive to the intellectual Greek. Lest the 
 cross of Christ should be made of none 
 
 effect— literally, be emptied. It is the word 
 used in Phil. 2: 7, where it is said that 'Christ 
 emptied himself— (A. V., made himself of no 
 reputation)—!, e., of the form of God that he 
 had had; and in Rom. 4: 14, 'faith is made 
 void' — i. e., of the power to make men heirs 
 of the promise. Here it is used in the same 
 sense — that the cross may not be emptied, 
 viz., of the power of God to salvation that 
 resides in it. See next verse, which says that 
 the cross is the power of God to those that are 
 saved. The cross of Christ stands for the 
 death of Christ. 
 
 Besser says, in regard to (he party of Apol- 
 los in the Corinthian Church : "In the elo- 
 quence and various wisdom of the converted 
 Alexandrian Apollos was something which 
 was to the taste of the Greek Adam in the 
 Corinthians, and they said: 'Now, for the 
 first time, has the right preacher, worthy of a 
 city of philosophers, come to Corinth.' " This 
 was the spirit against which the apostle in- 
 veighs in this section of the Epistle. 
 
 18. This verse shows how the cross is ren- 
 dered useless by such preaching as the apostle 
 describes and discards. The preaching of the 
 cross — literally, the word of the cross. To 
 them that perish— us which are saved. 
 Present participles are used in both these ex- 
 pressions, and, according to the usual con- 
 struction, they denote those being lost and 
 those being saved, the act in both cases being 
 in progress, not completed. See Winer, 342. 
 This representation of salvation as something 
 yet incomplete, is common to the apostle. 
 Cf. Rom. 5: 9, where it is contrasted in this 
 respect with justification ; ch. 5 : 5, where it 
 is said to be "in the day of the Lord Jesus" ; 
 and 15: 2, where it k promised on the condi- 
 tion of their holding fast the word of the 
 apostle. Also Phil. 2: 12; Rom. 13: 11; 1 
 Thess. 5 : 8 ; 2 Tim. 3 : 15. The argument of 
 the verse is that there is a radical difference 
 
16 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. I. 
 
 19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the 
 wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of 
 the prudent. 
 
 20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is 
 the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish 
 the wisdom of this world? 
 
 21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by 
 wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolish- 
 ness of preaching to save them that believe. 
 
 19 power of God. For it is written, 
 
 I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, 
 And the discernment of the discerning will I 
 bring to naught. 
 
 20 Where is the wise ? where is the scribe? where is the 
 disputer of this i world? hath not God made foolish 
 
 21 the wisdom of the world? For seeing that in the 
 wisdom of God the world in its wisdom knew not 
 God, it was God's good pleasure through the foolish- 
 ness of the 2 preaching to save them that believe. 
 
 1 Or, age 2 Gr. thing preached. 
 
 between the doctrine of the cross and the 
 wisdom of the world, which makes it impos- 
 sible to mix them in preaching without neu- 
 tralizing the saving effect of the former. 
 There are two classes of men in the verse, 
 the perishing and the saved, each claiming 
 wisdom. But the wisdom of the one is fool- 
 ishness to the other ; and the attempt to com- 
 bine the two wisdoms is, therefore, detrimental 
 to the true wisdom. 
 
 19. For it is written. The quotation is 
 from Isa. 29: 14. It conforms exactly to the 
 Septuagint, except the last word, which is 
 there, "I will conceal." The words are 
 spoken originally of the Jews, and contain 
 the judgment of them for their pretended 
 service of Jehovah. A prominent feature of 
 this false service had been a substitution of 
 men's commandment for the divine law. (Cf. 
 Matt. 15: 9.) For this God pronounces on 
 them a judgment in kind, destroying in their 
 leaders a semblance of wisdom that had been 
 perverted to lead the people away from his 
 genuine service. It is introduced here, ac- 
 cording to Meyer, to prove the preceding 
 statement— that the word of the cross is the 
 power of God, inasmuch as it is by this word 
 that God destroys the wisdom of the wise. 
 But the power spoken of there is a power to 
 save, which would be proved only very indi- 
 rectly by this quotation. It establishes, rather, 
 the fact of the opposition between God and his 
 word on the one hand, and the wisdom of the 
 world on the other, since the one is said here 
 to destroy the other. Will bring to nothing 
 the understanding of the prudent — should 
 read, will set aside the understanding of those 
 having understanding. 
 
 20. The wise — the scribe — the disputer 
 of this world. 'Scribe' is the Hebrew term 
 for a wise man ; ' the wise ' and ' the disputer' 
 are both Greek terms ; but the former is more 
 general, while the latter is specific, denoting a 
 sophist, the typical wise man among the 
 
 Greeks of the time. The term ' wise ' is there- 
 fore probably general, including the others as 
 specific names of the Hebrew and Greek wise 
 man. 'The disputer of this world,' should be 
 of this age. So in Matt. 12: 32; 13: 22,39,40, 
 49; 24: 3; 28: 20; Mark 4: 19; 10: 30; 
 Luke 16: 8; 20: 34; Kom. 12: 2; 1 Cor. 2 : 6, 
 8; 3: 18; 2Cor. 4: 4; Gal. 1 : 4; Eph. 1 : 21; 
 2: 2; 6: 12; 1 Tim. 6: 17; 2 Tim. 4: 10; 
 Titus 2: 12. In only two cases is the word 
 used by metonymy for the world — viz., Heb. 
 1 : 2, and 11:3. ' This age ' is the present age 
 of the world contrasted with the future age, 
 which is to succeed the coming of the Lord ; 
 and it is predominantly an age of evil, of 
 darkness, of sin, and of misery. Where is 
 the wise? etc. These questions are equiva- 
 lent to a statement that these men are brought 
 to naught. Hath not God made foolish 
 the wisdom of this world? — should be, Bid 
 not God make foolish the wisdom of the world ? 
 (SeeCrit. Notes.) The world is used here instead 
 of a particular age of the world. The wisdom 
 of the world as such, as well of its evil age, is 
 opposed to God. The true wisdom is not in- 
 digenous, but is brought in from another 
 world. (See James 3: 15,17.) This question is 
 intended to be the answer to the preceding 
 questions. The entire verse is a confirmation 
 of the statement of the preceding verse, ap- 
 pealing to the readers if the facts do not show 
 that God does set aside the wisdom of the 
 world. 
 
 21. For after that, should be since, causal. 
 In the wisdom of God. These words may 
 mean either that what follows took place in 
 accordance with God's wise plan, or that it 
 was in the midst of the displays of God's wis- 
 dom, through which he left not himself with- 
 out witness. (See Rom. 1 : 18 seq.) Tlie latter is 
 certainly better suited to the context, as it 
 carries out the contrast with the foolishness of 
 preaching below. This view is also more in 
 harmony with the fuller account of this fail- 
 
Ch. I.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 17 
 
 22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek 
 after wisdom : 
 
 28 Hut we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a 
 stumblingbloek, and unto the (ireeks foolishness; 
 
 22 Seeing that Jews ask for signs, and Greeks seek 
 28 after wisdom: but we preach 'Christ crucified, unto 
 
 Jews a stumblingblock, and unto Gentiles ibolish- 
 
 1 Or, a Messiah. 
 
 ure of the world to find out God, in Rom. 1 : 18 
 seq., where the action of God in the matter is 
 represented as coming in only after the sinful 
 refusal of the world to recognize him in his 
 works. The point of the entire passage, more- 
 over, is found in the contrast between 'wis- 
 dom' and 'foolishness,' which form what we 
 may call the key words of the statement; and 
 we should not, therefore, expect to find the 
 word 'wisdom,' especially in its emphatic po- 
 sition at the beginning of the sentence, except 
 in this contrast. The idea is well stated by 
 Calvin in "media luce," in the midst of the 
 light. Since the statement is general, and in 
 the following verse, the Jews and Greeks are 
 both expressly mentioned, the wisdom meant 
 must be both that in God's word and in his 
 works. The world ... knew not God. The 
 knowledge meant is the true spiritual knowl- 
 edge of the children of God. By wisdom — 
 should be, through its wisdom, distinguished 
 from the divine wisdom of the first part of the 
 verse; through the application of the world's 
 wisdom to the manifestations of the divine 
 wisdom in the pre-Christian world. By the 
 foolishness of preaching. The Greek 
 word translated 'preaching,' here denotes that 
 which is preached or proclaimed. It has the 
 article before it, designating it as the procla- 
 mation, the well known announcement of 
 Christ and his salvation. The expression 
 therefore does not characterize preaching it- 
 self as foolishness, but the subject of Chris- 
 tian preaching — viz., Christ crucified. Seever. 
 23. To save them that believe — viz., by the 
 preaching of the cross. This verse then is in- 
 tended to prove the statement of the preceding 
 verse, that God renders foolish the wisdom of 
 the world, inasmuch as he uses what was fool- 
 ishness in the eyes of the world, to save men, 
 after they had failed by the use of their own 
 wisdom, and i.n the midst of exhibitions of 
 the divine wisdom, to obtain any true, saving 
 knowledge of God. 
 
 22. For the Jews require a sign, and 
 the Greeks seek after wisdom — should be, 
 since both Jew* demand signs, and Greeks 
 seek wisdom. (See Crit. Notes.) 'Sign' — i. e., a 
 
 B 
 
 miracle, for which this is a common New Tes- 
 tament term, denoting it is a sign of divine 
 authority in any one claiming to speak for 
 God. On this demand of the Jews in regard 
 to the credentials of an authoritative teacher, 
 cf. Matt. 12: 38seq.; 16: 1 seq.; John 2: 18; 
 6: 30. 'Greeks.' Instead of this word wo 
 have in the next verse, Gentiles, and probably 
 therefore 'Greeks' stands here for that wider 
 term. This is a common New Testament use, 
 the Greeks being regarded as the representa- 
 tive nation among the Gentiles, just as the 
 Crusaders went by the name Franks among 
 their enemies. See John 7: 35; Rom. 1 : 16; 
 2:9, 10, etc. Wisdom. The Gentiles seek not 
 so much external, as internal proof; not signs 
 which would confirm the authority of the 
 messenger without regard to his message, but 
 that the message itself be conformed to their 
 standard of truth and wisdom. The verse 
 then contains a statement of what men de- 
 mand as proofs of authority in any professed 
 teacher of religious truth, and so prepares the 
 way for the proof of the foolishness of Chris- 
 tian preaching, as not conforming to these 
 standards. 
 
 23. But we. Emphatic, contrasted with 
 the Jews and Greeks in ver. 22. Christ cru- 
 cified. In this fact of Christ's crucifixion 
 lay the stumbling-block and foolishness on 
 the one side, and the power and wisdom on 
 the other. The significant fact about Christ 
 was, that he was crucified. Unto the Jews. 
 The article should be omitted. A stumbling- 
 block. This word denotes, originally, the 
 trap-stick, by which the bird is ensnared. In 
 the New Testament it is used metaphorically 
 of that over which one stumbles and falls into 
 sin. Instead of the sign which they demanded) 
 the Jews saw in Christ crucified a stumbling- 
 block, a hindrance to belief. The death of 
 Christ seeming, as it did, to leave him in the 
 hands of enemies, deserted by God, entirely 
 invalidated his claim in their eyes. Unto the 
 Greeks— should be, unto Gentiles. See Crit. 
 Notes. Foolishness— the exact opposite of 
 what they sought. The doctrine of Christ's 
 death for the sins of men seemed anabsurdity 
 
18 
 
 I. COKINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. I. 
 
 24 But unto them which are ealled, both Jews and 
 Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of 
 God. 
 
 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; 
 and tho weakness of God is stronger than men. 
 
 26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not 
 many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not 
 many noble, are called: 
 
 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the 
 ■world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen 
 the weak things of the world to confound the things 
 which are mighty ; 
 
 24 ness ; but unto J them that are called, both J<ews and 
 Greeks, Christ, the power of God, and the wisdom 
 
 25 of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser 
 than men; and the weakness of God is stronger 
 than men. 
 
 26 For behold your calling, brethren, how that not 
 many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not 
 
 27 many noble, are called: but God chose the foolish 
 tilings of the world, that he might put to shame 
 them that are wise; and God chose the weak things 
 of the world, that he might put to shame the things 
 
 1 Gr. the called themselves 2 Or, ye behold. 
 
 to the Gentiles, and destroyed his chances 
 with them. The verse shows that the doctrine 
 preached by Christian teachers did not con- 
 form to the requirements of human wisdom. 
 
 24. But unto them which are called — 
 should be, unto the called themselves. The 
 intensive pronoun in the Greek is intended to 
 call attention to the fact that Christ crucified 
 is this to them personally, however those about 
 them may regard him. 'Called.' On this 
 word see on ver. 2. Both Jews and Greeks. 
 The called did not belong exclusively to either 
 class, but to both. As a body, both rejected 
 Christ ; but there was a number called by God 
 out of each, to whom Christ became, in fact, 
 what both Jews and Gentiles denied. Christ 
 the power of God, and the wisdom of 
 God. This is in apposition with 'Christ cru- 
 cified' in ver. 23; and the repetition of the 
 name 'Christ' is significant on account of the 
 emphasis which it places on the crucifixion 
 as that which exhibits Christ as the power and 
 wisdom of God. Christ crucified, is to the 
 called, Christ the power of God and the wis- 
 dom of God. It is to be noticed, too, that he 
 is this to the Christian in fact, not simply in 
 opinion. It is only subjectively, as they look 
 on him, that Christ crucified is a stumbling- 
 block or foolishness to men ; but he is power 
 and wisdom to believers, as a fact, by his actual 
 salvation of them. (Cf. ver. 18, 21, 30.) This 
 verse then shows the power of the Christian 
 preaching to save, as the preceding verses 
 have shown its foolishness to men ; and the 
 whole section, (ver. 122-24), is the proof of God's 
 saving by the 'foolishness of preaching.' 
 Ver. 21. 
 
 25. The foolishness of God — the weak- 
 ness of God. These expressions may denote 
 what is comparatively foolish and weak in 
 God, or what seems to men to have these 
 qualities. In the former case, the statement 
 would be, that the least manifestations of 
 
 power and wisdom in God are yet greater 
 than man. In the latter, that the weak and 
 foolish in God, as men regard the matter, 
 are beyond man's wisdom and strength. The 
 latter interpretation is evidently demanded 
 by the context, in which these defects are 
 predicated of God only in human estimation, 
 not as real, even comparatively. Moreover, 
 the death of Christ is not one of the lower, 
 but one of the higher, if not the highest, of 
 the manifestations of God's wisdom and might. 
 The verse gives the ground of the preceding 
 statement in regard to the saving power of the 
 preaching of Christ, inasmuch as this which 
 seems foolish to men, is yet wiser and stronger 
 than they. 
 
 26. For ye see. This is probably impera- 
 tive, for see. Your calling. See on ver. 2. 
 The agent in this calling is God. God's call- 
 ing of you, would be the full expression of 
 the idea. Not many wise men after the 
 flesh. 'The flesh' denotes at first the ma- 
 terial of the body, and then the entire man 
 — not the individual, but mankind— as in the 
 expressions "all flesh," ''no flesh," (Luke 3: 6; 
 Rom. »: 20, etc.) ; and then human nature, espe- 
 cially in two aspects — viz., the natural man 
 as opposed to anything supernatural, and the 
 sinful man as opposed to the regenerate. It 
 is the former contrast that is intended here, 
 between natural wisdom as compared with 
 the enlightenment of the Spirit. Noble — 
 literally, well-born. The apostle calls atten- 
 tion, in this verse, to the character and posi- 
 tion of those called by God in the Corinthian 
 Church, as a proof of the preceding statement 
 that what seems foolish and weak in God's 
 action is stronger and wiser than men. 
 
 27. But God hath chosen— should be, 
 God chose ; and so in the second clause and in 
 ver. 28. The foolish things of the world 
 — does not denote the things that the world 
 deems foolish, but the things of the world that 
 
Ch. I.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 19 
 
 28 And base things of the world, aud things which 
 are despised, hath (iod chosen, yea, and tilings which 
 are not, to bring to nought things that are: 
 
 29 That DO flesh should glory in his presence. 
 
 30 But of him are ye in Christ Jeans, who of God is 
 made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctifi- 
 cation, and redemption: 
 
 28 that are strong ; and the base things of the world, 
 and the things that are despised, did God choose, 
 yea 'and the things that are not, that he might 
 
 29 bring to nought the things that are: that no flesh 
 80 should glory before God. But of him are ye in Christ 
 
 Jesus, who was made unto us wisdom from (iod, -and 
 righteousness and sanctitieation, and redemption: 
 
 1 Many aucient authorities omit, and 2 Or, both righteounneat and tanctiftcation and redemptu 
 
 are foolish. In the preceding verse, the 
 phrase 'according to the flesh' does not de- 
 note a subjective, but a real, standard ; and 
 the weakness and low birth in the following 
 statements are evidently actual, and not ap- 
 parent, conditions, though the same modify- 
 ing phrase, of the world, is used. It is the 
 state before conversion that is denoted ; so 
 that it is not a question of how that affects 
 men, but how it finds them. Cf. Matt. 11 : 25. 
 To confound the wise— literally, to shame 
 the wise men. There is probably no distinct 
 contrast intended between 'things' and 'men,' 
 but the expression is 'foolish things' and 
 'wise men.' Probably men are meant in both 
 cases; but where the neuter is used, it simply 
 leaves the expression indefinite. To con- 
 found the things, etc. — literally, to shame. 
 28. And base things — literally, the low- 
 born things. Yea, and things that are 
 not — the yea, and should be omitted, (see 
 Crit. Notes), so that this is not an additional 
 class, but a phrase expressing more strongly 
 the low condition, even to nothingness, of the 
 last class. To bring to nought things 
 that are — corresponding to the extreme con- 
 trast between 'things that are not' and 'things 
 that are,' the apostle introduces the stronger 
 verb to denote the divine purpose in the choice. 
 He chooses things that are not to make nought 
 things that are. These purposes of God in 
 verses 27 and 28, he carries out by accom- 
 plishing in the ignorant what the wisdom of 
 the wise has failed to accomplish. And so 
 with the other conditions of worldly success — 
 power and good birth ; God shames their pos- 
 sessors by disregarding them and choosing the 
 weak and low-horn. (Cf. James 2: 5.) The fun- 
 damental reason of this choice, however, is 
 not given here, but simply one of the purposes 
 accomplished. The main reason would seem 
 to be the greater susceptibility of such condi- 
 tions of life to the fundamental Christian 
 graces of humility and trust 1 , the most natural 
 
 t[But that reason is not referred toby the apostle. 
 Nay, a diflerent one is mentioned. Ver. 29. — A. II.] 
 
 growths of power and high birth, on the other 
 hand, being self-reliance and pride. 
 
 29. That no flesh should glory in his 
 
 presence— should be, before God. (See Crit. 
 Notes.) 'Flesh' stands here for man, and the 
 term is chosen to bring out the weakness of 
 man in contrast with God. God's purpose in 
 shaming man is brought out here, viz., to 
 destroy or make vain their self-glorification. 
 
 30. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus. 
 This does not denote probably the sonship of 
 the believer, which in Paul is always repre- 
 sented as brought about through adoption, not 
 through birth from God. (See Rom. 8: 16; Gal. 
 3: 2(3; 4: 7; especially 4: 5; Eph. 1: 5.) These 
 are the only passages in which the nature of 
 this sonship is treated by Paul, and they all use 
 the term 'adoption' to describe the beginning 
 of the relation. The statement is not, there- 
 fore, that Christians are from God in Christ 
 Jesus, in the sense that they derive their 
 Christian state from God, in or through 
 Christ; but that their position in Christ, their 
 union with him, has its source in God through 
 the various steps described in Rom. 8: 28 seq., 
 viz., predestination, calling, justification. Of 
 these the context here names, the calling, ver. 
 26, and the selection of the called, ver. 27, 
 28. Who of God is made unto us — liter- 
 ally, who became to us from God. God is 
 denoted as the source of Christ's becoming 
 these things to us. Wisdom, and righteous- 
 ness, and sanctiflcation, and redemp- 
 tion — should be, wisdom, both righteousness 
 and sanctiflcation and redemption. Meyer 
 and De Wette contend that these are four 
 co-ordinate terms, the two middle ones being 
 more closely connected together by the 
 conjunctions 'both,' 'and,' as having a more 
 intimate association with each other. But 
 these conjunctions are frequentlj? used to 
 connect a series of more than two. Grimm's 
 "Lexicon," Art. «', says, "When more 
 than two parts are joined, the first two 
 are connected by both-mid, and the rest by 
 and." Kiihner's "Greek Grammar," page 
 
20 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Ch. I. 
 
 31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, I 31 that, according as it is written, He that glorieth 
 let him glory in the Lord I let him glory in the Lord. 
 
 795, says, "several ands can follow both." 
 This being so, it certainly is suggested by the 
 context that the terms 'righteousness, sanctifl- 
 cation, and redemption,' are subordinate to 
 the term 'wisdom,' and explain it. For 'wis- 
 dom' is the key-word of the passage, and 
 naturally falls into place here as a continua- 
 tion of the preceding thought. Christ, Paul 
 says, became to us the wisdom which we had 
 not. But there is nothing in the preceding 
 statement to suggest the other terms, right- 
 eousness, etc., which fall natuially, therefore, 
 into a subordinate place as an expansion of 
 the dominating word, wisdom. These are the 
 things in which Christ becomes to us wisdom. 
 'Kighteousness.' This answers one of the 
 perplexing problems of humanity, viz., How 
 shall man be righteous before God ? Kight- 
 eousness, through obedience to the law, men 
 have failed to obtain ; but there is a righteous- 
 ness of God through faith in Jesus Christ, 
 ■which God puts in the place of this, and so 
 Christ becomes to us righteousness, the source 
 of a righteousness that we have not in our- 
 selves. (Cf. Kom. 3: 21 seq.) 'Sanctifica- 
 tion.' This word, which possibly is better 
 translated holiness, differs from the word 
 'righteousness,' in denoting the moral char- 
 acter in itself considered, while the other 
 denotes the same character as constituting our 
 state before God. So that we have the answer 
 to another great question, viz., How shall man 
 regain his lost holiness? And Christ, by fur- 
 nishing in himself the answer to it, becomes 
 to us wisdom in a second point. Cf. Eom. 6 
 and 8. ' And redemption.' In the other two 
 passages in which the use of this word can be 
 compared with its use here, the apostle ex- 
 plains it as meaning the forgiveness of sins. 
 (See Eph. 1:7; Col. 1 : 14.) And so we have 
 here the answer to another question, viz. , How 
 can man obtain the forgiveness of sins and the 
 favor of God? And in it Christ becomes to 
 us again wisdom from God. 
 
 31. According as it is written. The 
 quotation is from Jer. 9: 24, in which, after 
 saying, "let not the wise glory in his wis- 
 dom," etc., it goes on to say: "But let him 
 that glorieth glory in this, that he under- 
 Btandeth and knoweth me, that I am the 
 Lord." This is different in form, but the 
 
 apostle does not miss its spirit, when he says 
 that our glorying is to be in the Lord. In 
 the Lord. It is evident from the connection 
 that it is not Christ, but God that is denoted ; 
 as he is pointed out as the ultimate source of 
 our being in Christ, and of what Christ is to 
 us. This verse gives the proper spirit towards 
 God, in contrast with ver. 29, viz., that men 
 are not to glory before God, but in God. This 
 is stated to be the purpose of the divine action 
 in the preceding verse. 
 
 CRITICAL NOTES. 
 
 1. Jesus Christ is the order of these words 
 in XAL, etc. syr utr cop. etc. Christ Jesus, in 
 BDEFG etc. it. vulg. The former is probably 
 an amended reading to conform to the usual 
 order, and the latter would therefore be the 
 probable original text. 
 
 2. Both in the phrase both theirs and ours, 
 is found in K c A**D e E etc. syrP etc. ; and 
 omitted in K*A*BD*FG etc. it. vulg. syr 8Ch 
 cop. It should be omitted. 
 
 14. God, in the clause I thank God, is omitted 
 by N*B 67 etc. Whether this evidence, to- 
 gether with the internal improbability that it 
 should have been omitted by transcribers if it 
 really belonged in the original, is sufficient to 
 overcome the long array of witnesses against 
 the omission, is a matter of doubt 
 
 15. You were baptized, should be substituted 
 for I baptized, on the authority of XABC :S etc. 
 cf. vulg. cop. syrP m s. 
 
 20. This, in the phrase the wisdom of this 
 world, is probably to be omitted, on the author- 
 ity of K*ABCD* etc., though there is a unan- 
 imous testimony of the versions in its favor. 
 
 22. Signs for a sign, is the reading according 
 to almost universal testimony. 
 
 23. Gentiles should be substituted for Greeks 
 in the last clause, the latter having scarcely 
 any respectable support. 
 
 28. And, before things which are not, is found 
 in N C BC 3 D C etc. f r vulg. syr utr cop. etc. It is 
 to be omitted on the authority of N*AC ;il 
 D* etc. d e g. etc. 
 
 29. Of God, should be substituted for his. 
 The latter has the authority of only C* vulg 
 syr utr . 
 
Ch. II.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 21 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 AND I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with 
 excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto 
 you the testimony of Ciod. 
 
 2 For I determined not to know any thing among 
 you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 
 
 1 And I, brethren, when I came unto you, came not 
 witli excellency of 'speech or of wisdom, proclaim- 
 
 2 iug to you the 'mystery of God. For l determined 
 not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, 
 
 1 Or, word. . . .2 Many ancient authorities read, testimony. 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 
 1-5. Application of the preceding statement 
 that God chooses the weak things of this 
 world for the purposes of his kingdom, to the 
 apostle's preaching among them. Verse 1, it 
 was not according to superiority of wisdom, 
 but, verse 2, it was confined to the preaching 
 of the crucified Christ; verse 3, the apostle 
 himself was weak and trembling; and verses 
 4, 5, his preaching did not persuade by wis- 
 dom, but was proved by the Spirit and power 
 that accompanied it. 
 
 6-16. Correction of a possible misunder- 
 standing of the preceding, showing that 
 divine wisdom, though not human, is taught 
 by the apostles among mature Christians. 
 Verses 8, 9. This divine wisdom is hidden from 
 men, even the rulers of the world. Verses 
 10-12. It is revealed by the omniscient Spirit 
 to the apostles. Verse 13. It is spoken by 
 them in words taught by the Spirit, so that 
 the things of the Spirit are combined with 
 the words of the Spirit. Verse 14- These 
 spiritual things are rejected by the natural 
 man, but received by the spiritual man, who 
 has in the Spirit, verses 15, 16, what makes 
 him incomprehensible to men, but gives him 
 a comprehension of all things. 
 
 Ch. 2 : 1. Continuation of the apostle's de- 
 fenceof hismannerof preaching. Audi. The 
 pronoun is emphatic, to indicate the application 
 to himself of the preceding statement that God 
 chooses the weak things of the world to put 
 to shame the mighty. With excellence of 
 speech, etc. — should bo, according to excel- 
 lence, etc., denoting the standard to which his 
 preaching is conformed. The phrase modifies 
 the participle 'declaring,' nottheverb 'came,' 
 and there should, therefore, be a comma after 
 the verb, instead of after the word 'wisdom.' 
 It is the manner of his preaching among them, 
 not that which accompanies his coming, that 
 is denoted. Declaring — better, announcing. 
 
 We have had three words for preaching. In 
 1 : 17, the word means to be a messenger of glad 
 tidings; in 1: 23, it is a verb meaning to 
 herald ; and here to act as a messenger, to 
 announce. The testimony of God. Proba- 
 bly testimony in regard to God is meant. 
 God is also the witness in a certain sense, but 
 the deeper and more probable relation makes 
 him the one to whom witness is borne. The 
 gospel is what God has done for men in the 
 person of his Son. (See 15: 15.) [Westcott 
 and Hort give "mystery" instead of "testi- 
 mony," and mark the latter as a 'Western 
 reading.' — A. H.] 
 
 2. Not to knoAV. This part of his deter- 
 mination has reference to the denial in ver. 1 
 of excellence of wisdom in his preaching. 
 'I did not come,' he says, 'declaring to you 
 the gospel with any excellence of wisdom, for 
 I did not choose to know anything among you 
 except Jesus Christ.' It is a strong expression, 
 implying that he would put everything else 
 out of his mind even. And him (literally, 
 this one) crucified. This limits still further 
 the range of his knowledge. He would con- 
 fine himself not only to Christ, but to the 
 crucified Christ And it not only limits the 
 sphere of his knowledge, but also detracts 
 from his wisdom in the eyes of the world. 
 (Cf. I: 18seq.) There is a sense, of course, in 
 which this doctrine of Christ crucified is the 
 sum of the gospel (s'ee 1 : 23 seq.), but here it 
 stands as the beginning, the foundation of the 
 gospel, being contrasted with the ' wisdom ' of 
 ver. G, and being the same as the 'milk' of 
 3: 2. There is a doctrine of Christ's life as 
 well as of his death, of Christ risen and glori- 
 fied as well as of Christ crucified; and these 
 can be distinguished, though not separated 
 from his death. The beginning of Christian 
 teaching is to be made in the doctrine of* the 
 cross in this narrow sense. The immediate 
 contrast, however, is between this doctrine 
 and human wisdom (ver. 4. 5), and the other 
 contrast is introduced only later, ver. 6. 
 
22 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. II. 
 
 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and 
 in much trembling. 
 
 4 And my speech and my preaching was not with 
 enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration 
 of the spirit and of power: 
 
 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of 
 men, but in the power of Uod. 
 
 3 and him crucified. And I was with you in weak- 
 
 4 ness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my 
 1 speech and my - preaching were not in persuasive 
 words of wisdom, but in demonstration of thy Spirit 
 
 5 and ot power: that your faith should not 3 stand in 
 the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. 
 
 1 Or, word.... 2 Gr. thing preached. 
 
 3. And I. The pronoun is emphatic, con- 
 trasted with the subject of his preaching (ver. 2), 
 and the form of his preaching (ver. 4). 'My 
 preaching,' he says, ' was nothing but Christ 
 crucified, and not in words of wisdom, and I 
 personally was weak.' Was with you — 
 should be, came to you. These words have 
 been supposed by some to refer to the perse- 
 cutions of the apostle in Corinth, and their 
 effects on him; and by others to physical 
 infirmities. But all interpretations of this 
 kind are foreign to the apostle's present ob- 
 ject, which is to defend his comparatively 
 simple presentation of the gospel, as in itself 
 proper and justifiable, not as produced by 
 peculiarities of his physical state and sur- 
 roundings. They denote rather his conscious 
 weakness and inadequacy to the work before 
 him. It is the feeling that any right mind 
 has before a great work, and specially a wise 
 preacher before the work of the gospel. In 
 weakness, denotes an objective state, what 
 he was viz., only a weak man ; and it is con- 
 trasted with the power of God (ver. 4, 5). In 
 fear and in much trembling, denotes what 
 he felt, resulting from the actual weakness 
 just mentioned. This distinction stands in 
 the way of connecting these words imme- 
 diately with the verb so that they will denote 
 the state into which he came among them, 
 instead of the state in which he came among 
 them. For the weakness was a permanent 
 state, not one that began after his coming to 
 them. The adjective ' much ' is so situated as 
 to belong probably with both ' fear ' and 
 'trembling.' 
 
 4. And my speech and my preaching. 
 'Speech,' or word, here probably denotes his 
 general utterance, and ' preaching,' his public 
 proclamation of the gospel. Enticing is too 
 strong a word for the original here, which 
 nifans simply persuasive. Man's is to be 
 omitted. See Crit. Notes. But it is human 
 wisdom that is meant. But in demonstra- 
 tion of the Spirit and of power. The 
 word translated 'demonstration ' means either 
 
 showing forth (cf. 4: 9), or proof (cf. Acts 25: 
 7). With the former meaning the 'Spirit' 
 and the 'power' would be the things shown 
 forth or manifested in his preaching; and in 
 the latter, that by which his preaching is 
 proved true. It seems more germane to the 
 apostle's thought to introduce here the proof 
 of his preaching, and to think of the Spirit 
 and the power as proving the truth of what 
 he says; and this is, besides, the more natural 
 use of the Greek word in discussions of this 
 kind. ' Spirit' is here the Holy Spirit, which 
 proves the truth of the apostle's word by mak- 
 ing it his instrument for the salvation of men. 
 On the regenerating office of the Spirit, see 
 John 3: 5-8; Tit. 3: 5; and on the instru- 
 mentality of the word, see John 15: 3; 
 James 1: 18; 1 Peter 1: 23. Power. The 
 second proof is the power of the word to 
 sanctify and save men. These are the things 
 by which the apostle chose to have his word 
 vindicated, instead of attempting to establish 
 it in personal words of wisdom. It is implied 
 here that there is power in the word, and power 
 with the word in God's Spirit, for the salvation 
 of men. Both are spiritual forces adapted to 
 this spiritual object. And both are at the dis- 
 posal of the weak man who fears and trembles 
 before his work. 
 
 5. That your faith should not stand, 
 should be rendered, may not be. Does the 
 apostle refer in these words to his own purpose 
 or to the Lord's? If it was connected with 
 ver. 4 alone, it would be the purpose of the 
 apostle, as that verse states his deliberate 
 action, his method of preaching. But ver. 3 
 and 4 are evidently to be taken together, and 
 ver. 3 denotes his involuntary weakness and 
 fear. This then is God's purpose, for the 
 accomplishment of which he uses the apostle's 
 weakness and his own power. The apostle's 
 action in ver. 4 is thus his own, but according 
 to God's purpose. 'Faith.' The apostle's 
 preaching of the gospel was intended to pro- 
 duce faith in it, and this faith he represents as 
 brought about in such a way by God's power 
 
Ch. II] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 23 
 
 6 Ilowbeit we speak wisdom among them that are 
 perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the 
 princes of this world, that come to nought: 
 
 7 15ut we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even 
 the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world 
 unto our glory ; 
 
 6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are 
 full-grown: yet a wiBdom Dot of tins i world, oor of 
 
 the rulers of this ' world, who are coming to nought : 
 
 7 but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, even the 
 wisdom that hath been hidden, which God foreor- 
 
 1 Or. age, aud so in ver. 7, 8 ; but not in ver. 12. 
 
 and not by human wisdom, that it has its 
 ground in the former. In the wisdom — in 
 the power — the preposition here does not 
 denote the object of faith, but its ground. 
 (See 1 Thess. 1 : 5.) The object of the faith is, 
 in this connection, the gospel that Paul 
 preached. 
 
 6. In this verse the apostle corrects any 
 such misapprehension of his words as would 
 suppose him to have spoken of wisdom abso- 
 lutely, instead of the merely human wisdom 
 which is contrary to the gospel. We speak. 
 The subject of the verb is not the apostle alone 
 — the plural of authorship — but the apostle 
 and the class of Christian teachers to which 
 he belonged. He enunciates in this paragraph 
 the general principle that governs them; and 
 in the next chapter, he applies it to himself. 
 Wisdom among them that are perfect. 
 This is sometimes supposed to denote that 
 which is accounted wisdom among them. 
 But the expression does not suit this mean- 
 ing, which is expressed more definitely — viz., 
 t/int which is wisdom among the perfect. 
 Moreover, this would make no distinction 
 between the different classes among whom 
 Paul preached the gospel, to each of which 
 he adapted his preaching, whereas there is 
 plam'y contrast intended between the 'per- 
 fect' here, and 'the babes in Christ,' 3: 1, 
 and between the wisdom here, and the milk 
 there. Perfect. This word is used to denote 
 that which is full-grown, mature ; among men, 
 adults. It is used in the New Testament to 
 denote mature, intelligent Christians, able to 
 understand the more advanced doctrines of 
 the gospel, and is opposed to infants, who 
 have no capacity except for the beginning of 
 Christian doctrine. (Cf. 14: 20; Eph. 4: 18; 
 Heb. 5: 14). The last passage designates this 
 class aptly as "those who have their faculties 
 trained on account of use for discerning be- 
 tween good and evil," and says that "solid 
 food belongs to them." The term, therefore, 
 does not denote absolute perfection, but simply 
 maturity. This world — should be, this age 
 in both clauses. (.See 1: 20, .Note). The 
 
 wisdom — should be, a wisdom. Princes — 
 in Rev. Ver., rulers — is sometimes explained 
 in the more general sense of leaders — those, 
 for instance, who are pre-eminent in birth 
 and wisdom, as well as those who actu- 
 ally rule by the exercise of power. (See 
 Grimm's Lexicon, etc.). And this certainly 
 seems more natural where wisdom is the 
 quality spoken of. But the word does not 
 have this meaning elsewhere; and the cru- 
 cifixion (ver. s) certainly belonged to the 
 'princes' or rulers, not to mere leaders. 
 That come to nought. This statement 
 about the rulers is evidently intended to 
 invalidate their wisdom, which should guide 
 us in determining its meaning. For this 
 purpose, the mere fact that they come to 
 an end in death, is not of much weight. 
 Nor is the loss of their power much more 
 relevant, unless we mean by that a grad- 
 ual undermining of their power by the in- 
 fluence of the gospel, which is unhistorical, 
 or was so, at least, at that time. It is the 
 same word that is used in 1 : 28, in the last 
 clause of the verse, where its meaning is that 
 God brings the things that are— that is. that 
 have sufficient importance in the eyes of men 
 to be counted as really existent — into the 
 condition of nothingness, of unimportance, 
 amounting to absolute non-existence, that be- 
 longs to the things called there 'things that 
 are not.' This meaning is appropriate here 
 — viz., that God brings them to nothingness 
 by making their power and wisdom unavail- 
 ing for the true purposes of life. 
 
 7. This verse shows the wisdom which they 
 do speak among the mature — viz., the divine 
 wisdom. In a mystery. The meaning of 
 this word is developed in what follows — viz., 
 something hidden ; not inexplicable; but un- 
 known. It is used in the New Testament 
 generally of God's secret purposes, which he- 
 come known to men only by revelation ; as, 
 for instance, his purpose that the Gentiles 
 
 Should be fellow-heirs. (Eph. 3: 3-P; cf. also Rom. 16: 
 25seq.; 1 Cor. 15: 51; Eph.fi: 19: Col. 1 : 26. etc.) Which 
 
 God ordained — should be, fore-ordained, or 
 
24 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. II. 
 
 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for 
 had they known it, they would not have crucified the 
 Lord of glory. 
 
 9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear 
 heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the 
 things which God hath prepared for them love him. 
 
 8 dained before the worlds unto our glory: which 
 none of the rulers of this world hath known: for 
 had they known it, they would not have crucified 
 
 9 the Lord of glory: but as it is written, 
 
 Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not, 
 And which entered not into the heart of mail. 
 Whatsoever things God prepared for them that 
 love him. 
 
 pre-determined. The latter is the exact equiv- 
 alent of the Greek word, which means to fix 
 the hounds, or limits, of anything; and thus 
 determine its precise character. Before the 
 world — should be, before the ages. (See on 
 1 : 20. ) Probably the ages of the world, or 
 of creation, are meant. For our glory. 
 This word denotes the splendor and spiritual 
 pomp of the condition into which God brings 
 his people; and is in contrast with the com- 
 ing to nought of the rulers of this world. 
 Outward things— such as the brightness of the 
 sun, and the pomp of a king — are only sym- 
 bols of the real spiritual splendor denoted by 
 it. The wisdom which the authorized teach- 
 ers of Christianity teach to more advanced 
 disciples is, according to this verse, the divine 
 counsel for the glory of believers, determined 
 on before the ages of creation, but hidden from 
 man. It is that by which they are brought to 
 glory, while the rulers of this world come to 
 nought. 
 
 8. Of the princes of this world— should 
 be, the rulers of this age. The language is 
 the same as in ver. 6. This wisdom is not 
 only not that of these rulers, as in ver. 6, but 
 they did not even know it. The statement is 
 an advance, also, on that of ver. 7, showing 
 that this wisdom was hidden, not only from 
 men in general, but from their rulers. For 
 had they known it— i. e., if they had had 
 a spiritual knowledge that put them in sym- 
 pathy with it. Ver. 14 shows that it is only 
 the spiritual world that can have a true knowl- 
 edge of these things. They would not have 
 crucified the Lord of glory. Christ is the 
 beginning and end of this divine wisdom for 
 the glory of the believer; and if the rulers 
 had had spiritual knowledge of that wisdom, 
 they would not have crucified him. 'The 
 Lord of glory.' This differs from the ordi- 
 nary genitive of characteristic quality, mean- 
 ing simply glorious Lord, as it does not denote 
 that the general attribute of glory belongs to 
 Christ, but the glory which he had with the 
 Father, and to which he returned after his 
 
 earthly life. (Cf. John 17: 5, 22, 24; 1 Tim. 
 3: 16, etc.) 
 
 9. As it is written. These words are gen- 
 erally used to introduce quotations from the 
 Old Testament. But it is difficult to find any 
 passage to which this quotation bears anything 
 more than a superficial resemblance. The 
 general reference is to Isa. 64: 4, which is 
 translated in our version substantially as Paul 
 quotes it here. But it is now translated with 
 general consent " from of old, men have not 
 heard, nor perceived, nor hath eye seen a 
 God beside thee, who acteth in behalf of him 
 who waiteth for him." See the Revised Eng- 
 lish Bible of Eyre and Spottiswoode, and Re- 
 vised Version. This is evidently different 
 from the thought of our passage. While the 
 prophet declares that men have never seen a 
 God except Jehovah, who interposes for his 
 people, the apostle's thought is that men did 
 not see God's preparations for his people's 
 glory, they being secret and hidden. " No 
 works like our God's," says one; "not these 
 works of God," says the other. And the dif- 
 ference is essential, while the resemblance is 
 superficial. Others refer this to Isa. 52: 15: 
 "for they see what has not been told them, 
 and discover what they have not heard." 
 This is given as the reason why the kings shut 
 their mouths in astonishment at the once 
 lowly, now glorified servant of Jehovah, viz., 
 that the change is beyond what they ever 
 heard. But the things spoken of by the prophet 
 and the apostle are again essentially differ- 
 ent. Other explanations, such as a lost book 
 of the Old Testament, etc., are purely conjec- 
 tual. On the whole, it seems best to consider 
 this as merely a loose quotation of language 
 for the purpose of expression, and not intend- 
 ed at all to serve the purpose of confirming 
 the apostle's statement by an Old Testament 
 quotation. He remembers this striking lan- 
 guage as exactly adapted, to his thought, and 
 uses it simply for this purpose. For a similar 
 passage, see Rom. 10: 6-8. Eye hath not 
 seen, etc. — should be, things which eyedid not 
 
Ch. II.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 25 
 
 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit; 
 for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things 
 of God. 
 
 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save 
 the spirit of man which is in him ? even so the things of 
 God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 
 
 10 'But unto us God revealed -Ifiem through the 
 Spirit: for tint Spirit searcheth all things, yea, t be 
 
 11 deep things of God. For who among men knoweth 
 the things of a man, save t lie spirit of the man, Which 
 is in him? even so the things ol God none knoweth, 
 
 1 Some ancient authorities read, For 2 Or, It. 
 
 see, and ear did not hear, and did not enter 
 into the heart of man, which God prepared 
 for those that love him. It is not an independ- 
 ent statement, as in our version, but a contin- 
 uation of the relative clauses descriptive of the 
 wisdom of God in verses 7 and 8. This wis- 
 dom, it says, consists of things which eye did 
 not see, which God prepared for those that 
 love him. What are these things unknown to 
 men, prepared by God for his people? Some 
 think that the glories of the future kingdom 
 of the Messiah are meant. The expressions 
 which lead to this view are the phrase 'unto, 
 — or, foi — our glory,' (vor. 7,) and 'things which 
 eye did not see, etc., (ver. 9.) But the glory is not 
 necessarily that of the future state. (Cf. John 
 17: 22; 2 Cor. 3 : 18; Rom. 8 : 30.) And. 
 furthermore, the 'wisdom' and the 'glory' 
 are not identical ; but the wisdom is for the 
 glory, God's wise counsel for our glory. And 
 it may mean, therefore, the provision that God 
 makes here for our future glory. Compare 
 Eph. 5: 27, which speaks of the sanctification 
 of the church as contributing to this object. 
 As for the 'things that eye did not see,' etc., 
 they are not represented as remaining hidden, 
 but as revealed by the Spirit of God and taught 
 by the apostles. (See ver. 10.) But these 
 future glories remain mysteries in great part. 
 (Cf. 1 John 3: 2.) If we examine Heb. 5: 12, 
 in which the same distinction is made between 
 the lower and the higher stages of Christian 
 doctrine, we find that the rudimentary things 
 are repentance and faith, baptism, laying on of 
 hands, resurrection, and final judgment. 
 These are all teachings that belong evidently 
 to the very beginning of the Christian life. 
 They constitute the foundation of Christian 
 doctrine. And, generally we may say, there- 
 fore, that everything that lies beyond this, and 
 belongs to the development of the Christian 
 life, is included by the apostle in the wisdom 
 of which he speaks. 
 
 10. But God hath revealed— should be 
 simply revealed. By his Spirit — should be 
 by the Spirit. (See Crit. Notes.) Unto us, 
 
 not to Christians generally. The whole para- 
 graph treats of truth delivered to the author- 
 ized teachers of the gospel, and by them 
 spoken to men. In ver. 6, this particular class 
 of truths, called there wisdom, is limited 
 to mature Christians, while here it is spoken 
 of as already revealed to 'us.' And in ver. 
 13, those to whom it is revealed are described 
 as inspired teachers. And this is evidently 
 God's method in the revelation of truth; 
 through a few specially endowed it is given to 
 men everywhere and of all times. The Spirit 
 does not reveal truths directly to the individ- 
 ual Christian. For, etc. This gives the ground 
 of the preceding statement, that it is through 
 the Spirit that God makes this revelation. He 
 is fitted for this work by his universal knowl- 
 edge. Searcheth. This same term is used 
 of the method of the divine knowledge in 
 Rom. 8: 27; Rev. 2: 23.. (Cf. Ps. 139: 1.) 
 It is of course anthropomorphic in its nature, 
 and is used when the subject of knowledge is, 
 humanly speaking, profound and difficult. 
 Yea, the deep things. Better, even the 
 depths. In this is included everything per- 
 taining to God, not only his thoughts, but his 
 nature. This verse gives the other side of this 
 divine wisdom. Ver. 7-9 describe it as hidden 
 from men ; this verse as revealed to apostolic 
 men by God's Spirit. 
 
 11. For, etc., confirms from human analogy 
 the previous statement about divine things. 
 What man— literally, who among ment The 
 question is equivalent to the negative state- 
 ment 'no one knows, etc' The things of a 
 man— the spirit of man— should he of the 
 man, in both cases. In John 2: 2-">, where 
 Jesus is said to know what is in man, the 
 article is also used;— literally, what was in the 
 man — i. e., what was in the particular man 
 with whom he was dealing at any time — and 
 the same explanation applies here. (See 
 Winer, 115.) The statement is that the things 
 of the man, his purposes, thoughts, character, 
 motives, etc., are unknown to any one except 
 his own spirit— i. e., to himself. Which is in 
 
26 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. II. 
 
 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, 
 hut the Spirit which is of God; that we might kuow the 
 things that are freely given to us of God. 
 
 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which 
 man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost 
 teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 
 
 12 save the Spirit of God. But we received, not the 
 spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from 
 God; that we might know the things that were 
 
 13 freely given to us of God. Which things also we 
 speak, not in words which man's wisdom teacheth, 
 but which the Spirit teacheth: •combining spiritual 
 
 1 Or, interpreting spiritual things to spiritual meu. 
 
 him. This position gives him a knowledge of 
 the things in question that no one outside can 
 have. Even so — the Spirit of God stands in a 
 relation to God corresponding to the relation 
 of man's spirit to the man, and hy virtue of 
 this he alone knows the things of God, just as 
 the spirit of a man alone knows the things 
 ■belonging to him. In each, self-knowledge 
 is predicated as the only knowledge. The 
 analogy must not be pushed too far, however, 
 as if the Spirit of God and God were co-ex- 
 tensive terms, as the corresponding terms are, 
 substantially, in man. (See Matt. 11: 27.) 
 The point of the analogy is evident]} 7 this 
 self-knowledge, and in both cases the contrast 
 is between the spirit within and anything out- 
 side. Knoweth no man — should be, no one. 
 12. This verse contains the minor premise 
 of the argument for the first clause of ver. 10, 
 viz., that God revealed these things to the 
 apostles by bis Spirit. The major premise is 
 in the second clause of ver. 10, and the entire 
 argument is — God reveals them to us by his 
 Spirit; for the Spirit knows all things, and we 
 have that Spirit. Now we — better, and we. 
 Have received — should be, received. Not 
 the spirit of the world. This has been 
 taken to mean the disposition and way of 
 thinking that prevails in the world. But this 
 presents no proper contrast to the personal 
 Spirit of God. And an examination of such 
 passages as 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2: 2; 6: 11, 12 
 (of. John 12: 31 ; 1 John 4:3; 5: 19), shows 
 that the apostle's doctrine contains the repre- 
 sentation of a personal evil spirit, a god of this 
 world, a spirit working in the children of dis- 
 obedience, which does suit the demands of this 
 passage. This evil spirit is called here 'the 
 spirit of the world,' because he rules the world 
 and has his field of operations in it. This 
 negative description of what they received is 
 introduced here, in order to make the contrast 
 between them and tbe ignorant world with its 
 rulers. (See ver. 6, 8.) Had they received 
 this, they, as well as the world, would bave 
 remained without knowledge of these divine 
 things, as it is by the work of this spirit in 
 
 blinding the minds of unbelievers tbat the 
 world becomes unable to know the things of 
 God. The Spirit which is of God— liter- 
 ally, from God. The Spirit of God is here 
 called 'the Spirit from God,' in order to call 
 attention to the source from which we receive 
 him. Moreover, tbe preposition denotes that 
 he comes out from God, not merely from bis 
 presence, but from within God, where he be- 
 longs. That we might know, etc. — denotes 
 the divine purpose in giving them this Spirit. 
 The things known correspond to the Spirit 
 received. If that had been the spirit of the 
 world, those receiving it would have known 
 worldly things. God's Spirit is given them 
 that they may know the things of God. 
 Freely given. This verb is derived from the 
 noun meaning grace or favor (see on 1 : 3), and 
 its primary meaning is to show favor, then to 
 do or give anything as a favor. The parti- 
 ciple, which is in the past tense, denotes most 
 naturally things which were already given, 
 though it may be used proleptically of things 
 to be given in the future, but so surely, that 
 they may be looked on as already given. We 
 have already seen that this most natural mean- 
 ing is preferable on other grounds. (See on 
 ver. 9. ) 
 
 13. Which things also we speak — speak 
 as well as know — not in the words which 
 man's wisdom teacheth, etc. — literally, not 
 in words taught by human wisdom, but in 
 those, taught by the Spirit. (See Crit. Notes.) 
 'Words' is too general in its meaning to be 
 pressed into the service of any theory of in- 
 spiration. In this statement the apostle returns 
 to the subject of his manner of preaching the 
 gospel, and the first part of it corresponds to 
 what he has said before, viz., that it is not 
 according to superiority of word or wisdom, 
 not in persuasive words of wisdom. In the 
 second part, he advances to the positive state- 
 ment that he and the other apostles speak the 
 things revealed by the Spirit in words taught 
 by the Spirit, thus combining spiritual things 
 with spiritual. This Spirit he has already 
 shown to be the Spirit of the divine wisdom 
 
Ch. II.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIAN'S. 
 
 27 
 
 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of 
 the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; 
 neither tan he know t/iem,'beca\ise they are spiritually 
 discerned. 
 
 14 things with spiritual in, nix. Now the ' natural man 
 receiveth not the tilings of the Si.irit of God: for 
 they are foolishness unto him ; ami he cannot know 
 
 1 Or, unepiritual. Or. psychical. 
 
 (cf. ver. 7, 10, 11, 12), and the contrast is thus 
 between the words of human wisdom and 
 those of divine wisdom. Comparing spir- 
 itual things with spiritual. The participle 
 in this clause has been explained in various 
 ways. Our version translates it 'comparing,' 
 which is one of the meanings of the word, but 
 is inapposite. Others translate it explain- 
 ing, either 'explaining spiritual things by 
 spiritual,' or 'explaining spiritual things to 
 spiritual men.' But this is a doubtful mean- 
 ing of the word, and the first application of 
 it here is inapposite. Combining spiritual 
 tilings with spiritual, gives the proper mean- 
 ing of the word, and answers exactly to the 
 apostle's thought. He represents himself as 
 using words taught by the Spirit to express 
 truths revealed by the Spirit, and this he vin- 
 dicates as putting together things that belong 
 together, spiritual words and spiritual truths, 
 instead of combining things mutually distinc- 
 tive. (Seel: 17.) 
 
 14. But the natural man, etc. With this 
 verse, the apostle takes up another theme. He 
 has spoken of the way in which this wisdom 
 of God is revealed, and taught by those to 
 whom it is revealed. Now he shows how 
 it is received. The natural man — liter- 
 ally, the psychical man; from the Greek 
 word meaning soul. The Greek words for 
 soul and spirit coincide in some of their 
 uses, and differ in others, as in our language. 
 The former denotes the life of men and ani- 
 mals, then the seat of that life, then the entire 
 spiritual part of man, as opposed to the bodily 
 part, and then the man himself. The word 
 for spirit corresponds with this in denoting the 
 seat of the life and the spiritual part of man ; 
 but it is never used of animals; and, on the 
 other hand, it is used of the Spirit of God, as 
 the other seldom is. (See Matt. 12: 18; Heb. 
 10 : 38.) Spirit is thus the higher word of the 
 two, and it is used, therefore, to denote the 
 spiritual nature of man, as changed by the 
 Holy Spirit. Soul is not used to denote the 
 unrenewed spirit, belonging to the natural 
 man, in opposition to spirit, unless in ch. 15: 
 45. But this adjective, psychical, derived 
 
 from it, is always used in the New Testa- 
 ment, with an expressed or implied contrast 
 to the word spiritual, derived from the other 
 word. (See ch. 15: 44, 45; James 3: 15; 
 JudelO.) The moral quality of the word is 
 distinctly brought out in the two passages 
 from James and Jude. The meaning in this 
 passage, then, is a man characterized by the 
 psyche, the natural soul of man ; and it is con- 
 trasted with the man who has the Spirit— i. e., 
 here, the Holy Spirit. Receiveth not— may 
 denote either man's incapacity or unwilling- 
 ness to receive them. The New Testament 
 usage is uniform in favor of the latter mean- 
 ing, and the statement is, therefore, that the 
 natural man refuses — rejects the things of the 
 Spirit of God. For they are foolishness 
 unto him. (Cf. 1: 18, 21, 23, 25.) Neither 
 can he know them. This is to be connected 
 immediately with the preceding statement as 
 a part of the reason why the natural man 
 rejects these things. The knowledge that is 
 meant here is the true spiritual knowledge, 
 which belongs only to the mind that has been 
 put into sympathy with divine things. (See 
 onl: 21.) Because they are spiritually 
 discerned. This gives the reason for both 
 the preceding statements, which should be 
 separated by only a comma, in order to indi- 
 cate their common relation to the first state- 
 ment of the verse, and also to this, which is 
 intended to explain and prove them both. 
 The word translated 'discerned' here, is the 
 same as the word for 'judgeth' and 'judged' 
 in the next verse. Neither translation con- 
 veys the exact sense of the original, which 
 means to examine or investigate. (Cf. Acts 
 4: 9; 17: 11, etc.) This examination which 
 leads to the right knowledge of divine things, 
 is only spiritually performed. This meaning 
 is better in this passage because it is the un- 
 derstanding, rather than the estimation, of 
 these things — a matter for inquiry, rather than 
 judgment, that is here spoken of. Spiritually, 
 means after the manner of the Holy Spirit, as 
 distinguished from the natural human soul, 
 which characterizes the 'natural man' of the 
 first part of the verse. It is only as the mind 
 
28 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Ch. III. 
 
 15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he 
 himself is judged of no man. 
 
 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that 
 he may instruct him ? But we have the mind of Christ. 
 
 15 them, because they are spiritually •judged. But he 
 that is spiritual 2judgeth all things, and he himself 
 
 16 is i judged of no man. For who hath known the 
 mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him? But 
 we have the mind of Christ. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 AND I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto 
 spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in 
 Christ. 
 
 1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as 
 unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, as unto babes 
 
 1 Or, examined 2 Or. examineth. 
 
 is guided and possessed by the Spirit.of God 
 that the things of God are searched out. 
 
 15. But he that is spiritual — that is, the 
 man who has the Spirit of God, and is so ren- 
 dered like him. Judgeth— is judged. See on 
 verse 14. All things. This statement is uni- 
 versal. The spiritual nature and endowment 
 of the Christian give him a position from which 
 he looks out intelligently on every thing. The 
 true nature of man, the natural constitution 
 of things, the wise conduct of affairs — for all 
 these his spiritual nature gives him insight 
 and understanding. But he himself is 
 judged of no man— better, by no man. The 
 man himself belongs to the things of the 
 Spirit of God (ver. u), which cannot be known 
 by the natural man. And so the same things 
 which makes other matters comprehensible 
 to him, makes him incomprehensible to 
 others. The spiritual man remains a riddle 
 to the natural man. 
 
 16. For who hath known the mind of 
 the Lord, etc. This is a quotation from the 
 Septuagint of Isaiah 40: 13. In the original, 
 it reads, Who measured (or, weighed) the Spirit 
 of Jehovah ? the verb being the same as in the 
 question, Who meted out heaven with his 
 span? (ver. 12). As the quotation is used by 
 Paul, there is more emphasis placed on the 
 knowing than on the directing of the mind of 
 Jehovah, although in the original the knowl- 
 edge is subordinate to the other. The Lord. 
 The substitution of Christ for ' Lord' in the 
 last clause of the verse shows that Paul uses 
 the quotation as referring to him, though in 
 the original 'Jehovah' is the word used. 
 That he may instruct him — literally, who 
 will instruct him, though the relative clause 
 denotes the purpose to be accomplished by the 
 knowledge. But we have the mind of 
 Christ. This is the minor premise in the 
 apostle's argument. The entire argument is, 
 A<> one knows the mind of the Lord or of 
 Christ; we have that mind; therefore no one 
 
 knows us. The verse, as a whole, therefore, 
 proves the statement of the last clause of ver. 
 15. The statement that we have the mind of 
 Christ means that we have his thoughts and 
 purposes, through the indwelling of his Spirit. 
 
 CRITICAL NOTES. — CHAPTER II. 
 
 4. Man 1 s, in the phrase man's ivisdom, 
 is found in X C ACL, etc., two Mss. of the Vulg 
 cop syrP, etc. ; it is omitted by L. T. Tr., on 
 the authority of X*BDE, etc. it three Mss. of 
 the vulg syr sch sah, etc. 
 
 10. His Spirit is found in X C DEF, etc. it 
 vulg syr atr sah, etc. The Spirit is the reading 
 of L. T. Tr., on the authority of XABC. cop, 
 etc. 
 
 13. Holy before spirit is to be omitted, on 
 the authority of KABC, etc., it vulg syr sch 
 cop, etc. 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 
 Application to his own teaching of the Cor- 
 inthians of the principle that the carnal mind 
 does not receive spiritual things, nor the im- 
 mature mind solid food. 1-4. Argument 
 against the dissensions by which they are 
 kept in a carnal state, on the ground that 
 Paul and Apollos, over whom they are fight- 
 ing, are not leaders, but servants of God, and 
 comparatively nothing. 5-7, and are one. 
 8. Relations to God's building of the different 
 builders, and their responsibility for the kind 
 of materials that they put into it. 9-15. 
 Punishment of him who destroys this temple. 
 16, 17. Warning against the false assumption 
 of wisdom which leads to party strife among 
 them. Such wisdom is foolishness with God. 
 18-20. Boasting in men improper in those 
 who possess all things, and who belong to 
 Christ, who belongs to God. 
 
 Ch. 3. The chapter begins with an appli- 
 cation of the preceding statements in regard 
 to grades of religious truth to the relations of 
 
Ch. III.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 29 
 
 2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat; for 
 hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are 
 ye able. 
 
 3 For ye are yet carnal ; for whereas there is among 
 you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, 
 and walk as men '.' 
 
 4 For while one saith, I am of Paul ; and another, I 
 am of Apollos ; are ye not carnal ? 
 
 2 in Christ. I fed you with milk, not with meat; 
 for ye were not yet able to bear U: nay, uot even 
 
 3 now are ye able; for ye are yet carnal : lor whereas 
 there is anion;.: you jealousy and strife, are ye not 
 
 4 carnal, and walk after the manner of men'' For 
 when one saith, I am of Paul ; and another, I am of 
 
 Paul to the Corinthian Church, and proceeds 
 with a general discussion of the true position 
 of teachers in the church. 
 
 1. And I. The pronoun is emphatic, bring- 
 ing out the application to himself of the prin- 
 ciple stated in 2: 6. There he has spoken of 
 a wisdom for the mature, distinguished from 
 the simple preaching of Christ crucilied(ver. 2), 
 and now he shows why it is that he had 
 preached to them so far the latter, instead of 
 the former. Unto spiritual — unto carnal. 
 The relation of these words to the pronoun you 
 is better expressed by the omission of the 
 preposition. 'Spiritual' as in 2: 15, means 
 those who have the Holy Spirit, and thus 
 partake of his nature ; ' carnal' is the equiv- 
 alent of 'natural' in 2: 14, designating the 
 same class, but in a different way. It 
 comes from the word meaning flesh, on 
 which see on 1 : 26. Here it denotes, not the 
 natural man simply, but the sinful man; just 
 nsjiesh is used so frequently in the New Tes- 
 tament, and specially by Paul, to denote man's 
 sinful nature. In the history of the word, 
 however, probably 'natural' precedes the 
 meaning 'sinful,' which becomes the meaning 
 after it has been decided that human nature 
 is sinful instead of holy. (See Art. on the use 
 of <ra P £ in "Bib. Sac." 1875, p. 36 seq.) Babes, 
 literally, infants. This word is contrasted 
 with 'perfect' (mature) of 2: 6, and denotes 
 beginners, those in the first stages of Christian 
 experience. On this contrast, cf. Eph. 4: 14; 
 Heb. 5: 12, 13. It is to be noticed that this 
 term 'infants in Christ,' makes it necessary 
 to take the preceding designations ' not spirit- 
 ual' and 'carnal' in a modified, comparative 
 sense, which is already apparent from all that 
 he has previously said of them. Only compara- 
 tively were they carnal; a term which is ordi- 
 narily used of those completely under the 
 dominion of the flesh. The New Testament 
 represents the renewed man as one in whom 
 a new principle of righteousness has been 
 introduced by the side of the old sinful ele- 
 ment, and his growth consists in the gradual 
 extirpation of the old by the new, of the 
 
 fleshly by the spiritual principle. The Corin- 
 thian Christians are represented as yet in the 
 first stages of this growth, and therefore com- 
 paratively carnal. The comparison, however, 
 is not between the two principles, as if the 
 carnal principle predominated, since the New 
 Testament does not represent this as the 
 case in any stage of the Christian life; but 
 between their present state and the advanced 
 stage of Christian growth. Compared with 
 the latter, they are still carnal. 
 
 2. I have fed you, etc.— literally, I gave 
 you milk to drink, not food. (See Crit. Notes.) 
 The word translated meat, means something 
 to be eaten, not drunk. By these contrasted 
 terms Paul represents rudimentary and ad- 
 vanced Christian truth. Ye were not able 
 to bear it — the italicized words in ourversion 
 are superfluous. The verb to be able is used 
 absolutely in all stages of the Greek language. 
 As Winer expresses it, it has in itself a com- 
 plete notion, viz., to be able, to be strong, and 
 that is the meaning here. (See Winer, 594. 
 Grimm's Lexicon.) The Corinthian Chris- 
 tians were not yet strong; and so he fed them 
 with milk, not with tbe solid food adapted to 
 a period of strength. Neither— should be, but 
 not even. (See Crit. Notes.) The apostle dis- 
 tinguishes here between the first time that he 
 preached to them and now, when they are 
 still weak as at the beginning. 
 
 3. For, etc. Gives the proof of their weak- 
 ness, viz., that they are carnal. For where- 
 as, etc. ; they are still carnal, for there are 
 among them carnal things. And divisions, 
 is to be omitted. (See Crit. Notes.) As men, 
 — literally, after the manner of man. This 
 assumes the sinful nature of mar., so that the 
 men who work righteousness become excep- 
 tions and are separated from the race. Envy- 
 ing and strife. (Cf. 2 Cor. 12: 20; Gal. 5: 
 20, etc.) 
 
 4. While one saith — literally, whenever 
 any one says, I am of Paul, etc. The apostle 
 takes up again here the matter of party-divis- 
 ions among them. He has been discussing 
 the particular matter in dispute between the 
 
30 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. III. 
 
 5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but minis- 
 ters by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to 
 every man? 
 
 i; 1 have planted, Apollos watered ; but God gave the 
 iucrea.se. 
 
 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, 
 neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the 
 increase. 
 
 5 Apollos; are ye not men? What then is Apollos? 
 and what is Paul ? Ministers through whom ye be- 
 
 6 lieved; and each as the Lord gave to him. I planted, 
 
 7 Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So 
 then neither is he that planteth anything, neither 
 he that watereth; but God who giveth the increase. 
 
 party of Paul and Apollos, (t : n ; s : s), and now 
 he returns to the general subject of the divis- 
 ions themselves. Only two of the parties 
 mentioned in 1 : 12, are introduced here ; these 
 being taken as representative. (See on 4 : 6.) 
 Are ye not carnal ? — should be, are ye not 
 men? (See Crit. Notes.) The assumption is 
 here, as in verse 3, that the race as such is 
 sinful. 
 
 5. Who then is Paul, and who is Apol- 
 los? Should read probably, What then is 
 Apollos, and what is Paul ? The order of the 
 questions is reversed, and the question asked 
 in regard to both is what, not ' who.' This 
 form of the question corresponds better to the 
 answer given, which has to do with their 
 office or position, not with their personal 
 identity. But ministers by whom. But is 
 to be omitted probably, (see Crit. Notes), so 
 that the question ends with the word Apollos, 
 (Paul) ; and the phrase ' ministers by whom, 
 etc.,' is the answer to it. ' By whom ' is better 
 translated through whom, denoting the agents 
 in procuring their belief. ' Ministers,' literally, 
 servants, the original and proper meaning of 
 our word minister. The Geeek word used 
 here is the original of our word deacon. It is 
 used in the New Testament of ' servants,' 
 John 2: 5, etc.; of the servants of Christ, 
 John 12: 26; 1 Thess. 3: 2, etc.; and of the 
 particular class of the latter called deacons. 
 Phil. 1: 1; 1 Tim. 3: 8, etc. The entire ex- 
 pression, 'Servants through whom ye be- 
 lieved,' is chosen and intended to denote the 
 subordinate and instrumental relation which 
 Paul and Apollos had to their conversion. 
 Even as the Lord gave to every man, or, 
 each. There is some doubt whether 'each' 
 here refers to those who believe, or to those 
 through whom they believe. If the former, 
 then it means that the faith, or the power to 
 believe, is the gift of God; if the latter, then 
 it means that their success in making men 
 believe is his gift. The development of the 
 thought in the next verse shows that it is the 
 faith itself that is given, and that 'each' 
 therefore denotes the believer. The Lord, is 
 
 here in contrast with the 'servants' in the 
 preceding clause. They are servants through 
 whom they believe; he is the Lord, or master, 
 whose gift the faith is. The argument, there- 
 fore, against their making Paul and Apollos 
 their masters, as they do when they say, ' I 
 am of Paul, etc.,' is that they are not masters, 
 but servants. These men occupy a subordi- 
 nate position, and have only a secondary, 
 instrumental relation to their conversion. 
 God is their Master, and the real cause of 
 their conversion. 'The Lord' is here used of 
 God, as the development of the thought in 
 verses 6-9 shows. 
 
 6. I have planted, Apollos watered. 
 "What is the object of these verbs? Some 
 have supposed that the object is personal, and 
 that the figure represents the Corinthian 
 Christians as plants, planted by Paul, and 
 watered by Apollos, but made to live and 
 grow by God. But this view is set aside by 
 the explanation of the figure in ver. 9, where 
 they are called not the plants, but the field of 
 God, (Com. Ver., husbandry), in which the 
 plants grow. The proper object is to be sup- 
 plied from the preceding verse, of which this 
 is the development. There Paul and Apollos 
 are represented as having an instrumental 
 part in producing the faith of the Corinthians, 
 God being the real cause of that faith. And 
 in this verse, which describes more particu- 
 larly the exact part which each had in this 
 work, Paul is said to have planted, and 
 Apollos to have watered that faith. But 
 God gave the increase. Should be, God 
 caused it to grow. The verb is transitive, 
 and has for its object the same as the preced- 
 ing verbs. The whole is a figurative repre- 
 sentation of the fact that Paul was the means 
 of producing, and Apollos of increasing and 
 developing, the faith; but God was the real 
 power in both processes. 
 
 7. So then, etc. This verse gives the infer- 
 ence from the preceding statement, which 
 shows its bearing on the apostle's argument. 
 Is . . . anything. This expression, in the 
 Greek and Latin, just as in the English, 
 
Ch. III.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 31 
 
 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one; 
 and every man shall reeeive his own reward according 
 to his own lahour. 
 
 y For we are labourers together with God ; ye are 
 God's husbandry, ye urn God's building. 
 
 10 According to the ^raceof God which is given unto 
 me, as a wise masterbuilder, 1 have laid the foundation, 
 and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take 
 heed how he buildeth thereupon. 
 
 8 Now he that )>lcnteth and he that watereth are one: 
 but each shall receive his own rewind according to 
 
 9 his own labour. For we are God's fellow- workers: 
 ye are God's • husbandry, God's building. 
 
 10 According to the grace of <iod which was given 
 unto me, as a wise masterbuilder 1 laid a founda- 
 tion; and another buildeth thereon. But let each 
 
 1 Gr. tilUd land. 
 
 means something or somebody of conse- 
 quence. (Cf. Acts 5: 36; Gal. 2: 6; 6: 3. 
 See Winer, 170). Since God is the real cause 
 of their faith, their teachers are compara- 
 tively nothing, and are therefore not to be 
 exalted to the position of leaders. 
 
 8. Now. This translation would imply 
 that we have introduced here explanatory 
 matter. It should be And, as it introduces 
 another part of the apostle's argument against 
 party rivalries. Are one; not one person, 
 but one thing. What this one thing is, is 
 stated in ver. 9, viz., fellow-workers with 
 God. Before, he has argued on the ground 
 that these teachers are comparatively noth- 
 ing. Here he introduces the new argument, 
 that they are one ; which is of course opposed 
 to the setting up of one over against another 
 in the rivalry of party leadership, since that 
 is based, not on their equality, .but on the sup- 
 posed superiority of one or the other. And 
 every man, should be and each — i. e., each of 
 the two mentioned, the one that plants, and 
 the one that waters. Shall receive his own 
 reward, etc. Some suppose that this state- 
 ment is adverse to the other, and so translate 
 the conjunction at the beginning of the sen- 
 tence but. The meaning, according to this, 
 would be that, though they are one, each one 
 will receive li is own reward or pay. But this 
 interrupts the thought by the introduction, of 
 extraneous matter having nothing to do with 
 the principal idea. It seems very much bet- 
 ter, therefore, to consider this as in line with 
 the statement that they are one, in which case 
 the connection would be — Some of you have 
 attributed everything to Paul, and claimed 
 the reward for him alone, and some the same 
 for Apollos; but the fact is, that instead of 
 either having an exclusive claim, they are 
 one, and each will have his reward according 
 to his own work. According to his own 
 labor. This does not refer to the kind of 
 work done, so that one receives the reward of 
 the sower, and another of the cultivator ; for 
 
 these are said to be essentially one. But it 
 refers to the amount and faithfulness of the 
 work done by each in his own department. 
 (See ver. 14 seq., and cf. Luke 19: 16-19.) 
 
 9. For we are laborers together with 
 God. This has been explained to mean, 
 fellow-workmen under God. But the genitive 
 of person after this word always denotes the 
 one with whom one is associated in work, not 
 the person under whom one works with 
 others. (See Kom. 16: 3, 9, 21 ; 2 Cor. 8: 23, 
 etc.) This statement that they are God's 
 helpers confirms the statement that they are 
 one, by showing the one thing that they both 
 are. Ve are God's husbandry. This word 
 is obsolete, in the sense in which it is here 
 used. The proper translation is field. This 
 representation of the Corinthians as God's 
 field shows the nature of the work in which 
 their teachers are helpers of God in the plant- 
 ing and cultivation of this field. God's 
 building. With this, the apostle changes 
 the figure, though the thought remains the 
 same. 
 
 10. According to ihe grace of God. On 
 the general meaning of this word "grace," 
 see on 1:3. It is sometimes used by Paul, of 
 the special gift bestowed on him as an apostle. 
 (See Kom. 1:5; Gal. 2: 9; Eph. 3: 2, 8.) 
 But the founding of churches, of which he 
 here speaks, was not a special apostolic office, 
 and the grace is here, therefore, more general. 
 It is that gift of the divine grace, that mani- 
 festation of God's favor, by which the apostle 
 was fitted to do this work. Which is given 
 unto me — should be, was given, viz., at the 
 time of his entering on his work. As a wise 
 masterbuilder. The word 'wise,' in the 
 original, denotes skill in a craft, as well a9 
 general prudence or intelligence, and skillful 
 is a better translation here. This phrase does 
 not denote that laying the foundation is a 
 work that belongs to him as the master- 
 builder, while the rest of the work is en- 
 trusted to ordinary workmen. For this would 
 
32 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. III. 
 
 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is 
 laid, which is Jesus Christ. 
 
 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, 
 silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble ; 
 
 11 man take heed how he buildeth thereon. For other 
 foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, 
 
 12 which is Jesus Christ. But if any man buildeth on 
 the foundation gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, 
 
 be to assert the very superiority of his part of 
 the work, which he has been at pains to deny. 
 But the phrase denotes the manner in which 
 he laid the foundation, viz., like a skillful 
 masterbuilder. I have laid the founda- 
 tion. Omit have. The pronoun is not em- 
 phasized in the Greek. The part taken by 
 him in the building corresponds to the part 
 that he had in the production of their faith, 
 represented as a plant. What the foundation 
 is, we learn from ver. 11, viz., the doctrine of 
 Jesus Christ. And another. This does not 
 refer exclusively to Apollos, but is general ; 
 since he proceeds in the next verse to speak of 
 each one so building. The question arises 
 here, on which depends the interpretation of 
 what follows, what he designates under the 
 figure of a building. In the first place, it 
 seems evident that he does not mean indi- 
 vidual Christian character, as he speaks of 
 them collectively, not individually, calling 
 them God's field, God's building, not fields or 
 buildings. The church, then, is meant, but 
 there are two ways in which the building of 
 the church may go on ; either by the increase 
 of its membership, each member being re- 
 garded as a stone in the building, or by the 
 building up of its Christian character, the 
 building material in this case being the in- 
 struction in Christian truth given it. For the 
 former, see Eph. 2: 19, seq. But it is evi- 
 dently the latter that is meant here. For the 
 building is the same thing denoted by the 
 figure of a field in ver. 6-9, and the structure 
 of it corresponds to the growth there. And 
 the statements of ver. 12-15, in regard to the 
 nature of the building materials, are incon- 
 sistent with the supposition that they are men. 
 False teaching may be built up on the funda- 
 mental doctrine of Christ, but scarcely false 
 men on the foundation of Christ. How he 
 buildeth thereupon. The manner of build- 
 ing is seen from what follows to refer to the 
 materials that the teacher employs, the char- 
 acter of his teaching. 
 
 11. For other foundation. The emphasis 
 is on the word ' foundation,' as if it read, for 
 as to the foundation, no other can be laid. 
 And it therefore gives the reason why his 
 warning is confined to the superstructure, and 
 
 does not extend to the foundation. He says, 
 no other foundation can be laid, because he is 
 here speaking of a Christian church, and the 
 faith in Christ is what gives it its distinctive 
 character, so that a change here destroys its 
 identity. Than that is laid. A relative 
 pronoun is necessary to complete this sentence, 
 viz., that which has been laid. The apostle 
 has spoken of himself as laying the founda- 
 tion in the preceding verse, and that statement 
 in such immediate proximity makes it quite 
 improbable that he refers here to God as the 
 one laying it, though that is true in itself, and 
 even more deeply true than that Paul laid it. 
 Which is Jesus Christ. Inasmuch as the 
 church is here spoken of as built up by the 
 development of its Christian character, the 
 building materials being the truths by which 
 it is built up, it is not Christ as a person that 
 is here meant, but the doctrine of Christ which 
 is fundamental among Christian truths, as his 
 person is the foundation of the church con- 
 sidered as a building in which believers are 
 the stones. (Cf. Eph. 2: 19 seq.) This foun- 
 dation of the doctrine of Christ is what Paul 
 laid. (See 2: 2.) And in this view the 
 strangeness of the thought, that Paul laid the 
 foundation, disappears. 
 
 12. Upon this foundation — should read, 
 on the foundation. (See Crit. Notes.) Gold, 
 silver, precious stones. These things form 
 one class of building materials, all of them 
 being valuable and durable, while the wood, 
 hay, and stubble (better, straw) make 
 another class of little worth, and perishable. 
 The whole list, moreover, proceeds in regular 
 order from gold down to straw. Precious 
 stones. This does not mean, as our version 
 would suggest, stones used in jewelry and 
 ornamentation, but the more costly kind of 
 stones used in building, such as marble. The 
 other supposition would violate the order just 
 spoken of; it would leave out the most im- 
 portant and common of all the materials men- 
 tioned; and it would introduce materials not 
 used for building. Straw, denotes the stalk 
 of grain from which the head has been cutoff. 
 Stubble is more common^ used of the still 
 lower growth that remains in the field after 
 the grain is cut. Both of them were used for 
 
Ch. III.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 33 
 
 13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the 
 day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; 
 and the fire .shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 
 
 14 If any man's work abide which he hath built 
 thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 
 
 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer 
 loss; but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 
 
 13 stubble; each man's work shall be made manifest: 
 for the day shall declare it, because it is revealed in 
 fire; l and the tire itself shall prove each man's work 
 
 14 of what sort it is. If any man's work shall abide 
 which he built thereon, he shall receive a reward. 
 
 1") If any man's work shall be burned, he shall Buffer 
 loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as through 
 fire. 
 
 1 Or, and each man's work, of what sort it is, the fire shallprove it. 
 
 thatching. These materials denote figura- 
 tively, as we have seen, the instruction in 
 Christian truth by which the church is built 
 up. And the work of building belongs to 
 Christian teachers, who give this instruction, 
 such as the apostle; not to individual Chris- 
 tians, whose work is the building up of their 
 own character. 
 
 13. Every man's work shall be made 
 manifest. The special thing about the work 
 that will be manifested is the nature of the 
 materials used — ». e., of the triaths taught. 
 This will show itself in the Christian character 
 developed by these truths. The use of Chris- 
 tian truth in this process of Christian develop- 
 ment, especially in the church as a whole, is 
 very noticeable throughout the passage. For 
 the day shall declare it. We find 'the 
 day,' or 'that day,' mentioned without further 
 specification in 2 Tim. 1: 12, 18; 4:8; Heb. 
 10: 25. And in each case the context is such 
 as to indicate that the day of judgment is 
 meant, aside from the probability that in the 
 New Testament ' the day ' would be that. 
 Because it shall be revealed by fire — 
 should be, is revealed in fire. The subject of 
 the verb is the day, not the work, since with 
 the latter subject, this and the following sen- 
 tence would be identical propositions, while 
 they are evidently parts of a complete argu- 
 ment proving the proposition that 'the day 
 will declare it.' The verb is present to denote 
 the certainty of the future event. (See "Winer, 
 265.) The preposition does not denote fire as 
 that by which, but as the element in which, 
 accompanied by which, the day is revealed. 
 Fire is represented as the element in which 
 the day is enwrapped, that which surrounds 
 and envelopes it. 'Fire.' This is evidently 
 not the fire of punishment, because it is repre- 
 sented as involving both the evil work and 
 the good. "When the word is used, as it is in 
 this place, to denote that which tests things, 
 and separates the good from the bad by the 
 destruction of the latter, it is evidently a 
 figurative representation of judgment. (Cf. 
 
 1 Pet. 1 : 7 ; 4 : 12 ; Rev. 3 : 18. ) And so, what 
 characterizes the clay, distinguishing it from 
 all other days, is the judgment that it ushers 
 in. And the fire shall try— should be. the 
 fire itself (see Crit. Notes) ; the fire without 
 any other agency will try or test what each 
 teacher's work is. The judgment of the great 
 day on the characters produced by Christian 
 teaching will show the character of that in- 
 struction without subjecting it to further test. 
 This statement completes the argument which 
 runs as follows : The day will show each man's 
 work ; for the day is revealed in fire, and the 
 fire will prove the work and show what it is. 
 
 14. If any man's work abide which he 
 hath built thereupon— should be, which he 
 built on it. It must be remembered that the 
 work is not the personal character of the 
 builder, but the influence that he has had on 
 other men's characters from his teachings. 
 Thereupon. That is, on the foundation of the 
 doctrine of Christ. This foundation is necessary 
 to the Christian character of the work, and to 
 the results stated. He shall receive a re- 
 ward. Not only be saved, but be rewarded 
 for the work that he has done. *seeiThess.2:i9.) 
 
 15. If any man's work shall be burned. 
 It is supposed that the foundation of Chris- 
 tian character in the doctrine of Christ, is 
 not destroyed as the result of the tea;her's 
 work. But the superstructure of character, 
 being the result of teachings worthless and 
 unchristian, does not stand the test of judg- 
 ment, and is destroyed. Fire here standing 
 for judgment, the remaining and burning of 
 the work represent its approval and condem- 
 nation. He shall suffer loss — viz., of his re- 
 ward. The verb here is used commonly in the 
 New Testament with an object. (See Matt. 16: 26; 
 
 MarkS: 36; 2 Cor. 7 : 9; Phil. 3 : 8.) The object in this 
 
 case is to be found probably in the reward of 
 the preceding verse. Aside from the usage, 
 this construction is to be preferred to taking 
 the verb absolutely ; because it gives greater 
 definiteness to the statement But he him- 
 self shall be saved. Contrasted with the 
 
34 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. III. 
 
 16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and 
 that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 
 
 17 If any man detile the temple of God, him shall 
 God destroy ; for the temple of God is holy, which tem- 
 ple ye are. 
 
 18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among 
 you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a 
 fool, that he may be wise. 
 
 16 Know ye not that ye are a * temple of God, and 
 
 17 that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you ? If any man 
 destroyeth the 'temple of God, tiiin shall God de- 
 stroy : for the 1 temple of God is holy, - which temple 
 ye are. 
 
 18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man thinketh 
 that he is wise among you in this 3 world, let him be- 
 
 1 Or, sanctuary . . . .2 Or, and sucJi are ye 3 Or, age. 
 
 losing of his reward. Yet so as by fire- 
 should be, but so as through fire. The prepo- 
 sition does not denote that by which they are 
 saved, though that is a common use of it, to 
 denote means, or instrument; but it denotes 
 that through which one comes to a result, 
 and that may be, as in this case, something 
 that hinders rather than helps the result. 
 They are not saved easily and certainly, but 
 only after great risk and danger. 
 
 1G. Know ye not? A form of question 
 introducing an important consideration of 
 which they might lose sight. (See Eom. 6: 
 16; 11 : 2, etc.) That ye are the temple 
 of God? Here, as in the entire preceding 
 discussion, the church is represented as the 
 temple, not individual Christians. The plural 
 subject with the singular predicate would 
 indicate this. They are called the ' temple of 
 God,' not in the sense in which they are called 
 'the building of God,' in ver. 9, where the 
 meaning is that God is the builder. Here the 
 next clause shows that God's dwelling in the 
 church is meant, makingthe church his shrine. 
 The word for temple does not denote the whole 
 structure, but the inner shrine in which the 
 divinity dwelt— in the Jewish Temple, the 
 Holy of Holies. And that the Spirit of 
 God dwelleth in you? The Spirit repre- 
 sents God, and it is by his indwelling, that 
 they become the temple of God. (See John 
 14: 17, andcf. ver. 23.) 
 
 17. If any man defile the temple of 
 God. The verb here may mean to defile or to 
 destroy. It is in favor of the first meaning 
 that it is a term commonly used by the Jews 
 in the defiling of their temple. But the same 
 word is used in the conclusion of the sentence 
 — him shall God destroy, and the connec- 
 tion of thought requires the same meaning in 
 the two parts of the sentence. The apostle 
 has before pointed out the effects of building 
 into this temple good and bad materials. 
 Now, after first showing that they are not 
 only a building of God, but a temple in which 
 
 he dwells, he states the effect of destroj-ing 
 that temple of God's church, which was the 
 tendency of the party strife and divisions 
 among them. For the temple of God is 
 holy — i. e., consecrated, set apart to sacred 
 purposes. Being thus sacred, its destruction 
 is sacrilege, and punishable with death. In 
 the case of the material temple, this death is 
 physical ; and in that of the spiritual temple, 
 it is spiritual. Which temple ye are. The 
 relative used here is the indefinite relative, 
 and can scarcely refer to the specific word 
 'temple'; but rather to the quality "holy," 
 denoting the class to which they belong. The 
 reasoning is somewhat different from that 
 based on the other reference of the relative. 
 Paul says : ' You belong to the same class of 
 holy things as the temple of God; and the de- 
 struction of you, therefore, exposes one to the 
 same punishment.' 1 
 
 18. Let no man deceive himself— viz., 
 in an assumption of wisdom, when "he is judg- 
 ing himself by the standards of the wisdom 
 of this world. If any man among you 
 seemeth to be wise. The verb in this 
 clause means also to think, which is evidently 
 the meaning in this connection, in which self- 
 deception is the suhject. If any one among 
 you thinks that he is wise in this world. 
 The latter clause should be, in this age. (See 
 on 2: 6). It is a wisdom belonging to this 
 evil age against which he warns them. Let 
 him become a fool, that he may be wise. 
 The verb is the same in both parts of the sen- 
 tence ; and the last clause should read, there- 
 fore, that he may become vnse. This paradox 
 is resolved by the distinction between the un- 
 real wisdom of the conditional clause, and 
 the true wisdom. ' Let him become a fool in 
 this age,' says the apostle, 'that he may be- 
 come really wise.' In this verse, the apostle 
 warns the Corinthians against that conceit of 
 superior wisdom, which is the cause, largely, 
 of the personal and party rivalries among 
 them. As we have seen, the form in which 
 
Ch. III.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 35 
 
 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with 
 God ; for it is written, He taketh the wise in their own 
 craftiness. 
 
 20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the 
 wise, that they are vain. 
 
 •11 Therefore let no man glory in men: for all things 
 are yours : 
 
 22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, 
 or life, or death, or things present, or things to come ; all 
 are yours: 
 
 23 And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's. 
 
 19 come a fool, that he may hecome wise. For the wis- 
 dom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is 
 written, He that taketh the wise in their craftiness: 
 
 20 and again, The Lord knoweth the reasonings '>f the 
 
 21 wise, that they are vain. Wherefore let DO glory 
 
 22 in men. For all things are yours; whether Paul, or 
 Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or 
 
 23 things present, or things to come; all are yours; and 
 ye are Christ's , and Christ is God's. 
 
 the danger of destroying the temple, or 
 church, of God, existed among them, was in 
 their party strifes and divisions. And so he 
 warns them against the pride of wisdom which 
 would lead to these schisms. 
 
 19. This verse restates the fact which is at 
 the hasis of this entire discussion, that the 
 heavenly and the worldry wisdom are opposed 
 to each other, and confirms by it the exhorta- 
 tion of the preceding verse, to become foolish 
 in order to become wise. With God — liter- 
 ally, in the presence of God ; but in such pas- 
 sages as this it has the meaning, in the sight 
 of God. (Cf. Rom. 2: 13; Gal. 3: 11), etc. 
 He taketh the wise, etc. — should be, he who 
 taketh the wise in their craftiness. The 
 apostle here conforms to the Hebrew, instead 
 of theSeptuagintformof Job 5: 13. Crafti- 
 ness is the proper translation for the Hebrew, 
 for which the Septuagint has substituted a 
 word meaning prudence or wisdom. The 
 figure represents their cunning as the trap in 
 which the wise are taken ; and by thus turn- 
 ing it into the means of their destruction, God 
 shows, in the most decisive way, its foolish- 
 ness. 
 
 20. The Lord knoweth the thoughts of 
 the wise, etc. This quotation is from Ps. 
 94: 11. In the original, it reads, the thoughts 
 of man. But in this matter, the class of wise 
 men represents the race; and the wisdom of 
 the race does not differ, except in degree, from 
 that of its representative wise men. Thoughts 
 — i. e., their reasonings, their intellectual pro- 
 cesses. Are vain — in the sense of fruitless ; 
 they reach no real ends in their thinking. 
 
 21. Therefore — literally, and so — i.e., 
 since the apostle has shown the worthlessness 
 of the wisdom in which they glory. For all 
 things are yours. They in their glory- 
 ing over men claimed this man or that 
 man, Paul or Apollos or Cephas, as theirs, to 
 the exclusion of others. ' Whereas,' Paul 
 says, 'they are till yours; each with his dif- 
 ferent gifts serving you in his own way ; and 
 
 it is therefore unworthy of you to boast of one 
 over another.' Are yours. In the sense 
 that all these things contribute to their good. 
 (Cf. Rom. 8: 28.) 
 
 22. Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Ce- 
 phas. In his enumeration of the things that 
 belong to them, Paul begins with the Chris- 
 tian teachers, who are the more immediate 
 subject of discourse. Or the world. In this 
 he passes immediately from the specific to the 
 most general term. Or life, or death. The 
 two extremes, including all possible condi- 
 tions. Or things present, or things to 
 come. Denoting the same universality on 
 the side of time. All are yours. In this the 
 apostle not only sums up all that he has just 
 enumerated, but repeats the statement with 
 which he began; and it is bettor to translate 
 this in the same way, viz., all things are yours; 
 
 23. And ye are Christ's. There is a 
 sense in which Christ is also theirs by virtue 
 of the service which he renders them. (Cf. 
 Matt. 20: 28; Luke 22: 26,27; Phil. 2: 1-8, 
 etc.) But in a deeper sense, they belong to 
 him, having been purchased by his blood. 
 (Cf. Acts 20: 28; 1 Pet. 2: 9, etc.) This 
 side of the relation to Christ is selected here 
 probably, because, in connection with the 
 preceding and following statements, it brings 
 out in full the position of the Christian people 
 which makes boasting in men incongruous 
 and degrading. They are the people of Christ, 
 and as such ought not to boast in human 
 leaders. For such boasting assumes not only 
 their proprietorship in these human leaders, 
 but also in another sense the proprietorship 
 of these men in them. Whereas, they belong 
 only to Christ. (See Matt. 23: 8-10; Rom. 
 14: 8-10, etc.) And Christ is God's. This 
 statement advances the argument to its final 
 position. For, as Christ belongs not to him- 
 self, but to God, the last word has not been 
 said in declaring that they are Christ's. But 
 as Christ's, they belong to God. Christ is the 
 Mediator who brings them to God. And this 
 
36 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Ch. IV. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 LET a man so account of us, as of the ministers of 
 Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 
 2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be 
 found faithful. 
 
 1 Let a man so account, of us, as of ministers of 
 
 2 Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Here, 
 moreover, it is required in stewards that a man be 
 
 relation to God is the crowning reason for 
 their not acknowledging the mastership of 
 men hy boasting in them. On this relation 
 of Christ to the Father, see John 5: 43 ; 7 : 
 28, 29; 8: 42; ch. 15: 24-28. 
 
 CRITICAL NOTES. — CHAPTER III. 
 
 2. And in the clause and not with meat 
 is found in DEFG, etc. d e f g syr sch etc. It 
 is omitted in XABC, etc. r vulg cop syrP, etc. 
 Neither before yet now is the reading of only 
 L, etc. 
 
 3. The words and divisions are found in 
 DEFG, etc. d e f g syr utr etc. They are 
 omitted in NABC, etc. r vulg cop etc. 
 
 4. Carnal is the last word in this verse 
 according to N C LP, etc. syr utr . It should read 
 men according to N* ABCD, etc. d e f g r vulg 
 cop etc. 
 
 5. Who is retained in the questions, who 
 then is Paul, etc., in CDEF, etc, syr utr cop 
 etc. What is found in NAB d e f g r vulg. 
 etc. The order of these questions is to be 
 reversed on the authority of KABC, etc. it 
 vulg cop etc. ; but before ministers is to be 
 omitted on the authority of NABCD, etc. it 
 vulg cop etc. 
 
 12. This foundation. Should read the foun- 
 dation, or. the authority of X* ABC* fu sah, etc. 
 
 13. Itself is to be inserted after the fire in 
 the last clause on the authority of ABCP 
 syr sch etc it i s omitted in NDEE, etc. d e f 
 vulg syrP sah cop. The difficulty of the read- 
 ing with the pronoun probably led to its 
 omission. 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 
 1,2. The true estimate to be put on Paul 
 
 and other teachers — that of servants, of whom 
 faithfulness is required. 3-5. This faithful- 
 ness, however, not to be judged by men, not 
 even by himself; but by the Lord when he 
 comes. 6, 7. Application of what has been 
 said about himself and Apollos to them, that 
 they may be admonished against self-conceit 
 and mutual admiration. 8-13. Contrast be- 
 tween the state in which their presumption 
 
 assumes them to be, and the humble and 
 troubled state of the apostles. 14-17. Warn- 
 ing that they must not plume themselves on 
 the supposition that he is not coming, when 
 he is; and it is for them to decide whether he 
 shall come gently or with a rod. 
 
 Ch. 4. 1. Let a man soacconntof us — 
 
 better, in this order, viz., so let a man account 
 us. 'So' is emphatic, in contrast with the 
 glorying in men, against which they are 
 warned in 3: 21. It has its correlative in as 
 at the beginning of the next clause, so — as 
 ministers, etc. As of the ministers. The 
 preposition in our version obscures the sense, 
 giving the idea that they are to be thought of 
 as one would think of the ministers of Christ; 
 whereas the thought is that they are to be 
 reckoned as being the ministers of Christ. 
 ' Ministers' is better translated servants. It is 
 different from the word in 3: 5, being used, 
 originally, of an under class of seamen, and 
 then to denote all kinds of service. It is 
 used of religious service, however, only in 
 this passage — in Luke 1 : 2, and in Acts 
 26: 16. More common than either of these 
 words, is the one denoting a bond-servant, or 
 slave. (See on 7: 21, 22.) And stewards 
 — this word denoting, originally, the person 
 entrusted with the management of a house- 
 hold, comes to denote a manager of any kind. 
 It is the word from which our economy comes. 
 Here it denotes those who have the care of 
 dispensing the mysteries of God. It was a 
 servile office, generally performed by a slave, 
 and it is in this view that the word is employed 
 here. What the apostle wishes to emphasize 
 here, is this subordinate and servile position 
 occupied by them, precluding all boasting. 
 Mysteries. (See on 2: 7.) 
 
 2. Moreover — should be, so, besides. (See 
 Crit. Notes.) The meaning is, this being the 
 case, it remains to be said. It is required — 
 should be, it in sought. Faithful. This is 
 requisite for any service, but especially for 
 one involving such responsible trusts as stew- 
 ardship, the care of what belongs to another. 
 
Ch. IV.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 37 
 
 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should 
 be judged <>f you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge 
 not mine own self. 
 
 4 Fur 1 know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby 
 justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. 
 
 5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the 
 Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden 
 things of darkness, and will make manifest the coun- 
 sels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise 
 of God. 
 
 G And these things, brethren, I have in a figure trans- 
 ferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes ; that ye 
 might learn' in us not to think of nun above that which 
 is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against 
 another. 
 
 3 found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing 
 that I should he 1 judged of you, or of man's - judg- 
 
 4 ment: yen, I •'judge not mine own self. For ! know 
 nothing against myself; yet am 1 not hereby justi- 
 
 5 tied: but he that 4 judgeth me is the Lord, where- 
 fore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord 
 come, who will both bring to light the bidden things 
 of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the 
 hearts: and then shall each man have his praise 
 from God. 
 
 6 Now these things, brethren, I have in a figure 
 transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes; 
 
 that in us ye might learn not to go "hey 1 the 
 
 things which are written ; that no one of you be 
 
 1 Or, examined 12 Gr. day 3 Or, examine 4 Or, examineth. 
 
 3. But with me it is a very small thing 
 
 — better, to me it comes to very little, or, it 
 amounts to very little. Judged of you. The 
 question whether he was faithful in his office 
 of steward, did not depend on their judgment; 
 and so what their judgment was did not con- 
 cern him much. This remark is called out, 
 probably, by the comparison that they had 
 been making between him and Apollos. The 
 Lord was his master, and his faithfulness was 
 to be judged by him. Or of man's judg- 
 ment — literally, by human day ; the day of 
 man is here contrasted with the day of our 
 Lord, 1 : 8, etc. ; the day of God, 2 Peter 3: 
 12; the day of judgment, 1 John 4: 17; and 
 denotes the day of human judgment in con- 
 trast with that of the divine judgment. The 
 day is put by metonymy for the judgment 
 itself. Yea, I judge not mine own self. 
 Literally, but not even myself do I judge. The 
 adversative conjunction is used, because it 
 might be thought to be implied in the preced- 
 ing verse that he reserved to himself the right 
 of judging himself. 
 
 4. For I know nothing by myself — 
 should be, / am conscious of nothing — i. e., 
 of nothing wrong. — / have nothing on my 
 conscience, as we say. The context limits 
 this statement to his course as a Christian 
 teacher. Yet am I not hereby justified ; 
 the fact that his conscience acquits him, does 
 not acquit or justify him in fact. But he 
 that judgeth me is the Lord; and the Lord, 
 alone, therefore, can justify him, or pronounce 
 him righteous. The verse proves or confirms 
 the statement that not even the man himself, 
 who knows the tilings of his spirit, can be his 
 own judge. For the fact that he has no load 
 on his conscience does not acquit him, as it 
 would, if he was judge. The Lord. Christ 
 is meant here. (See next verse, and cf. John 
 
 5: 22, 27, 30.) This is certainly a direct re- 
 buke of all assumed certainty in regard to 
 one's religious state. But while certainty is 
 denied us, confidence is given us, if our heart 
 condemns us not after an application of the 
 proper tests! Cf. 1 John 3: 21. 
 
 5. Judge nothing before the time — i. e., 
 before the time to judge, prematurely. Uutil 
 the Lord come. The coming of the Lord is 
 the time for judgment. Will bring to light 
 the hidden things of darkness. The apos- 
 tle thinks of this as a time of darkness and 
 ignorance, in which many things are hidden 
 from human knowledge. Will make mani- 
 fest the counsels of the hearts. Among 
 these secret things are the inward things of 
 the spirit — the purposes, and thoughts, and 
 motives. Men have only the outward con- 
 duct by which to judge each other now. But 
 when the Lord comes, these secret things will 
 be revealed ; and thus the materials of a just 
 judgment will be afforded that are wanting 
 now. And then shall every man have 
 praise of God— better, his praise from God 
 — the praise that is due to each. It is said to 
 come from God, because Christ, who is said 
 to be the Judge, in this as in every thing else, 
 represents the Father. (Cf. John 5: 22, 27, 
 30.; He judges as he hears ; and his judgment 
 is just, because he seeks the will of the Father 
 who sent him. 
 
 6. And these things. The apostle prob- 
 ably refers particularly to the discussion of 
 the relations between himself and Apollos, 
 immediately preceding this statement, begin- 
 ning with 3:4; but the statement is appli- 
 cable to the entire discussion of that subject 
 from 1 : 12. I have in a figure transferred. 
 The verb here does not include in itself the 
 idea of transfer, but of transformation. (Cf. 
 2 Cor. 11 : 13 seq; Phil. 3: 21.) It is doubtful, 
 
38 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. IV. 
 
 7 For who maketh thee to differ from another? and 
 what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou 
 didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst 
 not received it t 
 
 8 Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as 
 kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that 
 we also might reign with you. 
 
 7 puffed up for the one against the other. For who 
 maketh thee to differ? and what hast thou that thou 
 didst not receive? but if thou didst receive it, why 
 dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? 
 
 8 Already are ye filled, already ye are become rich, ye 
 have come to reign without us: yea and I would that 
 ye did reign, that we also might reign with you. 
 
 too, whether the change of form denoted is 
 that of figurative expression, since much of it 
 has not been put in a figurative form — e. g., 
 3 : 21 — 4 : 5. But the apostle means probably 
 the change of form necessary in making the 
 relations of Apollos and himself represent 
 those of teachers really jealous of each other 
 and of him, and creating jealousies in the 
 church. If he had discussed these cases them- 
 selves, he must have used severe language. 
 And it is an instance of Paul's tact that he 
 avoids all personalities by taking up a differ- 
 ent case, in which, however, the general 
 principles of the relations between Christian 
 teachers are brought out. That ye might 
 learn in us not to think of men above 
 that which is written — literally, that in us 
 you may learn the not beyond to hat has been 
 written. The verb translated ' to think ' in our 
 version is to be omitted, (see Crit. Notes), and 
 only the most general verbal idea, such as to 
 go, or to do, can be supplied. ' That which is 
 written' refers, as always, to the Old Testa- 
 ment. Of course, the subject of the proper 
 place of Christian teachers is not discussed 
 there, but the relations of the servants of God 
 to each other, to their work, and to Cod, are 
 treated of here and there, and especially the 
 littleness of human greatness is enforced. 
 The omission of the verb gives abruptness and 
 force to the expression. In us. In the exam- 
 ple of himself and Apollos they had seen con- 
 formity to the Scriptural law, so that in laying 
 down the principles of humility and peace, 
 regulating their relations, the apostle enforced 
 the general command in such cases, Not .... 
 beyond what is (has been) written. That no 
 one, etc. The negative belongs with the verb, 
 in order that one of you may not, etc. This 
 states more specifically the object of the apos- 
 tle. One . . forone, is an idiomatic phrase for 
 for each other, (see "Winer, 173), meaning by 
 that the members of the same party. Against 
 the other — i. e., the member of an opposite 
 party. The meaning is that he does not wish 
 to have the members of the different parties 
 boast over their own party, or its leader, as 
 against another party or its leader. 
 
 7. Reasons for their not being puffed up. 
 Who maketh thee to differ ? It is generally 
 supposed that this question expects the answer 
 "no one," making it a repetition of the argu- 
 ment of 3 : 5 seq., and 18 seq. But in that 
 form of negative statement the inference is 
 generally from the acknowledged absence of 
 any one to make the difference to the non-ex- 
 istence of the difference. Whereas here, the 
 question, who makes the difference, is easily 
 answered, if the difference is assumed. More- 
 over the next question seems to assume the 
 existence of things making a difference, not in 
 their position, for that has been denied, but in 
 their gifts. It seems better, therefore, to make 
 the argument the same as in the following 
 question. The answer to the question in that 
 case is, "God makes you to differ"; and hence 
 there is no reason to boast of it, as if it were 
 a difference achieved by yourselves. And 
 what hast thou that thou didst not re- 
 ceive? Getting for himself by his own ex- 
 ertions, gives a man reason to boast; but 
 receiving vitiates the ground of boasting. 
 
 8. Now — now. This word misses the force 
 of the original, which means already. The 
 time for these things had not come yet. This 
 fullness of the Messianic gifts belonged to the 
 time of the Messianic kingdom; but these 
 men acted as if it had already come to them. 
 Ye are full. This verb is used in the New 
 Testament only once besides, in Acts 27 : 38, 
 where it is translated they had eaten enough. 
 It means, to be sated or filled with anything, 
 to have one's fill of it. In this place, it is used 
 of the fullness of the things of Christ's king- 
 dom. Ye are rich — should be, you became 
 rich; the richness here is the same as the full- 
 ness or satiety of the preceding statement. 
 Ye have reigned as kings without us — 
 should be, without us you became kings ; re- 
 ferring, of course, to their reigning with 
 Christ in his kingdom. (Cf. Rev. 5: 10; 20: 
 4, 6; 22: 5.) All these things belonged still 
 in the future; yet these men, in their self- 
 conceit, acted as if they had them in present 
 possession; they could not be more self-com- 
 placent if they actually had these things. 
 
Ch. IV.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 39 
 
 9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles 
 last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a 
 spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. 
 
 10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in 
 Christ ; we arc weak, but ye are strong; ye are honour- 
 able, but we are despised. 
 
 11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and 
 thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no 
 certain dwellingplace; 
 
 12 And labour, working with our own hands: being 
 reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we sutler it: 
 
 9 For, I think, God has set forth us the apostles last 
 of all, as men doomed to death : for we are made a 
 spectacle unto the world, 'both to angels, and to 
 
 10 men. We are fools lor Christ's sake, but ye are 
 wise in Christ; we are weak, bui ye are Strong; 
 
 11 ye have glory, but we have dishonour. Even unto 
 this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and 
 are naked, and are buffeted, and have' no certain 
 
 12 dwellingplace; and we toil, working with our owu 
 hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we 
 
 1 Or, and to angels. 
 
 Tiie statement is bitter irony. And in the 
 last part of it, the irony is sharpened by the 
 emphatically placed ' without us.' All this 
 you are attaining, not only before the time, 
 bui without the company and aid of the 
 apostles, your natural leaders, without whom 
 you would not have become members of this 
 kingdom. And I would to God — should be, 
 simply, would or I would you reigned indeed. 
 That we also might reign with you. Paul 
 feels so sure that, if they did reign, he should 
 reign with them, that he wishes that they did 
 reign. 
 
 9. For I think, etc. Paul here shows 
 what the actual state of the apostles was, 
 making him wish that they reigned. Hath 
 set forth — literally, showed forth; setus forth 
 to be looked at. Last. This is not an ad- 
 verb, but an adjective, modifying the words 
 us the apostles; and it describes them as 
 last in order or rank, the lowest of men. (Cf. 
 Mark 9: 35.) As it were appointed to 
 death — should be, as men appointed to death. 
 They actually appeared in this most despised 
 character of men condemned to death, being 
 exposed to constant persecution, and, as the 
 apostle says, "dying daily." (See 15: 31 ; 2Cor. 
 4: lOseq.; 11: 23seq., etc.) For we are made 
 — literally, because we became — a spectacle. 
 Their sufferings and persecutions made them 
 the gazing-stock of the world. (Cf. Heb. 10: 
 33.) And to angels, and to men. Inas- 
 much as the term men is certainly included in 
 the term world, this is better translated, both 
 to angels and to men. On this presence of 
 angels in the world, and their interest in 
 human affairs, cf. li : 10; Heb. 1: 14. 
 
 10. The apostle now sets forth the contrast 
 between the condition of the apostles and of 
 the Corinthians, in the same vein of bitter 
 irony as above. We are fools for Christ's 
 sakv. The sense in which this was true we 
 have seen in 1 : 18 seq. ; where the apostle 
 represents himseli as not availing himself of 
 
 the wisdom of the world in the preaching of 
 Christ; and in 1 : 23 seq., where he represents 
 the cross itself as a stumbling-block and fool- 
 ishness to the world. But ye are wise in 
 Christ — i. e., mentally sound, sapient. The 
 juxtaposition of the terms ' wise' and 'Christ,' 
 is significant. Only fools in the eyes of the 
 world occupied this position for the most part, 
 (cf. 1: 26 seq.); but here were wise men in 
 Christ, able to mingle worldly wisdom with 
 their Christian position. We are weak, bui 
 ye are strong. The weakness of the apostles 
 consisted in their voluntarily laying aside all 
 instruments of human power, as of human 
 wisdom, in the propagation of the gospel, and 
 using only spiritual weapons in their warfare. 
 (Cf. 2 Cor. 10: 3, 10; 11: 20, 21; 13: 3, 4, 9.) 
 Ye are honorable, but we are despised. 
 The order of the two preceding statements is 
 here reversed, making the final statement in 
 regard to the apostles so as to connect this 
 verse immediately with ver. 11. In this ser- 
 ies of contrasts, the apostle shows that the 
 Corinthians are in a state apparently superior 
 to the ordinary Christian in this age, while 
 really they are more conformed to the ideas 
 and standards of the world than of Chris- 
 tianity. 
 
 11. Even unto this present hour — liter- 
 ally, unto the present hour. The position of 
 this phrase renders it emphatic ; their position 
 in this respect remains still unchanged. And 
 are naked. The verb may denote absolute 
 or comparative nakedness; and the latter is 
 meant here — they are without sufficient cloth- 
 ing. And are buffeted. This is probably 
 to be taken in a general sense of the violence 
 and contumely with which they were treated. 
 And have no certain dwelling-place. 
 This word, which occurs only here in the 
 New Testament, and is a rare word, means, 
 generally, to be unsettled; and here, io be 
 wanderers. 
 
 13. And labor, working with our own 
 
40 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. IV. 
 
 13 Being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the 
 filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things 
 unto this day. 
 
 14 I write not these things to shame you, but as my 
 beloved sons I warn you. 
 
 15 For though ye "have ten thousand instructors in 
 Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus 
 I have begotten 'you through the gospel. 
 
 13 endure ; being defamed, we entreat : we are made as 
 the a filth of the world, the offscouring of all things, 
 even until now. 
 
 14 I write not these things to shame you, but to ad- 
 
 15 ruonish you as my beloved children. For though ye 
 should have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet have 
 ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I begat you 
 
 1 Or, refuse. 
 
 hands. This statement in regard to the 
 apostles is apparently contradictory of what 
 Paul says in ch. 9 about the same subject. 
 There he contrasts himself and Barnabas in 
 this respect, with the other apostles, showing 
 that they supported themselves by manual 
 labor, while the rest were supported by the 
 church in return for their apostolic work. 
 And he shows the principle on which this 
 apostolic privilege is based— viz., that to add 
 other work to their spiritual work, and make 
 their living depend on this extra work, is to 
 overwork them, and leave their proper Chris- 
 tian work without its reward. The difference 
 between the two statements is, probably, to 
 be explained on the ground that both are 
 comparative statements in regard to the other 
 apostles. Compared with other men, they 
 did not work with their own hands; com- 
 pared with their apostolic or ministerial priv- 
 ileges, they did work with their hands. Be- 
 ing reviled, we bless. The apostle now 
 turns from a description of their position to 
 the meekness and forbearance with which 
 they receive wrongs, returning good for evil, 
 and blessing for cursing. (See Matt. 5: 44.) 
 By 'blessing' here, the apostle means that he 
 asks blessings on them. 
 
 13. Being defamed, we entreat. The 
 difference between this and the reviling of 
 ver. 12, is that this denotes evil speech about 
 a man, and that to him. We entreat. We 
 seek to conciliate by entreaty, and use no 
 other means, such as violence or threats, to 
 make them desist; nor do we speak evil of 
 them in return. Filth— offscouring. These 
 words, literally rendered, mean cleansings and 
 scraping, or what is removed in cleansing or 
 scraping anything. Of all things. More 
 probably, this should be of all men. Its posi- 
 tion before the noun on which it depends, 
 makes it emphatic. The whole clause may 
 be translated, As scum of the wot Id we became, 
 of all men the off-scouring until now. The last 
 words are to be taken in the same way as the 
 
 words in ver. 11, with which the statement 
 begins. (See Crit. Notes.) 
 14. I write not these things to shame 
 
 you — should be, Not shaming you do I write 
 these things. The verb, translated to shame, 
 is in the present participle, and denotes the 
 nature of his act, not its purpose. But as ray 
 beloved sons I warn you — should be, but 
 as my beloved children admonishing you. (See 
 Crit. Notes.) The verb here, according to the 
 best reading, is a participle instead of in 
 indicative, and it is in the same construction 
 as the word 'shaming' in the preceding 
 clause, denoting what he is doing in writing 
 to them, as the matter lay in his own mind. 
 There is wonderful tact in this disclaimer, by 
 which the apostle seeks to remove the appear- 
 ance of bitterness that would, if not removed, 
 neutralize the effect of his rebuke. But what 
 he says is true as well as fine, if we may judge 
 from the general character of the apostle, dis- 
 played in his writings. He never loses sight 
 of the tender relations between himself and 
 the churches founded by him, even where he 
 has to employ the severest language. (Cf. 
 Gal. 1: 6; 3: 1, seq., with 4: 19.) And in 
 this passage, while the language employed 
 has been ironical and severe, the spirit in 
 which it is uttered, and which gives their 
 essential character to the words, has been that 
 of the admonition of beloved children. 
 
 15. For though you have ten thousand 
 instructors — should be, if you have ten thou- 
 sand pedagogues, or tutors. We have no 
 word that exactly matches this last Greek 
 word. The person meant is the household 
 servant, or slave, having charge of the chil- 
 dren, though rather of their conduct than of 
 their education. In Xenophon and Plato the 
 term is expressly contrasted with teachers. 
 The apostle means to say, There may be many 
 persons who have had care of yon, but I am 
 your father. I founded the church. (Cf. 3: 
 5,10.) In Christ. The basis of the relation 
 between the church and its tutors, on the one 
 
Ch. IV] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 41 
 
 16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers cf me. 
 
 17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, 
 who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who 
 shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be 
 in Christ, as 1 teach everywhere in every church. 
 
 18 Now some are putted up, as though I would not 
 come to you. 
 
 16 through the gospel. 1 beseech you therefore, be ye 
 
 17 imitators of me. For this cause have I sent unto 
 you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child 
 
 iu the Lord, who shall put you in remembrance of 
 my ways which arc in Christ, even as i teach every- 
 
 18 where in every church. Now some are pulled up, 
 
 hand, and its father on the other, is the rela- 
 tion of all to Christ. It is a Christian rela- 
 tion. Many fathers. However many tutors 
 they may have, they can have only one father, 
 not many. For in Christ Jesus I have 
 begotten you, through the gospel — liter- 
 ally, and keeping the order of the original, 
 for in Christ Jesus, through the gospel, I begot 
 you. Paul introduces these modifying words 
 before the subject, in order that it may be 
 fully, understood just what, and how much, 
 he claims in saying that he begot them. But 
 as compared with all human claims, his is the 
 first. Among all the guides and leaders of 
 the church, he alone is the father, the founder. 
 Through the gospel. The gospel is the 
 means of their conversion. (Cf. 1 Pet. 1: 
 23; James 1 : 18.) This claim of the apostle 
 to be their father, and to special consideration 
 on that account, seems inconsistent with 3: 5 
 seq., where all the teachers of the church are 
 put on the same level. But he is not asserting 
 a claim to authority in this case, that can be 
 made a ground of partisanship, but simply 
 mtiking an appeal to their love by which he 
 can incite them to Christian conduct. 
 
 16. Wherefore, I beseech you, be ye 
 followers of me — should be, / beseech you, 
 therefore, become imitators of me. The apos- 
 tle makes this appeal on the ground that he is 
 their spiritual father. The immediate con- 
 nection with the preceding verses shows that 
 lie is thinking of the imitation of himself, 
 especially in regard to the matters mentioned 
 in ver. 8-13. He would have them as he is, 
 poor and humble, and persecuted even, in 
 this age, that they may have with him the 
 rewards of the Messianic age and kingdom. 
 At the same time, ver. 17 makes a quite gen- 
 eral application of this summons. 
 
 17. For this cause— viz., in order that 
 they may become imitators of him. Have I 
 sent — should be simply, / sent. Who is my 
 beloved son, and faithful in the Lord — 
 should be, who is my beloved and faithful 
 child in the Lord. The adjectives botli modify 
 ' child,' and ' in the Lord ' modifies the whole. 
 
 On the last phrase, see in ver. 15 on the phrase 
 'in Christ.' On the relation of Timothy to Paul 
 see Acts 16: 1-3; Phil. 2: 19-22; 1 Tim. 1: 2. 
 Hs is first mentioned as already a disciple at 
 the time of Paul's revisiting the church at 
 Lystra, on the occasion of his second mis- 
 sionary journey, when Paul selected him as 
 his missionary companion. But probahly, as 
 the church there was founded by the apostle 
 on his first missionary journey, Timothy was 
 one of those ' begotten ' by Paul ' in the gos- 
 pel.' On this sending of Timothy to Corinth, 
 see 16: 10, 11, which shows that he had just 
 been sent, but would probably not arrive till 
 after the letter. My ways which be in 
 Christ, as I teach everywhere in every 
 church. The words 'which be' are superflu- 
 ous. Probably we should read, Christ Jesus. 
 (See Crit. Notes.) As Paul is here speaking 
 of the things in which he wishes the church 
 to imitate him, he means by his 'ways in 
 Christ' probably his general Christian char- 
 acter and bearing, not any thing belonging to 
 his specific ways as a Christian teacher. And 
 the clause 'as I teach,' etc., does not, in this 
 view, denote the correspondence between his 
 manner of teaching in Corinth and in all the 
 churches, but the correspondence between his 
 own practices and his teaching everywhere. 
 I teach you. he says, and Timothy will remind 
 you, to imitate me in my ways of living, as 
 you used to see them while I was among you ; 
 and these things that I practice are what I 
 teach everywhere. Everywhere in every 
 church. These words are emphatic, both 
 from their position and from the repetition of 
 the idea in the two forms, and call special at- 
 tention to the universal character of the apos- 
 tle's teaching. 
 
 18. The mention of Timothy's coming sug- 
 gests his own purpose to come to them, which 
 some of them were congratulating themselves 
 would not take place. What follows is in- 
 tended to prevent strengthening this hope, 
 with the idea that Timothy was coming in his 
 place. Some are puffed up— rather, were 
 puffed up. The tense denotes the coming into 
 
42 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. IV. 
 
 19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, 
 and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed 
 up, but the power. 
 
 20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in 
 power. 
 
 21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, 
 or in love, and in the spirit of meekness? 
 
 19 as though I were not coming to you. But I will 
 come to you shortly, if the Lord will; and I will 
 know, not the word of them that are puffed up, but 
 
 20 the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word, 
 
 21 but in power. What will ye? shall I come unto you 
 with a rod, or iu love and a spirit of gentleness? 
 
 the state denoted ; they'became inflated. The 
 idea expressed is not elation, but conceit, in- 
 flation; as if they said, Paul dares not come 
 to Corinth. Bengelsays: " Vitium Corinthiis 
 frequens, inflatio"; "a common vice of the 
 Corinthians, this inflation." Paul probably 
 heard of this fact, as of others, from those of 
 Chloe. 
 
 19. Shortly. On the time of his intended 
 coming, see 16: 8. If the Lord will. This 
 term is applied to both the Father and Christ 
 in the New Testament, and it is difficult to 
 tell which is meant in the passages where it is 
 found. There are only three passages in which 
 this particular phrase, ' if the Lord will,' or its 
 equivalent, is found, viz., this passage; 16: 7; 
 James 4: 15. In these, there is nothing to 
 determine the question. But if we compare 
 them with Rom. 1 : 10, it seems more prob- 
 able that such things are referred to the will 
 of God. In fact, as Tischendorf remarks on 
 the disputed text Bom. 15: 32, Paul never 
 says 'according to the will of Christ,' but 
 always 'of God.' On the other hand, if we 
 compare 2 Cor. 12: 8, 9, with the last clause of 
 ver. 9, and with Acts 13: 2; 16: 10, in which 
 Meyer himself admits that Christ is the one 
 referred to as directing in a precisely parallel 
 case, it does not seem as if we could speak 
 with any certainty of the New Testament 
 usage. Not the speech — literally, the word 
 — but the power. There is pretty general 
 agreement as to what is meant by 'the word' 
 in this contrast, viz., their inflated and boast- 
 ful talk ; but there is general disagreement as 
 to the meaning of ' the power.' Some refer it 
 to the power of working miracles, others to 
 the virtue of these men, etc.; interpretations 
 which are plainly contrary to the context. 
 Meyer infers from the statement of ver. 20 
 that it refers to their power to accomplish 
 results for the furtherance of the kingdom of 
 God. It is to be said, however, against this 
 otherwise just interpretation, that it does not 
 present an exact contrast to 'the word.' Their 
 boasting and their power to do, do not in this 
 view refer to the same thing. Their conceited 
 
 talk was that Paul did not dare to come to 
 Corinth; and what Paul would find out is 
 whether they have any power corresponding 
 to this, any power to withstand him and make 
 it undesirable for him to come to their city. 
 
 20. For the kingdom of God is not in 
 word, but in power. The order in the Greek 
 puts the words not in word at the beginning, for 
 the sake of emphasis. With the interpretation 
 given of the last part of ver. 19, this statement 
 would be quite general. The kingdom of God 
 does not have its existence and nature in words; 
 words are not the thing by which it is known, 
 but power. And so those that belong to it 
 will have to be treated in the same way ; not 
 by what they say, but by what they can do. 
 
 21. What will ye, etc. The apostle has 
 referred to his intention to come, and now at 
 the close of the section in which he has pointed 
 out the evils that exist among them, he asks 
 them how they will have him come, intima- 
 ting that it is optional with them whether he 
 shall come to punish them, as he fears that he 
 may, or in love, as he hopes that he may come. 
 With a rod. Carrying out the representation 
 of their filial relation to him — the badge of 
 parental authority. The spirit of meek- 
 ness — better, gentleness. Some commentators 
 suppose that he means here the Holy Spirit 
 in one of his workings. But this seems un- 
 necessary and forced. Meyer gives as a 
 reason for this, that wherever the word for 
 Spirit is accompanied by the genitive of an 
 abstract noun, it refers to the Holy Spirit. 
 But see Gal. 6 : 1, and other passages, in which 
 it is pure assertion to refer the expression to 
 the Holy Spirit, there being nothing in the 
 passage itself to determine it. 
 
 CRITICAL NOTES.— CHAPTER IV. 
 
 2. The text translated in the Notes so, be- 
 sides is found in XABCD, etc., and the prin- 
 cipal versions. 
 
 6. The verb to think is omitted in N*ABD*, 
 etc., syr utr cop. 
 
 14. I warn is found in BDE, etc., it vulg. It 
 
Ch. V.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 43 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 IT is reported commonly that there is fornication among 
 you, and such fornication as is not so much as named 
 among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's 
 . wife. 
 
 1 It is actually reported that there is fornication 
 among you, and such fornication as is nol even 
 
 among the Gentiles, that one of you hath his 
 
 is to be changed to warning on the authority 
 of XACP 30, etc. 
 
 17. In Christ alone is found in ABD C , etc., 3 
 Mss. of the vulg. syr sch , etc. Christ Jesus is 
 found in XCD b , etc., 2 Mss. of vulg. syrP cop 
 etc. Lord Jesus, in D-FG d fg, etc. Both the 
 last readings are in favor of the insertion of 
 the word Jesus. 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 1, 2. Charge against the church, that forni- 
 cation of a flagrant kind exists among them ; 
 that notwithstanding, their boasting continues, 
 and that the principal offender is not removed, 
 3-5. His own sentence of excommunication 
 against the offender. 6-8. The church has no 
 good ground to boast, since even a little sin will 
 infect the whole body ; and they should, there- 
 fore, purify themselves from the old sin, in 
 order to keep the Christian passover. 9-12. 
 Correction of a misunderstanding of an in- 
 junction in a previous letter, againstassociating 
 with fornicators, limiting it to offenders within 
 the church, on the ground that otherwise they 
 would have to go out of the world, and that 
 they can judge their own members, but not 
 the world. 13. Final injunction to cast out 
 the incestuous man. 
 
 Ch. 5. 1. Commonly — this is not a legiti- 
 mate sense of the Greek word. It may mean 
 wholly or altogether; or in short ; or in general. 
 The first of these would require some stronger 
 word than the verb with which it is here associ- 
 ated. One could say it is altogether believed or 
 knoivn,hut it is reported is too weak an assertion 
 to be coupled with this strong adverb. The 
 meaning in short is not found elsewhere in the 
 New Testament, but it is not to be rejected on 
 this account, as the word occurs only four 
 times; viz., Matt. 5: 34, this passage, ch.6: 7, 
 and 15: 20, allowing only a small range for 
 
 quite justified, as far as linguistic considera- 
 tions go, by the clause which follows, specify- 
 ing a particular case contrasted with the 
 general statement which this meaning makes 
 of the clause in which it stands. The entire 
 statement would be then, In general, forni- 
 cation is reported among you, and (in particu- 
 lar) such fornication as is not even among the 
 Gentiles. The only difficulty with this inter- 
 pretation is that it makes the apostle represent 
 fornication as existing in the church outside 
 of the. special flagrant case against which he 
 advises action. But the same impression is 
 conveyed, as we shall see, in the last clause of 
 the verse, and on the whole these consequences 
 of an otherwise just interpretation are not 
 of so much importance as the exegetical diffi- 
 culties of the other possible interpretations. 
 Among you. Meyer makes these words limit 
 the verb, as if the reporting was among them ; 
 but this would leave it quite indefinite where 
 the fornication was, and is not required really. 
 As is not so much as named among 
 the Gentiles. The verb 'is named' is not 
 found in the best text. (See Crit. Notes.) 
 The verb is is to be supplied— as is not among 
 the Gentiles even. The emphasis comes on the 
 words 'among the Gentiles.' Paul does not 
 mean probably that such cases were not found, 
 but that they were not allowed by their laws 
 or customs, as the silence of the Corinthian 
 Church seemed to sanction this. (Cf. verse 2.) 
 That one should have his father's wife- 
 should be, so that one has, or, some one. The 
 conjunction does not denote the case of forni- 
 cation to which he has referred as being such 
 as is not found among the Gentiles, but the 
 result of this state of things, the climax of the 
 whole thing. Of course, this increases the 
 difficulty mentioned above, in connection 
 with the words 'in general,' as it represents 
 the existence among them, not only of vice, 
 but of flagrant vice; while the apostle selects 
 
 choice. But this meaning requires, of course, a only the one case in which this vice cul 
 close connection with what precedes, of which it 
 should be a summing up, and we have no such 
 connection here. The meaning in general is 
 
 Immates 
 
 for discipline. But such a condition of things 
 is of course not so strange in a church newly 
 converted out of the grossest and most immoral 
 
44 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. V. 
 
 2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, 
 that he that hath done this deed might be taken away 
 from among you. 
 
 3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, 
 have judged already, as though I were present, concern- 
 ing him that hath so done this deed, 
 
 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are 
 gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ, 
 
 5 To deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction 
 of the tlesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of 
 the Lord Jesus. 
 
 2 father's wife. And J ye are puffed up, and 2 did 
 not rather mourn, that he that had done this deed 
 
 3 might be taken away from among you. For I verily, 
 being absent in body but present in spirit, have al- 
 ready, as though I were present, judged him that 
 
 4 hath" so wrought this thing, in the name of our Lord 
 Jesus, ye being gathered together, and my spirit, 
 
 5 with the power of our Lord Jesus, to deliver such a 
 one unto Satan for the destruction of the tlesh, that 
 the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord 3 Jesus. 
 
 1 Or, are ye puffed up f 2 Or, did ye not rather mourn 
 
 you ? 3 Some ancient authorities omit, Jesus. 
 
 heathenism, and the law of discipline, or the 
 principle on which it is administered, is com- 
 parative, not absolute. A converted China- 
 man, who has been brought up to lie, has to 
 learn gradually to tell the truth; and the 
 missionaries have to lay down the law of dis- 
 cipline for the churches accordingly. This 
 fact, that the New Testament churches were 
 mission, pioneer churches, has not been borne 
 in mind enough in applying to the present 
 time their customs and laws. Have his 
 father's wife — the verb may mean to have as 
 a wife or as a mistress. But only the former 
 is found in the New Testament. 
 
 2. And ye. The pronoun is emphatic — 
 you, among whom such things are found. Are 
 puffed up, not of course by these things, but 
 in spite of them. And have not rather 
 mourned — should be, and did not rather 
 mourn — referring to the time when this sin was 
 committed. That he that hath done this 
 deed — literally, this work. This clause de- 
 notes the purpose, not merely the result of 
 their mourning. Only on condition that the 
 church mourned the sin, could it cast out the 
 sinner. 
 
 3. For I. The pronoun is emphatic — to 
 contrast his action with theirs. Verily — 
 should be omitted ; there is nothing corre- 
 sponding to it in the original. As absent in 
 body — should be, being absent in the body. 
 (See Crit. Notes.) But present in the 
 spirit — i. e., in thought, in imagination, he 
 puts himself there. That hath so done this 
 deed — literally, who so wrought this. The 
 sentence begun in this verse confirms the pre- 
 ceding verse, in which it is implied that the 
 offender should be put out of the church. In 
 confirmation of this, the apostle gives his own 
 judgment already formed. 
 
 4. In the name of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ. 'Christ' should be omitted. (See 
 Crit. Notes.) This phrase limits the verb 'to 
 
 deliver' at the beginning of the next verse. 
 He was to act in this matter not by himself, 
 but in the name of Christ, acting as his repre- 
 sentative. When ye are gathered to- 
 gether, and my spirit. This is a participial 
 clause in the Greek, and does not denote the 
 time of their gathering as that when this is to 
 be done, but the gathering itself as an accom- 
 paniment of the transaction. You having 
 been gathered together, and my spirit. The 
 presence of his spirit in the gathering is to be 
 explained in the same way as in ver. 3. With 
 the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 'Christ' is to be omitted. (See Crit. Notes.) 
 Does this phrase represent Christ as present 
 in the assembly in power, as Paul in spirit, 
 or does it denote Paul as vested with the 
 power of Christ? This depends upon the 
 nature of the transaction. The actor is Paul 
 himself, or the church acting for him; and 
 since the act is his, it is more natural to sup- 
 pose that he speaks of himself as vested with 
 the power of Christ, than of the presence of 
 Christ merely as a third party in the assembly 
 of the church. So Meyer. Winer says, that 
 the preposition in this case "denotes the 
 power as combining and co-operating with 
 the person," (or persons). P. 391. 
 
 5. To deliver such an one to Satan for 
 the destruction of the flesh. This is gen- 
 erally interpreted to mean an actual deliver- 
 ing over to Satan for the infliction of bodily 
 disease, including with this, excommunica- 
 tion from the church. Grimm says of the 
 phrase 'destruction of the flesh,' "said of ex- 
 ternal evils and troubles by which the lusts of 
 the flesh are broken and extinguished." But 
 this power of Satan to inflict diseases is im- 
 probable in itself, and would require the most 
 positive Scripture statement for its proof. The 
 passages that are appealed to for this are Luke 
 13: 16, and 2 Cor. 12: 7. But these may be 
 easily explained without invalidating the 
 
Ch. V.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 45 
 
 6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a 
 little leaven leaveueth the whole lump? 
 
 6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little 
 
 ordinary Scripture doctrine that God controls 
 these things immediately. (See Note on 2 
 Cor. 12: 7.) Added to this general difficulty, 
 is the consideration that this would be a case 
 in which Satan would be employed to inflict 
 bodily ills for purposes directly hostile to his 
 kingdom, involving the absurdity of Mark 3 : 
 23 seq. — Satan casting out Satan, and the 
 kingdom divided against itself. It is difficult 
 to imagine God employing such an emissary, 
 or Satan allowing himself to be so used. 
 Meyer says in regard to the phrase 'for the 
 destruction of the flesh,' "in order that his 
 sinful bodily nature, this sphere of action of 
 his passions and lusts determined by the sin- 
 ful power dwelling in it, may be emptied 
 through bodily diseases of its sinful power 
 and in so far be subordinated and destroyed." 
 Now there seems to be confusion of thought 
 here. For we have two things, the means 
 and the end; the former being the infliction 
 of bodily diseases, and the latter the destruc- 
 tion of the sinful, carnal nature ; both sup- 
 posed to be contained in the single phrase 
 'destruction of the flesh.' And the question 
 is, which of these is determined by the lan- 
 guage itself. If it is the means, then the 
 other has to be determined outside of the lan- 
 guage ; and if the end, then the means is left 
 indeterminate by the language. One must 
 be taken and the other left. Neither 'destruc- 
 tion ' nor ' flesh ' can mean both things at the 
 same time, and in the same case. Nor does 
 the one necessarily or naturally imply the 
 other. Then in regard to the difficulty men- 
 tioned above, of Satan acting against himself, 
 Meyer says, "Satan, with anti-Christian de- 
 sign, punishes with bodily ill the one delivered 
 to him; but this design of his must involunta- 
 rily serve the divine purpose of salvation." Is 
 this supposed to be deception, or coincidence, 
 or strange blindness in Satan? Does God hide 
 from Satan his real design, and make him 
 suppose that he is serving himself? Or is 
 Saran so blind as to do it, the command 
 coming from such a source, without knowing 
 the reason ? Or is it a coincidence — God find- 
 ing in Satan such a purpose and improving 
 it? Either alternative is beset with difficulties. 
 Again, it is generally agreed that somehow 
 
 excommunication is included, the connection 
 with verse 2 determining that. But when 
 we come to analyze the phrase, either it has 
 the specific meaning to deliver the man to 
 Satan for the specific purpose of casting out 
 sin by means of disease, the idea of excom- 
 munication not suggesting the language, 
 nor being implied in it; or it has the general 
 meaning to excommunicate, and no need to 
 go further, and include anything else. 
 Neither necessarily, or naturally, includes 
 the other. But all these troublesome ques- 
 tions are avoided by leaving out any idea but 
 excommunication, for the simple purpose of 
 destroying by moral means the man's carnal 
 nature. It is admitted that excommunication 
 is included, and is it not enough to explain 
 the language? We mean by it the removing 
 of a person from the church into the world. 
 And inasmuch as Satan is the ruler of the 
 world in the New Testament representation, 
 this phrase 'deliver to Satan' may easily 
 stand as a strong expression for excommuni- 
 cation. Naturally enough, Paul would wish 
 to use as strong language as possible to con- 
 vey the terrible meaning of this act, in order 
 to let the man understand where his sin places 
 him. On Satan as the ruler of this world, see 
 John 12: 31; 14: 30; 16: 11; Eph. 2: 2, 3; 
 and Cremer's "Bib. Theol. Lex," (Art. Kda/aos). 
 As to the phrase 'destruction of the flesh,' 
 the word 'flesh,' as contrasted with 'spirit,' 
 is the New Testament term for the sinful 
 nature; and the destruction of this is the 
 legitimate object of excommunication. And 
 there is no necessary connection of this nature 
 with the body, that makes it necessary to 
 suppose that other than spiritual means are 
 employed for this purpose. That the spirit 
 may be saved. By 'spirit' is meant the 
 renewed nature of the man ; that in the man 
 which is controlled by the Divine Spirit. 
 Saved. Preserved from destruction. The 
 contrast between 'flesh' and 'spirit' is such 
 that the destruction of the one is necessary to 
 the preservation of the other. 
 
 G. Your glorying is not good. The 
 verbal noun here is passive in form, denoting 
 that of which they boast, their ground or reason 
 of boasting — you have no good ground to boast. 
 
46 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. V. 
 
 7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be 
 a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our 
 passover is sacrificed for us: 
 
 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, 
 neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but 
 with the unleavened brtad of sincerity and truth. 
 
 7 leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out the old 
 leaven, that ye may be a new lump, even as ye are 
 unleavened. For our passover also hath been sacri- 
 
 8 flced, e oen Christ: wherefore let us 'keep the feast, 
 not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice 
 and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of 
 sincerity and truth. 
 
 1 Or, keep festival. 
 
 A little leaven. Some suppose that this refers 
 to the evil persons among them, instead of evil 
 principles. But see ver. 8, which explains 
 the leaven as consisting in evil and wicked- 
 ness. Leaven is always used in the New 
 Testament of an evil principle, except in our 
 Lord's parable of the leaven in the meal. 
 
 (Matt. 16:6, 11, 12; Gal. 5:9.) This clause gives the 
 
 reason why they have no good ground of 
 glorying, because they have among them this 
 perhaps small but pervasive and powerful 
 evil principle. Little — denotes the quantity, 
 not the quality of the evil ; the small number 
 of persons infected by it. There may be few 
 persons in whom the evil is found, but the 
 evil itself is great and infectious. 
 
 7. Therefore is to be omitted. (See Crit. 
 Notes.) It slipped into the text easily, as it 
 expresses the logical relation of the sentences. 
 Old leaven. The word translated 'old,' 
 means not merely old in age, but in kind. 
 As ye are unleavened. The construction 
 of this sentence is such as to denote a com- 
 parison with their actual present state, not the 
 proportion or measure in which they become 
 unleavened. He wishes them to become a 
 new, fresh lump, by purging out the old 
 leaven, to correspond with their unleavened 
 state; or, dropping the figure, to become holy 
 by casting out sin, to correspond with their 
 sinless condition. But, of course, he does not 
 mean absolute sinlessness; for that does not 
 correspond with the actual state of the church, 
 nor with his teachings as to the Christian state 
 here and now; and it would besides render his 
 exhortation absurd. But he refers to their 
 normal, prevailing character as Christians 
 regenerated and holy, to which he would have 
 their present action and condition correspond. 
 Conybeare and Howson, and "Wieseler, sup- 
 pose that this denotes their abstaining from 
 leaven at the passover. But this is improb- 
 able on other grounds; and the word 'unleav- 
 ened' is never used of persons abstaining 
 from leaven, but always of unleavened things, 
 or, figuratively, unleavened persons. For 
 
 even Christ, our passover, is sacrificed 
 
 for us — should be, for also our passover, 
 Christ, was sacrificed. (See Crit. Notes.) 
 The position of the words is such that no 
 single word can be emphasized, except 
 'passover.' And as the new element intro- 
 duced here is not simply the paschal lamb, 
 but the slaying of it, the 'also' probably 
 limits the whole sentence. Besides the general 
 reasons for their abstaining from the leaven of 
 sin, there is this reason, that they have a pass- 
 over, in which Christ is the paschal lamb. As 
 the Jewish passover was the occasion of the 
 Jews' abstaining from leaven, so the slaying 
 of Christ, our paschal lamb, is the reason why 
 Christians should put a way all sin. 'Our pass- 
 over.' The meaning of the word is, first, 
 the passover sacrifice, then the paschal lamb, 
 then the supper, and then the feast. Here, of 
 course, it is the paschal lamb. Me3'er argues 
 from this comparison of Christ to the paschal 
 lamb that he must have been crucified on the 
 day of the passover, according with the sup- 
 posed chronology of John, and contrary to 
 that of the Synoptists. But without going into 
 this question of the supposed difference be- 
 tween the two accounts of the crucifixion, it 
 certainly seems a forcing of the resemblance 
 between type and anti-type to make the dates 
 correspond exactly. The resemblance re- 
 quired is the general analogy of the two in 
 character and purpose. And this is found in 
 the prominence given to the paschal lamb in 
 the salvation cf Israel. (See Exod. 12: 3-27.) 
 8. Therefore let us keep the feast. It 
 is generally supposed that there is an allusion 
 here to a near celebration of the passover, or 
 of the Easter festival supposed to be already 
 established in the church. Meyer says, that 
 the whole allegory would be quite unnatural 
 for Paul, if he had written his letter, which he 
 wrote before Pentecost, after Easter, and so 
 between the passover and Pentecost; quite 
 natural on the contrary, if the Jewish pass- 
 over was near at hand, by which means this 
 allegory, nowhere else used by him, would pre- 
 
Ch. V.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 47 
 
 9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with 
 
 fornicators : 
 
 1(J Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this 
 ■world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with 
 idolaters ; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 
 
 9 I wrote unto you in my epistle to have no company 
 
 10 with fornicators; ' not at all meaning the fornicators 
 
 of this world, or with the covetous and extortioners, 
 
 or with idolaters ; for then must ye needs go out of 
 
 1 Or, not altogether Kith the, etc. 
 
 sent itself unsought to him, so that the unusual 
 form of his speech shaped itself as an expres- 
 sion of the festival thoughts which in the 
 nearness of the passover were living in him. 
 The language, however, is not regarded as 
 referring to the way in which the approaching 
 feast should be kept, but as a figurative repre- 
 sentation of the way in which the Christian's 
 life should he lived. Hofmann says, "The 
 keeping of the feast is for the church of Christ 
 its life, celebrating the memory of Christ's 
 death and of its salvation." As to the ques- 
 tion whether the language is suggested hy the 
 nearness of the feast, it is at any rate not 
 certain enough to found a chronological 
 datum on, as Wieseler and others do. De 
 "VVette's statement that the language is occa- 
 sioned by the proverb of ver. 6, of which this 
 is simply the figurative development, is cer- 
 tainly sufficient, while the statement that 
 without the passover itself impending the 
 allegory is unnatural, is too strong. Not 
 with old leaven — the old leaven — sin in gen- 
 eral is meant here. Nor with the leaven of 
 malice and wickedness. This is a case in 
 which the specific terms, instead of being in 
 some way included in the general, are added 
 to it. But Avith the unleavened bread of 
 sincerity and truth — better, of purity and 
 truth. By 'truth' is not meant truthfulness, 
 but moral truth as opposed to error. 
 
 9. Beginning of another paragraph sug- 
 gested by what he has just said in regard to 
 the leaven. I wrote unto you in an 
 epistle — should be, in the Epistle. The 
 apostle cannot refer to the present Epis- 
 tle for two reasons — first, because the refer- 
 ence would have been more definite, in this 
 Epistle, instead of in the Epistle, or else the 
 words would have been omitted altogether; 
 and second, because there is nothing in the 
 letter corresponding to this. There is very 
 little doubt, therefore, that the apostle refers 
 to another Epistle, which has been lost. Not 
 to company. This verb, which means to 
 mingle or associate with, is found, besides, in 
 2 Thess. 3: 14; and its use there, where the 
 
 Thessalonians are commanded at the same 
 time not to associate with one, and yet to treat 
 him as a brother, indicates that it is used of 
 social intercourse, not of official connection. 
 The same thing is shown by ver. 11, where, 
 under the general prohibition, is mentioned, 
 specially, eating with one. This is not a com- 
 mand, therefore, to exclude from the church, 
 but to withdraw social intercourse. [It seems 
 to me that exclusion from the church is im- 
 plied in the comprehensive exhortation or 
 rule here given not to associate with forni- 
 cators, etc. If as seems probable, the par- 
 allel passage 1.2 Thess. 3 : i4) t also implies exclu- 
 sion from the church, it must be understood 
 that this exclusion was expected to lead the 
 offending brother to repentance. See Note 
 on ver. 5, above, and the language of Paul in 
 ITim. 1: 20. -A. H.] 
 
 10. Yet not altogether. If there is any 
 conjunction here, it is and, not 'yet.' But, 
 according to the best authorities, there is no 
 conjunction at all. (See Crit. Notes.) There 
 is some doubt whether the meaning is 'not 
 altogether' or not at all. Both are admis- 
 sible. But it seems quite evident that the 
 command must refer either to fornication 
 generally, or to those without the church 
 exclusively. The question between the two 
 has been treated as if it were a question as to 
 what he would command them about the two 
 classes, instead of what his command was in 
 this particular case. This being the question, 
 it seems quite plain that the simple command 
 not to associate with fornicators must mean one 
 or the other, and not some mixed thing. And, 
 in fact, he tells us that he means those in the 
 church exclusively — not those in the world; 
 and in ver. 10, 12, 13, why his command was 
 confined to them. Of this world — i. e.. ac- 
 cording to the ordinary Now Testament use, the 
 world as opposed to the church. Or with the 
 covetous, or extortioners. The conjunction 
 connecting these two is and, showing that 
 they are regarded as belonging together in 
 one class. Or idolaters. The temptation 
 to countenance the idol-worship, from which 
 
48 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Ch. V. 
 
 11 But now I have written unto you not to keep com- 
 pany, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, 
 or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or 
 an extortioner; with such a one no not to eat. 
 
 12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are 
 without? do not ye judge them that are within? 
 
 13 But them that are without tiodjudgeth. Therefore 
 put away from among yourselves that wicked person. 
 
 11 the world: but 1 as it is, I wrote unto you not to keep 
 company, if any man that is named a brother be a 
 fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, 
 or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one 
 
 12 no, not to eat. For what have I to do with judging 
 them that are without? Do not ye judge them that 
 are within, whereas them that are without God judg- 
 
 13 eth? Put away the wicked man from among your- 
 selves. 
 
 1 Or, now I write. 
 
 they had heen converted in some way, was 
 strong among the early Christians, and 
 especially in a city like Corinth. It might 
 come from motives of policy — the Christian 
 being anxious to conciliate his friends without 
 really, at heart, worshiping the idol. Such 
 would say, "An idol is nothing," and so 
 would join in the heathen festivals, and other 
 indirect forms of worship. (Cf. ch. 8: 4; 10: 
 19 seq. ) Or it might come from a lingering 
 belief in the idol — one of the most natural 
 things in the world being to retain vestiges of 
 old beliefs, the same as the remains of old 
 sins. (Cf. ch. 8: 7.) For then— {. e., if my 
 command was not to associate with them ; 
 must ye needs go out of the world. The 
 'world' is not here the world as an evil place 
 opposed to the church, but simply in the local 
 sense of the word. As long as they live in 
 the world, association with such men is not 
 to be avoided. 
 
 11. But now I have written— should be, 
 But as it is, I wrote to you, denoting, not what 
 he writes to them now, as opposed to what he 
 did write to them before; but what he actually 
 wrote to them, as opposed to their misconstruc- 
 tion of it. If any man that is called a 
 brother. The name is here intentionally 
 substituted for the reality, as such persons 
 made it extremely doubtful whether they 
 were Christians or not. Fornicator . . . 
 idolater . . . drunkard. On the possibility 
 of such sins in the early church, see on verses 
 1, 10. Covetous . . railer. It is noticeable 
 that the apostle joins with the rest these sins, 
 and enjoins on the church not to associate 
 with those who commit them, any more than 
 with fornicators. Do we not make distinc- 
 tions in the classification of sins among 
 church-members, that the apostles did not 
 make? With such an one, no, not to eat. 
 Strictly, not even to eat. This is climacteric, 
 expressing an extreme form of non-inter- 
 course, while the Lord's Supper, or the 
 Agape, was the highest form of. Christian 
 
 intercourse. Moreover, these church meals 
 would not be designated as merely eating to- 
 gether. This refers, therefore, to ordinary 
 meals. This form of expressing the disappro- 
 bation of the church of the sins of its mem- 
 bers, by the withdrawal of social intercourse, 
 has been dropped almost, if not altogether. 
 Of course, the apostle does not mean to inter- 
 dict religious intercourse and admonition, to 
 draw the offender away from his sins, but 
 such friendly and familiar intercourse as 
 might imply sympathy with his sins. He 
 means to put the offender under a social ban 
 for the time, as a rebuke to his sins. 
 
 12. For what have I to do to judge — 
 should be, to do with judging? what concern 
 is it of mine? Them also, etc. 'Also' is 
 to be omitted. (See Crit. Notes.) Do not 
 ye judge those that are within? The 
 order of the original better expresses the em- 
 phasis and the connection of thought — 7s it 
 not those within that ye judge ? He places 
 himself and them in contrast with God in this 
 respect, that their judgment is confined to 
 their own members, on the principle that 
 each body is judge of those that belong to it, 
 and of matters within its own sphere, while 
 only God is judge of all. This gives his rea- 
 son for confining his command of non-inter- 
 course to the church, that they have nothing 
 to do with judging those outside the church. 
 The act implies judgment and rebuke. He 
 changes from 'I' to 'you' in the second part 
 of the verse, because he wishes to confirm what 
 he says about himself by an appeal to the 
 practice of the church. When you judge, is 
 it your own members or outsiders ? And so I, 
 when I give a command involving judgment 
 on fornicators and others, mean naturally 
 those within my jurisdiction. 
 
 13. God judgeth. Some read here, will 
 judge. There is nothing in the original to 
 show which is the correct reading, the form 
 being susceptible of both renderings. But 
 the present corresponds better with the pres- 
 
Ch. VI.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 49 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 TvARE any of you, having a matter against auother, 
 1/ go to law before the unjust, and not before the 
 
 saints? 
 
 1 Dare any of you, having a matter against • his 
 neighbour, go to the law before the uuriglneous, 
 
 lGr. the other. 
 
 ents in the preceding verse, and leaves the 
 statement general, that the judgment of these 
 helongs to God. Therefore do. s not belong 
 in the text; if there is any connective, it is 
 and. But that is to be omitted. (See Crit. 
 Notes.) Put away from among yourselves 
 that wicked person — should be, the wicked 
 one, meaning the incestuous man of ver. 1 
 seq. Ver. 9-13 have been a digression from 
 the subject with which the chapter opens. 
 But in this last sentence he returns to his sub- 
 ject, and gives, in closing, his brief command 
 in regard to the offender. It is not really so 
 abrupt as it seems; for this action in regard to 
 him is carding out the same spirit as the 
 action enjoined in regard to more ordinal 
 offenders in the preceding paragraph. The 
 language is the same as in the Septuagint of 
 Deut. 24 : 7. 
 
 CRITICAL NOTES. — CHAPTER V. 
 
 1. Is not named is found only in X C LP, etc., 
 and in syr utr , and is to be omitted. 
 
 3. As before absent is found in D bandc EF, 
 etc., it syrP, and is to be omitted. 
 
 4. Christ is found in the name of our Lord, 
 in the first part of the verse in XD C EF, etc., 
 ef g vulg syr achand p * cop, etc. It is omitted 
 in ABD l; d syrP txt . On the whole the external 
 argument favors its retention, but the improb- 
 ability of its omission, if it belonged in the 
 text, causes it to be rejected by the commenta- 
 tors. In the last part of the verse Christ is 
 found in D C EFG, etc., e f gsyr 3ch and p corr * cop, 
 etc. It is omitted in XABD ;; d vulg syrP ut . 
 so that the authorities are against it. 
 
 7. Therefore is found only in X C CL, etc., 
 syrP, and is to be omitted. For us at the end 
 of the verse is found only in X C C 3 L, etc., syr utr , 
 and is to be omitted. 
 
 10. The conjunction at the beginning of the 
 verse (see Notes) is found only in X C D C L, etc., 
 syrP^andsch?) an( j j s to ^ e omitted. Or extor- 
 tioners is the reading in X°D b and c E, etc., 
 e vulg syrV tr cop etc. ; and extortioners is to 
 be preferred, being found in X * A BCD*, etc., 
 df g. 
 
 12. Also is found only in DE, etc., syrP, and 
 is to be omitted. 
 
 13. The conjunction at the beginning of the 
 second part of the verse (see Notes) is found 
 only in D 3 EL, etc., syr utr , and is to be omitted. 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 
 1-11. Injunction against going to law before 
 heathen courts. 
 
 Because, 1-6, they are to judge the world 
 and angels, and may certainly decide such 
 cases among themselves. 7,8. They ought 
 not to have such lawsuits with each other, but 
 rather be wronged; instead of which they 
 themselves wrong and defraud. 9, 19. Warn- 
 ing that unjust men and sinners generally, 
 cannot inherit the kingdom of God. 11. They 
 once belonged to this class, but have been 
 made and counted righteous, and should act 
 accordingly. 
 
 12 - 29. Injunction against fornication. 
 12-14. Consideration of certain maxims that 
 have been urged in justification of this sin. 
 In regard to the statement that all things are 
 allowable, which has been taken out of the 
 sphere of indifferent things and applied here, 
 the apostle shows that, even admitting all 
 things to be permitted, not all are profitable, 
 and that, while he may be master of every- 
 thing, he will permit nothing to be master of 
 him. In regard to the application to forni- 
 cation of the maxim "meats for the bellj'," 
 etc., he shows that the two things between, 
 which analogies are drawn are not parallel ; 
 first, because the body is not for fornication, 
 but for the Lord ; and second, because both 
 belly and food are destructible, and so com- 
 paratively unimportant; while both the body 
 and the Lord are raised, and so their relations 
 are not at all indifferent. 15-17. The sin of 
 fornication shown, in taking the body that 
 belongs to the Lord, and making it one flesh 
 with a harlot. 18, 19. Fornication a sin 
 against the body, which is a temple of the Holy 
 Spirit. 29. Fornication a violation of the 
 right which God has acquired over, them by 
 purchase. 
 
 Ch. 6: 1. Dare any of you— should be, 
 Dares any one of you.. Having a matter. 
 
50 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. VI. 
 
 2 Do ve not know that the saints shall judge the 
 world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye 
 unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 
 
 3 Know ye not that we shall judge augels? how luuch 
 more things that pertain to this lite? 
 
 4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to 
 this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in 
 the church. 
 
 2 and not before the saints? Or know ye net that 
 the saints shall judge the world? and if the world 
 is judged by you, are ye unworthy x to judge the 
 
 3 smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge 
 angels? how much more things that pertain to this 
 
 4 life? If then ye have 2 to judge tilings pertaining to 
 this life, 3 do ye set them to judge who are of no ac- 
 count in the church ? I say this to move you to 
 
 1 Gr. of the smallest tribunals 2 Gr. tribunals pertaining to 3 Or, set them 
 
 The word used is the Greek word for a legal 
 action, a cause. Against another — literally, 
 the other, — i. e., the other party in the suit. Go 
 before the unjust. Unbelievers are here 
 designated hy this specific term, probably in 
 order to suggest their special unfitness for this 
 work of judges. For instances of the use of 
 this word to denote the general class of wicked 
 or unbelievers, see Matt. 5: 45; Acts 24: 15 j 
 IPet. 3: 18; 2 Pet. 2: 9. 
 
 2. Do ye not know — should be, Or do ye 
 not know. (See Crit. Notes.) This conjunction 
 is used because what has just been said is on 
 the supposition that they do know this, and 
 hence the unfitness of saints going to the 
 world to be judged. That the saints shall 
 judge the world? This is the only indica- 
 tion of this fact iu the New Testament, 
 though the same thing is predicated of the 
 apostles in regard to the twelve tribes of 
 Israel. (See Matt. 19: 28; Luke 22: 30.) 
 This would be included possibly in the posses- 
 sion of the world, (cf. Matt. 5:5,) and the 
 ruling of the world, (Eev. 2: 26 seq. ; 3: 21.) 
 The context will not allow the statement to be 
 explained away by any means; as, if any- 
 thing less than real judgment is meant in this 
 statement, then something less is meant in the 
 conclusion of his argument. It is their abil- 
 ity or fitness to judge that is in question ; and 
 this must be proved by an actual weighty 
 judgment entrusted to them. And if the 
 world shall be judged by you— should be, 
 is judged before you. On this use of the Greek 
 preposition, see Winer, 385. Are ye unable 
 to judge the smallest matters?— literally, 
 unworthy of the least causes. The Greek 
 word translated causes means either that by 
 which a judgment is formed, our word crite- 
 rion, or the place of judgment, a tribunal. 
 The latter meaning is admissible here, but in 
 verse 4 the same word is used without any 
 reasonable doubt of the meaning cause, and 
 the same meaning is therefore to be preferred 
 here. Grimm gives this meaning in verse 4. 
 
 3. Know ye not that we shall judge 
 angels? Here again we have a statement 
 not found nor implied elsewhere in the New 
 Testament. But it must not be explained 
 away, any more than the preceding statement 
 in regard to the judgment of the world, 
 owing to the exigencies of the argument. In 
 the New Testament, the word 'angels' is gene- 
 rally used only of good angels. How much 
 more, etc. Literally, say nothing of. In 
 both these verses, the argument is from great 
 judgments to small, from the Christian's 
 fitness for the great causes to the absurdity of 
 his seeking elsewhere for the wisdom necessary 
 to decide small ones. 
 
 4. If then ye have judgments of things 
 pertaining to this life, set them to judge 
 who are least esteemed in the church 
 — literally, who are despised. In this verse, 
 things 'pertaining to this life' is strongly em- 
 phatic from its position, contrasted with the 
 higher judgments in the preceding verses. 
 And 'those who are despised' is also emphatic, 
 both from its position, and from the repetition 
 of it in the pronoun 'those'; literally, the 
 last clause reads, those despised in the church, 
 these send. This is to be borne in mind in the 
 interpretation of the verse. The important 
 question in regard to it is, whether the verse is 
 to be treated as a question or as a command. 
 If it is, as the best commentators say, a ques- 
 tion, then Paul means by 'those despised in 
 the church,' the same as 'the unjust' in ver. 
 1; the sinners outside the church, who are 
 despised- by it. And the question is virtually 
 a repetition of that, substituting the one term 
 for the other to describe the unfitness of the 
 heathen judges. But this interpretation does 
 not justify the illative conjunction making 
 this an inference from the preceding argu- 
 ment. Nor does it explain the contrast be- 
 tween higher and lower judgments, and be- 
 tween those despised and those esteemed in 
 the church. The argument so plainly marked 
 out, and its terms so emphasized, does. not 
 
Ch. VI.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 51 
 
 5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a 
 wise man among you? no, Dot one thai shall be able to 
 judge between his brethren? 
 
 6 Hut brother goeth to law with brother, and that be- 
 fore the unbelievers. 
 
 7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, 
 because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not 
 rather take wrong? Why do ye not rather suffer your- 
 selves to be defrauded? 
 
 5 shame. Is it bo, that there cannot be found among 
 you one wise man who shall in- able to decide between 
 
 6 his brethren, but brother goeth to law with brol her, 
 
 7 and that before unbelievers? Nay, already it is alto- 
 gether i a defect in you, that ye have lawsuits one 
 with another. Why not rather take wrong? why 
 
 1 Or, a loss to you. 
 
 lead to the absurdity of the thing proposed here. 
 The making those judges who are despised in 
 the church is a natural, and not an absurd 
 conclusion from the premises. Supposing 
 that the apostle had asked this question, the 
 natural Answer of the church would be, 
 "Why, yes; if the church is to judge the 
 world, and even angels, that is just the reason 
 why we should consider these unimportant 
 things beneath us." The other interpretation 
 makes the term 'those despised in the church' 
 refer to those in the church of least ability or 
 merit, and the command is thus an ironical 
 conclusion of the apostle's argument, which 
 would take this course— "You think it neces- 
 sary to call on those outside of the church to 
 judge affairs between your own members, as 
 if, forsooth, you were not qualified to act as 
 judges. But so far is this from being the case, 
 that the saints will judge the world, nay even 
 angels, much more the affairs of this life. If 
 then you have matters of this kind to decide, 
 they are not above, but below, the ability of 
 the church, and you may entrust them to the 
 lowest among you, the despised in the church.'' 
 Of course, the apostle does not give the advice 
 really, but merely as a reductio ad absurdum 
 of their action. 
 
 5. I speak to your shame. That is, to 
 produce shame in you. The word is subject- 
 ive, and denotes the feeling of shame to be 
 produced in them, not the putting them to 
 shame before others. The reference is proba- 
 bly to what follows. Is it so, that there is 
 not a wise man among you ? no, not one. 
 — should be, Is there not thus among you one 
 wise man? The reading on which no, not one 
 in our version is based, is probably incorrect. 
 (See Crit. Notes.) 'Thus' means things being 
 so, according to this. To judge between 
 his brethren — literally, between his brother. 
 (See Winer, 175, who calls it "a concise inaccu- 
 racy." Paul hits them shrewdly in this ques- 
 tion, asking these wise Corinthians if they had 
 
 not a man among them wise enough to de- 
 cide matters between brethren. 
 
 G. But brother goeth to law with 
 brother, and that before the unbelievers. 
 
 — should be, before unbelievers; there is no 
 article. This is probably a part of the pre- 
 ceding question. It shows two results of the 
 absence of the wise man among them — first, 
 that they have to go to law with each other, 
 instead of deciding the matters in dispute 
 among themselves; and, second, that this 
 process is before unbelievers. 
 
 7. Now, therefore, there is utterly a 
 fault among you-should be, already it is 
 in general a loss to you. There is 'already' 
 before coming to the question of methods of 
 settlement, a defeat for them in their struggle 
 to obtain an inheritance in the kingdom of 
 God, that they have disputes with one another. 
 'Therefore' is probably to be omitted, and 
 also 'among.' (See Crit. Notes.) The word 
 translated ' utterly ' is the same that is ren- 
 dered 'commonly' in 5: 1. It may mean 
 here either utterly or in general. (See Note on 
 5: 1.) The latter is probably to be preferred, 
 because there is a transition from the particu- 
 lar 'going to law before unbelievers' to the 
 general 'going to law at all.' The word trans- 
 lated ' fault ' means a loss or a defeat, and 
 probably from the context, this is in their 
 attempt to obtain an inheritance in the king- 
 dom of God. (See ver. 9.) Because ye go 
 to law one with another— literally, because 
 ye have lawsuits with yourselves — the reflexive 
 pronoun is often used in this way for the 
 reciprocal. Why do ye not rather take 
 wrong? — literally, suffer yourselves to be 
 wronged. (See Winer, 254.) On the senti- 
 ment of the verse, compare Matt. 5: 89, 40; 
 Rom. 12: 17, 19; 1 Thess. 5: 15. Then' is 
 some doubt whether what the apostle says 
 here in regard to going to law before non- 
 Christian tribunals is applicable strictly to the 
 present time and to nominally Christian lands. 
 
52 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. VI. 
 
 8 Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your 
 brethren. 
 
 9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit 
 the kingdom of (_iod? Be not deceived : neither forni- 
 cators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor 
 abusers of themselves with mankind, 
 
 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor re- 
 vilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of 
 God. 
 
 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, 
 but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name 
 of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 
 
 8 not rather be defrauded? Nay, but ye yourselves 
 
 9 do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren. Or 
 know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit 
 the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither 
 fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor etferui- 
 
 10 nate, nor abusers of themselves with men, nor thieves, 
 nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extor- 
 
 11 tioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such 
 were some of you : but ye l were washed, but ye wire 
 sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God. 
 
 1 Gr. washed yourselves. 
 
 The Christian element has penetrated into the 
 law of these lands, and Christian men are 
 found in its courts. At the same time, one of 
 the principles involved, viz., to avoid putting 
 the church to shame before the world, is 
 always valid, and should dissuade Christians 
 from going to law with each other as much as 
 possible. Then the principle of non-resistance 
 enjoined in this verse is subject to the same 
 limitations as in the Sermon on the Mount, 
 especially those derived from the danger to 
 public interests from its strict application. To 
 allow one who has wronged you to do it with 
 impunity may be such an encouragement of 
 wrong as will injure society even more than 
 the individual ; but the spirit which prompts 
 it is always right, and every Christian should 
 strive to practice it, if possible. 
 
 8. Nay, ye do wrong — should be, but you 
 wrong — the verb is transitive, as well as the 
 verb defraud, and in contrast with the suf- 
 fering themselves 'to be wronged' and 'de- 
 frauded' of the preceding verse. The pro- 
 noun is emphatic, on account of this contrast 
 between what they do and the Christian prin- 
 ciple stated in the preceding verse They not 
 only avenge the evil inflicted on them, which 
 perhaps many do, but they themselves inflict 
 wrong. And that your brethren — emphatic 
 addition. This which is wrong toward any 
 man (cf. Matt. 5 : 39), they do to brethren, 
 enhancing the wrong, 
 
 9. Know ye not that the unrighteous- 
 should be, or do you not know that unrighteous 
 men. The conjunction or indicates that what 
 he has just been saying is on the supposition 
 that they do know this, and he presents this 
 as a possible alternative. Be not deceived— 
 viz., about this impossibility. And in order 
 to make his meaning as clear as possible, he 
 goes on to specify the different kinds of un- 
 righteousness. Nor effeminate — those in- 
 dulging in soft and luxurious living. Abusers 
 
 of themselves with mankind. Cf. Kom. 
 
 1: 27. 
 
 10. Nor drunkards. Beginning with this 
 word, the simple negative is used in the enu- 
 meration — not drunkards (see Crit. Notes), 
 not revilers, not extortioners (or robbers), a 
 variety of expression strengthening the state- 
 ment. The classes enumerated are the same 
 as in 5 : 11 substantially. Probably the apostle 
 noticed such sins as were prevalent in the par- 
 ticular place. 
 
 11. And such — should be, and these things. 
 Some of you — not all of them ; for he has 
 been naming flagrant sins, which it is not 
 necessary to suppose that they all shared. 
 But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, 
 but ye are justified. These are all past 
 tenses, and the first is in the middle voice; so 
 that it reads, (1) but yeivashed, (2) but ye were 
 sanctified, (3) but ye were justified. This is a 
 statement of the change in their condition, 
 making the sins, natural to their former state, 
 inconsistent with their present position. 
 There is some doubt about the meaning of the 
 verbs in this place. Meyer explains: (1) of 
 baptism, symbolizing the forgiveness of sins; 
 
 (2) of the transfer from the state of unholiness 
 to that of holiness in the new birth ; (3) of the 
 progressive sanctification of the man — a poor 
 piece of interpretation. De Wette explains : 
 (1) and (2) the same, but without making 
 baptism symbolize exclusively the forgiveness 
 of sins; and (3) he makes denote justification. 
 Kuckert refers, (1) to baptism, as the putting 
 off of the old man, though he thinks that the 
 term may have been used figuratively without 
 this reference; (2) he explains substantially 
 the same as Meyer, De Wette, except that he 
 makes prominent consecration instead of holi- 
 ness, their separation from the world and con- 
 secration to God ; and (3) same as De Wette. 
 Alford same as De Wette. Hofmann, (1) and 
 
 (3) the same as De Wette ; (2) he makes de- 
 
Ch. VI.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 53 
 
 12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are I 12 All things are lawful forme; but not all things 
 not expedient : all things are lawful for me, but I will are expedient All things are lawful for me ; but I 
 
 not be brought under the power of any. ' 
 
 note incorporation into the holy church, some- 
 thing like Ruckert. There is then substantial 
 agreement in explaining (1) of baptism, (2] of 
 new birth, (3) except Meyer, of justification. 
 The explanation of (1) seems to be right, since 
 this is the only way of accounting for the 
 middle voice, not, as Ruckert suggests, be- 
 cause the practice in the primitive church was 
 for the converts to baptize themselves, but 
 because they submitted to baptism, while it 
 could scarcely be said that they submitted to 
 the things symbolized by baptism. De Wette 
 seems to be right, too, in including in the 
 word the whole meaning of baptism, instead 
 of merely the new birth alone, or forgiveness 
 alone; since the exclusion of either seems 
 arbitrary, and really detracts from the sym- 
 metry of the statement. But baptism is re- 
 ferred to, not as procuring regeneration or 
 justification, but as symbolizing them. It is 
 evident that, as faith is the condition of bap- 
 tism, the Christian has already been justified, 
 and that faith, which is a distinctively holy 
 act, presupposes regeneration. (2) and (3) 
 are to be taken also as denoting regeneration 
 and justification (so all except Meyer), and 
 they denote abstractly and in detail what is 
 expressed figuratively and comprehensively 
 in (1). This removes Meyer's objection that 
 (3) in this sense is simply a repetition of (1). 
 Besides, progressive, or immediate sanctifica- 
 tion, is never the meaning of (3). It means 
 to count a man just, not to make him just; 
 and is, therefore, the proper word for justifi- 
 cation, not sanctification. In the name of 
 the Lord Jesus — should be, Lord Jesus 
 Christ. (See Grit. Notes.) And by the 
 Spirit of our God — should be, in the Spirit, 
 etc. Here, too, there is a question whether 
 both these modifiers belong with all three of 
 the preceding verbs, or whether they are to 
 be distributed. Without stopping to discuss 
 the different answers, it is enough to say that 
 all three acts may "be said to be done in the 
 name of the Lord ; but that, strictly speaking, 
 baptism can scarcely be said to be done in the 
 Spirit. Sanctification in the present sense is 
 certainly in the Spirit, and justification .may 
 easily be counted the same, as the possession 
 of the Spirit as the source of present holiness, 
 
 and the pledge of future holiness is an excel- 
 lent reason for counting the man righteous. 
 But it seems arbitrary to suppose a distribution 
 in the apostle's mind, when all the verbs and 
 both the modifiers are grouped as belonging 
 together. It seems more natural to think of 
 the two, the verbs as a whole, and the modi- 
 fiers as a whole, as belonging together in a 
 general way. ' In the name of the Lord Jesus 
 Christ ' — Christ is not the agent in the acteither 
 of regeneration, or of justification, but both 
 are in his name. They are based on the 
 mediatorial work of Christ, and the Father 
 and the Spirit act in his name in them. 'In 
 the Spirit' ; the Spirit is the one in whom, by 
 vital union with whom, we are made holy and 
 counted holy. 
 
 12. All things are lawful unto me, but 
 all things are not expedient — better, but 
 not all things profit. The subject of this par- 
 agraph is the sin of fornication. And this 
 statement of general principles, with their 
 modifications at the beginning, is to be con- 
 sidered with reference to the subject of the 
 paragraph. Of course the statement, all 
 things are lawful for me, is subject to the 
 obvious limitation, that it applies to indif- 
 ferent things, those which do not possess posi- 
 tive moral quality. Evidently, then, the 
 application of the principle to this matter 
 of fornication, is an unwarrantable use made 
 by parties in the Corinthian Church — early 
 Antinomianism. But the apostle, instead of 
 pointingout this limitation, takes them., for the 
 moment, on their own ground, and says, that 
 while it may be true that ail things are allow- 
 able, it does not follow, and is not true, that 
 all things are for his good. And so, even 
 supposing that fornication is allowed, there is 
 the further very important question of its 
 influence on his welfare. All things are 
 lawful for me, but I will not be brought 
 under the power of any. There is a play 
 on the words here, which it is difficult to 
 reproduce. All things are in my power, but 
 I will not be put into its power by any — is, 
 possibly, as near it as we can get. The ob- 
 vious limitation of the general principle is 
 the same as in the preceding statement of it; 
 but the apostle treats it in the same way. 
 
54 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. VI. 
 
 13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats : but 
 God shall destroy both it aud them. Now the body is 
 not for fornication, but for the Lord ; aud the Lord for 
 the body. 
 
 14 And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will 
 also raise up us by his own power. 
 
 15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members 
 of Christ ? shall I then take the members of Christ, 
 and make them the members of a harlot? God for- 
 bid. 
 
 13 will not be brought under the power of any. Meats 
 for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall 
 bring to nought both it and them. But the body is 
 not /or fornication, but for the Lord ; and the Lord 
 
 14 for the body ; aud God both raised the Lord, and will 
 
 15 raise up us through his power. Know ye not that 
 your bodies are members of Christ? shall I then 
 take away the members of Christ, and make them 
 
 Even supposing that he is master of every- 
 thing, privileged to do about it what he likes, 
 he refuses to be mastered by anything, as, of 
 course, any one will who uses his assumed 
 license in such a matter as fornication. The 
 pronoun 'I' is emphatic, laying stress on the 
 fact that he is not the one to be mastered. 
 The lesson is plain — that one must not use his 
 freedom in such a way as to become a slave to 
 the very thing in which he asserts his free- 
 dom. He must be free not to do it, as well as 
 to do it. 
 
 13. Meats for the belly, and the belly 
 for meats. This is another general prin- 
 ciple, stated, however, in the concrete and 
 particular, instead of the abstract and general. 
 The general statement would be the lawful- 
 ness of putting things to their obvious use, or 
 of putting together things that belong to- 
 gether. But God shall destroy both it 
 and them — should be, both this and these. 
 Here again the apostle states a modification 
 which may invalidate the universal applica- 
 tion of the principle, this time in the form of 
 an important element in this particular case 
 under the general principle, which might 
 come in to make a difference between that 
 and some other applications of it. This ele- 
 ment is the perishableness of both the belly 
 and the food, which makes the whole question 
 of food a comparatively indifferent one. Now 
 the body is not for fornication, but for 
 the Lord; and the Lord for the body. 
 The conjunction should be but, probably, 
 opposing this statement to the general one at 
 the beginning of the verse. In this state- 
 ment, the apostle, no longer contented with 
 modifications of the general principle, and 
 with suggesting its lack of application to the 
 matter of fornication, denies absolutely its 
 application to that; becauso the body is not 
 for fornication, but for the Lord, and the 
 Lord for the body ; not, therefore, for unholy, 
 but for holy, uses. There is a moral, as well 
 as a physical, side to fornication; and the 
 
 moral unfitness of the act entirely neutralizes 
 the apparent physical fitness. 
 
 14. And God hath both raised up the 
 Lord, and will also raise up us, by his 
 
 own power— should be, and God both raised 
 the Lord, arid will raise us, by his poiver. 
 The belly, and the food for it, Are both per- 
 ishable, but the body and its Lord are both 
 raised by the power of God ; and consequently 
 their relations to each other are absolutely 
 important. As to the particular sense in 
 which the Christian body belongs to Christ, 
 see ver. 15. But this argument of the apos- 
 tle's against fornication, is also valid for men 
 generally, though in a less special sense. 
 There seems to be a flaw in the apostle's 
 argument, since he treats of eating in its 
 relation to the particular organ concerned; 
 but of fornication as related to the entire 
 body. But he gives us his reason for that 
 in ver. 16, in which the intimate relation of 
 the entire bod} 7 to the act of sexual inter- 
 course plainly appears. 
 
 15. Know ye not. Calling their attention 
 to something that they ought to know, but 
 seem to forget. That your bodies are the 
 members of Christ? The article should be 
 omitted before the word 'members.' For 
 parallel, but not exactly similar statements, 
 (since there we, and not simply our bodies, 
 are called members of Christ), see Eph. 4: 
 12, 15, 16; 5: 30. For the exact meaning of 
 the apostle here, see ver. 17, 19. Christ is so 
 united with our spirit, that our actions become, 
 in a sense, his ; and hence our bodies become 
 instruments of his action. See Gal. 2: 20; 
 Eph. 3: 17, etc. Shall I then take the 
 members of Christ, and make them 
 the members of an harlot? This is the 
 horrible thing that Paul makes of fornication. 
 He shows the sacredness of the body on the 
 one hand, and the relation into which forni- 
 cation brings it with the harlot on the other; 
 and out of this he constructs his startling 
 question. "Shall I take the body that belongs 
 
Ch. VI.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 55 
 
 16 What ! know ye not that he which la joined to 
 a harlot is one body? for two, saith ho, shall be one 
 flesh. 
 
 17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 
 
 18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is 
 without the body; but he that committetb fornication 
 sin net b against his own body. 
 
 19 What! know ye not that your body is the temple 
 of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of 
 God, and ye are not your own ? 
 
 16 members of a harlot? God forbid. Or know ye not 
 that he that is joined to a harlot is one body? for 
 
 17 1 he twain, saith he, shall become one flesh. But he 
 
 18 that is joined unto the Lord is our spirit. Flee for- 
 nication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the 
 body; but he that committcth fornication Binnetfa 
 
 19 against his own body. Or know ye not that your 
 body is a 1 temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, 
 which ye have from God? and ye are not your own ; 
 
 1 Or, sanctuary. 
 
 to Christ, and give it to a harlot, making it 
 hers?" he says. The question he answers 
 with the usual negative, implying repulsion. 
 God forbid — or, literally, let it not come to 
 pass. 
 
 16. What ! know ye not?— should be, Or 
 do you not know? On this question, which 
 may be taken as one of the marks of Paul's 
 style, see on ver. 2, 9, 15. Here it is as if he 
 had said, Or do you not know what a fearful 
 thing fornication is? He which is joined 
 to a harlot — should be, to the harlot; the 
 article denotes the class. The verb is a strong 
 one, intended to bring out the closeness of 
 the connection by which the "one flesh" is 
 brought about. For two, saith he, shall 
 be one flesh — should be, for the two. The 
 quotation is from Gen. 2: 24, Sept. This is 
 originally said of marriage, and this applica- 
 tion of it to illegitimate connection, shows 
 that it is the sexual ujiion in marriage of 
 which the statement was made. And the 
 same is true of our Lord's application of it to 
 divorce. 
 
 17. But he that is joined unto the Lord is 
 one spirit. This contains the other side of 
 the proof that in fornication one takes what 
 belongs to the Lord, and makes it the pos- 
 session of a harlot. Having shown how the 
 change is effected, he now shows how the 
 original state — the belonging to the Lord — 
 is true. The connection with Christ is a 
 vital union of the human spirit with the 
 Spirit of Christ; they are virtually one 
 spirit; and thus the body becomes the body 
 of Christ. 
 
 18. Flee fornication. This command is 
 the connecting link between what precedes 
 and what follows. In it Paul sums up what 
 he has said, and then proceeds to develop 
 further the reason for it. Every sin that a 
 man doeth — literal^', every sin whatever a 
 man commits — is without the body — {. e., 
 outside of it; does not pertain to it; has 
 
 its sphere of operation outside of it. But 
 he that committeth fornication sinneth 
 against his own body. This is to be ex- 
 plained as the opposite of 'without the body,' 
 and does not therefore mean merely that he 
 injures his body by this sin, but that he dis- 
 graces it by making it the instrument of his 
 sin. How is this distinction between forni- 
 cation and other sins to be maintained? The 
 two extremes of opinion about it are repre- 
 sented by Ruckert and Meyer. Rnckert says 
 that the apostle, "in his endeavor to repre- 
 sent fornication as greater than all other sins, 
 makes a statement which in its strictness can- 
 not be maintained." Meyer says that it can 
 be maintained strictly, on the ground that 
 "every other sin, while it has to do mainly 
 with the body, works upon it from outside, 
 and hence has its position toward the body 
 outside of the same. The sinner takes that 
 which is outside of the body, and makes that 
 the instrument of its immoral action, by which 
 means the sin in its relation to the body comes 
 to stand outside of it, and has there its sphere 
 of action." But evidently this statement has 
 to be taken with some modification ; for, in 
 several other sins — e. g., gluttony and drunk- 
 enness— the body is both the object sinned 
 against, and the principal instrument em- 
 ployed, though there are others. The prin- 
 ciple that a statement is to be taken with its 
 obvious limitations, such as would occur to 
 the reader or hearer without statement, is one 
 that has to be applied frequent^ 7 to the inter- 
 pretation of Scripture; and this is probably 
 one of the cases in which there is such ob- 
 vious limitation. Other sins are compara- 
 tively outside of the bod}' — make more or 
 less use of other instruments. This alone is 
 exclusively within the sphere of the body, 
 and so injures that by making it the instru- 
 ment "f sin. 
 
 19. What! know ye not— should be, Or 
 know ye not? See on ver. 1(3. Is the temple 
 
56 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. VI 
 
 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify I 20 for ye were bought with a price: glorify God there- 
 od in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. ] fore in your body. 
 
 God 
 
 — should be, a temple. Of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 The Spirit which is designated the Spirit of 
 truth, the Spirit of God, etc., is here called 
 the Holy Spirit, not merely to designate 
 him, but to emphasize the contrast with un- 
 holy action. The word for 'temple' here de- 
 notes the inner temple, or shrine, in which 
 the image of the Deity is kept; or, in the 
 Jewish temple, the Holy of Holies, where 
 God manifested his presence. Which ye 
 have of God. This fact that the Spirit is 
 a divine gift is intended to strengthen the 
 argument from his holiness. It is this which 
 makes the sin against the Christian's body 
 so heinous — that that body is sacred as the 
 shrine of the Holy Spirit. This is the ex- 
 planation, too, of the statement in verse 15 — 
 that our bodies are the members of Christ; 
 and in verse 17 — that our spirit is one with 
 the Spirit of Christ. (Cf. John 14: 15-23.) 
 And ye are not your own. This is not 
 an inference from the preceding statement, 
 but an independent statement having a rea- 
 son of its own stated in the next verse. So 
 that there are two reasons given for the sacred- 
 ness of the body— viz., the indwelling of the 
 Spirit, and its purchase by Christ. The man 
 cannot therefore do with it what he pleases; 
 but what Christ wishes, and the Spirit 
 urges. 
 
 20. For ye are bought with a price — 
 should be, you were bought. The emphasis 
 is on the word "bought.' A person who has 
 been bought belongs not to himself, but to 
 the buyer. To this is added, ' with a price,' 
 which is purposely left indefinite. You were 
 bought, and not for nothing — there was a price 
 paid, which, of course, tends to make the pur- 
 chase real and valid. Therefore glorify God 
 in your body — the rest of the verse is to be 
 omitted. (See Crit. Notes.) 
 
 CRITICAL NOTES. — CHAPTER VI. 
 
 2. Or is to be inserted at the beginning of 
 the verse, on the authority of XABCD, etc. it 
 vulg syr sch and p°.* 
 
 5. The reading on which our version, no, 
 not one, is based, is found in D 3 L, etc. syrP 
 vulg etc. The other reading given in the 
 Notes is found in NBC, etc. syr sch cop. ; also 
 
 a reading giving the same meaning in DE, 
 d e, etc. 
 
 7. Therefore is found in N<ABCD 2 etc. 
 syr sch syrP°* ; it is omitted in X* D* it vulg 
 cop syrP txt ; among is found only in f vulg 
 etc., and is to be omitted. 
 
 10. Nor, before drunkards, is found in 
 BDEL, etc. d e f vulg syr utr copetc. ; not is the 
 reading in XACP, etc. Manuscripts favor 
 latter reading, versions the former. Taking 
 internal evidence into the account, the read- 
 ing is probably not. 
 
 11. Christ is inserted after the words, the 
 Lord Jesus, in NBCD*, etc. it vulg syr sclland 
 p c:|; ; it is omitted in AD C L, etc. syrP txt . 
 
 20. The last part of this verse, following the 
 word body, is found only in C 3 D 2 and 3 KL, 
 etc. syr utr . It is omitted in XABC*D* etc. it 
 vulg cop, etc. 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 
 1, 2. The advantage of celibacy, and the 
 necessity of marriage. 3-5. The duties of the 
 married state. 6, 7. The injunction to marry 
 not a command, but advice, since he wishes 
 them to be unmarried, like himself. 8, 9. 
 Restatement of the advantage of celibacy, 
 and of the necessity of marriage. 10, 11. 
 Statement of the commandment of the Lord 
 against divorce. 12-16. Consideration of the 
 special case of marriages between a Christian 
 and an unbeliever, which may be dissolved 
 only by the act of the unbelieving party. 
 17-24. Development of the general principle, 
 constituting as far as it goes a valid, but not 
 sufficient, objection to such separation, that 
 God means that they should remain in the 
 state of life where the call to be Christians 
 found them. 25-38. Consideration of the 
 special case of unmarried daughters, and the 
 duties of fathers in regard to giving them in 
 marriage; giving general advice against mar- 
 rying, on account of the peculiar trials of the 
 period; but enjoining marriage in case the 
 refusal of the father to marry his daughter is 
 an injustice to her. 39. A wife bound to her 
 husband during his life, but free to marry in 
 the Lord at his death; but, 40. Happier to 
 remain unmarried. 
 
Ch. VII.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 57 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 rW concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto 
 me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 
 
 2 Nevertheless, lo avoid fornication, let every man 
 have his own wife, and let every woman have her own 
 husband. 
 
 3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevo- 
 lence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. 
 
 1 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote: It 
 
 2 is good for a man not to touch a woman. Hut, be- 
 cause of fornications, let each man have bis own 
 wile, and let each woman have her own husband. 
 
 3 Let the husband render unto the wife her due : and 
 
 Ch. VII: 1. Now, concerning the things 
 whereof ye wrote unto me. 'Unto me' is 
 probably to be omitted. (See Crit. Notes. ) It 
 seems that the Corinthians had written a let- 
 ter to the apostle, asking him about certain 
 points in dispute among them, such as the 
 comparative merits of marriage and celibacy, 
 the eating of things offered in sacrifice to 
 idols, the uncovering of women's heads in 
 prayer, and the comparative excellence of 
 various spiritual gifts. And a large part of 
 the rest of the letter is occupied in answering 
 these questions. Among a licentious people 
 like the Corinthians, there would naturally 
 be such remains of licentiousness as is stated 
 and implied in chapters 5 and 6; and on the 
 other hand, a reaction against marriage itself, 
 among the converts to Christianity. And to 
 the questions raised by this latter tendency, 
 the apostle makes in reply first, the general 
 statement, that it is good for a man not to 
 touch a woman. The word 'good' here 
 means not exactl}' morally right or beautiful, 
 nor, on the other hand, generally expedient, 
 both of which, however, belong to the gen- 
 eral signification of the word; but, as the 
 reasons given in ver. 32 seq. show, morally 
 advantageous. That is to say, the apostle 
 considers that, if a man can resist the temp- 
 tations incident to celibacy, there is a moral 
 advantage in the single life, arising from its 
 freedom from care and from the opportunity 
 thus given for uninterrupted service of the 
 Lord. But he is very careful to guard this 
 general, and really, for the most part, owing 
 to the nature of the condition annexed, theo- 
 retical statement, from its obvious perver- 
 sions. And possibly, too, he means his advice 
 only for that particular period, as he describes 
 it in ver. '26 seq.; but some of the reason-' 
 given are certainly general, and not local nor 
 temporary; and the absolutely general and 
 unmodified form of this first statement i- also 
 unfavorable to such limitation. Meantime, 
 it is a suggestive commentary on his words to 
 point to such lives as his own and our Lord's, 
 
 and to the life of heaven, where they neither 
 
 marry nor are given in marriage. 
 
 2. Nevertheless— should be simply, but. 
 To avoid fornication— should be, on account 
 of the fornications— i. e, because these things 
 exist. The plural denotes individual acts of 
 sin. (See "Winer, 176.) The article denotes the 
 class. Let every man have his own wife, 
 and let every woman have her own hus- 
 band. 'His own,' 'her own,' contrasted with 
 the indiscriminations of fornication and adul- 
 tery. The apostle introduces here the obvious 
 limitations of what he has said in regard to 
 the advantage of celibacy. Inasmuch as the 
 demands and temptations of man's physical 
 nature are what they are, he advises the aver- 
 age man to marry. But is this a permission 
 or a command ? The apostle says below (ver. b) i 
 that he says something by way of permission, 
 not of command, and there seems to be noth- 
 ing between this and that to which he can 
 refer. It cannot refer to 'coming together 
 again' in ver. 6, because that is included in 
 the commands in ver. 3, which are evidently 
 imperative. Then ver. 7 should begin with 
 but instead of ' for,' and it is therefore in con- 
 trast with whatever he thus says by way of 
 permission. And the exception, 'except by 
 mutual consent for a time' (ver. 5), is not in 
 contrast, but in agreement with that wish. 
 Moreover, the whole section (ver. 3.5), refers to 
 the duties of married people, while ver. 7 con- 
 siders the question of marriage itself, so that 
 its connection with ver. 6 leads us to refer that 
 to this question, instead of anything interven- 
 ing. It is probable, therefore, that this is to 
 be treated as a permission, not as a command, 
 and this is in accordance with the reason 
 given for it, which is rather a concession to 
 the demands of man's physical nature, than a 
 positive moral obligation. 
 
 ;{. Let the husband render unto the 
 wife due benevolence — should be, her due. 
 (See Crit. Notes.) The apostle conies now to 
 the question of the mutual rights and duties 
 of married people. And in regard to the 
 
58 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. VII. 
 
 4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the 
 husband and likewise also the husband hath not power 
 of bis own body, but the wife. 
 
 5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with con- 
 sent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting 
 and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt 
 you not for your ineoutiuency. 
 
 6 But I speak this by permission, and not. of com- 
 mandment. 
 
 7 For I would that all men were even as I myself. 
 But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after 
 this manner, and another after that. 
 
 8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is 
 good for them if they abide even as I. 
 
 9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it 
 is better to marry than to burn. 
 
 4 likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife 
 hath not power over her own body, but the husband : 
 and likewise also the husband hath not power over 
 
 5 his own body, but the ^rife. Defraud ye not one the 
 other, except it be by consent for a season, that ye 
 may give yourselves unto prayer, and may be to- 
 gether again, that Satan tempt you not because of 
 
 6 your ineoutiuency. But this I say by way of con- 
 
 7 cession, not of commandment. 'Yet I would that 
 all men were even as I myself. Howbeit each man 
 hath his own gift from God, one after this manner, 
 and another after that. 
 
 S But I say to the unmarried and to widows, It is 
 
 9 good for them if they abide even as I. But if they 
 
 have not contineucy, let them marry: for it is bet- 
 
 1 Man}' aucieut authorities read For. 
 
 question, whether here ahstinence is desirable 
 or not, the apostle makes his decision on 
 grounds of obligation. Intercourse in this 
 case is something owed and to be paid. The 
 word translated 'render' means to pay, and 
 this and the word ' due' settle the question. 
 
 4. The wife hath not power— better, 
 authority. This verse gives the reason why 
 this is a matter of obligation, viz., that neither 
 the man nor the woman has authority or right 
 over his own, but each over the other's body. 
 
 5. Defraud ye not one the other — do not 
 deprive each other of that which has been 
 shown to be a debt. Except it be with con- 
 sent for a time. By agreement, is a better 
 translation. That ye may devote your- 
 selves to fasting and prayer. The words 
 'fasting and' are to be omitted. (See Crit. 
 Notes.) And come together again. And 
 may come together again is better, this verb, 
 as well as the preceding, depending on 'that,' 
 and denoting the purpose of the temporary 
 abstinence. That Satan tempt you not for 
 your incontinency — should be, on account of 
 your incontinency — i. e., their lack of self-con- 
 trol in the matter of their passions; the same 
 reason given in verse 2 for marriage. 
 
 6. But I speak this by permission, and 
 not of commandment — should be, by way 
 of permission . ... by way of commandment. 
 He is not speaking of the authority that 'he 
 has for saying this, but of the way in which 
 he says it, as a command, or a permission. 
 The contrast between this and his wish in the 
 matter in verse 7, shows this. On the refer- 
 ence of this, see on verse 2. It is allowable to 
 go back to this over the intervening verses 
 for the reference, because those verses contain 
 injunctions concerning the married state which 
 may properly come in under the advice to 
 
 marry, as subordinate matter, making verse 2 
 the last independent statement. 
 
 7. For I would— should be, But I wish. 
 (See Crit. Notes. ) He opposes to the permission 
 of the preceding verse his wish that all men 
 were like him — i. e., unmarried. See verse 8. 
 This wish is of course, as the apostle himself 
 admits, impracticable for most men, as things 
 are, as men are constituted. This has to be 
 borne in mind in regard to this commendation 
 of celibacy, that it applies to it as for the most 
 an ideal state, not adapted to the general con- 
 stitution of men. But every man hath his 
 proper gift — better, his own gift. This is of 
 course a general statement, but the apostle 
 applies it to the present case, in which the 
 opposite gifts are those fitting a man for the 
 married or for the unmarried state. Owing to 
 this diversity of gifts he cannot have his wish, 
 as he might, if all men were like him in con- 
 tinence. 
 
 8. I say, therefore — should be, But I say. 
 There is not here a change of subject, which 
 remains the same as in verses G and 7, the ex- 
 pediency of marrying. If there was a change, 
 the order of the words would be, But to the 
 unmarried, and widows, I say. The apostle 
 makes a distinction between those who have 
 never married and widows. The former 
 means the unmarried of both sexes. It is 
 good. On the meaning of this, see on verse 1. 
 Even as I — better, as also I. The contrasted 
 'let them marry' in verse 9 shows that he 
 means unmarried. 
 
 9. But if they cannot contain — better, 
 if they are incontinent. See on verse 5. The 
 argument for marriage is the same as in verse 
 2, and as the reason for marriage intercourse 
 in verse 5. We should gather from this that 
 the advice given in verse 2 is on condition that 
 
Ch. VII.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 59 
 
 10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but 
 the Lord, Let not the wile depart from her husband: 
 
 11 But aud if she depart, let her remain unmarried, 
 or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the hus- 
 band put away hit wife. 
 
 12 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any 
 brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be 
 pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. 
 
 13 And the woman which hath a husband that be- 
 lieveth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let 
 her not leave him. 
 
 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the 
 wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the hus- 
 band: else were your children unclean; but now are 
 they holy. 
 
 10 ter to marry than to burn. But unto the married I 
 give charge, yea not I, but the Lord, That the wile 
 
 11 depart not from her husband (but and il .-bo depart, 
 let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to 
 her husband); aud that tin- husband leave not bis 
 
 12 wile. But to the rest say I, not the Lord: II any 
 brother hath an unbelieving Mile, and she is con- 
 
 13 tent to dwell with him, let him not leave her. And 
 the woman who hath an unbelieving husband, and 
 he is content to dwell with her, let lei- not leave her 
 
 14 husband. For the unbelieving husbaud is sanctified 
 in the wile, and the unbelieving wile is sanctified 
 in the brother: else were your children uue'ean; 
 
 the reason given exists. Here we have the 
 conditional form of statement. As has been 
 said above, the apostle sees the practical diffi- 
 culty of celibacy, and recommends it only 
 where this difficulty does not exist. For it is 
 better to marry than to burn — i.e., to be 
 inflamed with unsatisfied passion. Notice 
 the way in which the apostle states it — It is 
 good not to marry, but better, on account of 
 fornications, to marry than to have inflamed 
 and unsatisfied passions. 
 
 marries again, she commits adultery. (See 
 Matt. 5: 32.) Or be reconciled to her hus- 
 band — this is the only marriage relation open 
 to her, to rejoin her husband. And let the 
 husband not put away his wife — should be, 
 and that husband do not put aiv ay wife. See 
 on verse 10,' with which this is exactly parallel 
 in construction. What has intervened in the 
 first part of the verse is parenthetical, and this 
 continues the command of verse 10. 
 
 12. But to the rest speak (better, say) I, 
 
 10. And — better, But, to indicate the change : not the Lord. The previous command is 
 of subject. Not I, but the Lord. This sub- ' intended to apply to cases in which both hus- 
 jeetof divorce is one in regard to which Christ , band and wife are believers; and now lie 
 gave instructions himself, while he was in the [ comes to the rest — those Christians who have 
 world. (See Matt. 5: 32; 19:6-9.) That the j unbelieving companions. And about this case 
 apostle does not make a distinction in this Ian- I hegiveshisown statement, there beingnothing 
 guage between himself inspired and unin- ' specific from the Lord himself about it. See 
 spired, is proved beyond doubt by comparing ! on verse 10. That believeth not. The Greek 
 verses 25 and 40. In verse 25, he says about I is simpler, an unbelieving wife. And she be 
 virgins that he has no command from the pleased to dwell with him — better, and she 
 Lord, and in verse 40, referring to the same consents. The command not to leave each 
 thing, he says that he thinks he has the Spirit. | other, which is otherwise unconditional, is 
 
 Let not the wife depart from her hus- 
 band — should be, that wife be not separated 
 from husband. There are no articles, and the 
 verb is infinitive, depending on 'I command,' 
 not imperative. The exception to this rule in 
 the case of adultery is omitted as understood 
 without mention. 
 
 11. But and if she depart— should be, But 
 if she alsodeparts. The conjunction translated 
 also denotes something as actually taking 
 place, and may be rendered by our emphatic 
 'does' — but if she does depart. The form of 
 the verb is not such as to admit of a reference 
 to something already accomplished ; it denotes 
 always a future contingency — if in the future 
 such a case should arise. He does not give hi- 
 sanction to the action, but prescribes what is to 
 be done in such a case. Let her remain un- 
 
 made in his case to depend on the consent of 
 the unbelieving party. 
 
 13. And the woman which hath an 
 husband that believeth not — should be, 
 And a woman who has an unbelieving hus- 
 band. Another possible reading is, If any 
 woman has. (See Crit. Notes.) And if he be 
 pleased — should be, and this one consents. 
 (See Crit. Notes.) Let her not leave him — 
 should be, let her not leave her husband. (See 
 Crit. Notes.! 
 
 14. For the unbelieving husband is 
 sanctified by the wife, and the unbeliev- 
 ing wife is sanctified by the husband — 
 should be, has been sanctified in; and in the 
 last clause, brother is the reading, instead of 
 husband. (See Crit. Notes. ) It is evident that 
 the word 'sanctified' in this passage (hies not 
 
 married — in such a separation without cause, refer to inward holiness; for the verb is past, 
 she has opened the way to adultery ; but if she and the statement is, therefore, that the act 
 
60 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Ch. VII. 
 
 15 But if the unbelieving depart, let hiin depart. A I 15 but now are they holy. Yet if the unbelieving d&- 
 brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: parteth, let him depart: the brother or the sister 
 
 but God hath called us to peace. [ is not under bondage in such cases : but God hath 
 
 has been accomplished already, whereas the 
 supposition is that the person still remains an 
 unbeliever. So Meyer, De Wette, Ruckert, 
 and others. It must mean that the person 
 has acquired, by association with a believer, 
 an outward sacredness entirely apart from his 
 own character — a sacredness belonging to 
 places and objects, as well as to persons. 
 That is, he is no longer to be looked on as 
 a common unbeliever, outside altogether of 
 the circle of Christian interests; but by his 
 association in the close ties of married life 
 with a believer, he has been invested with a 
 hallowed interest which his companion can- 
 not ignore. Hallowed is a better word to 
 express this idea than 'sanctified.' Else 
 were your children unclean; but now 
 are they holy — should be, since then your 
 children are unclean. 'Since then' — i. e., on 
 the supposition that the unbeliever is not 
 hallowed. But now. This adverb is here 
 used in a logical, not a temporal sense, viz., 
 things being as they are, as it is. It is to be 
 remarked in interpreting this statement, first, 
 that inasmuch as the second person is used, 
 he is probably addressing Christians gener- 
 ally; if he had been speaking of the par- 
 ticular case of mixed marriages, he would 
 have used the third person ; second, that he is 
 arguing from something known and admitted 
 to an unknown and doubtful case, atid prob- 
 ably, therefore, from the case in which both 
 parties are Christians, instead of the case of a 
 mixed marriage, where the state of the chil- 
 dren might be in the same doubt as that of 
 the unbelieving husband or wife ; third, that 
 parity of reasoning requires that the holiness 
 of the children be the same as that of the un- 
 believing partner in the preceding case — viz., 
 a holiness not of character, but a certain out- 
 ward sacredness arising from connection with 
 Christian parents; fourth, that he is arguing 
 here not from effect to cause — i. e., from the 
 holiness of children to that of parents as its 
 cause, because, as has been seen, that effect 
 follows certainly only in the case in which 
 both parents are Christians, and would not 
 apply, therefore, to the case of mixed mar- 
 riages-, but the argument is from similar 
 causes to similar efl'ects, from the recognized 
 
 effect of connection with Christian parents in 
 imparting a certain sacredness to children, to 
 the same effect from the closer connection of 
 marriage. It follows from this, that the pas- 
 sage affords no ground for infant baptism, 
 unless we are prepared to admit, also on the 
 same ground, the baptism of unbelieving 
 husbands or wives of believers. Rather, 
 it may be taken as indicating that there was 
 no baptism of infants in the apostolic period. 
 For, if we take baptism to be regenerating, 
 there would be a real holiness in the case of 
 children that would preclude this attributing 
 to them a mere outward sacredness. The 
 same result follows, if we suppose them to 
 have inherited from their parents a real holi- 
 ness, of which baptism is the symbol ; or to 
 have been regenerated in infancy by virtue of 
 a covenant with their parents, the baptism 
 being a symbol of this. Or, if we suppose 
 the baptism of infants to be a consecration of 
 them by their parents, this passage would 
 show that the outward sacredness of a Chris- 
 tian's children, on which this would be based, 
 involves also the baptism of adults having a 
 similar connection. [The pertinence of Paul's 
 argument may be more obvious, if it is borne 
 in mind that a Judaizing influence was al- 
 ready working powerfully in the church. It 
 is, therefore, probable that those Christians 
 who had come under this influence, and who 
 had unbelieving husbands or wives, were in 
 fear of ritual contamination by conjugal inter- 
 course with unbelievers. This, however, Paul 
 declares to be a groundless fear; for, as every 
 kind of food is hallowed by prayer (i Tim. 4: 5), 
 so that a Christian may receive it without 
 ritual contamination, every lawful associate 
 or companion in life is also hallowed to the 
 Christian.— A. H.] 
 
 15. But if the unbelieving— better, the 
 unbeliever. This constitutes the only excep- 
 tion, besides the implied exception of adul- 
 tery, to the preceding command — that hus- 
 band and wife shall not be separated. A 
 brother or a sister— should be, the brother 
 . . . the sister. Is not under bondage — 
 literally, has not been enslaved, deprived of 
 freedom, and forced to remain like a slave in 
 the position in which he is. But God hath 
 
Ch. VII.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 61 
 
 16 For what knowest thou,0 wife, whether thou shalt 
 save thy husband? or how knowest thou, Oman, whether 
 thou shalt save thy wife? 
 
 16 called ' us in peace. For how knowest thou, O wife, 
 whether thou .shalt save thy husband 1 or how know- 
 est thou, O husband, whether thou shalt save thy 
 
 1 Many ancient authorities read you. 
 
 called us to peace — literally, in peace; but 
 with the sense, probably, to be in peace. (Cf. 
 Eph. 4:4; lThess.4:7. See Winer, 417.) The 
 peace is evidently from the context; not peace 
 with God, but with men. The call is the call 
 into the Christian state, the effect of which, 
 in our relations with men, is intended to be 
 peace. Singularly enough, this statement has 
 been supposed to be in contrast with this per- 
 mission to separate, and with the statement 
 that the Christian is not bound in such cases, 
 the conjunction having the sense however. As 
 if it read, you may allow the unbeliever to de- 
 part; you are not forced to live with him; but 
 you must remember that it is not for such sep- 
 aration, but for peace, that God has called you. 
 Evidently the peace in this case is to be ob- 
 tained by separation; and it is in contrast 
 with the enforced living together of which 
 the apostle has just spoken. An important 
 question remains — whether this permission 
 leaves the believer who has been left by 
 the husband or wife, free to marry again. 
 Meyer say, "Yes;" because Paul's per- 
 mission in this case is based on the fact 
 necessary to bis interpretation of the Lord's 
 command; that that command applies only 
 to cases in which both parties are believers — 
 i. e., that it is a Christian, not a general law. 
 De Wette makes the same answer, though on 
 the entirely different ground that the case con- 
 templated here, like the one treated as an ex- 
 ception to his prohibition of divorce by our 
 Lord, is one in which the marriage tie is 
 actually broken. But, as regards Meyer's 
 position, it seems scarcely tenable that our 
 Lord's command is to be treated as a merely 
 Christian command, and not a general law. 
 For his argument, in Matt. 19, is based on 
 the original relations of man and woman 
 established at creation, and inherent in their 
 structure, and must therefore be universal in 
 its application — not limited to Christians. It 
 is true, that in Matt. 5, Christ is laying down 
 the law of his kingdom; but that law is based 
 on universal human obligations and relations, 
 and is applicable in all its parts to men as such. 
 And, in Matt. 19, Christ is discussing wbat is , 
 lawful under tbe Jewish Dispensation; but 
 on the same general grounds. As to De I 
 
 Wette's position, that both in our Lord's 
 treatment of the matter, and in Paul's, 
 the exception to the law is reducible to 
 an actual dissolution of the marriage tie, 
 which leaves the party divorced free, our 
 Lord, instead of leaving it so that the two 
 cases can be classed together, himself draws 
 the line between them, and declares that, 
 where there is divorce without adultery, he 
 who marries the divorced party commits 
 adultery. Our Lord does not consider di- 
 vorce as constituting an actual, but only a 
 formal dissolution of tbe marriage tie. On the 
 whole, then,' it seems that we can go just as 
 far as the apostle does in his exception to the 
 statement of our Lord, and no farther. Be- 
 cause there is the line which separates be- 
 tween obedience and infraction of the law. 
 The law is, that marriage is a physical con- 
 nection, based on the physical relation of the 
 sexes, and can be dissolved properly only phys- 
 ically and really, not formally. And hence 
 to contract another marriage when there has 
 been no such real dissolution is, as our Lord 
 says, to commit adultery, which is certainly 
 applicable in this case. But what the apostle 
 says here involves no infraction of the law 
 on the part of the person to whom he is 
 speaking — i. e., the believer. For, when he 
 advises the believer to allow tbe other to 
 depart, in order to avoid strife, it simply 
 means that he is to accept the situation 
 forced on him by the unbeliever, and ho 
 himself is passive in tbe matter. And it 
 is important to notice that the apostle says 
 not a word against the obligation of the un- 
 believing husband or wife to keep up the con- 
 nection, but simply permits him to have his 
 way, as something beyond the apostle's con- 
 trol. But if we may judge from wbat he 
 commands in the case, over which he a* a 
 Christian apostle does have control, we should 
 say that he does not consider the action per- 
 mitted to be morally right. 
 
 16. For what knowest thou— should be. 
 how knowest thou, the same as in the second 
 part of the verse. The verse contains a reason 
 for the injunction immediately preceding, to 
 let the unbelieving wife or husband, who de- 
 sires it, go, by removing an objection to that, 
 
G2 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. VII. 
 
 17 But as God bath distributed to every man, as the 
 Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so 
 ordain I in all churches. 
 
 18 Is any man called being circumcised? let him 
 not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncir- 
 cumcision? let him not be circumcised. 
 
 17 wife? Only, as the Lord hath distributed to each 
 man, as God hath called each, so let him walk. 
 
 18 And so ordain I in all the chun hes. Was any 
 man called being circumcised? let him not be- 
 come uncircumcised. Hath any been called in 
 
 that the keeping up of the connection would 
 result in the conversion of the unbelievers. 
 To this the apostle replies, How do you knoiv 
 whether it will? If this result was certain, it 
 would be enough to remove all difficulties, 
 and make the believer do all in his power to 
 retain the unbeliever. But the reason that 
 the apostle has given for allowing the separa- 
 tion is too great to be overcome by any mere 
 possibility, such as is mentioned in this verse. 
 Especially so, as the reason given for the 
 separation comes in to increase the douht. 
 How do you know, he says, that a connection 
 kept up in strife, against the will of the unbe- 
 liever, will save him? If we were to make 
 the connection with ver. 12-14, so that this is 
 a reason for living with the unbeliever, if he 
 desires it, the verse would probably have a 
 negative — How do you know whether you will 
 not ? etc. And then this connection makes 
 us pass over ver. 15, which is not a subordi- 
 nate, but a principal part of the paragraph 
 relating to the case of mixed marriages. He 
 divides the question; considering first, the 
 case in which the unbeliever consents to stay, 
 and second, the case in which he goes; and 
 there is no reason for making the one subordi- 
 nate to the other. But we may say that the 
 principal interest of the section is in this last 
 part, as the other is contained in the general 
 rule given in ver. 10. 
 
 17. But as God hath distributed . . . 
 as the Lord hath called — should be, Except 
 as, or Only as the Lord hath imparted . . . 
 as God hath called. The conjunction is ex- 
 ceptional, not adversative. The exception is 
 to the statement in ver. 15, the brother or the 
 sister has not been enslaved in such cases. 
 The words 'God' and 'the Lord' are to be 
 transposed (see Crit. Notes) and read, as the 
 Lord has imparted — according to each one's 
 lot, without attempting to change it; as Gad 
 has called — the call is to the Christian state, 
 and the manner of the call referred to is 
 determined by the context to be the state or 
 condition in which the person is, when called. 
 His command is, not to attempt to change the 
 outward condition in which God's call to the 
 Christian life finds them. If we put this in 
 
 connection with the statement to which it 
 forms an exception, it reads as follows: The 
 brother or sister, has not been bound in such 
 cases, except by the general principle that the 
 Lord wishes us to remain in the state in which 
 we were when he called us to be Christians. Of 
 course, this is not an exception that invali- 
 dates the rule made by the apostle in ver. 15. 
 It is only a consideration on the other side, 
 which is of such a nature that, without other 
 counterbalancing considerations, it would bind 
 the brother or sister in such cases. The rea- 
 son, apparent^', that the apostle introduces 
 this here, is that, in this case, and others also, 
 the Christian might think that the fact of 
 becoming a Christian was a reason for chang- 
 ing the condition in life or the occupation. 
 A Christian, married to an unbeliever, might 
 feel so strongly the incongruity of the con- 
 nection as to encourage the separation, or 
 lightly accept the proposition from the other 
 party. Whereas, the apostle declares that 
 conversion is a reason for remaining in their 
 present state, not for changing it. Obviously, 
 the principle involved is the adaptability of 
 Christianity to the various conditions of 
 human life and the support thus given to its 
 claims. This is a very good illustration of 
 two characteristics of Paul's manner in dis- 
 cussing practical questions, viz., his eye for 
 general principles bearing on the matter, and 
 his habit of giving due weight to them all. 
 And so ordain I in all churches— should 
 be, in all the churches. This is not an opinion 
 made to hand, to suit the case of the Corinth- 
 ian Church, but the apostle's universal rule. 
 Meyer rightly calls attention here to the 
 authority claimed by the apostle. 
 
 18. Is any man called being circum- 
 cised? — should be, Was any man, etc. Let 
 him not become uncircumcised. There 
 was a surgical operation by which theHelleniz- 
 ing Jews used to accomplish this uncircumcis- 
 ing. In the days of Antiochus Epiphanes there 
 was a gymnasium built in Jerusalem, and 
 those who took part in the games, having to 
 appear naked, underwent the operation in 
 order to escape the odium attached to circum- 
 cision. See Smith's "Bib. Diet.," Article 
 
Ch. VII.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 63 
 
 19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncireumcision is 
 nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of 
 God. 
 
 20 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein 
 he was called. 
 
 21 Art thou called being a servant? care not for it : 
 but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. 
 
 22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, 
 is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, 
 being free, is Christ's servant. 
 
 19 uncireumcision? let him not be circumcised. Cir- 
 cumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is noth- 
 ing ; but the keeping of the commandments of I tod. 
 
 20 Let each man abide in that calling wherein he was 
 
 21 called. Wast thou called being a bondservant? care 
 not for it: i Day, even if thou canst become free, use 
 
 22 it rather. For he that was called in the Lord, being 
 a bondservant, is the Lord's freediuan: likewise he 
 that was called, being free, is Christ's bondservant. 
 
 l Or, but if. 
 
 Circumcision; 1 Maccabees, 1: 15; Josephus 
 " Antiq.," 12 : 15, 1. Is any called in uncir- 
 cumcision — should be, Has any one been 
 
 called. (See Crit. Notes. ) 
 
 19. Reason for not changing from circum- 
 cision to uncircumcision, and vice versa, or 
 rather the reason for applying this principle, 
 stated in ver. 17 to this particular case. Cir- 
 cumcision is nothing, and uncircumcis- 
 ion is nothing.. Morally, these are of no 
 account, being simply outward acts, without 
 anj- moral character per se, and so there can 
 be no reason for changing from the one state 
 to the other, because one has become a Chris- 
 tian. But the keeping of the command- 
 ments of God— is something, has to do with 
 character ami destiny; and here, therefore, is 
 the place where a change is necessary when 
 one becomes a Christian. 
 
 20. Let every man, etc. — literally, Each 
 one in the calling with which he was called, in 
 this let himremain. A repetition of the rule 
 for emphasis. The use of the word call in the 
 context, ver. 17, 18, 21, 22, 24, and its constant 
 use in the New Testament, to denote the 
 divine call by which men are brought into 
 the kingdom of God, make it certain that that 
 is the meaning here. Our use of the word 
 'calling,' 'vocation,' in the sense of occupa- 
 tion, is foreign to the Greek. This calling is 
 characterized here by the outward condition 
 of the person called. The meaning is, I,et the 
 person remain in the condition in which the 
 call of God found him. 
 
 21. Art thou called being a servant? — 
 should be, Wert thou called being a slave? 
 Our word servant in the Coin. Ver. does not 
 render the Greek word, which means a slave. 
 Care not for it. Even this unnatural and 
 hateful condition of slavery is not to be a care 
 to the man because he has become a Chris- 
 tian. Christianity has its laws also for this 
 relation, and in the early times had no more 
 conspicuous proof of its power than the meek- 
 
 ness and submission of its followers under 
 oppression. (Cf. Eph. 6: 5-9; Col. 3: 22— 
 4:1.) But if thou mayest be made free— 
 
 should be, but if also you can become free. 
 Meyer, De Wette, and others, insist that it 
 should be translated even if, or although, and 
 that the meaning is that the slave is to choose 
 slavery instead of freedom, even if he has a 
 chance to be free. Grimm, however, in his 
 Lexicon translates this, if also, and places it 
 under the same hand as 2 Cor. 11: 15, where 
 it is evident that there is not a climax, but an 
 anti-climax, and where, therefore, the words 
 j must be translated, if also, not even if. And 
 Liddell and Scott, in their Greek Lexicon, 
 ! say that the collocation of the two words, 
 with this meaning even if, does not app'y to 
 cases in which each word exercises its force 
 separately. (Cf. on a similar use the Note on 
 ver. 11.) Use it rather. According to the 
 interpretation given above, this refers to the 
 opportunity to become free. This is regarded 
 as an additional element in the case, which 
 modifies the advice given where the state is 
 that of simple slavery, without the oppor- 
 tunity to become free. If the slave has the 
 opportunity, the apostle tells him to use it. 
 
 22. For he that is called in the Lord. 
 This may mean that it is in the Lord that God 
 calls the Christian; but more probably it 
 means, the one called to be in the Lord, a preg- 
 nant construction frequent in the Greek. It 
 is of course understood in the call itself, and 
 so is not necessary here, except to make the 
 two parts of the sentence balance, 'called in 
 the Lord' with 'the Lord's freeman.' The 
 word translated 'freeman' means afreedman, 
 not one originally free, but one who has been 
 freed from a previous condition of servitude. 
 The slavery from which the Lord frees the 
 man is that of sin. This is given as the rea- 
 son why being a slave should not trouble the 
 Christian in the first part of the preceding 
 verse. The last part of that verse, as it has 
 
64 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. VII. 
 
 23 Ye are bought with a price ; be not ye the servants 
 of men. 
 
 24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, 
 therein abide with God. 
 
 25 Now concerning virgins I have no commandment 
 of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that bath 
 obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful. 
 
 26 I suppose "therefore that this is good for the present 
 distress, / say, that it is good for a man so to be. 
 
 23 Ye were bought with a price; become not bond- 
 
 24 servants of men. Brethren, let each man, wherein 
 he was called, therein abide with God. 
 
 25 Now concerning virgins I have no commandment 
 of the Lord: but I give my judgment, as one that 
 hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be trustworthy. 
 
 26 I think therefore that this is good by reason of the 
 distress that is upon us, namely, that it is good for 
 
 been interpreted, is an exception to the gen- 
 eral rule laid down bj T the apostle in this para- 
 graph, and may be treated, therefore, as pa- 
 renthetical. The apostle would have the 
 Christian slave remember that he has been 
 freed from the worst slavery, and so need 
 not trouble himself about the lower and less 
 important relation in which he is a slave. 
 Likewise also. 'Also' is to be omitted. 
 (See Crit. Notes.) Is Christ's servant - 
 should be, slave. (See on ver. 21.) He belongs 
 to Christ, and is bound to do Christ's will, 
 not his own. These two elements of freedom 
 from sin, and bondage to Christ, belong, of 
 course, alike to the freeman and the slave; 
 but Paul presents in each case that one which 
 is in contrast with the worldly state of the 
 man. 
 
 23. Ye are bought with a price— should 
 be, you were bought, etc. (See on 6 : 20.) The 
 'price' is here emphatic. Not for nothing 
 was your freedom, from, sin and your service 
 for Christ bought. Be not ye the servant.* 
 of men — should be, do not become slaves of 
 men. They are Christ's slaves, and therefore 
 have no right to become slaves of men. The 
 context, both preceding and following this 
 injunction, shows that the bondage to man is 
 that involved in changing their outward con- 
 dition, and it refers probably to the bondage 
 to human opinion and prejudice which com- 
 monly leads to such a change. 
 
 24. This verse contains a repetition in clos- 
 ing of the command in ver. 17, 20. With 
 God — does not mean in the presence of God, 
 or, before him, remembering that they are in 
 his sight, which would be expressed by another 
 word. But it means that in remaining as he 
 has commanded them, they are not alone, but 
 with God, which is to give character to their 
 position, whatever it is. 
 
 25. Concerning virgins. This word is 
 not to be taken in a general sense of unmar- 
 ried men and women, as such use is very 
 rare and exceptional. Moreover, ver. 36 
 shows that it is the particular case of young 
 maidens, who would be given in marriage by 
 
 their parents, that he is considering, although 
 in ver. 26 seq., he introduces certain general 
 considerations bearing on other cases of alike 
 kind. The only case in the New Testament 
 of the general use of the word is Kev. 14 : 4. 
 I have no commandment of the Lord. 
 (See on ver. 6, 10.) The contrasted statement 
 in the next clause is not such as to lead us to 
 suppose that he is speaking as an uninspired 
 man, but in his general position of an inspired 
 apostle without any special command given 
 by the Lord when he was on earth. Yet I 
 give my judgment as one that hath ob- 
 tained mercy of the Lord to be faithful — 
 should be, but I give an opinion as having re- 
 ceived mercy from the Lord to be trustworthy. 
 The reason that he gives onty an opinion in 
 this case is probably not the lack of wisdom 
 necessary to give anything more positive, but 
 that the great variety of circumstances be- 
 longing to the different cases coming under 
 the general question, whether virgins should 
 marry, made anything more than opinion 
 impossible for any one. Inspired wisdom 
 would not lead the apostle to give a command 
 here, but an opinion. The word translated 
 'faithful,' in our version means, trustworthy, 
 and the confidence deserved may be from 
 simple faithfulness or honesty, or from the 
 possession of other qualities besides this in- 
 spiring confidence. Here, probably, it is the 
 latter. Confidence in one of whom advice is 
 sought does not rest in simple honest3 7 , but in 
 wisdom also. And the requirements for this 
 kind of trustworthiness are found in his apos- 
 tolic gifts. De Wette translates the word 
 believable. That he is so qualified he attrib- 
 utes to the mercy of the Lord. (See 1 Tim. 
 1 : 12-16 ) 
 
 26. I suppose, therefore, that this is 
 good for the present distress— should be, 
 I think, and, on account of the impending dis- 
 tress, that it is good for a man so to be — viz., 
 unmarried. (See on the word 'virgins,' in ver. 
 26.) 'On account of the impending distress' — 
 this is generally supposed to refer to the troubles 
 attending the second coming of our Lord, in 
 
Ch. VII] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 65 
 
 27 Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. 
 Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife. 
 
 28 But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; 
 and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Never- 
 theless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I 
 spare you. 
 
 29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it re- 
 inaineth, that both they that have wives be as though 
 they had none; 
 
 30 And they that weep, as though they wept not; and 
 they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not ; and they 
 that buy, as though they possessed not; 
 
 27 a 1 man to be as he is. Art thou bound unto a wife? 
 seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? 
 
 28 seek not a wife. Hut and if thou many, thou hast 
 not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not 
 sinned. Yet such shall have tribulation in 1 be Besb : 
 
 29 and I would spare you. But this I say, brethren, 
 the time is 2 shortened, that henceforth both those 
 that have wives may be as though they had none: 
 
 30 and those that weep, as though they wept not; and 
 those that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not ; and 
 
 1 Gr. so to 6c... 2 Or, is shortened henceforth, that both those, etc. 
 
 which are included wars, pestilence, famine, 
 persecutions, etc. (Cf. Matt. 24: 4-34.) In 
 accordance with our Lord's prediction that 
 these things should take place within that 
 generation, the early disciples lived in con- 
 stant anticipation of them ; and this belief is 
 constantly mentioned and confirmed in the 
 New Testament. Paul mentions it especially 
 in connection with the subject of the resurrec- 
 tion, in speaking of which he refers to himself 
 and his readers as among the living at that 
 time. (Seech. 15: 51, 52and Note; 2Cor.5: 2-4 
 and Note; 1 Thess. 4:13-17; 5: 1-10; 2 Thess. 
 2: 1-10; cf. James 5: 3, 7, 8, 9; 1 John 2: 18; 
 Rev. 22: 20, etc.) The view that our Lord did 
 come in that generation, which removes the 
 difficulties of the New Testament prediction 
 in regard to it, is interestingly and strongly 
 presented in a recent work on the Parousia, 
 by Dr. I. P. "Warren. 
 
 Because the coming itself is near (cf. ver. 
 29, 30) and its attending troubles are over- 
 shadowing them, he advises the unmarried to 
 remain so, in order to avoid trouble in the 
 flesh, (ver. 28, ) and to do what is befitting such 
 a time, and to be without distraction in the 
 service of the Lord. (Ver. 35.) 
 
 27. Art thou bound unto a wife? The 
 advantages of the unmarried state at such a 
 time are not enough to neutralize the force of 
 the precepts against divorce, and against 
 change of condition, in the preceding part of 
 the chapter. But if a man is loosed from a 
 wife, then the same considerations which lead 
 him to advise against the marriage of those 
 never yet married, make him give the same 
 advice to such a man. 
 
 28. But and if— should be, but even If. 
 Thou hast not sinned — should be, thou didst 
 not sin. This past tense in the conclusion of 
 a condition belonging to the future is to be 
 explained by supposing the person speaking 
 to place himself in the future where he can 
 
 look back on the condition as past. (See Winer, 
 277, 293.) And if a virgin marry— should be, 
 the virgin. She hath not sinned— should be, 
 she did not sin. Here we have applied to the 
 case of the virgin which the apostle is con- 
 sidering specially, the general rule, or that 
 part of it stated in this verse. This applica- 
 tion is understood also in ver. 26, 27, Never- 
 theless—should be, but, simply. Shall have 
 trouble {affliction) in the flesh. This will 
 result from the impending distress, (ver. 26,) 
 which of course marriage, with its increased 
 burdens, ties, anxieties, and interests, will 
 tend to magnify. (Cf. Matt. 24: 19.) But I 
 spare you— better, and I spare you. "What he 
 spares them is this trouble, by dissuading 
 them from marrying. 
 
 29, 30. But this I say, brethren— i. e., 
 this, which follows, is what he means in what 
 he has been saying. The time is short. 
 The connection of this with ver. 26 and 31, 
 shows that he refers to the time preceding the 
 end of the age and the second coming of the 
 Lord. It cannot refer to the common brevity 
 of life, because the state of things described 
 here is peculiar, and cannot be applied to the 
 ordinary life of men. Cf. ver. 26, 'the im- 
 pending distress'; ver. 28, 'such will have 
 affliction'; and the statement that follows, 
 about those having wives being as those that 
 do not have them. It remaineth that, etc. 
 There are various readings and constructions 
 of this sentence, but on the whole the best 
 makes it read, what remains is that, etc. (See 
 Crit. Notes.) Be as though they had none 
 — literal ly, be as not having them. The con- 
 struction is not such that this passage refers to 
 what will be the condition of men in the short 
 time remaining, as if outward differences were 
 to be obliterated by actual calamities and by 
 the impending distress; but that this is the 
 proper state of mind for them to be in, in 
 view of such a crisis. They should cultivate 
 
66 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Ch. VII. 
 
 31 And they that use this world, as not abusing it: 
 for the fashion of this world passeth away. 
 
 32 But I would have you without carefulness. He 
 that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to 
 the Lord, how he may please the Lord: 
 
 33 But he that is married careth for the things that 
 are of the world, how he may please his wife. 
 
 34 There is difference a/so between a wife and a vir- 
 gin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of 
 the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in 
 spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of 
 the world, how she may please her husband. 
 
 35 And this I speak for your own profit; not that I 
 may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, 
 and that ye may attend upon the Lord without dis- 
 traction. 
 
 31 those that buy, as though they possessed not- and 
 those that use the world, as not using it to the full • 
 
 32 for the fashion of this world passeth away But 
 I would have you to be free from cares. He that is 
 unmarried is careful for the things of the Lord, how 
 
 S3 he may please the Lord: but he that is married is 
 careful for the things of the world, how he may 
 
 34 please his i wife. And there is a difference also 
 between the wife and the virgin. She that is un- 
 married is careful for the things of the Lord that 
 she may be holy both in body and in spirit : bu't she 
 that is married is careful for the things of the world 
 
 35 how she may please her husband. And this I sav for 
 your own profit ; not that I east, a Ssnare upon you 
 but for that which is seemly, and that ye may attend 
 
 1 Or, wife, and is divided. So also the wife and the virgin : she that is »„ 
 and is divided. So also the woman that is unmarried and the virg 
 
 :d is careful, etc. Many ancient authorities read wife 
 is careful, etc.... 2 Or, constraint. Gr. noose. 
 
 disregard of these outward things, in view of 
 the brief time before the end, so that their 
 minds may be given without distraction to 
 spiritual things. (See ver. 32 seq.) And they 
 that weep as though they wept not, etc. 
 All these things which belong to the outward 
 state of men, and in ordinary times make dis- 
 tinctions between them, are now so over- 
 shadowed by the spiritual importance of the 
 period in which they are living, that Chris- 
 tians are to act as if they were not. 
 
 31. And they that use this world as not 
 abusing it. This translation is possible, but 
 improbable, because it destroys the paral- 
 lelism which has been kept up so far between 
 the two parts of the statement, and really 
 weakens the force of this climax in the series. 
 It should be, as not using it. For the fash- 
 ion of this world passeth away— better, 
 is passing away. The word translated 'fash- 
 ion,' means outward form or condition. "With 
 the coming of Christ in his kingdom, that age 
 of the world was to end, and a new order of 
 things was to be established. (Cf. Rom. 8: 
 19 seq., in which passage, "creature" should 
 be translated creation; (2 Peter 3: 13 ; Rev. 21 : 22; 
 especially 22 : 7, io, li, i2, u, 20.) The apostle exhorts 
 them as those living in a period of such 
 changes, when the troubles of the time pre- 
 ceding the coming of the Lord were over- 
 shadowing them, and that coming itself with 
 its transformations in the conditions and rela- 
 tions of things was near, not to be dependent 
 on these changing things for their life. 
 
 32. But I would have you without 
 carefulness— should be, And I wish you to 
 be without care ; the word translated without 
 care, means, literally, undivided, undistr acted. 
 The things of this world— wives, possessions, 
 etc.— divide them, and keep them from that 
 exclusive regard to spiritual things which the 
 
 time demands; and so, as far as possible, he 
 would have them be without these; or, at 
 least, independent of their influence. The 
 statement that follows is to be considered hot 
 by itself, but in connection with this critical 
 period, when even the ordinary and right 
 relations of life might be a snare to a man, 
 and prevent that absorption in divine things 
 which belonged to that time, but not to all 
 times. It is right and fitting, in ordinary 
 times, to mingle just this caring for the things 
 of the Lord how to please him, and for the 
 things of the world how to please the wife. 
 But at that time, as the apostle regarded it, 
 the things of the Lord demanded more exclu- 
 sive attention. 
 
 34. There is difference also between 
 a wife and a virgin. On the different 
 readings, see Crit. Notes. Our version gives, 
 substantially, the meaning according to the 
 probable reading. Literally, it would read, 
 And both the wife and the virgin are divided. 
 The verb is singular, which may be accounted 
 for by the fact that the two subjects together 
 make one whole, the female sex, which is 
 divided by the line of marriage. The con- 
 junctions 'both,' 'and,' are generally used 
 where the statement is made of the two sub- 
 jects separately. But see Luke 23: 12; Acts 
 15: 9; Rom. 10: 12, etc. When he says that 
 they are divided or separated, he means in 
 their condition and interests. As our version 
 says, there is a difference between them. 
 
 35. And this I speak for your own 
 profit— as contrasted with any projects of 
 his own, or the advancement of his own ideas. 
 On the nature of the advantage to them, see 
 on ver. 1. Not that I may cast a snare 
 upon you— better, a noose, which was a sign 
 of capture and loss of freedom. It denotes, 
 figuratively, the laying on them of a binding 
 
Ch. VII.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 67 
 
 36 But if any man think that he behaveth himself 
 uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of 
 her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, 
 he siuneth not: let them marry. 
 
 36 upon the Lord without distraction. But if any man 
 thinketh that he behaveth himself unseemly toward 
 his 1 virgin daughter, if she be past the flower of bet 
 age, and if need so requiretu, let him do what he 
 
 1 Or, virgin (omitting daughter.) 
 
 law, restricting their freedom of action. But 
 for that which is comely. The adjective 
 means beautiful or becoming in conduct. He 
 does not mean that marriage is unbecoming 
 or disfiguring in its character, but that in the 
 circumstances contemplated by the apostle, 
 there is a better opportunity afforded by the 
 unmarried state to cultivate beauty of char- 
 acter. And that ye may attend upon the 
 Lord without distraction. Our version 
 gives the sense here. The second object to be 
 accomplished by their remaining unmarried, 
 is assiduous waiting on the Lord. (Cf. ver. 
 32 seq. ) Possibly the verb points to service 
 rendered personally in the presence of its 
 object, and thus to strictly religious observ- 
 ances, rather than general services rendered 
 in business and in ordinary life. 
 
 In this entire paragraph the apostle directs 
 attention to the peculiarity of that time, call- 
 ing for an unusual separation of the secular 
 and the religious element in life, instead of 
 the ordinary mingling of the two; and he 
 claims that the religious element is to be 
 made prominent at such a time, and the 
 secular diminished. And what be says has 
 special reference and application to such a 
 time. But the principle stated has a more 
 general application to all time — viz., that 
 Christians must not admit into their lives 
 such a variety or amount of secular inter- 
 ests as to make it difficult to pervade them 
 with the religious spirit, or to secure the 
 proper adjustment of the religious and the 
 secular. And further, that some states, while 
 not necessarily diminishing the activities of 
 life, yet, by lessening the demands of selfish- 
 ness and increasing the opportunities of be- 
 nevolent action, do give greater scope to 
 Christian living. And it is in this view 
 that the apostle gives his qualified com- 
 mendation of celibacy. 
 
 36. With this verse the apostle introduces 
 particular advice about unmarried daughters, 
 thus taking up again the subject of verse 25. 
 It is introduced, however, as an exception or 
 modification of the general statement of verses 
 26-35, and so is immediately connected with 
 
 what precedes. That he behaveth him- 
 self uncomely toward his virgin— better, 
 that he is acting in an unseemly way. ' To- 
 ward his virgin'— i. e., his unmarried daugh- 
 ter. The relation of daughter is not expressed, 
 but implied. If she pass the flower of her 
 age— better, if she ts past the flower of her 
 age. This conditional clause helps us to 
 understand in what the unseemly conduct 
 of the preceding clause consists. Commen- 
 tators are disagreed about this, most main- 
 taining that it refers to the temptations to 
 which the father exposes the girl by keep- 
 ing her unmarried (cf. ver. 9) ; but others 
 claiming that the apostle has in mind the 
 disgrace which attaches to the unmarried 
 state. Now this conditional clause states 
 the case in which the father accuses him- 
 self of injustice to his daughter in not mar- 
 rying her; and it is implied that it would 
 not be chargeable against him, in case she 
 had not reached this age. And this looks 
 as if the unseemliness of his conduct would 
 be owing to the disgrace rather than the 
 temptations of the unmarried state, since 
 the latter would not depend on her having 
 past her bloom, but might exist just as well 
 before as after this age. The age denoted 
 is variously estimated; about twenty is the 
 common view. And need so require — 
 better, and so it ought to be; or, to be done. 
 Obligation, rather than necessity, is the origi- 
 nal and common meaning of the verb here 
 — the only instance of the latter meaning in 
 the New Testament being ch. 5: 10. In this 
 passage it looks, too, as if the apostle was con- 
 sidering a case of obligation, rather than ne- 
 cessity. Let him do what he will. The 
 form of the verb in our Common Version is 
 such as to give the meaning, whatever he 
 will, which is incorrect. It should be, what 
 he wishes — viz., marry his daughter. He 
 siuneth not. What the apostle has said 
 about not marrying is not of the nature of 
 a law, disobedience to which is a sin, but 
 something recommended for their advantage 
 merely. Let them marry— viz., the daugh- 
 ter and her lover. 
 
68 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. VII. 
 
 37 Nevertheless he that standeth steadfast in his 
 heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his 
 own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he 
 will keep his virgin, doeth well. 
 
 38 .So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well ; 
 but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better. 
 
 39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her hus- 
 band liveth ; but if her husband be dead, she is at. liberty 
 to be married to whom she will ; only in the Lord. 
 
 40 But she is happier if she so abide, after my judg- 
 ment : and I think also that I have the Spirit of Uod. 
 
 37 will ; he sinneth not; let them marry. But he that 
 standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, 
 but hath power as touching his own will, and hath 
 determined this in his own heart, to keep his own 
 
 38 1 virgin daughter, shall do well. So then both he 
 that giveth his own l virgin daughter in marriage 
 doeth well; and he that giveth her not in mar- 
 
 39 riage shall do better. A wife is bound for so long 
 time as her husband liveth; but if the husband be 
 2 dead, she is free to be married to whom she will; 
 
 40 only in the Lord. But she is happier if she abide as 
 she is, after my judgment: and I think that I also 
 have the Spirit of God. 
 
 1 Or, virgin (omiidng daughter) 2 Or. fallen asleep. 
 
 37. Nevertheless — should be, but. He 
 that standeth steadfast in his heart— 
 
 i. e., has firmness of character to carry out 
 his purpose. Having no necessity. The 
 
 statement is very condensed in this verse, 
 and not quite clear The meaning here is, 
 that there is no such necessity or obligation 
 laid on the man to marry his daughter, 
 as existed in the preceding case. But hath 
 power over his own will — should be, but 
 hath liberty concerning his own will. This is 
 in contrast with the 'necessity' of the pre- 
 ceding clause; and it means that the man 
 has the right to do what he wishes in the 
 matter, without any constraint from the just 
 demands of his daughter. And hath so de- 
 creed in his heart — should be, and hath de- 
 termined this in his own heart. (See Crit. 
 Notes.) Doeth well — should read, will do 
 well. (See Crit. Notes.) "With the present 
 it refers to what precedes — viz., the deter- 
 mination to keep his daughter. But, with 
 the future, it denotes the action which re- 
 sults from this — the keeping itself. The use 
 of the intensive form in this verse — 'his own 
 will,' and 'his own heart' — requires attention. 
 4 His own will ' is opposed to that of his daugh- 
 ter, the sense being that he has the right to do 
 what he himself pleases, unconstrained by the 
 desire of any one else. And 'in his own 
 heart' emphasizes the fact that it is there — 
 in his own heart— that the matter is decided, 
 the right to have it settled there being already 
 stated. The use of the word 'heart' in this 
 verse is also noticeable. In the Scriptures, 
 especially of the Old Testament, the heart 
 is used to denote the entire spiritual part 
 of the man ; the seat and source, not only 
 of the affections, and the emotions, but also 
 of the will, the conscience, and the intellect 
 even. It is the centre of the inward life, as 
 the physical organ is of the bodily life. Here, 
 in accordance with this wider range of the 
 
 figurative meaning of the word, it denotes 
 the seat of the will, the source of the pur- 
 poses and intelligent choices of the man. (Cf. 
 Mark 7: 21 seq. ; 2:8; 11:23; Luke 2: 19, 35; 
 Kom. 10: 10; ch. 14: 25; 2 Cor. 9: 7, etc.) 
 
 38. So then, etc, The verse should read, 
 So that both he who gives his virgin daughter 
 in marriage does well, and he who does not 
 give her in marriage will do better. (See 
 Crit. Notes.) 'Both'— 'and'— both do well, 
 though one does better. 
 
 39. The wife— should be, A wife. Is 
 bound by the law. 'By the law' is to be 
 omitted. (See Crit. Notes. ) Her husband — 
 should be, the husband, in the second clause 
 of the verse. Be dead — literally, falls asleep. 
 This figurative representation of death is found 
 sometimes in poetic Greek, and is frequent in 
 later and New Testament Greek. Only in 
 the Lord. The best commentators are agreed 
 that this is a limitation of the preceding em- 
 phatic 'whom she will,' and means that the 
 woman can be married only to a Christian. 
 This is indicated by the emphasis on that part 
 of the preceding statement; and further, the 
 other interpretation, that the marriage is to 
 be in a Christian spirit, is well called super- 
 fluous. 
 
 40. But she is happier if she so abide — 
 viz., unmarried. (Cf. ver. 28 seq., 32 seq.) 
 After my judgment — better, according to my 
 opinion. He opposes his opinion to that of 
 others, which had been set up against his, not 
 only in regard to this question, but in general. 
 And I think also that I have the Spirit of 
 God — should be, and I think that I too have 
 the Spirit of God. This is a case in which our 
 version has really obscured the meaning. As 
 it stands now, it contrasts him in his posession 
 of the Spirit with others, an element of the 
 meaning that is lost in our version. It is not 
 a statement contrasting this with other parts 
 of his teaching, for which ho constantly makes 
 
Ch. VIII.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 69 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 "VTOW as touching things offered unto idols, we know 
 vi that we all have knowledge. Knowledge pull'eth 
 up, but charily editieth. 
 
 1 Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We 
 know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge jn. li- 
 
 the claim of inspiration in a positve way, but 
 contrasting his teaching with that of others in 
 such a way as to put himself on a level with 
 other authorized and inspired teachers. (Cf. 
 Gal. 1: 11 seq., ch. 9, and others.) The quali- 
 fied way in which he makes the claim here, 
 saying simply 'I think,' is therefore ironical; 
 and in view of the strong way in which he 
 puts it elsewhere, this is not intended to 
 weaken, but by a common rhetorical device to 
 strengthen the statement. 
 
 CRITICAL NOTES. — CHAPTER VII. 
 
 1. Unto me is found in ADEF, etc., it many 
 MSS. of the vulg, syr utr cop. It is omitted in 
 NBC, etc., am fu etc. Tischendorf omits it, 
 and Tregelles brackets it. 
 
 3. Due benevolence is the reading in only 
 KL and syr utr . Her due is overwhelmingly 
 attested. 
 
 5. To fasting and is omitted in almost every- 
 thing except KL and syr utr . 
 
 7. For is the conjunction at the beginning 
 of this ver. according to X c BD b and C K, etc. But 
 is the reading in N*ACD*, etc., it vulg cop, 
 etc. 
 
 13. A woman which, etc., is the reading in 
 ABC, etc., syr utr cop. If any woman in ND*F, 
 etc., it vulg. And if he is found in D e EK, 
 etc., syr utr . And this one in rAQD*, etc. 
 it vulg cop, etc. Him\% the last word in the 
 ver. according to KLP, etc.,syrP. Instead of 
 it we find her husbandm NABCD, etc., it vulg 
 
 S y r sch cop^ e { C 
 
 14. By the husband is the reading in N C D C K, 
 etc., vulg syr utr . Brother instead of husband 
 is found in N S: ABCD S , etc., it cop. 
 
 17. God hath distributed — the Lord hath 
 called, is the order in KL syrP, etc. The 
 words God and the Lord appear in the reverse 
 order in everything else. 
 
 22. Also in the second part of the ver. is to 
 be omitted on the authority of NABP vulg 
 syr*° h syrP txt . 
 
 31. Use this world is the reading according 
 to N C D* and » and c EK, etc., vulg syr ntr . The 
 world is the reading in NAB cop, etc. 
 
 34. There is a great variety of readings here; 
 but as there is no change of reading adopted 
 
 in the Notes, which affects materially our ver- 
 sion, we will not attempt to disentangle them. 
 
 37. Decreed in his heart is the reading in 
 DEFG, it vulg. hi his own heart is found in 
 NABP. etc. Does well is found in DEFG, etc., 
 it vulg sy otr . Will do in NAB cop, etc. 
 
 38. Doeth well is to be changed to the 
 future on nearly the same authority as in the 
 preceding verse. 
 
 39. By the law is found in NcD bandc E f g 
 syr utr , etc. ; it is omitted in N i: ABD i: , etc., d e 
 vulg cop. 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 
 General subject, the eating of things offered 
 in sacrifice to idols. 1-3. Statement of the 
 insufficiency of mere knowledge, and of the 
 superiority of love as the principle on which 
 to decide such matters. 4-6. The well- 
 known fact which decides the moral indiffer- 
 ence of such eating — viz., that there is no 
 such thing as an idol, and only one God ; at 
 least, to the Christian, if not in fact. 7. This 
 knowledge, however, being wanting in some, 
 who still retain their idea of the reality of the 
 idol, the eating is wrong for them. 8. The 
 eating itself, however, is indifferent, not mak- 
 ing the man either better or worse. 9. Since 
 the eating itself is indifferent, and no advan- 
 tage to those who eat with knowledge, while 
 it may be sin to their weaker brethren, they 
 should be careful how they use their liberty. 
 10, 11. For their example may lead the 
 weaker brethren to eat against their con- 
 science, and so tend to their destruction. 12. 
 Such sin against the brethren is sin against 
 Christ. 13. Declaration of the apostle that 
 he will eat no meat, if it is a stumbling-block 
 to his brother. 
 
 Ch. 8 : 1. Now as touching things of- 
 ered unto idols — better, Xow concerning 
 
 things sacrificed unto idols. This is the second 
 subject on which the advice of the apostle has 
 been asked in the letter of the Corinthians. 
 (See on 7: 1.) The question is stated more 
 fully in ver. 4— viz., "the eating of things 
 sacrificed to idols." The remnants of these 
 
70 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. VIII. 
 
 2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, j 
 he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. 
 
 3 But if any man love God, the same is known of | 
 him. 
 
 2 eth up, but love J edifieth. If any man thinketh that 
 he knoweth anything, he knoweth not yei as he 
 
 3 ought to know; but if any man loveth God, the 
 
 1 Gr. buildeth up. 
 
 offerings were retained, either by the priest or 
 the offerer, and were either eaten in sacrificial 
 feasts in the idol-temples or at home, or were 
 sold in the markets. The general question is 
 thus capable of a three-fold division : 1. As 
 to the meat sold in the market. 2. As to that 
 eaten in a private house. 3. As to partaking 
 of an idol-feast. The general question is dis- 
 cussed in this chapter— part 1 in 10: 25, 26; 
 part 2 in 10: 27-33; and part 3 in 10: 14-23. 
 Chap. 9: 1-10: 13 is a digression on the apostolic 
 privileges of the apostle. We know that we 
 all have knowledge. Whom does Paul 
 wish to associate with himself in this state- 
 ment? Some say, 'all the church'; others, 
 only the instructed part of it. In ver. 4, he 
 proceeds to show what the knowledge is to 
 which he refers — viz., that there is no idol 
 really, and that there is only one God. And 
 it would seem as if this knowledge was com- 
 mon to all Christians. But in ver. 7 he goes 
 on to state that some lack just this knowledge 
 which is fundamental to the whole question ; 
 and so eat the idol-sacrifices as such — not as 
 nothing, nor as something indifferent. It is 
 probable, therefore, that the apostle is address- 
 ing here specially this enlightened party in 
 the church, and pointing out the difference 
 between them and their weaker brethren. 
 (Cf. ver. 9 seq.) 'Knowledge.' This word is 
 separated, for the sake of emphasis, from the 
 limiting phrase, ' concerning things sacrificed 
 to idols,' which, nevertheless, belongs with it. 
 It is knowledge concerning this matter, not 
 knowledge in general, that is meant. Knowl- 
 edge putfeth up, but charity edifieth— 
 should be, but love buildeth up. The verb is 
 the ordinary word used to denote the building 
 of a house, and it is employed by the apostle 
 and others to denote the building up of the 
 Christian character. (Cf. Acts 9: 31; ch. 10: 
 23; Rom. 14: 19; Eph. 4: 29, etc.) From 
 this point to the end of ver. 3 is parenthetical, 
 not grammatically, but logically; the discus- 
 sion being interrupted, though there is no 
 break in the construction. The apostle intro- 
 duces certain general principles in regard to 
 knowledge as deciding action, before proceed- 
 
 ing to discuss the immediate subject. In this 
 statement, he speaks of knowledge by itself, 
 untempered by love, and consideration for the 
 ignorance and weakness of others. Such 
 knowledge by itself inflates a man with pride 
 and self-reliance, and is, therefore, not a safe 
 guide to conduct. 'But love builds up' — 
 viz., the church. It leads a Christian to con- 
 sider not merely the right or allowable in 
 itself, but what is best for the whole body ; 
 and its breadth and generousness of view 
 therefore make it a safe principle of conduct. 
 
 2. And if any man think that he know- 
 eth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet, 
 etc.— should be, If any one thinks that he 
 knoweth any thing, he knoweth it not yet, etc. 
 (See Crit. Notes.) Some commentators regard 
 this conclusion as following directly from the 
 condition, on the principle that humility is 
 the condition of any true knowledge, and that 
 the assumption of knowledge is inconsistent 
 with the possession of true knowledge. But 
 this does not seem so apposite to the apostle's 
 purpose, to prove the inadequacy of knowl- 
 edge in itself as a rule of conduct, as to sup- 
 pose it to be a statement of the imperfection 
 of any knowledge, even in the case that one 
 seems to possess it. And, according to this, 
 the second objection to mere knowledge as a 
 guide to conduct, is its imperfection. 
 
 3. But if any man love God, the same 
 is known of him — should be, this one is 
 known by him. Both the condition and the 
 conclusion of this sentence are unexpected. 
 The love spoken of in ver. 1 is probably 
 especially love to men rather than to God (cf. 
 ver. 9 seq. I, whereas in this verse he substi- 
 tutes for this the love of God. And, in the 
 conclusion, knowledge of God other than 
 being known by him would seem to have a 
 more direct bearing on the apostle's subject, 
 as showing that love is the source of the 
 highest knowledge, while mere knowledge 
 by itself is imperfect. As regards the condi- 
 tional part of the sentence, while love to God 
 is not so directly connected with the apostle's 
 subject as love to man, it includes the latter; 
 and, besides, it has a more direct and a wider 
 
Ch. VIII.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 71 
 
 4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things 
 that are ottered iu sacrifice unto idols, we know that an 
 idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other 
 God but oue. 
 
 5 For though there be that are called gods, whether 
 iu heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords 
 many,) 
 
 4 same is known by him. Concerning therefore the 
 eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that no 
 idul is anything in the world, and that there is no 
 
 5 God but one. For though there are that are called 
 gods, whether in heaven or on earth; as there are 
 
 bearing on knowledge than the love to man. 
 And, in the conclusion, while the knowledge 
 of God leads directly to the knowledge of his 
 will, and thus of the rule of conduct, being 
 known by him insures the knowledge of him 
 and of all that it involves. The thought is 
 thus that while knowledge by itself is imper- 
 fect, the love of God, including as its neces- 
 sary complement love to man, insures that 
 knowledge of us by God, which is the pledge 
 of true knowledge of himself and his ways. 
 'Is known by him' — with the knowledge that 
 God has of his own; that intimate knowledge 
 which recognizes them as friends. 
 
 4. As concerning therefore — for ' there- 
 fore,' then is better. The particle is resump- 
 tive, taking up again the subject of ver. 1, 
 after the digression of ver. 2 and 3. We know 
 that an idol is nothing— should be, that 
 there is no idol. The construction and the 
 order of words is the same as in the parallel 
 clause, which is translated 'and that there is 
 none other God, but one'; and, besides, the 
 limiting phrase, ' in the world,' seems to mean 
 nothing, as the clause is translated in our ver- 
 sion. By 'idol' is meant, of course, not the 
 image, but the deity represented by it. And 
 that there is none other God but one — 
 should be, no God — the word other is to be 
 omitted. (See Crit. Notes. ) The application 
 of this to the question under discussion is so 
 plain that the apostle omits it. Since there is 
 no idol, there is nothing to contaminate or 
 pollute the things offered in sacrifice to it. 
 The true God hallows the things associated 
 with his worship ; a demon or false god 
 would desecrate what is connected with his 
 worship; but a fictitious god, having no 
 existence, can neither consecrate nor dese- 
 crate anything offered to him. 
 
 5. For though there be that are called 
 gods — better, for even if there are so-called 
 gods. It is to be noticed in interpreting this 
 difficult and doubtful passage — First, That 
 the conditional particle is one that assumes 
 the reality of the supposition introduced by 
 it for some purpose, but does not in any way 
 express nor imply that reality. This is, there- 
 
 fore, an assumption for the sake of the argu- 
 ment, that there are these gods ; not the con- 
 cession of it as a fact. Second, That the 
 modifying word, 'even' marks this as an 
 extreme supposition, not one that would 
 readily be conceded as an established fact. 
 The supposition is not, therefore, the very 
 easy one that there are according to the 
 heathen idea so-called gods, but the difficult 
 one that such beings actually exist, in which 
 extreme case the statement that follows is still 
 true. Besides, this addition, according to the 
 heathen idea, is something quite gratuitous, 
 and neither expressed nor implied in the text. 
 Third, That the emphatic position of the verb 
 in the Greek text implies that actual existence 
 is meant by it, and not simply existence in the 
 heathen idea. 'Called gods' — the participle 
 denotes the fictitiousness of the claim to be 
 gods, not of the existence of the beings so 
 entitled. Whether in heaven or in earth. 
 The heathen peopled earth and air and seas 
 with divinities. It should be, upon earth. 
 As there be gods many, and lords many. 
 This clause denotes the correspondence of the 
 preceding supposition to the fact of many gods 
 and many lords. And here again the verb is 
 emphatic, and there is nothing to modify it, 
 so that it is a virtual repetition of the preced- 
 ing verb, and denotes, as that does, actual 
 existence. Only in this case it is stated as a 
 fact, not as a supposition. But, as we have 
 seen, the supposition in the preceding clause 
 cannot be taken as referring to any acknowl- 
 edged fact, and therefore the supposition and 
 the statement cannot be taken as referring to 
 the same thing. The supposition refers to the 
 actual existence of the fictitious gods, the so- 
 called gods of heathendom, and supposes it to 
 be true as an extreme case. This statement 
 denotes a fact corresponding to that supposi- 
 tion, though not necessarily identical witli it, 
 viz., the existence of many gods ami many 
 lords. Now we have seen, in considering the 
 preceding clause, that the verb does not admit 
 of modification, such as that these many gods 
 exist only in the heathen idea. And, on the 
 other hand, their actual existence in the full 
 
72 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. VIII. 
 
 6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom 
 are all things, and we in hitu; and one Lord Jesus 
 Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. 
 
 7 Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: 
 for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat 
 it as a thing offered unto an idol ; and their conscience 
 being weak is denied. 
 
 8 But meat commendcth us not to God: for neither, 
 if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are 
 we the worse. 
 
 6 gods many, and lords many; yet to us there is one 
 God, the Father, of whom are all things, aud we 
 unto him; aud one Lord, Jesus Christ, through 
 
 7 whom are all things, aud we through him. How- 
 beit in all men there is not that knowledge: but 
 some, being used until now to the idol, eat a< of a 
 thing sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience be- 
 
 8 iug weak is defiled. But meat will not i commend us 
 
 sense is for the apostle an incredible statement. 
 The subject then must be taken in a modified 
 sense, and the fact to which the apostle appeals 
 is the existence of many beings to whom the 
 term gods and lords may be applied, though 
 in a modified sense. Meyer and others refer 
 to Deut. 10: 17, and Ps. 136: 2, 3, as instances 
 of the application of the name to angels. 
 These passages term Jehovah "God of gods" 
 and "Lord of lords,'' and the supposition is 
 that the gods and lords referred to are angels. 
 Certainly these passages correspond with ours 
 in the statement of one supreme God among 
 many beings to whom the name may be ap- 
 plied in an inferior sense. And since angels 
 are the only supernatural beings known to 
 men, besides God himself, we may say that 
 we have in them the counterpart of the 
 heathen deities, so far as both are superior 
 beings subject to a Supreme Deity. 
 
 6. But to us there is but one God. ' To 
 us' here means with us, in our view. It is the 
 dative of opinion, denoting what a thing is to 
 this or that person, as distinguished from what 
 it is absolutely. (See Winer, 212.) The apostle 
 says : Whatever the fact is about the existence 
 of other gods, we recognize only one, and so to 
 us there can be no defilement in eating idol- 
 sacrifices, whatever there may be in the thing 
 itself, considered without reference to the per- 
 son partaking. On the same principle, he 
 shows on the other hand that eating these 
 things does defile those who have any idea of 
 the reality of the idol, in spite of his un- 
 reality. One God, the Father, of whom 
 are all things, and we in him— should be, 
 from whom are all things, and we for him. 
 God is recognized here as the source of all 
 things, and as the Being for whom we Chris- 
 tians live. And one Lord Jesus Christ, 
 by whom are all things, and we by him — 
 should be, through whom are all things, and 
 we through him. This distinction between 
 the Father, as the ultimate source of all being, 
 
 and the Son as the immediate agent, between 
 the Father as the one from whom, and Christ, 
 as the one through whom, are all things, is 
 always preserved in the New Testament. 
 (See John 1:3; Heb. 1: 2, etc.) Paul also 
 generally makes the distinction that we find 
 here between the name applied to the Father 
 and to Christ. In only two passages does he 
 call Christ God, viz., Rom. 9:5; Tit. 2: 13. 
 ' And we through him.' As their natural life 
 is already included in the statement, 'through 
 whom are all things,' this refers to their spir- 
 itual life. 
 
 7. Howbeit, there is not in every man 
 that knowledge— should be, But not in all is 
 the knowledge. The knowledge referred to is 
 that of the one God. For some, with con- 
 science of the idol unto this hour — should 
 be, but some, by the familiarity with the idol 
 unto now. On the substitution of familiarity 
 for conscience, see Crit. Notes. The meaning 
 is that on account of their minds being famil- 
 iarized with the idea of idols, of which they 
 have not rid themselves yet, they eat the idol- 
 sacrifice as an idol-sacrifice — not as an indif- 
 erent thing. The idol-god, having to the 
 man an existence more or less real, what is 
 offered to him, instead of being simply meat, 
 not differing from other meat, as it is to those 
 who have the knowledge of the one God, is a 
 polluted thing. And their conscience be- 
 ing weak. The weakness here is not in- 
 ability to resist evil, but to discern between 
 evil and indifferent things, counting what is 
 really indifferent to be evil. Is defiled — viz., 
 by doing what is sin to him with his weak 
 conscience, though in itself right. (Cf. Rom. 
 14: 23.) "Whatever is not of faith is sin.'' 
 
 8. But meat cominendeth us not to God 
 — should be, But food will .not bring us near 
 to God — i. e., will not introduce us to his com- 
 munion or friendship. (See Crit. Notes.) For 
 neither, etc. ' For' is to be omitted. (See Crit. 
 Notes.) The apostle's argument is here given 
 
Ch. VIII.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 73 
 
 9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of 
 yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. 
 
 10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit 
 at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of 
 him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things 
 which are offered to idols ; 
 
 It And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother 
 perish, for whom Christ died? 
 
 12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound 
 their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. 
 
 God: neither, if we eat not, 'are we the worse; nor, 
 
 9 if we eat, ? are we the better. But take heed lest by 
 
 any means t his 3 liberty <>!' yours become a Stumbling- 
 
 10 block to the weak. For if a man see thee who bast 
 knowledge sitting at meat in an idols temple, will 
 not his conscience, if he is weak, 4 be emboldened 
 
 11 to eat things sacrificed to idols'.' For 6 through thy 
 knowledge he that is weak peris heth, the brother 
 
 12 for whose sake Christ died. And thus, sinning 
 against the brethren, and wounding their eon- 
 science when it is weak, ye sin against Christ. 
 
 1 Or, do we lack.... 2 Gr. do we abound 3 Or, power 4 Gr. be builded up....b Gr. in. 
 
 on the reverse side. Before, it has been in- 
 tended to show that food does not defile us. 
 Here, he shows that neither does it bring us 
 nearer to God. And it serves to carry for- 
 ward his argument for considering the weaker 
 brethren as well as themselves in this matter. 
 For to their ignorant, weaker brethren the 
 eating may be a sin, owing to their imperfect 
 knowledge. But to them who have knowl- 
 edge it has no positive moral quality, so as to 
 involve obligation, or commend them to God, 
 in which case they of course could not con- 
 sider anything except that. That is, the eat- 
 ing of the ignorant may be a sin ; their eating 
 is an indifferent matter, neither good nor evil. 
 And so it is their weaker brethren, rather than 
 themselves, that they ought to consider in 
 determining their conduct. 
 
 9. But take heed lest by any means 
 this liberty of yours — this right to eat 
 things sacrificed to idols in itself considered. 
 Become a stumblingblock to them that 
 are weak — should be, to the weak. (See Crit. 
 Notes.) The preceding ver. leaves the matter 
 in a merely negative form, making it quite in- 
 different whether they ate or not. But now, 
 in contrast with this, he introduces a consider- 
 ation which may make it a duty to them 
 to forego this right. Their liberty may be 
 a stumbling-block to those whose weak con- 
 science does not permit them this liberty, and 
 then they have a duty to perform in regard to 
 this otherwise indifferent matter. 
 
 10. Which hast knowledge. It is this 
 fact, the reputation for knowledge, which 
 leads the other to follow his example; a case 
 of following authority without knowing the 
 reasons. Sit at meat in the idol's temple 
 — literally, reclining in an idol' s temple. This 
 was the posture at meals in New Testament 
 times and lands. The apostle shows, in ch. 10: 
 14 seq., that this particular form of partaking 
 of the idol-sacrifices is a sin of itself, in a 
 certain aspect of it. But here he treats of it 
 
 on the merely indifferent side common to it 
 with the other ways of eating them, viz., con- 
 sidered merely as the eating of things offered 
 to idols. For it is this general thing, and not 
 the specific form of it given here, that the 
 weak ones are led to do by their example. 
 (See close of ver.) Shall not the conscience 
 of him that is weak— should be, of him 
 being weak. The construction in the Greek is 
 not such as to admit of our translation, which 
 leaves the reference of the pronoun to be 
 pointed out by the relative clause. Instead of 
 this, the person is regarded as sufficiently 
 pointed out by the pronoun itself, and the par- 
 ticipial clause following modifies it. ' Being 
 weak'—*, e., though he is weak, unable to 
 discern that this is an indifferent matter, but 
 having a lingering idea of the reality of the 
 idol-god, which makes the eating a sin to him. 
 Be emboldened to eat those things which 
 are offered to idols— literally, be built up for 
 the eating of idol sacrifices. The verb is the 
 one used by the apostle to describe the build- 
 ing up of Christian character, and translated 
 in our version edify. ( Cf. ver. 1 ; 10: 23; 14: 
 4, 17, etc. ) The apostle's question is, Will not 
 his conscience be built-up to this end, viz., the 
 eating of idol sacrifices, which to him being 
 weak is a sin? Where the verb is followed, 
 as here, by an infinitive or a preposition, it 
 means, Grimm says, "to render any one's 
 mind fitted for a thing." The ordinary use of 
 the word by Paul makes its use here ironical ; 
 as if we should call the encouragement of a 
 man in evil courses edifying him. 
 
 11. And through thy knowledge shall 
 the Aveak brother perish, for whom 
 Christ died? — should be, Yes, the weak one 
 perishes through thy knowledge, the brother 
 for whom Christ died. (See Crit. Notes.) 
 This, the apostle says, is the result of your 
 boasted knowledge, and its accompanying 
 liberty of action. 'Perishes.' This word, 
 when it is used, as here, in reference to the 
 
74 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. VIII. 
 
 13 Wherefore, if meat make uiy brother to offend, I l 13 Wherefore, if meat maketh my brother to stum- 
 will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make ble, I will eat no flesh for evermore, that I make 
 my brother to otfend. J not my brother to stumble. 
 
 punishment of sin, denotes, always, the final 
 loss or destruction of the soul. But the 
 present tense employed here denotes the act 
 in its progress, not necessarily an accom- 
 plished fact. 'The brother for whom Christ 
 died.' The position of these words at the end 
 of the sentence, disconnected with the subject 
 which they modify, serves to render them 
 very emphatic. You destroy, Paul says, the 
 Christian brother whom Christ died to save. 
 The relation to themselves, and to Christ, and 
 the defeat of Christ's work, are brought out 
 with great force. 
 
 12. But when ye sin so against the 
 brethren, etc. This takes up the thought, 
 suggested in the last verse, of the relation of 
 their act to Christ, stating definitely what is 
 there implied. And wound their weak 
 conscience. The pronoun is emphatic, con- 
 trasted with Christ. Wounding here does not 
 mean offending or shocking, but, as the con- 
 text shows, inflicting a moral injury. The 
 conscience is wounded by leading the man to 
 act against his own convictions, which is ex- 
 pressed in another form in ver. 7 as the defil- 
 ing of the conscience. 
 
 13. Meat— should be food. (See on ver. 8.) 
 Make my brother to offend. This is the 
 only place in our Common Version where this 
 verb is translated with any approach to cor- 
 rectness. It is the verb which is usually ren- 
 dered offend. (Cf. Matt. 5: 29; 18: 6; Rom. 
 14: 21, etc.) The Revised Version translates 
 it here so as to bring out the exact meaning — 
 maketh my brother to stumble. It means, 
 literally, to act as a stumbling-block or trap- 
 stick, to make one stumble or fall into a snare. 
 Stripped of its figurative allusions, it means to 
 be a cause of a man's sinning. No flesh. 
 Here the specific word is used, meaning flesh 
 or meat. (Cf. ver. 8 and 13.) Notice that it 
 does not specify meat offered in sacrifice to 
 idols, but any meat. Since any meat might be 
 that, these remnants of the sacrifices being 
 sold in the markets without anything to dis- 
 tinguish them. (Cf. 10: 25.) And so the 
 apostle says: I will go as far as this, if it is 
 necessary. I will not eat any meat at all, for 
 fear that it may be sacrificial meat, if my eat- 
 ing it is going to lead my brother, who has a 
 
 weak and uninstructed conscience, and thinks 
 it at all sinful to eat it against his conscience. 
 While the world stands — should be, forever. 
 Our Common Version here is probably based 
 on the occasional use of the Greek word to 
 denote the world. (See on 1: 20.) But 
 always, in such cases, it is plural ; and if the 
 singular were used, it would be with a limit- 
 ing word, such as a demonstrative pronoun. 
 It is one of the cases of the hyperbolical use 
 of the phrase. (Cf. Matt. 21: 19.) Lest I 
 make my brother to offend. The repeti- 
 tion of this emphasizes the importance of this 
 consideration in the mind of the apostle. Of 
 course, as the apostle shows elsewhere, this 
 does not apply where, as in the case of cir- 
 cumcision, the truth of the gospel is in any 
 way involved. 
 
 CRITICAL NOTES.— CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 2. Andh found in DEF etc. vulg one MS. 
 svr sch and p cor« j t j s to ^g omitted on the au- 
 thority of NABP vulg cop syr p m . Nothing 
 is found in D b and c EK, etc. syr utr . It is to 
 be omitted, and it supplied, on the authority 
 of NABD*, etc. vulg cop. 
 
 4. Other is to be omitted before God, on the 
 authority of N*ABD, etc. it vulg cop. It is 
 found in only XCKL, etc. syr utr . 
 
 7. Conscience is the reading of NCDEF, etc. 
 it vulg syr sch and p ut ; familiarity, of N*ABP 
 cop syrP m *. 
 
 8. Will not command is the probable read- 
 ing, being found in NAB cop. The present is 
 found in N c DE, etc. it vulg. ; for is found in 
 DEF, etc. it vulg some MSS. etc. It is prob- 
 ably to be omitted on the authority of NAB, 
 vulg some MSS. cop, etc. 
 
 9. To them that are weak (participle) is the 
 reading in only L, etc. ; to the weak (adjec- 
 tive) is found in NABD, etc. 
 
 11. And is the reading in N c D d e f g vulg 
 S y r utr e t c . y es (y r- yip) j n xB, cop etc. ; 
 shall perish is the reading of D C EF, etc. f g 
 vulg syr utr , etc. ; perishes, of N :I: AB, etc. cop 
 etc. ; the weak brother is the reading in N C L, 
 etc. syrP, etc. ; the weak one .... the brother, 
 in N : ABD, etc. it vulg cop etc. 
 
Ch. IX.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 75 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 AM I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen 
 Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the 
 Lord? 
 
 • 2 If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I 
 ' am to you : for the seal of my apostleship are ye in the 
 Lord. 
 
 1 Am I not free? am I not an apostle? have I not 
 seen Jesus our Lord? are Dot vc my work in the 
 
 2 Lord? If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least 
 I am to you : for the seal of mine apostleship are ye 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 
 1-3. The apostle's claim to the apostolic 
 office and its privileges proved, (1) by his 
 having seen the Lord, and (2) by the Corinth- 
 ian Christians, who were the fruits of his 
 apostolic labors, and thus the seal of his apos- 
 tleship. 4-6. Statement of his claim as an 
 apostle to be supported by the church. 7-12, 
 13, 14. This claim proved by various analo- 
 gies and precedents, showing that the laborer 
 is worthy of his hire. 12-15. His self-denial 
 in foregoing this privilege. 16, 17. His rea- 
 son for this, that he may by preaching with- 
 out pay earn the reward that mere preaching 
 by itself does not bring him, because in that 
 he is merely a slave doing the will of his 
 master. 19-22. His self-denial further in 
 accommodating himself alike to Jewish scru- 
 ples and Gentile freedom, instead of asserting 
 his right to act according to his own ideas, 
 that he may win them to the acceptance of 
 the gospel. 23 seq. The reward that he 
 seeks in all this stated to be his own salvation. 
 24, 25. Warning to his readers to exercise 
 the same care and self-control, since not all 
 win the prize who start in the race. 26, 27. 
 Restatement of his own conflict with evil in 
 himself, lest he, who has held up the reward 
 before others, himself lose the prize. 
 
 Ch. 9. Am I not an apostle? am I not 
 free? The order of these questions is to be 
 reversed. (See Crit. Notes.) 'Free,' in con- 
 trast with the subjection to men of ver. 19. 
 ' An apostle.' (Cf. Gal. 1 : 11 — 2, 10, and on ch. 
 1:1.) Paul's apostolic authority was often 
 denied, on the ground that he did not belong 
 to the Twelve, which was a convenient cover 
 for opposition to his doctrine. Have I not 
 seen Jesus Christ? 'Christ' is to be omitted. 
 (See Crit. Notes.) This seeing of Christ was 
 deemed essential to the work of an apostle, as 
 they were to be personal witnesses to him. 
 (Cf. John 15: 27; Acts 1 : 21, 22; 22: 14, 15.) 
 Comparing this with Gal. 1 : 11 seq., we find 
 that with the witness to Christ's resurrection 
 
 there was combined the hearing of the gospel 
 from Christ himself, which answers to the re- 
 quirement in the original apostles that they 
 should have been with Christ from the begin- 
 ning, and so heard his teachings. This seeing 
 was at the time of Paul's conversion, and also 
 on the occasions recorded in Acts 18: 9; 2 
 Cor. 12; 1 seq. Are not ye my work in the 
 Lord? The proof of his apostleship was in 
 his work in the Lord. (Cf. 2 Cor. 3: 2 seq.) 
 It was not this in itself, as it would have been, 
 if only apostles had had the work of convert- 
 ing men and of founding churches. But it 
 serves to prove whatever claim he may make, 
 being the divine sanction of that claim. Just 
 the same as miracles may prove a man to be a 
 prophet, or an apostle, or the Lord himself, 
 according to the nature of the claim made. 
 In the Lord— modifies not a part of the sen- 
 tence, but the whole. It was in the Lord that 
 the apostle made them Christians, and brought 
 them to their present state of Christian per- 
 fection. 
 
 2. If I be not an apostle to others, yet 
 doubtless I am to you. The position of the 
 words in the original brings out the emphasis 
 better — If to others I am not . . . yet to you I 
 am. The word for 'doubtless' is better ren- 
 dered at least. ' To others ' and ' to you ' does 
 not mean in their estimation, but with refer- 
 ence to them. In one sense, of course, an 
 apostle is such to the whole church; but in 
 another sense, which is the one intended here, 
 he is an apostle specially to those to whom he 
 is sent, and among whom he performs his 
 apostolic work. (Cf. Gal. 2: 9; Rom. 11: 13, 
 etc.) For the seal of my apostleship are 
 ye in the Lord— better, My seal of apostle- 
 ship in the Lord. (See on ver. 1, and cf. 4: 
 15.) They are the seal of his apostleship, for 
 they attest by their Christian state and char- 
 acter the genuineness of his apostolic claim. 
 The stamp of Christ is on them, and attests 
 the author of their spiritual state to be Christ's 
 servant. Therefore, to them at least. Paul is 
 an apostle. 
 
76 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. IX. 
 
 3 Mine answer to them that do examine me is this : 
 
 4 Have we not power to eat and to drink? 
 
 5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as 
 well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, 
 and Cephas? 
 
 6 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to for- 
 bear working? 
 
 3 in the Lord. My defence to them that examine me 
 
 4 5 i.s this. Have we no right to eat and to drink? Have 
 
 we no right to lead about a wife that is a ' believer, 
 
 even as the rest of the apostles, and the brethren of 
 
 6 the Lord, and Cephas? Or I only and Barnabas 
 
 1 Gr. sister. 
 
 3. Aline answer to them that do exam- 
 ine me is this — i. e., to those examining 
 him as to whether he was a genuine apostle. 
 See on ver. 7. 'Is this,' viz., what precedes, 
 not what follows, and there should be a 
 period, therefore, at the end of the verse. 
 His answer is that the Corinthians are his 
 work in the Lord, and the seal of his apostle- 
 ship. The statements that follow, we have 
 no reason to believe were ever controverted ; 
 but his claim to the apostleship had been 
 doubted and denied. 
 
 4. Have we not power to eat and to 
 drink? This verse begins the subject for 
 which the statement and defence of his apos- 
 tleship has been introduced. The principle 
 laid down in the preceding chapter had been, 
 that we are not to assert our rights in regard 
 to merely indifferent matters to the injury of 
 others. And in this chapter, Paul states his 
 own conduct in regard to his privileges as an 
 apostle, as showing how he treated such mat- 
 ters. The chapter begins, therefore, with the 
 defence of his apostolic office, proceeds, in ver. 
 4-12, with an argument for his right as an 
 apostle to receive support from the church, 
 and then, ver. 12 seq., shows how he dis- 
 claims that right. Have we not power- 
 better, a right ; the word used denotes the 
 kind of power which comes from authority, 
 privilege, or right. In the plural subject 
 'we,' the apostle includes himself and Barna- 
 bas. By the power — right— to eat and 
 drink, he does not mean the right as opposed 
 to asceticism, ur to Judaistic notions, which he 
 would not defend on the ground of his apos- 
 tolic privilege, but on the broader ground of 
 his rights as a Christian. But he means the 
 right to eat and to drink at the expense of the 
 church, to be supported by the church with- 
 out working, except in their spiritual office. 
 This is the subject as he develops it. (See 
 ver. 6 seq. ; ef. Luke 10: 7.) 
 
 5. Have we not power (better, right) to 
 lead about a sister, a wife — should be, a 
 sister as wife. The two nouns are npt inde- 
 
 pendent, but the second is in apposition to the 
 first. The apostle probably refers to his mis- 
 sionary journeys, in which he claims the right 
 to have a wife to accompany him. But here 
 again, the right claimed is to have this at the 
 expense of the churches, for the same reason 
 as in ver. 4. As well as other apostles — 
 should be, as also the rest of the apostles. 
 We have here an incidental proof that the 
 other apostles were married. And the breth- 
 ren of the Lord— better, brothers. The word 
 'brethren' is applied to members of the same 
 society, not to natural brothers. This text can- 
 not be used to show that the brothers of the 
 Lord did not belong to the twelve apostles, as 
 the same reasoning would exclude Cephas. 
 That statement rests on John 7 : 5. That these 
 brothers of our Lord were the children of Jo- 
 seph and Mary is proved (1) by the use of the 
 word, which is never used of any other rela- 
 tionship, unless the nature of it is pointed out 
 in some way; (2) by the term first-born son 
 applied to Christ. (Luke 2: 7); (3) the per- 
 petual virginity of Mary, in the defence of 
 which the other view is generally maintained, 
 is disproved further by Matt. 1: 25; (4) the 
 other theory, which makes them cousins, 
 would probably make them also among the 
 Twelve, which is disproved, as we have seen, 
 by John 7 : 5. And Cephas —the Hebrew 
 form of the name Peter. (Cf. John 1: 42.) 
 The apostle names him as a conspicuous case. 
 6. Or I only and Barnabas — the name 
 Barnabas was given by the apostles ; his origi- 
 nal name being Joseph. (Cf. Acts 4: 86. ) The 
 next mention of him is in Acts 9: 27, intro- 
 ducing Paul to the apostles; then in Acts 11 : 
 26, at Antioch, where he associates Paul with 
 himself in labor there; and in Acts 11: 30, he 
 goes with Paul to Jerusalem; and 12: 25, he 
 returns with him to Antioch; and then, Acts 
 13 and 14, he accompanies Paul on his first 
 missionary tour. He continues Paul's com- 
 panion till the rupture, Acts 15: 36 seq. From 
 the time that he began his missionary work 
 with Paul, he seems to have been treated as an 
 
Ch. IX.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 77 
 
 7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? 
 who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit 
 thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the 
 milk of the flock? 
 
 8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law 
 the same also? 
 
 9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt 
 not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the 
 corn. Doth God take care for oxen ? 
 
 10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our 
 sakes, no doubt ; this is written : that he that plougheth 
 should plough in hope; and that he that thresheth in 
 hope should be partaker of his hope. 
 
 7 have we not. a right to forbear working? What sol- 
 dier ever serveth at his own charges.' who plantetb 
 a vineyard, and eateth not the linit thereof? or 
 who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of 
 
 8 the Hock? Do I speak these things after the manner 
 
 9 of men? or saith not the law also the same? For it 
 is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not intiz- 
 
 10 zletheox when he treadeth out the corn, is it for 
 the oxen that God caretb, or saith heit ' assuredly for 
 our sake? Yea, for our sake was it written : because 
 he that ploweth ought to plow iu hope, and he that. 
 
 1 Or, altogether. 
 
 apostle, that title being expressly given him. 
 (Acts 14 : 14, cf. Gal. 2: 9.) Have not we 
 power to forbear working? — better, Have 
 not we a right not to work ? As far as the ex- 
 press provision of the Lord is concerned, this 
 right of the apostles to be maintained by the 
 church without doing anything but religious 
 work, rests on Matt. 10: 9, 10; Luke 10: 4-7. 
 The reasonableness of it the apostle shows in 
 the following verses. 
 
 7. Who goeth a warfare ? The verb de- 
 notes service as a private soldier, not as an offi- 
 cer. At his own charges — this word means 
 originally, food, and hence the provisions of an 
 army; and then the pay of the soldiers, in- 
 cluding both food and money. Cf. Luke 3 : 14, 
 where it is the word translated wages. And 
 eateth not of the fruit — should be, and eat- 
 eth not the fruit. (See Crit. Notes.) Or who 
 feedeth a flock — better, shepherds a flock. 
 And eateth not of the milk of the flock? 
 According to the eastern custom still pre- 
 served, a share of the milk was part of the 
 shepherd's pay. By these analogies the apostle 
 establishes his position, that men are not ac- 
 customed to work without pay. The illustra- 
 tions used are chosen with an instinctive sense 
 of fitness. They represent three phases of 
 ministerial work, and are common Scriptural 
 figures for its representation. 
 
 8. Say I these things as a man? — better, 
 after the manner of man — on human au- 
 thority, according to a human standard. Or 
 saith not the Jaw the same also? — should 
 be, Or does not the law also say these things ? 
 The law also — i. e., as well as himself. Paul 
 wishes to put this matter on the ground, not 
 only of human reason, but also of divine 
 authority. 
 
 9. The mouth of the ox that treadeth 
 out the corn — should be, of an ox treading 
 out (or, threshing) corn. Among other ways, 
 
 threshing was done by driving oxen through 
 the grain, sometimes with, sometimes with- 
 out, a threshing machine. The quotation is 
 from Deut. 25: 4, and is used again in the 
 same connection in 1 Tim. 5: 18. Doth God 
 take care for oxen?— should be, for the 
 oxen. The question is put in such a form as 
 to anticipate a negative answer. 
 
 10. Or saith he it altogether for our 
 sakes? Philo says concerning the law, in 
 the same rationalizing spirit, that it is not for 
 irrational creatures, but for those who have 
 mind and reason. For our sakes, no doubt, 
 this is written — should be, yes, for our sakes 
 it was written. That he that plougheth, 
 etc. — should be, because he that ploweth ought 
 to plow in hope, and he that thresheth, in hope 
 of partaking. (See Crit. Notes.) The clause 
 gives the reason in the nature of things for be- 
 lieving that this command was given for men, 
 rather than oxen. There is nothing in the 
 form or connection of the original statement 
 to suggest this application, and the statement 
 that oxen are to be excluded from the purpose 
 of the command, making it apply altogether 
 to men, is probably too strong as an exact 
 statement, and it is rather intended as a rhe- 
 torical, than an exact expression. The appli- 
 cation to human affairs is so prominent that 
 the other may be even set aside in comparison. 
 'For our sakes'— the context would suggest 
 that this is to be limited to Christian teachers, 
 as they are the subjects of discourse. But 
 this seems to narrow the statement more than 
 appears to be necessary or justifiable. The 
 range of the first person plural may change 
 easily in a passage of this length, especially in 
 the statement of a general principle. And 
 while the reference of the law to human rela- 
 tions generally seems quite justifiable, the 
 narrowing of it to the special case of religious 
 teachers seems to be an unwarrantable spirit- 
 
78 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. IX. 
 
 11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a 
 great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? 
 
 12 If others be partakers of this power over you, me 
 not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this 
 power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the 
 gospel of Christ. 
 
 13 Do ye not know that they which minister about 
 holy things live of l/ie things of the temple? and they 
 which wait at the altar are' partakers with the altar? 
 
 14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which 
 preach the gospel should live of the gospel. 
 
 11 thresheth, to thresh in hope of partaking. If we 
 sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter 
 
 12 if we shall reap your carnal things? If others par- 
 take of thin right over you, do not we yet more? 
 Nevertheless we did not use this right; but we bear 
 all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the 
 
 13 gospel of Christ. Know ye not that they who min- 
 ister about sacred things eat of the things of the 
 temple, and they who wait upon the altar have their 
 
 14 portion with the altar? Even so did the Lord ordain 
 that they who proclaim the gospel should live of the 
 
 ualizing of the passage. Moreover, the imme- 
 diate connection of this passage is with ver. 7, 
 in which the subject is the general one of 
 human labor; the phrase 'these things,' in 
 ver. 8, refers to the statements of ver. 7. 
 
 11. Application of this general principle, 
 that the laborer is worthy of his hire, to Paul 
 as a Christian teacher. If we have sown 
 unto you spiritual things — should be — if 
 we sowed, etc. The subject is probably Paul 
 himself, the plural being the plural of author- 
 ship. (Cf. ver. 12 and 15.) This use is admit- 
 ted by Winer, p. 517, and by De Wette on 
 the passage. If the plural is taken here in its 
 proper sense, Paul probably associates with 
 himself those immediately connected with 
 him in his work in the Corinthian Church, 
 viz., Silas and Timothy. (See Acts 18: 5; 2 
 Cor. 1: 19. ) Spiritual . . . carnal. By 
 these contrasted terms the apostle means, on 
 the one hand, the things of God's truth 
 adapted to the human spirit, and, on the c *ner, 
 those things which support the physical life. 
 'Sown . . . reap' — the latter is used to carry 
 out the parallelism of the two clauses, though 
 not strictly adapted to a case like this, where 
 the return is not in kind. Is it a great 
 thing? — i. e., disproportionately great, more 
 than should be expected. 
 
 12. If others be partakers of this power 
 over you — should be, of the power over you. 
 The 'power,' or right, meant is evident^' that 
 of receiving a return for their labor; but this 
 is indicated in the Greek by the definite arti- 
 cle, not by the demonstrative pronoun. 
 'Others' — he means other teachers, none of 
 them apostles, and some of them more or less 
 misleading in their teachings, who have come 
 in since he established the church. Both 
 Epistles are full of allusions to these other 
 teachers of the Corinthian Church. (See 1 
 Cor. ch. 1, 4; 2 Cor. 3: 1; 11: etc.) Are 
 not we rather? Not only as well as they, 
 but more than they, since Paul was the 
 founder of the church Nevertheless we 
 
 have not used this power — should be, But 
 we did not use this right. This is the point to 
 which the apostle has been coming. He shows 
 first, that he has the right to be supported by 
 the church, in order to make his declining to 
 avail himself of it an illustration of the prin- 
 ciple of the preceding chapter, viz., self-denial 
 for the sake of others and for the cause of 
 Christ. Now he comes to the second part of 
 his statement, and having shown that he has 
 the right, he states that he does not use it. 
 But suffer all things — better, but we bear all 
 things. By 'all things,' he means the labor 
 and privations resulting from receiving no 
 compensation for what occupied so much of 
 his time. Lest we should hinder the gos- 
 pel of Christ — literally, that we may not 
 give any hindrance, or obstacle, to the gospel 
 of Christ. The word for hindrance denotes 
 something cut down across the road of an 
 army to hinder its march. Receiving his 
 support from the church might lead to the 
 charge that he had that selfish motive in his 
 work. 
 
 13. Do ye not know that they which 
 minister, etc., — should be, That they who 
 work at the sacred things, eat the things from 
 the sacred place — i. e., the temple. The Greek 
 employs the same word for sacred- things and 
 sacred place, and in this way the force of the 
 argument is better felt. And they which 
 wait at the altar. The apostle refers to the 
 well-known fact about the Jewish priesthood, 
 that they ate the shew-bread, the edible parts 
 of the sacrifices, etc., to confirm from still 
 another point of view, the right of Christian 
 teachers to support. (Cf. Num. 18: 9 seq. ; 
 5: 9, 10; Deut. 18: I, etc.) 
 
 14. Even so hath the Lord ordained 
 that they which preach the gospel should 
 live of the gospel — should be, So also the 
 Lord ordained for those who preach the gospel 
 to live from the gospel. They are to regard 
 their work as the means of their support. 
 (See Luke 10: 7.) 
 
Ch. IX.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 79 
 
 15 But I have used none of these things: neither 
 have I written these things, that it should be so done 
 unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any 
 man should make my glorying void. 
 
 16 For though I preach (he gospel, I have nothing to 
 glory of: for necessity Is laid upon me; yea, woe is 
 unto me if I preach not the gospel! 
 
 17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: 
 but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is 
 committed unto me. 
 
 16 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I 
 preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ with- 
 out charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. 
 
 15. But I have used none of these 
 things. 'I' is emphatic, probably to indicate 
 that his course is peculiar in regard to this 
 matter. 'None of these things' — he has 
 mentioned only one thing, viz., the right to 
 support; but he analyzes this, in accordance 
 with a frequent Greek usage, into its parts, such 
 as the right to food, clothing, shelter, etc. 
 (See Acts 18: 3; 20: 34; 2 Thess. 3: 8, 9.) 
 Neither have I written these things that 
 it should be so done unto me — should be, 
 And I did not write these things, that it may 
 be so done in my case. For it were better 
 for me to die, than that any man should 
 make my glorying void — should be, For it is 
 well for me to die rather ; or no one shall make 
 empty my boast. (SeeCrit. Notes.) The mixed 
 construction is an example of a peculiarity of 
 the apostle's st3 7 le. Instead of completing the 
 comparison, as in our version, he turns the sec- 
 ond part into an alternative to the first. If he 
 does not die, he is determined that no one shall 
 make empty his boast. Possibly the irregularity 
 may be explained in another way, viz., as the 
 word for or may also be translated than, it may 
 read, For it is well for me rather to die, than 
 my boasting — no one shall make it vain. In 
 this case the original structure of the sentence 
 is broken off only after tho word boasting, 
 and it is concluded as a negative sentence. 
 'Boasting' is here the ground of boasting, the 
 thing of which he boasts, which would be 
 made void or false by leading him to receive 
 support in return for his preaching; his glory- 
 ing being that he not only preaches the 
 gospel, but by refusing compensation, re- 
 moves from it all appearance even of selfish 
 motive. 
 
 16. For though I preach the gospel- 
 should be, for if, etc. I have nothing to 
 glory of— better, it is nothing for me to glory 
 of. For necessity is laid upon me; yea, 
 woe, etc — should be, (see Crit. Notes), for woe- 
 is unto me — i. e., this is the reason or confirma- 
 
 15 gospel. But I have used none of these things; and I 
 write not these things that it may be so done in iny 
 case; for it were good for me rather to die, than 
 
 16 thai any man should make my glorying void. For 
 if I preach the gospel, l have nothing to glory of; 
 
 for necessity is laid upon me; for woe is unto' me, 
 
 17 if I preach not the gospel. For if I do this of mine 
 own will, I have a reward: but if not of my own 
 
 18 will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me. 'What 
 then is my reward? That, when 1 preach the gos- 
 pel, I may make the gospel without charge, so as 
 
 tion of the preceding statement that necessity 
 is laid on him. He must needs preach tin- 
 gospel, for it is woe to him not to. The 'woe' 
 denotes the punishment of God. The verse 
 gives the reason why he would rather die 
 than lose his glorying in unpaid preaching of 
 the gospel, viz., that the preaching itself, being 
 a matter of necessity, is nothing to glory in. 
 
 17. For, etc.— gives the reason why it is 
 woe to him not to preach the gospel, viz., 
 that he does it involuntarily, under constraint; 
 he is a steward, who will be punished for non- 
 fulfillment of his trusts. Willingly. . . . 
 against my will. These, and especially the 
 latter, are misleading translations: the idea 
 is xvith and without constraint ; voluntarily 
 and involuntarily are better translations. The 
 apostle evidently has in mind his position as a 
 slave, idoulos), in which his work is not 
 undertaken by himself, but is put on him by 
 another, without consulting him, and it may 
 or may not be in accordance with his own 
 wishes. I have a reward, or. pay. A man 
 is paid for voluntary labor, but is not liable 
 to punishment for neglecting it. 'But if un- 
 willingly,' etc., should be, but if involunta- 
 rily. I have been entrusted with a steward- 
 ship. This was a servile position generally 
 held by a slave, and so there was woe to the 
 man unfaithful to it, but no reward attaching 
 to the performance of its duties. If, on the 
 other hand, he had preached of his own 
 motion, instead of in obedience to Christ's 
 orders, it would have been something other 
 than a servile position that he occupied. 
 
 18. What is my reward then? Verily, 
 that when I preach the gospel, I mny 
 make the gospel of Christ without 
 charge, that I abuse not my power in 
 the gospel — should be, What thin is my 
 reward, in order that I may, in preaching the 
 gospel, make the gospel without expense, so as 
 not to use my privilege in the gospel t (See 
 Crit. Notes.) Our version makes the answer 
 
80 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. IX. 
 
 19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made 
 myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. 
 
 20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I 
 might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, 
 as under the law, that I might gain them that are under 
 the law ; 
 
 21 To them that are without law, as without law, (be- 
 ing not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) 
 that 1 might gain them that are without law. 
 
 19 not to use to the full my right in the gospel. For 
 though I was free from all men, I brought mvself 
 under bondage to all, that I might gain the more. 
 
 20 And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might 
 gain Jews; to them that are under the law, as under 
 tlie law, not being myself under the law, that I 
 
 21 might gain them that are under the law; to them 
 that are without law, as without law, not being 
 without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I 
 
 to the question what immediately follows — 
 viz., his reward is to make the gospel free of 
 expense. But the only thing, as he has shown, 
 for which he can be rewarded, is this very 
 thing which is thus made the reward. Stan- 
 ley admits this identity, but defends it on the 
 ground that virtue is its own reward. But it 
 would seem as if this unexpected turn to the 
 thought would have to be expressed very 
 plainly, by stating both the things thus iden- 
 tified, and their identity. And besides, the 
 apostle gives, in ver. 23, a different answer to 
 the question. Another interpretation makes 
 the answer implied in the question itself a 
 negative answer. The thought would be, 
 then, What possible reward is there, then, for 
 my preaching the gospel, since my workis that 
 of a slave ? There is none, in order that I 
 may go on and do something not required of 
 me, and by this unconstrained work, obtain a 
 reward. The clauses following the question 
 denote God's purpose in leaving the preach- 
 ing by itself without a reward, that purpose 
 being to incite him to do more, by which a 
 reward may be obtained. It seems to be an 
 objection to this interpretation, that it does 
 not prepare the way, as it might, for the 
 statement of the reward in ver. 23. The con- 
 nection of thought is better preserved, there- 
 fore, by a third interpretation, which makes 
 the question refer to the reward for preaching 
 without compensation, explains the clauses 
 following as denoting the purpose of the re- 
 ward — viz., that he may do the thing for which 
 the reward is offered, and finds the answer 
 to the question in ver. 23 seq. That I abuse 
 not, etc. — should be, probably, use not. The 
 word has both meanings ; but the former seems 
 out of place, as nothing in the context sug- 
 gests the danger of abuse of the privilege, 
 but only the disadvantage to him of using it. 
 It is related to the preceding clause as the 
 general idea which includes that particular. 
 Other things included in this general apos- 
 tolic privilege are denoted in what follows. 
 
 ( Ver. 19-22.) 
 
 19. For, etc. States the confirmation of 
 the apostle's purpose not to use his right 
 in the gospel signified in the preceding. 
 Though I be, free from all men —liter- 
 ally, being free from all men. If the conces- 
 sive form is retained, it should be, though I 
 am free. By 'free' he means, not bound to 
 them in any such way as to restrict his free- 
 dom, his liberty to do what he thought right 
 for himself. Yet have I made myself 
 servant unto all— should be, I made myself 
 slave to all. In what way he enslaves him- 
 self, he goes on to state — viz., by conforming 
 himself to their views and states in unimport- 
 ant matters, not affecting his Christian char- 
 acter. That I might gain the more — 
 should be, the most — i. e., the majority, the 
 greater part. (See Winer, 242.) 'The more,' 
 in the sense of by so much the more, is ex- 
 pressed otherwise. 
 
 20. I became as a Jew. Notice that he 
 does not say ' a Jew,' but ' as a Jew,' meaning 
 by that, that he conformed to Jewish customs 
 and used methods of teaching adapted to 
 them. (See Acts 16: 3; 21. 20-26.) To 
 them that are under law. After this is to 
 be inserted, not being myself under law. (See 
 Crit. Notes.) Them that are under law, 
 is simply another way of denoting Jews. By 
 'law' he means the Jewish law, from which, 
 as such, he considered himself free, though 
 not free from obligation to the law of God. 
 (See ver. 21.) 
 
 21. To them that are without law — i. e., 
 the heathen, who were without the revealed 
 law given to the Jews, though not without 
 conscience and a moral nature; and so not 
 absolutely without law. As without law — 
 viz., not conforming to those positive enact- 
 ments of the Jewish law which made the dif- 
 ference between a pious Jew and a pious 
 Gentile, the general moral law being common 
 to them both. Being not without law to 
 God, but under the law to Christ. The 
 apostle's freedom from the Mosaic law must 
 not be taken as involving or implying freedom 
 
Ch. IX.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 81 
 
 22 To the weak became I as weak, tltat I might gain 
 the weak: 1 am made all things to all men, that I might 
 by all means save some. 
 
 28 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be 
 partaker thereof with you. 
 
 24 Know ye nut that they which run in a race run 
 all, hut one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may 
 obtain. 
 
 22 might gain them that are without law. To the 
 weak I became weak, that 1 might gain the weak: 
 I am become all things to all men, that 1 may l>v 
 
 28 all means save BOme. And I do all things for the 
 gospel's sake, that 1 may be a joint partaker there- 
 
 24 of. Know ye not that they who run in a ' race run 
 all, but one receiveth the prize ? Kveu so run, that 
 
 from God's law ; or, as he puts it in the other 
 clause, the law of Christ. It is very import- 
 ant to bear in mind just the apostle's position 
 in reference to the law. There are three 
 points included in that position: (1) Free- 
 dom from all law as a means of justification. 
 (Rom. 3:20.) (2) Freedom from the Jewish law 
 as a past dispensation, superseded by the 
 gospel. (3) Obligation, in no way annulled, 
 to keep the law of Christ as a rule of conduct, 
 which is involved in the idea of being a fol- 
 lower (literally, imitator) of Christ. 
 
 22. To the weak became I as weak — 
 should be, I became weak. (See Crit. Notes.) 
 The weakness meant is that described in ch. 
 8: 7-13 — viz., that arising from an imperfect 
 knowledge, especially of the distinction be- 
 tween morally indifferent things, and those 
 having positive moral quality. But it is not 
 to be understood here, as in ch. 8, of weak 
 Christians, which is excluded by tlie terms 
 gaining and saving, which the apostle says 
 are his purpose in regard to these weak ones, 
 as in regard to the other classes mentioned. 
 But probably there was then, as there is now, 
 the disposition to condemn in Christians what 
 the world approves in itself, and a failure to 
 apprehend the principle of Christian freedom. 
 And then, in the Jews, there would be the 
 same repugnance to the apostle's freedom as 
 among the Jewish Christians. And to these 
 scruples of weak-minded men the apostle says 
 that he accommodated himself. Matters in- 
 volving a principle, such as circumcision, are, 
 of course, excluded. I am made all things 
 to all men, that I might by all means 
 save some — should be, To them all I have 
 become all things, that I may in every way 
 save some. By 'them all,' is meant, all these 
 classes that ne has mentioned; and by 'in 
 every way,' he means, by the use of all means, 
 neglecting nothing that may help this result, 
 'that I may in every way save some.' The 
 apostle becomes a Jew to the Jews, without 
 
 law to those without law, etc., in order that 
 he may, by the use of all means, save some. 
 And in this accommodation of himself to the 
 scruples of others for the sake of saving them, 
 he exemplifies the principle laid down in the 
 preceding chapter, of sacrificing our rights in 
 regard to indifferent matters, for the sake of 
 the spiritual good of men. 
 
 23. And this I do for the gospel's sake, 
 that I might be partaker thereof with you 
 — should be, And I do all things on.account of 
 the gospel, that I may become a fellow-par- 
 taker of it. (See Crit. Notes. ; 'All things' 
 — viz., everything of which he has justspoken. 
 'On account of the gospel.' In what sense, he 
 points out in the next clause. ' That I ma} 7 be- 
 come a fellow-partaker of it' — that he may 
 share with others its blessings. Here, then, 
 we come to a statement of the reward (see on 
 ver. 18), which induced the apostle to labor 
 in the gospel without pay, and to forego other 
 privileges and rights, such as are implied in 
 ver. 19-22. It was not that he might obtain a 
 reward peculiar to himself, but that he might 
 share with others the blessings of the gospel. 
 Meyer says well, " Notice his humility." And. 
 he might have added, his anxiety for his own. 
 salvation as well, when many nowadays, with' 
 half his attainments, would be talking about 
 the "rest of faith." 
 
 24. They which run iu a race — should 
 be, a race-course, the Greek stadium. Run 
 all, but one receiveth the prize. The 
 parallel that the apostle means to draw is that 
 in the Christian's life, as in the race-course, 
 mere presence in the race is not enough, but f a 
 certain kind of running. To be a Christian is 
 not enough, if one is not a good Christian, an 
 aspiring and progressive Christian. So run, 
 that ye may obtain. Not so as to obtain 
 (the prize), but 'so' refers to the way in 
 which the runner receiving the prise runs; 
 and- the next clause denotes the object of this, 
 viz., that they may. obtain the prize. The 
 
82 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. IX. 
 
 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is 
 temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a 
 corruptible crown ; but we an incorruptible. 
 
 ■Hi 1 therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, 
 nut as imc thai beatetfa the air: 
 
 - 7 lint I keep under my body, and bring it into sub- 
 jection: lest that by any means, when I have preached 
 to others, 1 myself should he a castaway. 
 
 25 ye may attain. And every man that striveth in the 
 games is temperate in all things. Now they do it to 
 receive a corruptible crown; but we an iucorrupti- 
 
 26 ble. I therefore so run, as not uncertainly : so 'fight 
 
 27 I, as not beating the air; but I -buffet my body and 
 bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that 
 I 3 have preached to others, I myself should he re- 
 jected. 
 
 1 Gr. box 2 Gr. bruise 3 Or, have been a herald. 
 
 prize in the Christian race is the future glory 
 of the Messianic kingdom. 
 
 25. And every man that striveth for the 
 mastery, is temperate in all things- 
 should be, And every one that contends in the 
 games, exercises self-control in all things. 
 (See on the verb contain, ch. 7: 9.) The refer- 
 ence is to the well-known fact, that during the 
 period of training for such a contest the man 
 refrains from all kinds of dissipation and in- 
 dulgence. Now they do it — literal^, those 
 then; the pronoun is demonstrative, not per- 
 sonal, and the conjunction is illative. A cor- 
 ruptible crown — or, perishable. The prize 
 in the Isthmian Games, to which he would 
 be likely to refer in writing to the Corinth- 
 ians, 'was a wreath of pine or ivy. But we — 
 viz., those running in the Christian race. 
 These exercise self-control, just as the others, 
 but more spiritual than bodily. An incor- 
 ruptible (crown). This figurative represent- 
 ation of the rewards of the future life is 
 found also in 2 Tim. 4: 8; James 1: 12; 1 
 Peter 5:4; Kev. 2: 10. The inducement is 
 greater by the difference between a perishable 
 and an imperishable crown. 
 
 26. I therefore. The pronoun is emphatic, 
 indicating the apostle's return to his own case, 
 after stating the general principle. 'There- 
 fore' — i. e.\ since I am seeking an incorrupt- 
 ible crown. Not as uncertainly — better, as 
 not uncertainly — not running hither and 
 thither, uncertain whither he is running, but 
 having the goal in view, and running straight 
 towards it. In the Christian course it is ap- 
 plied to the knowledge of that kind of living 
 that will prepare for heaven, and a steadfast 
 keeping to that. So fight I not as one 
 that beateth the air — better, as not beating 
 the air, opposed, of course, to hitting his 
 opponent. Before, he has thought of himself 
 as running; here, as boxing. In the Chris- 
 tian life it is applied to knowing the things 
 which oppose the believer, and contending 
 agtii nst them. 
 
 27. But I keep under my body — should 
 be, I beat my body severely — black and blue — 
 opposed to the beating of the air. It is his 
 body, made up of members in which is a law 
 opposed to the law of his mind (Rom.7: 23); 
 a body of sin (Rom. 6: 6); a body of death 
 (Rom.7: 24), that he fights and beats— i. e., it is 
 the sin in himself, his carnal nature, that he 
 fights The body is the organized flesh 
 {sarx), and thus, like that, is represented 
 sometimes as the seat of the sinful nature. 
 And bring it into subjection— should be, 
 and make it my slave ; having beaten it in 
 conflict, I make it my slave, as the lawful 
 prize of victory. The tendency is for the car- 
 nal nature to vanquish and lead captive the 
 man. Paul reverses this. Lest that by any 
 means, when I have preached to others, 
 I myself should be a castaway— should 
 be, Lest in some way having been a herald to 
 others, I myself become rejected. The figura- 
 tive language of the games is retained. But 
 there is an apparent mixture of figures, arising 
 from the fact that the apostle, or any preacher, 
 has to take part himself in the conflict, as well 
 as act the part of herald, proclaiming to 
 others the laws and prizes of the contest. 
 'Become rejected,' viz., as. unworthy of the 
 prize. The figurative language of the apostle 
 in this passsage is borrowed from the Isth- 
 mian Games, which were celebrated at Cor- 
 inth every third year, and in which the prin- 
 cipal contests were running and boxing. (See 
 Art. Games, "Bib. Diet."; Howson's "Meta- 
 phors of St. Paul," and Art. Isthmian "Diet. 
 of Greek and Koman Antiquities.") The anx- 
 iety and carefulness of the apostle to obtain 
 the heavenly reward, and to live a strenuous 
 and sober life for this purpose, may well be 
 contrasted with the over-confidence of many 
 at the present time. 
 
 CRITICAL NOTES. — CHAPTER IX. 
 
 1. The first two questions are found in the 
 order of our version in DEF, etc. d e f g f u 
 
Ch. X.J 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 83 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 MOREOVER, brethren, I would not that ye should be 
 ignorant, how that all our lathers were under the 
 cloud, and all passed through the sea; 
 
 1 For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant, how 
 that our fathers wire all under the cloud, and all 
 
 go, etc. The reverse order is supported by 
 NAB, vulg. syr sch , etc., and is the probable 
 order. In the name Jesus Christ, Christ is 
 to be omitted, on the authority of NAB, vulg 
 syrP. It is found in DEFG, etc., de f g, denied 
 
 2. My apostleship is the reading in DEFG, 
 etc. d e f g, vulg. My seal of apostleship is 
 found in NBP, etc., and is probably correct. 
 
 7. Of the fruit is the reading in C 3 D band c E, 
 etc. d e am fu syr utr , etc. The fruit is found 
 in NABCD, etc. f g tol harl, etc., and is the 
 probable reading. 
 
 10. The reading on which our version is 
 based in the clause, he that thresheth in hope, 
 should be partaker of his hope, is found in 
 N c D b and c E, etc. He that thresheth, in hope 
 of partaking, is found in NABC, syr utr f 
 vulg., and is the probable reading. 
 
 15. Than that any one should make my glo- 
 rying void, is the reading in N c CD bandc , K, 
 etc, f vulg. Or no one shall, etc., is to be pre- 
 ferred, on the authority of NDB, d e, and is 
 besides internally probable. 
 
 16. Yea, woe is unto me, in our version, is a 
 poor rendering of a reading found in N°KL, 
 etc. syr utr ; for woe is, etc., is the reading in 
 N ABCD, etc. it vulg sah cop, etc., and is 
 to be preferred. 
 
 19. The gospel of Christ is the reading of 
 D b and C EF, etc. f g syr mr ; of Christ is 
 omitted, on the authority of NABCD, d e 
 vulg, etc. 
 
 20. The clause, not being myself under law, 
 is inserted after the words as under law, on 
 the authority of NABCD, etc. it vulg syrP. 
 
 22. As weak is the reading in N c CF, etc., f 
 g syr utr ; as is to be omitted probably, on the 
 authority of NAB d e vulg. 
 
 23. This I do is the reading in KL, etc. 
 syr utr ; all things, instead of this, is to be 
 read, on the authority of NABCD, etc. it 
 vulg etc. ^_^^_^_ 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 
 marks of God's favor, will insure any one 
 against the punishment visited by God 
 on sin. 1, 2. Analogy in the history of 
 the Israelites to baptism, and 3, 4, to the 
 Lord's Supper. 5. God was nevertheless dis- 
 pleased with them, and destroyed them. 6-11. 
 Typical character of these events, and warn- 
 ing from them against idolatry, fornication, 
 tempting of the Lord, and murmuring. 12, 
 13. Warning against falling, to those that 
 think they stand, and encouragement from 
 the fact that their temptations are such as 
 belong to man, and that God will help the 
 tempted. 14. Application of this warning to 
 the particular sin of idolatry. 15-18. Proof 
 that in partaking of the heathen sacrificial 
 feasts they are guilty of constructive idolatry, 
 (1) from the analogy of the Lord's Supper, 
 and (2) from the analogy of the Jewish sacri- 
 fices. 19-22. Statement of the significance 
 of this entanglement with idol-worship from 
 the fact that, while the idol is nothing per se, 
 he represents the kingdom of Satan, and that 
 implication in idol-worship is therefore fel- 
 lowship with demons. 23-31. Consideration 
 of the cases in which meat that has been used 
 in idol-sacrifices is sold in the market or 
 served at feasts in private houses. 23, 24. 
 General principles applicable to these cases, 
 viz., the indifference of the eating of this 
 meat in itself, and on the other hand, the 
 possibility of injuring others by it. 25-27. 
 Injunction to them, on the basis of these prin- 
 ciples, to eat without any question what they 
 find in these places. 28-30. Injunction to 
 refrain from eating, if any one tells them that 
 the meat has been used in sacrifices, not on 
 their own account, but so as not to lead the 
 man who tells them, to violate his conscience. 
 31-33. General exhortations to do every- 
 thing for the glory of God, and for the good 
 of men. 
 
 Ch. 10: 1. Moreover, brethren, I would 
 not that ye should be ignorant — should be, 
 
 1-13. "Warning from the example of the For I do not wish you i<> be ignorant, breth- 
 Israelites against presumptuous belief that ren. (See Crit. Notes.) This statement in 
 
 a place among God's people, or outward , regard to the Israelites, is intended to prove 
 
84 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. X. 
 
 2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and 
 in the sea, 
 
 3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 
 
 4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink; for 
 they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: 
 and that Rock was Christ. 
 
 2 passed through the sea; and were all baptized 'unto 
 
 3 Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat 
 
 4 the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same 
 spiritual ihiuk: for they drank of a spiritual rock 
 that followed them: and the rock was Christ. 
 
 the preceding representation, that not all who 
 are in the Christian race win the prize, but 
 that self-control, and hard running and fight- 
 ing, are necessary to win the heavenly prize. 
 Our fathers. Paul speaks here, of course, 
 as a Jew, associating himself with his coun- 
 trymen, not with his Gentile readers. All 
 our fathers. Better, our fathers all. The 
 'all' is emphatic, and should be placed after 
 the noun to indicate this, as in the Greek. 
 They all had these privileges, these outward 
 signs that they belonged to the people of God ; 
 but not all of them had the divine favor, (ver,5.) 
 Were under the cloud. (See Ex. 13: 21 
 seq. ; Ps. 105: 39.) The Lord was in the 
 cloud ; so that this is a statement of the divine 
 presence and guidance. And all passed 
 through the sea. (See Ex. 14: 21 seq., 29.) 
 This is a statement of miraculous interposition 
 by the Lord in their behalf. 
 
 2. And were all baptized unto Moses — 
 i. e., were baptized into connection with him 
 as their leader appointed by God. In the 
 cloud and in the sea. It is not necessary 
 to do violence to the record here, in order to 
 justify the figurative allusion to baptism. 
 The Israelites were in the sea, encompassed 
 by the waters, though not submerged ; and 
 though the cloud, according to the statements 
 in Exodus, was before and behind them only, 
 the passage in the Psalms, 105: 39, seems to 
 refer to it as spread as a covering over them ; 
 and the two statements may be combined — 
 they do not necessarily exclude each other. 
 Meyer takes the sea on both sides, and the 
 cloud over them, as together constituting the 
 one act of baptism, which removes all diffi- 
 culty. There is only this objection to the 
 view — viz., that the repetition of the prepo- 
 sition more naturally implies two acts, instead 
 of two parts of the same act. 
 
 3. And did all eat the same spiritual 
 meat — better, food. 'Spiritual' is here to 
 be taken in contrast with natural, not as re- 
 gards the nature of the food, but its source, 
 which was supernatural and miraculous. See 
 Gal. 4: 29, where Lhmael, is said to be born 
 
 according to the flesh, but Isaac according to 
 the Spirit. The Spirit is regarded as the 
 agent in these miracles. 'The same' is em- 
 phatic here, for the same reason as the word 
 'all.' The apostle's argument rests on the 
 fact that they all had these same tokens that 
 they were God's people. There is an allusion 
 here to the Lord's Supper, which is typically 
 represented in the eating and drinking, as 
 baptism is in the passage of the Eed Sea. 
 The spiritual food is the manna. (See Ex. 
 16: 15, 35.) 
 
 4. The spiritual drink, is the water from 
 the rock. (See Ex. 17: 6; Num. 20: 11.) 
 'Spiritual' is to be explained the same as in 
 the expression 'spiritual food.' For they 
 drank of that spiritual rock that fol- 
 lowed them — should be, of a spiritual rock. 
 This statement is intended to confirm what is 
 said of the spiritual drink in the preceding 
 clause, showing that the water that they 
 drank was from a spiritual, or miraculous, 
 source. That followed them. This has 
 given the commentators much trouble, owing 
 largely to the fact that in its literal sense it 
 corresponds to the Jewish tradition, that the 
 rock smitten by Moses actually followed the 
 Israelites in their journey through the wilder- 
 ness, a tradition that has in itself all the ap- 
 pearance of a myth. Leaving aside altogether 
 the bearing of inspiration on the question of 
 Paul's acceptance of such a m 3-th, .the general 
 soberness of his citations from Jewish history 
 is against the supposition that he has here 
 incorporated, and so endorsed, a fanciful tra- 
 dition. There was a great body of such tra- 
 ditions, with which the apostle was familiar, 
 having been brought up in one of the Kab- 
 binical schools; but he avoids it in his writ- 
 ings and speeches, so that it would be a quite 
 exceptional case, if he has here conformed to 
 a tradition, not only outside of the Old Tes- 
 tament history, but inconsistent with that 
 history in its facts and tone. The fact of the 
 apostle's familiarity with the tradition, which 
 has been used to show the probability of the 
 literal interpretation, is, per se, of course 
 
Ch. X.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 85 
 
 5 But with many of them God was nut well pleased: 
 for they wiie overthrown in the wilderness. 
 
 6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent 
 we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 
 
 7 Neither lie ye idolaters, as icen some of them; as it 
 is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and 
 rose up to play. 
 
 5 Howbeit with most of them God was not well 
 pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilder- 
 
 6 ness. Now, 'these tilings were our examples, to the 
 
 intent we should not lust alter evil things, as they 
 
 7 also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some 
 
 of them; as it is written, The people sat down to 
 
 1 Or, in these things they became figures of us. 
 
 favorable to it; but in connection with this 
 other fact, that he makes in general no use of 
 it, is decidedly against that interpretation. 
 There are two ways of explaining the expres- 
 sion, either of which may be admitted, as not 
 doing any unnecessary violence to the lan- 
 guage. We may suppose that the apostle is 
 here thinking of the explanation of the rock, 
 as being Christ, that he gives immediately, 
 and that he represents him in this figurative 
 way as following them through the wilder- 
 ness. Or we may think of the rock as follow- 
 ing them in the stream that flowed from it. 
 It is certainly no great stretch of language to 
 think of them as seeing in the stream the 
 rock from which it flowed, and of the apostle 
 therefore as speaking of the rock that followed 
 them in the same sense. Which one of these 
 two explanations we should adopt will depend 
 on the interpretation of the next sentence. 
 And that rock was Christ— should be, and 
 the rock was Christ. Here again there is a 
 difference of opinion whether the apostle 
 means that the rock was Christ in some real 
 sense, or that it signified, typified Christ. 
 The former meaning is certainly admissible 
 in the sense that Christ, in his pre-Messianic 
 nature and person as the manifested Deit3', 
 the God of creation and of history, was pres- 
 ent in all the miraculous events of that wil- 
 derness sojourn ; and was thus the real source 
 of the Witter supplied to the Israelites, as the 
 rock was its apparent source. And the latter 
 cannot be rejected on the ground of the verb 
 "to be," since the copula often connects 
 things that stand, figuratively or representa- 
 tively, for each other, as in "this is my body," 
 or " that (picture) is (represents) Christ." The 
 meaning then would be that the rock typified 
 Christ, as did *he manna and the living water. 
 On the whole, this latter seems the better ex- 
 planation, as fulling in more readily with the 
 apostle's use of all the things mentioned in 
 these verses as typifying, or standing for, 
 things in the Christian Dispensation. And 
 this being so, it seems better to say that the 
 
 rock followed them in the stream that flowed 
 from it. 
 
 5. But with many of them God was not 
 
 well-pleased— should be, But not with the 
 
 most of them was God ivell-pleascd. The 
 negative is placed early in the sentence, to 
 give it emphasis, and to lay stress on the fact 
 that the statement of the divine favor, com- 
 mon to them all, ends with these outward 
 manifestations of it. When we come to the 
 question, whether they actually had God's 
 favor, all of them, it has to be answered in 
 the negative. And instead of 'many,' it 
 should read 'the most' ; the greater part of 
 them did not have the divine favor. For 
 they were overthrown in the wilderness. 
 See Num. 14: 29, 30, where the statement is 
 that all except Caleb and Joshua died with- 
 out beholding the Holy Land, as a judgment 
 of the Lord on their sins. 
 
 6. Now these things were our exam- 
 ples — should be, became our examples, or, 
 came to pass as our examples, or literally, 
 types. The word means originally, the im- 
 press left by a blow (see John 20: 25) — ase. g., 
 the impression stamped on a seal ; then any 
 image, form, example, or pattern of a thing. 
 The meaning here is that the things corre- 
 sponding to baptism and the Lord's Supper, 
 in the journey of the Israelites to the Holy 
 Land, on the one side, and their overthrow on 
 the other, are typical of the dangers in the 
 Christian's course, and are intended to show 
 him that he, too, may fail of the divine favor 
 at last. To the intent that, etc. The di- 
 vine purpose is to restrain them hy these ex- 
 amples from the sins, and so from the fate, of 
 the Israelites. 
 
 7. Neither be ye idolaters — should be, 
 Neither become, etc. As it is written — the 
 reference is to Ex. 32: 6. To eat and drink 
 — to play. They partook of a sacrificial feast, 
 and then indulged in sports, dancing, etc., in 
 honor of the golden calf which they had 
 made to worship during Moses' absence in the 
 mountain. In what sense the Corinthian 
 
86 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. X. 
 
 8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them 
 committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thou- 
 sand. , , 
 
 9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also 
 tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. 
 
 10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also mur- 
 mured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. 
 
 11 Now all these things happened unto them for en- 
 samples: and they are written for our admonition, upon 
 whom the ends of the world are come. 
 
 12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take 
 heed lest he fall. 
 
 8 eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us 
 commit fornication, as some of them committed, and 
 
 9 fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither 
 let us try the !Lord, as some of them tried, and 
 
 10 perished by the serpents. Neither murmur ye, as 
 some of them murmured, and perished by the de- 
 ll stroyer. Now these things happened unto them 
 2by way of example; and they were written for 
 our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are 
 12 come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he stand. 
 
 1 Some ancient authorities read Christ i Gr. by way of figure. 
 
 Christians were in danger of this, (see ver. 14, 
 seq.,) viz., by partaking of idolatrous feasts. 
 
 8. Nor let us commit fornication, etc. 
 (See Num. 25: 1^9.) The reference is to the sin 
 of the Israelites with the Moabitish women 
 in Shittim. Three and twenty thousand. 
 The history says twenty-four thousand ; and 
 this is the reading in one manuscript of the 
 Vulgate, the Philoxenian Syriac, and the 
 Armenian versions. But it is evidently a cor- 
 rection of the text to remove the discrepancy. 
 As it was not, probably, in the original 
 account an exact, but a round number, there 
 is, of course, a possibility that the exact num- 
 ber lay between these two. But the difficulty 
 is, to account for this single variation from 
 the account in Numbers, among various re- 
 hearsals of it, and that one the latest of them 
 all. It is, in any case, an unimportant mat- 
 ter. Certainly, the various attempts to recon- 
 cile the two have deserved only to be rele- 
 gated, as De Wette says, to an "antiquated 
 hermeneutics." 
 
 9. Neither let us tempt Christ— should 
 be, the Lord. (See Crit. Notes.) By 'the 
 Lord' he means God, which is demanded by 
 the parallel statement, in which the omission 
 of the object shows that the verb is intended 
 to have the same object in both cases. The 
 reference is to Num. 21: 4-6. To 'tempt' 
 God is to try or test him— i. e., to challenge 
 him, as it were, by our sin, to show his justice 
 and power. The particular way in which the 
 Israelites tempted God in this case was by 
 their complaints against him for bringing 
 them out into the wilderness, where they had 
 so poor and scanty fare, when in Egypt 
 there was abundance. Possibly, Paul saw in 
 the Corinthians a similar " hankering after 
 the flesh-pots of Egypt," in their desire for 
 the forsaken pleasures of the old heathen life ; 
 but as he generalizes the particular sin of the 
 Israelites here, he very likely meant to have 
 
 his warning a general one against any temp- 
 tation of the Lord. As also — the 'also' is to 
 to be omitted. (See Crit. Notes.) 
 
 10. As some of them also murmured. 
 'Also' is to be omitted. (See Crit. Notes.) 
 The reference is to Num. 16: 41-49. Many 
 of our reference Bibles refer it to Num. 14: 
 2, 29, in which the destruction of the whole 
 people is foretold, because they murmured 
 against the Lord on the return of the spies 
 with their report from Canaan. But the dif- 
 ference between the 'all' of that account, and 
 the 'some' of this, is against their identifica- 
 tion. And besides, the word destroyer here 
 is naturally used to describe the plague of 
 Num. 16. Cf. 2 Sam. 24: 15-17, where the 
 'pestilence' and the 'destroying angel' are 
 used interchangeably. The murmuring in 
 the passage referred to was against Moses and 
 Aaron, the leaders appointed by the Lord for 
 destroying Korah and his followers, who had 
 rebelled against this leadership. Possibly, 
 Paul had in mind a like disposition among 
 the Corinthians to murmur against their regu- 
 larly appointed teachers. 
 
 11. Now all, etc. ' All ' is probably to be 
 omitted. (See Crit. Notes.) Ensamples. On 
 the use of this word see on 'examples,' ver. 6. 
 Their punishment was an example, or type, of 
 the punishment of disloyal believers, whose 
 relation to God is typified by theirs. And 
 they are written — should be, were written. 
 Upon whom the ends of the world are 
 come — literally, to whom, etc. ; and instead 
 of 'the world,' read, the ages. (See on 1: 20.) 
 The ages are the ages of the world's history, 
 and the apostle means that we belong to the 
 Last Dispensation, or the Gospel Era. In 
 Heb. 9 : 26, Christ's manifestation as the Mes- 
 siah is said to mark the end or completion of 
 the ages. All the preceding ages were in- 
 tended to contribute to this final age. 
 
 \Z. Wherefore — literally, And so—i. e., 
 
Ch. X.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 87 
 
 13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as 13 eth take heed lest he fall. There 1 alh DO teniDta 
 common to man: but God it faithful, who will not tion taken you but such as man can bear; but God 
 
 Buffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will 
 with the temptation also make a way lo escape, that ye 
 
 may be able to bear //. 
 14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. 
 
 is faithful, who will not suffer jrou to be tempted 
 above that ye are abk>; but will with the temptation 
 make also the way of escape, that ye niav be able to 
 
 endure it. 
 14 Wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I 
 
 since those Israelites fell from the divine 
 favor, and since their history is intended to 
 be an example and a warning to us. Stand- 
 eth — fall. These words denote stability in 
 the Christian life, on the one hand; and fall- 
 ing from it into a state of sin, on the other. 
 (Cf. Rom. 11: 20; 14: 4; Eph. 6: 11 seq. ; 
 ch. 16: 13, etc.) The verse is a warning 
 against undue confidence in the mere fact 
 that a man supposes himself a Christian. 
 
 13. There hath no temptation taken 
 you. The verb denotes here the forcible 
 seizure of a person by a strong or evil thing. 
 Such as is common to man. These words 
 are a paraphrase of the single word meaning 
 human. It may denote what comes from 
 man, or what belongs to him. The former is 
 sometimes given as the meaning here, temp- 
 tations coming from man being opposed to 
 those coming from the devil, or from any 
 other superhuman source. But such knowl- 
 edge would be too high and wonderful for the 
 apostle. How should he know all their temp- 
 tations? or how could he discriminate, if he 
 knew them all? The other meaning brings 
 the statement within the apostle's range; he 
 could know, from reason and experience, that 
 their temptations were such as belong to 
 human life. And it is this thought which is 
 developed in the next clause. But God is 
 faithful. God's faithfulness is involved here 
 in his promise to keep all his true children, 
 which would be broken if he allowed them to 
 be tempted beyond human strength. (See 1 : 
 9; John 10: 28 seq., etc.) Who will not 
 suffer you to be tempted ahove that ye 
 are able. This clause contains the statement 
 of that in which the faithfulness of God con- 
 sists — the confirmation of his faithfulness. 
 But will . . . make, etc. This is the state- 
 ment of the way in which God provides 
 against the exposure of his people to too great 
 temptation. It is not by keeping them out of 
 the way of any temptation, but by making a 
 way of escape from them all. Also a way 
 to escape. This implies that the temptation 
 also, as well as the way out, comes from God. 
 
 There is, of course, the distinction to be made 
 between actual solicitation to evil, and the 
 impulse to evil given by a man's circum- 
 stances and position in life. The former can 
 never come from God, (see James 1 : 13) ; but 
 a man's circumstances, both good and evil, do 
 come from God. That ye may be able to 
 bear it. There is a slight mixture of the 
 figures here, a way of escape being a strange 
 way of making us bear a thing. Rut in fact, 
 though not in figure, the ideas consist, escape, 
 and resistance, and endurance, being various 
 methods of denoting the same essential atti- 
 tude towards temptation. 
 
 14. Wherefore, my dearly beloved. In 
 the original, it is simply, my beloved. 'Where- 
 fore,' in view of all that has been said as to 
 the danger that even Christians may fall into 
 sin, and thus incur God's displeasure; and in 
 view, also, of the statement of the divine 
 succor in temptation. Flee from idolatry. 
 The apostle goes on to show that this is the 
 sin to which the Corinthians rendered them- 
 selves liable by perverting and exaggerating 
 their liberty in regard to eating the idol-sacri- 
 fices. Observe the course of thought by which 
 the apostle returns to this subject, discussed in 
 chap. 8. There, he has shown that they are 
 not to use their liberty in regard to this, or 
 any matter, in such a way as to wound the 
 conscience of the weaker brethren. Then, in 
 chap. 9, he shows how he has forborne to use 
 or assert his right as an apostle to the support 
 of the church, and even holds in abeyance 
 his own views in regard to Jewish or Gentile 
 customs, becoming all things to all men, in 
 order to do the most good possible. This 
 leads him to speak of his object in tints sacri- 
 ficing himself for the good of others, which 
 he states to be his anxiety to ao all in his 
 power to obtain his own salvation. Then, in 
 this chapter, he show- the need of this watch- 
 fulness and effort to attain the final award, 
 proving, from the example of the [sraelites, 
 how even God's own people may fall into Bin 
 and forfeit his favor. And, in this connection, 
 be takes up again the matter of idol-sacrifices, 
 
I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. X. 
 
 15 I speak as to wise men ; judge ye what I say. ■ 
 
 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the 
 communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which 
 we break, is it not the communion of thj body of 
 Christ? 
 
 17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: 
 for we are all partakers of that one bread. 
 
 15 speak as to wise men ; judge ye what I say. The 
 
 16 cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a 'commu- 
 nion of the blood of Christ ? The -bread which we 
 break, is it not a ■communion of the body of Christ? 
 
 17 3 seeing that we, who are many, are one - bread, one 
 
 1 Or, participation in 2 Or, loaf 3 Or, seeing that there is one bread, we, who are one body. 
 
 and points out to them the possibility of sin in 
 this matter. 
 
 15. I speak as to wise men ; judge ye 
 what I say— should be, probably, As to tcise 
 men I say, judge ye what I say. The verb in 
 the first clause is used, commonly, with an 
 object, not absolutely like our word, speak; 
 and this makes it probable that the two clauses 
 are to be closely connected, making the second 
 the object of the verb in the first. I say, . . . 
 'judge,' etc. And 'what I say ' probably re- 
 fers to what follows, in regard to the idol- 
 sacrifices, and the analogous case of the Lord's 
 Supper. It is a matter requiring judgment 
 and discrimination ; and he exhorts them, as 
 men of intelligence and understanding, to 
 exercise them. (See on 1: 5, 6.) 
 
 16. The cup of blessing which we 
 bless. Keferring to the giving of thanks, 
 or the blessing, at the Lord's Supper. (See 
 Matt. 26: 27; Mark 14: 23.) The word 
 'bless' here is not to be confounded with 
 the word denoting the giving of thanks. But 
 it is probable (cf. Matt. 26: 26; Mark 14: 22, 
 with Luke 22: 19), that both terms were used 
 to describe the same act, which included in 
 itself both the blessing and the giving of 
 thanks. To 'bless' is, here, to consecrate in 
 prayer, to ask God's blessing on the cup. 
 Is it not the communion of the blood 
 of Christ? It will help us to see the con- 
 nection of thought here to remember that the 
 words translated 'communion' in this verse, 
 'partakers,' (ver.is), and 'fellowship,' (ver. 20), 
 are all forms of the same Greek word. This 
 word means communion, association, fellow- 
 ship ; and the genitive after it may denote 
 either the persons or things with which one is 
 associated, or that in which they are asso- 
 ciated and have part together. Now if we 
 examine the argument, we find that it is here 
 the fellowship or association with the blood 
 and body of Christ that is meant. In the 
 second analogy used, the Israelites, by eating 
 the sacrifices, are represented as partaking 
 with the altar— i. e., as consuming one part, 
 
 while the altar consumes the other part of 
 the sacrifices. And in the conclusion, those 
 who eat the idol-sacrifices are represented in 
 the same way, as in fellowship with demons. 
 So that here, in the other analogy of the 
 Lord's Supper, it must be fellowship with 
 some thing or person that will keep up the 
 correspondence between all the cases, that 
 forms the basis of the argument. Some sup- 
 pose that the fellowship is with believers and 
 in the body of Christ. But this supposes that 
 the point of the argument — viz., that with 
 which we are associated in the Supper, is left 
 out by Paul. Moreover, in the parallel cases, 
 it is not the association with the worshipers, 
 but with the object of worship, that is pointed 
 out. The consistency of the several parts of 
 the argument requires, therefore, that we un- 
 derstand here fellowship with tht blood of, 
 Christ to be meant. But in what sense? It 
 is evident from the passages, (Matt. 26: 2Gaeq.), see 
 
 above; (lCor. ll: 2Sseq. ; John 6: 51 seq.), which give 
 
 the history and explanation of the Lord's 
 Supper, that these symbols represent the 
 sacrificial death of Christ, and that, there- 
 fore, fellowship with the body and blood of 
 Christ, is fellowship with the Lord in his 
 death. The partaking of these emblems 
 brings us into this fellowship. But as the 
 emblems are symbols, not the real bod\ T and 
 blood of the Lord, so our eating and drinking 
 are symbolic acts, representing the faith by 
 which this fellowship is really accomplished. 
 (Cf. John 6: 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 58, with ver. 
 35, 40, 47.) This does not invalidate the apos- 
 tle's argument, because, if we represent or 
 profess in any act our fellowship with a reli- 
 gion, it is the same for the purposes of this 
 argument as if we came into the fellowship 
 by that act. 
 
 17. For we being many, are one bread, 
 and one body; for we are all partakers 
 of that one bread — should bo, Because we, 
 the. many, are one bread, one body; 'for we all 
 partake of the one bread. This verse contains 
 the confirmation of the preceding statement, 
 
Ch. X.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 89 
 
 18 Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which 
 eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 
 
 19 What say I then? that the Idol is anything, or that 
 which is offered in sacrifice to idols is anything? 
 
 20 But I say, that the tilings which the Gentiles sac- 
 rifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to Cjod: and I 
 would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. 
 
 21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup 
 of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, 
 and of the table of devils. 
 
 18 body: for wo all partake 'of the one -bread. Be- 
 hold Israel after the llesb; have not they who eat 
 
 19 the sacrifices communion with the altar? What 
 say l then? that a thing sacrifice*! to idols is any 
 
 20 thing, or that an idol is any thing? But /*ay, that 
 the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacri- 
 fice to demons, and not to Uod: and I would not 
 
 21 that ye should have communion with demons. Ye 
 cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of 
 demons: ye cannot partake of the table of the Lord, 
 
 1 Gv.from 2 Or, loaf. 
 
 that in the Lord's Supper there is a fellowship 
 with the body and blood of Christ — i. e., with 
 his death. The confirmation consists in this, 
 that the many who partake form one body — 
 i. e., one spiritual body — and this for the rea- 
 son, that they all partake of the one bread. 
 What constitutes this unifying element must, 
 therefore, be something more than mere 
 bread. We must look behind that to the 
 spiritual fact represented by it, and that fact 
 is the death of Christ; and the believer's fel- 
 lowship with it by faith is represented by his 
 eating of the bread. And the apostle, in ap- 
 plying this principle to the case of eating 
 what remains from idol-sacrifices, would say 
 that the Corinthians must look not merely at 
 the meat as meat, but at the heathen worship 
 which it represents. 'One bread' represents, 
 under another figure, the same fact as the 
 'one body,' the hread in the Lord's Supper 
 representing the body of Christ, with which 
 we are brought into fellowship. 
 
 18. Behold Israel after the flesh— dis- 
 tinguished from the spiritual Israel, the heirs 
 of Abraham's faith. Are not they which 
 eat of the sacrifices partakers of the 
 altar? — should be, with the altar. (Cf. 9: 
 13; ver. 16, and Notes on each.) The word 
 'partakers' here is from the same root as the 
 word 'communion' there, and the meaning 
 is the same, viz., fellows, associates, of the 
 altar. This association is in virtue of eating 
 what remains of the things offered on it. The 
 argument is the same as in the preceding 
 analogy of the Lord's Supper, and is substan- 
 tially this, that eating and drinking, con- 
 nected with a religious service, cannot be dis- 
 sociated from that service and considered 
 merely as eating and drinking. 
 
 It). That the idol is anything? or that 
 which is offered in sacrifice to idols is 
 anything?* The words 'idol' and 'that 
 which is offered in sacrifice to idols' an- to be 
 transposed. (See Crit. Notes.) What the 
 
 apostle has just said, having for its obvious 
 conclusion that there is complicity with idol- 
 worship in partaking of a feast in an idol 
 temple, and therefore sin, seems to contradict 
 what he said in ch. 8, that an idol is nothing, 
 and that the eating of the idol-sacrifices is 
 thereforean indifferent matter. Theansweris 
 of course negative, as implied in the adversative 
 'but,' with which the next statement begins. 
 
 20. But, etc. This is in contrast with the 
 implied negative answer to the preceding 
 question. They sacrifice to devils. (Cf. 
 Deut. 32: 17; Ps. 100: 37.) There is some 
 doubt as to the meaning of the word trans- 
 lated 'devils' in these passages from the Old 
 Testament. But in the Septuagint, which 
 Paul wouid very likely have in mind, and in 
 the Syriac, it is rendered demons. As Paul 
 uses it, this statement cannot mean that the 
 heathen deities are demons, which would 
 directly contradict his statement in ch. 8 that 
 they are nothing. It can only mean that in 
 sacrificing to them, men are serving the devil 
 and his demons, instead of God. Such wor- 
 ship forms a part of the service of the God of 
 this world, the same as any sin. These deities, 
 though in themselves nothing, represent the 
 kingdom of darkness ruled by the demons. 
 And I would not, etc. — should be, And I do 
 not wish you to become fellows of demons, or 
 partakers with demons. Here is the applica- 
 tion to the matter in hand of the principle 
 gathered from the analogous cases of the 
 Lord's Supper and of the Jewish sacrifices. 
 The principle is, that you must look at the 
 worship, the religious fact represented by the 
 idol-sacrifices and sacrificial feasts. Then, in 
 answer to the question, Is there, in fact, any- 
 thing represented by them, seeing that the 
 idol is in itself nothing? the apostle shows 
 that there is really a demon-worship in it. 
 And lie would certainly not wish them to 
 have fellowship in any way with that. 
 
 21. Ye cannot drink the cup of the 
 
90 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. X. 
 
 22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy ? are we 
 stronger than he? 
 
 23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not 
 expedient: all things are lawful for iue, but all things 
 edify not. 
 
 24 Let no man seek his own, but every man another's 
 wealth. 
 
 25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, ask- 
 ing no question for conscience' sake: 
 
 22 and of the table of demons. Or do we provoke the 
 Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he? 
 
 23 All things are lawful; but all things are not expe- 
 dient. All things are lawful; but all things J edify 
 
 24 not. Let no man seek his own, but each his ueigh- 
 
 25 hour's good. Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, 
 
 1 Or, build not up. 
 
 Lord, and the cup of devils, or demons— a 
 moral impossibility, based, of course, on the 
 oppositeness of tbe two things. Cf. Matt. 6: 
 24, "Ye cannot serve God and Mammon." 
 The cup of the Lord . . . the Lord's 
 table. The cup and table in the Lord's 
 Supper; the cup and table of demons, are 
 those used in the sacrificial feasts of the hea- 
 then. 
 
 22. Do we provoke the Lord to jeal- 
 ousy?— should be, Or do ive, etc., presenting 
 an alternative to the preceding statement, Or 
 do we, by combining these two incongruous 
 things, provoke the Lord's jealousy, who will 
 have himself alone, and no other with him, 
 worshiped? Some interpreters substitute here 
 the more general word ' anger : for 'jealousy.' 
 But it is doubtful if the original has that 
 meaning, and it is, besides, not so fitting here. 
 Jealousy is just the feeling belonging to a case 
 like this, in which others are put in the Lord's 
 place, or beside him. Are we stronger than 
 he? They ought to be, the apostle would 
 say, if they are going to provoke him to jeal- 
 ousy. And so this becomes, as Chrysostom 
 says, the reductio ad absurdum of their posi- 
 tion. By 'the Lord' here is probably meant 
 Christ, as appears from the connection with 
 ver. 21, from which the thought would carry 
 on the term with the same meaning. 
 
 It is to be noticed in comparing this discus- 
 .sion with that in ch. 8, that the apostle is here 
 speaking of the sacrificial feasts in the tem- 
 ples of the heathen gods. And it is this par- 
 ticular form of eating the sacrificial food that 
 he condemns as idolatry, while in general 
 such eating is morally indifferent. That this 
 is the reference, appears from the expressions, 
 'cup of demons,' 'table of demons,' which 
 apply to the sacrificial feasts only. In these, 
 the sacrificial character of the things eaten is 
 retained ; they are eaten as idol-sacrifices, 
 and the feast is in honor of the deity. In the 
 other uses of the idol-sacrifices this character 
 is lost, and the meat returns to its original use 
 
 as simply food, so that the eating of it be- 
 comes, as the apostle shows, an indifferent 
 matter. 
 
 23. All things are lawful for me. 'For 
 me' is to be omitted in both parts of the 
 verse. (See Crit. Notes.) This statement is 
 to be limited to indifferent matters, not having 
 a positive moral quality. (See on 6: 12.) But 
 all things are not expedient — better, but 
 not all things profit ; they are not morally 
 profitable to the person doing them. But all 
 things edify not — better, but not all things 
 build up; they do not build the Christian 
 character of others in the church. Both the 
 use of the word, and the development of the 
 thought in the following verses, show that it 
 is others, and not the person himself, to whom 
 the verb applies. On the use of this verb, see 
 on 8 : 1 ; and on the word translated 'are not 
 expedient,' see on 6 : 12. The verse is intended 
 to introduce the apostle's statement in regard 
 to eating the meat offered in sacrifice to idols, 
 when it is sold in the market-place, or served 
 up at a private house. In both these cases he 
 regards it as an indifferent matter, to which 
 this general statement applies. 
 
 24. Let no man seek his own, but every 
 man another's wealth — should be, but the 
 other's. (See Crit. Notes.) 'The other's' — ■ 
 by this is meant the other person concerned 
 with any one in a transaction. The words 
 every man are to be omitted. (See Crit. Notes. ) 
 This principle, that no one is to seek his own, 
 but the other's interest, is what is to guide 
 them in such questions as this of sacrificial 
 meats, in connection with the preceding state- 
 ment, that not all things that are allowable 
 edify. The mere lawfulness of any action is 
 not enough, according to these two statements, 
 to determine what we shall do. AVe must also 
 inquire whether it will benefit or injure others. 
 
 25. Whatsoever is sold in the shambles 
 — better, everything that is *•>/<! in the market. 
 Asking no question for conscience' sake. 
 They might have conscientious scruples about 
 
Ch. X.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 91 
 
 26 For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness 
 thereof. 
 
 27 If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, 
 and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, 
 eat, asking do question for conscience 1 sake. 
 
 28 Bui if any niati say unto you, This is offered in 
 sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, 
 and for conscience' sake: for the earth is the Lord's, 
 and the fulness thereof: 
 
 29 Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: 
 for why is my liberty judged of another man's con- 
 science? 
 
 80 For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil 
 spoken of for that for which I give thanks? 
 
 26 eat, asking no question for conscience' sake; for the 
 
 27 earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. If one 
 of them thai believe not biddeth yon to a feorf, and 
 ye are disposed to go ; whatsoever is Bet beii 
 
 28 eat, asking no question for conscience' sake. Bui if 
 any man say unto you, This hath been oil, red in 
 sacriliee, eat not, for his sake that shewed it, and 
 
 29 for conscience' sake: conscience, l miv, nol thine 
 own, but the other's; for why is mv liberty judged 
 
 30 by another conscience? 'If I by grace partake, why 
 aui I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks'? 
 
 1 Or, If I partake with thankfulness. 
 
 eating meat that had been used in idol-sacri- 
 fices, even by chance, and so make inquiries 
 whether the meat sold was of that kind or not. 
 The apostle, therefore, tells them to buy and 
 eat, without asking such questions. Of course, 
 his reason is thatsuch scruples are unnecessary. 
 
 26. For the earth is the Lord's, etc. 
 This passage from Ps. 24: 1, the apostle cites 
 as a reason for the preceding injunction to eat 
 everything sold in the market. He argues in 
 the same way in 1 Tim. 4: 4, saying that 
 "every creature of God is good.'' "We are 
 not, therefore, to ask whether anything good 
 to eat is holy or unholy — i. e., whether it 
 belongs to the Lord or to the devil ; for all 
 things of the kind are the Lord's, and to be 
 taken with thankfulness. How such things 
 may be defiled by actual association with the 
 worship of idols he has already shown in ver. 
 16-22. But this defilement does not remain 
 after the meat has been taken out of this asso- 
 ciation and sold in the market as food. 
 
 27. Bid you to a feast — a feast at a private 
 house is meant; the temple-feasts are forbid- 
 den, (ver. 21,22.) And y e be disposed to go 
 — literally, you wish to go. This is inserted, 
 because the going is something about which 
 the apostle says nothing; he leaves that to 
 themselves. Whatsoever — literally, every- 
 thing that. The principle here is the same as 
 in the preceding case. 
 
 28. This is offered in sacrifice to idols. 
 The words 'to idols' are to be omitted. (See 
 Crit. Notes.) Eat not for his sake that 
 shewed it, and for conscience' sake. 
 This alters the case. They were not to ask 
 any question for the satisfaction of their own 
 conscience, because there was no ground for 
 conscientious scruples; but if any one told 
 them what showed that he had such scruples, 
 it complicated the matter by giving them 
 another conscience besides their own to care 
 
 for. 'And for conscience' sake.' Whose 
 conscience, he tells us in the next verse. For 
 the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness 
 thereof. Th's is to be omitted. (See Crit. 
 Notes. ) 
 
 29. Conscience— should be, but conscience. 
 (See Crit. 'Notes.) But of the other. The 
 one who gave him the information is meant. 
 The principle on which this rests is stated, ch. 
 8, 7-13. Their example might lead the man 
 to do what was contrary to his conscience. 
 Their doing what is right in itself might lead 
 him to do what was for him wrong. For why 
 is my liberty judged of (should be, by) 
 another man's conscience? Omit ' man's.' 
 This gives the reason why it is not for the sake 
 of his own conscience,but of the other's, that lie 
 should refrain from eating, viz., that what he 
 can do is not a matter for another conscience 
 to decide for him. As to what is right for 
 himself, each man is to be his own judge, and 
 no other man's conscience can be made the 
 tribunal to judge his actions. Hence, when 
 the man's own conscience has adjudged him 
 liberty to do a thing, no other conscience can 
 sit in judgment on it, and annul that decision. 
 Other consciences may be employed as coun- 
 sel, but the judge is the individual conscience. 
 
 30. For if I by grace be a partaker— 
 should be, If I partake with thankfulness. 
 'For' is to be omitted. 'But' is found in 
 the Text. Rec, but not on good authority. 
 (See Crit. Notes.) The word translated 
 'grace' in the Common Version is the ordi- 
 nary New Testament word for ' grace,' but it 
 also means thankfulness; a meaning which is 
 required by the connection with the verb 
 'give thanks' in the next clause. The pro- 
 noun 'I' is emphatic here and in the clause 
 ' I give thanks.' 'I partake with thankful- 
 ness, and that settles the matter for me.' As 
 Bengel says: "The act of giving thanks Banc- 
 
92 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Ch. X. 
 
 31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever 31 Whether therefore yeeat.or drink, or whatsoever ye 
 ye do, do all to the glory of God. \ 32 do, do all to the glory of God. Give no occasion of 
 
 32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the 
 Gentiles, nor to the church of God: 
 
 33 Even as 1 please all men in all thing?, not seeking 
 miue own profit, but the profit of many, that they may 
 be saved. 
 
 stumbling, either to Jews or to Greeks, or to the 
 33 church of God: even as I also please all men in all 
 things, seeking not miue own profit, but the prujft of 
 the many, that they may be saved. 
 
 tifies all the food, denies the authority of 
 idols, asserts that of God." Cf. Rom. 14: 6; 
 1 Tim. 4: 3, where this effect of thanksgiving 
 i is clearly stated. It associates the act of eat- 
 ing with the worship of God, and so of course 
 leaves no room for the supposition that it is an 
 entanglement with idol-worship. 
 
 31. Whether, therefore, ye eat or drink, 
 or whatsoever ye do — the last clause should 
 he, or do anything. The eating and drinking 
 are to he taken generally, not confined to the 
 eating of idol-sacrifices. Do all to the glory 
 of God — i. e., with this glory in view. This 
 general principle, to regulate all their action, 
 is the conclusion in which he sums up what 
 has preceded. They are not to use their 
 liberty, based on the moral indifference of 
 any action, in such a way as to dishonor God. 
 
 32. Give none offence should be, become 
 not stumbling-blocks— i. e., this is the nearest 
 approach to a translation that I can make of a 
 phrase which means, literally, become without 
 occasion for stumbling. The constant use of 
 the word 'offence' for this and kindred words 
 is one of the things that mar our common ver- 
 sion. The meaning is, Do not by your actions 
 lead others into sin. Jews . . Gentiles . . 
 church of God — The first two classes make 
 up the world. The word translated ' Gentiles' 
 means, literally, Greeks. (See on 1: 22.) 
 
 33. Even as I — better, as also I. In what 
 way he pleases men he describes in 9 : 19 seq. ; 
 viz., by conforming to their notions in indif- 
 ferent matters. But the profit of many — 
 should be, of the many, opposing 'the many' 
 to himself as 'one.' That they may be 
 saved — this is the advantage that he sought for 
 others, and for which he sacrificed such things 
 as his personal opinion about the differences 
 between Jews and Greeks, those under law 
 and those not under law. 
 
 CRITICAL NOTES. — CHAPTER X. 
 
 1. Moreover is the reading in N C KL syr utr , 
 etc. For is to be substituted on the authority 
 of X I: ABCD, etc., it vulg sah cop, etc. 
 
 9. Christ is found in DEFG, etc. it. vulg. 
 
 S y r sch and p txt g^ e t C- ; the Lord is the prob- 
 able reading, being found in XBCP, etc., 
 syrP m s, etc. Alyp in the second clause is found 
 in D C EKL, etc. It is to be omitted on the 
 authority of XABCD*, etc., it vulg sah cop 
 syrP, etc. 
 
 10. Also in the second clause is found in 
 only KL, etc., and is to be omitted. 
 
 11. All is found in XCDEFG, etc. it vulg 
 syr utr cop, etc. It is omitted in AB sah, etc. 
 The external authority is decidedly in favor 
 of its retention, but internal evidence is against 
 it on the ground that it would naturally be in- 
 serted, but not omitted, by a transcriber. 
 
 19. The order of the words idol and that 
 which is offered in sacrifice to idols in our ver- 
 sion, is found in KL syr utr , etc. The reverse 
 order is found in N a BC* ;i: 'D, etc., it vulg sah 
 cop, and is to be preferred. 
 
 23. For me in the first part of the verse is 
 found in*X c C 3 H, syr utr , etc. It is to be omit- 
 ted on the authority of M*ABC*D, etc. it 
 vulg (most MSS.) sah cop, etc. Substantially 
 the same authority justifies its omission in the 
 second part of «;he verse. 
 
 24. Every man is found in only D b and c 
 EKL, etc., s3 T r utr , etc., and is to be omitted. 
 
 28. Offered in sacrifice unto idols is the 
 reading of CPEF, etc., gvulg syrP cop, etc. ; 
 offered in sacrifice simply is found in NABH 
 sah, syr sch d. <\ f, etc., and is the preferred 
 reading. For the earth is the Lord's and the 
 fulness thereoJ v is found in only H**KL syrP, 
 etc., and is to be omitted. 
 
 30. There is no conjunction at the beginning 
 of this verse on any good authorit}'. Bui is 
 found in a few cursives, and for in two cur- 
 sives and one manuscript of the vulg. 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 
 1. Exhortation to imitate Paul, clos- 
 ing the discussion of the preceding chapter. 
 2. Praise for their general mindfulness of his 
 instructions. 3-15. Injunction against wo- 
 men's speaking or praying in the meetings of 
 the church with uncovered head; (1) because, 
 in the divine order, woman comes below man, 
 
Ch. XL] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 93 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 BE ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. 
 2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember 
 
 me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered 
 them to you. 
 
 3 But I would have you know, that the head of every 
 man is Christ ; and the head of the woman is the man"; 
 and the head of Christ is God. 
 
 1 Be ye imitators of me, even a* I also am of Christ. 
 
 2 Now I praise you that ye remember me In all 
 things, and hold fast the traditions, even us i d<- 
 
 8 Uveredthem to you. But J would have you know, 
 that the bead of every man Is Christ ; ana tin head; 
 of the woman is the man, and the head of ( hrist is 
 
 and should wear the head covering as a sign 
 of subjection, 3-5, 7; (2), because not to wear it 
 puts the woman on a level with shameless wo- 
 men who wear the head shorn, 6; (3), because 
 of the angels who are witnesses of our con- 
 duct, 10; (4), because the natural sense of pro- 
 priety testifies to the fitness of the custom. 
 13-15. Confirmation of (1) from the fact that 
 woman originally was formed from man, and 
 made for him, instead of the opposite, 8, 9. 
 Injunction against contentiousness in this 
 matter, 16. 
 
 17-19. General charge that there are divis- 
 ions in the church, manifested in their meet- 
 ings. 20-34. Charges and instructions in 
 regard to the observance of the Lord's Supper. 
 20-22. They do not wait until the cburch is 
 assembled before they begin ; the rich, eating 
 gluttonously themselves, do not share with 
 their poor brethren, and thus despise the 
 church and shame the poor. 23-26. He 
 shows them how to observe the Supper accord- 
 ing to directions received from the Lord, 
 bringing out the solemn significance of the 
 ordinance as a rebuke of their levity in its ob- 
 servance. 27. Unworthy eating and drink- 
 ing, which fails to recognize this meaning of 
 the elements, is therefore, a sin against the 
 body and blood of the Lord. 28, 29. Neces- 
 sity that they examine themselves, and par- 
 take of the Supper with a knowledge and 
 recognition of its meaning. 30. Failure to 
 do this the cause of sickness and death among 
 them. 31,32. By judging themselves, they 
 would escape this judgment of God, which in 
 its turn is intended to preserve them from 
 final condemnation. 33,34. Final injunction 
 that they wait for each other in the celebration 
 of the Supper, and satisfy their hunger at 
 home. 
 
 Ch. 11 : 1. Be ye followers — should be, 
 Become imitators. In the connection this re- 
 fers to the apostle's self-sacrifice and regard 
 for others, mentioned in 10: 33. This ver., 
 therefore, belongs with the preceding chapter. 
 
 Even as I also am of Christ. This does 
 not state the limitation of the preceding ex- 
 hortation, making it equivalent to so far as f 
 follow Christ. But it enforces the exhortation 
 to imitate him by referring to his own imita- 
 tion of Christ in this matter of self-denial. 
 (See Phil. 2: 4-8; Rom. 15: 1-3.) 
 
 2. Now I praise you, brethren. The 
 word brethren is to be omitted. (See Crit. 
 Notes.) With this verse the apostle begins 
 a new subject. Ye remember me. Tliev 
 have him and his teachings in mind in what- 
 ever they do. And keep the ordinances. 
 The word 'ordinances' is everywhere else in 
 the New Testament rendered 'traditions.' It 
 denotes, properly, the transmission of history, 
 teachings, etc., either orally or in writing, and 
 then, by a usage peculiar to the New Testa- 
 ment, the thing transmitted. It is applied l>y 
 the apostle to both hisdoctrines and the usages 
 taught by him. (Cf. 2 Thess. 2: 15; 3: 6.) 
 Here it is the usages. As I delivered them 
 — should be, as I have delivered them. With 
 this general commendation, the apostle, with 
 his usual tact and kindliness, prepares the way 
 for the strictures on their practice in two par- 
 ticulars, which follow in this chapter. 
 
 3. But I would have you know— better, 
 But I wish you to know. The conjunction is 
 slightly adversative, placing the teaching that 
 follows in contrast with the general praise 
 that precedes. The head of every man is 
 Christ. By 'the head' he means the superior, 
 the master placed over him. 'Of every man' 
 — i. e., in the class Christians that he is ad- 
 dressing. The apostle is giving here the order 
 of rank in the Christian system, beginning 
 with man, and showing Christ above him, and 
 the woman below him, and then finally God 
 over Christ. This rank and subordination 
 form the principle on which the apostle bases 
 his teaching in regard to the veiling of women, 
 There are two difficulties in this statement; 
 first, the apparent conflict between this repre- 
 sentation of the subordination of women and 
 Gal. 3: 28, in which man and woman are 
 
94 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XI. 
 
 4 Every man praying or prophesying, having Ait 
 head covered, dishonoreth his head. 
 
 5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with 
 her head uncovered dishonoreth her head: for that is 
 even all one as if she were shaven. 
 
 6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be 
 shorn : but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or 
 shaven, let her be covered. 
 
 7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, for- 
 asmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the 
 woman is the glory of the man. 
 
 4 God. Every man praying or prophesying, having 
 
 5 his head covered, dishonoureth his head. But every 
 woman praying or prophesying with her head un- 
 veiled dishonoureth her head: for it is one and the 
 
 6 same thing as if she were shaven. For if a woman 
 is not veiled, let her also he shorn : hut if it is a 
 shame to a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be 
 
 7 veiled. For a man indeed ought not to have his 
 
 said to be one ; and second, the difference 
 between this statement in regard to the sub- 
 ordination of the Son to the Father, and 
 passages which express their oneness. Both 
 difficulties are only apparent. The passage 
 in Galatians denotes the unity, and not neces- 
 sarily the equality, of man and woman. The 
 nature of the apostle's argument in that pas- 
 sage is not such as to involve any question of 
 equality of condition. He starts with the 
 difference between Jews and Gentiles, and 
 shows that it is not such as will make the 
 obtaining of salvation, or of the blessings of 
 salvation, different in the two. Then he 
 passes from this to the other distinctions of 
 race, condition, and sex, showing the same 
 thing in reference to them. All this would 
 not affect the question here considered, of 
 social position and relative rank. As to the 
 other difficulty, the passages which state the 
 oneness of the Father and Son deal with the 
 unity of the divine nature, or essence, or 
 interests in the two, or with some other aspect 
 of their relations, but none of them touch 
 this question of rank and subordination, nor 
 is any one inconsistent with the statements, 
 made here and elsewhere, of the subordina- 
 tion of the Son. 
 
 4. Every man praying or prophesying. 
 This word 'prophesying' is not restricted in 
 Greek, as it is in English, to the foretelling of 
 future events, but denotes inspired teaching 
 in general. (Cf. ch. 13 and 14.) Further- 
 more, this word, like our word 'preach,' re- 
 fers always to public utterance, so that the 
 praying would probably be of the same char- 
 acter, which also appears from the nature of 
 the subject. It is only in meetings of the 
 church that the apostle would consider these 
 directions about veiling necessary. Dis- 
 honoreth his head — viz., because it is the 
 sign of subjection, (cf. ver. 10), while his 
 position, being next to Christ and above 
 woman, is a position of honor and supe- 
 riority. The question is often asked, why the 
 
 regulation is such as to represent the subjec- 
 tion of woman to man, and not their common 
 subjection to God? The answer seems to be, 
 that nature, to which the apostle appeals in 
 confirmation of his view, (see ver. 13 and 14), 
 prompts us to regard and represent human 
 relations in all such matters. And if the 
 question is further asked, why the apostle 
 refers to the divine position in his rank-list, 
 the answer is, probably, that he regards man's 
 position next to Christ as adding to his honor, 
 rather than detracting from it. (Cf. ver. 7.) 
 
 5. For that is even all one, as if she 
 were shaven — should be, For she is one and 
 the same with the woman that is shorn. The 
 unveiled woman is the subject, not the being 
 unveiled ; and she is said to be the same as a 
 woman whose hair is cut off. This shorn head 
 was not only unwomanly, it was also the sign 
 of a harlot, and was hence more disgraceful 
 than now. 'One and the same.' The long 
 hair and the veil were both intended as a 
 covering of the head, and as a sign of true 
 womanliness, and of the right relation of 
 woman to man ; and hence the absence of one 
 had the same significance as that of the other. 
 
 6. For if the '.voman be not covered — 
 should be, Is not covered — i. e., veiled. Let 
 her be also shorn. If she puts off the arti- 
 ficial covering, let her be consistent, and take 
 the next step, putting off the natural covering 
 of the head, which is intended for the same 
 purpose. But if it be a shame — should be, 
 is a shame. The argument here is, that veil- 
 ing and long hair on the one side, and unveil- 
 ing and short hair on the other, are consistent 
 with each other, belonging in the same class 
 together; and that, therefore, an unveiled 
 woman is constructively the same as a woman 
 with her hair cut. 
 
 7. For, etc. Here we have the applica- 
 tion of the statement of ver. 3 to the ques- 
 tion. Forasmuch as he is — literally, simply, 
 being. The image and glory of God. The 
 word 'image' contains the idea of general 
 
Ch. XI] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 95 
 
 8 For the man is not of the woman; but the woman 
 of the man. 
 
 9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but 
 the woman lor the man. 
 
 10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on 
 her head because of the angels. 
 
 11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the wo- 
 man, neither the woman without the man, in the 
 Lord. 
 
 12 For as the woman is of the man, even so it the 
 man also by the woman: but all things of God. 
 
 head veiled, forasmuch as he is t h<- Image and 
 glory ofUod: but the woman Is the glory of the 
 man. For the man is u,,t of the woman; but 
 the woman of the man: for neither was the man 
 created for the woman; but the woman for the man- 
 
 tor this cau>e ought the woman to have a Hon of 
 
 authority on her head, because of ih • angels How- 
 beil neither is the woman without the man nor the 
 
 man without, the woman, in the Lord, lor as the 
 woman is of the man, so is the man al>o l»v the wo- 
 
 likeness to God in man's spiritual faculties. 
 The word 'glory ' has been restricted by some 
 to the dominion that man 1ms over the lower 
 creation. (See Gen. 1: 26 seq. ) It is not 
 supposed, of course, that anything in the 
 word restricts it to this meaning, but that the 
 context limits us to this, the general subject 
 being man's independence and lordship. But 
 the immediate context seems to be against this 
 limitation; for the word 'image' with which 
 this is connected certainly suggests no such 
 limitation; and this same word 'glory,' as 
 applied to woman, cannot be so limited. 
 Probably it carries forward the idea of the 
 word ' image,' denoting the kind of nature, 
 the glorious being, that man has through his 
 likeness to God. The argument is here from 
 man's relations to God, as in the preceding 
 verses from his relations to woman. Man, 
 being directly the image of God, occupies a 
 position of honor which is incompatible with 
 the veiling of his head, that being a sign of 
 dependence. But the woman is the glory 
 of the man. According to. the account in 
 Gen. 1 : 26, 27, she is equally with man made 
 in the image of God. But according to Gen. 
 2, she acquires this indirectly by derivation 
 from man, not directly from God; and thus 
 the sign of dependence becomes fitting to her. 
 
 8. For the man is not of the woman, 
 but the woman of the man — should be, For 
 man is not from woman, bat woman from man. 
 (See Gen. 2: 18 seq.) This refers, of course, 
 to the original creation, not to the propagation 
 of the species. It confirms the statement of 
 the preceding verse, that woman is the glory 
 of man, which is true only through this fact 
 of original creation. 
 
 9. Neither was the man created for the 
 
 woman, but the woman for the man — 
 
 should be, For also man vms not created on 
 
 account of the woman, but woman on account 
 
 of the. man. This is an additional fact CO n- 
 
 i 
 firming the previous one. Woman, being for 
 
 man, naturally comes after him and from him, 
 and not the reverse. (See Gen. 2: 18.) 
 
 10. For this cause ought the woman to 
 have power on her head — should be, 
 
 authority instead of 'power.' By a singular 
 metonymy the word denotes a sign of being 
 under authority, viz., of the man. Because 
 of the angels. The allusion hen- i> nut mys- 
 terious or recondite, but simply to the presence 
 of angels, whose witness of our actions should 
 be a restraint and an impulse to us, like the 
 presence of till good beings. The motive is 
 the same as in Heb. 12: 1, though the beings 
 referred to are different. As to this presence 
 of angels, see Heb. 1 : 14. 
 
 11. Nevertheless, neither is the man 
 without the woman, nor the woman 
 without the man, in the Lord— should be, 
 Nevertheless, neither is woman without man, 
 nor man without woman in the Lord. (See 
 Crit. Notes.) This is a statement modifying 
 the preceding representation of the supremacy 
 of man. The man is not independent of the 
 woman, any more than the woman of the man. 
 'In the Lord '—in their relations to each other 
 as Christians. It does not refer, therefore, to 
 the relation of the sexes in procreation, us 
 might be supposed without this modifying 
 clause, but to their general relations in life. 
 
 12. For as the woman is of the man, 
 even so is the man also by the woman — 
 should be, from the man, and, through ih<' 
 woman. The former refers to the original 
 creation, and the latter to the continuance of 
 the race. And the prepositions arc chosen 
 with reference to this relation, the one denot- 
 ing the original source, and the other the 
 means or more immediate cause. The tir.'ti- 
 ment is from the natural order in creation, 
 constituting mutual dependence, to the general 
 relation of dependence in the Christian life 
 stated in the preceding verse. But all things 
 of God — should be, from Qod. 'All things' 
 — viz., till the things mentioned. All these 
 
96 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XI. 
 
 13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman 
 prav unto (Jod uncovered? 
 
 14 Doth not.even nature itself teach you that, if a 
 man have long hair, it is a shame unto him '.' 
 
 1.5 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: 
 for her hair is given her for a covering. 
 
 16 But if any man seem to he contentious, we have 
 no such custom, neither the churches of God. 
 
 13 man ; hut all things are of God. Judge ye ' in your- 
 selves: is it seemly that a woman pray unto God 
 
 14 unveiled? Doth not even nature itself teach you, 
 that, if a man have long hair, it is a dishonour to 
 
 In him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory 
 to her: for her hair is given her for a covering. 
 
 16 But if any man seemeth to be contentious, we have 
 no such custom, neither the churches of God. 
 
 ] Or, among. 
 
 relations have a divine origin, and so are. 
 3acred. The natural order is the divine order, 
 and so not to be set aside. 
 
 13. Judge in yourselves. As we should 
 say, for yourselves, instead of depending on 
 the judgment of others. The preposition de- 
 notes the inwardness of the act. Is it comely 
 — better, proper, befitting — that a woman 
 pray unto God uncovered? The one to 
 whom the prayer is addressed is named, in 
 order to indicate the solemnity of the act. 
 They are thus made to feel the incongruitj' of 
 the costume. Paul has already made them 
 see the unfitness of the unveiled head for 
 woman, its immodesty and unwomanliness, 
 and now, with that impression on their minds, 
 he asks if it is proper to pray to God in such 
 unseemly fashion. 
 
 14. Doth not even nature itself. Some 
 commentators say this means nature in the 
 objective sense. Alford says that it refers to 
 "the fact that woman has long hair naturally, 
 and man short hair." But is this due to 
 nature, or to the barber? De Wette explains 
 it as meaning "conformity to the law of the 
 organism." But he says that the teaching is 
 by an impulse or feeling — i. e., he makes 
 nature here objective, but explains it after all 
 in such a way as to make the statement refer 
 to the instinct in man, leading him to cut his 
 hair, not to the natural shortness of it. Meyer 
 and Grimm say that nature here is the natural 
 sense of propriety as opposed to custom, art, 
 or law. This is probably the meaning. 
 
 15. For her hair is given her for a cov- 
 ering — should be, Because her hair has been 
 given her in place of a covering. The word 
 'covering' is limited by the connection to a 
 covering for the head, or veil. The apostle's 
 argument is that her long hair is a glory to 
 woman, because it is a natural veil, and that 
 this is therefore a providential indication of 
 the propriety of the veil itself for woman, and 
 of its impropriety for man. 
 
 16. But if any man seem to be conten- 
 
 tious — should be, But if any one thinks to be 
 contentious. The verb means also 'to seem.' 
 But with this meaning we have to suppose a 
 refinement of expression by which an evil 
 thing is politely spoken of as seeming to be, 
 instead of being. (See Winer, 6113.) The 
 other meaning, 'thinks to be,' has it in his 
 mind to be, gives a fitting sense without any 
 such unnecessary device. We have no such 
 custom. The pronoun here probably refers 
 to the apostles. Meyer's explanation — I and 
 those like-minded — seems weak. De "Wette 
 andRuckert's — the apostle himself— introduces 
 the rare plural of authorship, without any 
 sufficient reason. The reference to the whole 
 body of apostles is common to Paul, and gives 
 a generality and force of authority appropriate 
 in the connection, and corresponding to the 
 mention of the churches of God in the next 
 clause. ' We have no such custom.' This is 
 generally referred by commentators to the 
 habit of contentiousness, but also by some to 
 the habit of women praying with uncovered 
 heads. The former is the immediate subject, 
 and the latter the general subject. One diffi- 
 culty in making it refer to the unveiling of 
 women in prayer is to explain the pronoun 
 'we' in the statement in such a way. as to fit 
 this. When he says, 'we have, or have not, 
 a custom,' it must refer to something prac- 
 ticed by themselves — i. e., in this case the 
 women must be included in the 'we.' Alford 
 sees this, and explains the pronoun as refer- 
 ring to "the apostles and their immediate 
 company, including the women who assem- 
 bled in prayer and supplication with them at 
 their various stations." But in Acts 16: 13, 
 which he refers to, the women do not belong 
 to their company. Another difficulty is that 
 he should introduce here one vice, conten- 
 tiousness, and condemn another, the unveiling 
 of women in prayer. Neither the churches 
 of God. The churches are called the churches 
 of God, in order to give weight to the state- 
 ment. This solemn discussion of the question 
 
Ch. XL] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 97 
 
 17 Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you 
 not, that ye come together not for the better, but for 
 the worse. 
 
 18 For first of all, when ye come together in the 
 church, I hear that there be divisions among you ; and 
 1 partly believe it. 
 
 19 For there must be also heresies among you, that 
 they which are approved may be made manifest among 
 you. 
 
 17 But in giving you this charge, I praise you not, 
 that ye come together not for the better, but for the 
 
 18 worse. For first of all, when ye come together! in 
 the church, I hear that 'divisions exist among 
 
 19 you ; and i partly believe it. For there must be also 
 3 factions among you, that they who are approved 
 
 1 Or, in congregation 2 Gr. Bchismi 3 Gr. heretics. 
 
 whether women shall pray in public, veiled 
 or unveiled, is a good indication of the way 
 in which all directions about mere customs, 
 even when they are based on general princi- 
 ples, as in this case, are to be treated. Cus- 
 toms, as indications of principles, continually 
 change, while the principles remain. 
 
 17. Now in this that I declare unto 
 you, I praise you not — should be. But in 
 giving this command, I praise you not. There 
 is good authority for a reading that would 
 be rendered, But I give this command, not 
 praising you. (See Crit. Notes.) The word 
 translated 'declare' has this meaning, or 
 rather the meaning announce, in ordinary 
 Greek, but not in the New Testament. The 
 participial clause denotes action, accompany- 
 ing that of the principal verb, and refers 
 probably to the preceding command, that 
 women should have their heads veiled in 
 prayer. That ye come together not for 
 the better, but for the worse. The apostle 
 refers to the meetings of the church, which 
 he says were not of such a character as to re- 
 sult in their improvement, but in making 
 them worse. 
 
 18. For first of all, when ye come to- 
 gether in the church — should be, For first, 
 when you come together in church. (See Crit. 
 Notes.) There is a variety of opinion as to 
 the second count in his indictment. If the 
 form permitted, it would certainly be found 
 in ver. 20. But that is introduced by a con- 
 junction, 'therefore,' which would be used, 
 not in introducing a new subject, but in con- 
 tinuing the same. On the other hand there 
 is not sufficient similarity between ver. 18, 19, 
 and ver. 20, to regard the two easily as parts 
 of the same subject. In ver 18, 19, he speaks 
 of divisions; but in ver. 20 seq., there seems 
 to be no mention of divisions, but of other 
 evils connected with the celebration of the 
 Lord's Supper. The words 'divisions' and 
 ' dissensions ' (see ver. 19) seem to denote some- 
 thing quite different from the selfish, each 
 
 man for himself, conduct described in ver. 20 
 seq. Meyer, who regards the second part of 
 the change as beginning with 12: 1, explains 
 ver. 20 as continuing the subject of ver. 18, 
 which has been interrupted by ver. 19. He 
 thinks that the divisions are divisions at the 
 Lord's Supper, but does not show where these 
 divisions are mentioned. Winer and De 
 Wette take the other view, that the second 
 part of the' charge begins with ver. 20. Winer, 
 p. 576, says simply that the structure of the 
 passage is broken — an anacoluthon — and that 
 the second part is introduced with ver. 20, 
 with the proper introductory particle under- 
 stood. This does nothing toward explaining 
 the difficulty in the form of statement. De 
 Wette explains the irregularity, by suppos- 
 ing that Paul uses the resumptive particle 
 'therefore' in ver. 20, on account of the repe- 
 tition of the clause 'when you come together,' 
 overlooking for the moment that it occurs 
 here in another connection than in ver. 18. 
 On the whole this difficulty of form, whether 
 it is sufficiently explained by De Wette, or 
 not, seems less than the other, that there is an 
 actual change of subject in ver. 20, not ac- 
 counted for by the other view. The second 
 part of Paul's rebuke begins then with ver. 
 20. And I partly believe it— literally, in 
 some part. He refuses to believe all that he 
 hears, having in his love for them a better 
 opinion of them than that. 
 
 19. For there must be also heresies — 
 should be, dissensions. 'Heresies' is a trans- 
 literation, but not a translation, of the Greek 
 word, which has come over into English with 
 a different meaning from its ordinary Greek, 
 or New Testament, meaning. It means, 
 originally, a taking; then, introducing the 
 idea of selection, the taking what one desires 
 and leaving the rest, election, choice; then, a 
 chosen way of living or thinking; then, a 
 body of men choosing the same way of think- 
 ing or living; and, finally, dissensions between 
 different bodies of this kind. Its use in the 
 
98 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XL 
 
 20 When ye come together therefore into one place, 
 this is not to eat the Lord's supper. 
 
 21 For in eating every one taketh before olher his own 
 supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. 
 
 22 What! have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? 
 or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that 
 have not? What shall I say to you ? Shall I praise you 
 in this? I praise you not. 
 
 20 may be made manifest among you. When there- 
 fore ye assemble yourselves together, it is not possi- 
 
 21 ble to eat the Lord's supper: for in your eating 
 each one taketh before other his own supper; and 
 
 22 one is hungry, and another is drunken. What? 
 have ye not houses to eat and to drink in ? or de- 
 spise ye the 1 church of God, and put them to 
 shame that 2 have not? What shall I say to you? 
 3 shall I praise you in this? I praise you "not. 
 
 1 Op, congregation..- .2 Or, have nothing. . ..3 Or, Shall I praise you T In this /praise you not, 
 
 New Testament is divided between the last 
 two meanings, sects and their dissensions. In 
 this sense, it is classed by Paul among the 
 works of the flesh. (Gai. 5:20.) And in Tit. 
 S: 10, the word translated 'heretic,' means, 
 in the same way, one who causes divisions — a 
 sectarian. (Cf. Acts 5 : 17 ; 15: 5, etc.) The 
 word here is simply a synonym of 'divisions' 
 in ver. 18. The thing that is emphasized is 
 divisions, and not error. Also — i. e., as well 
 dissensions as other evils. That they which 
 are approved may be made manifest 
 among you. The necessity spoken of in the 
 first part of the verse is a necessity in the 
 nature of things; and this denotes the divine 
 purpose in so ordering things. 'They which 
 are approved.' Those who stand the test and 
 receive the divine approval; here those who 
 show an unpartisan and loving spirit. 'May 
 be made manifest' — viz., by the contrast be- 
 tween them and the dissentient. 
 
 20. When ye come together, therefore. 
 (See on ver. 18.) In form, this is a contin- 
 uation of the preceding, while, in reality, it 
 is an introduction of a new subject, being the 
 second part of the charge against them in the 
 conduct of their assemblies. This is not to 
 eat. Meyer and others render this, it is not 
 permitted to eat, the reason being assigned in 
 ver. 21. But evidently here the statement of 
 an evil is in place, not of its result. It may 
 denote the purpose, or better, the meaning, 
 of their coming together. (See Winer, p. 320, 
 De Wette, and others.) This ostensible pur- 
 pose of their assembling is annulled by their 
 conduct, and its real meaning is made some- 
 thing quite different. The Lord's Supper. 
 So called because it is instituted by the Lord. 
 This is the only place where any name is 
 given to the Supper in the New Testament. 
 That it is the Lord's Supper that is meant 
 here, and not any preceding love feast, (cf. 
 Jude 12), is evident from the appeal to the 
 i nstitution of the rite. (ver. 23 seq.) (See Grimm, 
 and others.) 
 
 21. For in eating, every one taketh 
 before other his own supper. There is 
 no necessity of supplying the word 'other' 
 here. More probably, the preposition, which 
 is compounded with the verb, is to be taken 
 in the general sense of beforehand — i. e., be- 
 fore the rest are seated, so defeating the pur- 
 pose of making it a common meal. His 
 own. Opposed to sharing with others. The 
 intimation is, that the meal was one to which 
 each contributed according to his ability. 
 This custom was, of course, violated by each 
 one's eating what he had brought himself. 
 'Every one' — viz., of those who were able to 
 bring anything with them, so that there was a 
 division between the poor and the rich, but 
 not of such a kind as to make a party or 
 schism. Is hungry ... is drunken. Not 
 an exact contrast, but one that tells the story 
 of want on the one side, and of excess on the 
 other, in the strongest way. It is not incon- 
 ceivable that there is rhetorical exaggeration, 
 especially in the second part of the picture; 
 but, on the other hand, there is nothing to 
 lead us to suppose it. The word itself means 
 is drunk, and nothing softer. The passage is 
 conclusive as to the wine used by them at the 
 Lord's Supper. 
 
 22. What! have ye not houses ? etc. — 
 should be, Have you not then houses, etc.? 
 The particle translated 'then' denotes that 
 the question is one justified by the circum- 
 stances. (See Winer, 447.) To eat and to 
 drink in — their only purpose, judging from 
 their conduct, would seem to be this eating 
 and drinking, not the celebration of a religious 
 feast; and if that was all, he would say, their 
 houses are the proper place. Or despise ye 
 the church of God. The word "church" in 
 the New Testament, never denotes the build- 
 ing for the meetings of the church, but the 
 congregation of believers. This contempt of 
 the church would be shown either by consid- 
 ering the poorer members constituting its 
 body unworthy to share with the rich mem- 
 
Ch. XL] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 99 
 
 23 For I have I received of the Lord that which also 
 I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus, the same 
 night in which he was betrayed, took bread: 
 
 •24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and 
 said, Take, |eat ; this is my body, which is broken for 
 you: this do in remembrance of me. 
 
 23 For I received of the Lord that which also I de- 
 livered unto you, how that the Lord Jeeus in the 
 
 24 night in which he was betrayed took bread: and 
 when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said 
 This is my body, which Ms for you: this do in re- 
 
 1 Many ancient authorities read, t'j broken for you. 
 
 bers in the common meal; or by the degrad- 
 ing use made of the assembly of the church 
 and the desecration of its most sacred rite. 
 The latter seems preferable, though not cer- 
 tain. And shame them that have not — 
 better, put to shame. Alford contends that 
 the object to be supplied after the verb ' have' 
 here is the 'houses' of the first part of the 
 verse. But the word may just as well, accord- 
 ing to usage, be left indefinite, denoting in a 
 general sense, the poor. (See Winer, 594.) 
 And this is surely the better sense here; for 
 their action would certainly put to shame 
 those without food, rather than those without 
 houses. (Cf. Matt. 13: 12; 25: 29, and par- 
 allel passages in Mark and Luke.) The. put- 
 ting to shame would be by calling attention 
 to their poverty. Shall I praise you in 
 this? I praise you not. It brings out the 
 emphasis properly placed on this, as distin- 
 guished from other things in which he does 
 praise them to join 'in this' with the last 
 statement — viz., 'in this I praise you not.' 
 After bringing out the character of their con- 
 duct, he makes his appeal to them in these 
 questions, whether he shall praise them for 
 such behaviour. 
 
 23. For I have received of the Lord — 
 should be, For I received from the Lord. The 
 pronoun is emphatic, contrasting what he 
 has received with their practice. The state- 
 ment is introduced here, in order to show the 
 errors and faults in their celebration of the 
 Supper. The preposition used here does not 
 confine us to the view that the apostle received 
 this account directly from the Lord. As far 
 as that is concerned, it may have been also 
 indirectly through some other medium. The 
 question, which is in itself the more probable 
 view, is difficult to decide. On the one hand, 
 considering the emphasis that the apostle 
 places on the fact that he received the gospel 
 from the Lord, we should have expected him, 
 if this had been received directly from him, to 
 use the preposition that would leave that unam- 
 biguous. And it is argued from this — e. g.. by 
 Meyer, that he represents this statement as 
 
 coming originally from the Lord through 
 some one else. At the same time, in view of 
 the fact that this account is certainly an im- 
 portant part of the gospel, which he states so 
 positively came from the Lord himself, it is 
 admitted by some who hold this view, that 
 the communication probably did not come 
 through any human medium, but through an 
 angel or the Holy Spirit. It is also to be 
 borne in mind, that this is not a part of the 
 teaching of Christ, but of his life, and some- 
 thing, therefore, the communication of which 
 through the ordinary human channels would 
 not be said to come from the Lord, as teach- 
 ings so communicated might. Moreover, the 
 communication of truth does not seem to be 
 entrusted to angels, but to the Spirit, after 
 Pentecost, at least. We seem to.be shut up, 
 therefore, to the choice between Jesus and the 
 Spirit. And these two are so identified in the 
 New Testament after the resurrection of 
 Christ, that there would seem to be no diffi- 
 culty in making the account in Gal. 1 : 11 seq 
 refer to the Spirit, and in putting this, there- 
 fore, on the same level as that communication. 
 For instances of the use of this preposition to 
 denote direct communication, see Mark 15: 
 45; Col. 1: 7; 1 John 1: 5, etc. We have 
 here probably the oldest account of the Insti- 
 tution of the Supper. Its resemblance to the 
 account in Luke is to be noted in view of the 
 tradition connecting Luke's Gospel with the 
 apostle, whose companion he was. That the 
 Lord Jesus. The repetition of the name in 
 such immediate connection with the mention 
 of 'the Lord' in the first part of the verse 
 gives force and dignity to the account, which 
 he evidently wishes to invest with all the 
 solemnity possible, in order to rebuke the 
 levity of the Corinthians. The same nipht 
 in which he was betrayed— should be, In 
 the night in which he was bring delivered up. 
 The verb used does not express the treachery 
 of the act, but denotes it simply as an act of 
 delivering him up to the authorities. The 
 mention of the time, connecting the original 
 institution with the tragical betrayal, has the 
 
100 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XL 
 
 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when 
 he had supped, saving, This cup is the new testament 
 in my Mood : this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remem- 
 brance of me. . 
 
 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this 
 cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. 
 
 27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and 
 drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty 
 of the body and blood of the Lord. 
 
 25 membrance of me. In like manner also the cup, 
 after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant 
 in my blood : this do, as oft as ye drink it, in reniem- 
 
 26 brauce of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and 
 drink the cup, ye proclaim the Lord's death till he 
 
 27 come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat the bread or 
 drink the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, 
 shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the 
 
 same effect of solemnity. And Avhen he had 
 given thanks. This is one of the points of 
 resemblance to Luke's account. While Matt, 
 and Mark use the word ' bless' in this prayer, 
 Luke uses this same word for ' giving thanks.' 
 (See Matt. 26: 26-29; Mark 14: 22-25; Luke 
 22: 19, 20.) Take, eat— these words are to be 
 omitted. (See Crit. Notes.) They are omitted 
 also in Luke, but found in Matt. Mark says 
 simply take.' Which is broken for you— 
 should be, which is for you. Luke says, which 
 is given for you. Matt, and Mark omit it 
 altogether, saying simply, 'this is my body.' 
 This do in remembrance of me— better, 
 for my remembrance— i. e., in order to bring 
 me to mind. These words are found in Luke, 
 but not in Matt, and Mark. 
 
 25. When he had supped— should be 
 simply, after supper. There is no pronoun 
 in the original, and if any is to be supplied, 
 it should be they. Luke introduces this in 
 the same words. Matt, and Mark say simply 
 'having taken the cup.' This cup after sup- 
 per was the parting cup of the meal. This 
 cup is the new testament in my blood- 
 should be, the new covenant. The word has 
 the meaning 'testament' only in Heb. 9: 16 
 seq. Here and elsewhere it has the meaning 
 'covenant.' In my blood — the covenant 
 was solemnly instituted in blood. Christ's 
 sacrifice is that by which the covenant was 
 established. (Cf. Eom. 3: 25; 5:9; Eph. 
 1: 7; 2: 13; Col. 1: 14, 20; Heb. 9: 7, 12, 
 13, 14, 15; 10: 22, etc.) On the difference be- 
 tween the Old Covenant and the New, see 
 Heb. 8: 6-13. There is no need of noticing 
 or defending here the use of the Greek copula. 
 'This is the new covenant in my blood,' in 
 the sense of signifies, represents. (See on 
 10: 4.) The term 'new covenant' is found 
 only here and in Luke, in the account of the 
 Supper. The best authorities have simply 
 'the covenant' in Matt, and Mark. 
 
 26. For, etc. — confirms the preceding state- 
 ment that these things are to be done for a 
 memorial of Christ. This cup— should be, 
 
 the cup. (See Crit. Notes.) Ye do shew 
 the Lord's death — should be, You announce 
 the death of the Lord. In our version the 
 verb is graphic, representing the pictorial, 
 symbolic character of the act; but this is not 
 justified by the Greek verb, which means 
 simply 'to announce,' 'to proclaim.' Meyer 
 argues from the absence elsewhere of any 
 figurative use of this word, that it means here 
 to announce by word of mouth— i. e., that 
 they told the story as an accompaniment of 
 the act. But the symbolical nature of the act 
 seems necessary to the argument, and the 
 figurative use of such a verb is sufficiently 
 natural not to need exemplification or pre- 
 vious use to account for it. It must be an 
 argument drawn from the nature of the act 
 itself, that will prove that in the doing of it 
 they are bringing the Lord to remembrance. 
 It is in this way a confirmation in the words 
 of the apostle of the statement of the Lord. 
 Till he come. This looking forward in the 
 rite to the coming of the Lord, its prophetical 
 significance, increases the solemnity with 
 which the apostle seeks to invest it. 
 
 27. Wherefore, whosoever shall eat 
 this bread, and drink this cup of the 
 Lord, unworthily— should be, And so, [or, 
 so that. — A. H.] whoever eats the bread, or 
 drinks the cup of the Lord, unworthily. (See 
 Crit. Notes.) 'Unworthily.' This is not to 
 be understood as referring to the unworthi- 
 ness of the person himself to partake, but of 
 the unworthy manner of partaking, a manner 
 unsuited to the nature and meaning of the 
 rite. What the apostle has in his mind may 
 be seen from his description of the unworthy 
 celebration of it by the Corinthians (ver. 20- 
 22), and from the expression, 'not discerning 
 the Lord's body,' that he uses in regard to it 
 in ver. 29. Shall be guilty of the body 
 and blood— should be, Will be guilty of the 
 body and the blood. (See Crit. Notes.) This 
 expression has been understood as meaning 
 that his blood would be on their heads, that 
 they would be in a manner guilty of crucify- 
 
Ch. XI.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 101 
 
 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat 
 of thai bread, and drink of that cup. 
 
 29 For he that eateth aud drinketh unworthily, eat- 
 eth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning 
 the Lord's body. 
 
 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among 
 you, and many sleep. 
 
 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not he 
 judged. 
 
 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the 
 Lord, that we should not be condemned with the 
 world. 
 
 28 Lord. But let a man prove himself, and so let him 
 
 2 l J eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he that 
 
 eateth and drinketh, eateth and drinketh judgment 
 
 30 unto himself, if he l discern not the IxmIv. For this 
 cause many among you are weak and sickly, and 
 
 31 not a lew sleep. But if we 'discerned ourselves we 
 
 32 should not be judged. But 'when we are judged «•< 
 are chastened of the Lord, that we may not be cou- 
 
 1 Gr. discriminate 2 Gr. discriminated 3 Or, when we are judged of the Lord, we are chastened. 
 
 ing the Lord afresh. (Cf. Heb. 6:6.) But the 
 language used means merely, is guilty in re- 
 gard to the body and blood of the Lord — guilty 
 of some offence against it. Their sin, what- 
 ever it is, is a sin against that sacred body. 
 Here, what is meant is evidently nothing 
 more than dishonoring it as symbolized in the 
 elements of the Supper. 
 
 28. But let a man examine himself. 
 This is the manner in which they should par- 
 take, opposed to the unworthy manner of the 
 preceding verse. The word 'examine' is that 
 for testing or proving anything. This testing, 
 according to the context, is not, as in 2 Cor. 
 13: 5, to see whether the person is in the 
 faith, and so worthy to eat, but whether he is 
 about to partake of the elements in a worthy 
 manner, in a right spirit. (See on ver. 27.) 
 And so — i. e., after this self-examination. 
 That bread and that cup — should be, the 
 cup and the bread. 
 
 29. For he that eateth and drinketh 
 unworthily. The last word is to be omitted. 
 (See Crit. Notes.) The modifier of the verb 
 is found in the participial clause, not dis- 
 cerning the Lord's body, which is to be 
 taken conditionally — viz., if he does not dis- 
 cern. It is placed last for the sake of em- 
 phasis. Eateth and drinketh damnation 
 to himself. 'Damnation' is too strong a 
 word, and is out of place here. In our lan- 
 guage, it is generally confined to final retri- 
 bution, while the Greek word means nothing 
 more than condemnation; and the context 
 points in no way to final condemnation. In- 
 stead of this, ver. 30-32 describe a present 
 judgment for the very purpose of avoiding 
 the final retribution. 'Not discerning the 
 Lord's body.' The verb means to know by 
 distinguishing one thing from another; and 
 here to know the body of the Lord symbol- 
 ized in these elements, making the proper 
 distinction between this and ordinary food. 
 The \yord 'Lord's' is to be omitted, but, of 
 
 course, it is understood. (See Crit. Notes.) 
 The whole verse reads, For he who eats and 
 drinks, eats and drinks condemnation to him- 
 self, not discerning (if he does not discern) the 
 body. This failure to recognize practically 
 the symbolism of the elements, and hence the 
 treatment of the Supper as a common meal, 
 is just That the apostle has pointed out, 
 (ver. 20-22), as the fault of the Corinthians, and 
 it is what he characterizes as an unworthy 
 eating and drinking, (ver. 27.) 
 
 30. For this cause— viz., because they 
 have incurred condemnation in this way. 
 Many are weak and sickly, and many 
 sleep. These expressions refer, probably, to 
 bodily diseases and death, not to spiritual 
 infirmities; first, because of the more obvious 
 meaning of the words; and second, because 
 these things are represented as a chastening 
 from the Lord. (ver. 32.) So almost all the 
 commentators. 
 
 31 For— should be, but. (See Crit. Notes.) 
 If we would judge ourselves— should be, 
 if we judged ourselves. We should not be 
 judged— the two words translated 'judge' are 
 different, the former meaning simply to judge, 
 without indicating the result; and the latter 
 having also the meaning to condemn, in cases 
 in which the context demands that sense. 
 This is the meaning here, not that they would 
 
 not be judged by God, which no oi scapes, 
 
 but that they would not be condemned. It is 
 the verb from which comes the noun 'con- 
 demnation' in verse 29. Self-examination 
 and knowledge, such as is enjoined in verse 
 28, by leading to more intelligent and Chris- 
 tian conduct, would save a man from the un- 
 favorable judgment of God. 
 
 32. But when we are judged, we are 
 chastened of the Lord. The tir~t clause is 
 participial, and is better so translated— viz., 
 but being judged. The word 'judged' is to be 
 taken in the same sense as in the last clause of 
 the preceding verse. ' We are chastened.' 
 
102 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XI. 
 
 33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together 
 to eat, tarrv one for another. 
 
 34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that 
 ye come not together unto condemnation. And the 
 rest will I set in order when I come. 
 
 This verb is better rendered ' chastised.' The 
 chastisement is by the infliction of such evils 
 as are mentioned in verse 30. That we 
 should not be condemned with the world 
 — better, that we may not be condemned. The 
 words 'with the world' are emphatic, laying 
 stress upon the final condemnation passed 
 upon the evil world. The object of this present 
 chastisement with temporal evils, is to keep 
 God's people from sharing the final condem- 
 nation of the evil world. 
 
 33. Wherefore — should be, and so. When 
 ye come together to eat. The eating re- 
 ferred to is of course the Lord's Supper, which 
 has been the subject of discourse. Tarry one 
 for another. By their indecent haste, each 
 eating his own meal without waiting for the 
 rest, they had turned the Supper from its 
 memorial purposes into an ordinary and insig- 
 nificant meal, a mere eating and drinking. 
 (ver.20seq.) This injunction, therefore, to wait 
 for one another, is the proper close of his argu- 
 ment. 
 
 34. And if any man hunger — should be, 
 If any man is hungry. (See Crit. Notes.) 
 Let him eat at home — the Lord's Supper 
 being for another purpose than to satisfy hun- 
 ger; and their houses, and not the assembly 
 of the church, being the proper place for mere 
 eating. (See verse 22.) That ye come not 
 together unto condemnation— better, in 
 order that you may not come together for con- 
 demnation — i. e., in such a way as to secure the 
 condemnation, mentioned in verses 27-32, of 
 those who desecrate the Lord's Supper by 
 treating it as an ordinary meal. And the 
 rest — viz., other things relating to the observ- 
 ance of the Supper. Will I set in order— 
 i. e., give orders about. When I come — 
 should be, whenever I come. The Greek 
 leaves the expression of time indefinite. 
 
 CRITICAL NOTES. — CHAPTER XI. 
 
 2. Brethren is found in DEFG, etc. it. vulg 
 syr utr , etc. It is omitted in KABC, sah cop, 
 etc. 
 
 33 demned with the world. Wherefore, my brethren, 
 when ye come together to eat, wait one for another. 
 
 34 If any man is hungry, let him eat at home; that 
 your coming together be not unto judgment. And 
 the rest will I set in order whensoever I come. 
 
 11. The order of the clauses in our version 
 is found in D b KL, etc. vulg syr atr . The 
 reverse order is to be received, on the au- 
 thority of XABCD* aDdc , etc. it. sah cop. 
 
 17. The reading in our version is sustained 
 by Tischendorf, on the authority of XC 3 D C 
 EFG, etc. dog cop, etc. The reading, I 
 command, not praising, is sustained by L. Tr. 
 on the authority of AC* f vulg syr utr . The 
 former reading seems, on the whole, inter- 
 nally probable. 
 
 18. In the church is the reading of only a 
 few cursives. Everything else omits the arti- 
 cle. 
 
 24. The words, Take, eat, are found in 
 C 3 KLP, etc. ; three MSS. of the vulg 
 syr utr , etc. They are omitted in XABOD, 
 etc. it two MSS. of vulg sah cop, etc. Bro- 
 ken is found in N° C 3 D b "» d c EP, etc. it 
 syr utr , etc. ; given is found in f vulg ; another 
 word for broken is found in D* sah cop ; 
 which is for you simply is found in N* ABC*, 
 etc. 
 
 26. This cup is the reading in X c C 3 D band c 
 EK, etc. one MSS. of the vulg syr utr cop, 
 etc. ; the cup is found in N* ABC* D* FG it 
 vulg sah. 
 
 27. This bread is the reading of KLP, etc. 
 cop. ; the bread is found in XABCD, etc. it 
 vulg sah syr utr , etc. And blood is the reading 
 of only a few cursives. The article is to be 
 inserted. 
 
 29. Unworthily is found in N c C c DEFG, 
 etc. it vulg syr utr cop, etc. ; it is omitted in 
 K* ABC* sah. Of the Lord is found in N c C c 
 DEFG, etc., two MSS. of the vulg and in 
 the second hand in three others, syr utr cop 
 etc. ; it is omitted in X s ABC*, three MSS. of 
 vulg first hand, sah. 
 
 31. For is the reading in N° DK. etc. syr utr , 
 sah cop, etc. ; but is found in X* ACDE, etc. 
 it vulg etc. 
 
 34. And, at the beginning of the verse, is 
 found in K°D b » nd °, EK, etc. ; one MSS. of 
 vulg syr utr , etc. ; it is omitted in N* ABCD* 
 FG it vulg sah cop. 
 
Ch. XII.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 103 
 
 CHAPTEE XII. 
 
 TVJOW concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not 
 i.i have you ignorant. 
 
 2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto 
 these dumb idols, even as ye were led. 
 
 3 \\ herefore I give you to understand, that no uian 
 speaking by the Spirit oi God ealleth Jesus accursed: 
 and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by 
 the Holy Ghost. 
 
 1 Now concerning spiritual giftt, brethren, 1 would 
 •J not have you Ignorant. 3fe know that when ye were 
 Gentiles ye were led away urn., those dumb idols, 
 3 howsoever ye might l>e led. Wherefore l give you 
 to understand, that no man speaking In the Spirit 
 of God wait li, Jesus is anathema; and no man can 
 say, Jesus is Lord, but in the Holy Spirit. 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 
 General subject, the charismata, or gifts of 
 the Spirit. 1, 2. Introductory statement. 
 3. Mark of the possession of the Spirit shown 
 to be the acknowledgment of Jesus as Lord. 
 4-6. Law of the manifestations of the Spirit, 
 unity in diversity. 7. Object of the charis- 
 mata, the profit of the church. 8-11. Enu- 
 meration of different charismata, all of them 
 being declared to be the work of the one 
 Spirit, distributing them according to his will. 
 12-26. Analogy of the human body, involv- 
 ing the following points: The body is not one 
 member, but many, and the many members 
 only one body ; no member can count itself 
 out because it is not some other; nor, on the 
 other hand, can any member declare its inde- 
 pendence of another; there is a law of com- 
 pensations in the body, by which a defect in 
 any member is offset by a corresponding ad- 
 vantage; and finally, there is a law of sympa- 
 thy among the members, by which the joys of 
 each, and its pains, are felt by all, and by each 
 of, the rest. 27-30. Application of these 
 principles to the one church, and its many 
 members and gifts. 31. Charge to the Cor- 
 inthians to seek the greatest gifts, and declara- 
 tion that there is a better way than even that. 
 
 Ch. 12: 1. Now concerning spiritual 
 gifts. The apostle begins here, probably, 
 the discussion of another of the questions 
 submitted by the church to him, to which 
 reference has been made in ch. 7: 1. This 
 question is evidently in regard to the relative 
 value and importance of the spiritual gifts 
 enjoyed by the early church, and especially 
 of prophecy and speaking with tongues. 
 'Spiritual' — this word is used in the New 
 Testament of things belonging to both the 
 human spirit and the divine. In this dis- 
 cussion it denotes the latter, gifts bestowed by 
 the Holy Spirit. (See ver. 3-11, etc.) I 
 would not have you ignorant — better, I do 
 not wish you to be ignorant. This expression 
 
 is one of the outward marks of the apostle's 
 style. 
 
 2. Ye know that ye were Centilcs— 
 
 should be, Ye know that when ye were Gen- 
 tiles. (See Crit. Notes.) This is a strongly 
 attested reading, and has in its favor that the 
 word ' when ' might easily be omitted in order 
 to avoid the difficulty caused by it. Of course, 
 this leaves the sentence incomplete, without 
 any principal verb. But this is not unusual 
 in Greek, when the structure is interrupted in 
 any way, as it is here by the clause 'as ye 
 were led,' coming before the participle. Car- 
 ried away unto these dumb idols— should 
 be simply, the dumb idols. The epithet 
 'dumb' contrasts the idols with the God 
 whom they worship now, who confers among 
 other things the gift of wonderful speech. 
 Even as ye were led— should be, in whatso- 
 ever way ye were led. The Greek adverb is 
 indefinite. The apostle emphasizes thus their 
 dumb submission to dumb idols, an unreason- 
 ing subjection to unprofitable gods. The 
 object of the verse, as shown by the ' where- 
 fore,' which begins ver. 3, is to give the reason 
 for his anxiety to enlighten their ignorance in 
 regard to the nature of the things of the 
 Spirit. The connection of thought is as fol- 
 lows : I do not wish you to be ignorant of //use 
 phenomena, as you would be without this 
 information, considering your former state as 
 heathen, having no opportunity to know about 
 such matters. 
 
 3. Wherefore — viz., because of your igno- 
 rance arising from this former state as heathen. 
 I give you to understand, is a clumsy trans- 
 lation of the Greek, which means, / make 
 known to you. That no man speaking by 
 (rather, in) the Spirit. The idea of inward 
 connection with the Spirit is expressed, not 
 that of mere instrumentality. Winer Bays 
 (p. 390) that "the element in which the speaker 
 lives is denoted." Cnllcth Jesus accursed 
 — should be, says Jesus is accursed. 'Jesus' 
 is not the object of the preceding verb, but the 
 
101 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Ch. XII. 
 
 4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same 
 Spirit. 
 
 5 And there are differences of administrations, but 
 the same Lord. 
 
 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the 
 same God which worketh all in all. 
 
 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to 
 every man to profit withal. 
 
 4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same 
 
 5 Spirit. And there are diversities of ministrations, 
 
 6 and the same Lord. And there are diversities of 
 workings, but the same God, who worketh all 
 
 7 things in all. But to each one is given the maui- 
 
 subject of a separate clause. (See Crit. Notes. ) 
 The translation ' accursed be Jesus,' which is 
 sometimes given, does not keep up the parallel 
 with the following saying, 'Jesus is Lord, v 
 which the Greek seems to demand. And that 
 no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, 
 but by the Holy Ghost — should be, and no 
 one can say, Jesus is Lord, except in the Holy 
 Spirit. (See Crit. Notes.) The indirect quo- 
 tation, 'that Jesus is Lord,' is not in accord- 
 ance with the best supported reading. He 
 necessarily uses the proper personal name 
 here, Jesus, instead of the official designation, 
 Christ, as the latter would preclude cursing. 
 If admitted to be the Christ, or the Mes- 
 siah, he would not be made the subject of 
 cursing. The word 'accursed' means, liter- 
 ally, an accursed thing. The apostle begins 
 the discussion of the gifts of the Spirit in this j 
 verse, by giving the positive and negative 
 signs that one has the Spirit. The test applied j 
 is the true spiritual apprehension of Jesus, I 
 not, we may suppose, as a mere statement by j 
 itself, but as a principle pervading the person's 
 entire statement of truth. 
 
 4. Now there are diversities — should be, 
 But there are — contrasting these differences in 
 the gifts of the Spirit with the one essential j 
 sign in the preceding verse. 'Diversities.' i 
 This is the same word as that translated differ- j 
 ences in ver. 5, and 'diversities' again in ver. j 
 6; and the same word reappears in its verbal 
 form in ver. 11, where it is translated ' divid- | 
 ing.' In order to preserve the effect of this 
 probably intentional repetition, it is better to 
 translate divisions in ver. 4-6, and dividing, 
 ver. 11. It is the fact of divisions of the gifts j 
 that is expressed, and the 'differences' are 
 implied. But the same Spirit. The rela- 
 tion of the Spirit to these gifts is different 
 from that of the Lord, (ver. 5), and of God, 
 (ver. 6). The gifts belong more immediately to 
 him; and while having their source ultimately 
 in the grace of God, and procured through the 
 work of Christ, they are wrought in the Chris- 
 tian immediately by the Spirit. He is men- 
 tioned first, therefore, and then the Lord, and 
 
 then God, as the ultimate source. Gifts. 
 This word, in the Greek, has for its root, the 
 word for grace or favor, (see on 1 : 3), and 
 means a manifestation" of grace. It denotes 
 here a gracious gift of God, an extraordinary 
 favor conferred through the working of the 
 Spirit. It is used almost exclusively in this 
 Epistle of these miraculous gifts, but in Rom. 
 5: 15; 6: 23, etc., it is applied more generally 
 to the gifts of God. The Greek word has 
 passed over into theological language as a 
 technical term for these miraculous gifts of 
 the Spirit, charisma, plural charismata. 
 
 5. And there are differences of admin- 
 istrations — should be, divisions of services. 
 The word translated 'administrations' does 
 not denote the officers of the church, but the 
 services performed by persons endowed with 
 the charismata, or gifts of the Spirit. But 
 the same Lord — should be, and the same 
 Lord. The two facts are co-ordinate, not con- 
 trasted. The words 'services' and 'Lord,' 
 employed here, indicate the relation in which 
 Christ stands to these gifts. They are all, 
 however various, to be employed in the ser- 
 vice of him, the one Lord. 
 
 6. And there are diversities of opera- 
 tions — should be, divisions of workings. 
 The noun is derived from the verb translated 
 'worketh' in the next clause; and the rela- 
 tion of the two statements to each other is 
 preserved only by using the same word 'work,' 
 in both. But it is the same God. 'It is' 
 is to be omitted. (See Crit. Notes.) Which 
 worketh all — should be, them all — viz., all 
 these workings of the Spirit. Of course, as 
 we have seen in ver. 4, it is only indirect^' 
 that God works these things — the agent that he 
 employs being the Spirit. The doctrine in 
 the paragraph is, therefore, the unity in di- 
 versity of these gifts of the Spirit. It is intro- 
 duced, probably, in order that the Corinthians 
 may not forget, in their differences about the 
 relative value of these gifts, that they all come 
 from the one Spirit. 
 
 7. But the manifestation, etc. This 
 verse is better translated — But to each one is 
 
Ch. XIL] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 105 
 
 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of 
 wisdom ; to another the word of knowledge by the same 
 Spirit ; 
 
 9 To another faith by the same Spirit ; to another the 
 gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 
 
 10 To another the working of miracles; to another 
 prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another 
 divers kinds of tongues ; to another the interpretation 
 of tongues: 
 
 8 Testation of the Spirit to profit withal. For to one 
 is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom: 
 and to another the word of knowledge, according lo 
 
 9 the same Spirit ; to another faith, in the sam.- Spirit ; 
 and to another gilts of healing, in the one Spirit; 
 
 10 and to another workings of 'miracles; and to an- 
 other prophecy; and to another discernings of 
 spirits; to another diverts kinds of tongues; and to 
 
 1 Gr. powers. 
 
 given the manifesting of the Spirit for that 
 which is profitable. 'The manifesting of the 
 Spirit.' There is a question whether this de- 
 notes the way in which the Spirit manifests 
 himself, or in which the individual manifests 
 him, makes him known. Probably the latter 
 is to be preferred, as being a more natural ex- 
 planation of the construction. In this verse 
 the apostle passes over to a consideration of 
 the object for which the various gifts of the 
 Spirit are bestowed — viz., the profit of the 
 church. And in this way, he probably means 
 to show the unfitness of selfish disputes about 
 the personal distinction involved in the possess- 
 ion of the different charismata. 
 
 8. For, etc. This is the confirmation of 
 the preceding statement that the gifts of the 
 Spirit are for the profit of the church. The 
 confirmation consists in the nature of the gifts, 
 all of them being intended for use in the service 
 of others. By the Spirit — should be, through 
 the Spirit — who is pointed out thus as the im- 
 mediate agent in these spiritual manifestations, 
 through whom God acts. The word of wis- 
 dom . . . the word of knowledge — should 
 be, aword — ' word' being used herein the sense 
 of utterance. 'Wisdom' and 'knowledge' are 
 to be distinguished from each other very much 
 as in our language, wisdom being knowledge 
 practically applied to the ends of life. Grimm 
 says, when knowledge and wisdom are joined, 
 "the former seems to be knowledge viewed by 
 itself, the latter intelligence conspicuous in 
 action." By the same Spirit — should be, 
 according to the same Spirit — who is thus in- 
 dicated as the one governing these manifesta- 
 tions, giving the law of them. The fact, that 
 it is the same Spirit in all these manifestations, 
 is emphasized throughout the paragraph, in 
 order to show the unity, as well as the unself- 
 ish purpose, of these gifts. 
 
 9. To another faith, by the same Spirit 
 — should be. And to a different one faith, in 
 the same Spirit. (See Crit. Notes.) The 
 
 word translated 'another' here, and in con- 
 nection with the gift of tongues, ver. 10, is 
 different from the word used in the other 
 specifications. It means not only other, but 
 different; and it probably indicates in these 
 the introduction of a new class of gifts. The 
 classification is not rigorous; the different 
 groups running into each other, more or less. 
 But there is a general division into gifts of 
 intellect, of faith, and of tongues. 'Faith' 
 is here neither saving faith, which belongs to 
 all Christians, which would not therefore be 
 designated as a special gift to some ; nor is 
 it simply the faith by which miracles are 
 wrought, as there are other things besides 
 miracles mentioned in this class; but it is a 
 high degree of faith in Christ, by which men 
 work miracles, and prophesy, and judge 
 spirits. By (in) the same Spirit. The 
 Spirit is here denoted as the one in whom 
 these gifts are bestowed, in receiving whom 
 the Christian receives the gifts. Winer says, 
 (p. 419) that the preposition through "desig- 
 nates the Spirit as mediate agent"; according 
 to, "as disposer"; in, "as container." To 
 another the gifts of healing by the same 
 Spirit — should be, And to another gifts of 
 healings in the one Spirit. (See Crit. Notes.) 
 'Healings' — the word is plural, to denote the 
 different kinds of cures. 
 
 10. To another the working of mira- 
 cles — should be, And to another works of 
 miracles. ' Miracles' is not the object of the 
 verbal noun ' working,' as in Common Ver- 
 sion, but denotes the kind of works or effects 
 given to them to produce. The word means 
 powers, or works of power, and it is the gen- 
 eral term in which the miraculous cures just 
 mentioned are included; as if Paul had said, 
 gifts of healings, and other works of miracles. 
 To another prophecy. On this word, see 
 on 11: 4; and on the distinction between this 
 and speaking with tongues, see on ch. 14. 
 Grimm says: "It is speech showing a divine 
 
106 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XII. 
 
 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame 
 Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. 
 
 12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, 
 and all the members of that one body, being many, are 
 one body : so also it Christ. 
 
 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one 
 bodv, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be 
 bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one 
 Spirit. 
 
 11 another the interpretation of tongues: but all these 
 worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each 
 
 one severally even as he will. 
 
 12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, 
 and all the members of the body, being many, are 
 
 13 one body ; so also is Christ. For in one Spirit were 
 we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or 
 Greeks, whether bond or free ; and were all made to 
 
 inspiration, and announcing the decrees of 
 God." To another discerning of spirits 
 
 — should be, distinguishing of spirits. The 
 word denotes the act of distinguishing be- 
 tween things that differ. (Cf. Heb. 5: 14.) 
 Here the gift denoted is not the detection of 
 the presence of spirits, or of the Spirit, but the 
 power to distinguish between different kinds 
 of spirits, and to determine whether, in any 
 case, it is the Spirit of God by which a man 
 speaks, or only his human spirit, or even an 
 evil spirit. (Cf. 1 John 4: 1-6.) To an- 
 other divers kinds of tongues— should be, 
 as in ver. 9, to a different one, kinds of tongues. 
 On the meaning of the word 'tongues,' see on 
 ch. 14, where the apostle enumerates various 
 marks by which this gift may be distinguished. 
 To another the interpretation of tongues 
 —should be, And to another, interpretation of 
 tongues. The tongues, according to the de- 
 scription in ch. 14, were more or less unintelli- 
 gible, and hence there was an interpreter 
 needed, who was sometimes the man himself, 
 sometimes another. 
 
 11. But all these worketh that one and 
 the selfsame Spirit— should be, the one and 
 the same Spirit. Contrasted with the variety 
 of gifts, we have here again their unity of 
 origin, and at the same time the fact that their 
 distribution is a thing determined by the 
 Spirit himself. And both considerations indi- 
 cate the spirit in which any discussion of the 
 relative merits of the gifts is to be conducted, 
 and especially, that no gift of the Spirit given 
 in his wise pleasure is to be despised. Meyer 
 calls attention to the words, as he will, as 
 proving the personality of the Spirit. 
 
 12. With this verse begins a confirmation 
 of the preceding statement of unity in variety 
 in the gifts bestowed on the church, from a 
 consideration of the nature of Christ's body 
 as presenting a similar unity in diversity. 
 The apostle compares it to the human body, 
 which is a union of various members. As 
 the body is one— the statement of unity; 
 and hath many members — the statement of 
 
 diversity. And all the members of that 
 one body — should be, of the body. (See Crit. 
 Notes.) It should be of the one body, instead 
 of 'that one body,' even with the reading 
 from which our version is taken. Being 
 many, are one body — the statement of unity 
 in diversity. The participial clause, being 
 many, is concessive, though they are many. 
 So also is Christ. Evidently, Paul is not 
 here speaking of Christ in his own person, but 
 as representing the church, which is his body. 
 (See ver. 27.) In some cases, where this fig- 
 ure is employed to denote the relation of 
 Christ to his members, Christ is represented 
 as the head, and in others as the personality, 
 the indwelling and governing Spirit. For the 
 former, see Eph. 4: 15, 16; for the latter, ch. 
 6: 15-19. There is nothing here to indicate 
 certainly which is intended. But it seems 
 more natural for the apostle to use Christ and 
 the church as interchangeable terms, and to 
 represent Christ as the principle of unity 
 among the various members, and to call the 
 church the body of Christ, if he is regarded 
 as the personal Spirit, and not simply as the 
 head of the body. 
 
 13. For by one Spirit— should be, in one 
 Spirit, denoting the spiritual element in which 
 the act is performed. Baptism is not merely 
 an outward act in water; it has a spiritual 
 side, the outward rite symbolizing an inward, 
 spiritual reality. And just as the body is 
 baptized in water, so the soul is baptized in 
 the Spirit of God. (Cf. Luke 3: 16, etc.) 
 Are we all baptized— should be, Were we 
 all baptized — referring, of course, to the 
 time of their conversion. Into one body — 
 viz., the mystical body of Christ, the church. 
 The unity of the Spirit makes the unity of the 
 body. Whether (we be) Jews or Gentiles, 
 whether (we be) bond or free. These out- 
 ward distinctions, which separate men in 
 other relations, are not allowed to interfere 
 with the unity of the body of Christ. (Cf. 
 Gal. 3: 28 seq. ; Eph. 2: 14 seq., etc.) And 
 have been all made to drink into one 
 
Ch. XII.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 107 
 
 14 For the body is not one member, but many. 
 
 15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, 
 I am not of the body ; is it therefore not of the body ? 
 
 1G And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the 
 eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the 
 body 1 
 
 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the 
 hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the 
 smelling? 
 
 18 But now hath God set the members every one of 
 them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 
 
 19 And if they were all one member, where were the 
 body ? 
 
 20 But now are they many members, yet but one body. 
 
 14 drink of one Spirit. For the bo.lv is n..t one mem- 
 Id ber, but many. If tbe foot shall Vav, Because I am 
 not the hand, 1 am not of the bn.lv ;" it is not ihcrc- 
 16 fore not of the body. Ami if the ear shall say Be- 
 cause i am not the eye, I am not of ih.i>.,.iv ii 'is not 
 l. therefore not of the body. If the whole body were Era 
 eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hear- 
 ts ing, where were the smelling f But now hath God set 
 the members each <.i them in the body, even as it 
 i!) pleased him. And if they were all one member, where 
 120 were the body ? But now there are many members 
 
 Spirit — should be, And were all made to 
 drink of one Spirit. (See Crit. Notes.) The 
 tense of the verb, necessarily denoting the 
 past, and naturally a definite past, makes it 
 probable that the statement refers to the first 
 reception of the Spirit, not to continued nour- 
 ishment by him. Probably, too, there is no 
 allusion to the Lord's Supper, which is not 
 represented anywhere as symbolizing the re- 
 ception of the Spirit. The figure is justified 
 by the familiar designation of the coining of 
 the Spirit as an outpouring. (See Acts 2: 17 
 seq. ; Tit. 3:6; Acts 10: 45); and also more 
 directly by the designation of the Spirit as 
 living water, which Christ gives to be drunk 
 by the thirsty soul. (See John 7: 37-39.) 
 
 14. For the body is not one member, 
 but many. The apostle, having given the 
 statement of the union of all Christians, how- 
 ever outwardly diverse, in the bod}' of Christ, 
 now begins the proof of his representation 
 that in this the Christian body resembles the 
 human body, which is employed to designate 
 it figuratively. The proof consists in the fact 
 stated here, and developed in the following 
 verses, that the unity of the body does not 
 consist in its being one member, but in its 
 unification of many members. The argu- 
 ment (see above) is directed against those who 
 disparage their own gifts, or despise those of 
 others, showing from the analogy of the mem- 
 bers of the body, that all the gifts and endow- 
 ments of individuals go to make up the effi- 
 ciency of the one church, and are necessary, 
 each to the other and to the whole. 
 
 15. If the foot shall say, Because I am 
 not the hand — better, a hand. I am not of 
 the body — on the principle which Paul de- 
 nies, that the body is one member, all hand. 
 Is it therefore not of the body?— should 
 be, It is not, therefore, not of the body. The 
 idea of not belonging to the body for this rea- 
 son is negatived. (See Winer, 498.) 'There- 
 
 fore.' Meyer says that the apostle means, 
 because the foot says so. But evidently it is 
 not meant to deny that saying this will de- 
 stroy the relation, but that not being the hand 
 will destroy it. 
 
 16. Because I am not the eye— should 
 be, an eye. Is it, therefore, not of the 
 body?— should be, It is not, therefore, not of 
 the body. (See on ver. 15.) 
 
 IT. If all the body were an eye, where 
 were the hearing?— shows the absurdity of 
 the supposition that the body is any one mem- 
 ber from the necessity of all. If the whole 
 were hearing. This word is used several 
 times for the ears. (See Mark 7: 35; 2 Tim. 
 4 : 3, 4 ; Acts 17 : 20. ) Here, its use instead of 
 ear, gives vividness to the expression. 
 
 18. But now. This adverb is not temporal 
 here, but logical, equivalent to as it is. Hath 
 God set— should be, God set, merely. The 
 emphasis in this statement is principally, it 
 seems, on the word God, and in connection 
 with this, there is a secondary emphasis on the 
 words as it hath pleased him — or, as he 
 wished. This fact, that God placed them ' as 
 he wished' precludes change, dissatisfaction, 
 and conceit. Then the words every one 
 (better, each one) of them, are added to em- 
 phasize the fact that none of them are to be 
 left out of this statement, but that each one 
 for itself has its place and importance in the 
 body. The application of all these statements 
 to the matter of the charismata is plain. 
 
 19. And if they were all one member — 
 should be, But, etc., contrasting this supposi- 
 tion with the preceding statement. \\ here 
 were the body ? The body beitis,' a union of 
 various independent members, in which each 
 one has its place. This is simply the argu- 
 ment of ver. 17, applied to the whole body, 
 instead of to one of the members. 
 
 20. But now. Used here as in ver. 18, in 
 the sense of as it is. Are they — should be, 
 
108 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XII. 
 
 21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no 
 need of thee : nor again the head to the feet, I have no 
 need of you. 
 
 22 Nay, much more those members of the body, 
 which seem to be more feeble, are necessary : 
 
 23 And those members of the body which we think to 
 be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant 
 honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant 
 comeliness. 
 
 24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath 
 tempered the body together, having given more abund- 
 ant honour to that part which lacked: 
 
 25 That there should be no schism in the body ; but 
 that the members should have the same care one for 
 another. 
 
 21 but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, I 
 have no need of thee: or again the head to the feet, 
 
 22 I have no need of you. Nay, much rather, those 
 members of the body which seem to be more feeble 
 
 23 are necessary: and those parts of the body, which 
 we think to be less honourable, upon these we J be- 
 stow more abundant honour; and our uncomely 
 
 24 parts have more abundant comeliness: whereas our 
 comely parts have no need: but God tempered the 
 body together, giving more abundant honour to that 
 
 25 part which lacked; that there should be no schism 
 in the body ; but that the members should have the 
 
 1 Or, put on. 
 
 probably, are there. Yet but one body. 
 
 The Greek is simply, but one body. The num- 
 ber and variety of the members does not mar, 
 but make, the unity of the body. 
 
 21. And the eye cannot say unto the 
 hand, I have no need of thee — on the 
 principle just stated of the mutual dependence 
 of the parts. Not only is each member neces- 
 sary to the whole body, but to each of the 
 other members. The apostle selects here the 
 more important members, such as the eye, and 
 the head, in order to give force to his state- 
 ment. Not even these can boast of independ- 
 ence. This part of the illustration, which is 
 just the reverse of that in ver. 15, 16, is directed 
 specially against those who tried to disparage 
 the gifts of their weaker brethren. 
 
 22. Nay — should be, But — much more 
 those members of the body which seem 
 to be weaker — should be, the members. By 
 the weaker members Paul probably means 
 such delicate, but important, parts as the eye 
 or ear. Notice that the statement here made 
 is not that they are much more necessary, but 
 'much more,' or rather, are they necessary, 
 instead of unnecessary, as is implied in the 
 preceding verse. 
 
 23. And those members of the body 
 which we think to be less honorable — 
 should be, And what we think to be less honor- 
 able parts of the body. Upon these we 
 bestow, etc. — or, these we clothe with — more 
 abundant honor. The meaning is that the 
 honor which seems to be comparatively want- 
 ing to the parts themselves we clothe them 
 with, giving them, in the clothing which we 
 put on them, more honor than we do to the 
 unclothed, but in themselves more honorable 
 parts. The parts meant, therefore, are the 
 trunk and limbs. And our uncomely parts 
 have more abundant comeliness — should 
 be, unseemly and seemliness. The parts 
 
 referred to that are in themselves unseemly 
 and immodest, have for that very reason more 
 pains bestowed on them in order to give them 
 seemliness. The idea of the two verses is 
 stated in ver. 24. So far, the apostle says, 
 from one member being able to say to another, 
 'you are unnecessary,' if there is any part 
 that seems to lack something, that lack is 
 made up, either by some excellence, or by 
 some remedy, applied by man directly to the 
 defect itself. 
 
 24. For our comely parts have no need 
 — should be, But our, etc. — contrasting this 
 with the preceding statement. ' Our comely ' 
 —better, our seemly parts have no need. They 
 are in themselves decent, without the decency 
 of covering. But God hath tempered — 
 should be, but God tempered. The verb is 
 used in a sense now scarcely recognizable, 
 viz,, to mix things together in the right pro- 
 portion ; and it is doubtful if this idea of pro- 
 portion belongs to the Greek word, which 
 means simply to mix together. (See Heb. 
 4: 2.) The idea of proportion comes in in 
 the participial clause, describing the way in 
 which God put the body together. Having 
 given more abundant honor to that (part) 
 which lacked. In the ways mentioned 
 above, making delicate parts necessary, cloth- 
 ing less honorable, and covering unseemly 
 parts. 
 
 25. That there should be no schism — 
 better, in order that there should be no schism 
 (possibly schisms. ) (See Crit. Notes. ) These 
 schisms or divisions would arise from one part 
 despising another, or from different parts ar- 
 raying themselves against each other, as 
 might be the case, if it were not for this law of 
 compensation. But that the members 
 should have the same care, one for 
 another — should be, may have. This is op- 
 posed, of course, to having different degrees 
 
Ch. XII.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 109 
 
 26 And whether one member suffer, all the members 
 suffer with it ; or one' member be honoured, all the 
 members rejoice with it. 
 
 27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in 
 particular. 
 
 28 And God hath set some in the church, first apos- 
 tles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after (bat 
 miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, governments, 
 diversities of tongues. 
 
 29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? 
 are all workers of miracles? 
 
 26 same care one for another. And whether one mem- 
 ber suffereth, all the members sutler with II 
 member is ] honoured, all the membera rejoice with 
 
 27 it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and ^severally mem- 
 
 28 bers thereof. And God hath sel some in the church, 
 first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, 
 then 'miracles, then gifts of healings, help 
 
 29 ernnients, direri, kinds of tongues. Are all aposUesf 
 are all prophets ? are all teachers ? are all u 
 
 1 Or, glorified 2 Or, membera each in his part 3 Gr. powert Or, wise eounteU. 
 
 of care for each other, or caring for one at the 
 expense of another. This law of compensa- 
 tion, by virtue of which each has some par- 
 ticular excellence or advantage to offset seem- 
 ing disadvantages in other directions, the 
 apostle, of course, applies to the various gifts 
 of the church. 
 
 26. And whether one member suffer. 
 A slight change in the Greek, fairly well at- 
 tested, makes this read, And if in anything one 
 member suffers. (See Crit. Notes.) Or one 
 member be honored — should be, probably, 
 or a member be honored. (See Crit. Notes.) 
 This is the result of God's adjustment of the 
 body. It creates mutual sympathy of the 
 several parts, so that the suffering and the 
 gladness of each part is communicated to the 
 rest. And this again is true objectively of the 
 church; no member can suffer without detri- 
 ment to the rest; and it should be true of the 
 feelings of its members. (Cf. Rom. 12: 15; 
 Gal. 6: 2.) 
 
 27. Now ye are the body of Christ, and 
 members in particular — better, members 
 severally, or individually. The first clause is 
 a statement of what they are collectively, the 
 second of what they are individually. This 
 applies what he has said of the body to the 
 church, as it is a body. 
 
 28. And God hath set — should be, set, the 
 simple past tense. Some in the church; 
 first apostles, etc. There is a mingling of 
 two constructions here. If Paul had carried 
 through the sentence, as he began it, it would 
 read, God set some in the church as apostles, 
 some as prophets, etc. But this is interrupted 
 so as to give the order in which the different 
 offices, or functions, of the members come. 
 ' First apostles.' This is an office of the general 
 church, not of an individual church, so that 
 it is the former that is here meant. These are 
 the most immediate representatives of Christ, 
 receiving their power directly from him. 
 Prophets. (See on verse 10.) This gift, evi- 
 
 dently, the apostle placed first among the more 
 general gifts of the church. (See on ch. 14.) 
 Thirdly, teachers. The difference between 
 these and the prophets is very much 
 the same as that between preachers and 
 teachers now, with the same opportunity for 
 the two to run into each other. In general, 
 indeed, there are no fixed lines of division 
 between the"se functions of the members, and 
 in only one or two cases do they belong to 
 official position, or constitute it. After that 
 miracles— should be, probably, then miracu- 
 lous powers. It is the word translated mira- 
 cles generally, but its proper meaning is the 
 power rather than the miracle itself, and this 
 meaning is better suited to the context. The 
 apostle passes over here from classes of persons 
 to classes of endowments or officers. Then 
 gifts of healing. On the difference between 
 these and the miracles, see on ver. 10. Helps. 
 This would describe the duties of the deacons. 
 But both words are quite general, and would 
 include any kind of service, whether official 
 or merely private. In the process of crystal- 
 lization, those duties which might be per- 
 formed by the members generally, would 
 tend to fall into the hands of persons officially 
 set apart for them. Governments. This 
 would describe the work of the elders of the 
 church, directing in its affairs. The word 
 denotes the steering of a vessel, and figura- 
 tively, the government of affairs. This was 
 the work of the presbyters, rather than teach- 
 ing. Diversities of tongues — should be, 
 kinds of tongues. There are three classes of 
 gifts mentioned, probably in their proper or- 
 der of rank: first, gifts of knowledge; second, 
 miraculous gifts; third, gifts of tongues. 
 
 29. Are all apostles ? etc. By these ques- 
 tions, the apostle emphasizes the diversity 
 of gifts, and their distribution, showing tho 
 application of the principle stated in ver. 17- 
 20. Are all workers of miracles f— should 
 be, Do all have miraculous powers f 
 
110 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XII. 
 
 30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with 
 tongues? do all interpret? 
 
 31 But covet earnestly the hest gifts: and yet shew I 
 unto you a more excellent way. 
 
 30 i miracles? have all gifts of healing? do all speak 
 
 31 with tongues? do all interpret? But desire earnestly 
 the greater gifts. And moreover a most excellent 
 way shew I unto you. 
 
 31. But— better, now. The apostle passes 
 over to a new subject, and this verse belongs 
 with the next chapter, in which this subject is 
 discussed. Covet earnestly— should be sim- 
 ply, desire earnestly, or be zealous for. The 
 best gifts— should be, the greatest gifts. (See 
 Crit. Notes.) This change admits that there 
 are differences in the gifts, some of them 
 being greater and more desirable than others. 
 This is not inconsistent with what the apostle 
 has said about the unity of their origin and 
 purpose. It also implies that the choice of 
 gifts may be, partly, at any rate, in the hands 
 of the individual. But this is not inconsistent 
 with the statement of ver. 11, that they are 
 , distributed according to the will of the Spirit. 
 For it is not said that this is an arbitrary will. 
 Kather, it would seem that the gifts are 
 bestowed according to the peculiar traits and 
 endowments of the individual, the Spirit, in 
 some cases, at any rate, simply aiding and 
 supplementing these endowments, as in the 
 matter of teaching, prophesying, and admin- 
 istration. This would indicate the way in 
 which such gifts as he desires may be obtained 
 by the person. Prayer is not to be overlooked, 
 but the person may also fit himself for one gift 
 rather than another. And yet I shew unto 
 you a more excellent way. A way that 
 excels this just mentioned. Paul refers to the 
 cultivation of the spirit of love (charity), en- 
 joined in the next chapter. This he considers 
 better than even the pursuit of the most desir- 
 able charismata, for the reasons mentioned in 
 that chapter. But at the same time, he does 
 not exclude the latter. Both pursuits belong 
 to the Christian life, and may be followed 
 together. Yet, as it is evident that in this 
 matter of the charismata the law of love had 
 
 been in part at least overlooked, and rivalries 
 and jealousies had arisen, Paul shows how 
 this law is more important than even the best 
 charismata. 
 
 CRITICAL NOTES.— CHAPTER XII. 
 
 2. When you were Gentiles is the reading of 
 NABCD etc. f g vulg syrP sah, etc. ; when is 
 omitted in FG,etc. d e syr sch cop, etc. 
 
 3. Calleth Jesus accursed is the reading of 
 DEG etc. d e g sah syrP m s, etc. Says Jesus is 
 accursed is found in NABC copsyr utr , etc. That 
 is to be omitted in that Jesus is Lord on sub- 
 stantially the same testimony. 
 
 6. It is the same God is found in N c KL,etc. ; 
 it is is omitted in N*ACDE, etc. it vulg sah 
 etc. 
 
 9. In the same Spirit, in the second part of 
 the verse, is the reading of K'C'DEFG, etc. g 
 cop,etc. ; in the one Spirit is found in AB d e f 
 vulg, etc. This is a case in which the internal 
 evidence helps to decide the question. The 
 probability is that a transcriber would change 
 to the same Spirit, which is found in the other 
 parts of the statement, rather than the oppo- 
 site. 
 
 12. Of the one body is the reading of N C DE 
 d e, etc. ; of the body is found in N*ABCF,etc. 
 f g vulg syr utr ,cop etc. 
 
 13. Into one Spirit is the reading inD c EKL. 
 etc. ; into is omitted in NABOD*F, etc. d e g 
 vulg syr utr cop, etc. 
 
 25 Schism, is the reading in ABCD bandc E, 
 etc. d e f vulg syr utr cop etc. ; schisms is found 
 in ND*FG,etc. gvulgone MS.,etc. Doubtful, 
 but with slight internal probability in favorof 
 the latter. 
 
 31. The best gifts is the reading of DEFG 
 etc. it vulg cop etc. ; the greatest gifts is found 
 in NABC,etc. one MS. of the vulg, etc. 
 
Ch. XIII.] 
 
 I. CORIKTHIANS. 
 
 Ill 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 THOUGH I speak with the tongues of men and of an- 
 gels, and have not charity, I am become as sound- 
 ing brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 
 
 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and under- 
 stand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I 
 have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and 
 have not charity, I am nothing. 
 
 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, 
 and though I give my body to be burned, and have not 
 charity, it profileth liie nothing. 
 
 1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, 
 but haw nut love, I am become sounding brass, or a 
 
 2 clanging cymbal. And it'l have the gift of prophecy, 
 and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if! 
 have all faith, so as t . » remove mountains, but have 
 
 3 not love, 1 am nothing. And it I bestow all my goodi 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 
 The place of the chapter in this discussion 
 of the charismata, is to show that love, which 
 had probably been neglected by the Corinth- 
 ians in their disputes and rivalries about 
 these gifts, is superior to them all ; and that 
 instead of being neglected for them, it is to be 
 pursued before even the best of them. This 
 superioritj* is shown, 1-3, b3 T the fact that, 
 without love, none of these gifts are of any 
 worth. 4-7, by the characteristic fruits 
 of love — patience, kindness, the absence of 
 envy, of self-conceit, of selfishness, etc. ; and 
 8-12, by its permanence. Final^-, love is 
 shown to be the chief of even the permanent 
 graces, 13. 
 
 Ch. 13. In this chapter the apostle shows 
 the superiority of love to all the special char- 
 ismata, and thus proves the pursuit of it to be 
 a more excellent way than to desire even the 
 best of those gifts. 
 
 1. Though— should be, if— I speak with 
 the tongues of men and of angels. The 
 apostle begins with the gift of tongues, and in 
 order to make his comparison as forcible as 
 possible, he supposes the gift of angel's 
 tongues, a step beyond any human speech. 
 And have not charity— should be, and have 
 not love. The word love is to be substituted 
 for charity wherever it occurs in this chapter. 
 I am become as sounding brass or a 
 tinkling cymbal— should be, 7" have become 
 sounding brass or clanging cymbal. 'Tink- 
 ling' is a word badly chosen here, as it neither 
 describes the noise made by cymbals, nor con- 
 veys the idea of the Greek word. This meant 
 originally to sound the war-cry, and then 
 came to be used of other loud, harsh sounds. 
 The representation is that of a man all sound 
 and noise, without any genuine worth. It 
 applies especially to this gift of tongues, un- 
 accompanied by the inward, spiritual gift of 
 love. 
 
 2. And though I have the gift «>f proph- 
 ecy, and understand all mysteries and 
 
 all knowledge— should be, And if I have 
 prophecy, and know all the mysteries and nil 
 the knowledge. 'Mysteries' — on this word 
 see on 2: 7. It denotes here the things be- 
 longing to the divine work of salvation, which 
 are known only by revelation. ' Knowledge' 
 — probably contrasted with the particular 
 knowledge of the mysteries. This knowledge 
 is not additional to the prophetic gift; but is 
 probably to be regarded as a part of it, inas- 
 much as the two clauses are connected together 
 bj T the conjunction 'and' simply, without the 
 repetition of the 'if,' as in the cases where dif- 
 ferent things are specified. On this character- 
 istic of prophecy, that it is speech with knowl- 
 edge, see ch. 14. And though I have all 
 faith — should be, and if, etc. So that I 
 could remove — should be, so as to remove. 
 By 'faith ' is here meant, as in 12: 9, miracle- 
 working faith, not savin"; faith, since it is sup- 
 posed to be faith without love. 'Remove 
 mountains.' This seems to have been a pro- 
 verbial expression for a great miracle. (Cf. 
 Matt. 17: 20; 21: 21.) I am nothing. The 
 contrary phrase is to be something, and the 
 meaning is the same in both— to be something 
 or nothing of any account, as in our phrase 
 'to be something.' (Cf. ch. 3:7; Gal. 2: 6; 
 6:3.) On the ineffectiveness of being some- 
 thing wonderful, without being something 
 good, see Matt. 7 : 22. 
 
 3. And though — should be, and if. I be- 
 stow all my goods to feed the poor — liter- 
 ally, I feed out all my goods. And though I 
 give my body to be burned — should be, and 
 if I give my body that I may be burned. The 
 contrast here is between these striking work- of 
 love and the love itself, and conveys n rebuke 
 of all merely ostentatious {riving or Belf-sacri- 
 fice of any kind. Compare Matt 6 : 1-18, 
 where the point is the hypocritical doing from 
 one motive, of that which has the outward 
 
112 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XIII. 
 
 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth 
 not ; charity vaunteth not itself, is not putted up, 
 
 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her 
 own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil ; 
 
 6 Rejoiceth not, in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the 
 truth ; 
 
 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all 
 things, endureth all things. 
 
 8 Charity never faileth : but whether there he prophe- 
 cies, thev shall fail; whether (here be tongues, they shall 
 cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish 
 away. 
 
 to feed the poor, and if I give my body * to be burned, 
 
 4 but have not love, it profiteth me nothing. Love 
 suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love 
 
 5 vaunteth not itself, is not purled up, doth not behave 
 itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, 
 
 6 taketh not account of evil; rejoiceth not in unright- 
 
 7 eousness, but rejoiceth with the truth ; - beareth all 
 things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, en- 
 
 8 dureth all things. Love never taileth: but whether 
 there be prophecies, they shall be done away ; whether 
 there be tongues, they shall cease ; whether there be 
 
 1 Many ancient authorities read, that I may glory 2 Or covereth. 
 
 semblance of an entirely different motive. It 
 profiteth me nothing — viz., in the way of 
 salvation, or spiritual benefit. 
 
 4. The apostle now proceeds to personify 
 love, and to show its excellence by its fruits. 
 Charity suffereth long and is kind — should 
 be, love is long-suffering ; is good. It is not 
 quickly excited to anger or passion ; is patient 
 under provocation, and mild and benignant 
 in spirit. Charity (love) envieth not. In 
 this and the following traits there is probably 
 intended a tacit rebuke of the spirit of envy 
 and self-conceit, shown by the Corinthians in 
 regard to the charismata possessed by them. 
 In fact, the chapter, as a whole, is not an ex- 
 cursus on love, hut has the directest connec- 
 tion with the subject of the spiritual gifts that 
 is under discussion, inasmuch as the Corinth- 
 ians, in their eagerness to possess the best of 
 these, or to make it appear that what they had 
 was the best, had forgotten this greatest gift 
 of love. Vaunteth not itself, is not pufled 
 up. The former is the expression of the 
 latter. 
 
 5. Doth not behave itself unseemly — 
 probably, from the connection here — not in 
 such ways as envy, conceit, selfishness, anger 
 would lead to, and which had been displayed, 
 very likely, by the Corinthians in their disputes 
 about the different gifts. Seeketh not her 
 own — better, its oion, if we are going to say 
 itself in the preceding clause and verse. Tre- 
 gelles has a singular marginal reading here, 
 which means seeks not what is not its oion. But 
 it is insufficiently supported, and is besides not 
 so consistent with the general thought here of 
 the unselfishness of love. (See Crit. Notes.) 
 In the matter of the charismata, love would 
 lead a person to seek in them, not his own 
 good, but that of the church, and so to act in 
 conformity with the purpose of the Spirit in 
 giving them. (See on 12: 7; cf. 10: 24; Phil. 
 2: 4, etc.) Is not easily provoked — should 
 
 be, simply, is not provoked. Thinketh no 
 evil. The verb means rather to reckon, or 
 impute. It does not take into account the evil 
 done to it. (Cf. Luke 22: 37; Rom. 4:5, 6, 8; 
 2 Cor. 5 : 19, etc. ) 
 
 6. Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but re- 
 joiceth in the truth— should be, but rejoiceth 
 with the truth. The 'truth' here is not the 
 exact opposite of the 'iniquity'; and, more- 
 over, the form of the statement is changed, 
 the truth being represented as that with 
 which, not in which, love rejoices. Meyer 
 gives the right interpretation, viz. : Love re- 
 joices with truth, as it sees not iniquity, but 
 righteousness advanced. Truth has for its 
 object the production of righteousness, and 
 rejoices in it — a joy which love shares. 
 
 7. Beareth all things. Shows the bear- 
 ing of love under provocation — it bears every- 
 thing with patience. Believeth all things. 
 Presents what love does, when it is tempted 
 to distrust; it is unsuspicious and trustful. 
 Hopeth all things. Love is hopeful, does 
 not despair of good in others. Endureth all 
 things. Love is steadfast and enduring; it 
 bears, without changing to hatred, hateful 
 things. Yet, how much temptation there was 
 for the apostle, who draws this bright picture, 
 and reflects in it his own strong and cheerful 
 spirit, to say, in his haste, that all men were 
 liars. 
 
 8. Charity (love) nener Taileth — literally^ 
 never faileth — i. e., never ceases; it is an 
 enduring virtue. They shall fail— they 
 shall cease — it shall vanish away. The 
 
 first of these verbs is not the same as in the 
 preceding sentence, and it is the same as the 
 third verb. The following translation is bet- 
 ter: They shall come to an end— they shall 
 cease — it shall come to an end. The apostle 
 selects three of the charismata here for the 
 purposes of this contrast, being the three used 
 in the preceding contrast, 'n ver. 1, 2. But 
 
Ch. XIII] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 113 
 
 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 
 
 10 Hut when that which is perfect is come, then that 
 whirl) is in part shall be done away. 
 
 11 When 1 was a child, I spake as a Child, I under- 
 stood as a child. I thought as a child: hut when I be- 
 came a man, I put away childish things. 
 
 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly ; hut then 
 face to lace: now I know in part ; but then shall I know 
 even as also I am known. 
 
 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three: 
 but the greatest of these it charity. 
 
 9 knowledge, it shall be done away. For we know in 
 
 10 part, and WC prophesy in pari : hut when thai which 
 
 is perfect is conic, that which is in part -iiail be done 
 
 11 away. When I was a child, 1 spake a- a child, I felt 
 as a child, I thought as a child: now that 1 am be- 
 
 12 come a man, i save put awaj childish things. For 
 now we see in a mirror, l darkly ; but then face to 
 
 tare: now 1 kn.iw in part; but then shall I know 
 
 13 fully even as also I was fullv known, But now abid- 
 eth faith, hope, love, these three; and the -'greatest 
 of these is love. 
 
 1 Gr. in a riddle....! Gr. greater. 
 
 the three represent the whole class, the con- 
 trast being between love and all the special 
 gifts of the Spirit. These all cease, and this 
 temporal 7 , provisional character makes them 
 of less importance than the permanent gift of 
 love. 
 
 When do these charismata fail? Some say, 
 at the end of life, and others, at the second 
 coming of Christ. There is a difficulty in 
 either one of these views. According to the 
 first, there is no provision made in the state- 
 ment for an end of the charismata on the 
 earth, but only in heaven ; whereas, there has 
 been an evident cessation of them since the 
 first age of the church. According to the 
 second, there is substantially the same diffi- 
 culty, if we regard the second coining as still 
 future 
 
 9. For we know in part, etc. Contains 
 
 a child, I reasoned as a child. The first verb 
 denotes the practical bent of the mind, as 
 when we say, a person is so minded. The 
 second verb represents the purely intellec- 
 tual side, specially the action of the mind 
 in calculating, weighing, and considering. 
 But when I became, etc.— should be. Since 
 I have become a man, I have put away. ' But ' 
 is to be omitted. (See Crit. Notes.) The 
 perfect tense of the verb changes the Greek 
 word from its ordinary meaning when to 
 since. 
 
 12. For now we see through a glass 
 darkly— should be, By means of a mirror in 
 a dark saying. The imperfectly reflecting 
 metallic mirrors of the ancients gave much 
 more point to the comparison. The noun in 
 the phrase, translated darkly in our version, 
 is concrete, not abstract, and cannot, there- 
 
 the reason why knowledge and prophecy shall fore, be turned into an adverb of manner. It 
 cease. And just here we are met with the | means, in an enigma, in an obscure saying. 
 
 question, if love is not also incomplete, and, 
 therefore, also transient. The answer is. that 
 love increases only in degree, but remains the 
 same in kind, while knowledge and prophecy 
 were to be replaced by a different kind of 
 knowledge, more perfect, not only in degree, 
 but also in quality. 
 
 10. But when that which is perfect is 
 come. The apostle does not mean here a com- 
 plete prophecy, but a knowledge which differs 
 from prophetic knowledge, in this respect of 
 completeness. Then is to be omitted. (See 
 Crit. Notes.) That which is in part shall 
 be done away. Here, again, the apostle 
 does not refer to our knowledge itself, which, 
 though incomplete, is true as far as it goes, 
 but to the imperfect means of knowledge. 
 
 11. When I was a child. The apostle 
 illustrates his statement by the analogy of 
 human knowledge in its infancy and ma- 
 turity — the latter, when it comes, displacing 
 the former. I understood as a child, I 
 thought as a child — should be, / thought as 
 
 II 
 
 This would be, therefore, the exact represen- 
 tation, as by means of a mirror is the figur- 
 ative representation of the means of the 
 knowledge of the apostle and his contem- 
 poraries. A combination of the two express- 
 ions gives the following form to the apostle's- 
 statement, viz., that we behold the truth only 
 as it is imperfectly reflected in obscure apt ech : 
 but then face to face — i. e., immediately, 
 without the intervention of an imperfect 
 medium. But then shnll I know even as 
 also I am known— should be, know plainly, 
 as also I was known plainly. The verb is 
 compounded with a prepositiotL, which ren- 
 ders it intensive. In the last clause, a past 
 tense is used, probably carrying it back to the 
 time of bis conversion, when (Sod's knowl- 
 edge of him as his child began. God knows 
 us immediately, fully; and the apostle looks 
 forward t<> a time when his knowledge of 
 divine things is to be- like that, though not 
 equal to it. 
 
 13. And now This adverb is not tern- 
 
114 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XIV. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 FOLLOW after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but 
 rather that ye uiav prophesy. 
 2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speak- 
 eth not uuto men, but unto God: for no man under- 
 standeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mys- 
 teries. 
 
 1 Follow after love; yet desire earnestly spiritual 
 
 2 gifts-, but rather that ye may prophesy. For he that 
 speaketh in a tongue speaketh not unto men, but 
 unto God; for no man i uuderstaudeth ; but in the 
 
 1 Or. heareth. 
 
 poral, but logical, meaning in this condition 
 of things, these things being so. Abideth. 
 As he says in ver. 7, they ' never fail.' They 
 are permanent, not transient, like the mirac- 
 ulous gifts. Faith. This grace abides here- 
 after as well as here, being the necessary atti- 
 tude of the soul toward God, independent of 
 circumstances. Hope. This is permanent, 
 because the future state is continuous and 
 progressive, and the soul, therefore, is con- 
 stantly looking forward into the future. 
 Charity— love. There is no doubt that this 
 abides. But the greatest of these is 
 charity— love. In this the apostle reaches 
 the climax of his statement. He has shown 
 faith, hope, and love to be greater than the 
 charismata, because of their permanence. 
 Now he declares love, to be the greatest of 
 these. This supremacy is owing to its com- 
 prehensiveness, being, as our Lord says, the 
 great commandment, containing in itself the 
 whole law; and, as Paul says, (coi.m. u), the 
 bond of perfectness— i. e., it so contains in 
 itself all graces, that perfectness is insured. 
 
 CRITICAL NOTES. — CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 10. Then, at the beginning of the second 
 clause, is found only in D b and c , KL etc., 
 syr utr , etc. It is omitted in K ABD* etc, it 
 vulg cop, etc. 
 
 11. But is found before the second part of 
 the verse in N° D c EFG, etc., f g two MSS. 
 of the vulg syr utr cop, etc. It is omitted in 
 K* ABD* d e three MSS. of the vulg, etc. 
 
 with tongues alone, in a meeting of the church, 
 does not produce a favorable impression on 
 outsiders, while prophecy is convincing and 
 revealing. 
 
 26-40. Practical application and exhort- 
 ations. 26. General principle to rule in 
 their meetings, that of general edification. 
 27,28. Two, or at most, three, therefore may 
 speak with tongues,- if there is an interpreter. 
 29-33. Prophets may speak, two or three 
 at each meeting, but successively; in such a 
 way that all may speak at some time; and so 
 as to give place always to a fresh revelation. 
 34-36. Women not to speak. 37, 38. Test 
 of a man's possession of the charismata, that 
 he recognize the divine authority of the apos- 
 tle's directions. 39, 40. Final injunction to 
 seek earnestly prophesying, and not to forbid 
 speaking with tongues; and that all things 
 be done fittingly. 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 
 1-25. Superiority of prophecy to the gift 
 of tongues. (1) 2-12. Because prophecy, 
 being intelligible, edifies the church, while 
 speaking with tongues edifies only the man 
 himself, unless he interprets. (2) 13-20. Be- 
 cause, in speaking with tongues, the spirit 
 only is active; hut in prophecy, the under- 
 standing also. (3) 21-25. Because speaking 
 
 Ch. 14 : 1. Follow after charity — should 
 be, love, as in ch. 13. And desire spiritual 
 
 gifts. The verb means to be zealous for, to 
 earnestly desire. This exhortation contains 
 the conclusion of the preceding chapter, and, 
 at the same time, introduces the subject of 
 this chapter, and so makes the transition. 
 The conclusion is not the exclusive pursuit of 
 love, but the union of that with zeal for the 
 charismata. But rather that ye may pro- 
 phesy — i. e., more than the rest. There 
 seems to be a connection between this prefer- 
 ence of prophecy and the pursuit of love with 
 which the cultivation of the charismata is to 
 be joined. It is preferred because it edifies, 
 and it is love which seeks the profit of others, 
 instead of its own glory. Thus, at everj r step, 
 the applications of what seems a mere excur- 
 sus on love, appear. 
 
 2. In an unknown tongue. The word 
 'unknown' has no place here, as its insertion 
 involves a begging of the question as to the 
 meaning of the tongues. It should be, with 
 a tongue. We will defer the discussion as to 
 
Ch. XIV.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 115 
 
 3 But he that prophesieth speaketh uuto men to edi- 
 fication, and exhortation, and comfort. 
 
 4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edlfletb 
 bimBelf; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. 
 
 G I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather 
 that ye prophesied : for greater is he thai prophesieth 
 than he that speaketh with tongues, except he inter- 
 pret, that the church may receive edifying. 
 
 3 spirit he speaketh mysteries. But he that prophesi- 
 eth speaketh unio men edification, and exhortation, 
 
 i and consolation, lie thai speaketh in a tongue ■ edi- 
 fieth himself; but ' e that prophesieth t edifieth the 
 
 5 church. Now I would have you all speak with 
 tongues, but rather that ye Bhould prophesy: and 
 greater is he thai prophesieth than he that Bpeaketh 
 with tongues, except he interpret, that the church 
 
 I Gr, buildeth up. 
 
 the meaning of the tongues until we have 
 examined the characteristic marks, as they 
 are described here; and then, perhaps, by 
 gathering these together, we may be able to 
 extract from them some idea of what this gift 
 was. Speaketh not unto men, but unto 
 God. The reason for this is stated in the 
 next clause, viz., that his speech is unintelli- 
 gible to men, but, of course, intelligible to 
 God, who sees the mind of the Spirit. For 
 no man understandeth — literally, heareth. 
 This use of the verb hear in the sense of 
 understand is frequent in our language. We 
 speak of not hearing when we hear the sound, 
 but do not distinguish the words. (Cf. Matt. 
 13: 13; Acts 9: 7, cf. with 22: 9, etc.) Hovv- 
 beit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. 
 Probably not the Holy Spirit is meant here, 
 but the spirit of the man as distinguished 
 from bis mind. (Cf. ver. 14-16, and Note.) 
 ' Mysteries' — bj this is meant things unintelli- 
 gible to the hearers, not in themselves, but in 
 the form of utterance. Compare ver. 5, where 
 it is stated that the utterance may be inter- 
 preted, and that this is what is needed to 
 render it intelligible. 
 
 3. But he that prophesieth. On this 
 word, see on 12: 10; 11: 4. Speaketh unto 
 men to edification. The preposition should 
 be omitted before the last word, as it is the 
 direct object of the verb. The meaning is 
 that he speaks what edifies. 'Edification' — 
 this word is in our language the etymological 
 equivalent of the Greek word, but it has lost 
 the figurative sense and impressiveness of the 
 original. It means building up, as in our 
 word edifice, the Christian character, or the 
 Christian church, being looked on as a struc- 
 ture which Christian teaching builds up. 
 'Speaketh unto men '— distinguished from 
 the speech addressed to God in ver. 2. This 
 is intelligible to men. And exhortation, 
 and comfort. We do not have in the three 
 terms employed here an exhaustive classifica- 
 tion of the kinds of prophetic teaching. But 
 
 the first is general, and these two are specifi- 
 cations under it. 
 
 4. He that speaketh in an unknown 
 
 tongue— should be, with a tongue. (See on 
 ver. 2.) Edifieth himself. Of course, this 
 is easily understood in the case (see ver. 5) 
 that he himself can interpret what he says, 
 which would imply that he understands it. 
 But in the case (see ver. 27, 28) that he can- 
 not himself interpret, and so probably does 
 not clearly understand what he says, it is 
 difficult to explain his edification. But prob- 
 ably the rapt spiritual state in which the man 
 seems to have been would account for it, aside 
 from mental illumination. There is a spirit- 
 ual impression made, though he may not be 
 able to analyze it, or communicate it intelli- 
 gibly. His edifying of the church will de- 
 pend on its becoming clear to himself, so that 
 he can make it clear to others; but he is built 
 up himself without this. But he that pro- 
 phesieth edifieth the church. Because he 
 speaks intelligibly. It is the doctrine of ch. 
 12, that the charismata in general are in- 
 tended, not for individual profit, but for the 
 advantage of the entire church ; and the 
 apostle is, therefore, vindicating the superi- 
 ority of prophecy in a very essential particu- 
 lar, when he shows that it edifies the church, 
 while the gift of tongues profits only the man 
 himself. (See on 12: 7.) 
 
 5. I would that ye all spake, etc.— should 
 be, Noiv I wish you all to speak with tong 
 but rather that you may prophesy. There is 
 a conjunction omitted in our version, and the 
 verb is rendered in an improper tense. The 
 apostle's meaning is, that the former of these 
 is desirable in itself, bur the latter more so. 
 The reason for this is given in what precedes, 
 not in what follows. For greater, etc. — 
 should be, and greater. (See Crit. Notes.) 
 This statement is co-ordinate with the first 
 part of the verse, not it- proof. The -u)>"ri- 
 ority is based on the principle laid down hy 
 our Lord in regard to the condition of great- 
 
116 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XIV. 
 
 6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with 
 tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to 
 you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophe- 
 sying, or bv doctrine? 
 
 7 And even things without life giving sound, whether 
 pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the 
 sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or 
 harped ? . ■ 
 
 8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who 
 shall prepare himself to the battle? 
 
 9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words 
 easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is 
 spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. 
 
 10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in 
 the world, and none of them is without signification. 
 
 6 may receive edifying. But now, brethren, if I come 
 unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit 
 you, unless I speak to you either hy way of revela- 
 tion, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of 
 
 7 teaching? Even tilings without life, giving a voice, 
 whether pipe or harp, if they give not a distinction 
 in the sounds, how shall it he known what is piped 
 
 8 or harped? For if the trumpet give an uncertain 
 
 9 voice, who shall prepare himself for war? So also 
 ye, unless ye utter by the tongue speech easy to be 
 understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? 
 
 10 for ye will be speaking into the air. There are, it 
 may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and 
 
 ness in the church, making it consist in serv- 
 ice. (See Matt. 23: 11; Luke 22: 26 seq.) 
 This gift of prophecy is greater, because more 
 useful. Except he interpret. This, of 
 course, removes the difference between the 
 two gifts in this respect. Notice that the 
 person himself is spoken of as possibly inter- 
 preting his utterance, which is-a useful fact in 
 determining the nature of it. Notice, also, 
 that he substitutes here the plural 'tongues' 
 for the singular, which is also to be taken 
 into account in the explanation. 
 
 6. Now, brethren— should be, And noio. 
 Except I shall speak to yon either by 
 revelation, etc. — should be, in revelation, in 
 knowledge, etc. Doctrine— better, teaching. 
 It is the active verbal noun. This exception 
 is virtually the same as in the preceding verse, 
 viz., 'except he interpret,' and it brings out 
 the different kinds of intelligible speech 
 which are evolved in the interpretation. 
 Probably, too— so Meyer, De Wette, Kuck- 
 ert, Alford— we have in the first two the 
 means of knowledge, and in the last two the 
 means of utterance. As means of knowledge, 
 we have direct revelation by the Spirit, and 
 knowledge gained by the ordinary mental 
 processes, under the guidance of the Spirit, 
 since knowledge, as well as revelation, is a 
 charisma. And as means of utterance, we 
 have prophecy, or directly inspired utterance; 
 and teaching, in which the inspiration is not 
 wanting, since this, too, is a charisma, but in 
 which there is a more distinct basis of the 
 ordinary intellectual processes in utterance. 
 And so, in a general way, revelation and 
 prophecy correspond, and knowledge and 
 teaching. 
 
 7. And even things without life, etc. — 
 should be, Things without life, giving sound, 
 whether pipe or harp ; nevertheless, if they do 
 not give a distinction to the sounds, how shall 
 
 that which is piped or harped be known ? 
 That is, notwithstanding they give sound, 
 they are nevertheless unintelligible, unless 
 there is distinction between the sounds. Our 
 version puts in a conjunction at the begin- 
 ning, where there is none; and it emphasizes 
 the words 'things without life,' instead of the 
 words 'giving sound.' On the construction 
 of the sentence, see "Winer, 314. Whether 
 pipe or harp. The distinction is between 
 wind instruments and stringed instruments. 
 Except they give a distinction. This is 
 the basis of intelligibleness, in musicalsounds 
 and in speech. 
 
 8. For if the trumpet — should be, For if 
 even a trumpet — i. e., although this instru- 
 ment was the one used to give the signal for 
 attack, yet, if even this gives an uncertain 
 sound, no one will be prepared for battle. 
 This illustration serves to prove the preceding 
 general statement. 
 
 9. So likewise ye— better, So also ye. 
 Except ye utter — literally, except ye give. 
 Words easy to be understood — should be, 
 a significant word. The noun is singular, but 
 it is used in the sense of utterance, not of a 
 single word in its restricted sense. By the 
 tongue. Possibly, here is a clue to the 
 meaning of the gift of tongues. For here, to 
 all appearances, the tongue is spoken of sim- 
 ply as the organ of speech. For ye shall 
 speak into the air — should be, for you will 
 be speaking into the air. The air, and not the 
 ear, will be the receptacle of unintelligible 
 speech. 
 
 10. So many kinds of voices. The apos- 
 tle expresses by this an indefinite number that 
 he has in his mind, and modifies it still fur- 
 ther by the words, it may be, or perhaps. 
 By 'voices,' he means languages. The word 
 'tongues' is more commonly used in this 
 sense, but this is here appropriated probably 
 
Ch. XIV.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 117 
 
 11 Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, 
 I shall t>e unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he 
 that speaketh shall be a bariiarian unto me. 
 
 12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual 
 gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the 
 church. 
 
 13 Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown 
 tongue pray that he may interpret. 
 
 11 J no kind is without signification. If then I know not 
 the meaning of the roice, l shall be to him that 
 Bpeaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh will be a 
 
 12 barbarian -unto me. So also ye, rince ye are sealoua 
 of 8 spiritual gifts, seek that ye may abound unto the 
 
 13 edifying of the chunh. wherefore let him that 
 speaketh in a tongue pray that he may interpret. 
 
 1 Or, nothing is without voice 2 Or. in my case 3 Gr. spirits. 
 
 to a different purpose. And none of them 
 is without signification — should be, And 
 none without voice. (See Crit. Notes.) The 
 word translated 'signification' is the same as 
 the word rendered 'voice' in the first part of 
 the verse. By 'without voice' is meant, with- 
 out the power or essential properties of voice 
 or language. 
 
 11. Therefore, if I know not the mean- 
 ing of the voice — should be, the power of the 
 voice, literally. Each language, according to 
 the preceding statement, has a power of its 
 own; not a meaning simply, but a power to 
 express thought or meaning. And it is this 
 power, possessed by each language, which 
 makes the inability to understand it have just 
 the effect described by the apostle. I shall 
 be unto him that speaketh a barbarian— 
 i. e., a man of strange speech. This will be 
 exactly the result, from theapostle"s premises. 
 Because his language has a meaning which is 
 unintelligible to me, I am a barbarian to him 
 — i. e., a person of strange speech, but not 
 without speech. And my inability to com- 
 prehend his speech makes him the same to 
 me. The result would be different, if there 
 were only one speech, or if any one of them 
 did not have the power to convey meaning 
 that belongs to human language. The word 
 'barbarian' is an onomatopoetic word, ex- 
 pressing exactly the apostle's idea of unin- 
 telligible speech. It is a man who seems to 
 say, ba, ba — i. e., utters sounds without dis- 
 tinction. But this is not meant absolutely, 
 but only relatively, to the person of a differ- 
 ent speech. Unto me— literally, in me — 
 i. e., in my mind, in my judgment. (See 
 Winer, 218." 385.) 
 
 12. Zealous of spiritual gifts— should 
 be, of spirits. Of course, it is not meant that 
 there were a number of spirits, instead of the 
 one Holy Spirit. (See, on the contrary, 12: 4 
 seq. ) But, as Meyer says, that was the ap- 
 pearance of things in the Corinthian Church, 
 whore they disputed about the relative supe- 
 riority of gifts, as if they were something 
 
 else than manifestations of the one Spirit. 
 Seek that ye may excel— better, may 
 abound. To the edifying of the church— 
 
 i. e., to its building up. (See on ver. 3.) This 
 is the purpose of the charismata, and is there- 
 fore the principle on which they should select 
 the gifts to be sought by them. But it is vio- 
 lated, whenever, by speaking with tongues, 
 they use language unintelligible to the church, 
 so that they become barbarians to each other. 
 13. Wherefore— viz., since they are to seek 
 to edify the church, and not simply to edify 
 themselves, or to display their gifts. In ap- 
 plying this principle to the gift of tongues, 
 the inference is not that they are to give up 
 this charisma, but to seek to add to it the gift 
 of interpretation, by which it will be rendered 
 useful. In an unknown tongue— should be, 
 with a tongue. (See on ver. 2.) Pray that 
 he may interpret. The logical connection 
 of this with the following verse, where pray- 
 ing with the tongue is spoken of, has led com- 
 mentators, like Meyer, De Wette, Winer, 
 p. 460, to interpret this, pray with a view to 
 interpreting, instead of, as Winer says, pray- 
 ing " in order to make a display of the gift." 
 The transition from speaking with a tongue 
 to praying with a tongue, is accounted for on 
 the supposition that the two were identical, 
 praying being the only kind of such speech, 
 instead of only one of many kinds. But cer- 
 tainly singing, in ver. 15, is enumerated as a 
 second thing different from praying, and there 
 is a specific difference between them. And 
 there is the further difficulty in this view, 
 that in ver. 6, the apostle speaks of the utter- 
 ance with the tongue, as being interpreted 
 into revelation, knowledge, prophecy, and 
 doctrine, which is scarcely consistent with the 
 idea that prayer is the only form of speaking 
 with a tongue. It involves also, this difficult}', 
 that this interpretation pro< Is on the as- 
 sumption that the gift of tongues and the gift 
 of interpretation belonged always to the same 
 person, whereas, in ver. 27, 28, it is clearly in- 
 dicated that the interpretation may have to be 
 
118 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XIV. 
 
 14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit 
 prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. 
 
 15 What is it then ? 1 will pray with the spirit, and 
 I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing 
 with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding 
 also. , . . , 
 
 16 Else, when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how 
 shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say 
 Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth 
 not what thou sayest? 
 
 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my 
 
 15 understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I 
 will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the 
 understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and 
 
 16 1 will sing with the understanding also. Else if 
 thou bless with the spirit, how shall he that tilleth 
 the place of l the unlearned say the Amen at thy 
 giving of thanks, seeing he knoweth not what thou 
 
 1 Or, him that is without gi/ts : and so in ver. 23, 24. 
 
 done by some one else. In view of this, it is 
 sometimes explained that the person is en- 
 joined to pray with a view to interpretation 
 by some one. But Meyer sees that this is 
 grammatically impossible, and therefore 
 says that the apostle is addressing here only 
 those who have the gift of interpretation, as 
 well as the gift of tongues. But where is 
 there any indication of such a division? Its 
 omission certainly militates decidedly against 
 this view. On the other hand, there is some 
 force in the objection to the common interpret- 
 ation embodied in our version. There is a 
 logical fitness that the word 'pray' should 
 mean the same thing in two clauses thus logi- 
 cally connected. But there is no logical ne- 
 cessity, unless the argument or the connection 
 of thought depends on this identity of mean- 
 ing. And in this case, the connection is easy 
 and natural without this. If prayer is the 
 means of obtaining the gift of interpretation, 
 then we may suppose that the apostle directs 
 them to pray for it ; and then, in order to show 
 the unprofitableness of the gift of tongues 
 without interpreting, that he adduces the 
 special case of praying with the tongue. And 
 as we have seen, this is more easily suppos- 
 able than the transition from speaking with 
 tongues right in the midst of the sentence. 
 
 14. For, if I pray in an unknown 
 tongue — should be, vnth the tongue. (See 
 above. ) This gives the reason why the person 
 speaking with the tongue should pray for the 
 gift of interpretation, viz., that without it the 
 understanding is unfruitful, and so the church 
 is not built up. In this argument, as we have 
 seen, he uses the specific case of praying with 
 the tongue to illustrate and enforce the general 
 principle. My spirit prayeth, but my 
 understanding is unfruitful — viz., for the 
 use of the church ; it produces nothing for the 
 edification of the church. (See ver. 16, 19, 
 etc.) The distinction that is made here be- 
 tween the spirit and the mind is not a general 
 
 one, since the mind is generally included in 
 the spirit. But the spirit may be looked at 
 apart from the mind, taken in a narrow sense 
 as the seat of the reflective and reasoning 
 faculties; the more purely intellectual part of 
 the man. The meaning would be then, the 
 spirit prays, but the particular part of it 
 known as the mind, is inactive comparatively. 
 The man is not unconscious, since he himself 
 is edified; nor is the mind wholly inactive ; 
 but that purely intellectual faculty by which 
 the mind is turned upon itself and analyzes 
 its own actions, and so is enabled to present 
 clear and intelligible ideas to others, is dor- 
 mant and unproductive. Grimm ("Lex." 
 Art. voOs) says that the spirit without the 
 understanding here is the spirit more keenly 
 and fervently excited than usual, and wholly 
 fixed on divine things, but lacking clear 
 notions of them. 
 
 15. What is it then?— i. e.,what is it that 
 follows from this? I will pray with the 
 spirit, and I will pray with the under- 
 standing also. He will use both of these 
 in his praying; 'with' is to be understood 
 instrumentally. This, of course, would be 
 understood and implied in ordinary prayer; 
 but in praying with tongues the interpretation 
 would have to be added, in order to have 
 prayer with the understanding. I will sing, 
 etc. This, of course, refers, not to the repe- 
 tition of the hymns of others, but to the im- 
 provising of songs of praise by the singer 
 under inspiration. (Cf. Eph. 5: 19; Col. 
 3: 16.) 
 
 16. Else, when thou shalt bless with 
 the spirit — should be, Since, if, etc. It 
 assigns a reason for the preceding statement. 
 'Bless,' viz., God — i. e., if you utter his praise. 
 It is the same act as the 'giving of thanks ' in 
 this and in ver. 17. 'With the spirit,' in the 
 sense of ver. 14, 15, viz., with the spirit, but 
 without the understanding. The unlearned 
 — should be, the private person. It denotes 
 
Ch. XIV.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 119 
 
 17 For tliou verily givest thanks well, but the other 
 is not edified. 
 
 is 1 thank my God, I speak with tongues more than 
 ye all : 
 
 19 Yet iu the church I had rather speak five words 
 with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach 
 others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown 
 tongue. 
 
 'JO Brethren, be not children in understanding: how- 
 beit in malice be yechildren, but iu understanding be 
 men. 
 
 17 sayest? For thou verily givest thanks well, but the 
 
 18 Other is not 'edified. I thank God, I speak wilh 
 iu tongues more than y.m all : bowbeil in thechurch 1 
 
 hail rather speak live words with my understanding, 
 
 thai I might instruct others also, than ten thousand 
 words in a tongue. 
 20 Brethren, be not children in mind ; howbeit in 
 
 1 Gr. luilded up. 
 
 the person not having the gift of tongues, and 
 so not occupying the public position which 
 the gift conferred. This person might have 
 other gifts and the position belonging to them, 
 but in reference to this special endowment he 
 would be a private person or layman. See- 
 ing he understandeth not what thou 
 sayest — literally, he knoweth not, etc. 
 Amen. This is a Hebrew word, meaning 
 firm. It is used, as in our language, to con- 
 firm something that has just been said, and 
 especially to express assent to what has been 
 said by another, either in the way of state- 
 ment or of prayer. This joining of the con- 
 gregation in the prayer by the use of the 
 Amen had passed over from the synagogue 
 to Christian churches. And this Paul de- 
 clares to be impossible, if the praise uttered is 
 unintelligible. 
 
 17. For thou verily givest thanks well. 
 The pronoun is emphatic. The reason for the 
 impossibility that the person without the gift 
 should say ' Amen' — i. e., express his assent to 
 the thanksgiving, is not that the person pray- 
 ing does not give thanks well, because he 
 speaks under the influence of the Spirit. 
 
 But the other — viz., the private person — 
 is not edified. It is only when the person 
 listening is edified — i. e., spiritually instructed 
 and helped by the prayer or the praise, that 
 he can say 'Amen.' And this condition is 
 wanting here, because he does not understand 
 what is said, although the praise is itself good, 
 and so far fitted to edify. The relation be- 
 tween the two clauses is expressed by insert- 
 ing yet or notwithstanding in the latter. 
 
 18. I thank my God— 'my' is to be 
 omitted. (See Crit. Notes.) I speak with 
 tongues — should be, with the tongue. (See 
 Crit. Notes.) More than ye all— so that his 
 preference for the other gift will not appear 
 to be for the lack of this. This self-assertion, 
 not for its own sake, but to serve some good 
 
 purpose, is characteristic of the apostle. But 
 it is coupled always with the assertion, or im- 
 plication, that it is by the grace of God that 
 he is what he is. 
 
 19. Yet— better, but. In the church- 
 where, as the apostle has shown, the object of 
 the gifts of the Spirit is the building up of the 
 church, while in a more private place, other 
 purposes might be made prominent. With 
 my understanding. Cf. ver. 14, where Paul 
 shows that the mind, or understanding, is un- 
 fruitful in the gift of tongues. That ... I 
 might teach others also — the words, by my 
 voice, inserted in our version, are unneces- 
 sary. It is generally unnoticed by the com- 
 mentators, that the apostle here implies that 
 in the exercise of the gift of tongues, he him- 
 self is instructed; implying, of course, that 
 the mind is only partially inactive, and is con- 
 scious, though not clearly and distinctly, of 
 what passes through it. (See ver. 4.) Than 
 ten thousand words in an unknown 
 tongue— should be, in a tongue. This is the 
 only place in the chapter where the preposi- 
 tion is employed with the word 'tongue.' 
 Probably it is the instrumental use of the 
 preposition, equivalent to with. (See Winer, 
 389; and cf. Luke 22: 49; Matt. 7:6; Rev. 
 G: 8.) 
 
 20. Brethren, be not, etc.— should be, be- 
 come not. In understanding— the word here 
 is not the same as in ver. 14 seq. Paul means 
 by it, specially, the faculty of judgment, or 
 discrimination, by which they could dis- 
 tinguish and choose between a show3 T gift, 
 like that of tongues, nnd a really useful gift, 
 like that of prophecy. The former seemed to 
 him comparatively childish, Howbeit in 
 malice be ye children — should be, but, etc. 
 The Corinthians had reversed this, having 
 shown themselves rather childish in judgment, 
 ami somewhat malicious or ill-n:itured in re- 
 gard to their own and others' gifts. Be men 
 
120 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XIV. 
 
 21 In' the law it is written, With men of other tongues 
 and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet 
 for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. 
 
 22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that 
 believe, but to them that Relieve uot: but prophesying 
 terveth not for them that believe not, but for them 
 which believe. 
 
 •2.1 If therefore the whole church be come together 
 into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there 
 come in those that art uulearued, or unbelievers, will 
 they not say that ye are mad? 
 
 21 malice be ye babes, but in mind be 1 men. In the 
 law it is written, By men of strange tongues and by 
 the lips of strangers will I speak unto this people; 
 and not even thus will they hear me, saith the Lord. 
 
 22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that 
 believe, but to the unbelieving: but prophesying is 
 for a sign, not to the unbelieving, but to them that 
 
 23 believe. If therefore the whole church be assembled 
 together, and all speak with tongues, and there 
 come in men unlearned or unbelieving, will they 
 
 1 Gr. of full age. 
 
 — should be, become mature. On the princi- 
 ple cf. Matt. 10: 16. On the word 'mature' 
 see on 2 : 6 ; and Heb. 5 : 14. 
 
 21. With this verse begins another part of 
 the discussion, in which the apostle shows, not 
 the comparative usefulness of the two gifts, 
 but their different purpose. In the law. 
 The quotation is found in Isa. 28: 11, 12. In 
 the context, the scoffing priests are repre- 
 sented as sneering at the plainness and sim- 
 plicity of God's instruction, calling it milk 
 for babes. And so God says, "Yes, since 
 they complain of that, I will speak to them 
 through strange tongues and foreign lips" — 
 meaning by this the Assyrian hosts that he 
 was about to bring on the doomed country — 
 "and not even so will they listen." Of course, 
 the prophecy contains only an analogy to the 
 case to which the apostle applies it. In both, 
 the strange speech is brought into contrast 
 with plain and instructive utterance, and in 
 both, the reason for it is substantially the same, 
 viz., the unbelief of those to whom it is ad- 
 dressed. Those who believe, it is not necessary 
 to convince of the reality of God's being, nor of 
 the truth of his religion ; and hence speech, or 
 any other supernatural act, having in it only, 
 or mainly, this element of proof, of a sign, and 
 not subserving any other end, such as in- 
 struction, is not adapted to them, while it 
 may be to unbelievers. And this same end, the 
 mere proof of God's being and truth, was sub- 
 served alike by the Old Testament incursions 
 of barbarians, taking the place of God's pro- 
 phets with their instructive speech, and by 
 the New Testament gift of tongues, contrasted 
 with the same prophetic speech. With men 
 of other tongues — should be simply, with 
 other tongues. And other lips — should be, 
 and with flu- lips of others. (SeeCrit. Notes.) 
 'Other' in both places means not only other, 
 but different. And yet for all that will 
 they not hrar me — should be, and not even 
 so will they hear me. This contains in itself, 
 
 by implication, the fact of their unbelief at the 
 time the sign was given, as well as a statement 
 of their continued unbelief, and so forms the 
 point of transition to the next verse. This is 
 a translation from the original Hebrew, and 
 differs essentially from the Septuagint, which 
 is plainly incorrect. 
 
 22. Wherefore— better, And so, or So that. 
 Tongues — should be, the tongues. The verse 
 contains an inference from the circumstances 
 in which the preceding utterance was made; 
 it being plainly enough implied in the last 
 clause of verse 21, that God speaks to the Jews 
 in the way stated, because they were unbe- 
 lieving. Not to them that believe, but to 
 them that believe not. This follows, as we 
 have seen, from the fact that tongues contain 
 simply the element of proof, and so subserve 
 no useful purpose with those already con- 
 vinced. But prophesying serveth not. 
 This verb is out of place here; the predicate, 
 ' is for a sign,' being carried over from the pre- 
 ceding part of the verse. All of the charis- 
 mata, being supernatural endowments, are 
 signs; and this one, since it contains instruc- 
 tion as well as proof, is specially for believers. 
 
 23. If therefore. This word 'therefore,' 
 by making this apparently an inference from 
 the statement of the preceding verse, has made 
 the passage a continual stumbling-block. For 
 this statement, instead of following from the 
 preceding one, that tongues are for a sign to 
 unbelievers, seems directly opposed to it ; so 
 that it seems proper to introduce it by however 
 instead of 'therefore.' And this has led many 
 interpreters to tamper with the plain meaning 
 of verse 22. For instance, Meyer says, that 
 tongues are a sign to make known unbe- 
 lievers, and prophecy to make known be- 
 lievers. But in this case, the genitive would 
 be used in the original, instead of the dative, 
 so that it would read, tongues are for a sign 
 of unbelievers, instead of to unbelievers. More- 
 over this does not make verses 23, 21, any 
 
Ch. XIV.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 121 
 
 24 But if all prophesy, and there come iu one that) 24 not say thai jre are mad? Hut if all prophesy 
 believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, ami there come in one unbelieving or unlearned he 
 
 he is judged of all : I 
 
 easier, us these verses do not show the effect of 
 tongues in making known one class of persons 
 as unbelievers, and of prophecy in making 
 known another class as believers, but they 
 show the effect of the two on the same class of 
 persons; the one being effective, and the other 
 ineffective, in producing belief. Mej'er avoids 
 this difficulty in his interpretation by the fol- 
 lowing statement : " Prophecy is intended as 
 a sign, not for unbelievers, but for believers; 
 that is. to make known those to whom the 
 prophetic speech comes, as believers. See 
 verse 24, where this statement of the apostle 
 is confirmed by this, that such as come into 
 the Christian assembly as unbelievers, being 
 won by the overpowering impression of the 
 prophetic utterance, bow to Christianity, and 
 make themselves known as believers." But 
 evidently here, though it is ingeniously cov- 
 ered up by the language, there is not a reve- 
 lation of what they are, but a power to make 
 them something else, viz., believers. De 
 Wette says, that the terms believing and unbe- 
 lieving in verse 22 denote, according to verses 
 23-25, the results of prophecy and of tongues 
 respectively; that tongues are for those who 
 are unmoved by them, and who remain in 
 their unbelief, while prophecy is for those 
 who are moved by it to belief. But \\\\p can- 
 not see that the terms believers and unbelievers 
 in this statement are not adapted to denote 
 the states in which these things leave men, but 
 those in which they find men? When we say 
 that a thing is for a sick man, we do not mean 
 that it will leave him sick, but, probably, pre- 
 cisely the opposite. RiL'kerthas in substance 
 the same opinion; also Stanle}'. A Word 
 gives substantially the right interpretation <>f 
 verse 22, but does not remove the difficulties, 
 nor even seem to recognize them. Now, if 
 we can make the connection of verse 23 with 
 verse 21, instead of with verse 22, the difficulty 
 is removed. Because then, this statement, 
 that tongues do not convince, will follow di- 
 rectly from the last part of verse 21, viz.. that 
 they will not listen, even when God speaks to 
 them with strange tongues. And this con- 
 nection can be made in two ways. Either we 
 may suppose that the apostle's principal ob- 
 ject in introducing the quotation of verse 21 is 
 
 contained in this inference, verses 23 25, and 
 that verse 22 is to be treated as a parenthesis 
 containing a subordinate conclusion. In this 
 ease the word 'therefore,' verse 2:;. would be 
 treated as resumptive, instead of strictly in- 
 ferential. Or we may make verse 22 a subor- 
 dinate part of the sentence contained in verse 
 21, putting simply a comma between them — a 
 connection perfectly allowable with the con- 
 junction used, which, as we have seen, means 
 so that, instead of therefore. Then verse 23 
 can easily connect itself with the principal 
 part of the statement, viz., with verse 21. 
 There may be slight harshness or unnatural- 
 ness in this, but it does not seem nearly bo 
 great as that involved in the other views of 
 verse 22. The whole church be come to- 
 gether into one place, and all speak with 
 tongues. Of course, the strangeness, and as 
 the apostle evidently regards it, the absurdity 
 of the spectacle is increased by its being all, 
 instead of some. Indeed, the effect depends 
 largely on this; since, if there were mingled 
 with the speaking with tongues prophecy, the 
 element of proof in the tongues might not be 
 entirely overridden by the strange spectacle 
 of a body of men all speaking and saying 
 nothing intelligible. With all the incohe- 
 rence and unintelligibleness of the speech with 
 tongues, there must have been an impression 
 of inspiration, of fine frenzy, that would be 
 effective in its measure, it* combined with 
 other things to prove the intelligence of the 
 assembly. Those that are unlearned — 
 should be, private persona; those that are 
 without gifts. (See mi verse 16.) 
 
 24. But if all prophesy. Here, ns in the 
 case of speaking with tongues, the apostle 
 supposes that they all prophesy, >>> a- t" leave 
 no doubt as to the source of the impression 
 produced. One that believeth not, or one 
 unlearned — better, some unbeliever, or pri- 
 vate person. (See on ver. 2:'..) He is con- 
 vinced of all; he is Judged of all— should 
 be, he is convicted by nil .■ he is judged by nil. 
 This meaning of the first verb accords better 
 
 than 'is convinced,' with tl ther part- of 
 
 the description. There is conviction of sin, 
 judgment, nnd revelation of the secrets of 
 the heart. This conviction of sin is the office 
 
122 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XIV. 
 
 25 And thus are the secrets of his heart made mani- 
 fest ; and so tailing down on his face he will worship 
 God, and report that God is in you of a truth. 
 
 25 is * reproved by all, he is judged by all ; the secrets 
 of his heart are made manifest ; and so he will fall 
 down on his face and worship God, declaring that 
 God is 2 among you indeed. 
 
 1 Or, convicted. ...2 Or, 
 
 and effect of the truth accompanied by the 
 Spirit. (Cf. John 16: 8, 9.) The judgment, 
 like the conviction of sin, is the result of the 
 truth spoken, not the conscious act of the per- 
 son speaking. The truth calls men to judg- 
 ment or scrutiny before the bar of their own 
 consciences. (Cf. John 20: 23.) By all— all 
 are represented as prophesying; and so the 
 effect is produced by all alike. 
 
 25. And thus. These words are to be 
 omitted. (See Crit. Notes.) The words which 
 follow are to be connected immediately 
 with the preceding, as a part of the process 
 described there. The secrets of his heart 
 are made manifest — not to others, but to 
 the man himself. One of the powers possessed 
 by the truth is to uncover to the man the 
 hidden facts of his own spirit. (Cf. John 3: 
 19-21.) He will worship God. There is 
 implied here the conversion of the unbeliever, 
 so that we have the converting as well as 
 the convicting and revealing power of the 
 truth, which is not evinced by the sign with- 
 out the truth. And report— should be, re- 
 porting, or making known. God is in you — 
 the preposition means also among. But prob- 
 ably it is this presence of God within them, 
 manifesting itself in such powerful utterance, 
 that is meant. 
 
 Here we may consider the question, what 
 Paul means by speaking with tongues. Does 
 he mean by tongues, languages? That would 
 seem to be the natural inference from the gift 
 of tongues in the second chapter of the Acts. 
 But there are several things decidedly, and 
 indeed conclusively, against that view. In 
 the first place, the apostle's leading objection 
 does not apply. He says that tongues are for 
 private edification, not for the instruction of 
 the church, and that in them a man speaks to 
 himself and. to God. (Ver. 2-4, 28, etc) Now, if 
 he had meant speaking in foreign languages, 
 how evident it is that the true use of such a 
 gift is no more private and personal than that 
 of prophecy, and that the proper direction 
 would have been, not to reserve it for a man's 
 own communion with God — a use almost 
 equally absurd with its public use in the 
 
 church — but to employ it where persons of 
 other languages were present, as at the Day of 
 Pentecost. Then, secondly, the statement, 
 ver. 14-16, that in the speaking with tongues, 
 the spirit, and not the intellect, is active, and 
 that this is the reason that the person is not 
 understood, is not consistent with this view. 
 For this points evidently to a quality of the 
 thing said, not to mere obscurity of the lan- 
 guage, and especially not to the unintelligi- 
 bleness of a foreign language. This is ren- 
 dered still plainer by the direct contrast 
 which Paul makes, (ver. 19) between praying 
 with the tongue and praying with the mind. 
 And finally, in ver. 9, it is evident that he 
 means by the tongue the organ of speech, and 
 it is at least natural to suppose that he means 
 the same by it in the rest of the passage. And 
 besides, its use in this verse is superfluous and 
 unaccountable, unless it is intended to con- 
 trast this employment of the tongue with its 
 use in the utterance of unintelligible speech. 
 The use of the expression speaking with 
 tongues, or with a tongue, is that which 
 justifies in this verse the expression uttering 
 speech by means of the tongue, if we suppose 
 that the former, like the latter, is u«ed of the 
 tongue as an organ of speech. The clue to 
 the kind of speech denoted is found in the 
 statement noticed above, that in speaking 
 with tongues the spirit, and not the mind, is 
 active. This would apply to ecstatic, abrupt, 
 disconnected speech, in which the spiritual 
 nature of the man, rather than the intellectual, 
 found expression. And inasmuch asgenerally 
 the tongue is the organ of the intellect, but in 
 this case the latter is wanting, or does not 
 appear, such speech would naturally come to 
 be called speaking with a tongue, and, as 
 such, opposed to speaking with the intel- 
 lect. (Cf. ver. 19.) And inasmuch as such 
 speech would naturally assume different 
 forms, the plural would come to be used, and 
 we should find expressions like kinds of 
 tongues, speaking with tongues, etc. In sub- 
 stance, this is the view of Meyer and De 
 Wette, but it differs from that in the inter- 
 pretation given to verse 13, and in not limiting 
 
Ch. XIV.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 123 
 
 26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, 
 every one of y"u hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, bath a 
 tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let 
 all things be done unto edifying. 
 
 2~ If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be 
 by two, or at the most by three, and that by course ; and 
 let one interpret. 
 
 28 But it there be no interpreter, let him keep silence 
 in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to 
 God. 
 
 29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the 
 other judge. 
 
 30 If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, 
 let the first hold his peace. 
 
 2f> What is it then, brethren? When ye come to- 
 gether, eaeb one hath a psalm, bath a teaching, hath 
 a revelation, hath a tongue, batb an Interpretation. 
 
 2" Let all things be done unto edifying. If any man 
 speaketb in a tongue, let it be by two, or at the mosl 
 
 by three, and that in turn; and lei one U 
 28 but if there l.e no interpreter, let him keep cilence 
 2D In the church ; and let him speak to himself, and to 
 
 God. And let the prophets Bpeak by iu three, 
 
 30 and let the oth( is i discern. Bui If a revelation be 
 
 made to another sitting by, let the first keep silence. 
 
 1 Gr. discriminate. 
 
 the gift to expressions of prayer and praise. 
 (See on ver. 13.) 
 
 26. How is it? Better, What is it, etc?— 
 i. e., what is the' result of all this? When 
 ye come together — viz., as a church. 
 Every one of you. 'Of you' is to be 
 omitted. (See Crit. Notes.) Hath a psalm. 
 (See on ver. 15.) The word is the Septuagint 
 translation of the Hebrew word for the 
 Psalms, and means a religious hymn. In 
 earlier Greek, the word designated the twang- 
 ing of the harp-strings, and hence, an)' strain 
 of music. Hath a doctrine — better, a teach- 
 ing. A tongue — a revelation. The order 
 of these words is to be reversed. (See Crit. 
 Notes.) This brings the gift of tongues and 
 of interpretation together, as they naturally 
 would be placed; and also revelation and 
 teaching. Let all things be done unto 
 edifying — i. e., for the building up of the 
 church. This is the general principle to be 
 observed in the use of these gifts. (See 12: 7; 
 ver. 3, 4, 5, 17, 19, etc.) With this verse, the 
 apostle begins the practical application of 
 what he has been saying. 
 
 27. If any man speak in an unknown 
 tongue — literally, Whether any one speak 
 with a tongue. The second correlative is 
 omitted, but the sentence begins as if he were 
 introducing a series of suppositions. By 
 two, or at the most, by three, and that 
 by course — better, in course, or in turn. 
 The meaning is that only two or three were 
 to use this gift at each meeting; and that 
 these were to speak in turn, not all together. 
 And let one interpret. The word 'one' 
 here is not the indefinite pronoun, but the 
 numeral ; so that it is restrictive. Only one 
 was to act as interpreter for the two or three 
 who spoke with tongues. The reason for this 
 last injunction does not appear, but it was 
 apparently in the interest of order. 
 
 28. Let him keep silence in the church- 
 better, in church. This silence in church is 
 contrasted with the speaking in private that 
 follows. In the preceding verse, the first 
 supposition is that some one has a tongue; 
 and then it is treated on the other supposition, 
 that there are several. Here he returns to the 
 first supposition, and 'him' refers to the one 
 speaking with a tongue. And let him speak 
 to himself, and to God. Cf. ver. 2. in 
 which the apostle says that the speech with 
 tongues is addressed not to man, but to God; 
 and ver. 4, in which he says that it edifies the 
 man himself, and not the church. Hence, 
 the apostle enjoins them here not to occupy 
 the time of the church with what is between 
 only the man himself and God. 
 
 29. Let the prophets speak two or 
 three, and let the other judge — should be, 
 But prophets, let two or three speak, and the 
 others judge, or discriminate. By putting 
 the word 'prophets' at the beginning of the 
 sentence, the Greek indicates the change of 
 subject from tongues to prophecy, and also 
 makes more evident the connection of the 
 word with both parts of the sentence that 
 follows. 'Let the others judge.' The other 
 prophets are meant. The matter of judg- 
 ment is whether what is said is really prophecy 
 or not. Of course, they would not sit in 
 judgment on what was said, assuming it to 
 be inspired. It is to be noticed that the 
 apostle, in speaking of the number of proph- 
 ets who are to Bpeak, omits the words 'at 
 most,' with which be limits the number of 
 those who are to use the gift of tongues. 
 
 30. If anything, etc.— should be, But if 
 a revelation be made to another sitting by, U t 
 the first be silent. The revelation coming 
 fresh tit the time, is an indication of it- im- 
 portance; and the one speaking is to stop, 
 therefore. 
 
124 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XIV. 
 
 31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may 
 learn, and all mav lie comforted. 
 
 32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the 
 prophets. 
 
 33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of 
 peace, as in all churches of the saints. 
 
 34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for 
 it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are 
 commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the 
 law. 
 
 31 For ye all can prophesy one by one, that all may 
 
 32 learn, and all may be l comforted; and the spirits of 
 
 33 the prophets are subject to the prophets ; for God is 
 not a God of confusion, but of peace. 
 
 34 As in all the churches of the saints, let the women 
 keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted 
 unto them to speak ; but let them be in subjection, 
 
 1 Or, exhorted. 
 
 31. For ye may, etc.— better, You can. 
 This statement is intended to confirm the 
 preceding injunction, that in case of a revela- 
 tion to another, the one speaking is to stop, 
 and allow the other to speak. One by one. 
 Is opposed, apparently, to two speaking to- 
 gether. One alternative to the apostle's in- 
 junction that the first be silent, is that the 
 two speak together. But this would produce 
 the confusion against which he would guard 
 them, and prevent the general instruction 
 that he wished to secure. All might speak in 
 that way, but not in such a way that all 
 might learn. Or, as another alternative, the 
 first might continue speaking, and not allow 
 the other to begin. But this would hinder 
 the speaking of all, that the apostle desired. 
 But in the way suggested by the apostle, all 
 would speak one by one, either at that, or in 
 subsequent meetings. By all, he means, of 
 course, the prophets, since all the members 
 did not have the gift of prophecy. All may 
 be comforted — better, may be exhorted. 
 The word has both meanings, but in this 
 place the more general meaning is to be pre- 
 ferred. Grimm says, that it embraces in 
 itself here the notions of admonishing, con- 
 soling, and confirming. By making this the 
 object of all prophesying, the apostle implies 
 that there were differences in the prophetic 
 utterances, adapting them to the different 
 persons present, so that all ought to speak, in 
 order to satisfy all. 
 
 3'Z. And the spirits of the prophets are 
 subject to the prophets. ' The spirits of the 
 prophets' here are their own spirits, though 
 of course under the inspiration of the Holy 
 Spirit. 'Are subject to the prophets.' They 
 are not compelled to speak when a revelation 
 is made to their spirits, whether they will or 
 not. This is the second reason for the injunc- 
 tion that the one prophesying be silent when 
 a revelation is made to another. 
 
 33. For God is not the author of con- 
 
 fusion — better, not a God of confusion. Not 
 confusion, but peace characterizes him. This 
 is the reason why the spirits of the prophets 
 are subject to the prophets, since to leave the 
 prophets subject to their spirits would make 
 them speak whenever the Spirit was on them, 
 and so more than one at a time, causing con- 
 fusion. But he, being instead a God of peace, 
 subjects the spirits to the prophets, so that, by 
 restraining them, one can speak at a time, and 
 thus have peace. As in all churches of the 
 saints — better, all the churches, etc. This 
 should be connected with the following verse, 
 instead of with this one, viz. : 'As in all the 
 churches of the saints, let your women,' etc. 
 Meyer states well the reason for preferring 
 this connection, viz., that ver. 33 contains a 
 general principle, while ver. 34 gives a spe- 
 cific command for the Corinthian Church, and 
 that it is much more natural to compare one 
 specific case with another than a general prin- 
 ciple, obtaining everywhere, with any one or 
 more specific cases. 
 
 34. Let your women keep silence in 
 the churches — should be. the women. (See 
 Crit. Notes.) The word 'churches' here has 
 its primary meaning of assemblies or meet- 
 ings. The apostle's command has reference, 
 not to the churches generally, but to the 
 assemblies of the Corinthian Church. For 
 it is not permitted unto them to speak. 
 (Cf. 1 Tim. 2: 12.) On the relation of this 
 to the command for women to speak and pray 
 veiled (ii:Sseq.), little definite can be said. 
 One thing seems certain — that the injunction 
 in ch. 11 can scarcely be treated as hypotheti- 
 cal, so as to mean, If women speak or pray 
 (and I do not a/low them to), it should be with 
 uncovered head. For in the first place, the 
 clause in parenthesis would have to be stated, 
 to prevent serious misunderstanding. And 
 as it stands, it would be a waste of time and 
 words, and an obscuring of the real issue and 
 of the apostle's thought, that would constitute 
 
Ch. XIV.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 125 
 
 35 And if they will learn anything, let them ask 
 their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to 
 speak in the church. 
 
 36 What! came the word of God out from you? or 
 came it unto you only '.' 
 
 .17 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or 
 spiritual, let him acknowledge that tli" things that I 
 write unto you are ilie commandments of the Lord. 
 
 o.s But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. 
 
 SS as also aaitfa the law. And If they would learn any- 
 thing, lei them ask their own husbands at home: 
 
 lor it is shameful for a woman to speak in the 
 
 36 chinch, what? was it from you thai the word of 
 ixo.i wenl forth " or came il unto you aloi 
 
 37 If any man thinkrih himself to be a prophet or 
 spiritual, lei him take knowledge of the things 
 
 which I write unto you, thai they are the com- 
 
 38 mandment of the Lord, i But if any man is i no- 
 rant, let him be ignorant. 
 
 1 Many ancient authorities read. But if any man knoweth not. he it not known. 
 
 as serious a charge against apostolic authority 
 as a positive contradiction. The apostle must 
 be speaking of two things in these passages, 
 so that there is a speaking of women in the 
 meetings of the church that is allowed, and 
 another that is not allowed. But how shall 
 we decide what is allowed, and what is not 
 allowed, so as to make any practical applica- 
 tion of the teaching? Possibly, Meyer's sug- 
 gestion may be taken, that the words in the 
 assemblies in this passage make it applicable 
 to the meetings of the entire church, while 
 the other, in which permission is impliedly 
 given for women to speak, applies to the 
 smaller, less public, meetings of part of the 
 church. Possibly, too, the change of customs 
 would make the whole matter less significant, 
 and the assumption of an unwomanly posi- 
 tion, contrary to the established relations 
 betweeen man and woman, less evident now 
 than then. (See on 11: 16.) But they are 
 commanded to be under obedience — 
 should be, But let them be in subjection. (See 
 Crit. Notes.) As also saith the law. The 
 reference is to Gen. 8: 16, the curse pro- 
 nounced on Eve. This term 'law' is fre- 
 quently applied to the books containing the 
 law, and even to the whole Old Testament. 
 
 35. And if they will— better, if they wish 
 to. Let them ask their husbands — hetter, 
 their own husbands. This is contrasted with 
 asking other men in the church. The more 
 general object of their speaking would be to 
 teach or exhort others; this forbids them to 
 speak in public, even for the sake of learning. 
 For it is a shame — better, shameful. For 
 women — should be, for a woman to speak in 
 church. (See Crit. Notes. ) It is disgraceful, 
 because it is unwomanly, perverting the 
 proper relations of man and woman. It was 
 not only wrong in itself, but contrary to cus- 
 tom and opinion ; and so it brought disgrace 
 for women to speak in church. 
 
 33. What! came, etc. — should be, Or 
 
 came, etc. This is an alternative on which 
 their conduct in this matter might be justi- 
 fied. If they had been the source from which 
 the word came, they might dictate the custom 
 in reference to women's speaking, as in other 
 matters. But as (hey had received the word, 
 they would have to take this, together with 
 the rest, from the proper source. Or came 
 it unto you only? 'Only' here modifies 
 'you,' and is better translated alone, to avoid 
 ambiguity. The question is, if they are the 
 on'y ones to whom the word came. If they 
 had been the only ones to whom it came, they 
 might set the fashion for others to follow. 
 The first alternative would make them inde- 
 pendent of apostolic authority; the second, f 
 the other churches. 
 
 37. Or spiritual— one endowed with the 
 special gifts of the Spirit. Let him acknowl- 
 edge— should be, let him know, or, know well. 
 The verb is a compound, which denotes thor- 
 ough knowledge. That the things that, 
 etc. — the construction is not so simple as is 
 implied in this rendering. It should be, Let 
 him know the things that I write untoyou,that 
 they are the comma ml mints of the Lord. The 
 test of the genuineness of the claim to inspired 
 knowledge is, that he recognizes the indis- 
 putable command of God as such. This claim 
 of the apostle, that his command is the com- 
 mand of God, is significant. For command- 
 ments read commandment. (See Crit. Notes. I 
 
 38. But if any man be ignorant, lei him 
 be ignorant — the meaning is evident. Such 
 ignorance, the apostle says, is hopeless; let it 
 alone. But there is another reading, having 
 excellent external authority, which menu-, but 
 if any one knoweth not, he it not known. ' See 
 Crit. Notes.) That is, he is not known by 
 God, as he knows his children. (Cf. 
 
 This is a severe conclusion, and if we adopt 
 the reading, we must suppose thai the ignor- 
 ance which makes Paul conclude that the 
 ignorant person is unknown by God, is quite 
 
126 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XIV. 
 
 39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and for- 
 bid not to speak with tongues. 
 
 40 Let all things be done decently and in order. 
 
 39 Wherefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to proph- 
 
 40 esy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. But let 
 I all things be done decently and in order. 
 
 general. A failure to acknowledge the apos- 
 tle's general teaching as divine, might justify 
 this as a probable, but not as a certain conclu- 
 sion. But there are internal evidences in favor 
 of the other reading. 
 
 39. Wherefore, brethren, covet to pro- 
 phesy— should be, And so, my brethren, seek 
 earnestly to prophesy. On the insertion of 
 ' my,' see Crit. Notes. On the meaning of the 
 verb, see on 12: 31 ; 14: 1. It does not seem 
 to have been suggested to the commentators 
 that possibly, if not probably, this flrstclause, 
 like the second, refers to what they are to de- 
 sire as a body, not necessarily for themselves, 
 individually, but among them, in the church. 
 If it refers to what they are to desire for them- 
 selves individually, then the second clause 
 would more naturally be concerned also with 
 the attitude of individuals in regard to speak- 
 ing with tongues, and some other verb than 
 forbid would have been employed. If this 
 does refer to what the church is to desire for 
 its members, then it should be translated : 
 Seek earnestly prophesying, and do not forbid 
 speaking with tongues. This indicates exactly 
 the estimate put on the two gifts by the apos- 
 tle. One is not undesirable, and the other is 
 extremely desirable. (Cf. verse 1.) 
 
 40. Let all things— should be, And let. 
 (See Crit. Notes.) Decently— possibly, deco- 
 rously is a better word. And in order— by 
 this he means that things are to be kept in 
 their proper place. The apostle has in mind 
 in this closing injunction such unseemly things 
 as women's speaking in the congregation, and 
 several talking at the same time. (Cf. verses 
 27-35.) 
 
 CRITICAL NOTES. — CHAP. XIV. 
 
 5. For greater is the reading of x c DEFG, 
 etc. d e f gvulg syr utr , etc. ; and greater is the 
 reading of N* ABP, etc. 
 
 10. Of them is found in N c D c EKL g syr utr , 
 etc. It is omitted in N* ABDF, etc. e f vulg 
 sah cop, etc. 
 
 18. My God is the reading of KL, etc., two 
 MSS. of the vulg, etc., and the my is to be 
 omitted. 
 
 21. Other lips is the reading of DEFG, etc. 
 it vulg cop' syrP (syr 8ch ) etc. Lips of others 
 is the reading of NAB cursives, etc. 
 
 25. And so the secrets is the reading of D c 
 KL syrP, etc. And so is omitted in NABD-F 
 G d e f g vulg syr sch cop, etc. 
 
 26. Each one of you is the reading of NDEF 
 G, etc. it vulg syr" lr , etc. Of you is omitted 
 in N* AB cop, etc. Hath a tongue, hath a 
 revelation, is the reading in only L, etc., and 
 the reverse is the proper order. 
 
 34. Four women is the reading of DEFG d 
 e g syr utr , etc. Four is omitted in NAB f vulg 
 cop, etc. To be under obedience is the reading 
 of DFGK, etc., de f gvulg syrP, etc. Let 
 them be, etc., is found in NAB syr sch cop, etc. 
 
 35. For women is the reading of N c DEFG, 
 etc., d e g syr utr , etc. For a woman is found 
 in N* AB f vulg cop, etc. 
 
 37. Commandments is the reading of D b and 
 c E*"*KL, etc. f vulg syr utr , etc. Command- 
 ment is found in NAB cop, etc. The word is 
 omitted by Tischendorfon the authority of D* 
 E*FG d e g, etc., and as in itself a probable 
 reading. 
 
 38. Let him be ignorant is the reading of N c 
 A 2 BD b and c EK, etc. syr utr , etc. He is un- 
 known is found in N* A*D* FG d e f g vulg, 
 etc. The external authority is thus in favor 
 of the latter reading, which also has in its 
 favor that it is the more difficult reading. But 
 the reading 'let him be ignorant' brings to- 
 gether two vowels — the last in this word and 
 the first in the next — that are the same; and 
 the change to the other reading might easily 
 have occurred therefore through the dropping 
 of one of these. The choice is difficult. 
 
 40. And, at the beginning, is to be inserted 
 on the authority of NABDEFG, etc., it vulg 
 syr sch cop, etc. 
 
Ch. XV.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 127 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 MOREOVER, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel 
 which I preached unto you, which' also ye have 
 received, and wherein ye stand ; 
 
 2 By which also ye are saved, If ye keep in memory 
 what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed iii 
 vain. 
 
 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I 
 also received, how that Christ died for our sius accord- 
 ing to the Scriptures: 
 
 1 Now I make known unto you, brethren, the gos- 
 pel which I preached unto you, which also ye re- 
 
 ■2 ceived, wherein also ye stand, by which also > an 
 saved.it' ye hold fast the word which i preached 
 
 3 unto you, except ye believed ' in rain. For 1 de- 
 livered unto you first of all that which also 1 re- 
 ceived, how that, Christ died for our sins according 
 
 1 Or, without ciusc. 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 
 1-11. Statement of the historical fact of 
 Christ's resurrection, and of the witnesses for 
 it. 12, 13. Inference, from Christ's resur- 
 rection, that there is such a tiling as resur- 
 rection from the dead. 14-19. Importance 
 of Christ's resurrection to the whole system 
 of Christian truth, and the uselessness of per- 
 sonal faith without it. 20-22. Comparison 
 between Adam and Christ carried out witli 
 reference to death and the resurrection. 23- 
 28. Order of the resurrection, and its con- 
 nection with the surrender of the Messianic 
 kingdom by Christ. 29-32. Uselessness of 
 baptism for the dead, and of Christian suffer- 
 ing, if there is no resurrection. 33, 34. 
 Warning against false teachers. 
 
 35-53. The manner of the resurrection, 
 and nature of the resurrection bodj-. 36-44. 
 Resurrection body different from the present 
 body, and argument from analogy in support 
 of it. 45-49. Resurrection body adapted to 
 the higher spiritual part of the man, as the 
 present is to the lower. 50-53. Immortality 
 of the resurrection body. 
 
 54-57. Final triumph over sin and death. 
 58. Exhortation to Christian steadfastness in 
 view of the resurrection. 
 
 Ch. 15 : 1. Moreover — better, Now. 
 The Greek conjunction indicates a transition 
 to a new subject. The gospel— the glad 
 tidings of salvation, in which the facts of the 
 death and resin rection of Christ, which he 
 proceeds to enumerate, were cardinal points. 
 Which I preached unto you— the word for 
 'preach' here, and in ver. 2, is derived from 
 the word for 'gospel,' and means, literally, to 
 bring good news — the gospel of which I brought 
 the good news to you. (Cf. Luke 2 : 10. ) I de- 
 clare, at the beginning of the verse, is better 
 translated, I make known. There is probably 
 
 a reproach implied in this statement that lie 
 makes known to them, as if it were a new 
 thing, the gospel already preached to them. 
 Which also ye have received— should be, 
 which also ye received. And wherein, etc. 
 — should be, in which also ye stand. There is 
 a climax in these four relative clauses, limit- 
 ing the word 'gospel,' the progress being 
 indicated by the word 'also.' Ye stand— op- 
 posed to falling. (Cf. 10:12.) 
 
 2. By which— should be, Through which 
 also ye are saved. The verb is present, de- 
 noting an incomplete process, the progress «>f 
 which is contingent on their holding fast the 
 word by which it is accomplished. If ye 
 keep in memory what I preached — 
 should be, if ye holdfast the word with which. 
 They were to have a continued belief, and 
 not merely memory, of this word, a spiritual 
 rather than an intellectual hold of it. (Cf. 
 Luke 8: 15; 1 Thess. 5: 21; Heb. 3: 6, 14; 
 10: 23.) There is another construction of this 
 clause grammatically possible, according to 
 whicli it would be rendered, I make known, I 
 say, with what word I preached the gospel 
 unto you, if you hold it fast. The difficulty 
 is, that their holding it is not a condition of 
 his having preached the word, but of their 
 being saved by it. (See "Winer, 661.) Unless 
 ye have believed in vain— should be, ye be- 
 lieved in vain. 
 
 3. For I delivered unto you first of all 
 — literally, among the first things — i. e., the 
 most important things. This is a confirmation 
 of the statement that the gospel now an- 
 nounced is the same originally preached to 
 them. That which I also received. He 
 received it from others, and passed it along to 
 them. The Greek verbs are such as to indi- 
 cate this relation of the two acta to each other. 
 [Canon Evans, in the "Bible Commentary," 
 snys: Received. — t, e., straigh' from the Lord 
 by special revelation " ; but I cannot see that 
 
128 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XV. 
 
 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the 
 third day according to the Scriptures ; 
 
 5 And that be was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 
 (> After that, he was seen of above five hundred 
 
 brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain 
 untu this present, but some are fallen asleep. 
 
 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the 
 apostles. 
 
 8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one 
 born out of due time. 
 
 9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet 
 to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church 
 of God. 
 
 4 to the scriptures ; and that he was buried ; and that 
 he hath been raised on the third day according to 
 
 5 the scriptures; and that he appeared to Cephas; 
 
 6 then to the twelve; then he appeared to above rive 
 hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part 
 
 7 remain until now, but some are fallen asleep ; then 
 S he appeared to James; then to all the apostles; and 
 
 last of all, as to the child untimely born, he ap- 
 
 9 peared to me also. For I am the least of the apostles, 
 
 that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I 
 
 the Greek verb, (or verbs), affords answer to 
 the inquiry, " From whom did he receive the 
 gospel?"— i. e., directly from Christ, or indi- 
 rectly, through human channels? Yet his 
 language in the first chapter of the Epistle to 
 the Galatians proves that he received the sub- 
 stance of the gospel from Christ by direct 
 revelation, and the fact that ' Christ died for 
 our sins,' — not simply that he died — was cer- 
 tainly an important part of the gospel, as 
 understood by Paul. May we not suppose 
 that whatever Paul received through human 
 channels was certified to him by the Spirit of 
 Christ, so that his assurance of its truth did 
 not rest ultimately upon human testimony, 
 but upon revelation? A. H.] Christ died 
 for our sins. The preposition used here 
 denotes simply that Christ's death had 
 reference to our sins. According to the 
 Scriptures— as the Old Testament Scriptures 
 had foretold. (See Isa. 53 : 5 ; Dan. 9: 26; 
 Zech. 13: 7.) 
 
 4. And that he rose again— should be, 
 has been raised. This is a past action contin- 
 uing into a present state, unlike the death and 
 burial, which are simply past actions. Ac- 
 cording to the Scriptures. This belongs 
 only with the statement of the resurrection, 
 not of the burial. Otherwise the that would 
 be omitted before the second. 'The Scrip- 
 tures." (See Isa. 53: 9; Ps. 16: 9, 10.) 
 
 5. And that he was seen of Cephas, 
 then of the twelve — better, appeared to 
 Cephas; then to the twelve. (See Luke 24: 
 34; 36 seq. ; John 20: 19 seq., 26 seq.) 
 
 G. After that, he was seen of— better, 
 Then he appeared to. Of whom the greater 
 part remain until this present — better, 
 until now. This makes a great number of 
 living witnesses to the resurrection. But 
 some are fallen asleep — should be, fell 
 asleep. This cannot be identified with any 
 .'npearance recorded in the Gospels. 
 7. Alter that he was seen of James; 
 
 then of, etc. — should be, Then he appeared to 
 James; thento, etc. Probably, if either James 
 in the original Twelve had been meant, he 
 would have been distinguished. Probably, 
 also, as James, the brother of our Lord, was 
 still living, and the James parexeellence in the 
 minds of the church, he would be understood 
 as the one meant in such a case. On the use 
 of the term apostle in his case,' cf. Gal. 1 : 19. 
 Neither of these appearances can be identified 
 with any in the Gospels. 
 
 8. And last of all, etc. — better, And last of 
 all, as if to the one born out of due time, he 
 appeared to me also. One born out of due 
 time — literally, the abortion. The best 
 commentators make the figurative term refer 
 not to the untimeliness of his call to be an 
 apostle, but to his inferiority to the other 
 apostles, compared to whom he was as an im- 
 mature and undeveloped child to one full- 
 grown. It is this inferiority to which he calls 
 attention in the next verse. But the com- 
 parison may be made more exact in this way, 
 that they became apostles after a period of 
 companionship with the Lord, preparing them 
 for the office, while he came suddenly into it 
 without this period of growth. And this 
 character of his previous life, without any 
 growth into the apostolic office, making the 
 transition sudden, is certainly indicated in 
 the persecution of the church, mentioned in 
 ver. 9. The appearance referred to is the one 
 near Damascus, at the time of his conversion. 
 If anything, it was more significant than the 
 other appearances, as there is reason to believe 
 that in those appearances before Ids ascension, 
 the Lord had the same body as during his 
 earthly life; while this was an appearance 
 with his glorified body. 
 
 9. Gives the reason for calling himself the 
 abortion among the apostles. He is the least 
 of them, unworthy of the name even, because 
 he persecuted the church of God. (Cf. Eph. 
 3:8.) The church of God. This is one 
 
Ch. XV] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 129 
 
 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his 
 gTace which was bestowed upon mc was not in vain : but 
 I laboured more abundantly than they all; yet nut I, 
 but the grace of God which was with me. 
 
 11 Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, 
 and so ye believed. 
 
 1_* Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the 
 dead, how say some among you that there is no resur- 
 rection of the dead? 
 
 13 But if there he no resurrection of the dead, then 
 is Christ not risen: 
 
 14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching 
 vain, and your faith is also vain. 
 
 10 persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of 
 Uod I am what I am: and his grace which wat be- 
 Btowed upon me was not found ' vain ; hut l labored 
 more abundantly than they all: yet no) l but the 
 
 11 grace ot God whuh was with me. Whether thi d </ 
 
 be I or they, so we preach, and BO vc believed 
 
 12 Now if Christ is preached that be hath been 
 raised from the dead, ho» Bay some among you that 
 
 13 there is no resurrect] f the dead" Butif there 
 
 is no resurrection of the dead neither hath Christ 
 
 14 been raised; and if Christ hath not been raised 
 then is our preaching I vain, -vour faith also is 
 
 : ancient authorities rea>i, 
 
 of the cases in which the term ' church ' is 
 applied to the whole body of believers on 
 earth, which is probably its original use. [It 
 does not seem perfectly clear that Paul perse- 
 cuted "the whole body of believers on earth," 
 or that he thought of those whom he perse- 
 cuted as representing specially the whole body 
 of believers on earth. It is at least conceiv- 
 able that he meant by "the church of God," 
 the first, and perhaps, at that time, the only 
 Christian Church, that at Jerusalem. "Whether 
 there were other churches already formed is 
 uncertain ; hut, at all events, that was the 
 representative church, and the one against 
 which the violence of Saul was first directed. 
 Again, it seems to the Editor scarcely prob- 
 able that the original meaning of the word 
 church is "the whole body of believers on 
 earth." This meaning is too remote from 
 that of a called assembly, to be the original 
 sense of the word. — A. H.] 
 
 10. But by the grace of God. In con- 
 trast with his own desert or fitness. Was not 
 in vain — literally, became not vain, or fruit- 
 less. But I labored more abundantly 
 than they all. This comparison may ho 
 with the other apostles individually, or all 
 together. But certainly the apostle does 
 not mean to compare his labor with the entire 
 work of the other apostles — a piece of vanity 
 for which even the saving reference to the 
 grace of God would hardly atone. But the 
 grace of God which was with me. ' Which 
 was,' (the Greek article), is to be omitted. 
 (See Crit. Notes.) 'With me' — i. e. y in con- 
 nection with me, helping me. 
 
 11. Therefore, Avhether it were— better. 
 Whether then it be. This is a resumption of 
 the subject of ver. 1-8, after the digression on 
 his calling and relative position as an apostle. 
 Whoever it is that preaches, he says, this is 
 
 what is preached. So we preach— viz., that 
 
 Christ died for our sins, and rose, and ap- 
 peared to his disciples. 
 
 12. Now if Christ be preached that he 
 rose— should be, But if Christ is preach,,/ 
 that he h(is risen. How say some, etc. 
 This is the apostle's first argument for the 
 resurrection. After proving the fact of 
 Christ's resurrection, and showing that it is 
 one of the cardinal facts in the gospel through 
 which they are saved, he shows the connec- 
 tion of this great and undeniable fact with 
 the general doctrine of resurrection ; and that 
 the denial of the general principle involves 
 the denial of the resurrection of the Lord. 
 
 13. Then is Christ not risen— should be, 
 Neither has Christ been raised. This is a 
 direct statement of the principle implied in 
 the preceding question. 
 
 14. Then is our preaching vain, and 
 your faith is also vain— should be, Vain 
 a/so your faith. Some authorities read, Then 
 both our preaching is rain, and your faith is 
 vain. (See Crit. Notes.) This shipwreck of 
 faith, as illusory, arises probably from the 
 discrediting of all Christ's claims by the fail- 
 ure of his resurrection, this being the grand 
 proof of these claims. He would be shown, 
 not as the conqueror of death, but as con- 
 quered by death. In this, the resurrection 
 differed from the other miracles, that any of 
 them might be omitted without discrediting 
 Christ's claim ; but the resurrection was abso- 
 lutely necessary, seeing that he died. Espe- 
 cially was Christ's claim, that his death was 
 for the redemption of men, dependent on the 
 resurrection, since it was to be the death of 
 the Son of God that was to redeem men ; and 
 the great proof that he was the Son of God 
 was appointed to be his resurrection from the 
 dead. 
 
130 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XV. 
 
 15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; 
 because we have testified of God that he raised up 
 Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead 
 rise not. . 
 
 16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 
 
 17 Aud if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain ; 
 ye are yet in your sins. 
 
 18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ 
 are perished. 
 
 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are 
 of all men most miserable. 
 
 20 Buf; now is Christ risen from the dead, and become 
 the first fruits of them that slept. 
 
 15 J vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of 
 God ; because we witnessed of God that he raised up 
 2 Christ; whom he raised not up, if so be that the 
 
 16 dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, 
 
 17 neither hath Christ been raised : aud if Christ hath 
 not been raised, your faith is vaiu ; ye are yet in 
 
 18 your sins. Then they also who are fallen asleep in 
 
 19 Christ have perished. 3 lf we have only hoped in 
 Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable. 
 
 20 But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, 
 
 1 Or, void 2 Gr. the Christ 3 Or, If in this life only we have hoped in Christ. 
 
 15. Yea, and— literally, And also. False 
 Avitnesses of God — i. e., in regard to God> 
 as appears from the reason given, which 
 speaks of their witness of what God had done. 
 We have testified of God— should be, We 
 testified against God. The preposition is used 
 on the assumption that the witness is false, 
 and hence prejudicial, as putting God in a 
 wrong light. If so be that the dead rise 
 not — literally, If then dead men rise not. 
 There is an illative conjunction in connection 
 with the conditional particle, indicating that 
 the supposition made is in harmony with 
 something preceding, and here with the unbe- 
 lief in the resurrection. It may be translated, 
 If it is not so, that, etc. The argument in 
 this verse is that their preaching is not only 
 empty, as in ver. 14, but false, and in a most 
 important particular, in regard to God's 
 action, if there is no resurrection. 
 
 16. If the dead — should be, If dead men. 
 Then is not — should be, neither is. In this 
 verse he repeats the argument of ver. 13, 
 using it here to confirm his inference of their 
 false witness. 
 
 17. Your faith is also vain. This word 
 is not the same as in ver. 14. The idea of that 
 word is emptiness; of this, idleness, useless- 
 ness. This is a repetition of ver. 14, with the 
 additional inference, or development of the 
 inference, that, since their faith is vain, they 
 are still in their sins. Christ's claim to be a 
 Saviour having been discredited by the fail- 
 ure to rise from the dead, men's faith in him 
 becomes vain, and even their sins remain. 
 
 18. Then they also which are fallen 
 asleep in Christ are perished — should be, 
 fall asleep and perished. Paul does not mean 
 that the doctrine of immortality depends on 
 the resurrection, so that perished here means, 
 became extinct. But the word is the equiva- 
 lent, or counterpart, of 'yet in your sins,' in 
 
 ver. 17, and means that eternal death, or ruin, 
 which is the result of sin. This death is not 
 the extinction of being, since the terms used 
 in the description of that punishment imply 
 conscious being; but it is a degraded and 
 ruined life. On this use of the verb perish, 
 see John 3: 15, 16; 10: 28; Kom. 2: 12; 14: 
 15; 1 Cor. 1: 18; 8: 11. The apostle means to 
 say that, as the living are without hope, and 
 are yet in their sins, so the dead have already 
 received the punishment of their sins, if 
 Christ's claim to be a Saviour is thus dis- 
 credited. 
 
 19. If in this life only. The position of 
 the word 'only' in the Greek is not such as to 
 justify its exclusive connection with the 
 phrase, 'in this life.' It modifies the whole 
 clause — If we have only hoped in Christ in 
 this life. Logically, it belongs with the single 
 phrase, but Paul has not put it there. We 
 are of all men most miserable — should be, 
 more pitiable than all men. On this use of 
 the comparative, see Winer, 242. The reason 
 of this conclusion is variously given. Some 
 suppose that it is to be found in the sufferings 
 that the New Testament predicts for the 
 Christian. But this seems insufficient to ac- 
 count for the statement, unless we suppose 
 strong rhetorical exaggeration just where it 
 ought not to be. That supposes the apostle to 
 take a low view of the comparative value of 
 inward and outward things. Cf. Mark 10: 29 
 seq., which certainly teaches that there arc to 
 be manifold compensations for all the suffer- 
 ings of Christians in this life. I think that 
 the apostle has in mind, not unrequited suffer- 
 ings, but unfulfilled hopes. It is the terri- 
 ble disappointment that would await him 
 hereafter, that makes the Christian in this 
 case the most pitiable of men. 
 
 20. But now is Christ risen from the 
 dead, and become the first-fruits of 
 
Ch. XV.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 131 
 
 21 For since by man came death, by man came also 
 the resurrection of the dead. 
 
 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all 
 be made alive. 
 
 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the first 
 fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 
 
 24 Then cumelh the end, when he shall have delivered 
 up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he 
 shall have put down all rule, and all authority and 
 power. 
 
 21 the first fruits of them that are asleep. For since 
 by man came death, by man came also the reauneo- 
 
 22 tionof the dead. For as in Adam all die, BO sin 
 2a in 'Christ shall all he made alive. Bui each in his 
 
 own order: Christ the first fruits; then thev that 
 
 24 are Christ's, at his* coming. Then eometh the end, 
 
 when be shall deliver up the kingdom to 'God 
 
 even the Father; when he shall have abolished all 
 
 1 Gr. the Christ '2 Gr. pretence 3 Gr. the God and Father 
 
 them that slept— should be, But now has 
 
 Christ risen from the dead, a first-fruits of 
 them that have fallen asleep. (See Crit. 
 Notes.) 'Now' is here logical, not temporal, 
 meaning, as things are, in opposition to the 
 preceding supposition. 'First-fruits' denotes 
 the beginning of anything, regarded as a 
 pledge of the rest. Thus, the Spirit is called 
 the first-fruits of redemption, because it is 
 what is given to the Christian here as a pledge 
 of what he is to have hereafter. (See Rom. 
 8: 23; James 1: 18; Rev. 1:5.) And so, 
 Christ's resurrection is the beginning, and the 
 pledge of all the rest. He is this, because, 
 while others had risen before him only to 
 succumb to death again, his victory over 
 death was permanent. ' That have fallen 
 asleep.' This euphemism for death is not 
 peculiar to the New Testament. It is found 
 in the Old Testament, and in Greek writers. 
 
 21. By man — better, through man, or pos- 
 sibly, through a. man, in both clauses. This 
 is the proof or confirmation of the preceding 
 statement that Christ's resurrection is a first- 
 fruits, a pledge of the general resurrection. 
 Notice that the apostle does not say as through 
 man, denoting simply a parallelism, but since, 
 denoting a reason. The apostle does not state 
 the principle which makes it necessary that the 
 two should correspond to each other. It is in 
 accordance with the divine plan, but whether 
 this is merely from the fitness of things, or 
 from the necessity of things, we do not know. 
 
 22. For, etc. — confirmation of the preced- 
 ing statement, showing who the man is in 
 each part of the statement. All die — all be 
 made alive. The context makes it certain 
 that it is a physical death and resurrection 
 that are meant here. And the parallelism, 
 too, makes it certain that the resurrection of 
 all, without any exception, is to be ascribed to 
 Christ, as the death of all to Adam. But it is 
 to be remembered that it is not immortality 
 that the apostle is here speaking of, but the 
 
 resurrection. Before Christ's coming, the 
 dead are in a state of conscious existence. 
 (See Luke 16: 20 seq., and Notes on 2 Cor. 
 5: 1-8.) In Christ. Since this is a statement 
 true of all men, and not of Christians alone, 
 it does not denote the spiritual connection 
 with Christ that his disciples have, but simply 
 denotes Christ as the personal cause of the 
 life, as Adam is that of the death. In him, 
 in his person, our resurrection is brought 
 about. The construction is not such as to 
 admit of its meaning, all in Christ shall be 
 made alive. But neither is the meaning sim- 
 ply that Christ raises us, as in John 5: 28, 29; 
 but that in him is found the cause, instead of 
 the agent, of the resurrection, as in Adam 
 that of the death. 
 
 23 But every man in his own order — 
 literally, But each in his own company. The 
 last word is a military term, denoting, not suc- 
 cessive ranks, but a company or larger body 
 of men. And so the statement is that each 
 will be raised in the class to which he belongs. 
 Christ, the first fruits. Properly, 'Christ' 
 does not belong to this statement of the order 
 of the resurrection, which is a statement in 
 regard to those who are raised in him. But 
 it is difficult to regard the statement about 
 Christ as an independent one, since the fol- 
 lowing statement is introduced by a conjunc- 
 tion, showing the succession of that class to 
 Christ himself in the order of the resurrec- 
 tion, and so including Christ in that order of 
 succession. Afterward, they that are 
 Christ's, at his coming— should be, then, 
 etc. 'At his coming,' may be translated, in 
 the parousia or presence — i. e., during the 
 time of Christ's presence on the earth, follow- 
 inghissecondcoming. Thus, the fir-t division, 
 or class, in the resurrection, after Christ him- 
 self, isthecompany of the saints. And theres- 
 urrection is here, as elsewhere, associated with 
 the coming of Christ. (See 1 Thess. 4: 16-17.) 
 
 24. Then coraeth the end. Of what? 
 
132 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XV. 
 
 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies 
 Under his feet. 
 
 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 
 
 27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But 
 when he saith, All things are put under him, it is 
 manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things 
 under him. 
 
 28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, 
 then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that 
 put all things under him, that God may be all in all. 
 
 25 rule and all authority and power. For he must 
 reign, till he hath put all his enemies under his 
 
 26 feet. The last enemy that shall be abolished is 
 
 27 death. For He put all things in subjection under 
 his feet. l But when he saith, All things are put in 
 subjection, it is evident that he is excepted who did 
 
 28 subject all things unto him. And when all things 
 have been subjected unto him, then shall the Son 
 also himself be subjected to him who did subject all 
 things unto him, thai God may be all in all. 
 
 1 Or, But when he shall have said, All things are put in subjection {evidently excepting hi 
 
 I say, all things, etc. 
 
 ■ that did subject all things unto him), when, 
 
 Apparently of the resurrection, since other- 
 wise the statement in regard to that remains 
 incomplete, ending with the first division of 
 the raised, and leaving out all except those 
 belonging to Christ. The 'end,' or comple- 
 tion, of the resurrection is in the raising up of 
 those not belonging to Christ. When he 
 shall have delivered up — should be, When- 
 ever he delivers up. (See Crit. Notes. ) This 
 gives us the time of the end of the resurrec- 
 tion, which is connected with the delivering 
 up of the kingdom to God, just as the resur- 
 rection of the saints is connected with the 
 period of the parousia. To God, even the 
 Father — better, to the (or. his) God and 
 Father. This end of the special rule of 
 Christ over all things is expressly told in this 
 passage alone. But we are told elsewhere 
 that it is a power given him by the Father 
 (see Phil. 2: 9 seq. ; Eph. 1: 20-23); and the 
 statement made here, that his kingdom is to 
 endure till all enemies are subjected, is re- 
 peated elsewhere. (See Matt. 22: 44; Acts 2: 
 35; Heb. 1: 13, etc.) And these statements 
 prepare the way in this passage for the com- 
 plementary statement that, when the enemies 
 have been subdued, then the kingdom given 
 him by the Father shall be given back to the 
 Father. When he shall have put down — 
 should be, brought to nought, or destroyed. 
 The verb is the same as in ver. 26. All rule 
 and all authority — should be, every rule and 
 every authority. This gives us the time when 
 he will deliver up the kingdom, viz., when 
 the objects of the kingdom have been accom- 
 plished in the abolishing of all hostile powers. 
 25. For he must reign, till, etc. This 
 gives the reason why his kingdom ends at the 
 time designated, and not before. It is a cita- 
 tion from Psalm 110: 1, frequently referred 
 to in this connection. The necessity arises 
 from the divine arrangement, but also from 
 the nature of things. To leave enemies un- 
 
 subdued is a confession of failure, impossible 
 under a divine rule. 
 
 26. The last enemy that shall be de- 
 stroyed is death— should be, As a last 
 enemy, death is destroyed. The tense of the 
 verb is present, expressing the fact, without 
 reference to the time. Of course, in the con- 
 nection, it is physical death that is destroyed, 
 and the act by which it is accomplished is the 
 resurrection. And this shows the reason, 
 therefore, why the close of the resurrection is 
 made synchronous with the delivering up of 
 the kingdom. (Ver. 24.) This is the last of "all 
 enemies," who are to be destroyed before his 
 kingdom ends. 
 
 27. For he hath put all things — should 
 be, For all things he put in subjection, with 
 an emphasis on the 'all,' thus giving a reason 
 why the last enemy, death, should not be ex- 
 cepted from the general destruction of hostile 
 parties, since otherwise there would be some- 
 thing left out of the 'all things.' The lan- 
 guage is from Ps. 8: 6. But when he saith, 
 all things are put under him — should be, 
 But whenever he saith, all things have been 
 put in subjection. The adversative conjunc- 
 tion is used, because this is a modification of 
 the preceding statement. 'He saith.' The 
 subject is God, and the reference is not to the 
 statement in the Psalm, in which the Psalmist 
 himself speaks, addressing God ; but to the 
 announcement to be made at some future 
 time that, as a matter of fact, all things have 
 been put under him, all his enemies having 
 been subdued. It is manifest — i. e., in the 
 nature of things. In putting all things under 
 the Son, the Father plainly leaves himself 
 out. The nature of the act, and the proper 
 position of the Father, both imply this. 
 
 28. And when all things shall be sub- 
 dued — better, whenever all things are sub- 
 jected. The same verb is used to denote sub- 
 jection throughout these two verses. Then 
 
Ch. XV.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 133 
 
 a2?a Else what shall they do which are baptize for the I 29 Else what shall they do who are baptized for the 
 Sized for Ihfdead? "^ ^ aU? Why are tLey theD d6ad? " ' he dead " e UOt rai -' d ^S why then 
 
 —the object of his reign being accomplished 
 — shall the Son also himself be subject- 
 better, will . . . be subjected. That put all 
 things under him— better, who subjected all 
 things unto him. The Son will become sub- 
 ject to the Father, as the very one from whom 
 he received universal supremacy. And this 
 will be only a return to the original state of 
 things, before the Father delegated this power 
 to him. The apostle has carefully chosen his 
 language to express this very thought, that 
 whatever power the Son has, he has derived 
 from the Father for a particular purpose, and 
 naturally returns it after the work is ended. 
 That God may be all in all. What is 
 meant by God here? Evidently, from the 
 context, the Father. (See ver. 24, "to God, 
 even the Father.") All in all— literally, 
 all things in all. Grimm says, in explanation 
 of this expression : In order that God, through 
 his mind and power operating in all, may 
 exercise supreme power. The expression oc- 
 curs in two other places. One is Eph. 1 : 23, 
 'who filleth all in all,' where the 'in all' is 
 probably local, and the meaning is, all things 
 in every place; and the other is Col. 3: 11, 
 'Christ is all and in all,' in which the phrase 
 'in all' is probably personal, and the mean- 
 ing is, everything, and in all believers. The 
 latter is probably substantially the meaning 
 here, the phrase 'in all' referring to the mem- 
 bers of the kingdom established by Christ. 
 There are two things spoken of in the preced- 
 ing passage, viz., the enemies to be destroyed, 
 and the kingdom to be delivered up to the 
 Father. Evidently, God dwells in the latter 
 rather than the former; and comparing this 
 passage with the one in Colossians, it would 
 seem that God was eventually to take the 
 place there assigned to the Son. There are 
 two steps in the statement in ver. 27 and 28: 
 first, that the Father is not included in the 
 statement of the subjection of all things to the 
 Son; and second, that on the other hand the 
 Son is to become subject to the Father. 
 
 29. Else what — should be, Since what. 
 The conditional clause is probably to be con- 
 nected with the second question, instead of 
 with the first. Instead of baptized for the 
 dead, if the dead rise not at all? why I 
 
 are they then, etc. ? itshould read, probably, 
 for the dead ? if the dead rise not at all, why 
 are they then baptized, etc. ? And instead of 
 for the dead, at the close of the verse, it 
 should read, for them; and why are they 
 then— should be, why also are they baptized? 
 On this use of the conjunction translated 
 'also,' with interrogatives, see Winer. 4:'.7. a. 
 .... The whole verse reads: Since what 
 will those baptized for the dead do ? If dead 
 men rise not at all, why also are they baptized 
 for them? This change in the punctuation 
 much improves the rhetorical structure of the 
 verse, the connection of the conditional clause 
 with the second part making a reason fur the 
 repetition of the question, which otherwise it 
 might be hard to account for. The difficulty 
 of explaining the baptism for the dead, spoken 
 of in this verse, is, of course, great. But the 
 commentators are mostly agreed now that the 
 obvious sense of the words must be taken as 
 the only possible interpretation of them. 
 Baptism for the dead is baptism instead of 
 them, and so in behalf of them; in other 
 words, vicarious baptism. It is a baptism for, 
 or instead of, those who have died believing 
 in Christ, but were unable themselves to be 
 baptized. And the question is, what will 
 they be doing who are so baptized? what 
 will be the meaning, or use, of their action ? 
 So Meyer, De AVette, Ruckert, Alford, Stan- 
 ley, Grimm, Winer, p. 382, and others. Of 
 course, the objection to this is, that it makes 
 the apostle seem to approve, or at least, men- 
 tion without disapproval, a superstitious prac- 
 tice plainly inconsistent with his own teach- 
 ing elsewhere. But this difficulty may be 
 overcome bj' supposing that he is here using 
 merely an argumentum ad hominem, as our 
 Lord does, when he asks the Pharisees by 
 whom their sons cast out devils. (Mat. 12: 27.) 
 We find this baptism for the dead later 
 among certain heretical sects. All the other 
 interpretations pervert the meaning of either 
 the preposition or the noun in the phrase 'for 
 the dead,' or utterly fail to satisfy the de- 
 mands of the context and connection. Among 
 these interpretations is one that refers the ex- 
 pression to what is called clinic baptism, or 
 the baptism of those about to die. But in the 
 
134 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XV. 
 
 30 And why stand we in jeopardy every hour? 
 
 30 are they baptized for them? Why do we also stand 
 
 first place, 'dead' does not mean 'about to 
 die,' and the preposition would be equally 
 out of place. The expression would be, why 
 are those about to die baptized ? and could not 
 be, ' why are they baptized for the dead?' 
 Another explanation, coming down from 
 Chrysostom through the various stages of 
 interpretation to comparatively recent times, 
 makes 'baptism for the dead' equivalent to 
 baptism for the body, and supposes that Paul 
 means by it to signify that in baptism a per- 
 son declares his belief in the resurrection of 
 the body. But can 'the dead' mean 'dead 
 bodies,' and not 'dead persons'? Or can 
 'baptized for the dead' mean 'baptized for 
 one's own mortal, not dead, body,' or 'for 
 mortal bodies' in general; so that the expres- 
 sion can fully resolve itself into 'baptized to 
 signify the belief in the resurrection of the 
 body' ? Still another translates it 'over the 
 dead,' instead of ' for the dead.' Meyer's 
 objection to this, that it is contrary to the 
 New Testament use of the Greek preposition, 
 may be, as Winer suggests, (p. 382), without 
 force. But the great objection is the irrel- 
 evancy of it in the apostle's argument. What 
 does 'being baptized over the dead' have to 
 do with the resurrection? What difference 
 would it make in such baptism, or in any 
 other honor paid to the dead, whether they 
 were to be raised or not? Other interpreta- 
 tions, without doing violence strictly to the 
 words, import into them strange significations. 
 One makes 'for the dead' expand into this, 
 that the number of the baptized is to be filled 
 up as a necessary preliminary to the second 
 coming and the resurrection of the dead. 
 This has against it one objection that applies 
 to several other erratic explanations, that it 
 would be equally true of all baptisms, while 
 the form of expression seems to limit the 
 question to a class of baptisms. It should 
 read, 'why are we baptized for the dead?' 
 instead of, ' what will they do who are bap- 
 tized for the dead ? ' But the great objection 
 is, that it reads so much into the words not 
 naturally suggested by them. And yet this 
 comes nearest to satisfying the language and 
 connection of any of the interpretations that 
 attempt to explain away the obvious sense of 
 the words. [The interpretation given, above, 
 
 which is that of a great many others, cannot 
 be accepted as fully satisfactory. Very solid 
 and obvious objections are offered to it by Dr. 
 A. C. Kendrick, in the " Christian Review " 
 (vol. xxvii., pp. 152-158.) His own interpret- 
 ation is, that "baptism for the dead" means 
 "baptized into relation to the dead ; so bap- 
 tized as that they belong, by sacrifice, suffer- 
 ing, peril, martyrdom— rather to the dead 
 than to the living; and are thus the victims 
 of a fate which has no allev iation nor apology, 
 except in the resurrection," (p. 168.) In favor 
 of this view, he appeals, among other things, 
 to the following context: "Is it difficult, 
 then, to determine what is meant by being 
 baptized for the dead? Why the apostle 
 himself immediately explains it. Each sub- 
 sequent expression settles the general import. 
 'Standing in jeopardy every hour,' 'dying 
 daily' — i. e., being in daily peril of death; 
 fighting, at the hazard of life, with the wild 
 beasts, whether brutes, or heathen men of 
 Ephesus — each of these is a fruit, or a portion, 
 (according as you take 'baptized' literally 
 or figuratively), of being baptized for the 
 dead. Each of these is an illustration and an 
 element of that grand folly of the Christian 
 profession, which pledges its votaries to an 
 untimely and violent death, with no hope of 
 life be3'ond. We confess it amazes us that a 
 solution of the difficulty of the passage so 
 obvious, so near at hand, furnished by the 
 apostle himself in the striking and kindred 
 phrases immediately following, should have 
 escaped the notice of nearly all the inter- 
 preters." (P. 672, 3.) Principal Brown, in "A 
 Popular Commentary on the New Testa- 
 ment," adopts the same view: "Foreseeing 
 that their faith would cost them the loss of 
 all things, perhaps of life itself, not a few 
 converts, in proceeding to baptism, went to 
 it as their virtual death-warrant, saying vir- 
 tually with the apostle — who knew not how 
 soon it might become a reality — ' We who live 
 are always delivered unto death for Jesus' 
 sake.' (2Cor. iv:ii.) Our verse would then 
 mean, ' What is to become of those who, in 
 advancing to baptism, do so as not knowing 
 that it may not prove their death-warrant, if 
 the dead rise not? ' " — A. H.] 
 
 30. And why stand we in jeopardy 
 
Ch. XV.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 135 
 
 31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ 
 Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 
 
 32 If alter the manner of men I have fought with 
 beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead 
 rise not? let us eat and drink; for to-morrow we die. 
 
 33 Be not deceived : evil communications corrupt 
 good manners. 
 
 31 in jeopardy every hour? I protest by 'that glory- 
 ing in you, brethren, which I have In Christ Jesus 
 
 32 our Lord, I die daily, if after the manner of men I 
 fought with beasts at Kphesus, - what doth it profit 
 me? If the dead are Dot raised, lei ue eat and 
 
 33 drink, for to-morrow we die. He not deceived : Evil 
 
 1 Or, your glorying 2 Or, what doth it profit me if the dead are not raised t Let tu eat, etc. 
 
 every hour ? — should be, Why are we also in 
 danger every hour? The pronoun is emphatic, 
 contrasted with the subject of the preceding 
 verse; and this emphasis is increased by the 
 conjunction, which, instead of connecting the 
 verses, as in our version, modifies the pronoun. 
 The question is in the same line as the pre- 
 ceding, introducing something that is mean- 
 ingless, or useless, in case there is no resur- 
 rection. Why do we encounter danger ? There 
 is no answer to this question, if there is no 
 resurrection, because that Christian hope for 
 themselves and others is that for which they 
 face danger. The subject is Paul and those as- 
 sociated with him in Christian work and risk. 
 The thing for tliem to do in that case is to 
 make the most of this life, instead of risking it 
 for another. It is not Paul's hope of immor- 
 tality that he bases on the resurrection, but 
 only of a blessed immortality. 
 
 31. I protest by your rejoicing, which 
 I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die 
 daily — better, I die daily, by the glorying over 
 you that I have in Christ Jesus our Lord. Our 
 version reverses the order of the Greek. Lit- 
 erally it reads, your glorying ; but by a some- 
 what uncommon usage, the possessive is used 
 objectively. (See Winer, 153. ) The form of 
 asseveration is one common in Greek, but not 
 found elsewhere in the New Testament. 'In 
 Christ Jesus' describes the glorying as Chris- 
 tian in its character — a glorying by virtue of 
 his connection with Christ. (See 1 Thess. 2: 
 19.) 'I die daily' — a strong expression for 
 the danger of death which he encountered 
 everyday. (See Rom. 8: 36; 2 Cor. 4: 11; 
 11: 26.) 
 
 32. This verse is to be translated : If after 
 the manner of men I fought with wild beasts 
 at Ephesus, what is the profit to me ? If dead 
 men are not raised, let us eat and drink, for 
 to-morrow we die. This change in the divi- 
 sion of the verse, making the first part end 
 with 'to me,' is owing to the signification 
 given to the words 'after the manner of men,' 
 which is Drobably to be taken, not as an inci- 
 dental part of the conditional clause, but as 
 
 the salient point in it. The emphatic position 
 of the words indicates this; also the improb- 
 ability that Paul would concede that he did 
 this fighting after the manner of men, as is 
 implied in the other interpretation ; and 
 finally the better adjustment of the parts of 
 the verse secured by it. The phrase means, 
 with only the objects, ambitions, and hopes of 
 ordinary men. If, Paul says, I fought in this 
 wise, arid not after the Christian fashion. 
 Further, it is to be noticed that, with almost 
 common consent, the commentators make the 
 fighting with wild beasts to be a figurative 
 expression. Because, in the first place, Paul's 
 Roman citizenship would prevent his being 
 exposed to beasts in the arena, and secondly, 
 neither Luke in the Acts, nor Paul himself, 
 for instance in 2 Cor. 11 : 23, mentions it. He 
 means, by the expression, his conflicts with 
 brutal men. We cannot refer even this to 
 any definite thing mentioned in the Acts or 
 elsewhere. Paul himself was not in danger 
 from the mob of Demetrius and the silver- 
 smiths, Acts 19: 23 seq. But in Acts 20: 19, 
 and 2 Cor. 1 : 8 seq., we have reference, in a 
 general way, to great dangers encountered by 
 him in Asia. The meaning of this first part 
 of the verse is, therefore, that if he fought with 
 wild beasts of men, with only the objects, 
 hopes, and ambitions of ordinary men, then 
 he gained nothing by it, and might better 
 have lived a life of peace, instead. But to be 
 engaged in this conflict as a Christian, with 
 the Christian hope of a future life, is great 
 gain, if only the facts warrant that hope. The 
 second part of the verse reads, 'If dead men 
 are not raised, let us eat and drink, for to- 
 morrow we die.' The conclusion here is a 
 quotation from Isa. 22: 13, where it is given 
 as the sensualistic cry of the people of Israel 
 under the judgments of God, which moved 
 them to recklessness instead of repentance. 
 The reason given is not that there is no exist- 
 ence after death, but no hope. (St n verses 
 
 17, 18, etc.) 
 
 33. Be not deceived— i. r., by such Epi- 
 curean utterances as the above. Fvil com- 
 
136 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Ch. XV. 
 
 34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some 
 have not the knowledge of God : I speak this to your 
 shame. 
 
 35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised 
 up? and with what body do they come? 
 
 36 Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quick- 
 ened, except it die : 
 
 37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that 
 body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of 
 wheat, or of some other grain: 
 
 38 But. God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, 
 and to every seed his own body. 
 
 39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one 
 kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of 
 fishes, and another of birds. 
 
 34 companionships corrupt good morals. Awake to 
 soberness righteously and sin not ; for some have 
 no knowledge of God: I speak this to move you to 
 shame. 
 
 35 But some one will say, How are the dead raised? 
 30 and with what manner of body do they come? Thou 
 
 foolish one, that which thou thyself sowest is not 
 
 37 quickened, except it die: and that which thou 
 sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be, but 
 a bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some 
 
 38 other kind ; but God giveth it a body even as it 
 hath pleased him, and to each seed a body of its 
 
 39 own. All flesh is not the same flesh : but there is 
 one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and 
 
 nit! ii i cat ions corrupt good manners — 
 
 should be, evil com?) anions hips corrupt good 
 morals. This is an extract from Thais, a com- 
 edy of Menander, an Athenian poet, born 342 
 B. c, which had probably passed into a prov- 
 erb. Paul warns them against associating 
 with men who, by their denial of the resur- 
 rection, lead to the adoption of such maxims. 
 
 34. Awake to righteousness— should be, 
 Awake righteously— i. e., as you ought to do, 
 instead of sleeping in sinful security, giving 
 yourselves up to evil associations. For some 
 have not the knowledge of God — liter- 
 ally, have ignorance, or want of knowledge of 
 God. There is this ignorance of God involved 
 in the denial of the resurrection; and the 
 apostle assigns this as the strongest reason for 
 awaking out of the spiritual lethargy which 
 leads them to associate with those who disbe- 
 lieve it. I speak this to your shame- 
 should be, I speak to shame you. (See Crit. 
 Notes.) Shaming them was the object, and 
 not simply the result of his saying this. 
 
 35. But some man will say — better, 
 Some one. This is evidently intended as an 
 objection to the doctrine of the resurrection. 
 If it was meant simply as a question, Paul 
 would scarcely begin his reply with the op- 
 probrious ' thou fool.' How are the dead 
 raised? The particular question intended is 
 stated in the next clause. And with what 
 body? — should be, with what kind of body? 
 
 36. Thou fool. The foolishness consists 
 in bringing forward such an objection, when 
 there are, as the apostle shows, analogies in 
 nature, such as these, to remove the improb- 
 ability. That which thou sowest. The 
 pronoun 'thou' is emphatic, to contrast it 
 with the divine agency in the resurrection. 
 Is not quickened, except it die. The new 
 life of the plant does not succeed to the life 
 of the seed, until the latter is brought, to an 
 
 end by the dissolution of the seed. This is 
 intended to be the first part of an answer to 
 the objection implied in the preceding ques- 
 tion — viz., that the body perishes; and so a 
 resurrection is impossible. The apostle an- 
 swers : Why, that is the case in all resurrec- 
 tions, such as we see in nature. What you 
 yourself sow in planting, dies before it can 
 rise as a plant. (Cf. John 12: 24.) 
 
 37. Thou sowest not that body that 
 shall be— should be, not the body that shall 
 be; or literally, that shall come into being. 
 The apostle uses the word 'body ' here, antici- 
 pating the application of this to the resurrec- 
 tion. But bare grain — should be, a bare 
 grain, or seed. This is simply an expressive 
 way of saying, a mere grain, in contrast with 
 the plant with its rich foliage. Or of some 
 other grain — literally, or of some of the 
 rest. This part of the analogy completes the 
 answer to the objection raised, by showing 
 that the body in these resurrections is not the 
 same as that sown, and that the dissolution 
 of the old body is, therefore, no objection to 
 the doctrine of the resurrection. 
 
 38. As it hath pleased him — should be, 
 As it pleased him. The time denoted is that 
 of the creation, when God's will in these mat- 
 ters was embodied in the different plant- 
 forms. And to every seed its own body 
 — should be, And to each of the seeds a body 
 of its own. Each seed has a body of its own, 
 distinguished from all other kinds. This 
 statement carries on the analogy therefore, so 
 as to show that there is a resurrection in the 
 natural world, in which, while there is a dis- 
 solution of the old body, there comes from it, 
 as a germ, another body, determined in its 
 form in each case by the original design, and 
 belonging to the seed from which it sprung, 
 as distinguished from all other kinds. 
 
 39. We have here another class of analo- 
 
Ch. XV.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 137 
 
 40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terres- 
 trial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the 
 glory of the terrestrial is another. 
 
 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory 
 of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one 
 star dilfereth from another star in glory. 
 
 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown 
 in corruption, it. is raised in incorruptton: 
 
 43 It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory: it is 
 sown in weakness, it is raised in power : 
 
 40 another flesh of birds, and another of fishes. There 
 are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but 
 the glory <>f the celestial Is one, and the '/lory of the 
 
 41 terrestrial is another. There la one glory of the 
 sun, and another glory of the moon, and another 
 glory of the stars; for one star differetfa from 
 
 42 another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of 
 
 43 the dead. It la .-own in corruption ; it is raised in 
 incorruptiou ; it is sown iu dishonour; it is raised 
 
 gies intended to show that the resurrection 
 body is not necessarily the same in substance, 
 or attributes, as the old body. All flesh is 
 not the same flesh — better, not every flesh 
 is the same flesh. You may therefore have a 
 natural body, and a resurrection body, differ- 
 ent from each other. But there is one 
 flesh of men. By reason of changes in the 
 text, this reads : But there is one of men, and 
 another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of 
 birds, and another of fishes. (See Crit. 
 Notes.) 
 
 40. There are also celestial bodies, 
 and bodies terrestrial. By 'celestial bod- 
 ies,' Paul does not mean what we call the 
 heavenly bodies, such as the sun and moon; 
 first, because these are mentioned as a sepa- 
 rate class in ver. 41 ; second, because this term 
 was not in use at the time to designate these 
 bodies, the word 'bodies' being applied to 
 organic bodies altogether; and third, because 
 there are no earthly bodies to contrast with 
 these. What he does mean, it is difficult to 
 say, except simply that there are organisms 
 in heaven corresponding to the organic life of 
 this world. But we do not know what these 
 are. Meyer and De Wette say that angels 
 are referred to, and point to Matt. 22: 30; 
 Luke 20: 36, as showing that angels have 
 bodies. But the comparison with the angels 
 in these passages is not such as to prove their 
 materiality, but simply their immortality and 
 unmarriageableness. And, on the other hand, 
 Heb. 1 : 14, makes it probable, in the absence 
 of evidence to the contrary, that angels are 
 immaterial. To suppose that he refers to the 
 resurrection bodies, would make him assume 
 the whole question at issue in his argument 
 from analogy. But the glory of the celes- 
 tial is one, and the glory of the terres- 
 trial is another. The words 'one' and 'an- 
 other' here denote difference, as well as 
 distinction. This statement carries the apos- 
 tle a step farther in his argument from anal- 
 ogy, and, in fact, completes it, showing that 
 there is a difference, not only in character, 
 
 but also in glory among different bodies, and 
 thus preparing the way for the same state- 
 ment of difference between the earthly and 
 the resurrection body. And this analogy 
 brings him very near to his immediate sub- 
 ject, since the present body is an earthly, and 
 that of the resurrection a heavenly body. 
 
 41. For one star ditfereth from another 
 star. The words 'one' and 'another' are 
 unnecessary here — star differcth from star, is 
 just as good English as Greek. The introduc- 
 tion of this last clause shows that, while the 
 clause immediately preceding has for its sub- 
 ject the different glory of the -tars, and of the 
 sun and moon, yet the apostle has in his mind 
 in using the plural 'stars' a difference among 
 the stars themselves. 
 
 42. So also is the resurrection of the 
 dead. This verse begins the application of 
 the principle stated in ver. 36-41, to the mat- 
 ter of the resurrection, showing how the res- 
 urrection body differs from the present. It 
 is sown in corruption. The subject is of 
 course the body. 'In corruption' — i. e., in a 
 state of corruption ; and so with the various 
 corresponding phrases that follow. 'Sown' — 
 a figurative representation of burial, borrowed 
 from the illustration of sowing seed in ver. 36. 
 
 43. It is sown in dishonor — in weak- 
 ness. These predicates have been supposed 
 by some of the best commentators, such as 
 Meyer, De Wette, Alford, to refer to the con- 
 trast between the body strictly sifter burial, 
 and after resurrection, and to denote the cor- 
 ruption, offensiveness, and absolute power- 
 lessness of the dead body as compared with 
 the incorruption, etc., of the resurrection 
 body. But it is not probable that the apostle 
 has been carding us through the series of 
 analogies in the preceding verses to bring us 
 to this lame and impotent conclusion, that 
 there is a difference between a dead body and 
 a living body. And further, the la-t epithet, 
 a psychical body, or body for the soul, applies 
 certainly to the body as living, not as dead; 
 and the development and proof of this state- 
 
138 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XV. 
 
 44 It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual 
 body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual 
 body. 
 
 45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was 
 made a living soul ; the last Adam was made a quicken- 
 ing spirit. 
 
 46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but 
 that which is natural ; and afterward that which is 
 spiritual. 
 
 44 in glory : it is sown a l natural body ; it is raised a 
 spiritual body. If there is a > natural body, there is 
 
 45 also a spiritual body. So also it is written, The first 
 man Adam became a living soul. The last Adam 
 
 46 became a life-giving spirit. Howbeit that is not first 
 which is spiritual, but that which is l natural ; then 
 
 1 Or. psychical. 
 
 merit in ver. 45-49 certainly has no applica- 
 tion to the dead body. If the apostle's proof 
 amounts simply to this, that it is not a dead 
 body that is raised, why that goes without 
 saying, much less proving. 
 
 44. It is sown a natural body — should 
 be, a psychical body. There are two rather 
 serious objections to the rendering 'natural' : 
 first, that it is not the meaning of the word; 
 and second, that even if it were one of its 
 meanings, it would be necessary to seek an- 
 other to make a proper contrast to 'spiritual.' 
 The word comes from the word for soul — i. e., 
 the lower spiritual part of the man — and is 
 contrasted with 'spiritual,' which comes from 
 the word denoting spirit, or the higher spir- 
 itual part of the man, that which is specially 
 operated on by the Holy Spirit. The words 
 do not denote, either of them, the material of 
 the body. Of course, the term psychical does 
 not denote that the present body is of the 
 material of the soul, and the contrast would 
 show that neither does the word spiritual de- 
 note the material of the resurrection body. 
 Both words denote the body with reference to 
 its adaptation — the one a body fitted for the 
 residence of the soul, or lower part, and 
 adapted to its purposes, and the other a body 
 adapted to the spirit, or higher part. There 
 is a natural body, and there is a spiritual 
 body — should be, If there is a psychical body, 
 there is also a spiritual. (See Crit. Notes.) 
 The apostle says: 'If there is a body for the 
 soul, or lower part, there must be one for the 
 spirit, or higher part. His argument is based 
 on the nature of things, which makes it at 
 least as probable that God will provide for the 
 wants of the higher, as of the lower part of 
 man. He has provided for the latter, and it 
 is, therefore, almost certain that he will for 
 the former. It is noticeable that it is assumed 
 here, as in other discussions of the resurrec- 
 tion, that the body is necessary to the com- 
 pleteness of the man, the human spirit being 
 
 adapted to a bodily organism, and incomplete 
 without it. 
 
 45. And so it is written — viz., in accord- 
 ance with this distinction between soul and 
 spirit, and the body adapted to each. The 
 quotation, which embraces only the statement 
 in regard to the first Adam, is from Gen. 
 2: 7. The words the first and Adam are 
 interpolations. The second statement, in re- 
 gard to the second Adam, is involved or im- 
 plied in the first as its complement, by virtue of 
 the parallelism between the two Adams. The 
 general parallel between the two, carried out 
 with reference to this distinction between soul 
 and spirit, would have this, which is said to 
 be written, as its first part. And the two 
 together, the general parallel and this par- 
 ticular application of it to Adam, would lead, 
 naturally, to the second part in regard to 
 Christ. If there is a psychical body, there is 
 a spiritual ; and in accordance with this we 
 have, as it is written, the first man a living 
 soul, or psyche; and, as its complement, 
 the last (second) man a quickening spirit ; 
 and each having a body to correspond. But 
 of course, strictly speaking, this quotation is 
 not of the nature of proof. The question re- 
 mains, when Christ assumed the spiritual 
 body, in which, as in his spiritual nature, he 
 became the tjpe of the Christian. (See ver. 
 48, 49.) Evidently, not at the incarnation; 
 for Christ's earthly body was psj'chical, not 
 glorious, nor immortal. He had the same 
 body as ours, and it underwent the same 
 change as ours at the resurrection. But it 
 was at the resurrection that he put on the 
 spiritual body. Probably, also, the quick- 
 ening or life-giving spoken of here is limited 
 by the context to the resurrection power, and 
 if so, then that also was acquired at the resur- 
 rection. 
 
 46. Howbeit that was not first which 
 is spiritual, but that which is natural; 
 and afterward, that which is spiritual — 
 
Ch. XV.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 139 
 
 47 The first man is of the earth, earthy : the second 
 man is the Lord from heaven. 
 
 48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are 
 earthy ; and as is the heavenly, such are they also that 
 are heavenly. 
 
 49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, 
 we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 
 
 47 that which is spiritual. The first man is of the 
 
 48 earth, earthy; the second man is of heaven. As 
 is the earthy, Mich are they also that arc earthy; 
 and as is the heavenly, such arc thev also that 
 
 49 are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of 
 the earthy, '« khall also bear the image of the 
 heavenly. 
 
 1 Many ancient authorities read, let us also bear. 
 
 should be rendered more simply, viz., But 
 the spiritual is not first, but the psychical; 
 then the spiritual. This is the order of their 
 appearance, in accordance with the ordinary 
 law of progression from lower to higher 
 types. 
 
 47. The first man is of the earth, 
 earthy— should be, from the earth. The 
 word for ' earth ' denotes the world in con- 
 trast with heaven. But the word from which 
 'earthy ' comes, denotes the soil. The whole 
 statement then, is that man originates from 
 the earth, and is made of its soil. The sec- 
 ond man is the Lord from heaven — 
 should be, is from heaven. (See Crit. Notes.) 
 The corresponding statement of the material 
 of the body is not given. But it is implied 
 that it corresponds to the heavenly origin; 
 not flesh and blood, (ver. so.) Of course, this 
 would not apply to the earthly body of our 
 Lord, which was earthen like ours, but to the 
 body of his resurrection, in accordance both 
 with the facts and with the whole context. 
 And even the statement of his origin, as far 
 as his physical nature is concerned, must be 
 taken as applying to the same, since his 
 earthly body was earthly in its origin. How- 
 ever, the apostle does not carry out his state- 
 ment into these details, but simply leaves his 
 description of what the Lord is, in his spir- 
 itual nature and origin, to suggest to his 
 readers what his body must become ; how 
 impossible it is for him to retain the merely 
 psychical body with which his life began. 
 Moreover, it is to be noticed that in the 
 terms 'last Adam' and 'second man,' 
 which Paul applies to Christ, he signifies 
 Christ's connection with humanity; and, 
 moreover, his typical, representative, and de- 
 termining connection with man. And his 
 thought is that, as the first Adam was pro- 
 phetic of the career and character of the 
 race in its beginning, so the second Adam, 
 the Christ, is prophetic of the future of the 
 race. 
 
 48. As is the earthy, such are they also 
 
 that are earthy. More simply, such are 
 also the earthy— & comparison of the earthy 
 descendants with the earthy original man. 
 The comparison is of the two natures, which 
 correspond in each case to the earthy material 
 of the body. The physical nature is the same 
 in both, just as its material is the same. And 
 as is the heavenly, such are they also 
 that are heavenly. Here the comparison 
 is between the heavenly original, the second 
 Adam, and' his descendants or successors. 
 The word 'heavenly' denotes the dwelling- 
 place of those referred to— viz., Christ and 
 his followers; and in each, therefore, it refers 
 to their glorified and heavenly state. And 
 the statement is in regard to the nature of the 
 resurrection body, considered as correspond- 
 ing to the heavenly dwelling-place, and to 
 the probable substance of such a body. 
 
 49. And as we have borne the image 
 of the earthy, we shall also bear the 
 image of the heavenly— should be, As we 
 bore, and we shall bear also. There is very 
 decided weight of external testimony for the 
 reading, let us bear also. If this reading is 
 adopted, the exhortation would have to he 
 referred to the moral image. But while the 
 textual commentators are unanimous in adopt- 
 ing this reading, interpreters are equally posi- 
 tive against it, on exegetical and internal 
 grounds. It is certainly very strongly against 
 the reading, that it makes a positive break in 
 the discussion, nothing before leading up to it, 
 and nothing following leading from it. And 
 this argument becomes almost decisive, in 
 view of the fact that ver. 50 seq. are a natural 
 development of this verse taken as a state- 
 ment, but not as an exhortation ; and that the 
 passage is so introduced as to indicate that it 
 is intended as an explanation or development 
 of what precedes. Moreover, the difference 
 between the two readings is very slight, being 
 only the change in a single vowel, from short 
 o to long o, and in which an accident might 
 easily occur, not strictly subject to the or- 
 dinary rules of textual criticism. And the 
 
140 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XV. 
 
 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood 
 cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth cor- 
 ruption inherit incorruption. 
 
 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery ; We shall not all 
 sleep, but we shall all be changed, 
 
 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the 
 last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead 
 shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 
 
 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood 
 cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth 
 
 51 corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you 
 a mystery : * We all shall not sleep, but we shall 
 
 52 all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an 
 eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, 
 and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we 
 
 i shall not all sleep. 
 
 reading of the Textus Eeceptus has the sup- 
 port, in itself very strong, of the Vatican, the 
 oldest and best of the MSS. 
 
 50. Now this I say. That is, This is 
 what I say. The expression is not intended 
 to introduce a new statement, hut an explana- 
 tion of his meaning in the preceding verse. 
 This is lohat I mean, he says, in declaring 
 that we shall bear the image of the heavenly 
 one— viz., That flesh and blood cannot 
 inherit the kingdom of God. The impos- 
 sibility is not moral, nor spiritual, but because 
 of the unfitness that bodies adapted to the 
 earthly state should enter the heavenly life. 
 Neither doth corruption inherit incor- 
 ruption. This brings out the unfitness, the 
 body of flesh and blood being corruptible, 
 and the kingdom of God an incorruptible 
 state. 
 
 51,52. Behold, I show you a mystery 
 —should be, / tell you. The word ' mystery ' 
 here, as elsewhere in the New Testament, 
 means something hidden merely, not mys- 
 terious in our sense of the word. (See on 2: 7.) 
 We shall not all sleep— should be, we all 
 shall not sleep. In regard to the various 
 readings, see Crit. Notes. The statement 
 seems to have given trouble in very early 
 times, and the manipulators of the text were 
 busy with it to remove the difficulty. But 
 the received text, from which our version was 
 made, is probably correct, as it is that form 
 of the text that caused the difficulty ; and so 
 would occasion the changes. There are three 
 interpretations of the passage. First, that 
 the statement is that not all of us— i. c., not 
 all men, will die ; but that all will be changed 
 in one way or another — the dead by being 
 raised immortal, and the living by a change 
 without death ; and that since the apcstle uses 
 the first person plural of both, he does not 
 say to which part of the statement he belongs. 
 This avoids the supposed difficulty that the 
 apostle included himself among the living at 
 the time of the resurrection ar.d the advent. 
 
 This, however, is not at all a strict interpret- 
 ation of the language of this verse, and is 
 quite impossible as a rendering of the last 
 clause in ver. 52. The dead shall be raised 
 incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 
 Here there is a direct contrast between 'the 
 dead' on the one hand, and 'we' on the 
 other, showing that Paul does include him- 
 self in the class to be changed, and, therefore, 
 not among the dead who are to be raised. 
 There is also such a contrast between the 
 verbs, 'shall be raised' and 'shall be 
 changed ' in this clause, that the latter can- 
 not be taken as a general predicate, including 
 the former as one of its parts. The second 
 interpretation makes this a statement about 
 the whole generation of Christians to which 
 Paul belonged, that they would all of them 
 not sleep, but be changed — that is, not one of 
 them would die. The word 'all,' of course, 
 would have to be taken in a very loose sense, 
 in order to avoid involving the apostle in 
 entirely unnecessary foolishness in this case. 
 (Cf. 6 : 14 and 11 : 80.) But such a modifica- 
 tion is not without example. (See Matt. 3: 5; 
 4: 24; 8: 34; Mark 1: 5, etc.) The third 
 interpretation connects the words, 'at the last 
 trump,' with both the negative and positive 
 parts of the statement of ver. 51 ; and in this 
 way limits the entire statement to those who 
 are living at the time of this last trump. All 
 of them are to be changed, instead of dying 
 and being raised. But Paul includes himself 
 in this class, as appears from the unbroken 
 force of the contrast in ver. 52, between 'the 
 dead' and 'we.' The word 'we' is emphatic 
 because of this contrast. Of these interpret- 
 ations, the first is entirely inadmissible, the 
 second is allowable, the third is exegetically 
 sound and unimpeachable. There can be 
 but little doubt that the apostle looked for- 
 ward to the second coming as a near event. 
 In the twinkling of an eye — better, a 
 glance of an eye. 
 
 [To the second interpretation given above, 
 
Ch. XV.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIAN- 
 
 141 
 
 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, 
 and this mortal must put on immortality, 
 
 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incor- 
 ruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, 
 then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, 
 Death is swallowed up iu victory. 
 
 53 shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on 
 Incorruption, and this mortal must put on Immor- 
 
 54 tality. But when 'this corruptible shall have nit 
 on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on 
 immortality, then shall come to pan the Baying that 
 
 1 Many ancient authorities omit thia corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and. 
 
 the following objections may be urged. It 
 does not account for the emphatic position 
 assigned to the word all (navm). If the reader 
 will pronounce the words aloud, giving to the 
 word all the emphasis required by its position 
 in the Greek, he will at once perceive that this 
 interpretation is untenable. "All (of us)" 
 cannot mean many or some (of us). Again, 
 this interpretation supposes the apostle to 
 have uttered a false prediction, and that, too, 
 as a mystery, a fact or truth revealed to him. 
 "With this, compare his words in 1 Thess. 4: 
 15. This prediction was not fulfilled, for 
 Paul and every one of his Christian brethren 
 'fell asleep,' or died. Finally, this interpret- 
 ation supposes the apostle to have made in 
 this place a positive statement, inconsistent 
 with his language elsewhere — such a state- 
 ment as that language makes it very improb- 
 able that he uttered. (Compare 1 Cor. 6: 14; 
 2 Cor. 4: 14.) 
 
 To the third interpretation (approved by 
 Prof. Gould), there are also grave objections. 
 For, in the first place, it is scarcely natural to 
 connect 'shall not sleep' with 'in a moment, 
 in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump,' 
 while it is perfectly natural to connect 'shall 
 be changed' with these expressions, or the 
 event which they define. And, in the second 
 place, the words thus understood represent 
 Paul as classing himself with those who were 
 to be alive, and to be changed without dying, 
 at the coming of Christ. But in his own case, 
 at least, the prediction was not fulfilled; for 
 he died before the coming of Christ to raise 
 the dead. His words, therefore, as thus ex- 
 plained, cannot be accepted as a revelation 
 from God. Nor can they be accepted as rea- 
 sonable in themselves, or consistent with his 
 language in other places. 
 
 The first interpretation, however, seems to 
 us not only allowable, but correct. Observe 
 the connection. The apostle has shown that 
 the dead will not only be raised, but be raised 
 with changed, incorruptible bodies — bodies 
 that can inherit the kingdom of God. But 
 
 all Christians will not die. Many will be 
 alive when the Lord shall return without sin 
 unto salvation. How will these be prepared 
 for the state of glory? In answering this 
 question, the apostle associates himself with 
 the party of the living, and says: All (of us) 
 will not sleep, and receive the changed body 
 by resurrection; but all (of us) —whether 
 we sleep or do not— will be changed at the 
 last trump. For the trumpet will sound, 
 and the dead will be raised — in changed — 
 i. e., spiritual bodies, as previously declared — 
 and we— as many of us as belong to the liv- 
 ing at that hour— shall be changed, and thus 
 prepared to inherit the kingdom of God. 
 This is the interpretation of De Wette, Al- 
 ford, Canon Evans, in the "Bible Commen- 
 tary"; T. T. Shore, in Ellicott's "New Tes- 
 tament Commentary" ; David Brown, in the 
 "PopularCommentary," edited by Dr. SchaflT, 
 and many others, distinguished alike for schol- 
 arship and exegetieal tact. Alford remarks 
 that the emphasis is both times on n-rfiTts— all. 
 ['All of us] shall not sleep, but [all of us] 
 shall be changed'— i. e., the sleep of death 
 cannot be predicated of [all of us], but the 
 resurrection change can. — A. H.] 
 
 53. This verse confirms the preceding state- 
 ment in regard to the raising of the dead, and 
 the change of the living, by showing the 
 necessity of the putting on of immortality, 
 common to them both. Must — in the nature 
 of things (cf. ver. 60) put on— as one puts on 
 a garment, a figurative representation of 
 change. 
 
 54. So when— should be, But whenevrr. 
 Then shall be brought to pass— better, 
 shall come to pass. Death is swallowed 
 up in victory— should be. was swallowed up 
 unto victory. The phrase denotes the victory 
 of life as the result of this swallowing up of 
 death. The quotation is from Isaiah 25: 8, 
 and is taken directly from the Septuagint, 
 which, however, differs only slightly from the 
 original. The latter reads: "He will swallow 
 up death forever." 
 
142 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XV. 
 
 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is 
 thy victory? 
 
 56 The sting of death is sin ; and the strength of sin 
 is the law. 
 
 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory 
 through our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, 
 immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, 
 forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain 
 in the Lord. 
 
 55 is written, Death is swallowed up ' in victory. O 
 death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy 
 
 56 sting? The sting of death is sin : and the power of 
 
 57 sin is the law: but thanks be to God, who giveth us 
 
 58 the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Where- 
 fore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, immove- 
 able, always abounding in the work of the Lord, 
 forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not 2 vain 
 in the Lord. 
 
 1 Or, victoriously.... 2 Or, void. 
 
 55. O death, where is thy sting? O 
 grave, where is thy victory? — should be, 
 O death, where is thy victory ? O death, 
 Jbhere is thy sting? (See Crit. Notes.) In 
 the second question, even if the word trans- 
 lated 'grave' were retained, it should be ren- 
 dered Hades — i. e., the place of departed 
 spirits. This is a quotation from Hosea 13 : 
 14, and corresponds to the Septuagint, except 
 that the latter reads judgment for victory in 
 the first question. The Hebrew reads : 
 "Where is thy destruction, death? where is 
 thy plague, O grave?" In the original, it 
 refers simply to God's averting of destruction 
 from Ephraim, and the apostle merely uses 
 the language as a fitting expression of the tri- 
 umphant conclusion of his discussion. Thy 
 sting. Death is thought of as a serpent sting- 
 ing, and the taking away of his sting signifies 
 the removal of his power to destroy. 
 
 56. The sting of death is sin— should 
 be, Now the sting, etc. The sting is here, as 
 in the preceding verse, the power of death to 
 destroy. This, the apostle says, is sin. But 
 then, how are we to account for the general 
 resurrection ? If death is destroyed only as 
 sin is, how can we explain the destruction of 
 death where sin remains? The answer is, 
 that the resurrection spoken of in this second 
 part of the chapter, from, say ver. 42 on, is 
 the blessed resurrection of the righteous, and 
 so this statement is to be limited to that. The 
 entire deliverance from the power of death in 
 every sense is given only to the righteous. 
 The wicked are still under the power of the 
 second death. (See Rev. 2 : 11 ; 20 : 6 ; 21 : 8.) 
 And the strength of sin is the law. We 
 have here the germ of the apostle's doctrine 
 of the relation between sin and the law; and, 
 as this is one of the very earliest of his Epis- 
 tles, probably the first mention of it in his 
 writings. His doctrine is that, since responsi- 
 bility depends on knowledge, the condemna- 
 tion and curse of sin come through the law; 
 
 and, further and deeper, that it is through the 
 law that the dormant power of sin in the soul 
 is awakened, so that, with the knowledge of 
 the law, comes the quickening of sin and the 
 death of the man. (See Bom. 5: 13; 7:5, 
 seq., etc.) 
 
 57. But thanks be to God, which giveth 
 us the victory. There is probably here a 
 reference to the victory mentioned in ver. 55. 
 Instead of death gaining the victory over us, 
 God gives us the victory over death and the 
 hostile powers associated with it. Through 
 our Lord Jesus. This victory over death is 
 a part of the redemptive work of Christ, 
 which includes the renovation of both soul 
 and body. The sting of death is sin; and 
 Christ, in removing sin, removes the death 
 which it causes. 
 
 58. Therefore — better, And so, viz., since 
 we are to have this victory over death. Be 
 ye steadfast — should be, Become steadfast. 
 They are to grow steadfast under the influ- 
 ence of this truth and this hope. Always 
 abounding in the work of the Lord. 
 This means, the work that he gives them to 
 do. Forasmuch, as ye know, etc. — gives 
 the reason why they should abound in work, 
 viz., that it is not in vain. Is not in vain 
 — literally, is not empty — i. e., of reward. If 
 there were no resurrection, the reward of their 
 toil would be gone. In the Lord— by virtue 
 of their connection with him, who is the res- 
 urrection and the life. 
 
 CRITICAL NOTES. — CHAPTER XT. 
 
 10. The reading, which was with me, is 
 found in N c AD b and c EK, etc. sah, etc. 
 Which was (the Greek article), is omitted in 
 K* BD* FG it vulg, etc. 
 
 14. And, in the clause, and your faith, etc., 
 is found in only D c EKL, etc. syrP, etc., and 
 is to be omitted. 
 
 20. And become is found in only D°KL, 
 etc., syr utr , etc., and is to be omitted. 
 
Ch. XVI.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 143 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 NOW concerning the collection for the saints, as I 
 have given order to the churches of Ualatia, even 
 so do ye. 
 
 2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you 
 lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that 
 there be no gatherings when I come. 
 
 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as 
 I gave order to the churches of (ialalia, BO also do 
 ye. Upon the first day of the week In each one of 
 you lay by him iu store, as he may prosper, that no 
 
 24. Shall have delivered up is the reading of 
 only KL, etc., it vulg. The present is the 
 correct reading. 
 
 29. For the dead, at the close of the verse, 
 is the reading of only D c L, etc., syr 8ch , etc. 
 For them is the correct reading. 
 
 38. His own body is the reading of K c KL, 
 etc. A body of its own (omitting the Greek 
 article) is the reading of X*ABDEFG, etc. 
 
 39. One flesh of men is the reading of some 
 cursives, one MS. of the vulg syr sch cop, 
 etc.; flesh is omitted in KABDEF, etc., it 
 vulg syr p, etc. And another of birds is the 
 reading of AKLP, etc., one MS. of it, two 
 MSS. of vulg syr utr , etc. ; flesh is inserted in 
 NBDEFG, etc., MSS. of it and vulg cop, 
 etc. The order of the clauses ahout fishes 
 and birds is found, as in our version, in 
 FGKL, etc. f g syr p. The reverse order is 
 found in NABDEP, etc., d e r vulg syr» ch 
 cop, etc. 
 
 44. There is a natural body is the reading of 
 j)b and e EKL, etc., syr**, etc. If there is 
 is found in NABCD S FG, etc., it vulg cop, 
 etc. A spiritual body is the reading of KL, 
 etc., syr utr , etc. ; body is omitted in XABCDE 
 FG, it vulg, etc. 
 
 47. Is the Lord from heaven is the reading 
 of N c AD band ° KL, etc., syr utr , etc. ; is from 
 heaven is the reading of X* BCD* EFG, it 
 vulg cop, etc. 
 
 49. We shall bear is the reading of B and 
 some inferior versions. Let us bear is the 
 reading of NACDEFGKLP, etc., it vulg 
 cop, etc., syr. readings doubtful. (See Exe- 
 getical Notes. 1 
 
 51. We shall all not sleep, but we shall, etc., is 
 the reading of BD b and °, EKLP. So, omit- 
 ting first clause, syr utr cop, etc. We shall 
 all sleep, but we shall, etc., is the reading of 
 K( A)CFG, etc. We shall all rise, but we shall 
 not, etc., is the reading of D :s d e f vulg, etc. 
 The last two readings are evidently caused by 
 the desire to remove the difficulty in the first. 
 
 55. The order of the clauses containing the 
 words sting and victory, is found, as in our 
 
 version, in X° A** D EFG K LP, etc., it syr utr , 
 etc. The reverse order is found in K*BCIM, 
 etc., vulg cop, etc.; Hades in the Becond 
 clause (Common Version, grave) is the read- 
 ing of K c A** KLMP, etc., syr utr , etc. Death 
 is the reading of N BCDEFGI, it vulg cop, 
 etc. 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 1-4. Directions in regard to the collection 
 for the church at Jerusalem. 5-9. Informa- 
 tion about the apostle's movements. 10-12. 
 The coming of Timothy and Apollos, and 
 instructions how the former shall be received. 
 14. Final exhortations. 15-23. Salutations 
 and benediction. 
 
 Ch. 16: 1. Now concerning the collec- 
 tion for the saints. The church at Jerusa- 
 lem is meant. (See ver. 3; Acts 11: 28 30; 
 Rom. 15: 26.) This was the poor church of 
 the period, owing to the fierceness of the per- 
 secution to which it was exposed. Jerusalem 
 was the head-quarters of Christianity and of 
 Judaism; and as the great conflict of Chris- 
 tianity in the first century was with Judaism, 
 this was its battle-field. And the church there 
 was the scattered church, deprived of their 
 homes, or uncertain of them, obstructed in 
 their business, and suffering everything be- 
 longing to people under a ban. So much 
 was this the case, that when allusion is made 
 to relief for the poor, it is understood who are 
 meant, as in this passage, and in Gal. 2: 10. 
 The apostle considered it part of his dut}' to 
 lay the Gentile churches, themselves poor, 
 under contribution to relieve this want of the 
 mother church ; and frequent allusion is made 
 to it in his Epistles. As I hnvr given order 
 — should be, as I gave order. This order to 
 the churches of Galatia is something of which 
 we have no record elsewhere 
 
 2. Upon the first day of the week- 
 better, Every first day of the week. We 
 have here, perhaps, one of the very few allu- 
 
144 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XVI. 
 
 3 And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by 
 your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality 
 unto Jerusalem. 
 
 4 And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me. 
 
 5 Now I will come unto you, when I shall pass 
 through Macedonia: for I do pass through Macedonia. 
 
 6 And it may be that I will abide, yea, and winter 
 with you, that ye may bring me on my journey whith- 
 ersoever I go. 
 
 3 collections be made when I come. And when I 
 arrive, 1 whomsoever ye shall approve by letters, 
 
 4 them will I send to carry your bounty unto Jeru- 
 
 5 salem : and if it, be meet for me to go also, they shall 
 go with me. But I will come unto you, when I shall 
 have passed through Macedonia: for I do pass 
 
 6 through Macedonia; but with you it may be that I 
 shall abide, or even winter, that ye may set me for- 
 
 1 Or, whomsoever ye shall approve them will I send with letters. 
 
 sions to the religious use, or remembrance, of 
 the Lord's Day in the New Testament. (See 
 Acts 20: 7; Rev. 1: 10.) And it is worthy 
 of note that benevolence should he the thing 
 enjoined in one of these. Let every one of 
 you lay by him in store, as God hath 
 prospered him — should be, Let every one of 
 you lay up at his house, treasuring whatever 
 he has been prospered in. The phrase 'by 
 him,' in our version, should be, probably, at 
 his house. (See Acts 10: 6; 21 : 16; Luke 19: 
 7; 2 Tim. 4: 13, etc.) In store is, literally, 
 treasuring ; and the antecedent of the rela- 
 tive clause following, is its object. 'What- 
 ever he has been prospered in.' Out of what- 
 ever he has had success in during the week, 
 the apostle would have him lay up at home 
 something towards this collection. That 
 there be no gatherings when I come — 
 literally, That, whenever I come, no collections 
 may be made then. Practically, this work 
 would have been accomplished by the weekly 
 laying up for the purpose. On this demand 
 for benevolence from the prosperous, see 2 
 Cor. 8 : 1-3, 12-15. [The remark of Principal 
 Brown is worthy of consideration — viz. : 
 " This weekly contribution was to be re- 
 served for 'the Lord's Day.' This indi- 
 cates, by the way, that that day was already 
 regarded by all Christians as a sacred day, 
 and, as such, the proper day (as we find from 
 Acts 20: 7) for public worship. In this view, 
 their laying by their weekly sum on that day 
 would both stamp the contribution with a 
 sacred character, and hallow and stimulate 
 the generous principle itself."— A. H.] 
 
 3. And when I come, whomsoever ye 
 shall approve by your letters, them will 
 I send to bring your liberality unto Je- 
 rusalem — should be, And whenever I come, 
 whomever ye approve, these I will send by 
 letters to bring your gift unto Jerusalem. 
 The verb approve does not mean to signify 
 approval, but to approve by testing ; and the 
 instrument therefore would have to be the 
 
 means of testing, not of signifying approval. 
 Thus the words, by letters, do not belong with 
 the verb approve, but with the next clause. 
 By sending by letters, the apostle probably 
 means, giving them letters in regard to the 
 object of their mission. He probably wrote 
 letters to several persons in Jerusalem. The 
 word translated liberality, means, literally, 
 favor; and here the gift expressive of their 
 good-will. 
 
 4. And if it be meet that I go also, 
 they shall go Avith me— should be — And if 
 it is viorthy of my going also — i. e., if the 
 amount collected is large enough to justify 
 his going. A small gift he would send by 
 ordinary messengers, but a worthy gift he 
 would dignify by his own presence. This 
 purpose was carried out. (See Acts 24: 17; 
 Rom. 15: 25-27.) This language has a cer- 
 tain effect of visibility about it, whether it is 
 intended or not. 
 
 5. Now I, etc.— should be, And I. Our 
 version indicates a change of subject, whereas 
 this matter of his coming to them has been 
 mentioned in ver. 2, 3. When I shall pass 
 through — should be, Whenever I have passed 
 through. The apostle's original intention was 
 to come to them first, and pass through 
 Corinth to Macedonia, and then to make a 
 second visit on his return from Macedonia. 
 (See 2 Cor. 1: 15 seq.) But, for reasons 
 given in that passage, he went to Macedonia 
 first. For I do pass through Macedonia — 
 better, For I a-m coming through Macedonia. 
 It does not mean (see ver. 8) that he wa9 
 passing through Macedonia at the time, as he 
 was in Ephesus, and meant to stay there till 
 Pentecost. But the present is used for the 
 future, as in our language, specially with 
 verbs of coming and going. (Cf. Acts 19: 21.) 
 
 6. And it may be that I will abide, 
 yea, and winter — should be, or even winter. 
 That ye may bring me on my journey- 
 literally, Send me forward. Sometimes this 
 included giving the traveler their company 
 
Ch. XVI.] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 145 
 
 7 For I will not Bee you now by the way ; but I trust 
 to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit. 
 
 8 Hut I will tarry at ESphesus until PentecoBt. 
 
 9 For a great door and effectual la opened unto me, 
 and there are many adversaries. 
 
 10 Now if Tiniot'heus come, see that he may be with 
 you without tear: lor he worketh the work of the 
 Lord, as I also do. ' 
 
 11 Let no man therefore despise hiui ; but conduct 
 him forth in peace, that he may come unto me: for I 
 look for him with the brethren. 
 
 12 As touching our brother Apollos, I greatly desired 
 him to come unto you with the brethren : but his will 
 was not at all to come at this time; but he will come 
 when he shall have convenient time. 
 
 7 ward on my journey whithersoever I go. Fori do 
 not wish to gee you now by the way: for I hope to 
 
 8 tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit Hut i 
 
 y will tarry at Ephesua until Pentecost; i"i- a great 
 dour and effectual is opened unto me, ami there are 
 many adversaries. 
 
 lit Now if Timothy come, Bee that he be with you 
 without fear; for he worketh the work of the Lord. 
 
 li as I also do: let no man therefore despise him. Hut 
 set him forward on his journey in peace, that be 
 may come unto me: for 1 expect him with the 
 
 12 brethren. Hut as touching Apollos tin- brother. I 
 besought him much to come unto you with the 
 brethren: and it was not at all 'A<* will to come now J 
 but he will come when he shall have opportunity. 
 
 1 Or, God's trill that he should come i 
 
 the first part of the journey, as in Acts 21 : 5; 
 sometimes providing him with tilings neces- 
 sary for his journey, as in Titus 3: 13. But 
 all that is expressed in the word itself is simply 
 starting him on his journey. 'Ye may bring 
 me.' The pronoun is emphatic — you, instead 
 of some other church. Whithersoever I 
 go. It was the apostle's intention, (see ver. 
 4 and Acts 19: 21), to go to Jerusalem. But 
 this was in connection with the collection; 
 and he makes it contingent on the amount of 
 that, so that there was some doubt where he 
 would go. As to the design to come to Cor- 
 inth, the apostle went there in the early 
 winter, probably, and remained three months. 
 (See Acts 20: 2.) 
 
 7. For I will not see you now by the 
 way; but, etc. — should be, For I do not wish 
 to see you now by the way ; for, etc. (See 
 Crit. Notes.) His wishing to remain some 
 time with them, longer than would be possible 
 now, is his reason for not stopping now. ' By 
 the way' — viz., to Macedonia. I trust to 
 tarry a while — should be, / hope to remain 
 some time, which he could not do if he stopped 
 now. 
 
 8. But I will tarry, etc. — should be, / 
 shall remain at Ephesus till Pentecost. How 
 long this would be depends on the question, 
 when and where this Epistle was written. 
 
 9. For a great door and effectual is 
 
 opposition to religion is as much a reason for 
 energy in religious work as a favorable oppor- 
 tunity; and the two are very likely to be 
 found together. 
 
 10. Now if Timotheus come. There is 
 no reason for changing the ordinal form of 
 this name. It should be Timothy. He had 
 already been sent, (see 4: 17); but as he was 
 to go through Macedonia, he would not arrive 
 till after the letter. (See Acts 10: 22.) See 
 that he may be with you without fear — 
 should be, See that he may become without fear 
 among you. This charge was occasioned, 
 probably, by the disturbed and divided state 
 of the church, and by the youth of Timothy, 
 who was sent to represent the apostle in such 
 a state of affairs. For he worketh the work 
 of the Lord. For like commendations of 
 Timothy, see Phil. 2: 22; 1 Thess. 3: 2. 
 
 11. Let no man therefore despise him. 
 (See 1 Tim. 4: 12.) The apostle here indi- 
 cates the kind of opposition that Timothy 
 might encounter — they might despise him on 
 account of his youth. The apostle they might 
 oppose, but they would scarcely look down on 
 him. But conduct him forth in pence — 
 better, Send him forth. The verb is the same 
 as in ver. 6. (See Note.) 'In peace.' With- 
 out the strife and contempt with which tl 
 might dismiss him. That he may come 
 unto me. Their contentiousness might have 
 
 opened. If there is to be any change in the ' the effect of detaining him, instead of hasten- 
 natural order of the adjectives, both of them ing his departure. If Timothy were to rr«:tnl 
 should be placed after the noun— A door is only his own comfort, it would have the latter 
 opened to me, great and effectual. This is a effect; hut if he looked to his duty, ho would 
 figurative designation of the opportunity for stay until the church was in such condition 
 Christian work. The second adjective is diffi- that he could go in peace. With the breth- 
 cult to translate, as it is not adapted to the I ren. (See Acts 19: 22), where, however, 
 figure. It means, giving him an opportunity ' only Erastua i« mentioned. This account, 
 for active work. And there .arc many ad- therefore, supplements that. 
 versaries— i. e., opposers of his work. Active' 12. As touching our brother Apollos— 
 
146 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XVI. 
 
 13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like 
 men, be strong. 
 
 14 Let all your things be done with charity. 
 
 15 1 beseech you, brethren, (ye kuow the house of 
 Stephanas, that it is the first fruits of Achaia, and that 
 they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the 
 saints,) 
 
 10 That ye submit yourselves unto such, and unto 
 every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth. 
 
 17 I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortu- 
 natus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on 
 your part they have supplied. 
 
 18 For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: 
 therefore acknowledge ye them that are such. 
 
 13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like 
 
 14 men, be strong. Let all that ye do be done in love. 
 
 15 Now I beseech you, brethren (ye know the house 
 of Stephanas, that it is the tirstfruits of Achaia, 
 and that they have set themselves to minister unto 
 
 16 the saints,) that ye also be in subjection unto such, 
 and to every one that helpeth in the work and 
 
 17 laboureth. And I rejoice at the } coming of Steph- 
 anus and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which 
 
 18 was lacking on your part they supplied. For they 
 refreshed my spirit and yours: acknowledge ye 
 therefore them that are such. 
 
 1 Or. presence. 
 
 should be, But as touching, etc. I greatly- 
 desired — should be, / sought him much. 
 The apostle does not wish them to suppose 
 that his rival in the affections of the Cor- 
 inthian Church was hindered from coming to 
 them by him. But his will was not at all 
 to come at this time — should be, Audit was 
 not at all his wish to come now. Probably, 
 it does not mean that he would not come, but 
 that he did not wish to come, probably for 
 the reason implied in the next clause, and in 
 the 'now ' of this — viz., that it was not a con- 
 venient time for him to come. With the 
 brethren. Those who brought this letter. 
 When he shall have convenient time — 
 better, When he has opportunity. 
 
 13. Watch ye, etc. This is not to be con- 
 nected with anything preceding, but begins 
 a new paragraph, containing the closing 
 words. Stand fast in the faith. This word 
 'faith' is not used in the New Testament to 
 denote the thing believed, the combined doc- 
 trine or creed of the church. Even in Jude 3 
 it is shown by the context that it is the ethical 
 or spiritual element in faith, and not its intel- 
 lectual or doctrinal context, that is to be con- 
 tended for. Here it means the faith in Christ, 
 which isthe initial, and one of the fundamental 
 graces, of the Christian life. This class of 
 exhortations, so characteristic of Paul, and 
 consorting so well with the soldierly quality, 
 and energy, and strenuousness of his life, 
 ought to be studied by those who find only 
 the gentle and passive virtues in Christianity. 
 
 14. With charity— should be, In love. The 
 translators have made the same mistake here 
 as in chap. 13. 
 
 15. I beseech you, brethren — should be, 
 Now I beseech you, etc. Ye know, etc. 
 Parenthetical clause, giving the ground of 
 the exhortation. The first fruits of Achaia 
 — i. e., the first converts to Christianity. (See 
 
 ch. 1: 16, and Note.) They have addicted 
 themselves to the ministry of the saints 
 
 — should be, They set themselves to the ser- 
 vice of the saints. 'Set themselves' is con- 
 trasted with appointment by others to this 
 work. It is voluntary, and not imposed, ser- 
 vice. 'Saints' — all Christians. 
 
 16. That ye submit yourselves unto 
 such — should be, That ye also. They were 
 to do something, as well as these leaders in 
 Christian service. This is to be grammatically 
 connected, of course, with 'I beseech,' inver. 
 15. 'Submit yourselves.' Yield to them the 
 precedence which their service renders fit — 
 pay proper deference to their advice and per- 
 sons. That helpeth with us. The verb is 
 probably intended to be left without limita- 
 tion — that helps and labors. I am glad of 
 the coming — should be, But I rejoice over 
 the presence. The word translated 'coming' 
 has presence for its original meaning; and 
 this is to be preferred here. Fortunatus 
 and Achaicus. These are unknown, aside 
 from this mention. For that which was 
 lacking on your part they have supplied 
 — should be, For they supplied the lack of you. 
 Instead of meaning that they supplied some- 
 thing that was lacking on the part of the Cor- 
 inthians, it signifies that they made up to the 
 apostle for the absence of the Corinthians. 
 
 18. For they have refreshed— should be, 
 For they refreshed. My spirit and yours — 
 viz., by their coming. This is an example of 
 the frequent delicacy and subtleness of the 
 apostle's thought. He was refreshed by their 
 coming, but also the Corinthians, he says, 
 who knew that they were with the apostle, 
 and rejoiced in being brought thus into com- 
 munication with him. Therefore acknowl- 
 edge ye them that are such— should be, 
 know well, not 'acknowledge,' a meaning 
 which is not found elsewhere. Such men, he 
 
Ch. XVL] 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 147 
 
 19 The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and 
 Priscilla salute you much iu the Lord, with the church 
 that is iu their house. 
 
 '20 All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another 
 with a holy kiss. 
 
 21 The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand. 
 
 22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let 
 him lie Anathema, Maran atha. 
 
 23 The grace of our Lord Jesus f'lirist be with you. 
 
 24 My love be with you all iu Christ Jesus. 
 
 f The first epistle to the Corinthians was written 
 from l'hilippi by Stephanas, and Fortuuatus, and 
 Achaicus, and Timolheus. 
 
 11) The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and 
 Plisca salute you much in the Lord, with tin < Imn li 
 
 20 that is in their house. All the brethren salute you. 
 Salute one another with a holy kiss. 
 
 21 The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand. 
 
 22 If any man loveth not the Lord, let him beanath- 
 28 ema. 1 .Maranatha. 1 he grace of the Lord Jesus 
 24 Christ be with you. My love be with you all iu 
 
 Christ Jesus. Amen. 
 
 1 That is, Our Lord Cometh. 
 
 says, are worth knowing, not merely in a 
 passing way, but thoroughly. 'Therefore' — 
 because they are men whose coming refreshed 
 the spirit. 
 
 19. The churches of Asia. Asia Minor, 
 on the east coast of the vEgean Sea, is meant. 
 These are the churches to whom the seven 
 Epistles in Revelation were addressed, that at 
 Ephesus being the most important. Pris- 
 cilla — should be, Prisca, of which Priscilla 
 is a diminutive. (See Crit. Notes. ) 'Prisca' 
 seems to be the form used by the apostle ; so 
 in Rom. 16: 3; 2 Tim. 4: 19, while in Acts the 
 other form is found. In the Lord — distin- 
 guishing it as a Christian greeting. With the 
 church in their house. This expression is 
 used in Rom. 16: 5, where the house is also 
 that of Aquila and Prisca. The custom of 
 these assemblies at private houses might easily 
 arise in the New Testament churches, which 
 were scattered over such large spaces. The 
 difficulty of assembling all in one place would 
 lead to these neighborhood assemblies, and to 
 that somewhat fixed membership and charac- 
 ter which gave them the name of churches. 
 Aquila and Prisca had been living in Rome, 
 when Paul first met them, and came to Cor- 
 inth on account of the decree of Claudius 
 ordering Jews out of Rome. Then they ac- 
 companied him to Ephesus, and he left them 
 there. At the time that the Epistle to the 
 Romans was written, they seem to have re- 
 turned to Rome. And when the Second Epis- 
 tle to Timothy was written, they appear to 
 have been at Ephesus. They had no continu- 
 ing city. 
 
 20. All the brethren. ' All ' is to be em- 
 phasized—all the brethren, as well as those 
 with Aquila and Prisca. Greet ye one an- 
 other with a holy kiss — literally, in a 
 holy kits. (See Rom. 16: 16; 2 Cor. 13: 12; 
 1 fhess. 5: 26; 1 Pet. 5: 14. Also Article 
 
 Kiss, in Smith's "Bible Diet.") It was the 
 token, at that time, of Christian love. 
 
 21. The salutation of me, Paul, with 
 mine own hand— should be simply, of Paul 
 with my hand. The apostle says, in 1 Than. 
 3 : 17, that this is his sign in every letter. He 
 employed an amanuensis for the body of the 
 Epistle, but wrote the closing words himself. 
 (See Rom. 16: 22.) 
 
 22. If any man love not the Lord Jesus 
 Christ. The name 'Jesus Christ' should be 
 omitted. (See Crit. Notes.) Let him be 
 Anathema, Maran atha— should be written, 
 Anathema, Maranatha. And there is no rea- 
 son why it should not be translated, so as to 
 read, Let him be accursed. The Lord com- 
 eth — literally, it is, has come; the past tense 
 being used to emphasize the imminence of the 
 event. Of course, this would give great force 
 and solemnity to the anathema, inasmuch as 
 the Lord's coming was to judgment. 
 
 23. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ 
 be with you. 'Christ' is to be omitted. 
 (See Crit. Notes.) On the form of benedic- 
 tion, see on 1 : 3. My love be with you all 
 in Christ Jesus. This is a statement, not a 
 wish, and should read, My love is with you all. 
 This is in spite of their divisions, their partial 
 estrangement from him, and their worldli- 
 ness. Amen is probably to be omitted. (See 
 Crit. Notes.) The subscription is of late date 
 and uncertain origin, and is to be omitted. 
 (See Crit. Notes.) 
 
 CRITICAL NOTKS. — CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 7. But I trust is found in only KL syrf, 
 etc. ; for I trust is the correct reading. 
 
 19. Priscilla has the authority of ACDKF 
 GrKL, etc., two MSS. of vulg syr u,r . etc 
 Prisca is found in KBMP, one MS. of it throo 
 of vulg cop, etc. (See ESxegetical Nol 
 
 21. The words Jesus Christ are found in 
 
148 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XVI. 
 
 N<= C 3 DEFGKLP, etc., it vulg syr utr cop, 
 etc. They are omitted in R*ABC*M, one 
 
 MS. of it, etc. The phrase Lord Jesus Christ 
 is so common that it is quite improbable that 
 a transcriber should omit from it the words 
 Jesus Christ. 
 
 23. Christ is found in X c ACDEFGKLMP 
 d e g r, four MSS. of vulg cop syr utr , etc. It 
 is omitted in KB, one MS. of it, two of vulg, 
 etc. There is the same internal reason for its 
 omission as in the case of the words Jesus 
 Christ in ver. 21. 
 
 24. Amen is found in XACDEKLP d e, two 
 MSS. of vulg syr ntr cop, etc. It is omitted 
 in BFM f g r, two MSS. of vulg., etc. This 
 ending is found in Kom. Gal., and in the 
 Textus Receptus of the other Epistles. But 
 
 the critical commentators reject it in these 
 last. It has, however, good external author- 
 ity in Phil., 1 Thess., 2 Thess. (?), Philemon. 
 The internal evidence is against it, and has 
 caused it to be rejected, on account of the ease 
 with which such an ending to a benediction 
 would be inserted by a transcriber, and the 
 difficulty, on the contrary, of supposing its 
 omission by a transcriber. The subscription 
 in most of the MSS. consists simply of a title, 
 such as First to Corinthians; or an ending, 
 such as End of First to Corinthians. D b 
 adds, was written from Philippi; E, was writ- 
 ten from Philippi ; KL add to this, through 
 Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus and 
 Timothy, by Paul and Sosthenes. B 3 P adds, 
 was written from Ephesus. 
 
INTRODUCTION TO THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE 
 
 CORINTHIANS. 
 
 PROOFS OF PAUL'S AUTHORSHIP. 
 
 There is no doubt of the authorship. The Epistle is quoted by Irenjeus, Athenagoras, 
 Clement of Alexandria, and Tertullian, all of them belonging to the second century. Its 
 style is unmistakable, and it has undoubted connections with the life of Paul, with the 
 church, and with the First Epistle. 
 
 TIME AND PLACE OF WRITING. 
 
 It appears from -2 : 13 ; 7:5; 8:1; 9 : 2, 4, that Paul wrote this letter while in Mace- 
 donia, to which he went from Ephesus. (See Acts 20 : 1.) The place cannot be determined 
 more exactly. The time of this visit to Macedonia, within which the Epistle was written, 
 was A. D. 58, the same year as that of the First Epistle. 
 
 OCCASION AND OBJECT OF THE LETTER. 
 
 We learn from 1 Cor. 16: 10, that Paul had sent Timothy to Corinth, and was expect- 
 ing his return ; and from 2 Cor. 1:1, that he had returned, and was associated with Paul 
 in the writing of this letter. And it appears from 2:13, that he had sent also Titus; and 
 from 7 : 5 seq. , that Titus had returned, bringing him tidings of the state of the church, 
 and especially of the effect of the first letter. This furnishes the occasion of the Epistle, 
 the apostle finding matter in these reports for a second letter. The accounts were partly 
 encouraging, especially in regard to the submission of the church to the apostle's injunction 
 respecting the incestuous member ; but also, in regard to a part of the church, discour- 
 aging. The licentiousness among them had not wholly ceased. Nor were their divisions 
 and strifes at an end. Indeed, the latter had entered on a new and dangerous phase. 
 Instead of a slight defection from Paul, on account of the simplicity of his style, there is 
 now an open revolt under the lead of his old enemies, the Judaizers. They did not, to 
 be sure, attack his innovating doctrine. But they taunted him with his failure and fear 
 to use his apostolic authority, and threw doubts on his possession of that which he had 
 not the courage to use. They compared this weakness with the bravery, at a safe distance, 
 of his letters. They even taunted him with his refusal to receive aid from the Corinthians, 
 which they attributed to his lack of love for them. And they went so far as to put forward 
 apostolic claims for their own leaders, who had the strength of self-assertion and of domi- 
 neering that the apostle lacked. 
 
 Paul had also to defend himself against a charge of fickleness in not ooming to Corinth, 
 as he had promised in the First Epistle. He writes this Epistle, in fact, in order thai they 
 maybe prepared for his coming, and that he may not have to resort to unpleasant measures 
 against them. And, in order to put them in the proper frame of mind towards him and 
 
 149 
 
150 INTRODUCTION TO THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. 
 
 his work, he places before them the greatness of the ministry entrusted to him, contrasting 
 it with his own weakness and mortality, and makes them feel that in him they are dealing 
 with an ambassador of Christ. 
 
 He has on his mind, moreover, the collection for the church at Jerusalem, on which he 
 dwells more at length and more earnestly than elsewhere. 
 
 Owing to the mixed reports from the church, the first and last parts of the letter present 
 a striking contrast. Paul is very strong in his feelings, and the tender and lofty strain of 
 the first chapters, contrast strongly with the severe and impassioned outpouring of the 
 close of the letter. 
 

 THE SECOND EPISTLE OF 
 
 PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 PAUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of Cod, 
 and Timothy mir brother, unto the church of God 
 which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all 
 Achaia : 
 
 2 Grace be to you, and peace, from Cod our Father, 
 and/rom the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 3 Blessed be Cod, even the Father of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, the Father of mercies, and the Cod of all com- 
 fort; 
 
 4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we 
 may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, 
 by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted 
 of Cod. 
 
 1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will 
 of (IikI, ami Timothy 'our brother, unto the cburofa 
 of (Mid which is at Corinth, with all the saints who 
 
 2 are in the whole of Achaia: Grace to you ami peace 
 from (iod our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 S Blessed 6e » the God and Father of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all c.nii- 
 
 4 fort; who comforteth us in all our affliction, that we 
 may be able to comforl them that arc in anv afflic- 
 tion, through the comfort wherewith we ourselves 
 
 1 Gr. the brother ... .'Z Or, God and the Father. 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 1, 2. Salutation. 3-7. Paul thanks God 
 for the uses that he enables him to make of 
 affliction, and of the divine comfort in afflic- 
 tion, in comforting others. 8-11. Paul's 
 trouble and great danger in Asia, and the 
 deliverance wrought by God. 12-14. He 
 assures himself of the help of their prayers 
 in his troubles, because of his holy and pure 
 life by the grace of God among them. 15-22. 
 He defends himself from the charge of fickle- 
 ness in not carrying out his original purpose 
 of coming to them before going to Mace- 
 donia. 23, 24. His real reason for not com- 
 ing to them, that he wished to spare them. 
 
 Ch. 1: 1,2. On these verses, see on cor- 
 responding verses in First Epistle. Timothy, 
 our brother — should be, the brother. Tim- 
 othy was the constant companion, or repre- 
 sentative, of Paul, after the apostle first found 
 him at Lystta. (See Acts 16: 1.) Since the 
 writing of the first Epistle, he must have 
 returned to the apostle, and probably brought 
 with him reports of its effect, on which this 
 letter is based. An apostle of Jesus Christ 
 —should be, Of Christ Jesus. (See Crit. 
 Notes.) With all the saints which are in 
 all Achaia. The form of this address indi- 
 cates that there were no other churches in 
 Achaia, only individual Christians scattered 
 here and there. Achaia is the Roman prov- 
 ince of that name, including all Greece. 
 [There was, perhaps, a small church in Cen- 
 chrea. (R«m- 16: i.j— A. H.] 
 
 3. Blessed. Praised is a more distinctive 
 rendering of the Greek word. The verb 
 means, to speak well of; and from it comes 
 our word eulogy. God, even the Father 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ. The language 
 is the same as in Eph. 1 : 3, and 1 Peter 1 : 3, 
 where it is translated, The Qod and Father of 
 our Lord Jesus Christ. And this is the more 
 natural, though possibly not the necessary, 
 construction. The same reason would lead 
 to the translation, Our great God and Saviour, 
 Jesus Christ, in Titus 2: 13. The Father 
 of mercies. The word translated 'mercies' 
 means always feelings, not manifestations of 
 mercy. The phrase therefore denotes that 
 the Father is characterized by mercies or com- 
 passions. And the God of all comfort — 
 should be, Of every consolation. He is the 
 God from whom comes every consolation. 
 This description prepares the way for the 
 statement of his consoling that follows. 
 
 4. Who comforteth us— viz., himself and 
 Timothy, whom he associates with him in the 
 salutation, and possibly others connected with 
 them in the instruction of the Corinthian 
 Church. That it is not Christiana generally 
 
 is shown by ver. f>. where he connects this 
 comfort with that which they in turn give to 
 the Corinthians. The particular affliction 
 that Paul has in mind, is probably that men- 
 tioned in ver. 8. The eonsolation he leaves 
 indefinite, simply thanking God that he is 
 always comforted in sucli circumstances. 
 That we may be able to comfort them 
 which are in any trouble — should be, Those 
 in every tribulation. This is a striking ex- 
 
 151 
 
152 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. I. 
 
 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our 
 consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 
 
 6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consola- 
 tion and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring 
 of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether 
 we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salva- 
 tion. 
 
 7 And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing, that as 
 ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of 
 the consolation. 
 
 8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of 
 our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were 
 pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that 
 we despaired even of lile: 
 
 5 are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of 
 Christ abound unto us, even so our comfort also 
 
 6 aboundeth through Christ. But whether we are af- 
 flicted, it is for your comfoit and salvation; or 
 whether we are comforted, it is for your comfort, 
 which worketh in the patient .enduring of the same 
 
 7 sufferings which we also suffer: and our hope for 
 you is stedfast ; kuowiug that, as ye are partakers 
 
 8 of the sufferings, so also are ye of the comfort. For 
 we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concern- 
 ing our affliction which befell its in Asia, that we 
 were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, 
 
 ample of the fineness of the apostle's feelings, 
 and t>f his peculiar unselfishness, that he 
 should have others in mind when God com- 
 forts him, and think how he could use that 
 comfort to benefit others. Moreover, he at- 
 tributes this purpose to God in the divine 
 comfort, to enable those whom he comforts to 
 comfort others. By the comfort— should be, 
 through the comfort. The apostle's thought 
 is not merely a general one, that he may be 
 able to comfort others, but that he ma3' be 
 able to administer to them the same comfort 
 that God does to him. He studies the ways in 
 which God consoles him, that he may practice 
 the same on others. And this, too, he repre- 
 sents as God's purpose. He does things to be 
 imitated by men. 
 
 5. For as the sufferings of Christ 
 abound in us — should be, Abound toward 
 us. By 'the sufferings of Christ,' he means 
 those that he endured, the opposition and per- 
 secution on account of the truth, and on 
 behalf of men, that they might be saved. 
 These sufferings of Christ were repeated in 
 his disciples, who encountered the same oppo- 
 sition in doing the same work. (Cf. Matt. 
 10: 16-42; John 15: 18-21.) So our conso- 
 lation also aboundeth by Christ — better, 
 So through Christ abounds' our consolation 
 also. It is implied in the preceding, that 
 their suffering was through Christ ; and so, he 
 says, is the consolation. The nature of the 
 comfort we may gather from 4: 17, where he 
 says: "The momentary lightness of our 
 affliction worketh out for us more and more 
 exceedingly, an eternal weight of glory." 
 
 G. This verse, according to the best text, 
 should read: And whether we are afflicted, it 
 is for your comfort and salvation ; or are 
 comforted, it is for your comfort, which v;ork- 
 eth in endurance of the same sufferings which 
 we a/so suffer. The way in which both the 
 affliction and the consolation secure this 
 
 same result of comfort for them, is shown in 
 ver. 4. The affliction for Christ is sure to 
 bring consolation through Christ; and this 
 consolation he uses to console them in like 
 trouble. And so, they being enabled to en- 
 dure affliction and be steadfast, their salva- 
 tion, which is for those that endure to the 
 end, is furthered. Which is effectual, etc. 
 Or, as above, Which worketh in endurance, 
 etc. This denotes the sphere in which the 
 consolation manifests its activity. The con- 
 solation enables them to endure and be stead- 
 fast. 'Endurance' is not merely here the 
 patient bearing of affliction, but remaining 
 under it steadfast in faith. (See James 1 : 12; 
 Heb. 10: 36.) The same sufferings. The 
 sufferings being of the same kind' as his 
 (Paul's); the same consolation applies to 
 both. 
 
 7. And our hope of you — should be, for 
 you. The apostle means his hope that they 
 will be comforted. Knowing that, etc. His 
 confidence rests on the constant association 
 of this kind of sufferings and of comfort. He 
 who suffers for Christ will be comforted 
 through Christ. The apostle advances here 
 from the thought of the comfort that he can 
 point out to them out of his own experience, 
 to the hope of the comfort that they will actu- 
 ally realize in their experience. 
 
 8. In this verse, Paul gives the occasion for 
 the preceding reference to his troubles. We 
 would not have you ignorant— should be, 
 We do not wish you to be ignorant. Of our 
 trouble which came to us — should be, Con- 
 cerning our affliction ivhich befell us in Asia. 
 (See Crit. Notes.) We have no definite ac- 
 count of this affliction. (See 1 Cor. 15: 32; 
 16: 9; Acts 20: 18, 19.) That it was not a 
 sickness is shown by ver. 5, where it is called 
 1 sufferings of Christ.' And it seems from all 
 that he says about it here, to have been of the 
 nature of persecution. That we were 
 
Ch. I.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 153 
 
 9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that 
 we should not trust iu ourselves, but in God which 
 raiseth the dead : 
 
 10 Who delivered us front so great a death, and doth 
 deliver: iu whom we trust that lie will yet deliver its ; 
 
 11 Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for 
 the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons 
 
 ithaiiks may be given by many oil our behalf. 
 
 9 insomuch that we despaired even of life; 'yea, we 
 ourselves have had the >seutence of death within 
 
 ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but 
 
 10 In God who raiseth the dead: « bo deliver* 
 
 of so great a death, and will deliver: on whom we 
 have »se1 our hope thai be will also still deliver us; 
 
 u ye also helping together ur behall by your sup- 
 plication; that, tor the gift bestowed upon us by 
 means ol many, thanks may be given bj man] per- 
 sons ou our behalf. 
 
 1 Or, but we ourselves 1 Gr. answer 3 Some aucleut authorities read, set our hope ; and still will he deliver us. 
 
 pressed out of measure, above strength 
 
 — should be, That we were oppressed exceed- 
 ingly, beyond our strength. The pressure or 
 oppression denoted is not necessarily that of 
 persecution, but the weighing down of any 
 kind of grief or pain. There is no pronoun 
 in Greek before 'strength,' but in English it 
 is necessary to fill out the sense. This clause 
 does not denote what the trouble is, but its 
 greatness ; and he probably assumes that they 
 have heard of the affliction. He does not 
 want them to be ignorant how much he suf- 
 fered from the affliction of which they al- 
 ready knew. 
 
 9. But we had the sentence of death 
 in ourselves — should be, But we ourselves 
 have had the answer of death in ourselves. 
 The Greek word translated 'sentence' does 
 not mean that, but 'answer' or 'response.' 
 The inward answer that the apostle gave to 
 the question of his probable fate was, that he 
 would die. ' We ourselves' — not only others, 
 but we ourselves, expected nothing else. 
 That we should not trust— should be, In 
 order that we may not trust. It denotes the 
 divine purpose in bringing them into such 
 extremity. But in God which raiseth the 
 dead. When he is brought to face death and 
 expect it, it is the God who raises the dead in 
 whom he trusts. 
 
 10. And doth deliver. There is very 
 strong authority here for substituting the 
 reading, And will deliver. (See Crit. Notes.) 
 In fact, there is better authority for omitting 
 these words altogether, than for the Received 
 Text, on which our version is based. The 
 difficulty with the future tense is that it seems 
 to make what follows a senseless repetition. 
 But the evidence, on the other hand, seems 
 too strong to be overcome ; and we should be 
 very careful not to allow our idea of what the 
 writer should say, to overcome the evidence 
 as to what he did say, even if it seems to in- 
 volve needless repetition. Then this is one of 
 
 the cases in which the reading \'«r v. hich there 
 is the strongest evidence is the one that will 
 account for both of the others; whereas, if we 
 suppose either of the other readings to be the 
 original text, the variations arc not easily ac- 
 counted for. And besides, repetition is not 
 always tautological or forceless. It may be 
 emphatic. And in this case, the words ,,f the 
 repetition/ with the slight addition, ' in whom 
 we trust, (or better, have hoped , may be read 
 in such a way as to have this effect of empha- 
 sis by reiteration. In whom we trust, that 
 he will yet deliver us— should be, In whom 
 we have placed our hope, that he will also still 
 deliver. The verb means to hope, instead of 
 to trust, and is in the perfect tense. 
 
 11. Ye also helping together by prayer 
 for us — should be, You also helping in <>>ir 
 behalf by prayer. The verb means 'to work 
 together' or 'to help'; but 'to help together' 
 adds something that docs not belong to it. 
 And 'for us' belongs with the participle, and 
 not with the verbal noun 'prayer.' This 
 clause is probably not conditional, but causal 
 — not, if you help by your prayers, but, since 
 you do. Their prayers contribute t" the re- 
 sult. That — better, In order that, inasmuch 
 as what follows is not the thing prayed for, 
 but the purpose of the prayer. Thdl for the 
 gift bestowed upon us by means of man* 
 persons, thanks may be given by many 
 on our behalf— should be, /•'"/• the gift be- 
 stowed on us hi/ means of many, thank* may 
 he given from nning persons iii our behalf. 
 The prepositions in the Greek necessitate this 
 change, that with 'many persons' connecting 
 it, with the giving of thanks, and thai with 
 'many' connecting it with the bestowing of 
 the gift. 'Persons" — literally, countenances 
 or faces. Grimm, in hi- Lexicon, say s that 
 the conception U of "countenances turned 
 toward God," ami expressing the pious and 
 grateful feeling -i' the soul. ' My the means 
 of many' — as the apostle indicates at the be- 
 
154 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. I. 
 
 12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our con- 
 science, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with 
 fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had 
 our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to 
 you-ward. 
 
 13 For we write none other things unto you, than 
 what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall ac- 
 knowledge even to the end; 
 
 14 As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we 
 are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day 
 of the Lord Jesus. 
 
 15 And in this confidence I was minded to come unto 
 you before, that ye might have a second benefit; 
 
 12 For our glorying is this, the testimony of our con- 
 science, that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in 
 fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we behaved 
 ourselves in the world, and more abundantly to you- 
 
 13 ward. For we write none other things unto you, 
 than what ye read or even acknowledge, and [ 
 
 14 hope ye will acknowledge unto the end: as also ye 
 did acknowledge us in part, that we are your glory- 
 ing, even as ye also are ours, in the day of our Lord 
 Jesus. 
 
 15 And in this confidence I was minded to come 
 first unto you, that ye might have a second • benefit; 
 
 1 Or, grace. Some ancient authorities read, joy. 
 
 ginning of the verse, through their prayers. 
 'The gift' is the deliverance for which the 
 apostle hopes, and to which the Corinthians 
 contribute their prayers. 
 
 12. For our rejoicing — should be, our 
 boasting. In simplicity and godly sin- 
 cerity — should be, In the holiness and purity 
 of God. For the reading 'holiness,' see Crit. 
 Notes. The change from sincerity to purity 
 is a matter of definition, the hitter being the 
 proper meaning of the Greek word. Godly 
 — should be, of God—i. e., proceeding from 
 God, implanted by him ; and it belongs with 
 both the nouns 'holiness' and 'purity.' 
 Fleshly wisdom is that which belongs to the 
 natural, unrenewed man. (See on flesh, 1 
 Cor. 1: 26.) But by the grace of God- 
 should be, in the grace. This is opposed to 
 the self-reliance of fleshly wisdom, and it de- 
 notes that manifestation of the favor, or grace, 
 of God by which the moral powers of men 
 are sustained and reinforced. On the general 
 meaning of the word, see on 1 Cor. 1 : 3. We 
 have had our conversation — should be, 
 We behaved ourselves. This word 'conversa- 
 tion' is very nearly the etymological equiva- 
 lent of the Greek verb, and it had an English 
 meaning, now antiquated, corresponding to 
 that. But in the English of to-day, the Greek 
 word means to conduct or behave ourselves. 
 And more abundantly to you-ward. And 
 so, since his conduct in his relations to them 
 had been, even more than elsewhere, of the 
 kind described, he makes a special claim on 
 them for their prayers. This is the connec- 
 tion of this and the following verses — they 
 give the reason why the apostle expected their 
 prayers, on the one hand, and an answer on 
 the other, in the consciousness of his godly 
 character and life. 
 
 13. For we write none other things 
 unto you than what ye read. This is a 
 
 vindication of Paul's sincerity in what he 
 writes. The meaning is that he intends just 
 what appears in his writing, without any hid- 
 den meaning or reservation. They need not 
 look for any double meaning in what he says. 
 Or acknowledge — should be, Or even know 
 well. The verb probably does not mean ' to 
 acknowledge.' In any case, it is a rare mean- 
 ing; and there is no reason for substituting it 
 here for the ordinary meaning, 'to know 
 well.' (See on 1 Cor. 14: 37; 16: 18.) Besides 
 his assurance that he is writing to them hon- 
 estly, they have their own personal knowl- 
 edge of him to confirm what he says about 
 the purity of his life. And I trust ye shall 
 acknowledge even to the end— should be, 
 And I hope that you will know well to the end. 
 (On the omission of 'even,' see Crit. Notes.) 
 
 14. As also ye have acknowledged us 
 in part — should be, As also in part you knew 
 us well. Their knowledge of the apostle had 
 been partial in almost every direction, as was 
 shown by the frequent occasion that he had to 
 vindicate himself and to correct their misap- 
 prehensions. And yet, as he shows by the 
 continued use of the same verb, what part 
 they did know was not uncertain. That we 
 are your rejoicing — should be, glorying or 
 boast. Even as ye also are ours in the 
 day of the Lord Jesus. This is the day of 
 judgment, when everything is manifested; 
 and to glory in one then is very different from 
 glorying in this time of uncertain knowledge. 
 (See 1 Cor. 4: 5.) With what excellent tact 
 and good feeling the apostle removes the ap- 
 pearance of self-glorification in this 'as ye also 
 are ours.' In this you do — you did — / hope you 
 will — / am your glorying— you are also ours, 
 we have an excellent specimen of the apostle's 
 style — its peculiar, but not ineffective involu- 
 tion, and lingering over a word. 
 
 15. I was minded— should be simply, 1 
 
Ch. I.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 155 
 
 lf> And to pass by you into Macedonia, and to cornel to and by you to pass Into Macedonia, and again from 
 
 again out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to he 
 brought on my way toward Judea. 
 
 17 When l therefore was thus minded, did I use 
 lightness? or the things that 1 purpose, do I purpose 
 according to the flesh, that with uie there should be yea, 
 yea, and nay, nay ? 
 
 IS But us tiod it true, our word toward you was not 
 yea and nay. 
 
 Macedonia to come unto you, ami 6f you t>> be set 
 
 17 forward ou my journey utito Judiea. When l there* 
 lore was thus winded, did l shew llckleiieasf or the 
 things that I purpose, do I pur now according t.. the 
 flesh, that with me there should be the yea yea and 
 
 18 the nay nay? But as Uod is faithful, our word to- 
 
 wished in this confidence — viz., that the} - knew 
 him, at least in part, and so would receive 
 him with joy, and be benefited by his coming. 
 That ye might have a second benefit — 
 should be, a second favor. The word denotes 
 the visit as a manifestation of the apostle's 
 favor, a gift of love. This visit would be in 
 addition to the one still intended, and so 
 would make 'a second favor.' 
 
 16. And to pass by you— should be, By 
 way of you to (jo through into Macedonia. In- 
 stead of the route marked out here, Paul went 
 first to Macedonia, where he now was, and in- 
 tended to come from there to Corinth. That 
 is, in crossing over from Asia Minor, instead 
 of coming southward to Corinth, and then 
 north into Macedonia, and then a second time 
 to Corinth, he came first to Macedonia, and 
 then to Corinth, making only one visit there. 
 (See 1 Cor. 16: 5.) In Macedonia there were 
 the churches of Philippi and Thessalonica. 
 Out of Macedonia — should be, from Mace- 
 donia. And of you to be brought on my 
 way toward Judea — should be, And by you 
 be sent forward to Judea. (On this verb, see 
 on 1 Cor. 16: 11.) This visit to Judea was the 
 one to carry the contributions of the churches 
 to the saints at Jerusalem. (See Acts 24: 17; 
 Rom. 15: 25; 1 Cor. 16: 4.) 
 
 17. When 1 therefore was thus minded, 
 literally, Wishing this therefore — and since 
 the relation of the participial clause is not 
 that of time, but of that in which the action 
 of the verb takes place, it should be trans- 
 lated, In wishing this, therefore. Did I use 
 lightness? A more specific word is needed 
 here, such as light-mindedness or fickleness. 
 And there are two words omitted in the Eng- 
 lish, which should read, Did I for this reason 
 use fickleness in any way? The fickleness 
 would consist in this change of bis original 
 plan. Do I purpose according to the 
 flesh?— i. e., as the unrenewed man forms 
 his purposes. That with me there should 
 be — should be, that, or in order that, there 
 maybe. The Greek denotes not a result, as 
 
 our version implies, but, a purpose. The 
 change of plan is not undesigned, a mere re- 
 sult, but it belongs to the original purpose. 
 What Paul denies is thai he proposes to him- 
 self a change of his avowed intentions, if con- 
 venience happens to dictate. Yea, yea, and 
 nay, nay— should be, the yea, yea, and the 
 nay, nay. The two together make double- 
 mindedness; one alone, single-mindedness; 
 duplicity and simplicity. He would say 
 'yea,' and stick to it; or 'nay,' and stick to 
 that; but not 'yea' and 'nay.' 
 
 18. But as God is true, our word, etc. — 
 literally, But God is faithful, that, or because, 
 our word, etc. Was not yea and nay — 
 should be, is not, etc. (See Crit. Notes.) 
 The 'word' here is not, as we should expect, 
 the apostle's own, in conversation or affirma- 
 tion, but the word preached by him. For in 
 the next verse, which confirms this statement, 
 the 'word' appears as the Son of God* 
 Jesus Christ, who was preached among 
 you. This is not therefore in contrast with 
 what precedes, as the subject is different, but 
 introduces something new, in which ther i is 
 the same singleness as in his own purposes. 
 Otherwise, we have the unconscious, and 
 partly untenable assumption, that his own 
 word is true, because his preaching is true. 
 It is sometimes offered in explanation of this 
 difficulty, that the apostle speaks subjectively 
 of the word in this verse, arguing, not from its 
 objective truth, but from his truthfulness in 
 preaching it. But this cannot be carried mi 
 into tin; next verses, where it i- certainly the 
 word in its objective reality, thai is presented. 
 And to suppose that he has in mind the 
 natural correspondence between the charac- 
 ter of the word, and the character of the 
 preacher, is to give elevation to the apostle's 
 thought, but not exactness. The natural 
 correspondence would have to be necessary, 
 in order to justify so unconscious a t ransition, 
 orte render it intelligible to hi- readers. [The 
 interpretation rejected by Prof. Gould is thus 
 explained by Principal Brown; "'When we 
 
156 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. I. 
 
 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached 
 among you by us, even by uie and Silvanus and Timo- 
 theus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea. 
 
 20 For all the promises of God in hiiu are yea, and in 
 him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. 
 
 21 Now he which stabfisheth us with you in Christ, 
 and hath anointed us, is God; 
 
 19 ward you is not yea and nay. For the Son of God. 
 Jesus Christ, who was preached among you 'by us, 
 even x by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not 
 
 20 yea and nay, but in him is yea. For how many 
 soever are the promises of God, in him is the yea: 
 wherefore also through him is the Amen, unto the 
 
 21 glory of God through us. Now he that stabli»heth 
 us with you 2 in Christ, and anointed us, is God; 
 
 1 Gr. through 2 Gr. into. 
 
 were with you, was it vacillating, fickle 
 preachers that preached to you the unchang- 
 ing One, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the 
 same yesterday, to-day, and forever? Did 
 we hold him forth to you as stability itself, 
 while we ourselves were the reverse? "Were 
 ye assured that he was the faithful and true 
 Witness by men in whose own word no trust 
 could be placed?' It is an appeal to the in- 
 congruity of the thing, and to their whole 
 bearing at Corinth as men, like their message, 
 honest and true. And, conscious of this him- 
 self, there is a certain hurt feeling in the ap- 
 peal, as what ought not to have been extorted 
 from him." — A. H.'] 
 
 19. This verse confirms what he says in 
 regard to his preaching. The Son of God, 
 Jesus Christ, — should be, Christ Jesus. (See 
 Crit. Notes.) He chooses this full and solemn 
 title to emphasize the impossibility of the 
 thing that he denies. Who Avas preached 
 among you by us, even by me, etc. — should 
 be, through us, through me, etc., denoting 
 them as God's agents in the preaching. He 
 preached to them through Paul and the rest. 
 The word for 'preached' is the one denoting 
 it as heralding. Silvanus and Timotheus. 
 This is an indication whom the apostle has in 
 mind, when he uses v>e to associate with him- 
 self those engaged in preaching the gospel to 
 the Corinthians. 'Silvanus' is the same as 
 Silas of the Acts, the latter being an abbre- 
 viated form of the name. He first appears in 
 Aots 15: 22 seq., as one of the two delegates 
 bringing to Antioch the decision of the 
 church at Jerusalem in regard to the matter 
 in dispute between Paul and the Judaizers. 
 And then, ver. 40, he is chosen by Paul to 
 take the place of Mark as his companion in his 
 second missionary journey. Was not yea 
 and nay — should be, Did not become yea and 
 nay. This refers probably to the time of 
 Christ's earthly manifestation ; what he is 
 now, he then became. But in him was yea 
 — should be, But in him there has come to be 
 
 yea. The subject changes here. Christ being 
 the one in whom the action of the verb takes 
 place, cannot be the subject, which is there- 
 fore the yea. The tense of the verb also 
 changes to the present. The meaning, as ap- 
 pears from the next verse, is that in Christ is 
 found, not denial, nor here fulfillment and 
 there denial, but only fulfillment of God's 
 promises. 
 
 20. For all the promises of God in him 
 are yea, and in him Amen — should be, For 
 as many as are the promises of God, in him 
 is the yea, wherefore also through him the 
 Amen. Instead, that is to say, of one simple 
 sentence having promises for its subject, and 
 yea and Amen for predicates, we have a sen- 
 tence with three clauses, one having jiromises 
 as its subject, and another yea, and another 
 Amen. (On the change to 'wherefore through 
 him,' in the last clause, see Crit. Notes.) It 
 appears from this fact that the 'Amen' is to 
 be explained differently from the 'yea.' The 
 latter denotes the fulfillment of the promises 
 in Christ; the former, the assent of men to 
 the fact of their fulfillment. Christ says yes 
 to the promises of God, and men say, amen, 
 it is so, to that yes. Unto the glory of God 
 by (through) us. This belongs to the last 
 clause. It is through the preaching, and 
 through the preachers of Christ, that men are 
 led to saj 7 the Amen, and so to glorify God. 
 
 21. Now he which establisheth us with 
 you in Christ — should be, probably, for 
 Christ. The Greek preposition for 'in ' is not 
 used, and while it might be construed as a 
 pregnant construction, so that 'establishes 
 into Christ' should be equivalent to 'estab- 
 lishes in Christ,' that is not probable here. 
 The establishing might possibly be taken as 
 bringing them more and more into Christ. 
 But it would be an unusual and unnatural 
 form of expression. It is better to take it as 
 meaning that they are established in their 
 relation to Christ. And hath anointed us. 
 This may refer either to the anointing of the 
 
Ch. L] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 157 
 
 22 Who hath also scaled us, aud given the earnest of i 22 i who also sealed us, and gave us the earnest .,i Mu- 
 le Spirit in our hearts. Spirit in our hearts. 
 
 23 Moreover 1 Gall (iod for a record iinnn mv nnill '^3 knl I nail I...A I'...- o ..-;.. ...... .. n »« i .i._. .- 
 
 the Sp..., ... „,.. ,, t „, ,;,. 
 
 •_':; Moreover 1 call (iod for a record upon my soul 
 that to spare you 1 came not as yet unto Corinth. 
 
 24 Not for that we have dominion over your faith 
 but are helpers of your joy : for by faith ye stand. 
 
 3 But I call < ..id for a witness upon my soul, (hat to 
 
 :i span- you I forbear to com.' unto Corinth. N..t that 
 
 we have lordship over your faith, hut are help, is of 
 your joy: for in "faith ye stand fast. 
 
 1 Or, teeing that he both eealid us 2 Or, your faith. 
 
 apostle for his work, or to the anointing of 
 Christians generally. It is in favor of the 
 former, that it does not involve the repetition 
 of the same general gift of the Spirit in ver. 
 22. But, on the other hand, the view that it 
 refers to the anointing of Christians gener- 
 ally has tins greater consideration in its favor, 
 that all the other things mentioned are com- 
 mon Christian gifts. And, moreover, the 
 connection with the preceding points to the 
 same. These verses are intended to show the 
 divine agency in making Christ to us what lie 
 is represented to be in ver. 18 seq. And this 
 specific and individual gift would scarcely be 
 classed with the promises of God. The anoint- 
 ing is that of the Spirit spoken of in 1 John 
 2: 20, 27. (Cf. Acts 10: 38.) In the ordinary 
 anointing with oil, there is simply consecra- 
 tion by means of a symbolic act; but in this 
 anointing with the Spirit there is consecration 
 by means of that which actually prepares the 
 Christian for his work. 
 
 22. Who hath also sealed us. The seal- 
 ing is marking them as God's, and this is also 
 done by the Spirit. (See Eph. 1 : 13; 4: 30.) 
 In the first of these passages, the seal and the 
 earnest, or pledge, are mentioned together, as 
 here. Notice that the seal is inward ; it is the 
 renewing Spirit. And given the earnest of 
 the Spirit in our hearts. The word trans- 
 lated 'earnest' is, literally, earnest-money— 
 i. e., something in hand as a pledge of the 
 payment of the whole. It is explained in 
 Eph. 1 : 14, where the "Holy Spirit of prom- 
 ise," with which we "are sealed," is called 
 the earnest of our inheritance, for the redemp- 
 tion of the purchased possession. That is, the 
 Spirit is given Christians now, as the pledge 
 of the future heavenly inheritance. Thus, 
 these three blessings, the anointing, the seal- 
 ing, and the pledge of the future, are only 
 different forms or representations of the work 
 of the Spirit. 
 
 23. Moreover, I call God for a record 
 upon my soul — should be, But I call on God 
 as a witness upon my soul. The subject is 
 changed, and the conjunction should be trans- 
 
 lated 'but.' 'I' is emphatic, equivalent to, 
 I, for my part, and indicating that he passes 
 over now to a subject concerning himself 
 alone. 'Upon my soul' is explained unite 
 generally as meaning, against my soul. But 
 this requires the addition of, if I <h, „<,t tell 
 the truth; and it is better, therefore, to take 
 the preposition as meaning that it is hi- soul 
 which is to be affected, either for good or evil, 
 by the witness of God. That to spare you 
 — should be, Sparing you. The participle is 
 present, and a future participle is required to 
 denote purpose. I came not as yet— should 
 be, / came ?w longer, or no more. The ex- 
 pression corresponds to the "second benefit.' 
 (ver. to.) What he spared them by omitting 
 this intended visit, is shown in the next chap- 
 ter to he his displeasure about the incestuous 
 person, whom he wished to have removed 
 before he came again. • 
 
 24. Not for that we have dominion 
 over your faith. The apostle disclaims the 
 lordship over their faith, which seems to be 
 implied in the preceding, the sparing imply- 
 ing the power to punish, and, in general, the 
 possession of authority over them. But are 
 helpers of your joy. This, and not the 
 dominion, is the reason of his action. What- 
 ever he does, he claims to do, not as their 
 master, but as their friend, helping their joy. 
 See Phil. 1: 25, 26, where Paul speaks of 
 the furtherance of his disciples' faith as con- 
 tributing to the abundance of their joy. For 
 by faith ye stand— should be, probably, In 
 faith ye stand, denoting that in which, in 
 regard to which, they are steadfast. This 
 steadfastness is a reason for not lording it 
 over their faith, but for helping aid increas- 
 ing the joy that their faith gives them. Their 
 personal faith in the Lord Jesus, in itself con- 
 sidered, does not seem to have been affected, 
 though some of its accompaniments and fruits 
 were neglected. 
 
 CRITICAL NOTES.— CHAPTER I. 
 
 1. Jesus Chi-ist'\$ the reading in A.DEGKL, 
 etc., it vulg syr Kh cop, etc. Christ ./• 
 
158 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. II. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 BUT I determined this with myself, that I would not 
 come again to you in heaviness. 
 2 For if I make you sorry, who is he then that mak- 
 eth me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me ? 
 
 1 ' But I determined this for myself, that I would not 
 
 2 come again to you with sorrow. For if I make you 
 sorry, who then is he that maketh me glad, but he 
 
 1 Some ancient authorities read, For. 
 
 found in XBMP syrP, etc. The latter is to be 
 retained as the more unusual reading. 
 
 6. The Received Text here has little or no 
 authority. L. Tr. insert the clause, and our 
 hope, etc., after whether we are afflicted, etc., 
 and before whether we are comforted, etc., on 
 the authority of BDEFG, etc., defg syrP, 
 etc. T. Tr. (margin), give the reading adopted 
 in the Notes on the authority of NACM, etc., 
 r vulg syr sch cop. 
 
 8. Which came to us is found in X c D b and c 
 EKL, etc., syr" tr cop, etc. ; to us is omitted 
 in K* ABCD* FG, etc., it vulg, etc. 
 
 10. Does deliver, in the second clause, is 
 found in D C EFGKLM f vulg syrP, etc. The 
 words are omitted in AD* d e one MS. of vulg 
 syr sch , etc. Will deliver, is the reading in 
 NBCP g three MSS. of vulg cop, etc. (See 
 Notes.) 
 
 12. Simplicity, is the reading of X c DEFGL 
 it vulg syr utr , etc. Holiness is found in X s 
 ABCKMP cop, etc. 
 
 13. Even to the end, is the reading of D c 
 KLMP, etc., syrP, etc. Even is omitted in 
 NABCD«EFG, etc., it vulg syr 8ch cop, etc. 
 
 18. The verb translated was not in our ver- 
 sion is found in N° D b and c EKL, etc. syr utr , 
 etc. ; is not is the reading in K*ABCD*FGP, 
 etc., it vulg cop, etc. 
 
 19. Jesus Christ is found in N C BDEFGKLP, 
 etc., it vulg and the versions generally. Christ 
 Jesus is the reading in N*AC. The latter read- 
 ing is probable, as the less usual form. 
 
 20. And in him, is the reading of D b 8nd c 
 EKL, etc. syrP, etc. Wherefore through him 
 also is found in XABCFGP, etc. f g vulg 
 gyj-sch CO p t e t c _ D» d e have, and through 
 hi?n. 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 1, 2. Reason for the apostle's delay in com- 
 ing to them, viz., that he would have been 
 obliged to come in grief, which he had de- 
 cided not to do again. 3, 4. Purpose of the 
 first letter, to remove the cause of this grief. 
 5. The offender in this matter has grieved not 
 
 only him, but all the church. 6-8. But now 
 he has been punished sufficiently, and they 
 ought to pardon him. 9. Because their obe- 
 dience has been sufficiently proved in the 
 infliction of this punishment. 10, 11. Be- 
 cause he has the apostle's forgiveness. 12, 13. 
 Paul's anxiety, on coming to Troas, to hear 
 from Titus, whom he had sent to Corinth, 
 about the state of the church, owing to which 
 he leaves his work at Troas, and comes to 
 Macedonia to meet Titus. 14-17. The good 
 news from them leads him to thank God, and 
 to magnify his work. 
 
 Ch. 2 : 1. This is a continuation of the sub- 
 ject of the last part of ch. 1. I determined 
 this with myself— should be, for myself. 
 That I would not come again to you in 
 heaviness — should be, in sorrow, in order to 
 correspond, as the Greek does, with the verb 
 make sorry in the next verse. Probably, the 
 apostle has in mind both the sorrow that he 
 would cause them, and that which he would 
 experience himself. The expression itself 
 would suggest only the latter, and it is this 
 sorrow, to be felt by himself, that is spoken of 
 in ver. 3. But the expression is immediately 
 connected with "I make 3 T ou sorry," in ver. 
 2; and that must be the sorrow that is promi- 
 nent in his mind when he speaks of coming to 
 them in sorrow. Come again to you. 
 ' Again ' is so placed in the Greek that it must 
 modify the whole expression, and not merely 
 the verb. Now, as the first visit of the apostle 
 to Corinth, mentioned in Acts 18, was cer- 
 tainly not a visit in grief, and there had been, 
 according to this, such a visit, the apostle 
 must have made two visits already. This 
 coincides with 12: 14; 13: 1. 
 
 2. For if I make you sorry. ' I' is em- 
 phatic, in order to bring into greater relief 
 the subjects of the two contrasted sentences. 
 But the same which — should be simply, 
 But he that. The argument is, The very one 
 whom I grieve, if I make you sorry, is the one 
 from whom I receive joy, and by whom, if I 
 
Ch. II.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 159 
 
 3 And I wrote this same uuto you, lest, when I came, 
 I should have Borrow In iu them of whom I ought to re- 
 joice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is (In: 
 juy Of you all. 
 
 4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I 
 wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should 
 be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I 
 have more abundantly unto you. 
 
 5 But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved 
 me, but in ]>art : that X may not overcharge you all. 
 
 6 [sufficient to such a man is this puuishuient, which 
 was iiijlicltd ol' many. 
 
 :: that is made sorry by me? And I wrote thii rery 
 thing, lest, when l oame, l should bavi 
 t,l «' 111 "' wl i I ought to rejoice ; bat Ing confidi oce 
 
 4 in you all. that my joy is tKejoy of you all. Poi out 
 
 of much affliction and anguish of heart 1 wn 
 
 you with many tears; not that ye should be made 
 
 .sorry, but that ye might know the love whirl, I 
 
 have more abundantly unto you. 
 
 5 But if any hath caused sorrow, be hath caused 
 sorrow, not to me, but in part (that 1 presi 
 
 6 heavily) to you all. Sufficient to such a one is this 
 
 grieve him, I may expect to be grieved ; and I 
 skulk therefore, in grieving you, be catting off 
 the sources of my own joy. The apostle has 
 in mind the mutual unpleasantness of such a 
 state of things, when one has to reprove his 
 own friends. This is what makes him want 
 to defer his visit until, by written reproof, he 
 has removed the difficulty and prepared the 
 way for a pleasant visit, when he does come. 
 
 3. And 1 wrote this same unto you. 
 'Unto you' is to be omitted. (See Crit. 
 Notes.) 'This same' thing is what they all 
 have in mind when he speaks of the sorrow 
 that he causes them, viz., his reproof of the 
 church in the First Epistle, and especially in 
 regard to the matter of the incestuous person 
 in ch. 5. Lest, when I came, I should — 
 better, In order that, when I come, I may not. 
 Of whom I ought to rejoice — better, Over 
 whom, etc. Paul wished by his letter to re- 
 move that in their position towards this mat- 
 ter, which would cause him grief when he 
 came. Having confidence, etc. He has 
 such confidence in their rejoicing over his joy, 
 that he trusts them to do whatever will bring 
 him joy. 
 
 4. For out of much affliction and an- 
 guish of heart I wrote unto you with 
 many tears — literally through, or in the 
 midst of, many tears. (See Winer, 379, Note.) 
 'Out of,' etc., denotes the source in his own 
 feelings of the writing of the letter. It flowed 
 from this affliction. This spirit in administer- 
 ing reproof — not in anger, but in sorrow — 
 softens the reproof, and tends to soften the 
 hearts of the reproved. Not that ye should 
 be grieved — better, Not that you might be 
 made sorry. The verb is the same as in ver. 
 2; and might expresses the idea of purpose, 
 conveyed by the Greek, better than 'should.' 
 But that ye might know the love, etc. 
 His object was to show them the love from 
 which all true reproof springs — the love that 
 would rather bear the pain of grieving the 
 
 loved one, than see him given up to sin. 
 Which I have more abundantly unto you. 
 Hi.s love towards the Corinthian Church was 
 not only abundant, but more abundant than 
 to his disciples generally. 
 
 5. But if any have caused grief, he 
 hath not grieved me, but in part; that I 
 may not overcharge you all— should be, 
 But if any one has caused sorrow, he has 
 caused sorrow not to me, but in part, not to 
 be hard (on him), to you all. 'Me' is em- 
 phatic, and is in contrast with 'you all ' ; 'in 
 part' modifies the latter, not the former; 
 and 'overcharge' has for its object him under- 
 stood, referring to the offender. Paul regards 
 the wrong done by the offender as inflicted, 
 not on him, but on the whole church. At the 
 same time, he knows that, as in all such cases 
 it is only in a partial sense that the evil affects 
 so large a number, and he puts in this modifi- 
 cation, that he may not be hard on the 
 offender. 
 
 6. Sufficient to such a man is this pun- 
 ishment, which was inflicted of many — 
 should be, By the most, the majority. This 
 has led many commentators to suppose that 
 the punishment referred to is the refusal to 
 associate with the offender, enjoined by the 
 apostle in ver. 9 seq. of 1 Cor. 5, and not the 
 formal excommunication enjoined in ver. 3 
 seq. But in the first place, the language does 
 not necessarily exclude the latter. The prob- 
 ability is, that excommunication was not as- 
 sented to by all the members of the church ; 
 that it was done by only a majority of such a 
 church as that at Corinth. And if this was 
 the case, it would only be necessary to find 
 some reason why the apostle should n 
 
 it. And this would easily appear in tl 
 sideration, that this would be a dereliction 
 from duty on the part of the minority, and 
 that there would be the same reason for call" 
 ing attention to it. as if it had been committed 
 by the entire church. Moreover, in the sec- 
 
160 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. II. 
 
 7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, 
 and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be 
 swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. 
 
 8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm 
 your love toward him. 
 
 9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know 
 the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. 
 
 10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for 
 if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your 
 sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; 
 
 7 punishment which was inflicted by J the many: so 
 that contrariwise ye should '-rather forgive him 
 and comfort him, lest by any means such a one 
 should be swallowed up with his overmuch sorrow. 
 
 8 Wherefore I beseech you to confirm your love toward 
 
 9 him. For to this end also did I write, that I might 
 know the proof of you, 3 whether ye are obedient 
 
 10 in all things. But to whom ye forgive any thiug, 
 I forgive also: for what I also have forgiven, if I 
 have forgiven any thing, for your sakes have Ifor- 
 
 1 Gr. the more 2 Some ancient authorities omit, rather 3 Some ancient authorities reud, whereby. 
 
 ond place, if the apostle's solemn injunction 
 to turn the offender out of the church had 
 been neglected, it is scarcely probable that he 
 would have written that the other punishment 
 was enough, nor have implied, as he does in 
 ver. 9, that in this matter they had stood the 
 test of obedience in all things. 'Sufficient' 
 in this case does not mean that this punish- 
 ment is enough without any other, but with- 
 out any more; tliat it has lasted a sufficient 
 time. 
 
 7. So that, contrariwise, ye ought 
 rather to forgive— should be, So that, on the 
 contrary, yon rather forgive. The 'ought' 
 does not belong here, but this sentence de- 
 notes the act of forgiveness as the consequence 
 of the sufficienc3 T of the punishment. Lest 
 perhaps such a one should be swallowed 
 up with overmuch sorrow — should be, Lest 
 in any viay . . . with his overmuch sorrow. 
 'Be swallowed up.' This is explained bj 7 
 some commentators as denoting actual de- 
 struction, either physical or spiritual, that 
 would result to the man through his excessive 
 sorrow. But all these explanations seem 
 forced; and the language does not demand 
 them, as the verb may easily denote figura- 
 tively the effect of extreme sorrow, just as we 
 speak of being consumed or devoured with 
 grief. So De Wette, Grimm. 
 
 8. Wherefore I beseech you that ye 
 would confirm your love toward him — 
 should be, Wherefore, I beseech you to decree 
 love toward him. The verb means to confirm, 
 but also to decree. And the latter is evidently 
 the meaning here. The apostle would have 
 the church publicly decree the man's pardon, 
 and so show its love towards him ; the feeling 
 of love being put here for the action that it 
 would prompt. 
 
 9. For to this end also did I write — viz., 
 his directions in regard to the incestuous per- 
 son, in 1 Cor. 5. That I might know the 
 proof of you — should be, Your proved char- 
 
 acter. The word means both the proof or test 
 of character, and proved or tested character. 
 The latter is the meaning here. He wishes to 
 know what they will prove to be after testing. 
 So in Rom. 5: 4, the word translated "experi- 
 ence" ; Phil. 2 : 22. Whether ye be — should 
 be, If you are. This verse gives another reason 
 for the command to pardon the offender, viz., 
 that Paul's object in writing to them about his 
 punishment was to test their obedience, which 
 object had been accomplished to the apostle's 
 satisfaction. 
 
 10. To whom ye forgive anything — 
 should be, But to whom, etc. This assurance 
 of the apostle's endorsement takes another 
 obstacle out of the way of the forgiveness 
 enjoined on them. They might fear that they 
 would forgive before the apostle was ready to 
 do it. But no, the apostle says, * whom you 
 forgive, I also.' As he has said in ver. 5, 
 the wrong is committed against them, and if 
 they forgive it, he is not going to hold back. 
 For if I forgave anything, to whom I 
 forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in 
 the person of Christ— should he, For I also, 
 what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven any- 
 thing, on your account have I forgiven it in 
 the person (or, better, presence; see margin 
 of Revised Version) of Christ. (See Crit. 
 Notes.) This matter of forgiveness is, in 
 Paul's mind, common to him and to them; 
 he forgives what they do; and his own for- 
 giveness, supposing that he has forgiven any- 
 thing, is on their account — i. e., in order to 
 secure their forgiveness pf the same. The 
 apparent inconsistency between the first part 
 of the statement, in which he seems to make 
 his forgiveness wa'it on theirs, and the second 
 part, in which he represents himself as hav- 
 ing already given his forgiveness in order to 
 secure theirs, is explained by making the first 
 part denote his joining with the church in 
 forgiving the wrong done to them, and the 
 second his expectation that the church will 
 
Ch. II.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 161 
 
 11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we 
 are not ignorant of his devices. 
 
 12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach 
 Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the 
 Lord; 
 
 13 I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not 
 Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I went 
 from thence into Macedonia. 
 
 14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us 
 to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour 
 of his knowledge by us in every place. 
 
 11 given it in the ' person of Christ ; that no advantage 
 may be gained iiht us by Satan: for we are not 
 
 ignorant of his devices. 
 
 12 Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ, 
 
 13 and when a door was opened unto in.- in the Lord, I 
 had do relief for my spirit, because I found not Titus 
 my brother: but taking my leave "i them, I went 
 forth into Macedonia, 
 
 14 But thanks be untoGod, who always leadeth us 
 in triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest through 
 
 1 Or pretence. 
 
 join him in his forgiveness of the offence, so 
 far as it is personal to himself. The personal 
 offence against himself he has forgiven. The 
 offence against the church he forgives, if the 
 church does. 'In the presence of Christ' 
 — with the sense of responsibility that that 
 presence gives. 
 
 11. Lest Satan should get an advan- 
 tage of us — should be, That we may not be 
 overreached by Satan. This advantage would 
 be gained by making use of their failure to 
 forgive, to lead the offender into further sin. 
 This Hebrew name of the Evil One means 
 the Adversary. For we are not ignorant 
 of his devices. Designs is a better trans- 
 lation, the word denoting purposes rather 
 than devices. This knowledge of his pur- 
 poses enables them to guard against him, as 
 an ignorant or unwary person could not. 
 
 12. Furthermore, when I came to Troas 
 to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was 
 opened unto me of the Lord — should be, 
 Now, having come to Troas for the gospel of 
 Christ, and a door having been opened to me 
 in the Lord. It is better to retain the parti- 
 cipial form of these two clauses, as they are 
 not simply temporal, but concessive. The 
 meaning is, Though I came for this purpose, 
 and though the way was open for me, yet I 
 could not rest, because Titus did not come with 
 news from you; and so I left Troas and came 
 into Macedonia to meet him. ' Troas.' The 
 full name was Alexandria Troas. It was a 
 city of Mysia, on the northwest coast of Asia 
 Minor, founded by Lysirnarhus, and named 
 by him in honor of Alexander the Great. It 
 was the place where Paul had the vision 
 which brought him into Europe, and whence 
 he crossed over into Macedonia. (See Acts 
 16:8 seq.) 'The gospel of Christ.' This is 
 the objective genitive, denoting the gospel in 
 regard to Christ— not. therefore, 'Christ's gos- 
 pel,' as in the Common Version. ' A door was 
 
 (having been) opened unto me' — i. e., an oppor- 
 tunity to preach the gospel. ' In the Lord ' — 
 denotes the sphere in which the opportunity 
 is given, not the person by whom it is given, 
 as in Common Version. (See Winer, 389.) 
 It stands here for in the cause or kingdom of 
 the Lord. This statement is in continuation 
 of the account, begun in ver. 4, of the trouble 
 and anxiety given him by the state of things 
 at Corinth. 
 
 13. I had no rest in my spirit, because 
 I found not Titus my brother. Titus had 
 been sent to Corinth to find out the condition 
 of affairs there, and specially the result of 
 Paul's letter; and the apostle could not rest 
 till he had seen him and heard his report. 
 (See ch. 7 : 6 seq. ; 12 : 18. ) But taking my 
 leave of them— should be, Having taken 
 leave. 'Of them,' viz., the Christians at Troas. 
 I went from thence into Macedonia — 
 should be simply, / went forth. Macedonia 
 was on the way from Troas to Corinth, and 
 the apostle hoped to intercept Titus and get 
 earlier news. 
 
 14. Now thanks be unto God— should 
 be, But, etc. This is in contrast with the pre- 
 ceding statement of unrept. The apostle does 
 not tell us, as we should expect, what news 
 he had from Titus, but assumes their knowl- 
 edge of that, and makes it an occasion for 
 thanksgiving and for magnifying his office. 
 Which always causeth us to triumph — 
 should be. Who always leadeth us in triumph. 
 The other is contrary to the usaga of the verb, 
 which means to triumph over. Winer gives 
 it as a doubtful meaning, p. 23. Grimm 
 adopts it in his Lexicon; Meyer and others 
 reject it. On the whole, the analogy of New 
 Testament usage permits such a causative use 
 of a neuter or merely transitive verb, but 
 only in extreme cases. The proper meaning 
 is always preferable, if it make* dense. In 
 this case the apostle regards bja con version ns 
 
162 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. II. 
 
 15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in 
 them that are saved, and iu them that perish : 
 
 16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death ; 
 and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who 
 is sufficient for these things? 
 
 15 us the savour of his knowledge in every place. For 
 we are a sweet savour of Christ unto tiod, in them 
 
 16 >that are saved, and in them that perish; to the 
 one a savour from death unto death ; to the other a 
 savour from life unto life. And who is sufficient for 
 
 1 Or, that are being saved, and in them that are perishing , 
 
 a victory gained over him by the Lord, and 
 his subsequent life, with its Christian labors 
 and successes, as celebrating the Lord's tri- 
 umph over him; and so he says here„'who 
 always learleth us in triumph.' 'Always.' 
 The apostle puts his success in this case, or 
 rather God's successful use of him, as simply 
 an illustration of the triumph in which God 
 always leads him. The figure is taken from 
 the triumphal processions in which victories 
 or conquests were celebrated, and in which 
 the conquered were led about in triumph by 
 the conquerors. 'In Christ.' Christ here has 
 the article, and so it should be probably the 
 Christ, or the Messiah, the term being em- 
 ployed in its official, and not in its personal 
 sense. (See on 1 Cor. 1: 1.) It is in Christ 
 that God triumphs over him, Christ being the 
 representative of the Father in the work of 
 redemption, and the Father working in 
 Christ. And maketh manifest the savour 
 of his knowledge by us— should be, Through 
 us. The 'savour of his knowledge' is the 
 fragrance, or perfume, of the knowledge of 
 Christ. See ver. 15, where the fragrance is 
 said to be of Christ. The language carries 
 forward the figure of a triumphal procession, 
 in which incense was burned before the vic- 
 tor's chariot. The knowledge of Christ is 
 represented as a fragrance, brought to men 
 by the apostles. In every place. Like the 
 'always' above, this represents the effect of 
 the apostle's teaching at Corinth as that which 
 universally accompanies it. 
 
 15. For we are— better, Because, etc. 
 Unto God — i. e., For God, in his behalf. A 
 sweet savour of Christ. The sweetness 
 represents the essential nature of the gospel 
 in both the opposite effects which it produces. 
 The apostles are represented here as being 
 themselves the fragrance, which before they 
 are represented as bringing or making known. 
 This is a common figure, which makes an 
 object to be the effect that it produces. Inas- 
 much as they make this fragrance known to 
 men, they are that to them— that is what they 
 mean to men. 'A sweet savour of Clirist.' 
 
 Christ is the one from whom the perfume 
 comes. In them that are saved, and iu 
 them that perish — should be probably, In 
 those being saved, and in those perishing. 
 The participle is present in both cases, and 
 this more naturally denotes the act in its 
 progress, not in its completion. And this 
 probable conclusion from the language is con- 
 firmed from the context. The apostle rejoices 
 in the effect of his word on those that are 
 saved, and this effect is, he says, life. But 
 life is salvation in the New Testament repre- 
 sentation, and therefore the salvation cannot 
 be completed in those for whom life is to be 
 secured by the word. This agrees with ch. 4: 
 16, which speaks of the renewing, day by 
 day, of the inner man; with ch. 7: 9 seq., in 
 which he describes the effect of this very word 
 in the First Epistle, as working repentance in 
 them unto salvation, etc. 
 
 16. To the one we are the savour of 
 death unto death ; and to the other the 
 savour of life unto life — should be, To the 
 one a savour from death unto death; and to 
 the other a savour from life unto life. (See 
 Crit. Notes.) The 'death' and 'life' here 
 represent the source of the fragrance, which 
 source, in ver. 15, is Christ. And so they 
 show what Christ is to the two classes of men, 
 viz., death to the one, and life to the other; 
 and the apostles are to men a fragrance to 
 men, either from Christ as death, or from 
 Christ as life. According as men accept or 
 reject him, he is life or death to them. Any 
 truth having moral or spiritual quality harms 
 those whom it does not help. (Cf. John 3: 
 18, 19.) 'Unto death' and 'unto life' denote 
 the results of this fragrance. And who is 
 sufficient for these things? The Greek 
 emphasizes the phrase, for these things, read- 
 ing, And for these things, who is sufficient? 
 The apostle means the things just mentioned, 
 belonging to his apostolic office as a teacher 
 of that word which means either life or death 
 to men. These seem so great that he asks, 
 Who is sufficient for them? 
 
Ch. Ill] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 163 
 
 17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word I 17 these things? For we are not as the many, ' eor- 
 ofGod: but as of sincerity, but as of God, iu the sight rupting the word of <;<>d : but as of sincerity, bat as 
 
 of God speak we iu Christ. J of God, in the sight of God, apeak we iu Christ. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 DO we begin again to commend ourselves? or need 
 we, as some utters, epistles of commendation to 
 
 you, or letters of commendation from you? 
 
 1 Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? 
 or need we, as do some, epistles of commendation to 
 
 1 Or, making merchanditc of the word of God. 
 
 17. For we are not as many, which cor- 
 rupt — should be, For we are not as the many, 
 corrupting, or adulterating. 'The many' 
 are probably the anti-Pauline teachers in the 
 churches. (Cf. 11: 13.) But as of sincerity, 
 but as of God — should be, from sincerity, 
 and from God. The former denotes the men- 
 tal quality, the sincerity or purity, from which 
 their teaching comes; the latter, its divine 
 source. In the sight of God. Their teach- 
 ing not only has a divine source, but is uttered 
 in the divine presence, with the solemn feel- 
 ing of responsibility which that presence 
 brings. In Christ. Their speech, like their 
 action, is in Christ, deriving its character from 
 their connection with him. Most of the com- 
 mentators regard this verse as containing, by 
 implication, the answer to the preceding ques- 
 tion, as if Paul had said, / and my like are 
 sufficient for, etc. But, in order to be under- 
 stood, anything omitted certainly needs to be 
 more plainly hinted or implied than this. 
 And even the emphatic we, which might help 
 the matter some, is wanting here. The alter- 
 native is not, as Meyer indicates, to suppose 
 that there is a negative answer implied to the 
 preceding question, for which this verse gives 
 the reason, in which case, as he says, the ques- 
 tion would have to be, 'Who of himself is 
 sufficient?' But such a question may imply, 
 not the impossibility of finding any one suffi- 
 cient for this work, but only the great diffi- 
 culty of finding such. In this view of the 
 question, this verse may give the reason for it 
 by setting forth further, in a negative and 
 positive way, the nature of the work. 'Who,' 
 Paul says, 'is sufficient for this work that we 
 do? For it is not an adulteration of God's 
 word, as with the many false teachers, but a 
 pure and divinely directed utterance, in the 
 presence of God and in union with Christ, of 
 that word. And who is sufficient for this? 
 
 CRITICAL NOTES. — CHAPTER II. 
 
 3. Unto you is found in N c C c DEFG, etc., 
 
 it vulg syr utr , etc. It is omitted in K» ABC* 
 OP cop, etc. 
 
 10. If I forgave anything, to whom I for- 
 gave is the reading of only D b KL syr«\ etc. 
 What I have forgiven, if I hare forgiven any- 
 thing is the reading of KABCFGO (D c EP) 
 it, etc. 
 
 16. Savour of death— savour of life is the 
 reading of DEFGKL it vulg, etc. Savour 
 from is the'reading of NABC cop, etc. 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 
 1-4. Paul replies to the anticipated charge 
 of self-commendation, that they, his converts, 
 are his epistle of commendation. 5, 6. His 
 sufficiency for this ministry comes from God. 
 6-11. Contrast between the old covenant and 
 the new, of which they are servants ; the 
 former bringing death, and the latter life ; 
 the one being transient, and the other perma- 
 nent; and the service of life under the new 
 covenant therefore excelling in glory that of 
 death under the old. 12-15. Having such a 
 ministry as this, the apostle speaks out freely 
 anu boldly, not using the concealment that 
 Moses used when he vailed his face and hid 
 from the children of Israel the transitoriness 
 of the old covenant — a vail which remains 
 until this day. 16»18. Removal of the vail 
 from the mind of the Israelites, when they 
 turn to the Lord, who is represented in the 
 world by the Spirit of truth and of intellectual 
 freedom; and the change into his glory of 
 those who behold that glory with unvailed 
 face. 
 
 Ch. 3: 1. Do we begin— better, Are we 
 beginning ? The reference is t<> the la^t verses 
 of ch. 2. Again — refers to such passages ai 
 1 Cor. ch. 2 and 3; 4: 15-21; 0, etc., about 
 which Paul had probably heard similar 
 charges of self-commendation. Or need we, 
 as some. Paul probably refers to the differ- 
 ence between himself and the teachers op- 
 
164 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. III. 
 
 2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known 
 and read of all men: 
 
 3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the 
 epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with 
 ink, but with the Spirit of the living God ; not in tables 
 of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart. 
 
 4 And such trust have we through Christ to God- 
 ward : 
 
 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any 
 thing as of ourselves ; but our sufficiency is of God : 
 
 2 you or from you? Ye are our epistle, written in our 
 hearts, known and read of all men; being made 
 manifest that ye are an epistle of Christ, ministered 
 by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of 
 the living God ; not in tables of stone, but in tables 
 
 4 that are hearts of flesh. And such confidence have 
 
 5 we through Christ to Godward : not that we are 
 sufficient of ourselves, to account any thing as from 
 
 posed to him, not necessarily in condemnation 
 of the practice mentioned, nor speaking slight- 
 ingly of them on account of it, hut simply to 
 remind the Corinthians of the closer relation 
 in which he stands to them, and, in fact, to all 
 his churches. For he says 'from you' as well 
 as 'to you.' (Cf. 1 Cor. 4: 15.) It seems from 
 this that in the early church teachers carried 
 with them commendatory letters from one 
 church to another. But the apostle did not 
 need these, as his work and his converts were 
 his sufficient vouchers. Or letters of com- 
 mendation from you. 'Letters of com- 
 mendation' is to he omitted. (See Crit. 
 Notes.) 
 
 2. Ye are our epistle, viz., of commen- 
 dation. Paul and his associates point to their 
 converts as their commendation. Written 
 in our hearts. In other places, where the 
 Corinthian Christians were not known, Paul 
 would tell their story; and for this purpose 
 they were written in his heart. Just as the 
 life of Christ, written or told, keeps up the 
 effect of his personal presence and teaching 
 and action. Known and read of all men — 
 wherever the apostle went, of course. 
 
 3. Forasmuch as ye are manifestly 
 declared to be — literally, Being manifested 
 that you are. Their life and character showed 
 that they were this. The epistle of Christ 
 — hetter, an epistle of Christ. There is no 
 article in the Greek, which is not conclusive 
 in favor of this rendering, hut renders it prob- 
 able. Christ is represented as the author of 
 this epistle, recommending Paul and his com- 
 panions. Ministered by us — or, served by 
 us. The idea of the Greek is difficult to ren- 
 der into English. It means that they, as 
 teachers of the gospel, acted as servants or 
 assistants in the writing of this Epistle. They 
 were the amanuenses, or penmen, of Christ. 
 Written not with ink, but with the Spirit 
 of the living God. This represents the 
 Holy Spirit as the material used in this work, 
 as if it were his very substance that entered 
 
 into it. It is nearly the same idea as in the 
 figure of the vine and its branches, the living 
 bread, etc. Of the living God — contrasted 
 with dead material, such as ink. Not in 
 tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of 
 the heart — should be, But in tables, hearts 
 of flesh, or, In hearts of flesh as tables. (See 
 Crit. Notes.) The figure changes here, prob- 
 ably under the influence of the thought of 
 the distinction between the old and the new 
 covenant, which is introduced in ver. 6, but 
 has probably already come into Paul's mind. 
 They are no longer the epistle, but that on 
 which it is written. There is a similar con- 
 fusion between the seed and the soil, in the 
 parable of the sower. 
 
 4. And such trust have we through 
 Christ to God- ward — better, Such confidence 
 through Christ toward God. The confidence 
 spoken of is that begotten by the possession 
 of these epistles, spoken of in the preceding 
 verses. Not exactly, as Luther says, a confi- 
 dence that they had prepared this living epis- 
 tle; but a general confidence in their office 
 and work, begotten by the possession of such 
 an epistle, prepared by themselves. ' Through 
 Christ.' Christ, being the author of these let- 
 ters, is the one through whom the confidence 
 based on them comes. ' Toward God ' de- 
 notes the object of his confidence, which is 
 directed, not toward himself, but toward 
 God. 
 
 5. Not that we are sufficient of our- 
 selves to think anything. Meyer explains 
 this word 'think' here as meaning "to settle 
 in his judgment the ways and means, and 
 generally the manner of conducting his apos- 
 tolic office." Alford says that it means "to 
 carry on any of the processes of reasoning or 
 judgment, or faith, belonging to the apostolic 
 calling." It is the word meaning to reckon 
 or calculate, and denotes the operations of the 
 practical intellect, such as making calcula- 
 tions, or devising methods and means. The 
 sufficiency to do this is not from themselves, 
 
Ch. III.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 165 
 
 6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new 
 testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the 
 letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 
 
 7 But if the ministration of death, written and en- 
 graven in stones was glorious, so that the children of 
 Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for 
 the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be 
 done away ; 
 
 8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be 
 rather glorious? 
 
 9 Kor if the ministration of condemnation be glory, 
 much more dot li the miuistratiou of righteousness ex- 
 ceed in glory. 
 
 6 ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God ; who also 
 made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant ; 
 not of the letter, but of the spirit : for the letter kill- 
 
 7 eth, but the spirit giveth life. Bin if the ministra- 
 tion of death, 'written, and engraven on stones. 
 came i with glory, so that the children of Israel could 
 not look stedfastly upon the lace of Mo>, ? for the 
 glory of his lace, which glory * was passing away: 
 
 8 how shall not rather the niinistrath f the spirit 
 
 9 be with glory? *For if the ministration of con- 
 demnation hath glory, much rather doth the miuis- 
 
 1 Gr. in Utters 
 
 .■2 Gr. in 3 Or, teas being done away....t Man? ancieut authorities read, For if the ministration of condemnation 
 
 U glory. 
 
 but from God. As of ourselves — better, As 
 from ourselves — i. e., as if the source of these 
 devisings was in themselves. 
 
 6. Who also hath made us able minis- 
 ters of the new testament— should be, Who 
 also made us sufficient to be servants of the 
 new covenant. On the word testament, see on 
 1 Cor. 11: 25. The word 'able,' better ren- 
 dered sufficient, to correspond with the same 
 word in ver. 5, does not denote their ability as 
 ministers, but their ability to be ministers, or 
 servants. On the word ' ministers,' see on 1 
 Cor. 3:5. It is better translated servants, 
 because tlie latter preserves the figurative idea. 
 The Greek word is figurative, not technical. 
 Not of the letter, but of the Spirit. These 
 words denote what characterizes this neweov- 
 enant. It is not a covenant characterized, as 
 the old was, by the letter, by something written 
 on tables of stone, but by the Spirit of God, 
 which writes laws, to be sure, but writes them 
 on the heart. The difference is, that the old 
 covenant — the law — writes out what men are 
 to do; but the new brings with it the Spirit, 
 creating spiritual life, and thus enabling men 
 to perform the otherwise unperformed com- 
 mands. For the letter killeth, but the 
 Spirit giveth life. In what sense the letter, 
 which is Paul's description of the law here, 
 kills, is explained in Kom. 7 : 7 seq. Man's 
 sinful nature, brought into relation to the law, 
 finds in it an occasion of sin, and not of right- 
 eousness; and so spiritual death ensues. That 
 is, when man becomes a moral and account- 
 able being through his knowledge of right 
 and wrong, his sinful nature determines the 
 character of his moral being, and lie becomes 
 spiritually dead. A nature disposed to holi- 
 ness, if brought into relation to the same law, 
 becomes spiritually quick and living. But 
 the Spirit giveth life. The Holy Spirit 
 changes this state of spiritual death into one 
 
 of life. The law of God brought by him to 
 the conscience and heart of man, becomes the 
 occasion of obedience, and so of life. 
 
 7. But if the ministration of death — 
 i. e., the service performed by Moses, in bring- 
 ing to men the law which kills. Written 
 and engraven in stones— should bo, En- 
 graved in letters on stones. Was glorious — 
 should be, Took place in glory. The reference 
 is to the second giving of the law, when Muses 
 saw the glory of the Lord, and his face shone. 
 (See next clause, ver. 13, and Ex. 33: 18-34; 
 7: 29 seq.) So that the children— should 
 be, sons. Of his countenance— should be, 
 Of his face. The word is the same as the one 
 translated face immediately preceding. The 
 account in Ex. 34: 30, is that the people were 
 afraid to come near him. Which glory was 
 to be done away — should be, Was passing 
 away. The participle is present, and describes 
 the action as taking place. This clause is con- 
 cessive. They could not look on the glory, 
 passing away though it was. 
 
 8. How shall not the ministration of 
 the Spirit be rather glorious?— .-honhl be, 
 How shall not rather the ministration (or 
 ministry, or service) of the Spirit be in glory t 
 Here, as in ver. 7, the glory is not thai which 
 belongs essentially to the service, but that 
 which accompanies it, the element in which 
 it is accomplished. It is not 'glorious,' but 
 in glory. The 'ministration of the Spirit,' 
 is the service performed by men in bringing 
 in the now covenantor the Spirit. The ui-lmi- 
 ment is from the less to the greater, from the 
 ministry of death to that of the life-giving 
 Spirit. The former was in glory, much more 
 the latter. The glory in the new dispensation 
 is from beholding the face of the Lord, with 
 the transformation which it effects in the soul 
 of the believer. (See ver. 18.) 
 
 9 For if the ministration of condom- 
 
166 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. III. 
 
 10 For eveu that which was made glorious had no 
 glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that ex- 
 celleth. 
 
 11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much 
 more that which remaineth is glorious. 
 
 12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great 
 plainness of speech : 
 
 13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, 
 that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to 
 the end of that which is abolished: 
 
 10 tration of righteousness exceed in glory. For verily 
 that which hath been made glorious hath not been 
 made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory 
 
 11 that surpasseth. For if that which > passeth away 
 was 2 with glory, much more that which remaineth 
 is in glory. 
 
 12 Having therefore such a hope, we use great bold- 
 
 13 ness of speech, and are not as Moses, who put a veil 
 upon his lace, that the children of Israel should not 
 look stedfastly 3 ou the end of that which * was pass- 
 
 1 Or, it being done away... 2 Gr. through 8 Or, unto 4 Gr. was being done away. 
 
 nation be glory— should be, probably, For if 
 to the ministration of condemnation there is 
 glory. (See Crit. Notes.) That is, if there is 
 glory attaching to it. Much more doth the 
 ministration of righteousness exceed in 
 glory. 'Much more' here is logical, so that 
 the comparison is two-fold. In the first place, 
 this service exceeds the other in glory; and, 
 secondly, it is much more certain that this 
 exceeds in glory than that the other has any 
 glory. It is to be noticed here that ' right- 
 eousness' in this comparison corresponds to 
 'the Spirit' in the parallel statement, (ver.8); 
 and that, therefore, it is the real righteousness 
 of personal character that is meant. [But 
 may not Paul be looking at different aspects 
 of the new covenant, in ver. 8 and 9? Cer- 
 tainly, in this verse, righteousness is con- 
 trasted with condemnation. Hence Principal 
 Brown says : "Mark how the true sense of 
 the word 'righteousness' here fixes itself by 
 the contrast in the verse; for just a9 the one 
 economy is first said to be that of ' death,' the 
 other that of 'life,' so here the same contrast 
 is presented as that of 'condemnation' by the 
 law, and ' righteousness' by the gospel, which 
 obviously means, 'justifying righteousness.' " 
 —A. H.] 
 
 10. For even that which was made 
 glorious had no glory in this respect — 
 should read, For that which has been made 
 glorious, has not been made glorious in this 
 respect. If 'even ' is to be inserted at all, it 
 should be with the verb — viz., has not even 
 been made glorious. But it is to be omitted. 
 (See Crit. Notes.) 'In this respect,' is ex- 
 plained by what follows — viz., by reason of 
 the glory that excelleth. The glory of the 
 old covenant disappears even, so much does 
 the glory of the new covenant surpass it. 
 
 11. For if that which is done away 
 was glorious — should be, If that which 
 passeth away was with glory. The Greek 
 means, literally, through glory, but it, denotes 
 
 the circumstances or surroundings of the 
 event as that through which it passes to com- 
 pletion. (See Winer, 379.) It may be trans- 
 lated, in the midst of glory. Much more 
 that which remaineth is glorious — 
 should be, Is in glory. The thing which 
 passes away here is the ministry of the old 
 covenant, and that which remains is the min- 
 istry of the new covenant. The things com- 
 pared are the same as in the preceding verses, 
 but the point of comparison changes, so that 
 it is now the comparative permanence of the 
 two that is regarded. The argument is, that 
 the transient may manifest itself in glory, but 
 the permanent is more certain to have this 
 accompaniment. 
 
 12. Seeing then that we have such 
 hope — better, Having then such a hope. The 
 hope meant is that their service of the new 
 covenant will be accompanied with greater 
 glory than belonged to the old covenant; but 
 specially, that it is to be, unlike that, a per- 
 manent glory. We use great plainness of 
 speech — better, Freedom of speech. Frank- 
 ness, the disposition to tell everything, and to 
 keep back nothing, is the quality meant. It 
 is contrasted with the concealment practiced 
 by Moses in vailing his face. Paul feels that 
 he had nothing about his completely and per- 
 manently glorious mission to conceal, as 
 Moses had. 
 
 13. And not as Moses, which put a vail 
 over his face. ' Which ' is to be omitted. 
 That the children of Israel could not 
 steadfastly look to the end of that which 
 is abolished — should be, That the sons of 
 Israel might not look steadfastly on the end of 
 that vjhich was passing away. This clause 
 denotes the purpose, which is expressed by 
 might, and not by could. And the participle, 
 rendered in the last clause 'is abolished,' is 
 present, and is to be rendered as imperfect. 
 (See Winer, 341.) The thing passing away 
 here was the glory on the face of Moses ; and 
 
Ch. III.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 167 
 
 14 But their minds were blinded: for until I his day 
 remaiueth the same vail untaken away in the reading 
 of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. 
 
 15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the 
 vail is upon their heart. 
 
 Hi Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the 
 vail shall be taken away. 
 
 17 Now the Lord is trial Spirit: and where the Spirit 
 of the Lord is, there is liberty. 
 
 11 Ing away: but their ' minds were hardened: for 
 until this very day at the reading "I' the old cove- 
 nant the same veil - remained! unlifted; which veil 
 
 ir> iadone away in Christ Hut unto this day, when- 
 soever Moses is read, a veil lieth upon their heart 
 
 It", Hut whensoever • it shall turn to the Lord, the reil 
 
 17 is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit: and 
 
 1 Gr. thoughtt 2 Or. rcmaincth, it not being revealed that it it done away 3 Or. a man thallium. 
 
 the thing signified by that passing away was 
 the doing away of the old covenant itself. 
 (See ver. 14.) The account of this vailing is 
 found in Ex. 34: 33 seq. Our version reads, 
 "And till Moses had done speaking with 
 them, he put a vail on his face." Probably, 
 it should read, And when Moses had done 
 speaking ivith them, etc. Literally, it is, And 
 Moses finished . . . and he put a vail . . . 
 "With this change, the two accounts agree 
 with each other. He allowed them to see the 
 glory, but not its disappearance, lest they 
 might see in that the transient nature of the 
 old covenant itself. 
 
 14. But their minds were blinded— 
 should be, Were hardened — i. e., dulled, ren- 
 dered unimpressible. 'But' expresses the 
 contrast between this hardening and the effect 
 supposed to be produced by the apostle's 
 frankness. The hardening was produced by 
 the vail, which prevented their seeing the 
 transitory nature of the old dispensation. 
 This effect was providential, however, as the 
 perception of this transitoriness was undesir- 
 able, before the truths associated with it, and 
 necessary to its proper development and bene- 
 ficial effect, were ready to be revealed. For 
 until this day remaineth the same vail 
 untaken away in the reading of the old 
 testament; which vail is done away in 
 Christ — should be, For until this day the 
 same vail remaineth upon the reading of the 
 old covenant, it not being unvailed that it is 
 done away in Christ. The apostle means that 
 tbe children of Israel have not, up to that 
 time, seen that the old covenant is done away 
 in Christ, just as they were prevented from 
 seeing that the glory passed away from the 
 face of Moses. The thing that is not unvailed 
 in the last clause is that the old covenant 
 passes away in Christ. 
 
 15. But even unto this day, when Moses 
 is read, the vail is upon their heart- 
 should bo, But until this day, whenever Moaea 
 is read, a vail lies upon their heart. ' Moses' 
 
 stands here for the Law, or the Books of the 
 Law. 'Heart' here, and in many other 
 places, stands for the entire inner man, in- 
 cluding the intellect as well as the affections. 
 (See Matt. 13: 15; Mark 2: 6, 8; Luke 1 : 51, 
 6G; 2: 19,35,51; John 12: 40, etc.) 'Until 
 this day'— i. e., even after Christ has come; 
 and so in ver. 14. It emphasizes strongly, 
 therefore, the permanence of the effect pro- 
 duced on the Jewish mind — an effect not 
 removed even by the entrance of the new 
 covenant. 
 
 15. Nevertheless, when it shall turn to 
 the Lord, the vail shall be taken away — 
 should be, But, ivhenever it turns to the Lord, 
 the vail is taken away. The statement is a 
 general one. 'It' refers to the word 'heart' 
 in ver. 15. The reason of this result, aside 
 from the general consideration mentioned in 
 ver. 17, is that the Lord is the author of the 
 new covenant, and turning to him, therefore, 
 opens the eyes to the passing away of the old 
 covenant. 
 
 17. Now the Lord is that Spirit — 
 should be, the Spirit, not referring to any- 
 thing that has been said before, but to his 
 general character as the Spirit of truth. That 
 absolute identity between the Lord and the 
 Spirit is not meant, is shown by the expres- 
 sion, the Spirit of the Lord, in tin- next chaise. 
 The Lord is said to be the Spirit, because the 
 Spirit represents Christ, acting as his agent in 
 carrying forward his work in the world, just 
 as the Father and Son are said to he one. 
 (See John 14: 16-26; 15:26; 10: 7 Beq.) In 
 these passages, the Spirit is represented as 
 taking the place of Christ anions his disciples 
 and in the world; and in 14: 16-28, the return 
 of Christ to his disciples is identified with the 
 coming of the Spirit. And where the Spirit 
 of the Lord is. The Spirit is called the 
 Spirit of the Lord, for the same.reason that in 
 the previous clause he is identified with him, 
 vi/.., because he is Bent by Christ to represent 
 him and to do his work. " He shall not speak 
 
168 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. III. 
 
 18 But, we all, with open face beholding as in a glass 
 the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image 
 from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 
 
 18 where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But 
 we all, with unveiled face 'beholding as in a mirror 
 the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the 
 same image from glory to glory, even as from the 
 Lord the Spirit. 
 
 1 Or, reflecting as a mirror. 
 
 from himself, but whatsoever he hears, that 
 shall he speak." "He shall take of the things 
 of Christ, and show it unto (us.") There is 
 liberty. 'There,' in this instance, is not the 
 adverb of place, but simply a part of the verb 
 there is. (See Crit. Notes.) The 'liberty' 
 meant is mental liberty, which comes with 
 the removing of the vail, leaving the mind 
 free to work unimpeded. Just as the removal 
 of a vail from the eyes leaves them free, as 
 we say, so the removal of a vail from the 
 mind leaves that free. This verse explains, 
 therefore, how it is that, when the heart turns 
 to the Lord, the vail is removed. The Lord 
 is the same as the Spirit of truth, whose pres- 
 ence removes restraints, and brings intellec- 
 tual freedom; and, therefore, turning to him 
 removes the vail. 
 
 18. But we all, with open face be- 
 holding as in a glass the glory of the 
 Lord— should be, And we all, with unvailed 
 face, beholding in a mirror the glory of the 
 Lord. The 'we' is emphatic, applying to 
 themselves the preceding general statement. 
 'With open face'— the participle is derived 
 from the word translated vail throughout the 
 chapter, and unvailed is the proper translation 
 to bring out this correspondence. It is in con- 
 trast with the vail upon the heart of the sons 
 of Israel, (ver. u-16.) 'Beholding in a mirror' — 
 the mirror is the word preached, or as we 
 have it, written, through which the knowl- 
 edge of Christ is obtained. Men do not, 
 since Christ left the world, have direct, per- 
 sonal knowledge of the Lord; they see him 
 as one sees a reflection in a mirror, through 
 the spoken or written record. ' The glory 
 of the Lord' This beholding of the glory 
 of the Lord makes their case parallel with 
 that of Moses. Are changed into the 
 same image. Like Moses, the glory which 
 they behold, is reflected in their own faces — 
 
 they are transfigured, which, by the way, is 
 the exact equivalent of the word translated 
 'changed.' Of course, the change is a spirit- 
 ual one, just as the beholding is with the eye 
 of the mind. From glory to glory. Prob- 
 ably this does not mean progress from one 
 glory to another, but 'from glory' denotes 
 the source of the change, in the glory of the 
 Lord, and 'to glory' denotes its result in the 
 reflected glory of the beholder. As by the 
 Spirit of the Lord — should be, As from the 
 Lord, the Spirit. The position of the words 
 renders our version incorrect. Moreover, the 
 rendering substituted results naturally from 
 the statement which gives the key to the 
 entire passage, that the Lord is the Spirit. 
 The 'as' does not denote the resemblance of 
 this change to that coming from the Lord, as 
 the two are identical; but the congruity of 
 the nature of the change with its source — that 
 it is just such a change as we should expect 
 from the Lord, who has been identified with 
 the Spirit of transforming truth. 
 
 CRITICAL NOTES. — CHAPTER III. 
 
 1. Letters of commendation is found in 
 D* and c EFGK, etc., d e f g syr utr , etc. It is 
 omitted in NABC vulg cop, etc. 
 
 3. Fleshy tables of the heart is the reading 
 of FK it vulg syr soh cop, etc. ; tables, hearts 
 of flesh is the reading of NABCDE, etc., 
 syr*. 
 
 9. The ministration of condemnation is the 
 reading of BD b EKL, etc., f g vulg cop, etc. ; 
 to the ministration of condemnation is found 
 in NACD*FG a d e two MSS. of vulg syr utr , 
 etc. 
 
 10. Even (see Notes) is found in some cur- 
 sives, f g vulg, etc. It is omitted in NABCD, 
 etc., cop, etc. 
 
 15. When Moses is read is the reading of 
 DEFG, etc. ; whenever, etc. is found in NABC, 
 etc. 
 
Ch. IV.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 169 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THEREFORE, seeing we have this ministry, as we 
 have received mercy, we faint not; 
 
 2 But have renounced the bidden things of dis- 
 honesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the 
 word of God deceitfully; but, by manifestation ot the 
 truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience 
 in the sight of God. 
 
 3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are 
 lost: 
 
 1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as 
 3 weobtaiui'd mercy, we faint Dot: bul ire have re- 
 nounced the hidden things of Bbatne, not walking 
 in craftiness, nor handling the word of Uod deceit- 
 fully: but by the manifestatl i the truth com- 
 mending ourselves to every man's 
 3 the sight of God. But and if our gospel is veiled, 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 
 1,2. The chapter opens with a statement 
 of the way in which Paul and his associates 
 conduct so glorious a service, discarding the 
 wiles of a weak cause, and depending on the 
 unreserved declaration of the truth. 3, 4. 
 If, therefore, their gospel is hidden, it is by 
 Satan blinding the minds of unbelievers. 
 5, 6. In their preaching, Christ is proclaimed 
 as Lord, and they as only servants, whom 
 God has himself illuminated for the illumi- 
 nation of others. 7-11. It is earthen vessels 
 that hold this treasure of light; and so their 
 preservation is due to God, who rescues them 
 from the constant danger of death to which 
 their service exposes them. 12-18. This 
 saved life devoted to the disciples, to whom, 
 in the spirit of faith, they speak, even in the 
 face of death, upheld by the hope of the res- 
 urrection for both themselves and their con- 
 verts, by the knowledge that troubles work 
 the renewal of the inner man and an eternal 
 weight of glory, and by looking at unseen and 
 eternal things. 
 
 Ch. 4: 1. Therefore, seeing we have 
 this ministry. 'Therefore' is explained by 
 the clause that follows. On this account, he 
 says, because we have this ministry. Service 
 is a better word here than ministry. (See on 
 8 : 6. ) As we have received mercy— should 
 be, As we received mercy. This clause is to 
 be connected with the preceding, not with the 
 following, clause. Otherwise, we have two 
 incongruous reasons for the not-fainting. 
 He declares that he has this ministry in ac- 
 cordance with the mercy bestowed on him 
 at the beginning. We faint not. The ser- 
 vice in which he is engaged has such promise 
 of success and glory as not to allow discour- 
 agement. 
 
 2. But have renounced the hidden 
 things of dishonesty— should be. But we 
 
 renounced the hidden things of shame. The 
 verb is not perfect, simply past, and the time 
 referred to is probably that of entering on this 
 service. By 'the hidden things of shame, ' he 
 means those things that shame hides, things 
 of which one is ashamed, and which he there- 
 fore conceals. He refers, probably, t<> the 
 secret things, the wiles and artifices by which 
 those who adulterate the word hope to succeed. 
 The reference to false teachers, who use other 
 than the straightforward methods of the 
 apostle, are frequent in his writings. And 
 occasionally, as here, the apostle has these in 
 his mind when he denies such things of him- 
 self. Nor handling the word of God de- 
 ceitfully — should be, Nor corrupting the 
 word of God — viz., by the admixture of raise 
 teachings. But by manifestation of the 
 truth. There are two contrasts here — first, 
 between concealment and craft on the one 
 hand, and manifestation, making things plain, 
 on the other; and second, between the truth 
 manifested by him, and the corruption of the 
 truth used by others. To every man's con- 
 science — should be, To every conscience of 
 men. It is not different men, but differences 
 of conscience, of which he is thinking. 
 Whatever the conscience, he employs only 
 the one method, the manifestation of the 
 truth, to conciliate it. Notice that the con- 
 science is here made the jud^e of objective 
 moral truth. In general in tin- New Testa- 
 ment, the conscience is the faculty of moral 
 judgment in men. In the sight of God. 
 The consciousness of whose presence restrains 
 and purifies him. 
 
 3. But if our gospel be hid— should be, 
 But even if our gospel is railed. The apostle 
 lias in mind the railing of the Bfosafe legisla- 
 tion spoken of in the preceding chapter. He 
 supposes that there are cases in which the 
 same thing happens in his preaching of the 
 gospel, in spite of the open showing of the 
 truth that ho practices. It is hid to them 
 
170 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. IV. 
 
 4 In whom the god of this world hath Winded the 
 minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the 
 glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, 
 should shine unto them. 
 
 5 For we preach uot ourselves, but Christ Jesus the 
 Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 
 
 6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of 
 darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of 
 the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus 
 Christ. 
 
 4 it is veiled in them l that perish : in whom the god 
 of this s world hath blinded the 3 minds of the un- 
 believing, * that the 6 light of the gospel of the 
 glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should 
 
 5 not dawn vpon them. For we preach not our- 
 selves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as 
 
 6 your 8 servants 7 for Jesus' sake. Seeing it is God, 
 that said, Light shall shine out of darkness, who 
 shined in our heart to give the "light of the knowl- 
 edge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 
 
 1 Cr, that are perishing 2 Or, age 3 Gr. thoughts 4 Or, that they should not see the light .... image of God 5 Gr. illumina- 
 
 d on 6 Gr. bond-servants.... 1 Some ancient authorities read, through Jesus 8 Gr. illumination. 
 
 that are lost— should be, It is vailed in those 
 that are perishing— i. e., in the case of these. 
 How this happens, we are told in the next 
 verse. 
 
 4. The god of this world— should be, Of 
 this age. (See on 1 Cor. 1 : 20.) The god of 
 this age is Satan, who usurps the place of God 
 in the life of men. (See John 12: 81; 14:30; 
 16: 11.) Hath blinded— should be, blinded. 
 The minds of them which believe not— 
 should be, Of the unbelieving. The class, 
 unbelievers, is identical with the class, perish- 
 ing, in the preceding verse, to which the rela- 
 tive at the beginning of this verse refers ; and 
 this phrase, therefore, denotes the character- 
 istic of the class, which explains the fact 
 stated of them. As when we say, "in him 
 we lost a good man," so the apostle says, "in 
 those being lost, Satan blinds the minds of 
 unbelievers.'' And this fact explains the 
 statement that the gospel is vailed in them, 
 which, therefore, is not due to any crafty 
 corruption of the word by the apostle. Lest 
 the light of the glorious gospel of 
 Christ . . . should shine unto them 
 — should be, That the light of the gospel of 
 the glory of Christ might not shine. The 
 'glory' is not an attribute of the gospel of 
 Christ . . . but the 'glory of Christ' is the 
 subject of the gospel, or glad-tidings. This 
 glory belongs to Christ, as the image of 
 God.(Cf. John 1: 14-18; Col. 1 : 15seq. ; Heb. 
 1: 3, etc.) In the passages in Colossians and 
 Hebrews, this image is said to belong to Christ 
 before his incarnation ; and it certainly seems 
 to be a part of the doctrine of the Logos, as 
 well as of the Christ. Moreover, as the gos- 
 pel pertains specially to the incarnation, this 
 glory would attach also to the incarnate 
 Christ. On the omission of 'unto them,' see 
 Crit. Notes. It is implied, but not expressed. 
 
 5. For we preach not ourselves, but 
 Christ Jesus the Lord— should be, As Lord. 
 
 And the next clause, showing that they do 
 preach themselves as servants, would show 
 that these words, as Lord, modify both parts 
 of the sentence, which means, therefore, that 
 they do not preach themselves as Lord, but 
 Christ Jesus, and themselves as their servants. 
 This verse is intended to confirm what he has 
 said in the preceding verse, of the gospel that 
 he preaches as the ' gospel of the glory of 
 Christ' Put in this negative way, it also 
 serves as a denial of any charge of self-exalt- 
 ation in his work that might be, or possibly 
 had been made against him. And ourselves 
 your servants for Jesus' sake — the word 
 for servants here is the strongest one used, 
 denoting slaves, bond-servants. The reason 
 that Paul used this term is, that he considered 
 the service not voluntary, but obligatory. 
 'For Jesus' sake' denotes the nature of this 
 obligation. 
 
 6. For God, who commanded the light 
 to shine out of darkness, hath shined in 
 our hearts — should be, Because it is God, who 
 said, Light shall shine out of darkness, who 
 shined in our hearts. (See Crit. Notes. ) The 
 reference is to the creation of light, Gen. 1:8; 
 and the identity of this Creator of light with 
 the Illuminator of the soul is affirmed. To 
 give the light of the knowledge of the 
 glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, 
 literally, for enlightenment of (or from) the 
 knowledge, etc. 'Jesus' is to be omitted 
 before 'Christ.' (See Crit. Notes.) The en- 
 lightenment meant is their illumination of 
 others, and the source of it is the knowledge 
 of the glory of God in the face of Christ. It 
 is in order that they may illumine others 
 with this knowledge that God has shined in 
 their own hearts. Further, this is the reason 
 that they preach Christ, that God reveals his 
 glory through Christ, and this connects itself 
 therefore with the clause ' who is the image of 
 God' in ver. 4. And, again, the identity of 
 
Ch. IV.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 171 
 
 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that 
 the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of 
 us. 
 
 8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed ; 
 we are perplexed, but not in despair ;" 
 
 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not 
 destroyed ; 
 
 i 10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the 
 Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made 
 manifest in our body, 
 
 11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death 
 for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made 
 manifest in our murtal llesh. 
 
 7 But we have this treasure in earthen v , mm N that 
 the exceeding greatness of the power may beoi l 
 
 8 and not from ourselves; we art pressed on every 
 side, yel nol straitened; perplexed, yet noi unto de- 
 El spair; pursued, yel nol 'forsaken: Bmitten down 
 
 10 yet not destroyed; always tearing about i,, the body 
 the* dying of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may 
 
 n be manifested tn our body. For we who live are 
 alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, thai the 
 life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal 
 
 1 Or, left behind 2 Gr. putting to death. 
 
 the One who illumined them that they might 
 illumine others with the God of light, is given 
 as the reason why they preach Christ, who is 
 the reflection of the Father's glory. 
 
 7. But we have this treasure in earthen 
 vessels. The treasure meant is the shining 
 of God in their hearts for the illumination of 
 men. The 'earthen vessels' are their bodies, 
 and the point of the comparison is the de- 
 structible nature of these bodies, to which is 
 committed the treasure of the divine light. 
 It is r.ot the inferior value, but the inferior 
 strength of the earthen vessels that is pointed 
 out. That the excellency of the power 
 may he of God, and not of us— should be, 
 And not from us. The power meant is shown 
 by what follows to be that which keeps the 
 vessels from destruction, so as to fulfill their 
 office as holders of the treasure. This power 
 to keep his servants for his service, alive in 
 the midst of danger, is God's, not the result 
 of their own strength or indestructibility. 
 
 8. We are troubled on every side, yet 
 not distressed — should be, Being pressed in 
 every way. but not straitened. All the verbs 
 in ver. 8-10 are participles in the original, and 
 should be so translated, in order to show their 
 connection with the preceding statement, with 
 the subject of which they agree, and which 
 they are intended to explain. 'We have this 
 treasure,' Paul says, 'in earthen vessels,' 
 being troubled, perplexed, etc., this constant 
 exposure to danger and death being intended 
 to show the frailness of the earthen vessels. 
 On the other hand the contrasted clauses, 'but 
 not distressed,' etc., are designed to show the 
 excellency of the power which is from God. 
 The more exact translation of the first two 
 participles given above brings out the contrast 
 between them better. They are pressed, but 
 not pttt into a narrow place, not straitened ; 
 
 perplexed, but not in despair— the contrast 
 here is between douht and despair. 
 
 9. Persecuted, but not forsaken— 'per- 
 secuted ' by men, but ' not forsaken ' by God. 
 Here, again, the figurative terms employed 
 are picturesquely contrasted— pursued, but 
 not left behind. Cast down, but not de- 
 stroyed—better, Thrown down, but not de- 
 stroyed. The language here is that of conflict, 
 either in the field or the arena, as the preced- 
 ing has been that of pursuit. 
 
 10. Always bearing about in the body 
 the dying of the Lord Jesus— should be, 
 The putting to death of Jesus. On the omission 
 of the words 'the Lord,' see Crit. Notes. It is 
 the violent death of Jesus at the hands of men 
 that Paul represents them as carrying about, 
 and he means by it their constant exposure to 
 such death. That the life also of Jesus 
 might be made manifest— should be, May 
 be manifested. The ' life of Jesus ' here is his 
 life from death, his resurrection ; and it is 
 manifested in them by their rescue from the 
 perils of death. The putting to death is their 
 constant exposure to death, and the life is their 
 deliverance from that. 
 
 11. For we which live are alway deliv- 
 ered unto death for Jesus' sake. The 
 words 'which live' are intended to bring out, 
 by contrast with the statement that they are 
 always being delivered to death, the kind of 
 living death that they lead, the constant 
 bringing together in their lives of these oppo- 
 sites. It is better translated, For we, thr liv- 
 ing, are always being delivered unto death. 
 That the life also of Jesus might be 
 made manifest — better, may be manifested 
 in our mortal flesh. It is the mortal flesh, 
 the frail earthen vessel, that is thus preserved, 
 and the excellency of the power is thus shown 
 to be of God. This verse shows in what tho 
 
172 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. IV. 
 
 12 So then death worketh in ns, but life in you. 
 
 13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as 
 it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we 
 also believe, and therefore speak ; 
 
 14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus 
 shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us 
 with you. 
 
 15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant 
 grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound 
 to the glory of God. 
 
 12 flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you. 
 
 13 But having the same spirit of faith, according to 
 that which is written, I believed, and therefore did 
 1 speak ; we also believe, and therefore also we 
 
 14 speak ; knowing that he who raised up 1 the Lord 
 Jesus shall raise up us also with Jesus, and shall 
 
 1") present us with you. For all things are for your 
 sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through *the 
 mauy, may cause the thanksgiving to abound unto 
 the glory of God. 
 
 1 Some ancient authorities omit, the Lord 2 Gr. the more. 
 
 bearing about of the violent death of Jesus, 
 in the preceding verse, consists. It is in a 
 constant deliverance to death, but that they 
 may live, not die. And the life of Jesus, 
 which is manifested in their mortal flesh, the 
 life from death, consists, therefore, in this 
 deliverance from threatened death, as his did 
 in deliverance from actual death. 
 
 12. So then death worketh in us, but 
 life in you — better, The death, and The life, 
 viz., the life and death of which he has 
 spoken, their exposure to death, and deliver- 
 ance from it. The death works in them, put- 
 ting them in continual jeopardy of their lives; 
 but their saved life works, or is active, not so 
 much in themselves, but in those among 
 whom they labor, to whom that life is given. 
 
 13. We having — should be, But having. 
 It contrasts this with the previous statement 
 that death works in them, in spite of which, 
 Paul says, his belief constrains him to speak. 
 Though it brings him to face death continu- 
 ally, he believes, and must speak. The 
 same spirit of faith, according as it is 
 written. These two clauses are correlative, 
 and the meaning is, The same spirit of faith 
 as is shown in this writing. I believed, and 
 therefore have I spoken — should be, Where- 
 fore I spoke. This is a quotation from Ps. 
 116: 10. It follows the Septuagint, the origi- 
 nal Hebrew reading, / believed, for I spoke. 
 The interpretations of the passage in the 
 Psalm are numerous, but a probable explana- 
 tion of it removes the essential difference be- 
 tween the original and the quotation. This 
 makes the speaking to be a proof of the 
 Psalmist's belief, so that it reads like this — / 
 believed, as is shown by the fact of my speak- 
 ing. This is virtually the same as what Paul 
 says, which makes the speaking flow from the 
 belief. Moreover, this is a case in which a 
 quotation from the Septuagint is just as avail- 
 able for the apostle's purpose as one from the 
 original. 'The same spirit of faith.' The 
 
 object of the apostle's faith was the gospel, 
 and its power to save. The identity between 
 this and the Psalmist's faith consisted in the 
 impulse to speech given by both. And in the 
 apostle's case, this impulse was not to be over- 
 come by the danger of death. 
 
 14. Knowing that he which raised up 
 the Lord Jesus, shall raise up us also by 
 Jesus — should be, That he who raised up the 
 Lord Jesus, will raise up us also with Jesus. 
 (See Crit. Notes.) This knowledge gives him 
 courage to speak, in spite of the constant dan- 
 ger of death to which he is exposed. Even if 
 he actually dies, he will be raised again. 
 This raising is 'with Jesus' ; not, of course, at 
 the same time, but in conjunction with him. 
 There is a spiritual, but not a temporal con- 
 nection of the two events. And shall — 
 better, will — present us with you. The 
 presentation is at the judgment seat of Christ, 
 where the Father brings them "holy, blame- 
 less, and undefiled," having "reconciled 
 them in the body of his ( Jesus' ) flesh, 
 through death." (See Col. 1 : 22.) This is an 
 important part of the apostle's confidence. 
 He will be raised, and so he faces the danger 
 of death ; but also his converts will be raised 
 and saved, and this great purpose of his 
 preaching inspires in him fresh courage to 
 speak the word of faith to them. 
 
 15. For all things are for your sakes. 
 The things meant are all those endured by 
 the apostle and his associates, of which he has 
 spoken. This statement connects itself im- 
 mediately with the words 'with you,' in the 
 preceding verse. It is the association with 
 them in the resurrection and final salvation 
 that gives him courage; for all that he 
 endures is for their sakes. That the abund- 
 ant grace might, through the thanksgiv- 
 ing of many, redound to the glory of 
 God — should be, That the grace, having been 
 made greater through the greater number, 
 may make the thanksgiving abundant unto the 
 
Ch. IV.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 173 
 
 16 For which cause we faint not : but though our 
 outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed 
 day by day. 
 
 17 Forourlight affliction, which is but for a moment, 
 worketh for us a far more exceeding and eterual weight 
 of glory ; 
 
 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, 
 but at the things which are not seen: for the things 
 which are seen are temporal ; but the things which are 
 not seen art eternal. 
 
 16 Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward 
 man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed 
 
 17 day by clay. Vol our light affliction, which i- for 
 the moment, worketh for us pore and niori 
 
 18 ingly an eternal weight of glory, while we look not 
 at the tilings which are seen, but at the tilings 
 which are nol seen: for the things which 
 
 are temporal; but the things which are not Been are 
 eterual. 
 
 glory of God. It is impossible to render in 
 English the combined clearness and force of 
 the original. By 'the greater number,' he 
 means the increased number of those saved, 
 which increases the grace manifested in their 
 salvation. The thought is thus, The greater 
 grace, manifested in the greater number of the 
 saved, causes greater thanksgiving, to the 
 glory of God. He sees his work, therefore, 
 leading up, through the salvation of men, and 
 their abundant thanksgivings, to the glory of 
 God. And so, while it is for their sakes, this, 
 in its turn, is for the glory of God. And 
 every new convert increases the full stream 
 that is flowing increasingly toward God. 
 
 16. For which cause we faint not — viz., 
 because of this hope of the resurrection. But 
 though our outward man perish — should 
 be, Is decaying. The outward man is the 
 physical nature, which he represents as decay- 
 ing, as the result of his troubles and persecu- 
 tions. The reference is not to final dissolution, 
 but to daily wasting away. Yet the inward 
 man is renewed day by day. ' The inward 
 man' is the spiritual nature. The renewing 
 in this clause is not represented as effected 
 anew every day, but as a process going on 
 daily. The agent is the same affliction that 
 is wasting the body. (See ver. 17.) This 
 renewal is opposed to the spiritual decay 
 that would be implied in fainting, or loss of 
 courage. 
 
 17. For our light affliction, etc.— should 
 be translated, For the momentary lightness of 
 our affliction is working out for us more 
 and more exceedingly an eternal weight of 
 glory. 'The momentary lightness of afflic- 
 tion ' makes an exact contrast to ' the eternal 
 weight of glory.' And the word translated 
 'exceeding' modifies the verb, and not its ob- 
 ject. The way in which affliction accom- 
 
 plishes this end in us is shown in Rom. 5: 3 
 seq. The glory is not exclusively the inward 
 renewal of the preceding verse, but it is so in- 
 timately connected with it, that the renewal 
 as a present effect is accounted for by the 
 glory that is to be revealed. (Cf. Rom. 8: 18 
 seq.) 
 
 18. While we look, etc. — a statement of 
 the ground of the preceding, Inasmuch as we 
 look. To look at is here to fasten the gaze on 
 that which one has made the object of life. 
 Because the Christian's purpose is contained 
 within the unseen things, not the visible 
 things of this life, therefore the troubles here 
 encountered are rewarded with the eternal 
 weight of glorj'. Otherwise they might work 
 a very different result, producing dissatisfac- 
 tion and bitterness. For the things which 
 are seen are temporal — and, therefore, one 
 whose purposes are confined to these has tem- 
 poral rewards; while the eternal nature of the 
 unseen things brings to their seeker eternal 
 rewards. 
 
 CRITICAL NOTES. — CHAPTER IV. 
 
 4. Unto them at the close of the verse is 
 found in D b and c EKLP, etc., syr ulr , etc. It 
 is omitted in KABCD*, etc., it vulg, etc. 
 
 6. To shine is the reading of « c CD « EFG, 
 etc., it vulg, etc. ; will shine, of N*ABD*, etd 
 g y r utr e t C- Jesus in the name Jesus Christ is 
 found in NCHKLP syr otr cop, etc. ; and in 
 the reverse order in DEFG it vulg, etc. It is 
 omitted in AB, etc. The omission is on in- 
 ternal grounds. 
 
 10. The Lord, before Jesus, is found in KL 
 syrP, etc. It is omitted in NABCD, etc., it 
 vulg pyr ,ch cop, etc. 
 
 14. By Jesus is the reading of K«DKL, etc., 
 syr utr , etc. ; with Jesus is found in <S*BCD, 
 etc. it vulg cop, etc. 
 
174 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. V. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 FOR we know that, if our earthly house of this taber- 
 nacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a 
 house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 
 
 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be 
 clothed upon with our house which is from heaven : 
 
 3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found 
 naked. 
 
 1 For we know that if the earthly house of our 
 1 tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building from 
 God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the 
 
 2 heavens. For verily in this we groan, longing to be 
 clothed upon with our habitation which is from 
 
 3 heaven: if so be that being clothed we shall not be 
 
 1 Or, bodily frame. 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 
 1. Paul gives as a reason for the hope ex- 
 pressed in 4: 17 seq., the fact of the resurrec- 
 tion. 2-4. This fact of the resurrection, con- 
 firmed by the longing that he has, even here 
 in the earthly body, for the heavenly body, 
 and to exchange this for that without death. 
 5. Pledge of the resurrection in conversion, 
 and the gift of the sanctifying Spirit. 6-8. 
 In view of the resurrection, and of the fact 
 that, even without that, death brings him 
 home to the Lord, he prefers to die, although 
 it means disembodiment. 9-13. The apos- 
 tle's ambition, whether with the Lord or away 
 from him, to please him, since he and all men 
 are to be judged. 14, 15. The love of Christ 
 restrains him from any other life than this, 
 since by Christ's death men die to sin, and 
 henceforth live unto the Lord. 16, 17. The 
 new relations and aspect of things introduced 
 into life by this dying with Christ. 18-21. 
 The divine source of these new things, their 
 basis in the reconciling work of Christ, and 
 the service of the Christian teacher in con- 
 nection with them. 
 
 Ch. 5: 1. For we know that, if our 
 earthly house of this tabernacle were 
 dissolved — should be, If our earthly house 
 of the tent be destroyed. By 'earthly' is 
 meant the house that we have upon the earth. 
 'Of the tent,' denotes the kind of house— viz., 
 a tent, describing the temporary character of 
 the body as an abode of man. "We speak of 
 the destruction, not the dissolution, of a house. 
 And the condition is put in the future simply, 
 so that it should be, is destroyed, not were de- 
 stroyed. We have a building of God- 
 should be, from God, denoting him as its 
 source. A house not made with hands- 
 distinguishes this from other houses, not from 
 other bodies. Eternal, in the heavens. 
 There are two points of contrast here— first, 
 
 of the eternal house with the temporary tent; 
 and second, of the house in the heavens with 
 the house upon the earth. The apostle intro- 
 duces here his confirmation of his statement, 
 in 4: 17, in regard to the 'eternal weight of 
 glory.' In his thoughts that glory is insep- 
 arably connected with the resurrection. (See 
 1 Cor. 15.) 
 
 2. For in this Ave groan— should be, prob- 
 ably, For even in this we groan. Probably, 
 too, the word understood after 'this' is tent, 
 so that the meaning is, Even in this tent, even 
 before we die and are disembodied, we sigh 
 for the heavenly body. The disembodied 
 state is one from which Paul shrinks, as one 
 ill-adapted to the human spirit, which is evi- 
 dently fitted for life in an organism. But 
 even here, while inhabiting a body, he longs 
 for the eternal, heavenly body. Earnestly 
 desiring to be clothed upon with our 
 house which is from heaven — should be, 
 To put on over it — viz., this tent — our house 
 from heaven. The verb translated 'to be 
 clothed,' means to put on one thing over 
 another. The apostle's meaning, which he 
 explains in ver. 4, is that he wished not to die, 
 which would be to exchange this state for the 
 bodiless state, but to exchange this body im- 
 mediately for the heavenly body. On the 
 figure and its meaning, see more fully in ver. 
 4. 'From heaven' denotes the source from 
 which the glorified body comes, the same as 
 'from God.' (Ver.i.) This statement, that 
 even here we groan for it, contains a confirm- 
 ation of the preceding statement, that we 
 know that there is a heavenlj 7 house for us, 
 since without this knowledge, we should not 
 sigh thus for that house. 
 
 3. If so be that being clothed, we shall 
 not be found naked — should be, Since we 
 shall be found, clothed, not naked. (See 1 Thess. 
 4: 16, 17.) The time referred to is the time 
 of Christ's Second Coming. The resurrection 
 of the dead, and the change of the living, are 
 
Ch. V.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 175 
 
 4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being 
 burdened: nor for that we would be unclothed, but 
 clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up 
 of life. 
 
 5 Now he that hath wrought us for the self-same 
 thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest 
 of the Spirit. 
 
 6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, 
 whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from 
 the Lord : 
 
 4 found naked. For indeed we that are in this ' taber- 
 nacle do groan, -being burdened; riot f,,r thai we 
 would be unclothed, but thai ire would be clothed 
 upon, that what is mortal may be swallowed up of 
 
 5 lite. Now be that wrought at forthit rerr thins is 
 
 liod, who gave uulo us the I ;irue*t of the Spirit. 
 G Being therefore always of g I courage, and know- 
 ing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are 
 
 1 Or, bodily frame 2 Or. being burdened, in that we would not be unclothed, but would be clothed upon. 
 
 to take place before they meet the Lord ; and 
 so all alike will be found by him clothed, not 
 naked — that is, all with bodies. This general 
 expectation is the basis of the particular de- 
 sire of the apostle that he may belong to the 
 class of those who live and are changed. If 
 it were not that all are to be clothed, he could 
 not reasonably desire to be overclothed. 
 
 4. For we that are in this tabernacle 
 — should be, probably, For even we that are 
 in the tent. The 'even,' as in ver. 2, distin- 
 guishes them from the disembodied dead. 
 Not for that we would be unclothed, 
 but clothed upon — should be, Since we do 
 not wish to put (it) off, but to put on over it — 
 viz., our house which is from heaven, (ver. 2.) 
 The apostle's groaning is because he does not 
 wish to put off this body — ?'. e., to die, but to 
 put on over it the immortal body. This 
 latter, however, is not in order that he may 
 wear the two together, but as he expresses 
 it, That mortality, etc. — rather, That the 
 mortal may be swallowed up of life. ' The mor- 
 tal ' is the rendering, rather than 'that mor- 
 tality,' etc. Instead of the concrete, the im- 
 mortal, however, he substitutes the abstract 
 term, 'life.' The meaning is that the mortal 
 body is to be swallowed up by the immortal. 
 And he expresses, in this figurative wa} T , the 
 difference between dying and the change that 
 passes over the body in the case of those living 
 at the time of Christ's coming. (See 1 Cor. 
 15: 51seq.) This passage, therefore, expresses 
 the apostle's groaning, not over the present 
 state, but over the prospect of disembodiment, 
 leading him to desire to live until Christ comes, 
 by which he would avoid that, and experience 
 instead the immediate change of the mortal 
 for the immortal body. 
 
 5. Now he that hath wrought us for the 
 self-same thing is God — should be, lie that 
 wrought us for this very thing. The timo re- 
 ferred to is that of their conversion. 'This 
 very thing' is not the particular manner of 
 
 putting on the heavenly body, which is the 
 more immediate subject, but the possession of 
 that body, which is the {reneral subject of the 
 paragraph. It is decisive in favor of this 
 reference, that the Spirit is the earnest of the 
 future glory common to all alike, both those 
 who die and those who are changed ; and not 
 of the change without death, that is the por- 
 tion of only a part. (See 1 : 22; Eph. 1 : 14 ; 
 Rom. 8: 23.) Who also hath given— should 
 be, Who gave. (See Crit. Notes. ) The earn- 
 est of the Spirit. (See Note on 1: 22.) 
 There are two pledges given here of the future 
 glory of which Paul speaks; first, their con- 
 version, in which God wrought them with 
 that very end in view; and second, the gift 
 of the sanctifying Spirit, which is God's 
 promised pledge of the future of his saints. 
 It is our spiritual renewal and growth by 
 which we receive assurance. 
 
 6. Therefore we are always confident, 
 knowing — should be, Therefore, being always 
 of good courage, and knowing. These parti- 
 cipial clauses were intended to give the reason 
 for some statement to follow, probably that 
 they are ' willing rather t<> be absent from the 
 body, and to be present with the Lord.' But 
 the construction is broken off by the paren- 
 thesis in ver. 7, and is resumed in ver. 8 in 
 another form. Therefore— viz., because of 
 his hope of the resurrection, of which the 
 grounds are given in the preceding verse, 
 At home — absent. The home denoted here 
 is not the house, but the country in which one 
 dwells; and the principal clause might there- 
 fore he translated, toe are exiles from tfu I 
 The body and the Lord are neither of them 
 the home meant, but what gives character to 
 the two homes. (See Phil. 1: 28.) Death, 
 although it had the disadvantage of leaving 
 the spirit disembodied, nevertheless brought 
 him into the presence of the Lord. And, be- 
 sides, there was the resurrection to look for- 
 ward to. 
 
176 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. -V. 
 
 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight :) 
 
 8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be 
 absent from the body, and 'to be present with the Lord. 
 
 9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or ab- 
 sent, we may be accepted of him. 
 
 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat 
 of Christ: that every one may receive the things done 
 in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it 
 be good or bad. 
 
 11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we 
 persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; 
 and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. 
 
 7 absent from the Lord (for we walk by faith, not by 
 
 8 i sight) ; we are of good courage, I say, and are will- 
 ing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at 
 
 9 home with the Lord. Wherefore also we a make it 
 our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well-pleas- 
 
 10 ing unto him. For we must all be made manifest 
 before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one 
 may receive the things done 3 in the body, according 
 to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 
 
 11 Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we per- 
 suade men, but we are made manifest unto (iod; and 
 I hope that we are made manifest also in your con- 
 
 1 Gr. appearance.... '2 Gr. are ambitious 3 Gr. through. 
 
 7. For we walk by faith, not by sight- 
 better, We walk through faith, not through 
 visible appearance. The word translated 
 'sight' does not mean seeing, but the thing 
 seen, the fashion or form of a thing. Here 
 the context shows that it refers to the form, or 
 visible appearance, of the Lord. The prepo- 
 sition denotes that through which, in the 
 midst of which, we walk. (So Grimm, " New 
 Testament Lexicon," Winer, p. 379, etc.) The 
 apostle conceives faith as the sphere in which 
 we walk, and not the visible presence of the 
 Lord. We are absent from the Lord, Paul 
 says, for roe have not here the form of the Lord 
 with us, only the faith in him. 
 
 8. We are confident, I say, and willing 
 rather to be absent from the body, and 
 to be present with the Lord — should be, 
 But we are of good courage, and well pleased 
 rather to become exiles from the body, and to 
 come home to the Lord. The conjunction 
 serves to resume the thought after the paren- 
 thesis of ver. 7. (See "Winer, 443.) But it is 
 not resumed in the same form, so as to read, 
 But being of good courage, we are well pleased, 
 etc. But the first clause is made co-ordinate 
 with the second, instead of being put into a 
 subordinate participial clause. The verb 
 translated 'we are willing' is stronger than 
 that, and means we are well pleased, or, with 
 the adverb, we prefer. The verbs 'to be 
 absent,' and 'to be present,' have the meaning 
 given them in ver. 6, and moreover, they are 
 in a tense to denote action rather than state, 
 and should be translated as above, to become 
 exiles, and to come home. The apostle has 
 shown in the preceding part of the paragraph 
 how he shrinks from death, as leaving his 
 spirit without a house; but now, in view of 
 the courage which the hope of the resurrec- 
 tion imparts, and of the fact that absence from 
 the body means presence with the Lord, he 
 says that he even prefers death. 
 
 9. Wherefore we labour — should be, 
 Wherefore also we are ambitious. The Greek 
 verb has this more specific meaning, to seek 
 the honor of something ; to be ambitious for 
 something and there seems to be no reason 
 for excluding it here. "What a noble and 
 striking form it gives to the thought! lam 
 ambitious, Paul says, to be well pleasing to 
 God. (See John 5: 44.) Whether present 
 or absent — better, as above, Whether at home 
 or exiles. From what? the context seems to 
 allow two answers to this question, viz., the 
 body and the Lord. But, inasmuch as the 
 desire expressed is to be wellpleasing unto him, 
 it seems more probable that the reference is 
 to the Lord. It is the apostle" s ambition to 
 please his Lord, whether in his presence or 
 absence. 
 
 10. For we must all appear before the 
 judgment seat of Christ— better, shall be 
 manifested before. It is not simply appear- 
 ance, but manifestation that is to take place. 
 It is to be made to appear what manner of 
 men they are. (Cf. ver. 11; 1 Cor 4: 5, etc.) 
 That every one may receive the things 
 done in his body, according to that he 
 hath done, whether it be good or bad — 
 better, That each one may receive the things 
 done through the body, according to what he 
 did, whether a good thing or an evil thing. 
 This gives the reason of his ambition to please 
 the Lord. The verb receive here is the one 
 used specially of receiving what belongs to us, 
 and particularly the rewards of our deeds. 
 To receive the deeds is of course to receive 
 their rewards. "We get back our deeds in 
 their consequences. 
 
 11. Knowing therefore the terror of 
 the Lord— better, The fear of the Lord— 
 knowing what it is to fear the Lord in view 
 of the judgment. We persuade men, but 
 we are made manifest unto God — better, 
 We persuade men, but to Ood we have been 
 
Ch. v.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 177 
 
 12 For we commend not ourselves again unto you, 
 but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye 
 may have somewhat to answer them which glory In a*j>- 
 pearance, and Dot in heart. 
 
 13 for whether we be beside ourselves, U U to God: 
 or whether we be sober, U it for your cause. 
 
 14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we 
 thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead : 
 
 13 Boiem • j. u . an not again oommending ourselvi a 
 
 unto you, but speak as giving you oocasi I i Ion - 
 
 ing on our behalf, thai ye may have wherewith to 
 answer them that glorj In appearauoe, and not In 
 
 18 heart For whether we ' are beside ourw lv< 
 unto Godj or whether we are of sober mind, it la 
 
 11 unto yon. b'or the love of Chrlai constra ae h ua 
 because we thus judge, that one died for all there^ 
 
 made manifest. These two statements are I duct, which precludes the necessity of self- 
 closely connected, so as to contrast what they commendation. That ye may have some- 
 do to man and to God. And this close con- what to answer them— should be, '/'/< 
 nection and contrast make it probable that ] may have it against thou, etc. What 
 the thing of which they persuade men, and were to have was what the apostle gave them 
 in which they arc made manifest to God, is —viz., occasion to glory over him; and this 
 the same. But that in which they are made they were to use against those who boasted 
 
 manifest to God is evidently from the context, 
 (see ver. 12, cf. ver. 9), their ambition to be 
 well-pleasing to the Lord. The meaning is 
 therefore that, under the influence of the fear 
 of the Lord, they persuade men of their de- 
 sire to please him ; but to God this desire has 
 been made plain, so that they do not need to 
 persuade him of it. The persuasion is, how- 
 ever, probably that of deeds, not of words. 
 (See ver. 12 seq., cf. 3: 1 seq.) The mention 
 of men in this connection seems singular, hut 
 is prohably to be explained in this way. The 
 apostle's conduct, though influenced by the 
 fear of the Lord, brings him into relation 
 with both God and men ; and he tells us, 
 therefore, what his conduct is toward both — 
 
 in merely the outward appearance of piety. 
 In appearance, and not in heart. The 
 opposition is between those who carry the ap- 
 pearance, or pretence, of piety in their coun- 
 tenance and outward appearance, and those 
 who have the genuine article in their heart. 
 The word for 'appearance' means, literally, 
 countenance. (See Matt. 6: 16; 16: 8; 22: 
 16; ch. 10: 1,7, etc.) There is here again, 
 probably, a reference to Paul'.- opponents, the 
 false teachers. 
 
 13. This verse confirms the statement, that 
 he gives them occasion to glory. Whether 
 we be beside ourselves . . . whether we 
 be sober — should he, Are beside ourselves . . . 
 are of sound mind. That he was beside him- 
 
 viz., BUch as to persuade men of that which is self, was probably a charge brought against 
 already clear to God, that he seeks the honor Paul by his opponents, both on account of his 
 of pleasing the Lord. And I trust, also, enthusiasm and of the revolutionary char- 
 are made manifest in your consciences acter of his teaching. It is to God, All 
 — should be, And I hope that we have been that side of his work that makes him Beera 
 manifest in your consciences also. Paul hopes | insane to the lukewarm, and conservative, and 
 that his conduct has been such as to make this worldly, is inspired by devotion to God. Se 
 desire clear to the Corinthians, as well as to is, be admits it, carried out of himself, when 
 God. Notice that the conscience is made the he thinks of God. He is an enthusiast in 
 judge of other men's actions. Is service. It is for your cause -better, 
 
 12. For we commend not ourselves simply, His for you, Tl therside of Paul's 
 
 again unto you — should be, We are not work, in which he appeared as the shrewd, 
 commending ourselves again unto you. (See practical man of affairs, " becoming all things- 
 Crit. Notes, and Note on 8: 1.) But give I to all men," crying out : "I am a Pharisee," 
 you occasion to glory on our behalf— I preaching the discourse on the Areopagus to 
 should be, But giving you occasion to glory, the Athenian-: and that on the steps of the 
 But yiring is not the same construction as Temple to the Jews, was the side turned 
 commending in the first clause, as this is a I toward men. [n his work of convincing and 
 
 participle, and that a finite verb. It is this gaining them, it • , r y for him to 
 
 difference that leads to the translation, 'but temper seal with discretion. 
 
 speakws giving' in theBevised Version. "What 11. For tin- love of Christ coastraiaeth 
 
 gives this occasion of boasting is their con- us— bett- il M US. The. idea L- that 
 
178 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. V. 
 
 they are restrained by the love of Christ from 
 any other objects or purposes than those set 
 forth in the preceding verse. (On the use of 
 the verb, see Luke 12: 50; 19: 43; Acts 18: 
 6; Phil. 1 : 23.) Paul's action on one side, is 
 toward God, and on another, towards men ; 
 and he says that the love of Christ restrains 
 him from any other purpose. The ' love of 
 Christ' is probably his love for them, as Paul 
 goes on to speak of his death for them. Be- 
 cause we thus judge, that if one died for 
 all, then were all dead— should be, Having 
 judged this, that one died for all, therefore all 
 died. (On the omission oft/, see Crit. Notes.) 
 The preposition translated 'for' means gener- 
 ally and strictly, in behalf of, not instead of. 
 But here it is necessary to the argument to 
 introduce the vicarious idea, not in place of 
 the other meaning, but in addition to the 
 other, or as implied in it. Here, however, it 
 is not a death to save others from death ; but 
 to secure in itself the death of others. ' There- 
 fore all died'— 'were dead' neither makes 
 sense, nor translates the Greek. The state- 
 ment that all died is not true actually; but 
 only in the sense that what one has done for 
 him, he may be regarded as doing himself; 
 and so far as results are concerned, the two 
 are the same. But the principle, as applied 
 to spiritual things, depends for its validity on 
 the person's acceptance or endorsement of 
 what is done for him — i. e., on the truly repre- 
 sentative nature of the act. Of the many 
 results accomplished for his disciples by the 
 death of Christ, the one meant here is evi- 
 dently their death to sin. And this is done 
 by their becoming "united with him by the 
 likeness of his death." (See Rom. 6: 2 seq.) 
 ' Therefore all died.' There is nothing here 
 to restrict the universality of these statements, 
 unless it be the nature of the statements them- 
 selves. But the first of them, that Christ died 
 for all, certainly requires no limitation; and 
 the second, so far as it is an inference from 
 the first, shares its universality. In the sense 
 in which the death to sin is accomplished by 
 the death of Christ, aside from the faith of 
 the Christian, it is universal. Provisionally, 
 all men died to sin in the death of Christ. 
 
 [The course of thought, as explained above, 
 is very plain ; but we do not see how it intro- 
 duces "the vicarious idea'' at all. For the 
 death of Christ is declared to be " not a death 
 
 to save others from death, but to secure the 
 death of others." "Provisionally, all men. 
 died to sin in the death of Christ." That is, 
 provision was made by the death of Christ for 
 the moral renovation of all men — for their 
 dying to sin, and rising to holiness. Thus the 
 blood of Jesus, the sacrifice of the Lamb of 
 God, may have in it only moral power to 
 secure the translation of men out of darkness 
 into God's marvelous light. If it fails to do 
 this, the failure is due to lack of faith in them. 
 But it is worthy of notice that Paul does not 
 speak of all men as dying with Christ; but of 
 his death as being in some sense their death. 
 Their dying was positively accomplished in 
 his dying. For he uses the past tense of the 
 verb in the second clause as well as in the 
 first, as if he were speaking of an event which 
 took place at the death of Christ. If he had 
 said, "One died for all, therefore all " will 
 die, or should die, the meaning would have 
 been different. Moreover, the article -before 
 all in the Greek is to be noted. "One died 
 for all, therefore the all died" — i. e., the all 
 for whom he died, themselves died; such was 
 his relation to them, that his death was their 
 death. In other words, his death was vicari- 
 ous, and delivered them from a certain kind 
 of death, to which they were exposed on ac- 
 count of their sins. 
 
 The following is Bernhard Weiss' comment 
 on the view presented by the author: "That 
 what is spoken of here cannot be the ethical 
 dying with Christ, appears from the fact that 
 this is by no means the consequence of the 
 death of Christ in itself, but of the fellowship 
 of his death, which is involved in the living 
 fellowship with him . . . nor by anj' means 
 the consequence of his death for all, since 
 only believers enter into living fellowship 
 with Christ; whereas his death has certainly 
 taken place for all, and in itself stands for the 
 death of all, whether or not they appropriate 
 the salvation which is thereby provided. The 
 second half of the verse gives no support to 
 the ethical interpretation, but plainly the 
 contrary; for the no longer living to our- 
 selves (which is identical with that ethical 
 dying), is here connected with the death of 
 Christ as a demand, and is therefore not al- 
 ready in itself a consequence of it. A dis- 
 tinction is evidently made between that which 
 his mediatorial death has provided for us, and 
 
Ch. V.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 179 
 
 15 And that he died for all, that they which live 
 should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto 
 him which died fur them, and rose again. 
 
 16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the 
 flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the 
 flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 
 
 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new 
 creature: old things are passed away; behold, all 
 things are become new. 
 
 15 fore all died: and he died for all, that they who 
 live should no longer live unto themselves, hut 
 unto him who for their sakes died and rose again. 
 
 16 Wherefore we henceforth know no man after the 
 flesh: even though we have known Christ after the 
 
 17 flesh, yet now we know him to no more. \\ here- 
 fore if any man is in Christ, ' hi- is a new creature; 
 the old things are passsd away ; behold, they ara 
 
 1 Or, there is a new creation. 
 
 that to which it constrains us; for the very 
 judgment of the apostle regarding the great- 
 ness of that deed of kindness, and the duty 
 which grows out of it for us, keeps him within 
 the bounds of a behavior which is in keeping 
 with the love of Christ which was shown in 
 that death. Still less can it be implied in 
 ver. 15, that the dying of Christ has brought 
 to light the fact that all are forfeited to 
 death (Geso. p. 135 f.), which is simply con- 
 trary to the meaning of the words." ("Bib. 
 Theol. of the New Testament," Vol. I, pp. 
 422. 23, Note 5.)— A. H.] 
 
 15. This verse is better translated, And he 
 died for all, that the living may no longer live 
 unto themselves; but unto him who died and 
 rose for them. 'The living' are those who 
 partake of the new life in Christ. Those who 
 die with Christ also rise, and live with him; 
 they die to sin, but rise to "newness of life" ; 
 they are dead unto sin, but "alive unto God." 
 (See Kom. 6: 4seq.) And it is the living of 
 the new life that is meant here. For living 
 'unto themselves,' on the other hand, is the 
 old life; and the statement is, therefore, that 
 this is the object of the death of Christ, that 
 they who share with him the new life, may 
 cease from the old life, the selfish living unto 
 themselves. To live 'unto him who died and 
 rose for them' is the developed statement 
 of the new life. This is to be consecrated 
 to him, through whom it was obtained. The 
 love of Christ therefore restrains them: it 
 makes them love him, and so keeps them 
 from any other than the life to God and to 
 men, which living to Christ means. ■ It is to 
 be noticed that Christ is represented here as 
 not only dying for us, but also rising for us. 
 And in just the same way as it follows from 
 his dying for all, that all died, so it follows, 
 from his rising for all, that all rose. 
 
 16. Wherefore, henceforth knoAVwe no 
 man— bettor, So that we henceforth know no 
 o»e after the flesh. 'We' is emphatic, con- 
 trasting their action in this respect with what 
 
 others may do, possibly with reference to his 
 opponents and their worldly standards of 
 judgment. The phrase ' after the flesh,' modi- 
 fies the verb; so that the statement is, that 
 their knowledge of men is not according to 
 the flesh. This results from the death of 
 all men, accomplished in the death of Christ, 
 which makes for the Christian, who looks on 
 things as Christ does, a new point of view 
 from which to regard men. The 'flesh' de- 
 notes what man is naturally, aside from what 
 Christ has done for him, ana includes such 
 elements as his birth, race, position, wealth, 
 and so on. Yea, though we have known 
 Christ after the flesh— should be, Even if 
 we have known Christ after the flesh. Thi3 
 does not refer to Christ while he was in the 
 flesh ; hut in his natural, human appearance 
 as a Nazarene, lowly in his birth, without the 
 education of the schools, rejected by men, 
 and finally crucified. Notice that the oppo- 
 site to the flesh is, in Paul's phraseology, the 
 spirit; that the spiritual element in man is 
 introduced or developed only in the new hirth, 
 and that the two are in opposition; that in 
 Christ both exist from the beginning, and in 
 harmony ; that to know Christ after the flesh, 
 therefore, while it means the same as to know 
 man after the flesh in this respect, that both 
 denote a knowledge according to the lower 
 part of the nature, differs from it in this, that 
 the flesh and the spirit are in Christ different, 
 but not opposed elements. Paul's knowledge 
 of Christ according to the spirit changes en- 
 tirely the view that he had of him when ho 
 looked only at the flesh ; but in Christ the 
 spiritual dominates; it does not destroy the 
 natural, while in man the spiritual destroys 
 the natural. Yet now henceforth. Hence- 
 forth' does not belong here. 'Now' — viz., 
 since his conversion, which has changed his 
 point of view. 
 
 17. Therefore if any man be in Christ, 
 he is a new creature — better, So that if any 
 one is in Christ he is a new creation. This 
 
180 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. V. 
 
 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us 
 to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the 
 ministry of reconciliation: 
 
 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the 
 world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto 
 them; aud hath committed unto us the word of recon- 
 ciliation. 
 
 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though 
 God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's 
 stead, be ye reconciled to God. 
 
 IS become new. But all things are of God, who re- 
 conciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto 
 
 19 us the ministry of reconciliation: to wit, that God 
 was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not 
 reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having 
 1 committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 
 
 20 We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, 
 as though (jod were intreating by us: we beseech 
 you on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God. 
 
 1 Or, placed in us. 
 
 follows generally from the statement in verse 
 16, that Christians are to live no longer to 
 themselves, hut to Christ who died for them ; 
 but more particularly from the statement of 
 verse 16, of the new knowledge of men, and 
 especially of Christ, that the Christian has 
 6ince his conversion. It follows from this, is 
 proved by it, that he is a new creation. The 
 change is produced by being in Christ. Per- 
 sonal connection with him brings in for the 
 individual the new order of things which was 
 inaugurated for the race by his death and res- 
 urrection. The 'new creation' is one differ- 
 ent in kind from the old, the adjective denot- 
 ing newness in kind. Old things are passed 
 away; behold, all things are become 
 new— should be, The old things passed away; 
 behold new things have come to be. (See Crit. 
 Notes.) 
 
 18. And all things are of God— should 
 be, And all the things are from God. The 
 things meant are those mentioned in the pre- 
 ceding verses, the new things of the Christian 
 life. The manner in which God produced 
 them, is stated in the following clause, viz., 
 by the reconciliation of men to himself. 
 Who hath reconciled us to himself by 
 Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the 
 ministry of reconciliation — should be, Who 
 reconciled us to himself through Christ, and 
 gave to us the service of reconciliation. On 
 the omission of 'Jesus,' see Crit. Notes. On 
 the translation 'service,' instead of 'ministry,' 
 see on 3: 6; and 1 Cor. 3 : 5. There is a pos- 
 sibility that the reconciliation here may be 
 either of God to men, or of men to God. 
 The person reconciled may be either the di- 
 rect or indirect object of the verb, although 
 the former is strictly the proper usage. Here 
 the 'service of reconciliation,' (ver. is,) and 
 the 'word of reconciliation,' (ver. 19,) that are 
 said to be given to the apostles, are so con- 
 nected with ver. 20, in which they are repre- 
 sented as beseeching men to be reconciled to 
 
 God, that there can be little doubt that it is 
 the reconciliation of men to God that is 
 meant. Moreover, the change of which this 
 is the explanation, is a change in man. See 
 on first clause of verse, who 'reconciled us' — 
 'and gave to us' — the word 'us' in these two 
 clauses refers to different persons. It is 
 Christians generally who are reconciled, and 
 Christian teachers to whom the service of 
 reconciliation is given. 
 
 19. To wit, that. Literally, As that. It 
 differs from 'that,' in representing what fol- 
 lows as the substace of the message, instead of 
 the exact message. (See Winer, 618.) God 
 was in Christ, reconciling the Avorld— the 
 comma after Christ should be omitted prob- 
 ably; 'in Christ,' not being the predicate with 
 was, but a modifier of the verb was reconcil- 
 ing. The statement is, therefore, that God 
 was reconciling the world to himself, and that 
 he was doing this in Christ. Not imputing 
 their trespasses unto them — better, Not 
 reckoning unto them their trespasses. This 
 is the ground on which God seeks to reconcile 
 the world to himself, that he is a gracious 
 God, 'forgiving iniquity, transgression, and 
 sin.' God in Christ is not a reckoner of sin, 
 but a deliverer from sin. And hath com- 
 mitted unto us the word of reconcili- 
 ation — should be, And having put in us the 
 word of reconciliation. This commission to 
 Christian teachers, to carry out the work of 
 actual reconciliation of individual persons, 
 is an accompaniment of God's provision for 
 reconciliation in Christ. The word is repre- 
 sented to be put in them as a depository, 
 placed in their minds and hearts for distri- 
 bution to the world. (See 4: 7.) 
 
 20. Now then we are ambassadors 
 for Christ; as though God did beseech 
 you by us — should be, Therefore we are am- 
 bassadors in behalf of Christ, as if God were 
 exhorting through us. What they do is in 
 behalf of, not in place of Christ, he being the 
 
Ch. V.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 181 
 
 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew I 21 Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our be- 
 no mii that we might be made the righteousness of half; that we might become the rightcousuess of 
 
 God iu him. God in him. 
 
 one through whom reconciliation is effected, 
 and who therefore sees his work accomplished, 
 as men are actually reconciled. God is rep- 
 resented as the one whose ambassadors they 
 are, in the clause, 'as if God were exhorting 
 through us.' We pray you in Christ's 
 stead— should be, as above, In behalf of 
 Christ. Be ye reconciled to God. This 
 is not to be taken as a direct address to his 
 readers, who are already reconciled; but as 
 a representation of what the apostle preaches 
 to all. Evidently it is men here who are to 
 be reconciled, and God is the one seeking 
 reconciliation. And yet men say, when an- 
 other has wronged them, that he must take 
 the first step towards reconciliation. God 
 seeking reconciliation with men— this is at 
 once the glory of God and the hope of men. 
 21. For he hath made him to be sin f. r 
 us, who knew no sin ; that we might be 
 made the righteousness of God in him — 
 should be, Hun who knew not sin he made to 
 be sin in our behalf, that we may become the 
 righteousness of God in him. (See Grit. 
 Notes.) This statement is not peculiar in its 
 substance, though its form is singular. It 13 
 simply the familiar teaching of Paul, that 
 Jesus took the place of the sinner, and suf- 
 fered for him. (See Rom. 5: 0-11; 8: 3, 4; 
 1 Cor. 15: 3; Gal. 3: 13.) The cross of Jesus, 
 and the things that it represents, were not 
 things that befell him because of what he 
 himself was, but because of the sins of others. 
 They were the penalty that he paid for the 
 sins of the race with which he was identified. 
 [This verse has always been esteemed a 
 classical passage on the doctrines of atone- 
 ment and justification. Three essential truths 
 are expressed by it. 
 
 First, that Jesus Christ was in himself per- 
 fectly sinless. His spirit was absolutely free 
 from any inclination to evil. Though proved 
 by every kind of trial and allurement, he 
 passed through life "holy, guileless, unde- 
 nted, " conscious of doing his Father's will 
 from the hour when he " was led up by the 
 Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by 
 the devil," to the hour when he cried in 
 the garden, "O my Father, if this cannot 
 pass away, except I drink it, thy will be 
 
 done." The words "who knew no sin," are 
 exceedingly forcible, as if the apostle wished 
 to set in the clearest possible light the immac- 
 ulate righteousness of the great Sin Bearer. 
 
 Second, this holy being God "made to be 
 sin," the abstract being used, for the sake of 
 greater emphasis, instead of the concrete. 
 Christ, though holy, was treated by God as 
 if he were a sinner, being called to take the 
 lot and place of the sinners for whom he died 
 (see ver. 14 and Acts 2 : 23 ; 1 Pet. 2 : 24). The 
 vicarious nature and intent of the Saviour's 
 death are distinctly taught. Peter refers to 
 the same mysterious event when he speaks to 
 the Jews' on the Day of Pentecost, saying, 
 "Him, being delivered up by the determinate 
 counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye, by the 
 hand of men, without the law (ai/d^wf) did 
 crucify and slay" (Acts 2: 23); and when 
 in his First Epistle he writes of Christ as one 
 "who himself bore our sins in his own body 
 upon the tree " (2: 24). The Rev. Ver. "on 
 our behalf" is a better rendering of the origi- 
 nal than the Com. Ver. " for us." 
 
 Third, that the object sought by making 
 the Son of God their Sin Bearer was that 
 men, though in themselves sinful, might be 
 treated by God as righteous through their 
 union with Christ; or, in other words, might 
 be justified and saved. The view entertained 
 by some that the word "sin" here signifies 
 sin-offering, is neither so obvious as the one 
 given above, nor does it furnish so fitting a 
 contrast to " the righteousness of God" in the 
 last clause. Yet if it were correct, the doc- 
 trinal import of the passage would not be es- 
 sentially changed. The certainty that Christ, 
 according to the eternal purpose of God, was 
 treated as a sinner, not because he was such 
 in his own life, but on account of his con- 
 nection with the human race, renders it cer- 
 tain that those who are in him are accepted 
 by God as righteous, not because they are 
 so in themselves, but on account of their 
 connection with him. And this interpreta- 
 tion agrees with the experience of renewed 
 men. They are deeply conscious of ill desert, 
 and dare not approach God with any claim 
 of personal holiness. 
 
 We select two views of this striking pas- 
 
182 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. VL 
 
 CHAPTEK VL 
 
 w 
 
 E then, as workers together with Aim, beseech you 
 also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. 
 
 1 And working together with him, we intreat also 
 
 sage. Dr. Weiss remarks: "Here it is ex- 
 pressly asserted that the treatment of the 
 Sinless One as a sinner was the means 
 whereby the treatment of sinners as sinless 
 was rendered possible; and so the new right- 
 eousness, upon which the salvation of man 
 depended, was wrought out. . . . Accordingly, 
 the death of Christ, which was suffered for the 
 salvation of men, stands vicariously for the 
 deatli of all (ver. is) ; his being treated as a sin- 
 ner makes it possible that they should be 
 treated as righteous, so that they need no 
 longer die the death which he has died in 
 their stead; and it is in this supreme act of 
 kindness which he has shown them that the 
 constraining power of his love lies." Dr. 
 "Waite. in the "Bible Com.," says: "Him, 
 the sinless, God identified with sin — all sin 
 that ever has been or will be committed by 
 man, gathered up, as it were, into one total 
 —God imposed upon him the guilt of all 
 tli is, regarded and treated him as guilty 
 of it all. Christ took it on himself in a 
 most real sense, and felt all the horror of it. 
 This he did on our behalf; for the object was 
 that we should become the righteousness of 
 God in him— Christ. That is, that God might 
 regard and treat us as though we were right- 
 eous, having a righteousness, not of our own, 
 nor of the works of the law ; but yet a most 
 real righteousness, of which God is the author 
 and giver. The idea involved in the words 
 'in him' is that of representation, as in ver. 
 15, 'one died for all, therefore all died.' The 
 abstract terms, 'sin' and 'righteousness,' sig- 
 nify that there is no sin whatsoever of which 
 Christ did not bear the guilt, nor any element 
 of righteousness which believers do not obtaizi 
 from God in Christ." — A. H.] 
 
 CRITICAL NOTES.— CHAPTER V. 
 
 3. If so be that is the reading of BDEFG, 
 etc. ; since of NCKLP, etc. It is probable, 
 however, that the defect in the Authorized 
 Version belongs to the translation rather than 
 to the text. 
 
 6. Who also gave is the reading of N°D b and 
 c EKL, etc., syrP, etc. ; also is omitted in 
 N*BCD* etc., d e f g vulg syr sch cop, etc. 
 
 12. For is to be omitted at the beginning of 
 this verse on the authority of KBCD*, etc., d 
 e f g vulg syr utr cop, etc. 
 
 15. If one died is the reading of N C C*, etc., 
 f vulg cop, etc.; if is omitted in N*BC 2 DEF, 
 etc., d e g syr utr , etc. 
 
 16. Yea is to be omitted on the authority of 
 N*BD ;; FG, etc., defg vulg syr sch , etc. 
 
 17. All things is to be omitted on the au- 
 thority of NBCD*, etc., defg vulg syr scU 
 cop, etc. 
 
 18. Jesus is to be omitted on the authority 
 of KBCD* etc., it vulg syr utr cop, etc. 
 
 21. For, at the beginning of the verse, is to 
 be omitted on the authority of N*BCD* etc., 
 defg vulg cop. 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 
 Ch. 6 : 1. Paul adds to his previous exhorta- 
 tation that they be reconciled to God, this, 
 that they do not receive the grace of God in 
 vain. 2. He enforces this by showing that 
 this is a time when salvation depends on the 
 manner of this acceptance. 3-10. He shows 
 that they who make this- appeal are them- 
 selves blameless, not vain receivers of the 
 grace of God. 11-13. He declares his affec- 
 tion for them, inspiring this appeal, and 
 urges them to return it. 14-16. In contrast 
 with this appeal, he urges them not to associ- 
 ate with unbelief and sin, showing the incon- 
 gruity of such association. 17, 18. He shows 
 that God receives such as leave the world. 
 
 Ch. 6: 1. We then, as workers together 
 with him, beseech you also, etc. — should 
 be, And working together with him, we exhort 
 also that ye receive not the grace of God in 
 vain. This is not an inference from the pre- 
 ceding, but a continuation of it. The work 
 in which they help Christ, or work together 
 with him, is that described in 5: 18 seq., be- 
 longing to those to whom the service and 
 work of reconciliation is given. They work 
 together with Christ for the salvation of men. 
 ' We exhort also.' The adverb here belongs 
 with the verb, not with its personal object, as 
 
Ch. VI.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 183 
 
 2 (For he saith. I have heard thee in a time accepted, 
 and in the day of salvation have l succoured thee: be- 
 hold, uow it the accepted time; behold, now it the day 
 
 of salvation.) 
 
 3 Giving no offence iu any thing, that the ministry 
 be not blamed: 
 
 4 Hut in all things approving ourselves as the min- 
 isters of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in neces- 
 sities, in distresses, 
 
 5 in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, 
 iu watchings, in fastings; 
 
 2 that ye receive not the grace of God in vain (for he 
 
 saith, 
 At an acceptable time I hearkened unto thee, 
 And in a day of salvation did 1 succour thee: 
 behold, now is i hi' acceptable time; behold, now is 
 
 3 the day of salvation): giving no occasion of stumb- 
 ling in any thing, that our ministration be not 
 
 4 blamed: but in everything commending ourselves, 
 as ministers of God, in much 'patience, in attiic- 
 
 5 tions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in im- 
 prisonments, in tumults, iu labours, in watchings, in 
 
 1 Or, tteadfaltncss. 
 
 is possible in our version. In 5: 20, they are 
 represented as beseeching, or exhorting, men 
 to be reconciled to God ; now, in the exercise 
 of the same office, as helpers of Christ, they 
 exhort them also net to receive the grace of 
 God in vain. 'The grace of God' meant, is 
 that received at conversion, the divine favor, 
 and the gifts that accompany it. And to ' re- 
 ceive' it 'in vain,' is to receive it without 
 bringing forth its proper fruits; and so, with- 
 out obtaining the salvation that is its object. 
 It does not denote the reception given to it by 
 the world, that rejects it, the hearing of the 
 gospel without being affected by it; for the 
 verb denotes a favorable reception. As to 
 the possibility of joyful, but unsuccessful, re- 
 ception, see Luke 8: 13. 
 
 2. For he saith, I have heard thee in a 
 time accepted, and in the day of salva- 
 tion have I succoured thee— should be, For 
 he saith, In an accepted time I hearkened to 
 thee, and in a day of salvation did I succor 
 thee. The person speaking is Jehovah, and 
 the words, quoted from Isa. 49 : 8, are ad- 
 dressed to the servant of Jehovah, whose 
 work it was to raise up the tribes of Jacob, 
 but also to be a light to the nations, and sal- 
 vation to the ends of the earth. Whatever 
 the primary reference of this servant of Je- 
 hovah, in Isaiah, may be, the prophetic refer- 
 ence is to Christ. The emphasis comes on the 
 time, 'an accepted time,' and 'a day of salva- 
 tion.' Because it is such a time, men should 
 beware how they receive the grace of God. 
 God heard Christ, and helped him in a time 
 favorable to the accomplishment of his work, 
 in a day of salvation, and in such a time, 
 therefore, no less result than salvation de- 
 pended on men's reception of the grace of 
 God. 'An accepted time,' is a favorable time. 
 Behold, now is the accepted time. The 
 quotation ends with the preceding clause, and 
 these words are the application by the apostle 
 of the prophecy to the present time. They 
 
 do not denote just the present moment, as 
 they are often used by preachers, so as to be 
 a warning against procrastination; but the 
 present dispensation, the Christian Era, as the 
 day of salvation pointed out by the prophet. 
 The lesson is the danger of receiving the 
 grace of God without its fruits, as no less a 
 result than salvation is thereby frustrated. 
 (See Horn. 6: 21-23.) 
 
 3. Giving no offence in any thing, that 
 the ministry be not blamed— should be, 
 Giving no occasion of stumbling in any thing, 
 that the service be not blamed. The word 
 translated 'offence,' denotes, literally, a stum- 
 bling-block, and, figuratively, something by 
 which others are led into sin. It was specially 
 necessary, of course, in those who besought 
 others not to receive the grace of God in vain, 
 to give no occasion of sin or stumbling them- 
 selves. The word 'ministry ' does not denote 
 the body of men to which the apostle be- 
 longed, but the service of the gospel in which 
 he was engaged. (See 3: 6-4: 1.) He was 
 jealous of the honor of that service. The 
 participle 'giving,' modifies the subject of the 
 verb 'beseech ' in ver. 1. 
 
 4. But in all things approving our- 
 selves as the ministers of God — should 
 be, But hi every thing commending ourselves 
 as servants of God. In much patience — 
 better, In much steadfastness. (See on 1:6.) 
 It denotes the quality in which they commend 
 themselves, and what follows, as far as ver. 
 6, the circumstances in which it is exercised. 
 Paul commends himself by his steadfastness 
 in the midst of trials. In afflictions — in 
 distresses. On these words, see on 'trou- 
 bled' and 'distressed.' (ch»p. 4:8.) In neces- 
 sities. This word is used only in the later 
 Greek in this sense to denote troubles, as 
 bringing men into a state of extreme and 
 pressing need. 
 
 5. On the whole passage, see 11 : 23-27. In 
 stripes. See Acts 16 : 23 seq. In imprison- 
 
184 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. VI. 
 
 6 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by 
 kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, 
 
 7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the 
 armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the 
 left. 
 
 8 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good 
 report : as deceivers, and yet true ; 
 
 9 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, 
 behold, we live ; as chastened, and not killed ; 
 
 10 As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet 
 making many rich; as having nothing, and yet pos- 
 sessing all things. 
 
 6 fastings; in pureness, in knowledge, in longsu tiering, 
 in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love unfeigned, 
 
 7 in the word of truth, in the power of God; l by the 
 armour of righteousness on the right hand and on 
 
 8 the leit, by glory and dishonour, by evil report and 
 
 9 goodreport; as deceivers, and yet true ; as unknown, 
 and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; 
 
 10 as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet al- 
 way rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as. 
 having nothing, and yet possessing all things. 
 
 1 Gr. through. 
 
 ments — should be, in prisons. (See Acts 16: 
 23seq.) In tumults. (See Acts 13: 50; 14: 
 19; 16: 19 seq. ; 19: 28 seq. In watchings. 
 The word for 'watching,' means, literally, 
 sleeplessnes. There is a question whether the 
 fastings are voluntary or involuntary. The 
 connection certainly seems to point to the 
 latter, by classing this with things necessarily 
 imposed on the apostle by his work, in spite 
 of which he maintains steadfastness. 
 
 6. By pureness. The preposition here is 
 in, as far as the phrase ' by the armor of right- 
 eousness,' in ver. 7. The apostle, having in- 
 dicated the circumstances in which he shows 
 perseverance, resumes, in this verse, the enu- 
 meration of qualities in which he and his 
 associates commend themselves. By (in) the 
 Holy Ghost (Spirit.) The enumeration of 
 qualities is interrupted here, to introduce the 
 active, personal principle in which they all 
 have their rise, the Holy Spirit, of which they 
 are the fruit. Love unfeigned. This de- 
 notes, probably, the principle in themselves 
 which is at the root of all these other qualities. 
 
 7. The word of truth, the power of 
 God. These are their special commendations 
 as teachers — the word of truth that they preach, 
 and the power of God that accompanies it. 
 (See 1 Cor. 2: 4, 5; 1 Thess. 1:5.) By the 
 armour of righteousness on the right 
 hand and on the left— should he,By means of 
 the vieapons of righteousness for the right 
 hand and the left. The classification is into 
 weapons of offence and defence. 'The weap- 
 ons of righteousness,' are those which right- 
 eousness uses to defend itself, and to overcome 
 its enemies. And it is by means of these 
 that the apostle is able to manifest the quali- 
 ties of righteousness that have been men- 
 tioned, and which commend him as a servant 
 of God. 
 
 8. By honourand dishonour, by evil re- 
 port and good report— should be, Through 
 
 glory and dishonor, through evil report and 
 good report. The apostle begins here an enu- 
 meration of various contrasted aspects of his 
 life, in each of which contrasts both sides alike 
 commend him as the servant of God. The 
 preposition denotes that by means of which he 
 is commended. As deceivers, and yet true. 
 The word 'yet' should be omitted; it mars the 
 sense, which is that in both aspects alike he 
 is commended. These two are specifications 
 under the general head of 'evil report and 
 good report.' That his enemies called him a 
 deceiver was a commendation, since it arose 
 out of their ignorance of the truth. 
 
 9. As unknown, and yet well known. 
 'Yet' is to be omitted for the same reason as 
 above. 'As unknown' denotes what he is 
 in relation to the world. His obscurity in 
 the world is owing to his devotion to God, for 
 the sake of which he gave up distinction, and 
 it therefore commends him as a servant of 
 God. On the other hand, his fame as a serv- 
 ant of God, and among the servants of God, 
 also commends him. As dying, and, be- 
 hold, we live. (See 4: 9 seq. } Persecution 
 for righteousness' sake, and on the other hand, 
 deliverance wrought by God, both alike com- 
 mend him, one as a mark of faithfulness, and 
 the other as a mark of God's favor. (See 
 Mark 13: 12 seq.) As chastened, and not 
 killed — better, chastised. (SeeHeb. 12: 6 seq.) 
 The word denotes primarily the training of 
 children, and then, as a secondary meaning, 
 peculiar to the Septuagint and New Testa- 
 ment, the disciplinary punishment that forms 
 a part of this training. This gives the divine 
 meaning and purpose in the previous 'dying.' 
 
 10. As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing. 
 (See Rom. 5: 3 seq.; 8: 17 seq.; ch. 4: 17 seq., 
 etc.) It is to be noticed that the 'rejoicing' 
 here is not instead of the sorrowing, but ac- 
 companies it. He always rejoices, even when 
 he sorrows. The Christian is not relieved from 
 
Ch. VI.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 185 
 
 11 O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our 
 heart is enlarged. 
 
 12 Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened 
 in your own bowels. 
 
 13 Now for a recompense in the same, (I speak as 
 unto mil children,) lie ye also enlarged. 
 
 14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbe- 
 lievers: lor what fellowship hath righteousness with 
 unrighteousness? and what eommuuion hath light 
 with" darkness? 
 
 11 Our mouth is open unto you, O Corinthians, our 
 
 12 heart is enlarged. Ye are not straitened in us, but 
 
 13 ye are straitened in your own affections. Now for 
 a recompense in like kind (I speak as unto my chil- 
 dren), be ye also enlarged. 
 
 14 Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for 
 what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? 
 or what communion hath light with darkne-s? 
 
 sorrow, but rejoices in the divine purpose and 
 spiritual effect of it. In this he enters speci- 
 ally into the mind of his Lord. (See Heb. 2: 
 10-18.) As poor, yet making many rich — 
 better, But making, etc. The enriching is 
 with the spiritual riches of Christ's kingdom. 
 (.Seech. 8: 9; 1 Tim. 6: 18; Eph. 3: 8, etc.) 
 As having nothing, and yet possessing all 
 things. 'Yet' is to be omitted. The con- 
 trast here is between their personal poverty, 
 and their possession of all things in Christ. 
 (See 1 Cor. 3: 21-23.) The earth belongs to 
 the meek, and is to become theirs by actual 
 possession. (See Matt. 5: 5.) And the spirit 
 that belongs to this right of ownership in the 
 world, is a part of the commendation of 
 Christ's true followers. He looks on the gov- 
 ernments and business and pleasures of the 
 world, as belonging to the principle of righte- 
 ousness and love that he represents in the 
 world. And it is his work in life to bring the 
 rightful owner into possession. This gives 
 true dignity and self-respect to the humble 
 Christian. 
 
 11. O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open 
 uuto you, our heart is enlarged. After 
 the description, ver. 3-10, of the ways in 
 which the apostle, and those associated with 
 him, commend themselves as the servants of 
 God, Paul passes over again in this verse to 
 their appeal to the Corinthians not to accept 
 the grace of God in vain. He begins with a 
 statement of the place that they have in his 
 heart— 'our heart is enlarged' unto you, — it 
 is made wide to take them in and give them 
 a large place; and of the urgent impulse that 
 he has to speak to them— 'our mouth is open 
 unto you.' 
 
 12. Ye are not straitened in us, hut ye 
 are straitened in your own bowels. The 
 revisers translate, l In your own affections.' 
 The use of the word 'bowels' in this sense is 
 somewhat archaic, and the Greek denotes the 
 inward parts generally. The meaning is, that 
 they have not a narrow place in his heart, but 
 
 are straitened for room in their own, where 
 he has not yet found a large place. 
 
 13. Now for a recompense in the same, 
 literally, But for the samr recompense. The 
 exact expression would be, The same thing as 
 a recompense, or, as we say, As a recompense 
 hi kind. He wants love returned with love, 
 his large heart for them recompensed by their 
 large heart for him. I speak as unto my 
 children. 'My' is to be omitted. He uses 
 the same frankness and plainness in claiming 
 their love that he would with his children. 
 Be ye also enlarged. He would have them 
 enlarge their heart, as he does, so that he may 
 find a place in it; and that these words of love 
 that he speaks may be heeded. 
 
 14. Be ye not unequally yoked together 
 with unbelievers — should be, Become not, 
 etc. The figurative language employed is 
 borrowed probably from the command, in 
 Deut. 22: 10, not to plow with an ox and an 
 ass together, and about which he would prob- 
 ably say the same as about muzzling the ox, 
 in 1 Cor. 9: 9, 10. The apostle does not 
 intend to forbid all association with unbe- 
 lievers (cf. 1 Cor. 5: 10) ; but such association 
 with them as would involve complicity in 
 their sin, or the imitation and continuation of 
 their evil ways. The term used is general, 
 and does not denote marriages with the hea- 
 then. This command not to associate with 
 unbelievers is in contrast with the exhorta- 
 tion, in the preceding verse, to give the apos- 
 tle a place in their affections; and it is the 
 application, peculiarly suited to their circum- 
 stances and temptations, of the general com- 
 mand, in verse 1, not to receive the grace of 
 God in vain. For, etc., gives the reason for 
 the preceding exhortation, showing in a series 
 of contrasts the sharp opposition between the 
 Christian and un-Christian character, and the 
 incongruity of their associating together. 
 For what fellowship hath righteousness 
 with unrighteousness f — better, For what 
 sliare lias riytttamsness with tairlt-ssiiess? 
 
186 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. VI, 
 
 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or 
 what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 
 
 1(1 And what agreement hath the temple of (iod with 
 idols? fur ye are the temple of the living God ; as God 
 hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and 
 I will lie I heir God, and they shall be my people. 
 
 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye 
 separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean 
 thing ; and I will receive you, 
 
 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my 
 sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. 
 
 15 And what concord hath Christ with J Belial? or 
 what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever? 
 
 16 And what agreement hath a a temple of God with 
 idols? for we are a - temple of the living God ; even 
 as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in 
 them; and I will be their God, and they shall be 
 
 17 my people. Wherefore 
 
 Come ye out from among them, and be ye 
 separate, 
 saith the Lord, 
 
 And touch no unclean thing; 
 
 18 And I will receive you, 
 And will be to you a Father, 
 
 And ye shall be to me sons and daughters, 
 saith the Lord Almighty. 
 
 1 Gr. Beliar 'Z Or, sanctuary. 
 
 And what communion hath light with 
 darkness? — should be, Or what community 
 has light with darkness? (See Crit. Notes.) 
 
 15. And what concord hath Christ with 
 Belial? — should be, And what is the concord 
 of Christ ivith Beliar? (See Crit. Notes.) 
 'Beliar' is, however, probably only another 
 name for Belial. The word in the Old Testa- 
 ment is not a personal name, but means 
 worthlessness, loickedness. Here, however, it 
 is evidently a name of Satan. It is not found 
 elsewhere in the New Testament. It is 
 wrongly translated Belial in several passages 
 in the bid Testament. (See 1 Sam. 25: 25; 
 30: 22; 2: 12, etc.) For instances of its proper 
 rendering, see Deut. 15: 9; Ps. 41: 8, etc. 
 Concord. The figure is that of musical har- 
 mony. Or what part hath he that believ- 
 eth with an infidel? — should be, Hath a 
 believer with an unbeliever? The word 'infi- 
 del,' though etymologically the same as unbe- 
 liever, has come to have a different meaning; 
 and the Greek is better translated by th£ 
 latter term. 
 
 16. And what agreemennt hath the 
 temple of God with idols? — better, A 
 shrine, or sanctuary, of God. (See 1 Cor. 3 : 
 16, Note.) The word translated 'agreement' 
 denotes literally, voting together for the same 
 thing. The verb from which it comes is the 
 one translated consent in Luke 23: 51. Nei- 
 ther is found elsewhere in the New Testa- 
 ment. For ye are the temple of the living 
 God — should be, For we are a shrine of the 
 living God. (See Crit. Notes.) This state- 
 ment applies to the church, not to individual 
 Christians, inasmuch as part of the proof 
 given is that God walks among them. God is 
 called 'the living God,' to distinguish him 
 from the heathen gods. As God hath said 
 — should be, As God said. The quotation is 
 
 from Lev. 26: 11, 12.. Instead of, I will 
 dwell in (or, among) them, the original 
 reads, / will place my tabernacle among you. 
 It belongs to the promises made by God to his 
 people, on condition that they will walk in 
 his statutes. And will walk in them — 
 should be, Among them, as is evident from 
 the nature of the action designated. 
 
 17. Wherefore come out from among 
 them. This quotation is not from any single 
 passage in the Old Testament, but represents 
 the spirit and substance of several. (See e. g., 
 Isa. 52: 11; Ezek. 11: 20; 2 Sam. 7: 14.) 
 Wherefore — viz., because God dwells among 
 them, consecrating them. Come out from 
 them. Originally this was said of the depart- 
 ure of the captive Israelites from Babylon 
 (see Isa. 52: 11); and is applied by the apos- 
 tle to the spiritual separation of God's true 
 people from the unbelieving world. The 
 spirit is the same as that of the Lord's prayer 
 for his disciples. (See John 1": 15.) And 
 touch not the unclean thing— should be, 
 An unclean thing. This denotes the separa- 
 tion from unholy things, as the exhortation 
 'come out,' does from unholy people. And 
 I will receive you. The subject is em- 
 phatic. God will receive those who come 
 out from the world. 
 
 18. This part of the quotation is a repro- 
 duction of the language of 2 Sam. 7: 14, con- 
 taining God's promise to the son of David, 
 who succeeds him on the throne. It is one of 
 those cases in which Paul reproduces partly 
 the language, and partly the thought, of dif- 
 ferent passages in the Old Testament, giving 
 his own thought by that means a support in 
 Old Testament phraseology. And will be a 
 Father unto you, and ye shall be my 
 sons and daughters — literally, Will be for 
 a Father unto you, and ye shall be to me for 
 
Ch. VII.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 187 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 HAVING therefore these promises, dearly beloved, 
 let us cleanse ourselves from all tiltliiness of the 
 flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness iu the fear of God. 
 
 2 Receive us ; we have wronged no man, we have cor- 
 rupted no man, we have defrauded no man. 
 
 3 I speak not this to condemn you : for I have said 
 before, that ye are iu our hearts to die and live with 
 
 you . 
 
 1 Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us 
 cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and 
 spirit, perfeoling holiness in the fear of God. 
 
 2 i Open your hearts to us: we wronged no man, we 
 corrupted no man, we took advantage of do man. 
 
 3 I say it not to condemn you: for l have said be- 
 fore, that ye are in our hearts to die together and 
 
 1 Gr. Make room for ut. 
 
 sons and daughters. The thought, moreover, 
 is slightly different. The nominative means 
 that they are to be the sons ; this turn of the 
 expression, that they are to serve for sons, or 
 be as sons. (See Winer, 183 seq.) The Lord 
 Almighty. The phrase used is the transla- 
 tion, in the Septuagint, of the Hebrew term, 
 'Lord of Hosts.' It is frequent in the Apoca- 
 lypse (see Rev. 1, 8; 4: 8, etc.); but it is not 
 found elsewhere in the New Testament. It 
 emphasizes the greatness of the promise. 
 
 CRITICAL NOTES. — CHAPTER VI. 
 
 14. And what communion is the reading of 
 K syrP"', etc. Or what of KBCDEFG, etc., it 
 vulg syr sch and P ms cop, etc. 
 
 15. What concord hath Christ, is the reading 
 of DEFGKL, etc. g syr utr , etc. What is the 
 concord of Christ, is found in NBCPitpl vulg 
 cop, etc. Belial is the reading of f g vulg, 
 etc. Beliar, of NBCLP, etc. two MSS. of vulg 
 cop, etc. 
 
 16. You are is the reading of K C CD C EFGK, 
 etc., f g vulg syr utr , etc. We are, of N*BDLP, 
 etc. d e cop, etc. 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 1. The apostle enjoins purifying, as the only 
 condition of obtaining the promise contained 
 in 6: 16-18. 2. He appeals to them again to 
 receive him, instead of associating with evil 
 men and things, and denies that he and his 
 associates have harmed them in any way to 
 prevent this. 3. He disclaims any intention 
 to condemn them in this appeal. 4-16. He 
 vindicates his confidence in them by a refer- 
 ence to the good news brought him by Titus — 
 of the way in which they received the apos- 
 tle's previous letter, with its instructions in 
 regard to the incestuous person. 
 
 Ch. 7:1. The first verse of this chapter be- 
 longs with the preceding, and is one of the 
 
 conspicuous instances of the occasional un- 
 skillfulness in our present divisions into chap- 
 ters and verses. These promises— viz., that 
 God will receive them, and be a Father to 
 them. Let us cleanse ourselves. This is 
 the condition, named in the preceding chap- 
 ter, on which the promises are based. It cor- 
 responds to the 'come out from among them 
 . . . and touch not an unclean thing.' From 
 all filthiness— should be, From every pollu- 
 tion. Of the flesh and the spirit — there is 
 no article in the Greek, and it is better trans- 
 lated of flesh and of spirit. These words are 
 used in their primary sense here, denoting the 
 physical and spiritual part of man, without 
 the added notion, so frequent in Paul's writ- 
 ings, of the sinful and the holy part. In the 
 fear of God— denotes the feeling in which 
 the work of perfecting holiness is to go 
 forward. It is inspired by the absolute and 
 inevitable divine judgment against sin. Man's 
 progress in the knowledge of God has changed 
 his view of the nature of this judgment, but 
 not of the fact. 
 
 2. Receive us— better, Make room for us. 
 It repeats again the injunction of 6: 13, and 
 means that the Corinthians are to make room 
 for them in their hearts. We have wronged 
 no man . . . we have corrupted . . . we 
 have defrauded . . . should be, Weioronged 
 — we corrupted, etc. 'Corrupted.' The other 
 verbs denote not inward, but outward injury; 
 and this is probably to be translated destroyed 
 or ruined. These denials refer, probably, to 
 charges made against Paul and his associates 
 by their enemies, which, if true, would pre- 
 vent their reception. The injunction to re- 
 ceive them is in contrast with their associa- 
 tions with unbelievers, against which he has 
 warned them. 
 
 .3. I speak not this — better, / say it not. 
 This is variously explained. But it is referred 
 most naturally to the preceding charge to re- 
 ceive them, which would imply condemnation 
 
188 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. VII. 
 
 4 Great it my boldness of speech toward you, great is 
 my glorying of you : I am tilled with comfort, I am ex- 
 ceeding joyful in all our tribulation. 
 
 5 For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh 
 had no rest, but we were troubled ou every side ; with- 
 out were lightings, within were fears. 
 
 6 Nevertheless God, that coiuforteth those that are 
 cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus ; 
 
 7 And not bv his coming only, but by the consolation 
 wherewith be was comforted in you, when he told us 
 your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind 
 toward me; so that 1 rejoiced the more. 
 
 4 live together. Great is my boldness of speech to- 
 ward you, great is my glorying on your behalf: I 
 am tilled with comfort, I overflow with joy in all 
 our affliction. 
 
 5 For even when we were come into Macedonia, our 
 flesh had no relief, but we were afflicted on every 
 side; without were fightings, within were fears. 
 
 6 Nevertheless he who comfort eth the lowly, even 
 
 7 God, comforted us by the : coming of Titus ; and not 
 by his ' coming only, but also by the comfort where- 
 with he was comforted in you, while he told us your 
 longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that 
 
 1 Gr. presence. 
 
 of the Corinthians for not receiving them, and 
 to the denial of the charges of wronging and 
 defrauding, which would imply that they were 
 inclined to believe them. He says that he does 
 not mean to condemn them for not receiving 
 him, but to exhort them now to do it. For I 
 have said before, etc. — proves that the pre- 
 ceding was not said to condemn them, as that 
 purpose would be contrary to his expressed 
 love for them. It may condemn them inci- 
 dentally, but that is not his purpose. To die 
 and> live with you. The natural subject of 
 these infinitives is the same as that of the pre- 
 ceding verb, viz., you not we; and this makes 
 the object of the preposition, on the other hand, 
 us, instead of you, with us therefore. The re- 
 visers translate it, 'to live together, and to die 
 together.' Paul carries them in his heart, and 
 so they are with him, whatever fate befalls 
 him; whether death, which is constantly 
 threatening him, and so is put first, or life. 
 
 4. Great is my boldness of speech to- 
 ward you — better, my confidence. 'Boldness 
 of speech' is a primary meaning of the word; 
 but a secondary meaning is confidence, which 
 is better suited to the context, as giving further 
 proof that he does not say anything to con- 
 demn them. It is also this thought which is 
 carried on in the rest of the verse. For ex- 
 amples of this meaning, see Heb. 3:6; 10: 35; 
 1 John 2: '28. Glorying of you— should be, 
 over you. This glorying is caused by the com- 
 ing of Titus, with his good report of them. I 
 am exceeding joyful — literally, / over- 
 abound, or overflow, with joy. 
 
 5. For when we were come into Mace- 
 donia — should bo, For even when, etc. This 
 is the same coming spoken of in 2: 12 seq., 
 and he has spoken, in that connection, of his 
 unrest in Troas. Now he says that the same 
 continued, even when he came into Mace- 
 donia. This brings before his readers the 
 affliction spoken of in the preceding verse. 
 
 Our flesh had no rest. 'Flesh' denotes 
 here the human nature, not so much as sin- 
 ful, but as weak, and liable to infirmities. 
 Without . . . within— these prepositions re- 
 fer to the apostle and his associates. They 
 found outside of themselves conflicts with 
 opposers, either in or out of the church, 
 and within themselves fears arising from 
 these conflicts, and possibly also from the 
 state of the Corinthian Church. 
 
 6. Nevertheless God, that comforteth 
 those that are cast doAvn— should be, But 
 he that comforteth the depressed God. The 
 word that we have translated 'depressed,' 
 means, commonly, lowly; but here, prob- 
 ably, those depressed with sorrow. The 
 clause denotes the general principle of God's 
 action under which he comforted Paul. 
 
 7. But by the consolation— should be,But 
 also by the comfort. When he told us your 
 earnestdesire — your mourning — literally, 
 Reporting to us your longing — your mourning . 
 Your fervent mind toward me— should be, 
 your zeal for me. 'Forme' belongs, probably, 
 with all three of the verbal nouns, 'longing,' 
 'mourning,' and 'zeal.' They longed to see 
 him again ; they mourned over the grief caused 
 him bytheir sin; and they were zealous in his 
 behalf against his enemies. This feeling was 
 occasioned by what Paul had written them in 
 the First Epistle, specially about the incestu- 
 ous person. This had produced repentance 
 in them for their previous attitude about that 
 matter (see 1 Cor. 5: 2, 6); and at the same 
 time, it had quickened their affection for him. 
 Titus, seeing this, was comforted; and when 
 he told it to Paul, he was comforted by the 
 comfort of Titus. So that I rejoiced the 
 more — there is no word corresponding to 
 'the' in the Greek. This statement has 
 been explained variously, but the most nat- 
 ural explanation makes the comparison be- 
 tween the coming of Titus and the comfort 
 
Ch. VIL] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 189 
 
 8 For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not 
 repent, though I did repent : for I perceive that the 
 same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but 
 fOP a .season. 
 
 9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but 
 that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry 
 after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by 
 us in nothing. 
 
 10 For godly sorrow worketh tepentance to salvation 
 not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world 
 worketh death. 
 
 8 I rejoiced yet more. For though I mad.- yon sorry 
 with my epistle, I do not regret it: though I did 
 regret it (' for I see that that epistle made you sorry, 
 
 9 though but for a season), I now rejoice, not that ye 
 were made sorry, but that ye were made sorry unto 
 repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly 
 sort, that ye might sutler loss by us in nothing. 
 
 10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance -unto salva- 
 tion, a repentance which briugeth no regret: but the 
 
 1 Some auok-rii authorities omit, fur '2 Or, unto u salvation which briugeth no regret. 
 
 of Titus. Paul rejoiced over the former, but 
 more over the latter. 
 
 8. For though I made you sorry with a 
 letter — should be, Because, though I grieved 
 you in the letter. The letter referred to is the 
 First Epistle, specially that part of it about the 
 incestuous person. This confirms the preced- 
 ing statement in regard to his rejoicing, show- 
 ing how he rejoiced in spite of the grief caused 
 them by the first letter, though, at first, that 
 made him repent of writing it. I do not 
 repent — the first part of the verse ends here, 
 and the concessive clause, though I did re- 
 pent, is to be connected with 'now I rejoice' 
 at the beginning of ver. 9. The word trans- 
 lated 'repent' in these two clauses should be 
 translated regret. For I perceive that the 
 same epistle hath made you sorry, though 
 it were but for a season — should be, For I 
 see that that epistle grieved you, though for a 
 time. This is the reason of his temporary re- 
 pentance. He did not wish to grieve them 
 even for a time. How full of the true tender- 
 ness of Paul this utterance is 1 
 
 9. Now I rejoice. This is contrasted with 
 his temporary repentance. It is immediately 
 connected with the second concessive clause 
 in ver. 8, so that it reads, Though I did regret, 
 now I rejoice. Not that ye were made sorry. 
 That was the cause of his repenting, and would 
 still lead to the same, if the sorrow stood alone. 
 But that ye sorrowed to repentance. This 
 is the same form of the verb that has heen 
 translated 'made sorry,' or 'grieved,' and the 
 meaning is the same here. The grief that he 
 had caused them led to a sincere and hearty 
 change of mind, an abandonment of their 
 sin; and that makes the apostle rejoice, in 
 spite of the painfulness of. the process. For 
 ye were made sorry after a godly man- 
 ner — literally, According to God — i. e., in the 
 manner prescribed by God, and conformed to 
 his nature. That ye might receive damage 
 by us in nothing — should be, from us. The 
 
 damage meant is indicated in ver. 10, viz., 
 death. Any other than the sorrow according 
 to God endangered the health and life of their 
 soul. The purpose denoted is the divine pur- 
 pose in so ordering the result of the apostle's 
 admonition. 
 
 10. For godly sorrow worketh repent- 
 ance unto salvation not to be repented 
 of — should be, For the sorrow according to 
 God worketh repentance unto salvation not 
 to be regretted. This change removes the 
 apparent reason in our version for connect- 
 ing 'not to bo repented of with 'repent- 
 ance,' because the connection of meaning 
 does not exist in the Greek. The one de- 
 notes a change of feeling in regard to con- 
 duct, from satisfaction to care and anxiety; 
 and the other a change of mind and purpose. 
 The latter, therefore, is the common word in 
 the New Testament for 'repentance,' while 
 the former denotes mere 'regret.' Moreover, 
 the two words are not placed together in the 
 Greek, but the adjective is placed after the 
 word 'salvation,' making it probable that the 
 adjective modifies that. The word used is the 
 same as that translated regret in ver. 8, and 
 this shows the connection of thought. 'The 
 grief that I caused you,' Paul says, 'I did 
 regret; but this result of salvation is not to 
 be regretted.' But the sorrow of the world 
 worketh death. This ethical conception of 
 the world as evil, allied to the flesh and the 
 devil, and ruled over by Satan, is found three 
 times in the Epistle of James, once in the 
 Epistles of Peter, but frequently in the writ- 
 ings of John and Paul. The 'death' meant 
 is spiritual death ; so that if the letter of the 
 apostle had wrought this Borrow, instead of 
 the sorrow according to God, they would in- 
 deed have suffered loss from him. 'Death' is 
 here contrasted with 'salvation,' and the im- 
 mediate result in contrast with 'repentance' 
 is not introduced therefore. Bitterness and 
 hardness would be constituent elements of it. 
 
190 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. VII. 
 
 11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed 
 after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, 
 yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, 
 yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what 
 zeal, yea, what revenge ! In all thingsye have approved 
 yourselves to be clear in this matter. 
 
 12 Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not 
 for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause 
 that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the 
 sight of God might appear unto you. 
 
 13 Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, 
 and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, 
 because his spirit was refreshed by you all. 
 
 11 sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold 
 this selfsame thing, that ye were made sorry alter a 
 godly sort, what earnest care it wrought in you, 
 yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indig- 
 nation, yea, what fear, yea, what longing, yea, what 
 zeal, yea, what avenging! In every tiling ye ap- 
 
 12 proved yourselves to be pure in the matter. So 
 although I wrote unto you, I wrote not for his cause 
 that did the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered 
 the wrong, but that your earnest care for us might 
 be made manifest unto you in the sight of God. 
 
 13 Therefore we have been comforted : and in our com- 
 fort we joyed the more exceedingly for the joy of 
 Titus, because his spirit hath been refreshed by you 
 
 11. For behold this self-same thing, 
 that ye sorrowed after a godly sort — 
 
 should he, For behold this same sorrowing 
 according to God. On the omission of y"e, 
 which makes this change, see Crit. Notes. 
 'Look at it,' the apostle says, 'and see what 
 fruits it produced in you.' It confirms from 
 the case in hand the preceding statement, that 
 sorrow, according to God, works repentance 
 unto salvation. What carefulness it 
 wrought in you — should be, What great 
 zeal, or earnestness, it wrought for you. This 
 zeal in the matter of the incestuous person, 
 had taken the place of their former indiffer- 
 ence. (See 1 Cor. 5 : 2 seq. and Note. ) Yea, 
 what — literally, this is simply but, in each 
 case, and a better translation would be Nay, 
 but clearing of yourselves, etc. The apostle 
 means in a sort of way to correct in each 
 word the preceding one, and substitute for 
 it one that more fully expressed his mean- 
 ing. Clearing of yourselves — this is a 
 single word in the Greek, meaning defence. 
 He means by it their defence of themselves 
 in this matter. They saw in it now, as they 
 did not before, something involving them as 
 members of the same church, and felt the 
 necessity of defending themselves against the 
 implication of sharing the incestuous person's 
 guilt. Indignation— against the offenders. 
 Fear. Bengel's conjecture that this was fear 
 lest the apostle come to them with a rod, re- 
 ferring to 1 Cor. 4: 21, has been generally ac- 
 cepted. Vehement desire— better, longing. 
 They feared that he might come with a rod, 
 but longed to see him. Zeal. It will be 
 noticed that these words go in pairs — defence 
 of themselves and indignation against the 
 offender; fear lest the apostle come to cor- 
 rect them, and longing to see him; and it 
 is probable, therefore, that this refers to zeal 
 to punish the offender, so connecting it with 
 the following word. Revenge — should be, I 
 
 avenging, or punishment. In all things ye 
 have approved yourselves to be clear in 
 this matter — should be, In everything ye 
 proved yourselves to be pure in the matter. 
 12. Wherefore. The apostle reasons from 
 the result accomplished, to his own purpose in 
 writing the letter. You can see now, he says, 
 ivhat v)as my object in writing, although I 
 wrote to you. The apostle does not qualify 
 this in any way; the mere fact of writing 
 to them about such a matter would seem at 
 first sight to show no friendly purpose. So 
 he says, though I wrote, it was really for 
 your sake ; I meant to bring out your zeal 
 for us. I did it not for his cause — better, 
 on account of him. That had done the 
 wrong— should be, that did the wrong. The 
 reference is, of course, to the incestuous person. 
 Nor for his cause that suffered wrong — 
 better, Nor on account of him that was 
 wronged — meaning the father, the husband 
 of the woman taken. But that our care 
 for you in the sight of God might ap- 
 pear unto you— should be, But for the sake 
 of showing unto you before God your zeal for 
 us. (See Crit. Notes.) 'Our care for you' is 
 an evident emendation. He wished them to 
 know the zeal that they had for him — how 
 much thej r really cared for him. And this 
 he expected would be shown in their conduct 
 about this matter, after receiving his letter. 
 'In the sight of God' belongs to the predi- 
 cate, not to the subject, and should be placed 
 as above. The apostle adds the phrase be- 
 cause what is made to appear before God will 
 come out in its true light. 
 
 Here again the fineness of the apostle's feel- 
 ing appears. It is a master-stroke to say that 
 the object of an admonitory letter about the 
 sin of one of their members was to show them 
 how much they really cared for their spiritual 
 father, and that the result vindicated it. 
 
 13. Therefore we were comforted in 
 
Ch. VIII.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 191 
 
 14 For If I have boasted any thing to him of yon, I 
 am not ashamed; but as we make nil things to you in 
 truth, even so our boasting, which / made before Titus, 
 is found a truth. 
 
 15 And hi>, inward affection is more abundant toward 
 you, whilst be reiuemberetb the obedience of you all, 
 how with fear and trembling ye received him. 
 
 16 I rejoice therefore that i have confidence in you 
 in all things. 
 
 14 all. For if in any tiling I have gloried to him on 
 your behalf, I was not put to shame; but as we spake 
 all things to you in truth, so our glorying also, which 
 
 15 1 made before Titus, was found to be truth. And 
 his inward affection is more abundantly toward 
 you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you 
 all, how with fear and trembling \c received him. 
 
 16 I rejoice thai in every thing i am of good courage 
 concerning you. 
 
 MOREOVER, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace 
 of Uod bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 1 Moreover, brethren, we make known to vou the 
 grace of God which hath been given in the churches 
 
 your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the 
 more joyed we for the joy of Titus, be- 
 cause his spirit was refreshed by you 
 
 all — should be, Therefore we have been com- 
 forted; but in addition to our comfort, we re- 
 joiced more exceedingly over the joy of Titus, 
 because his spirit has been refreshed by you 
 all. (See Crit. Notes.) In addition to the 
 apostle's joy over the accomplishment of his 
 purpose, when he saw that the Corinthian 
 Christians were stirred up by his letter to 
 show their zeal for him, he had a still 
 greater, a more exceeding joy, caused by 
 the joy of Titus. 'By you all '—literally, 
 from you all. The Greek preposition does 
 not denote the agent, but the source of the 
 refreshing. 
 
 14. For if I have boasted anything to 
 him of you, I am not ashamed; but as 
 we spake all things to you in truth, 
 even so our boasting, which I made be- 
 fore Titus, is found a truth— should be, 
 Because, if in anything I have gloried to 
 him in your behalf, I was not put to shame; 
 but as we spake all things to you in truth, so 
 also our glorying before Titus proved to be 
 truth — literally, came to be truth. It de- 
 pended on the result, whether it was true 
 or not, and became truth or falsehood ac- 
 cording to that. 'I was not put to shame' 
 is to be explained in the same way, as re- 
 ferring to the result, if he were found boast- 
 ing without cause. 'As we spake all things to 
 you in truth.' Before, he had spoken to them. 
 and had been found truthful ; now, he has 
 spoken about them, and with the same result. 
 How finely the apostle makes it appear that 
 all his joy is an unselfish joy for others, and 
 genuine and great withal! 
 
 15. The obedience of you all, how with 
 fear and trembling ye received him. The 
 fear and trembling are not personal feelings 
 toward Titus himself, but denote the quality 
 of their obedience. They were anxious to 
 
 please him, and feared lest in any way they 
 might fail of doing it. 
 
 16. I rejoice therefore. 'Therefore' is 
 to be omitted. (See Crit. Notes.) I have 
 confidence in you— should be, I have cour- 
 age concerning you. 
 
 CRITICAL NOTES. — CHAPTER VII. 
 
 11. This same thing, that ye sorrowed, is the 
 reading of N C DECLP, etc., d e vulg syr utr , 
 etc. ; this same sorrowing, omitting ye, is 
 found in K*BCFGr, etc. 
 
 12. Our care for you is the reading of some 
 cursives, of f vulg. etc. ; your care for you is 
 the strange reading of XDF ; and our care for 
 us. of G d* g; your care for us is found in 
 BCD b and c , EKLP, etc., d** e syr ntr cop, etc. 
 
 13. Therefore we were comforted in your 
 comfort, yea, etc., is the reading of some cur- 
 sives, syrP c * etc. Therefore we were com- 
 forted, but, etc., is the reading of NBCDEF, 
 etc., it vulg syr sch , syrP m , etc.; your comfort 
 is the reading of FKL, etc., cop syr p c *; our 
 comfort of NBCDEGP 33, etc. it vulg syr ,ch 
 
 and ptxt etc. 
 
 16. Therefore is found in only a few cur- 
 sives, syrP m s, etc. 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 
 General subject, the contribution to the 
 church at Jerusalem. 1-5. The example set 
 by the churches of Macedonia. 6-8. En- 
 forcement of their duty by this example. 9. 
 Example of self-sacrifice set by Christ. 10, 
 11. Advice, rather than command, expedient 
 for them, as they had already begun the 
 work. 12-15. Readiness to give, according 
 to their means, all that is required. 16-21. 
 Naming and commending of the messengers 
 sent to them about this matter. 
 
 Ch. 8: I. Moreover, brethren, we do 
 you to wit of the grace of God bestowed 
 on the churches of Macedonia— should be, 
 
192 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. VIII. 
 
 2 How that in a great trial of affliction, the abund- 
 ance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded 
 unto the riches of their liberality. 
 
 3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond 
 their power they were willing of themselves ; 
 
 4 Praying us with much entreaty that we would re- 
 ceive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the 
 ministering to the saints. 
 
 5 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave 
 their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of 
 God. 
 
 2 of Macedonia; how that in much proof of affliction 
 the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty 
 
 3 abounded unto the riches of their ' liberality. For 
 according to their power, I bear witness, yea and 
 beyond their power, they gave of their own* accord, 
 
 4 beseeching us with much intreaty in regard of this 
 grace and the fellowship in the ministering to 
 
 5 the saints: and this, not as we had hoped, but 
 first they gave their own selves to the Lord, and 
 
 1 Gr. singleness. 
 
 Now we make known to you, brethren, the 
 grace of God which has been given in the 
 churches of Macedonia. The conjunction 
 used indicates merely a change of subject. 
 By a fine turn of thought, the apostle attrib- 
 utes the liberality which he sees in the Mace- 
 donian churches, and wishes to enjoin on the 
 Corinthians, to the grace of God. The favor 
 which they bestow on others becomes thus a 
 divine favor bestowed on them. The churches 
 of Macedonia were at Thessalonica and Phil- 
 ippi and Beraea. 
 
 2. How that, in a great trial of afflic- 
 tion, the abundance of their joy and 
 their deep poverty abounded unto the 
 riches of their liberality — should be, prob- 
 ably, That in much trial of affliction is the 
 abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty 
 abounded unto the riches of their liberality. 
 There are two contrasts here — that between 
 the 'trial of affliction' and the 'abundance of 
 joy,' and between the 'deep poverty' and the 
 'riches of liberality' ; and it is better, there- 
 fore, to separate the statement into two, each 
 containing one of these contrasts. Moreover, 
 the words 'abundance' and 'abounded' cor- 
 respond to each other in such a way as to sus- 
 tain this view. 'Trial of affliction'; 'trial' 
 is used here in the sense of testing, or proof ; 
 and the phrase denotes the testing of them by 
 means of affliction. The Macedonian churches 
 suffered much from persecutions, a trial fore- 
 shadowed by the experience of the converts 
 at the beginning. (See 1 Thess. 1: 6; 2: 14; 
 ActslG: 19 seq. ; 17: 5 seq.) This is a great 
 part of the Christian victory, to be filled with 
 a great joy in the midst of affliction, and to 
 be liberal out of poverty. (See Mark 12: 
 44.) 
 
 3-5. These verses all belong together in 
 one sentence. 'They were,' in ver. 3, and 
 'This they did,' in ver. 5, by which the state- 
 ment is broken up into several parts in our 
 version, are to be omitted. Moreover, in ver. 
 
 4, 'That we would receive' is to be omitted 
 (see Crit. Notes); and also the words 'Take 
 upon us.' In the same verse, 'gift' is to be 
 rendered favor, and 'fellowship' is better 
 translated sharing. ' The favor and the shar- 
 ing' is a case of hendiadys, and should be 
 translated, The favor of sharing. And, at 
 the beginning of ver. 5, does not connect this 
 with some preceding statement; but it con- 
 nects this part of the statement about their 
 giving, viz., that they gave themselves, with 
 previous modifications of the same ; viz., that 
 it was up to, and even beyond their ability, 
 that it was of their own accord, etc. The 
 whole may be translated thus — For according 
 to ability, I bear witness, and beyond ability, 
 of their own accord, beseeching of us with 
 much entreaty the favor of sharing in the 
 service to the saints, and not as we hoped; but 
 themselves they gave first to the Lord, and to 
 us through the will of God. The simple 
 statement is that they gave, and ever\ T thing 
 else is a modification of that, denoting the 
 amount and manner of their giving, what 
 they gave, and to whom they gave it. 'I bear 
 witness.' The apostle knew their poverty. 
 'Of their own accord.' This is to be con- 
 nected with the participial clause following. 
 Instead of being besought to do this favor, 
 they themselves besought the favor of a share 
 in it. 'And not as we hoped, but themselves 
 they gave.' That is, instead of the small gift, 
 which was all that the apostle had hoped out 
 of their povert} 7 , they gave in such a way as 
 to involve and exhibit absolute self-consecra- 
 tion and self-sacrifice. See again Mark 12: 
 44, which is a most instructive parallel. 'To 
 the saints' — the church at Jerusalem is 
 meant. (Seel Cor. 16: 1, and Note.) First 
 to the Lord, and to us. Their giving to the 
 saints was a giving first to the Lord of saints, 
 and then to the apostle, who made this matter 
 his own. (See Matt. 25: 34 seq., and Gal. 2: 
 10.) 'Through the will of God'— belongs 
 
Ch. VIII.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 193 
 
 6 Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had 
 begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace 
 also. 
 
 7 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and 
 utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in 
 your love to us, sea that ye abound in tbis grace also. 
 
 8 I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of 
 the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of 
 your love. 
 
 9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became 
 poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. 
 
 10 And herein I give my advice: fortius is expedient 
 for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also 
 to be forward a year ago. 
 
 6 to us by the will of God. Insomuch that we ex- 
 horted Titus, that as he had made a beginning 
 before, so he would also complete in you this grace 
 
 7 also. But as ye abound in every thing, in laith, 
 and utterance, and knowledge, and in all earnest- 
 ness, and in 3 your love to us, see that ye abound in 
 
 8 this grace also. I speak not by way of command- 
 ment, but as proving through the earnestness of 
 
 9 others the sincerity also of your love. For ye know 
 the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he 
 was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that 
 
 10 ye through his poverty might become rich. And 
 herein I give my judgement : for this is expedient for 
 you, who were the first to make a beginning a year 
 
 1 Some ancient authorities read, our love to you. 
 
 with the entire statement. It was by his will 
 that they gave themselves. 
 
 6. Insomuch that we desired Titus- 
 better, We exhorted. That as he had begun 
 — should be, He began before. The same 
 grace — should be, This grace. 'Grace,' as 
 used here, denotes a virtue proceeding from 
 the grace of God, mentioned in ver. 1. This 
 exhortation was the result of the preceding. 
 The zeal of the Macedonians led the apostle 
 to urge Titus to complete the same work 
 among the Corinthians. He wished to see 
 them manifesting this grace of liberality, as 
 well as the other graces that Titus had quick- 
 ened in them by his coming. (See 7: lOseq.) 
 
 7. Therefore — should be, But. The older 
 interpreters had no scruples about such an 
 arbitrary interchange of conjunctions as this 
 change from but to therefore ; and our version 
 here reflects this looseness of the interpreters. 
 (See Winer, 450, 451.) The conjunction indi- 
 cates that the apostle turns from his account 
 of the Macedonian churches to direct exhorta- 
 tion addressed to the Corinthians. In faith, 
 and utterance, and knowledge, and in 
 all diligence, and in your love to us — 
 should be, By faith, etc., denoting that by 
 which they excel. 'Utterance' — strictly, 
 word. This enumeration of the things in 
 which the Corinthians abound is the same as 
 in 1 Cor. 1 : 5 (see Note) ; and it indicates the 
 discrimination of the apostle in the distribu- 
 tion of his praise. 'And all diligence' — 
 should be, And, every zeal. The Greek is dis- 
 tributive, meaning every kind or form of 
 earnestness. 
 
 8. I speak not by commandment, but 
 by occasion of the forwardness of others, 
 and to prove the sincerity of your love — 
 should be, / speak not by way of command- 
 ment, but as testing, through the zeal of others, 
 
 the genuineness also of your love. (See on 1 
 Cor. 7:6.) He sets before them for imitation 
 this zeal of others, and so tests the genuine- 
 ness of their love. The love meant is their 
 love as Christians for their brethren, which 
 he urges them to show by their liberality. 
 
 9. For ye know the grace of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ. This gives a motive for the 
 exhortation of the apostle ; but, strictly speak- 
 ing, it serves as a proof that this does test the 
 genuineness of their love, since Christ is their 
 example, and their love shows itself to be 
 genuine by its resemblance to his. ' Grace ' — 
 the exhibition of his favor. Rich — in his 
 heavenly exaltation, before his incarnation. 
 Became poor — by taking human nature and 
 condition. That ye, through his poverty, 
 might be rich — should be, That ye, by the 
 poverty of that one, might be enriched. ' That 
 one' — in Greek, the demonstrative pronoun, 
 which is more emphatic than the simple per- 
 sonal pronoun, and is intended here to bring 
 out the contrast between the person, Christ, 
 and the condition, poverty. (On the enrich- 
 ment of the Christian by Christ, cf. 4: 17, 18; 
 5: 1-5, 17-21; 1 Cor. 15: 3,21-23; Eom. 8: 
 1-11, 14-18, 28-39; 5: 1-5; Kev. 3: 18, etc.) 
 The argument of the verse is that Christ's was 
 a self-sacrificing love, and theirs must be the 
 same, to be genuine. 
 
 10. And herein I give my advice. The 
 word 'advice' is to be emphasized, to con- 
 trast it with the word 'commandment,' in 
 ver. 8. It is advice, and not command, that 
 he gives. For this is expedient for you — 
 the thing meant is giving advice, instead of 
 command. Command might be expedient in 
 the case of those who had never shown any 
 disposition to give ; but advice is the thing for 
 them. The apostle says that it is expedient, 
 not fitting ; because if a command is^ uainec- 
 
194 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. VIII. 
 
 11 Now therefore perform the doing of it; thatas<^er« 
 was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance 
 also out of that which ye have. 
 
 12 For if there be first a willing mind, it if accepted 
 accordiug to that a man hath, and not according to that 
 he hath not. 
 
 13 For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye 
 burdened: 
 
 14 But by an equality, that now at this time your 
 abundance may be a supply for their want, that their 
 abundance also may be a supply for your want; that 
 there may be equality : 
 
 11 ago, not only to do, but also to will. But now com- 
 plete the doing also; that as there was the readiness 
 to will, so there may be the completion also out of 
 
 12 your ability. For if the readiness is there, it is ac- 
 ceptable according as a man hath, not according as 
 
 13 he hath not. For I say not this, that others may be 
 13 eased, and ye distressed: but by equality; your 
 
 abundance being a supply at this present time for 
 their want, that their abundance also may become a 
 supply for your want; that there may be equality: 
 
 essary, to give it lowers the quality of the 
 action, and hence is inexpedient. Who have 
 begun before, not only to do, but also to 
 be forward, a year ago — should be, Who 
 were the first to begin, a year ago, not only to 
 do, but also to will. There is probably a con- 
 trust with the Macedonians intended. You 
 are men, the apostle says, who began before 
 the Macedonians in this matter ; and now cer- 
 tainly advice, rather than command, to follow 
 their example in carrying out the thing so 
 begun, is expedient for you. (See Win^r, 560.) 
 They had the start of the Macedonians, not 
 only in doing this, but also in the will, the 
 purpose to do it, so that their whole action in 
 the matter antedated that of the Macedo- 
 nians, and they could not be said to have had 
 their cue from them in any part of it. 
 
 11. Now, therefore, perform the doing 
 of it — should be, But now complete the doing 
 also. Paul assumes throughout that their 
 willingness is unabated; and now he urges on 
 them to complete, not only the willing, but 
 also the doing of the work of love. That as 
 there was a readiness to will* so there 
 may be a performance also out of that 
 which ye have— should be, That as there is 
 the readiness to will, so there may be the com- 
 pletion also out of your possession. Meyer 
 supplies the copula, instead of the substantive 
 verb, in both parts of this sentence, making 
 the predicate the last phrase, so that it would 
 read, That as the readiness to will is accord- 
 ing to your possession, so the completion may 
 be according to the sam.e. It is a question as 
 to what Paul's main object seems to be — 
 whether it is to obtain a certain measure of be- 
 neficence from them, or the beneficence itself. 
 The latter is more probable; and the measure 
 comes in as an incidental matter, as in our 
 version. Out of that which you have.' — liter- 
 ally, Out of the (your) having. According to 
 Winer and others, this denotes the standard 
 of their giving — according to your possession. 
 (See Winer, 368.) 
 
 12. For if there be first a willing mind, 
 
 etc. — should be, For if the readiness is pres- 
 ent, it is acceptable, according as it hath, not 
 according as it hath not. On the substitution 
 of It hath for A man hath, see Crit. Notes. 
 There is a personification of the readiness, or 
 willingness, which is represented as having, 
 and not having. 
 
 13. For I mean not that other men be 
 eased, and ye burdened — should be, For 
 it is not that there may be ease for others, 
 and for you distress. Our version does not 
 preserve the construction of the Greek, in 
 which the clause beginning with that denotes 
 the purpose of the preceding. The words to 
 be supplied are simply it is, referring to the 
 contribution asked of them. 'Ease' — relief 
 from the troubles of poverty. This verse con- 
 firms, in connection with the following verse, 
 the statement of ver. 12, that men are asked 
 to give only of what they have, or according 
 to their means, by showing that the object for 
 which he asks them to give is not the relief of 
 others by the affliction of themselves, as would 
 be the case, if they gave beyond their means. 
 
 14. But by an equality, that now at this 
 time your abundance may be a supply 
 for their want, that their abundance also 
 may be a supply for your want— should 
 be, But according to equality. At the present 
 time your abundance is for their lack, in order 
 that also their abundance may come to be for 
 your lack. The Greek does not admit of sup- 
 plying 'that . . . may be' after 'equality ' ; 
 but only 'is,' as above. And probably the 
 phrase, 'but according to equality,' belongs 
 with the preceding verse, in order to avoid 
 the repetition of the same idea at the begin- 
 ning and end of this same sentence. Ver. 13 
 would read then For it — [i. e., the contribu- 
 tion asked of them) — is not that there may be 
 ease for others, and affliction for you; but (it 
 is) on the principle of equality. And this 
 verse would read as above, with That there 
 may come to be equality to close that. The 
 
Ch. VIII.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 195 
 
 15 As it is written, He that had gathered much had 
 nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no 
 lack. 
 
 16 But thanks he to God, which put the same earnest 
 care into the heart of Titus for you. 
 
 17 For indeed he accepted the exhortation ; but be- 
 ing more forward, of his own accord he went unto you. 
 
 18 And we have sent with him the brother, whose 
 praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches ; 
 
 19 And not that only, but who was also chosen of the 
 churches to travel with us with this grace, which is ad- 
 ministered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and 
 declaration o/your ready mind: 
 
 2U Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in 
 this abuudance which is administered by us: 
 
 15 as it is written, He that gathered much had nothing 
 over; and he that gathered little had no lack. 
 
 16 But thanks be to God, who puttetb the same 
 
 17 earnest care for you into the heart of Titus. For 
 indeed he accepted our exhortation ; but being him- 
 self very earnest, he went forth unto you of his own 
 
 18 accord. And we have sent together with him the 
 brother whose praise in the gospel it spread through 
 
 19 all the churches; and not only so, but who was al- 
 so appointed by the churches to travel with us in 
 the matter o/this grace, which is ministered by us to 
 the glory of the Lord, and to shew our readiness: 
 
 20 avoiding this, that any man should blame us in the 
 
 purpose stated, 'That also their abundance 
 may come to be for your lack,' supposes that 
 at some time the case might be reversed, the 
 church at Jerusalem becoming comparatively 
 prosperous, and vice versa, in which case the 
 present favor would be returned. 
 
 15. As it is written. The quotation is 
 from Ex. 16: 18.. The word 'gathered,' in 
 the two clauses, is from the context of the 
 passage in Exodus. The statement is taken 
 from the account of the gathering of manna 
 by the children of Israel, in which each man, 
 no matter what he gathered, was found to 
 have an omer, neither more nor less. The 
 apostle sees in it a parable of God's intent to 
 equalize things through the liberality of the 
 rich. 
 
 16. Bnt thanks be to God, which put, etc. 
 — should be, Who gives the same zeal for you 
 in the heart of Titus. The apostle probably 
 means the same zeal that he himself has, and 
 which he has shown in the earnestness of the 
 preceding exhortation. With this verse, he 
 passes over to the practical details about the 
 appointment of Titus to the work of collec- 
 tion. 
 
 17. For indeed he accepted the exhor- 
 tation — better, Because on the one hand he 
 accepted the exhortation, but on the other, 
 being more zealous, he came to you of his own 
 accord. The exhortation meant is to come to 
 them. 'More zealous' — viz., than the mere 
 acceptance of an exhortation would imply. 
 Of his own accord — not, of course, without 
 the exhortation named; but complying vol- 
 untarily with it, as according with his own 
 wish. 'He came.' This action was not past 
 at the time of writing; but would be when 
 the letter was read — the epistolary aorist. 
 
 18. And we have sent with him — should 
 be, We sent, etc. The brother. Who this 
 was is not known. Paul calls no name, ex- 
 
 cept that of Titus, in any mention made by 
 him of this collection for the church at Jeru- 
 salem. Whose praise is in the gospel 
 throughout, etc. — should be, Whose praise 
 in the gospel is throughout, etc. In the gos- 
 pel, denotes the sphere in which the brother 
 has praise, in the defence and proclamation of 
 the gospel. 
 
 19. Chosen of the churches, etc. — should 
 be, Chosen by the churches to be our traveling 
 companion in the matter of this charity min- 
 istered by us, for the glory of the Lord him- 
 self, and for our readiness. On the change 
 from 'with this grace' to 'in the matter of 
 this grace,' and from 'your ready mind' to 
 'our readiness,' see Crit. Notes. On the word 
 administered, see on 3: 3. The 'glory of 
 the Lord' and 'our readiness' are both gov- 
 erned by the same preposition; and the inser- 
 tion of the words 'declaration of in the Eng- 
 lish Version, and of 'to shew' in the Revised 
 Version, is therefore out of place. The two 
 cannot easilj 7 be connected with the ministra- 
 tion of the charity by the apostle, and are 
 therefore to be considered as denoting the pur- 
 pose of the appointment of his associate by 
 the churches. It conduced to the glory of the 
 Lord, and to his own readiness to undertake 
 the work. How this is brought about is indi- 
 cated in the next verse. 
 
 20. Avoiding this, that no man should 
 blame ns in this abundance which is ad- 
 ministered by us — better, Caring for this, 
 that no one may blame us in the matter of 
 this bounty ministered by us. The participle 
 with which the verse begins is to be connected 
 with the statement of the sending of the 
 brother, in ver. 18. 'We sent him,' Paul 
 says, 'by way of caring for this, that no one 
 blame us in this matter.' By having this 
 associate appointed, he avoided all possible 
 charges of dishonesty in the administration 
 
196 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. VIII. 
 
 21 Providing for honest things, not only in the sight 
 of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. 
 
 22 And we have sent with them our brother, whom 
 we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but 
 now much more diligent, upon the great confidence 
 which I have in you. 
 
 23 Whether any do inquire of Titus, he is my partner 
 and fellow helper concerning you: or our brethren be 
 inquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, 
 and the glorv of Christ. 
 
 24 Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the 
 churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting 
 on your behalf. 
 
 21 matter of this bounty which is 7iiinistered by us: for 
 we take thought for things honourable, not only in 
 the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. 
 
 22 And we have sent with them our brother, whom we 
 have many times proved earnest in many things, 
 but now much more earnest, by reason of the great 
 
 23 confidence which he hath in you. Whether any in- 
 quire about Titus, he is my partner and my fellow- 
 worker to you-ward ; or our brethren, they are the 
 1 messengers of the churches, they are the glory of 
 
 24 Christ. 2 Shew ye therefore unto them in the face 
 of the churches the proof of your love, and of our 
 glorying on your behalf. 
 
 1 Gr. apostles 'I Or, Shew ye there/ore in the face . . . on your behalf unto them. 
 
 of the trust. This precaution, and such mat- 
 ters of apology and self-defence as in chap. 
 12: 17, 18, are indications of a sad state of feel- 
 ing toward Paul, even in his own churches. 
 
 21. Providing for honest things — should 
 be, For we take thought for things honorable. 
 (See Crit. Notes.) ' Honest' was a good trans- 
 lation of the Greek word at the time of mak- 
 ing the Authorized Version ; but is too specific 
 now. The word means good, morally. Not 
 only in the sight of the Lord. If he only 
 was to be satisfied, this precaution would be 
 unnecessary; but the apostle knew that he 
 had also to guard against the suspicions of 
 men. To be right, as well as to appear right, 
 is necessary with God; to appear right, as well 
 as to be right, is sometimes necessary with 
 
 men. 
 
 22. And we have sent . . . we have 
 
 proved — should be, And we sent . . . we 
 proved. Diligent — should be, zealous, or 
 earnest. Upon the great confidence 
 which I have in you— should be, For, or on 
 account of his great confidence in you. This 
 brother is nameless, and unknown, like the 
 one in ver. 18. The revisers, by translating 
 'many times,' 'in many things,' instead of 
 oftentimes, etc., have preserved, as far as pos- 
 sible, the four repetitions of the same word in 
 this verse, in which it is so characteristic of 
 the apostle's style. 
 
 23. He is my partner and fellow-helper 
 concerning you — should be, He is my part- 
 ner, and toward you my helper. The latter 
 part of the predicate denotes what he is to 
 Paul, in the special matter of his relations to 
 the church. Or our brethren— those men- 
 tioned in verses 18 and 22 are meant. They 
 are the messengers of the churches. The 
 word 'messengers' is in the Greek the same 
 as the word for 'apostles' ; and its use here is 
 one of the instances of the unofficial use of the 
 .official titles of church officers in the New 
 
 Testament. The glory of Christ — men 
 
 whose work and life bring glory to Christ. 
 Paul makes a distinction here between Titus 
 and these brethren from the churches, putting 
 the work of Titus, in some sense, on a level 
 with his own. 
 
 24. Wherefore show ye to them, and 
 before the churches, the proof of your 
 love, and of our boasting on your behalf. 
 There is strong proof that the verb here is 
 participial in its form. And in this case, it is 
 probable that a verb is to be supplied from 
 the participle before the phrase, 'before the 
 churches,' the thought being that in showing 
 this proof to them, you show it before the 
 churches. It would read then, Showing 
 therefore the proof of your love, and of our 
 glorying in your behalf to them, you show it 
 before the churches. These men were the 
 messengers of the churches; and what the 
 Corinthians show to them, therefore, they 
 show before the churches. This is a motive, 
 then, for them to do the thing stated. The 
 love meant is their love for their brethren. 
 On Paul's boasting in their behalf, cf. 9: 2. 
 
 CRITICAL NOTES. — CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 4. That we would receive is found in only a 
 few unimportant MSS. and versions. 
 
 12. A man is found in C2L cop syrP°* etc. 
 It is omitted in NBC*DEFG, etc., it vulg 
 syrP txt , etc. 
 
 19. Your ready mind is the reading of only 
 F and a few other unimportant authorities. 
 Our is the correct reading. 
 
 21. Providing is the reading of KL, etc. ; 
 for we provide is found in KBDEFGP, etc., 
 it vulg syr utr , etc. 
 
 24. Shew ye is found in NCD bandc E**, etc., 
 f vulg syr ntr , cop, etc. Shelving is the reading 
 of BD*E* FG d e g, etc. The latter is inter- 
 nally much more probable. 
 
Ch. IX.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 197 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 FOR as touching tbe ministering to the saints, it is 
 superfluous lor mc to write to you: 
 
 2 For 1 know the forwardness of your mind, forwhich 
 I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Acliaia was 
 ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very 
 many. 
 
 3 Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of 
 you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye 
 may lie ready: 
 
 4 Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and 
 find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be 
 ashamed iu this same confident boasting. 
 
 1 For as touching the ministering to the saints, it 
 
 2 is superfluous for me to write to you: for I know 
 your readiness, of which I glorv on your behalf to 
 them of Macedonia, that Achaia hath been prepared 
 forayearpast; and ' your zeal hath stirred up * very 
 
 3 many of them. But I have sent the brethren, tha't 
 our glorying on your behalf may not be made void 
 in this respect; that, even as I said, ye may be pre- 
 
 4 pared: lest by any means, if there come with me 
 any of Macedonia, and find you unprepared, we 
 (that we say not, ye) should be put to shame in this 
 
 1 Or, emulation of you 2 Gr. the more part. 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 
 Continuation of Paul's exhortation about 
 the collection for the church at Jerusalem. 
 
 1, 2. Acknowledgment of the readiness of 
 the Corinthians. 3-5. Reason for sending 
 the brethren, that this confidence might not 
 be put to shame. 6. The reward of giving 
 proportioned to the generosity of the gift. 7. 
 The spirit in giving must be cheerful, not 
 grudging. 8-11. God will supply the means, 
 and multiply the fruits, of such giving. 12- 
 14. Thanksgiving to God from the receiverof 
 gifts is a fruit of giving, as well as the supply 
 of his wants. 15. Thanks to God for his gift 
 of grace, that has such fruits of good-will and 
 of gratitude among men. 
 
 Ch. 9 : 1. For as touching the minis- 
 tering to the saints — better, For concerning 
 the service to the saints. (See on 3: 3.) The 
 service meant is the contribution to the 
 church at Jerusalem, as before. It is super- 
 fluous. What Paul has said in the preced- 
 ing chapter has had reference to the reception 
 of the messengers, the measure of the gift re- 
 quired, and other details, rather than the duty 
 itself. Any reference to that has been rather 
 veiled. And now Paul gives as a reason for 
 dwelling on these things, rather than the ser- 
 vice itself, that the latter is superfluous. At 
 the same time, with his accustomed tact, he 
 introduces in this very way another indirect 
 exhortation to benevolence. 
 
 2. For I know the forwardness of your 
 mind — better, simply, Your readiness. This 
 readiness makes it superfluous to write to 
 them about it. For which I boast of you 
 to them of Macedonia — should be, Of which 
 I boast for you to the Macedonians. That 
 
 Achaia was ready a year ago— should be, 
 That Achaia, has been prepared since a year 
 ago. 'Achaia' is not simply the church at 
 Corinth, but the whole province of which this 
 church was the Christian centre. And your 
 zeal hath provoked very many— should be, 
 And your zeal stirred up the most (of them.) 
 It was an incitement to them to take up the 
 same matter. 
 
 3. Yet have I sent the brethren— should 
 be, But I sent the brethren. In spite of his 
 confidence that they are surely ready, he 
 sends the messengers to make it sure. Lest 
 our boasting of you should be in vain in 
 this behalf— should be, In order that our 
 boasting for you may not be made void in this 
 respect. Ye may be ready — better, You 
 may be prepared. It is a participle, instead 
 of an adjective, and denotes the act, as well 
 as the state of preparation. As I said — refers 
 to the statement in the preceding verse, that 
 'Achaia has been prepared since a year ago.' 
 
 4. Lest haply, if they of Macedonia 
 come with me— should be, Lest by any 
 means, if Macedonians come with me. We 
 (that we say not ye). Of course,there would 
 be room for both to be ashamed ; he, that he 
 had boasted without cause; and they that, in 
 a matter where they had started so promis- 
 ingly, they had been so backward and negli- 
 gent as to make his glorying vain. He men- 
 tions his own shame, as he says, not to speak 
 of theirs. Should be ashamed in this 
 same confident boasting — should he, May 
 be ashamed in this confidence. Paul himself, 
 it must be remembered, was intending to 
 come to them, partly on this very errand of 
 the collection for the church at Jerusalem; 
 and Titus, and the two brethren accompany- 
 ing him, were sent before to prepare the way. 
 (See 1 Cor. 1G: 1-9; ch. 13: 1-10.) 
 
198 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. IX. 
 
 5 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the 
 brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make 
 up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice be- 
 fore, that the same might be ready, as a mater of bounty, 
 and not as 0/ covetousness. 
 
 6 But this / say, He which soweth sparingly shall 
 reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully 
 shall reap also bountifully. 
 
 7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, 
 so let him give ; not grudgingly, or of necessity : for God 
 loveth a cheerful giver. 
 
 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward 
 you ; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, 
 may abound to every good work : 
 
 5 confidence. I thought it necessary therefore to in- 
 treat the brethren, that they would go before unto 
 you, and make up beforehand your afore-promised 
 1 bounty, that the same might be ready, as a matter 
 of bounty, and not of a extortion. 
 
 6 But this / say, He that soweth sparingly shall 
 reap also sparingly; and he that soweth •* bounti- 
 
 7 fully shall reap also 3 bountifully. Let each man do 
 according as he hath purposed in his heart; not 
 ^grudgingly, or of necessity : for God loveth a eheer- 
 
 8 ful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound 
 unto you ; that ye, having always all sufficiency in 
 
 1 Gr. bleating ... .i Or, covetousness . . . .3 Gr. with blessings 4 Gr. of sorrow. 
 
 5. Therefore I thought it necessary- 
 better, I thought it necessary therefore. The 
 brethren— viz., Titus and the two others 
 (Seech. 8: 16-18,22.) That they would go 
 before— that is, before Paul and his compan- 
 ions came. And make up beforehand 
 your bounty, whereof ye had notice be- 
 fore, that the same might be ready, as a 
 matter of bounty, and not as of covet- 
 ousness — should be, And make ready before- 
 hand your before-promised blessing, so that 
 this shall be ready in this manner, as a bless- 
 ing, not as covetousness. (See Crit. Notes.) 
 The apostle calls this gift a blessing; literally, 
 a benediction. At first the word denoted a 
 spoken, but here an acted, blessing. 'As a 
 blessing, not as covetousness.' This denotes, 
 by way of the difference in spirit between the 
 two, a liberal and a niggardly gift. The 
 former is given in a single desire to bless 
 others; the latter, with the covetous spirit 
 that seeks to keep as much as possible for 
 itself. 
 
 6. But this I say — should be, probably, 
 But in regard to this, viz., the giving as a 
 blessing, not as covetousness. It is doubtful 
 if it is admissible in Greek to supply 'I say,' 
 as in our version. (But see Winer, 596.) 
 He which soweth sparingly. The figure 
 represents a person's action in life as a sowing 
 and a reaping; the consequences of an act 
 are the fruit that a man reaps from it. And 
 according to the law of sowing and reaping, 
 if in any such matter as giving, working, or 
 the like, the action is sparse and saving, the 
 reaping will be the same. And he which 
 soweth bountifully, shall reapalso boun- 
 tifully — should be, And he that sows with 
 blessings, will reap also with blessings. By 
 'with blessings' is meant sowing and reaping, 
 so that blessings result. If a man acts in such 
 
 a way that blessings come to others, he will 
 reap such consequences as to bless himself. 
 (See Winer, 392,394.) 
 
 7. Every man, according as he purpos- 
 eth in his heart, so let him give; not 
 grudgingly, or of necessity — should be, 
 Let each man give as he has purposed in his 
 heart; not from grief, or from necessity. 
 (See Crit. Notes.) The 'grief is the state of 
 mind from which the gift comes. Paul does 
 not wish it to come from a "morose and un- 
 willing" mind, grieved to have to give. 
 'For God loveth a cheerful giver.' This say- 
 ing is found in the Septuagint version of 
 Prov. 22: 8, though it is not found in the 
 Hebrew text. It reads there, 'A cheerful 
 man and a giver God praises.' The apostle 
 puts this in, in order to guard against any un- 
 willing gift to which one might be compelled 
 by his urgent appeal. He would have them 
 feel that the mere outward act of giving is 
 not commendable, and does not win God's 
 love; but only that which comes from the 
 spontaneous and glad desire of the heart to 
 benefit others. The principle is the same as 
 in our Lord's directions about almsgiving in 
 Matt. 6: 2-4, that giving must be giving, in- 
 wardly and in its purpose, as well as in the 
 outward act. The outward act is beautiful, 
 and must not, therefore, be joined to an un- 
 lovely spirit; it is unselfish, and must not 
 have a selfish motive. 
 
 8. And God "s able to make all grace 
 abound toward you— should be, probably, 
 Every gift abound. So Meyer, Grimm. The 
 word is the very flexible word translated 
 grace in our version; but having also this 
 meaning of gift, as a manifestation of favor 
 from one person to another. The general 
 subject here, from ver. 8 to 11, is God's be- 
 stowal of the means to gratify benevolent 
 
Ch. IX.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 199 
 
 9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad ; he 
 hath given to the poor: his righteousness reinaiueth for 
 ever. 
 
 10 Now he that ruiuistereth seed to the sower both 
 minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed 
 sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness:) 
 
 11 Being enriched in every thing to all bnuntiful- 
 ness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to Uod. 
 
 9 everything, may abound unto every good work: as 
 it is written, 
 
 He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the 
 
 poor ; 
 His righteousness abideth forever. 
 10 And he that supplieth seed to the sower and bread 
 for food, shall supply and multiply your seed for 
 sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteous- 
 
 desires on such as have these desires ; and the 
 translation gift is in better accord with this 
 general subject. It means the gifts of out- 
 ward prosperity and abundance. That ye, 
 always having all sufficiency in all things 
 — should be, In order that, having always in 
 everything every independence. The word 
 translated 'sufficiency' means strictly self- 
 sufficiency, the state in which one has enough 
 himself to be independent of others — self- 
 supporting. Hence, it is used in 1 Tim. 6:6; 
 Phil. 4: 11, of contentment. There is a ques- 
 tion whether it is used here to denote outward 
 or inward independence; that which comes 
 from a steady or grateful spirit, or from suffi- 
 cient means. But here again the general sub- 
 ject decides for the latter. May abound. 
 Notice how the verse is bound together by 
 this repeated 'abound.' 'God is able to 
 make every gift abound . . . that you may 
 abound.' A similar characteristic of Paul's 
 style is found in the repetition of 'all' and 
 'every' in the verse. May abound to — 
 may have abundance for; may have an over- 
 flow of good things that shall result in good 
 works. 
 
 9. As it is written. The quotation is from 
 Ps. 112: 9. He hath dispersed abroad; 
 he hath given to the poor — should be, He 
 scattered, he gave to the poor. The scattering 
 is in contrast with the collection of things for 
 themselves that characterizes others. His 
 righteousness remaineth forever. This 
 saying in the original is in immediate paral- 
 lelism with "his horn shall be exalted with 
 honor," and indirectly with "the righteous 
 shall be held in everlasting remembrance" ; 
 and the thought is probably that his right- 
 eousness is a perpetual memorial of him, an 
 enduring monument. Paul may have quoted 
 it with the idea of the perpetuity of the right- 
 eousness itself. The quotation is evidently 
 intended to bring to mind the beautiful de- 
 scription in the Psalm of such righteousness as 
 Paul lias been commending. 
 
 10. Now he that ministereth seed to 
 the sower both minister bread for your 
 
 food, and multiply your food sown, and 
 increase the fruits of your righteousness 
 
 —should be, And he that supplieth seed to the 
 sower, and bread for food, will supply and 
 multiply your seed, and will increase the fruits 
 of your righteousness. The conjunction at 
 the beginning does not introduce a new sub- 
 ject, but continues the previous one. The 
 description of God as 'he that supplieth seed 
 to the sower, and bread for food,' is taken 
 from Isa: 55: 10; and this is a sufficient reason 
 for keeping together the two parts, instead of 
 separating them, as in our version. It is 
 interesting too that Isaiah uses this as an 
 analogy of deeper things in God. The sztp- 
 plying and multiplying your seed might be 
 taken literally, and the argument be that God 
 would do in their case what hedoes generally. 
 But the multiplication of the fruits of their 
 righteousness is evidently not agricultural, 
 and makes it probable that the former is not. 
 The general thought is that God supplies to 
 men the materials and the fruits of their work. 
 And the particular seed which they are sow- 
 ing is alms and blessings for the poor. God 
 will then, according to the general law, sup- 
 ply and multiply the means for this good 
 work. Following out this thought, the in- 
 crease of the fruits of their righteous7iess will 
 be the multiplication of human gladness, and 
 the lessening of human sorrow, that will 
 result from their work. 
 
 11. Being enriched in everything to 
 all bountifulness, which causeth through 
 us thanksgiving to God— should be, Ye 
 being enriched in everything unto every liber- 
 ality, which worketh through us thanksgiving 
 to God. There is a lack of grammatical con- 
 nection between this and the preceding verse, 
 which causes the insertion of 'ye' at the 
 beginning. This participial clause states the 
 way in which the preceding promise will be 
 carried out. They are to be every way en- 
 riched, with a view to their own liberality, 
 and to the production in others of thanksgiv- 
 ing to God; and we have here the seed, the 
 sowing, and the fruits. 
 
200 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. X. 
 
 12 For the administration of this service not only 
 supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also 
 by many thanksgivings unto God ; 
 
 13 While by the expeiiment of this ministration they 
 glorify God for your professed subjection unto the 
 gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto 
 them, and unto all men ; 
 
 14 And by their prayer for you, which long after you 
 for the exceeding grace of God in you. 
 
 15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. 
 
 11 ness: ye being enriched in everything unto all J lib- 
 erality, which worketh through us thanksgiving to 
 
 12 God. For the ministration of this service not only 
 tilleth up the measure of the wants of the saints, 
 but aboundeth also through many thanksgivings 
 
 13 unto God; seeing that through the proving of you 
 by this ministration they glorify (jod lor the obedi- 
 ence of your confession unto the gospel of Christ, 
 and for the l liberality of your contribution unto 
 
 1-1 them and unto all ; while they themselves also, with 
 supplication on your behalf, long after you by rea- 
 
 15 son of the exceeding grace of God in you. Thanks 
 be to God for his unspeakable gift. 
 
 1 Gr. singleness. 
 
 12. For the administration of this ser- 
 vice not only supplieth the wants of the 
 saints, but is abundant also by many 
 thanksgivings unto God — should be, Because 
 the service of this offering is not only filling 
 up the measure of the wants of the saints, but 
 also overflowing through many thanksgivings 
 to God. The word translated 'service,' bet- 
 ter, ' offering' is used to denote the service 
 of worship and sacrifice in the Old Testament ; 
 and probably here it denotes their almsgiving 
 on its religious side, as an offering to God. 
 The argument in the passage is the contrast 
 between 'filling up ' and 'overflowing.' Their 
 act has not only its proper effect in filling up 
 the necessities of the saints at Jerusalem, but 
 it overflows this original measure of its pur- 
 pose, by producing thanksgiving to God. The 
 verse is a justification of his introduction of 
 thanksgiving as a fruit of their giving, show- 
 ing that it produces, not only satisfaction, but 
 also thankfulness to God in those benefited by 
 the gift. 
 
 13. While by the experiment of this 
 ministration they glorify God for your 
 professed subjection unto the gospel of 
 Christ, and for your liberal distribution 
 unto them, and unto all men — should be, 
 Since they, through the proof of this service, 
 glorify God for your obedience to your profes- 
 sion in respect to the gospel of Christ, and for 
 the liberality of your contribution in respect to 
 us, and to all. The phrase, 'through the 
 proof of this service,' denotes the occasion of 
 their glorifying God — viz., the proof of the 
 Corinthians, and the approval of their faith, 
 by means of this service rendered to the saints 
 at Jerusalem. What follows is the ground of 
 their glorifying God, and it is looked at first 
 with respect to the gospel of Christ, in which 
 respect their praise is for the obedience of the 
 Corinthians to their confession; and second, 
 with respect to the saints at Jerusalem, and 
 
 everywhere, in which respect, it is for the 
 liberality of their contribution. So, in sub- 
 stance, Meyer, who unravels the singular con- 
 struction admirably. Their confession is of 
 Christ, and this confession sets up a standard 
 which they are to follow in their lives. It is 
 the subjective form of obedience to Christ. 
 The persons who are represented as glorifying 
 God, are the saints at Jerusalem, they being 
 those who are led by the gifts of the Cor- 
 inthians, and of others, to render thanks to 
 God. And by their prayer for you, which 
 long after you for the exceeding grace of 
 God in you — should be, And they themselves, 
 with prayer on your behalf, longing for you 
 on account of the exceeding grace of God upon 
 you. This is another phase of the thankful- 
 ness spoken of above. It leads the church at 
 Jerusalem to long to see men on whom God 
 has bestowed such grace. In these material 
 gifts that they receive, they are God's spiritual 
 gifts to the donors, and they long to see such 
 recipients and manifestors of God's grace to 
 the world. The phrase, 'with prayer on your 
 behalf,' denotes the accompaniment of this 
 longing. 
 
 15. Thanks be unto God for his un- 
 speakable gift. God's unspeakable gift is 
 his grace in Jesus Christ, a beautiful fruit of 
 which is this mutual love and good-will of 
 Christians, though of different nations and 
 far distant. 
 
 CRITICAL NOTES. — CHAPTER IX. 
 
 4. Confident boasting. Literally, confidence 
 of boasting, is the reading of X c D ° EKLP, 
 etc., syr utr , etc.; of boasting is omitted in N* 
 BCD-FG, etc., it vulg cop, etc. 
 
 5. Whereof ye had notice before, is the poor 
 rendering of a reading found in KL, etc. 
 Promised before, is found in N BCDEFGP it 
 vulg, etc. 
 
Ch. X.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 201 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 N 
 
 0\V I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and 
 gentleness of Christ, who iu presence am base 
 among you, but being absent am bold toward you: 
 
 1 Now I Paul myself intreat you by the meeVness 
 and gentleness of Christ, I who in your presence am 
 lowly among you, but being absent am of good 
 
 7. Purposeth is found in DEKL, etc. Has 
 ■purposed is found in X BCP it vulg, etc. 
 
 10. Minister . . . multiply . . . increase 
 is the reading of K c D c FGKL, etc. Will 
 minister, etc., is found in K* BCD* P it vulg 
 cop, etc. 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 
 General subject— Paul's defence against the 
 charge, brought against him by his Judaizing 
 opponents, thut he is a different man, present 
 and absent. 
 
 1, 2. He beseeches them not to force him to 
 be bold against them, present, as well as ab- 
 sent. 3-6. The weapons of his warfare not 
 fleshly, but spiritually strong to capture, or 
 to punish, disobedient thoughts. 7-11. Com- 
 mending them to their own principle of look- 
 ing at things before their eyes, he assures them 
 that any proofs of being an officer in Christ's 
 service that any body has, he has also ; that 
 if he should make a greater boast in this re- 
 spect than he has, God will vindicate it, so 
 that he may not seem to be a mere terror in 
 his absence ; and, finally, that he is the same 
 in deed present, that he is by letter absent. 
 12-14. The proof of these things to be found, 
 not in his own words of self-commendation, 
 but in his work, covering, without any stretch- 
 ing, aprovincereachingasfar as them. 15, 16. 
 He hopes that he shall grow, by this standard 
 of measurement, so as to outgrow them, and 
 preach beyond them, and not glory as some 
 others, in another man's work. 17, 18. Such 
 glorying is really glorying in God, whose com- 
 mendation, through the work which he gives 
 the man to do, is the only approval. 
 
 Ch. 10. In this chapter, Paul resumes, 
 more sharply and definitely, the subject of 
 his authority, and of the opposition to it in 
 Corinth, which he has touched in passing in 
 the early part of the letter. And here his 
 tone becomes sharp, and sometimes self-con- 
 scious, with an undertone of wonderful ten- 
 derness, that implies a sad state of things in 
 
 the church, toward which the apostle feels, 
 nevertheless, a peculiar attachment on ac- 
 count of its readiness to understand the gos- 
 pel of the grace of God. 
 
 1. Now I Paul myself. Every word here 
 is emphatic, in order to bring the person and 
 authority of the apostle into bold relief. He 
 is the founder of many widely separated 
 churches, the care of which presses on him; 
 and in the long periods of necessary absence 
 of this revolutionary and hated apostle, many 
 Judaizing false teachers came in to oppose 
 and undermine him. And now he wishes to 
 assert himself, at the very beginning, against 
 all such with his, 'Now I Paul myself.' By 
 the meekness and gentleness of Christ 
 — better, By the gentleness and mildness of 
 Christ. The first is the opposite of hardness 
 and severity, and the second is very nearly 
 Matthew Arnold's "sweet reasonableness," 
 in which he finds partly the secret of Christ's 
 method. Paul, who wishes to be like Christ, 
 makes this the motive of his appeal to the 
 Corinthians, to allow him to be gentle instead 
 of severe. Who in presence am base 
 among you — better, In your presence am 
 lowly. Our version gives the idea of lowli- 
 ness in personal appearance or bearing. It is 
 the opposite of being absent. But being 
 absent am bold toward you — better, Am 
 brave toward you. The idea is that he is 
 brave enough at a distance ; but before people 
 is humble and deferential. He takes up here 
 the charge that is made against him (see ver. 
 9, 10) of being contentious and hard, but lack- 
 ing the spirit to keep it up before others. He 
 quotes therefore, somewhat ironically, the 
 language of his opponents, praying them to 
 allow him to keep up this role, and play this 
 double part, and not force him to be consist- 
 ently bold against them. The beauty of this 
 closing part of the Epistle is its revelation of 
 the many-sided and very human personality 
 which Paul presents in all his letters, but 
 which is often obscured in the importance of 
 the ideas and truths of which he is to many 
 the mere channel. 
 
202 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. X. 
 
 2 But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I 
 aui present with that conlidence, 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 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but 
 mighty through God to the pulling down of strong 
 holds ;) . , , . 
 
 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing 
 
 2 courage toward you: yea, I beseech you, that I may 
 not when present shew courage with the confidence 
 wherewith I count to be bold against some, who 
 count of us as if we walked according to the flesh. 
 
 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war ac- 
 
 4 cording to the flesh (for the weapons of our warfare 
 are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the 
 
 5 casting down of strong holds) ; casting down x im- 
 
 1 Or, reasonings. 
 
 2. But I beseech you. This resumes his 
 subject after the ironical detour of ver. 1. 
 The revisers translate it, 'Yea, I beseech,' 
 which is better. Be bold. There are two 
 words in the verse translated by this. The 
 first means simply to be brave or courageous; 
 the second, to be aggressively bold in one's 
 bearing and conduct. With that confi- 
 dence wherewith I think to be bold— 
 should be, With the confidence with which I 
 count on being bold. I scarcely think that the 
 revisers 1 count to be is idiomatic English. 
 Which think of us as if we walked— 
 should be, Who count us as walking. Paul 
 here beseeches them that he may not be thus 
 bold, because it does not depend on his dis- 
 position, but on their conduct. According 
 to the flesh. 'The flesh' is in Paul's 
 thought the merely natural, human side of 
 man, without the influence of the Divine 
 Spirit, by which sin is expelled, and the 
 higher spiritual nature of man is developed. 
 The particular form of carnality here is the 
 two-faced and pretentious conduct with which 
 they charge him, one thing present, and an- 
 other absent, the boastful timidity that be- 
 longs to the world, and not to Christ. Notice 
 that here the apostle's chief difficulty is not 
 with the church, but with the misleaders of 
 the church, and with the church only as it is 
 weakly misled. 
 
 3. For though we walk in the flesh, Ave 
 do not war after the flesh — should be, We 
 do not war according to the flesh. This 
 phrase, 'according to the flesh,' wants to be 
 carried over in its exact form from the last 
 verse; because on the contrast between that 
 and 'in the flesh' depends the meaning of the 
 verse, and its connection with ver. 2. 'We 
 have the flesh,' Paul says, 'as an element in 
 which our life is passed; but not as the stand- 
 ard to which the warfare of our life is con- 
 formed.' It is a thoroughly New Testament 
 and Pauline thought, this, that both these 
 
 warring elements, the flesh and the spirit, the 
 new man and the old man, the lower nature 
 and the higher, the worldly and the un- 
 worldly spirit, enter into the Christian life; 
 and that the conformity of the life to the 
 higher element, as the large result of the 
 battle, with its changing fortunes, character- 
 izes the Christian. (See Rom. 13: 11-14; 1 
 Cor. 5: 6-8; Gal. 5: 16-26; Eph. 4: 22-24; 
 5: 8-14; Col. 3: 5-13.) He singles out here 
 that part of his life which is specially in ques- 
 tion, his apostolic warfare against the sin and 
 evil in the world. (See in regard to this, 1 
 Thess. 1: 5—2: 12; 2 Tim. 2: 3-13.) 
 
 4. (For the weapons of our warfare are 
 not carnal) — better, fleshly, in order to keep 
 up, as the Greek word does, the connection 
 with the word 'flesh' in the preceding. The 
 kind of weapons employed, he uses to prove 
 his statement about the method of his warfare. 
 Dropping the figure, the meaning is that he 
 does not use the means of accomplishing his 
 object that belong to the world, and to men of 
 the world ; such, for instance, as the craft and 
 hypocritical policy with which they charge 
 him. But mighty through God— should be, 
 Strong before God — i. e., in his sijjht. (See 
 WineJ*, 212.) These weapons of righteous- 
 ness are not those that seem strong to men ; 
 but have what cunts for strength before God. 
 This is contrasted with the weakness for spir- 
 itual purposes of fleshly weapons. It is a case 
 of adaptation of means to ends, of the refusal 
 to employ unspiritual methods in spiritual 
 work, and of the calm reliance on the strength 
 of spiritual weapons, of the truth, of right- 
 eousness, of faith, of the word of God, to do 
 God's work. (See Eph. 6: 13-18.) To the 
 pulling down of strongholds— better, Cast- 
 ing down, as in ver. 5, where the same word 
 is used. 'Strongholds' — entrenchments and 
 fortifications of opinion, in which men 
 strengthen themselves against the gospel. 
 
 5. Casting down imaginations— should 
 
Ch. X.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 203 
 
 that exaltetb itself against the knowledge of God, and 
 bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience 
 of Christ ; 
 
 6 And having in a readiness to revenge all dis- 
 obedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. 
 
 7 Do ye Iook on things after the outward appear- 
 ance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, 
 
 • let him of himself think this again, that, as he is 
 Christ's, even so are we Christ's. 
 
 aginations, and every high thing that is exalted 
 against the knowledge of God, and bringing every 
 thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ; 
 
 6 and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, 
 
 7 when your obedience shall be fulfilled, i Ye look at 
 the things that are before your face. If any man 
 trusteth in himself that he is Christ's, let him con- 
 sider this again with himself, that, even as he is 
 
 1 Or, Do ye look 
 
 . face. 
 
 be, Reasonings, a very different matter. (See 
 Rom. 2: 15; Mark 11: 31; Rom. 2: 3; 1 Cor. 
 13: 11, where the translation thought or reason 
 properly conveys the meaning.) And every 
 high thing that exalteth itself— should be, 
 Every high thing erected against. Paul carries 
 out here the figure of a fortification, and 
 means by a 'high thing' anything like a wall 
 or tower, which by its height gives an advan- 
 tage in battle. The knowledge of God is 
 the truth against which these defences are 
 erected. The gospel of Christ is a revelation 
 of God, of what he essentially is, and not of 
 what he exceptionally does; and its result in 
 man is frequently said to be a knowledge of 
 God. (See John 17: 3; Acts 17: 23 seq.; 1 
 Cor. 1: 24; 2: 10 seq.; Col. 1: 9-23; Heb. 1: 
 1 seq., etc.) And bringing into captivity 
 every thought to the obedience of Christ, 
 should, be probably, Leading captive every 
 thought into obedience to Christ. The hostile 
 thoughts of men are to be captured and 
 brought into the state, or realm, of obedience 
 to Christ. This 'obedience to Christ' is an- 
 other representation of the idea and purpose 
 of the gospel. See John 14: 15, 21, 23, 24; 15: 
 10; 17: 6, 17, for Christ's own final, solemn 
 words about obedience as the fruit and test 
 of belonging to him. The participles in this 
 verse do not agree with the word 'weapons' 
 in the preceding verse; but at the same time, 
 the close connection between this and verse 
 4, the thought in this verse being a continu- 
 ation of the last clause in verte 4, forbids the 
 supposition that the latter is a parenthesis, 
 and that these participles agree with the sub- 
 ject of the verb in verse 3. It is a case of 
 anacoluthon probably, or lack of connected 
 structure, and the marks of parenthesis should 
 be omitted, and this verse translated, Since we 
 east down . . . and lead captive . . . 
 
 6. And having in a readiness to re- 
 venge all disobedience, when your obe- 
 dience is fulfilled — should be, And are in 
 readiness to avenge every disobedience, when- 
 
 ever your obedience is completed. There are 
 two sides to his employment of the spiritual 
 weapons of righteousness— the destruction of 
 opposing forces, resulting in the capture for 
 Christ of the hostile thoughts of men, and 
 the punishment of those who continued hos- 
 tile. Paul saw in the church as a whole an 
 incomplete obedience, thoughts not yet con- 
 quered for Christ, and in the Judaizing dis- 
 turbers a complete disobedience, an uncon- 
 querable hostility to the true gospel. But he 
 reserved his punishment of the latter class 
 until the lines were clearly drawn, and he 
 could count men clearly on his side, or on 
 the side of his opposers. Another key to 
 what his enemies called his timid and tem- 
 porizing policy. Notice that it is by spirit- 
 ual weapons that he proposes to effect both 
 capture and punishment. 
 
 7. Do ye look on things after the out- 
 ward appearance? — should be, probably, Do 
 you look at the things that are before your 
 face? Other interpretations are, You look 
 etc.; and Look etc., making it imperative. 
 The former makes it a charge against them, 
 that they do not look deeply into things. The 
 latter makes it an injunction to open their 
 eyes to patent facts. Our explanation is that 
 Paul asks them if they do this, supposing that 
 it is what the Judaizers have directed them 
 to do, to look at the facts lying right before 
 them of Paul's timid and inconsistent policy, 
 and judge if such a man can be a true apostle; 
 and that Paul anticipating their answer turns 
 their attention to other facts before their face. 
 The translation after, 'to the outward appear- 
 ance,' is contrary to usage. If any man trust 
 to himself — better, Has confidence in himself. 
 He is Christ's. It is not an ordinary be- 
 longing to Christ that is meant, for that is not 
 in question; but the official connection with 
 him of one commissioned to do apostolic and 
 representative work. Let him of himself 
 think this again — better, Let him consider 
 this again with himself. (See Crit. Notes.) 
 
204 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. X. 
 
 8 For though I should hoast somewhat more of our 
 authority, which the Lord hath given us for edifica- 
 tion, and not for your destruction, I should not be 
 
 9 That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by 
 letters. 
 
 10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and power- 
 ful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech 
 contemptible. 
 
 11 Let such a 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 
 
 8 Christ's, so also are we. For though I should glory 
 somewhat abundantly concerning our authority 
 (which the Lord gave for building you up, and not 
 for casting you down), I shall not be put to shame: 
 
 9 that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my 
 
 10 letters. For, His letters, they say, are weighty and 
 strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his 
 
 11 speech of no account. Let such a one reckon this, 
 that, what we are in word by letters when we are 
 absent, such are we also in deed when we are present. 
 
 12 For we are not bold l to number or compare our- 
 
 1 Gr. to judge ourselves among, or to judge ourselves with. 
 
 The words 'again with himself are an inter- 
 esting allusion to the words has confidence in 
 himself. As if the apostle had said: He has 
 carried the matter to judgment before him- 
 self, he has looked at himself, and said, lam 
 Christ's, I am an apostolic man : now let him 
 weigh this also in the silence of his own mind, 
 that I have like proofs of apostolicity with 
 himself. The apostle introduces here the 
 question about which they are to look at his 
 patent facts. The word ' Christ's ' at the end 
 of the verse, is to be omitted. (See Crit. 
 Notes.) 
 
 8. This verse should be translated, prob- 
 ably, For if I make some greater boast con- 
 cerning our authority, which the Lord gave 
 for building you up, and not for casting you 
 down, I shall not be put to shame. On the 
 substitution of ' if for 'though,' the omission 
 of 'us' in the relative clause, see Crit. Notes. 
 The comparison is with the boast made in 
 verses 3-6. The description given of this 
 authority is probably suggested by the word 
 'casting down' in the previous account of it, 
 (ver. *,5), and is meant to assure them that this 
 casting down is not of them, but of their hos- 
 tile thoughts, and that they are to be built up 
 by it. I shall not be ashamed. The result 
 will justify a greater boast even than what I 
 have made. This confidence that any asser- 
 tion of apostolic authority made by him will 
 be justified by the event, he uses as proof that 
 he is Christ's man in this official sense. 
 
 9. That I may not seem as if I would 
 terrify you by letters — should be, Seem, as 
 it were, to terrify you by my letters. So 
 Meyer and Grimm. The 'as it were' softens 
 the harshness of the expression. This is the 
 purpose served by the vindication of his au- 
 thority prophesied in the preceding 'I shall 
 not be put to shame.' If he proves to be a 
 man with divine authority to subject men to 
 
 Christ, and to punish disobedience, he will no 
 longer seem to be a mere terror at a distance, 
 putting courage into his letters that he loses 
 at close quarters. It is the divine purpose in 
 procuring this vindication. 
 
 10. This verse introduces the charge to 
 which his last words refer. His bodily 
 presence. By this they mean his actual 
 presence, himself when present in body, and 
 not simply represented in his absence by 
 letters. It is not his port or figure, his per- 
 sonal appearance, which the word 'presence' 
 does not mean in Greek. And his speech 
 contemptible — i. e., what he says, not his 
 manner of saying it. The word translated 
 'contemptible' is a participle, and means 
 despised, actually considered of no account 
 by men. 
 
 11. Let such a one think this, that 
 such as we are in word by letters when 
 Ave are absent, such will we be in deed 
 when we are present — better, Let such a 
 one consider this, that as we are in word by 
 means of letters being absent, such also in 
 deed being present. The word for 'consider' 
 is the same as that rendered 'count' in ver. 2. 
 The idea of the word, from which come its 
 various meanings, is that of calculation. The 
 verb in the principal clause is left to be sup- 
 plied from the preceding subordinate clause; 
 and its omission in English preserves better 
 the flavor of the original. But the tense 
 should be present, as in the verb from which 
 it is taken. It is a statement of what he is, 
 not a threat of what he will be. Paul is, as 
 he tells us frequently, a Jew, or a Greek, 
 under law. or without law, strong or weak, 
 all things to all men ; but not because of in- 
 consistency, or changeableness in himself, but 
 because of a wise and skillful adaptability, in 
 which there is strength instead of weakness. 
 
 12. For we dare not make ourselves of 
 
Ch. X.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 205 
 
 compare ourselves with some that commend them- 
 selves: but they, measuring themselves by themselves, 
 and comparing themselves among themselves, are not 
 wise. 
 
 13 But we will not boast of things without our meas- 
 ure, but according to the measure of the rule which 
 God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even 
 unto you. 
 
 14 For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, 
 as though we reached not unto you ; for we are come 
 as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ: 
 
 selves with certain of them that commend them- 
 selves: but they themselves, measuring themselves 
 by themselves, and comparing themselves with theni- 
 
 13 selves, are without understanding. But we will not 
 glory beyond our measure, but according to the 
 measure of the 'province which God apportioned to 
 
 14 us as a measure, to reach even unto vmi. For we 
 stretch not ourselves overmuch, as though we reached 
 not unto you : for we 2 came even as far as unto you 
 
 1 Or, limit. Gr. measuring-rod... .1 Or, were the first to come. 
 
 the number, or compare ourselves with 
 some that commend themselves — should 
 be, For we do not venture to place ourselves 
 among, or by the side of, certain of them that 
 commend themselves. He implies that there 
 is a venturesomeness in self-praise that he has 
 not the hardihood to undertake. There is a 
 play on words in the two infinitives that is diffi- 
 cult to render into English ; the above is only 
 an attempt. He does not say 'certain that,' 
 but 'certain of them that.' They belong to 
 the class of self-commenders. This statement 
 is intended to confirm the preceding one — 
 that he is the same in word and deed. He is 
 not a man to praise himself, he lets his deeds 
 speak for him ; and that ought to show them 
 that he will not be boastful and self-asserting 
 in his letters, and then timid in action. But 
 they, etc. — should be, But they, measuring 
 themselves by themselves, and comparing them- 
 selves with themselves, are not wise. This is 
 characteristic of self-commendation ; at least, 
 of the self-commendation of these opponents 
 of the apostle. It is not comparing themselves 
 among themselves, but with themselves ; or 
 for one man, comparing himself with himself. 
 The process is indirect, but simple, and not 
 uncommon. The man sets up his own vir- 
 tues as a standard of excellence, and makes 
 this a test of himself and others, so that the 
 wise man praises wisdom ; the monk, asceti- 
 cism ; and so on. 'Are not wise.' Because 
 the standard must be objective, if a man 
 would have a true estimate of himself. 
 
 13. But we will not boast of things 
 without our measure — should be, Boast 
 without measure. There is no limit or re- 
 straint to the self-commendation that meas- 
 ures itself by itself. The subjective standard 
 is vague and elastic, and the man who adopts 
 it boasts without measure really. The 'we' 
 is emphatic, contrasting Paul with the self- 
 commending Judaizers of the preceding verse. 
 But according to the measure of the 
 
 rule which God hath distributed to us, a 
 measure to reach even unto you— should 
 be, Which God apportioned to us as a measure 
 to reach even unto you. Paul's measure of 
 himself is the work that God has permitted 
 him to do, the ground covered in that work. 
 This he thinks of as a measuring-line, or rod, 
 giving the boundary-line of his province, and 
 hence defining the limits of his glorying. The 
 measure of his boasting is the length of the 
 line which measures his work; and that 
 stretches from Jerusalem to Corinth. ' Prov- 
 ince,' by which the revisers translate the 
 word for ' rule,' is an unnecessary stretching 
 of its meaning. 
 
 14. For we stretch not ourselves be- 
 yond our measure, as though Ave reached 
 not unto you. That is, our proper measure 
 brings us unto you in our work, and so we do 
 not need to stretch ourselves beyond that to 
 come to you. The measure is evidently the 
 ground actually covered by Paul in his work. 
 Merely to travel over the ground in coming 
 to them, does not bring him properly to them, 
 nor make him reach to them ; it is necessary 
 to preach, and labor, and found churches, 
 over all this intervening space, to make him 
 reach them in any such sense that it will be a 
 measure of his work, and hence of his glory- 
 ing. (See verses 15, 16.) There is evidently 
 here an allusion to the enemies of the apostle, 
 whose presence in Corinth involved a stretch- 
 ing of themselves beyond their limit. For 
 we are come as far as to you also in 
 preaching the gospel of Christ — should 
 be, For we came through even to you in the 
 gospel of Christ. This confirms the preceding 
 statement that he does not need to stretch him- 
 self to reach tothem. He has actually reached 
 them without that skipping of any intervening 
 place, or imperfect working of it, that would 
 constitute stretching himself out. 'In the 
 gospel of Christ,' denotes the sphere in which 
 his work is, and in which he reaches them. 
 
206 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. X. 
 
 15 Not boasting of things without our measure, that 
 is, of other men's labours: but having hope, when your 
 faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you 
 according to our rule abundantly, 
 
 16 To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, 
 and not to boast in another man's liii,- of things made 
 ready to our hand. 
 
 17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 
 
 18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, 
 but whom the Lord commendeth. 
 
 15 in the gospel of Christ: not glorying beyond our 
 measure, that is, in other men's labours; but having 
 hope that, as your faith groweth, we shall be mag- 
 nified in you according to our i province unto 
 
 16 further abundance, so as to preach the gospel even 
 unto the parts beyond you, and not to glory in 
 
 17 another's province in regard of things ready to our 
 hand. But he that glorieth, let him glory in the 
 
 18 Lord. For not he that commendeth himself is ap- 
 proved, but whom the Lord commendeth. 
 
 1 Or, limit. Gr. 
 
 ng-rod. 
 
 15. Not boasting of things without our 
 measure in other men's labors — should 
 be, Not boasting without measure in other 
 •men's labors. The unlimited and unregu- 
 lated boasting of the disturbers of the church 
 had this for one of its marks, that it was re- 
 gardless of boundary lines and property, and 
 boasted of work really belonging to others. 
 Corinth, for instance, was in the sphere of the 
 apostle's labors; but they came there, and 
 alienated his converts, and boasted of them 
 as if they had been converts from heathenism. 
 But the apostle would do no work that was 
 not strictly pioneer and missionary work, and 
 so ran no risk of boasting of other men's 
 labors. But having hope, when your 
 faith is increased, that we shall be en- 
 larged by you according to our rule 
 abundantly — should be, But having hope, 
 your faith being increased, to be enlarged in 
 you according to our rule unto excess. It is 
 difficult to translate; but the meaning can be 
 explained. Paul has spoken of measuring 
 himself by his work, by the amount of terri- 
 tory actually covered, not skimmed over, by 
 him in that work. Keeping up this figure of 
 measurement, he speaks here of 'having hope 
 to be enlarged' — that is, to have the greatness 
 of his stature increased by the extension of his 
 work. But since they form the present limit 
 of his work, it must be in them that this 
 growth takes place. It must be done by their 
 'faith being increased,' which, when it 
 reaches a certain stage, will allow him to 
 leave them. His greatness will grow with 
 their faith, until it reaches the point of 'ex- 
 cess,' when, having outgrown them, he can 
 pass on to another stage marked by the work 
 done with another people. This is becoming 
 great 'according to his rule' — that is, accord- 
 ing to the standard of measurement given 
 him by God in the amount of territory actu- 
 ally included within the boundary lines of 
 his work. Or, to drop the figure, Paul wishes 
 to finish his work among the Corinthians, so 
 
 as to be able to go on and include further ter- 
 ritory in his work, which shall add to his true 
 apostolic greatness. 
 
 16. To preach the gospel in the regions 
 beyond you, and not to boast in another 
 man's line of things made ready to our 
 hand — should be, So as to preach the gospel 
 in the parts beyond you, not to boast over 
 things prepared for us within another 1 s line, 
 or boundary line. This will be the result of 
 his growing in them through the growth of 
 their faith unto overgrowth — that he can 
 preach the gospel beyond them. Opposed to 
 this is such boasting as his opponents practice 
 over labor accomplished for them in another 
 man's field. 
 
 17. But he that glorieth, let him glory 
 in the Lord. This is opposed to the false 
 glorying of the preceding verse. Glorying 
 that is justified by work done will acknowl- 
 edge that the work is due to the grace of God, 
 and will be a glorying in God therefore. But 
 glorying in another man's work, as if it were 
 your own, will fail to acknowledge its obliga- 
 tion to God as well as to man. This is a quo- 
 tation, or an adaptation, from Jer. 9 : 24. In- 
 stead of 'in the Lord,' it reads 'In this, that 
 he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am 
 the Lord which exercise loving kindness, 1 etc. 
 Paul means by the Lord here probably God, 
 as in the original. (See 1 Cor. 1 : 31.) After 
 all Paul's glorying, we find that, through his 
 reference of everything to God, his glorying 
 is in God, not in himself. 
 
 18. For not he that commendeth him- 
 self is approved — should be, That one is ap- 
 proved — a reduplication of the subject for the 
 sake of emphasis. Self-commendation is by 
 words. God commends a man by the deeds 
 that he does through him. (See 3: 1 seq.) 
 There are other things, to be sure, that God 
 does for a man to show his approval. But in 
 the context, it is rather the man's own deeds, 
 regarded as coming from God, that constitute 
 the divine approval. 
 
Ch. XI.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 207 
 
 CHAPTEK XI. 
 
 WOULD to God ye could bear with me a little in my 
 folly: and indeed bear with me. 
 
 2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy ; for 
 I have espoused you to one* husband, that I may present. 
 you ax a chaste virgin to Christ. 
 
 3 But I fear, lest by anv means, as the serpent be- 
 guiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should 
 be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 
 
 1 Would that ye could bear with me in a little fool- 
 
 2 ishness: i nay indeed bear with me. For I am 
 jealous over you with a * godly jealousy: fori es- 
 poused you to one husband, that I might present 
 
 3 you an a pure virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by 
 any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his crafti- 
 ness, your 3 minds should be corrupted from t he 
 simplicity and the purity that is toward Christ 
 
 1 Or, but indeed ye do hear with me 2 Gr. a jealousy of God 'A Or, thoughts. 
 
 CRITICAL NOTES.— CHAPTER X. 
 
 7. Of himself is the reading of CDEFGKP, 
 etc. ; with himself is found in NBL it vulg, 
 etc. Christ's, at the end of the verse, is found 
 in D C EKL cop, etc. It is omitted in NBCD* 
 FGP, etc., it vulg syr utr , etc. 
 
 8. Though is the reading of K c D c E*»L 
 8vr scb and pmg. if j s the reading of R*BCD*E* 
 FGP it vulg cop, syrP txt , etc. Us is found in 
 D C EFGKL, also P f two MSS. vulg, etc. It 
 is omitted in K*BCD* d e three MSS. vulg, 
 etc. 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 
 General Subject. — Paul's defence of him- 
 self against the Judaizing false teachers. 
 
 1. Paul's entreaty that they will bear a 
 little boasting from him. 2-4. His reason 
 for this is his zeal for Christ, and his anxiety 
 lest, through the misrepresentations of his 
 opponents, the Corinthians should be alien- 
 ated, not from him, but from Christ, whom he 
 represented. 5,6. Beginning of a compar- 
 ison between himself and these pretended 
 apostles. 7-12. Special defence against the 
 misrepresentations of his course in preaching 
 the gospel to them without charge. 13-15. 
 "Reason for their misrepresentation of Paul, 
 that they themselves are false apostles. 16-33. 
 Continuation of the apostle's comparison of 
 himself with the false teachers, with special 
 emphasis on the fact that it is what they call 
 weakness of which he boasts. 
 
 Ch. 11 : 1. Would to God ye could bear 
 with me a little in my folly— should be, 
 Would you could bear from me some little 
 foolishness. (See Crit. Notes.) The 'fool- 
 ishness' meant, is that of glorying over his 
 apostolic work. (See ver. 16-19, 21 seq.; 12: 
 1, 5, 6, 11.) He is forced thus to speak by 
 word, as well as deed, in commendation of 
 
 himself, in order to bring to their minds his 
 spiritual quality and authority, of which his 
 detractors had made them forgetful; yet he 
 feels the folly of it. The apostle several times 
 boasts in this way under protest, as much as 
 to say, If boasting is in order, v:hy I have 
 copious material for it. (See Phil. 3: 4 seq.) 
 And indeed bear with me — better, Nay, 
 indeed. ■ He turns from a wish that they 
 might, to a request that they will, bear with 
 him. 
 
 2. For I am jealous over you with 
 godly jealously— should be, With the jeal- 
 ousy of God, instead of his own. The church 
 over which he was jealous, was in danger of 
 defection from God, not from himself; and 
 hence his jealousy was a sharing of the divine 
 jealousy; not a personal feeling. For I have 
 espoused you to one husband, that I 
 may present you as a chaste virgin to 
 Christ — should be, For I betrothed you to one 
 husband, to present a chaste virgin to Christ. 
 Paul thinks of himself as the person who ar- 
 ranges a marriage for another. He has acted 
 as the friend of Christ, in securing the Cor- 
 inthian Church to be his bride. And hence 
 his jealousy lest the bride that he has be- 
 trothed to Christ should be unfaithful. His 
 honor is concerned. There is an emphasis on 
 the one husband, and on the pure virgin. He 
 has arranged for an exclusive tie between 
 them and Christ, not to be shared by another 
 than Christ; and his object is to present the 
 church to him pure, not led off by false friends 
 to another love. It is to be noticed that the 
 jealousy in this verse is ascribed to God, and 
 the husband is Christ. This is owing to the 
 fact that in the New Testament Christ repre- 
 sents God in his relations to the church. 
 
 3. Through subtilty— better. In bis craft;. 
 ness. So your minds should be corrupted 
 from the simplicity that is in Christ — 
 should be, Your thoughts may be corrupted 
 from their singleness and purity toward 
 
208 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XI. 
 
 4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, 
 whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another 
 spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, 
 which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with 
 him. 
 
 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 knowl- 
 edge; but we have been thoroughly made mauifest 
 among you in all things. 
 
 4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, 
 whom we did not preach, or if ye receive a different 
 spirit, which ye did not receive, or a different gospel, 
 which ye did not accept, ye do well to bear with 
 
 5 him. For I reckon that 1 am not a whit behind 
 
 6 \ the very chiefest apostles. But though / be rude 
 in speech, yet am I not in knowledge ; nay, in every 
 thing we have made it manifest among all men to 
 
 1 Or, those pre-eminent apostles. 
 
 Christ. On the omission of 'so,' and the 
 insertion of 'and purity,' see Crit. Notes. 
 The allusion in the first part of the verse is, 
 of course, to the account of the temptation in 
 Gen. 3. The thing that the apostle would 
 guard with jealous care, is the singleness and 
 purity of their thoughts toward Christ; and 
 he sees in the Judaizing teachers as dangerous 
 an enemy of this loyalty as the serpent was 
 in Eden. If they had only drawn the church 
 away from himself, it would have saddened, 
 but not dismayed, him. But these men en- 
 danger the relations between Christ and his 
 church. See 1 Cor. 3: 4-10; Phil. 1: 15-18; 
 and Gal. 1: 6-9, for Paul's different estimate 
 of these two things. 
 
 4. Have not preached . . . have not 
 received . . . have not accepted — should 
 be, Did not preach . . . did not receive . . . 
 did not accept. Another spirit, and another 
 gospel — should be, A different spirit, and a 
 different gospel, denoting a difference of qual- 
 ity, and not simply a numerical difference. 
 There is a difference also between the words 
 translated 'receive' and 'accept.' You re- 
 ceive an unexpected blow on the cheek; you 
 accept it, when you turn the other also. Ye 
 might well bear with him — better, Bravely 
 would you bear with him. The commendation 
 is ironical, as is shown by the nature of the 
 thing commended (see Gal 1 : 8, 9) ; and also 
 by the argument in ver. 5, which is evidently 
 in favor of the ironical sense of this verse. 
 There is a change in the form of the condi- 
 tional sentence, the condition being expressed 
 in such a way as to assume its truth, but the 
 conclusion so as to imply an unfulfilled condi- 
 tion. The description, therefore, wavers be- 
 tween two conceptions of the situation. The 
 first shows the Corinthian Church actually 
 hearing the preaching of a different gospel, 
 and of another Christ; the second remembers 
 that there is no such thing in reality as 
 another Christ; and so represents such a 
 
 hearing as merety a supposition contrary to 
 fact. In any case, what is suggested is the 
 danger of the situation which approaches or 
 resembles this ; and so the verse confirms the 
 fear expressed in ver. 3. 
 
 5. For I suppose I was not a whit be- 
 hind the very chiefest apostles — should 
 be, For I reckon that I am in nothing behind 
 the super excellent apostles. This confirms the 
 negative implied in the preceding irony. 'In 
 nothing I am behind,' etc. It is as though he 
 said : And so you cannot be doing so very well 
 in accepting their version of the gospel instead 
 of mine. There is a rhetorical implication in 
 this also that he is not only not behind them, 
 but even superior to them ; so that such accept- 
 ance is anything but well done. The words 
 translated in our version, 'the very chiefest 
 apostles,' are by many supposed to refer to 
 the Twelve. But it is beside Paul's purpose, 
 and breaks up the continuity of his argument, 
 to compare himself with them. And the ex- 
 pression itself is exaggerated, so as to convey 
 an impression of irony rather than serious- 
 ness; so that there is a great probabilitj' that 
 it refers in a severely ironical way to the Ju- 
 daizing opponents of the apostle, the 'false 
 apostles transforming themselves into apostles 
 of Christ,' of verse 13. 
 
 6. But though I be rude in speech, yet 
 not in knowledge— better, Even if I am a 
 layman in my speech, yet not in my knowl- 
 edge. 'Rude' does not preserve exactly the 
 flavor and history of the Greek word. It 
 means originally a private person; for in- 
 stance, a citizen as opposed to a ruler, a sol- 
 dier instead of an officer; and then an unpro- 
 fessional person, a layman, or one unskilled 
 in any art or occupation. To the Jews, it 
 would be an unlearned man, as opposed to a 
 Rabbi. Paul uses it in 1 Cor. 14 : 16-23, 24, 
 of a person who does not have some one of the 
 charismata, or gifts of the Spirit, and hence 
 does not occupy the corresponding position in 
 
Ch. XL] 
 
 II. CORINTHIAN- 1 . 
 
 209 
 
 7 Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that 
 ye might he exalted, because I have preached to you 
 the gospel of (iod freely? 
 
 8 i 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 do man: for that which was lacking 
 to me the brethren which came from Macedonia sup- 
 plied: ami in all things 1 have kept myself from being 
 burdensome unto you, and so will 1 keep myself. 
 
 10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop 
 me of this boasting in the regions of Aehaia. 
 
 7 you-ward. Or did I commit a sin in abasing mv- 
 selftbal ye might be exalted, because I preached to 
 
 8 you the gospel of God for nought? I robbed other 
 churches, taking wages of thorn that 1 might min- 
 
 9 ister unto yen; and when I was present with you 
 and was in want, I was not a burden on an] man • 
 for the brethren, when they came from Macedonia! 
 supplied the measure of my want; and in every 
 thing I kept myself from bring burdensome unto 
 
 10 y..u, and »owill 1 keepmyseff. As the truth of Christ 
 is in me, no man shall stop me of this glorying in 
 
 the church. Here, evidently, he is speaking j preaching, that his enemies manufactured into 
 of the apostolic gifts and office; and he says j a charge against him, was that it seemed to 
 that he may not bear the marks of that about j make the Corinthian Church inferior to those 
 him in his speech; he may be unskilled or j that contributed to the apostle's support, and 
 unprofessional in that, but not in his knowl- therefore to show a lack of love for them, 
 edge. He has apostolic knowledge, if not ! (See 12: 13; ver. 11.) The word translated 
 such skill in expression as should characterize ; 'preached' is from the same root as the word 
 an apostle. The first part of the statement is I 'gospel.' 'The gospel of God' is the glad 
 concessive; but it is concession for the sake of I tidings of which he is the author- that he 
 the argument. Paul defends elsewhere his ' sent through Christ into the world, 
 divesting of his preaching of a-11 the manners | 8. I robbed other churches. 
 
 and mixtures of the schools, which is prob- 
 ably the charge against him. He was a 
 "plain man, who talked right on." (See 1 
 Cor. 1: 17 seq. ; 2: 1 seq., etc.) But Ave 
 have been thoroughly made manifest 
 among you in all things — should be, But 
 in everything having made it manifest among 
 all in respect to you. (See Crit. Notes.) This 
 participial clause belongs with the predicate 
 of the preceding clause. The thing that he 
 represents himself as having 'made manifest' 
 is his knowledge. It is not to them that he 
 speaks of manifesting it, but 'among all in 
 respect to' them. They are his "epistles, 
 known and read of all men" ; and by their 
 knowledge of the truth, he shows among all 
 men his knowledge as their teacher. (See 1 
 Cor. 1: 5, 6.) On the importance of this 
 knowledge among all the other gifts, except 
 the faith, hope, and love, which belong to 
 character, see Eph. 3:4; Gal. 1: 12, 16. 
 
 7. Have I committed an offence — should 
 be, Or did I commit a sin. Because I have 
 preached to you the gospel of God freely 
 — should be, Because I proclaimed to you the 
 glad tidings of the gospel of God without 
 charge. The humbling of himself consisted 
 in foregoing his apostolic privilege of support 
 from the church to which he was preaching. 
 (See 1 Cor. 9: 4, 6-15; Acts 18: 3; 20:84. 
 
 A strong 
 
 statement of the fact that he took from them 
 more than was necessary for his support 
 among them. These statements in regard to 
 his receiving support from other churches are 
 to be taken in connection with those in 1 Cor. 
 9, as meaning only something over and above 
 what he did for his own support. To do you 
 service— better, That I might serve you. 
 What he wanted was to serve them without 
 pay, for reasons that he mentions afterward ; 
 and in order to serve them in this way 
 already determined on, he receives aid from 
 other churches. Probably (see ver. 9) these 
 churches were those of Macedonia. 
 
 9. I was chargeable to no man— better, 
 / was not a burden on any man. The rest of 
 the verse should be translated, For th<- breth- 
 ren having come from Macedonia supplied my 
 lack; and hi everything I kept, and will keep, 
 myself unburdensome to you. The case that 
 is considered here is his action after he has 
 exhausted what he has brought with him from 
 Macedonia, and also what he is able to earn 
 himself. Even then he did not come upon 
 the church; but was saved from it by the 
 opportune arrival of the brethren from Mace- 
 donia with further contributions. 
 
 10. A8 the truth of Christ is in me— a 
 solemn form of asseveration. The truth of 
 Christ dwelling in him makes him truthful, 
 
 The exaltation of them was through their and vouches for the truth of what he says, 
 introduction into the kingdom of God with No man shall stop me of this boasting- 
 its privileges. The element in this gratuitous should be, This boasting shall not be silenced 
 
 O 
 
210 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XI. 
 
 11 Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth. 
 
 12 Hut what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off 
 occasion from them which desire occasion ; that where- 
 in they glory, they may be found even as we. 
 
 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, 
 transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 
 
 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed 
 into an angel of light. 
 
 11 the regions of Achaia. Wherefore? because I love 
 
 12 you not? God knoweth? But what I do, that I will 
 do, that I may cut off i occasion from those who 
 desire an occasion ; that wherein they glory, they 
 
 13 may be found even as we. For such men are false 
 apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves 
 
 14 into apostles of Christ. And no marvel*; for even 
 
 1 Gr. the occasion of them. 
 
 for me. The boasting meant is that he makes 
 the gospel of Christ without charge. (See 1 
 Cor. 9: 18 and Note.) He felt himself under 
 constraint to preach the gospel ; but to preach 
 it gratuitously was to forego a privilege, of 
 which he might boast. 
 
 11. This verse denies one reason that might 
 be alleged for this, and used against him. To 
 refuse a gift is often a sign that one feels so 
 coldly or hardly toward another that he is 
 unwilling to be put under obligation to him. 
 
 12. But what I do, that I will do- 
 should be, Also will I do; and the rest of the 
 verse should be translated, That I may cut off 
 the occasion of those who vrish an occasion, that 
 in the thing in which they glory, they may be 
 found even as we. The meaning is very ob- 
 scure, and of course has been variously inter- 
 preted. There are two interpretations that 
 seem to be tenable. The first supposes that 
 the purpose expressed in the last part of the 
 verse is the apostle's, and adopts the punctua- 
 tion of our version, placing a semicolon be- 
 tween it and what precedes; that the glorying 
 of the opponents is over an assumed indiffer- 
 ence to reward or pay, a refusal to receive 
 compensation, such as the apostle glories in ; 
 and that the purpose of the apostle is to cut 
 off any occasion to charge him with the re- 
 verse, so that they may be found no better 
 than he in this matter, even on their own 
 assumption. The diffieult3* in this is to get in 
 this last modification — namely, Even on their 
 own assumption. But it does not seem so 
 difficult as Meyer's explanation, which sup- 
 poses that the purpose of the apostle is to 
 make them actually, and not simply in pre- 
 tence, the same as himself. For that would 
 be a matter of becoming what they are not, 
 not of being found what they are. The sec- 
 ond interpretation of which I speak, makes 
 the purpose in this last part of the verse to be 
 that for which the opponents seek an occa- 
 sion ; and the punctuation to be only a 
 comma. The thing then over which they 
 
 glory, and in which they find the apostle 
 abasing himself, is the exercise of their privi- 
 lege to be paid for their service. But in this, 
 they know that the apostle exercises a self- 
 denial that has an appearance of superior 
 virtue; and they want an opportunity to say 
 that in this matter they are just like him in 
 demanding pay. They glory in demanding 
 their rights, and yet they want to say of Paul, 
 who glories in foregoing his rights, that his 
 glorying is vain. Such is the frequent incon- 
 sistency of men, who glory in rejecting, and 
 even ridiculing, what they call an ideal and 
 unpractical virtue. The difficulty in this, that 
 it should be, in order that we may be found 
 even as they, instead of they as we, is consider- 
 able ; but on the whole, the least among the 
 various difficulties. And there is no interpret- 
 ation without difficulty. 
 
 13. This verse gives the reason for the pre- 
 ceding statement of the purpose of these 
 opponents. They seek to pull down true 
 apostles, being themselves false apostles. De- 
 ceitful workers. Those who are accomplish- 
 ing their own ends while pretending to be 
 working for the church. Into the apostles 
 — should be, Into apostles. The transforma- 
 tion spoken of is such as to take on the ap- 
 pearance, and not the reality. They are not 
 apostles, but put on an appearance of apostle- 
 ship. This is one of the examples of the 
 extension of the use of the term apostles. It 
 seems to be applied to any independent and 
 authoritative teacher of the gospel, whose 
 position could be derived from Christ him- 
 self, instead of from some church. 
 
 14. For Satan himself is transformed — 
 should be, as in ver. 13, transforms himself. 
 'Satan' is here contrasted with his servants, 
 and the argument is from the greater to the 
 less, from the greater change in Satan to the 
 less change in these false apostles. The ele- 
 ment of all holy natures is light. (See 1 John 
 1: 5, 7; Luke 2: 32; John.l: 4, 5, 7, 8. 9; 8: 
 12; Eph. 5: 8, etc.) On the other hand dark- 
 
Ch. XL] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 211 
 
 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also 
 be transformed at the ministers of righteousness; 
 
 whose end shall be according to their works. 
 
 16 I say again, Let no man think me a fool ; if other- 
 wise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself 
 a little. • 
 
 17 That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, 
 but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. 
 
 18 Seeing that many glory after the flesh, 1 will glory 
 also. 
 
 19 For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are 
 wise. 
 
 ness is the element of evil. (See Luke 22: 53; 
 2 Cur. 6: 14; Eph. 5: 8; 6: 12.) The change 
 indicated therefore is extreme. 
 
 15. This verse should be translated, It is no 
 great thing therefore if his servants also 
 transform themselves as servants of right- 
 eousness, etc. Here the change which is ex- 
 pressed in the preceding verse symbolically, 
 as from darkness to light, is denoted abstractly 
 as from servants of Satan to servants of right- 
 eousness. It is not a great thing, because 
 the change is not nearly so great as in the 
 case of Satan. Whose end shall be ac- 
 cording to their works — not according to 
 their appearances and pretences. The 'end,' 
 the final fate is what determines the reality 
 of things, and not always their present course. 
 And while the latter may be according to 
 appearances, the former is always according 
 to facts or works. (See 1 Cor. 4: 5.) 
 
 1G. Let no man think me a fool — better, 
 foolish. The Greek word is not so strong as 
 fool. The foolishness referred to is that of 
 boasting, which is contrary to Christian wis- 
 dom. What follows may be translated, But if 
 you do not avoid it, even if it be as a foolish 
 person, receive me, that I also may boast some 
 little. I say again. This is a repetition of 
 what he has said in verse 1, but with the pro- 
 viso that he is not foolish, though his actions 
 may appear so. It is a case in which the 
 motive has to be taken into account, in order 
 to determine the real character of the act 
 contrary to its appearance. To rehearse one's 
 good actions is the outward form of boasting, 
 but may be merely self-defense. (See John 
 10: 32, 37, 38; 14: 11, 12; 15: 24, etc.) A de- 
 cisive proof that this spirit of boasting is ab- 
 sent here is the evident repugnance of the 
 apostle to the whole thing. But if they do 
 think him foolish in this sense, a boastful 
 person, why, he wants them to be consistent, 
 and receive him in this character, so that he 
 may boast a little, as well as the Judaizcrs, 
 to whom the role is natural and customary. 
 
 15 Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light. It 
 is no great thing therefore if his ministers also 
 fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness; 
 whose end shall be according to their works. 
 
 16 I say again, Let no man think me foolish; but if 
 ye do, yet as foolish receive me, that I also may 
 
 17 glory a little. That which I speak, 1 speak not after 
 the Lord, imt as in foolishness, in ilii^ confidence of 
 
 13 glorying. Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I 
 19 will glory also. For ye bear with the foolish gladly, 
 
 17. I speak it not after the Lord, but, 
 as it were, foolishly, in this confidence 
 of boasting — better, / speak not according 
 to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this con- 
 fidence, etc. (See Crit. Notes.) This is said 
 of the nature of the act in itself considered. 
 To boast is foolish ; it is not the Lord's way ; 
 it is the way of the flesh ; and only except- 
 ional circumstances can justify it. But there 
 are these exceptional circumstances, as we 
 have seen. And hence the apostle may speak 
 of it as foolish or not, according as he looks 
 at the act by itself, or in connection with its 
 motive. The words, ' in this confidence,' etc., 
 modify the whole preceding sentence, the 
 verb, that is, with both its other modifiers. 
 
 18. This verse contains one of the reasons 
 for the apostle's indulging in boasting. Others 
 have boasted, in order to vindicate their claims 
 to apostleship as against his; and the apostle 
 sees that its effect on the church has been such 
 as to endanger his influence, compelling him 
 to a distasteful action adopted 1>3 T men of the 
 world to accomplish their objects. The words 
 'after the flesh,' denote the general character 
 of boasting, not of this particular instance. 
 It is the positive form of the 'not according 
 to the Lord,' which has just been applied by 
 the apostle to boasting as such. And there is 
 included in the list of boastings that follows 
 one specification, the service of Christ, that 
 does not belong to the category of things 
 after tin- flesh. (.See ver. 23 seq. ) This is 
 not parallel, therefore, to the expression ''no 
 confidence in the flesh," and "confidence in 
 the flesh," in Phil. 3: 3, 4. It is the act of 
 boasting, as such, that is characterized as 
 "after the flesh"; but, of course, with the 
 modification implied in that. 
 
 19. For ye suffer fools glndly, seeing ye 
 yourselves are wise — better. Ye bear with 
 the fools gladly, being wise. This is an ironical 
 reason for his Bpeaking foolishly. He says: 
 
 lam foolish, to br 8UT6 ; but thin you are iris,-, 
 and wise people are patient with the foolish. 
 
212 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XI. 
 
 20 For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if 
 a uiau devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt 
 himself, if a man smite you on the face. 
 
 21 I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had 
 been weak. Howbeit, whereinsoever any is bold, (i 
 speak foolishly,) I am bold also. 
 
 22 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? 
 so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham ? so am I. 
 
 23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool ) 
 I am more ; in labours more abundant, in stripes above 
 measure, in prisons mure frequent, in deaths oft. 
 
 20 being wise yourselves. For ye bear with a man, if he 
 briugeth you into bondage, if lie devoureth you, if 
 he taketh you captive, if he exalteth himself, if he 
 
 21 smiieth you on the face. I speak by way of dispar- 
 agement, as though we had been weak. Yet where- 
 insoever any is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am 
 
 22 bold also. Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they 
 Israelites ? so am I, Are they the seed of Abraham ? 
 
 23 so am I. Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak 
 as one beside himself) I more; in labours more 
 abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes 
 
 20. For ye suffer. Most likely they 
 would, bat that is not what the apostle means 
 to say. He means, You bear it, or you exer- 
 cise forbearance, if a man bring you into 
 bondage. This is a strong expression of the 
 harsh authority exercised over the church by 
 these false teachers. (See Matt. 23: 8-12; 1 
 Pet. 5: 2, 3.) It is plain, from the rest of the 
 description of these enslavers, that it is sub- 
 jection to persons, and not to an enslaving 
 system like the law, that is meant here, as in 
 Gal. 2: 4; 4: 9. Devour you. By this he 
 ex presses strongly the extortion practiced on 
 them by these men. See, again, 1 Pet. 5: 2, 3, 
 where the apostle exhorts the elders not to do 
 their work for base gain. If a man take of 
 you — should be, If a man captures you, as a 
 hunter takes game ; if he takes possession of 
 them by arts and circumventions. If a man 
 exalt himself. That is, if he gets himself 
 called rabbi, master, and the like, and assumes 
 airs of superiority. (See, again, Matt. 23: 
 8-12.) If a man smite you on the face. 
 This is a strong expression of the proud and 
 rude treatment to which the church was sub- 
 jected by these men. They bore it, it seems, 
 because it appeared an exhibition of strength 
 and of proper authority on the part of these 
 men. The Christian doctrine of equality, and 
 of the use of strength in the service of the 
 weak, instead of in the promotion and en- 
 richment of the strong, is not easily compre- 
 hended by either the strong or weak. 
 
 21. I speak as concerning reproach, as 
 though we had been weak — should be, I 
 say by way of disparagement, as it were, that 
 we have been weak. The disparagement is of 
 himself, and is, of course, ironical. Strength 
 is a good, and weakness an evil, in themselves 
 considered; but to confess weakness as the 
 opposite of such strength as is here described, 
 and as a disparagement of himself, is intensely 
 ironical. The mildness and "sweet reason- 
 ableness" of Christ, seem weakness to many, 
 but are real strength. ' As it were, that,' de- 
 
 notes that this is a pretended, and not a real, 
 opinion, and heightens the expression of iron}'. 
 On the tense of the last verb, see Crit. Notes. 
 Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold — bet- 
 ter, more simply, But in whatever any one is 
 bold. The boldness meant is evidently from 
 what follows boldness of speech, "confidence 
 of glorying." "Whatever these men dare to 
 boast of, he can confidently boast of the 
 same. I speak foolishly — literally, In 
 foolishness. The constant return to this con- 
 fession of foolishness, as a kind of refrain, 
 shows how stronglj' the apostle feels the false 
 position in which he is placed. Boasting is 
 not natural to him. 
 
 22. Are they Hebrews? . . . Israelites 
 . . . the seed of Abraham? The subjects 
 in this series of questions are unemphatic ; the 
 emphasis is on the predicate. It is uncertain 
 what is the precise difference between the 
 three names used here. 'Hebrews' is the na- 
 tional name, probably; 'Israelites' the theo- 
 cratic; and 'seed of Abraham' denotes them 
 as the inheritors of the promises. Paul re- 
 peats the varied vocabulary of their boasting, 
 by which they sought to heighten the effect. 
 
 23. Are they ministers of Christ? — 
 better, servants of Christ. I speak 'as a 
 fool — should be, I speak as one beside himself, 
 the word being different from the one em- 
 ployed in verses 1, 16, 17, 19, 21. I more. 
 Probably this means, More than they; in a 
 greater degree. But there is some reason for 
 Meyer's explanation, which makes it mean, 
 more than a servant of Christ. Paul has 
 denied them this title (ver. 13-15), and so he may 
 mean that if they are that, then he is some- 
 thing more. But the comparisons that fol- 
 low, tend rather to show them behind him in 
 the things that belong to this office, than en- 
 tirely lacking them. He does not, however, 
 concede to them a claim to this position, ex- 
 cept for the purpose of his present statement. 
 The rest of this verse should be translated, 
 In labors more abundantly, in prisons more, 
 
Ch. XI] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 213 
 
 24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save 
 one. 
 
 26 Thrice was I beaten with mils, once was I stoned, 
 thrice i suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have 
 been in the deep ; 
 
 26 In journeyiugs often, in perils of waters, in perils 
 of robbers, in perils by mineown countrymen, //t perils 
 by the heathen, in perils In the city, in perils in the 
 wilderness, in perils in the sea, in "perils among false 
 brethren ; 
 
 27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, 
 in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and 
 nakedness. 
 
 24 above measure, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five 
 
 2't times received I forty stripes saw e. Thrice 
 
 was I beaten with rods, once was 1 Btoned, thrice 
 I suffered shipwreck, a night ami a day have 1 
 
 26 been in the deep; in journeyiugs often, in perils of 
 rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from tny 
 i countrymen, in perils from the Gentiles, tn perils 
 in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils 
 
 27 in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in 
 labour and travail, in watchings often, in hunger 
 and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and naked- 
 
 in stripes exceedingly, in deaths often. (See 
 Crit. Notes.) These tire specifications of the 
 things in which he exceeded them as a servant 
 of Christ. Both in his labors and his sutfer- 
 ings he claimed to surpass them. The third 
 clause is in the form of comparison, and 
 means, in stripes exceeding them. The fourth 
 is positive, leaving it to he implied that in this 
 frequent exposure to death, he went beyond 
 them, or perhaps even, that in such exposure 
 he had something that they had not expe- 
 rienced at all. On the transposition of the 
 second and third clauses, see Crit. Notes. On 
 the first clause, see 1 Cor. 15: 10. On the 
 second, see 1 Cor. 15: 30-32; 2 Cor. 4: 11. 
 On the third, see 6 : 5 ; Acts 20 : 23. 
 
 24. Of the Jews — should he, From Javs. 
 The beating with rods that follows, was a 
 Roman punishment; and hence the contrast 
 implied between stripes received from Jems, 
 and from Gentiles. The forty stripes, save 
 one, was owing to the Jewish law that not 
 more than forty should be given, and to the 
 rabhinical refinement restricting it to thirty- 
 nine, in order to prevent mistakes. (See 
 Dent. 25: 3.) There is no record elsewhere 
 of these beatings. Probably this and the fol- 
 lowing verse are parenthetical, developing, in 
 the way of direct statement, the immediately 
 preceding, in deaths often. The regular struc- 
 ture is resumed in ver. 26. 
 
 25. Thrice was I beaten with rods. 
 One of these occasions was the familiar one at 
 the time of his first visit to Philippi. (See 
 Acts 16: 23.) Once was I stoned. This 
 was at Lystra. (See Acts 14: 19.) A night 
 and a day I have been in the deep— should 
 he. Have I spent in the deep. This must have 
 been in connection with one of his ship- 
 wrecks, when he was cast away on some part 
 of the wreck. These shipwrecks are not men- 
 
 tioned in Acts. To refer it to Acts 27 is of 
 course incorrect, as that came later. 
 
 2G. In journcyings often, etc. — should he, 
 By journeyitigs often ; and so through the first 
 phrase of ver. 27. It is the instrumental 
 dative, resuming the structure of ver. 23, and 
 showing that by which he proves himself more 
 a minister of Christ than they. Perils of 
 waters — should be, Perils of rivers. These 
 dangers from rivers and from robbers are not 
 recounted in Acts. Perils by mine own 
 countrymen — should be, From my race. 
 Paul, though an apostle to the Gentiles, was 
 persecuted mostly by the Jews. (See Acts 9: 
 23, 29; 13: 45 seq. ; 14: 2 seq. ; 14: 19 seq. ; 
 17: 6 seq.; 17: 13 seq. ; 18: 12 seq. ; 21 : 27 
 seq.) Perils by the heathen— should be, 
 From Gentiles. Of these, the only cases 
 mentioned in the Acts are 16: 19 seq.; 19: 23 
 seq.) In the city— in the wilderness— bet- 
 ter, In city — in wilderness. Among false 
 brethren. We have no record of anything 
 but opposition from the Judaizing Christians, 
 to whom reference is made here probably. 
 But it is not wholly improbable that this 
 opposition might go to the length of personal 
 danger. (See Gal. 2:4.) 
 
 27. In weariness and painfulness^ 
 should be, By labor and toil ; a favorite con- 
 junction of terms with the apostle to denote 
 severe work. (See 1 Thcss. 2:9; 2 Thess. 8: 
 8.) (On the change from In to By, see Crit. 
 Notes.) In fastings often. Probably, as 
 hunger and thirst have just been mentioned, 
 this refers to voluntary fasts. Such fasts were 
 observed in the early church, generally in 
 connection with prayer. (See Acts 11: 28; 
 13: 2, 3.) But it is one of the results of textual 
 criticism to strike out many of the references 
 to fasting in the New Testament—'", g .. Matt. 
 17 : 21 ; Mark 9: 29; 1 Cor. 7:5; Acts 10: 30. 
 
214 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XI. 
 
 28 Beside those things that are without, that which 
 cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. 
 
 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is of- 
 fended, and I burn not ? 
 
 30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things 
 which concern mine infirmities. 
 
 31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that 1 lie not. 
 
 32 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king 
 kept the city of the damascenes with a garrison, de- 
 sirous to apprehend me: 
 
 28 ness. J Beside those things that are without, there 
 is that which presseth upon me daily, anxiety 
 
 29 for all the churches. Who is weak, aud I am not 
 weak? who is made to stumble, and I burn not? 
 
 30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things that 
 
 31 concern my weakness. 2 The tiod aud Father of the 
 Lord Jesus, he who is blessed 3 for evermore, know- 
 
 32 eth that I lie not. In Damascus the governor under 
 Aretas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes, 
 
 1 Or, Beside the things which I omit. Or, Beside the things that come out of course 'I Or, God and the Father 3 Gr. unto the ages. 
 
 Our Lord did not forbid fasting, but pre- 
 scribed the spirit of its observance. (See 
 Matt. 4: 2; 6: 16 seq. ; 9: 14 seq.) 
 
 28. Beside those things that are with- 
 out, that which cometh upon me daily — 
 should be, Beside the things that I omit, my 
 daily charge is the care of all the churches. 
 The word translated 'without,' in our version, 
 means always beside, except. (See Matt. 5: 
 82; Acts 26: 29.) On the change from That 
 which cometh upon me to my charge, see Crit. 
 Notes. There is no grammatical connection 
 between this verse and anything preceding; 
 and it is better, therefore, to make it a sen- 
 tence by itself, as in the above translation. 
 Having enumerated all the special things 
 that he cares to name, instead of going on to 
 add to this list, he makes this general state- 
 ment that his daily charge is the care of all 
 the churches. And this care, unlimited in its 
 time and application, coming every day, and 
 extending to all the churches, is the fitting 
 climax of the apostle's account of himself as 
 a servant of Christ. 
 
 29. Who is weak, and I am not weak? 
 'I' is not emphatic, not being expressed in 
 the Greek. The idea is that he enters by 
 sympathy into the spiritual condition of 
 every one of his children in Christ. No one 
 of them can be weak in faith or conscience 
 without Paul feeling it with the weak brother 
 Who is offended, and I burn not? — should 
 be, Who is made to stumble, etc. Burning is 
 a figurative expression of any strong feeling; 
 here, of pain or grief. The 'I' is emphatic 
 in this case; and the meaning is, And I am 
 not the one to suffer the pain ? The principle 
 is a universal one, that when a person is led 
 into sin, the one to suffer is the one that has 
 spiritual charge of him. The verse is very 
 instructive, and suggestive on vicarious suf- 
 fering. 
 
 30. This verse is better translated, If it is 
 
 necessary to glory, I will glory over the things 
 of my weakness. The 'weakness' here is 
 contrasted with the kind of strength spoken 
 of in ver. 20. For a man to be self-asserting, 
 authoritative, putting others down and him- 
 self up, these false apostles considered strength. 
 But the weakness that consists in endurance, 
 in patience, in suffering and sympathy, in 
 self-sacrifice, is the apostle's material of boast- 
 ing, if boast he must. Hence, his account of 
 himself as a servant of Christ, is of his suffer- 
 ings, and toils, and sympathy ; of the things 
 that belong to the beatitudes. (See Matt. 5: 
 3-12.) It is one of the fruits of Christianity 
 that weakness and strength of spirit have 
 changed places in the estimate of so many, 
 and that the apostle's irony in calling these 
 things weakness can be appreciated. 
 
 31. The God and Father of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ, Avhich is blessed for ever- 
 more—should be, The God and Father of the 
 Lord Jesus, who is praised (or to be praised) 
 
 forever. ( See Crit. Notes. ) The word 
 'blessed,' in our version, is ambiguous; and if 
 pronounced in two syllables, is misleading. 
 The word may have either of the two mean- 
 ings given above, with some preference for 
 the latter. The idea would be then that all 
 praise is due him forever. The clause is 
 added to give the weight of God's adorable- 
 ness to the assertion. The statement that is 
 thus asseverated is probably what follows ; as 
 otherwise we have to go back beyond ver. 30 
 for the connection. 
 
 32. In Damascus . . . the city of the 
 Damascenes. The repetition here is char- 
 acteristic. Paul's style was strong, but not 
 neat. The governor under Aretas the 
 king kept the city of the Damascenes 
 with a garrison, desirous to apprehend 
 me— should be, The ethnarch of Aretas the 
 king guarded the city of the Damascenes to 
 take me. (See Crit. Notes.) The guarding 
 
Ch. XII.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 215 
 
 33 And through a window in a basket was I let down j 33 in order to take me: and through a window was I 
 by the wall, and escaped his hands. let down iu a basket by the wall, and escaped his 
 
 hands. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 tT is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will 
 cum. i' id visions and revelations of the Lord. 
 
 1 'I must needs glory, fhougH It is not expedient; 
 but I will come to visions and revelations of the 
 
 1 Some undent authorities read, Sow to glory U not expedient, but Twill come, etc. 
 
 was probably by a watch set at the gates. 
 And we learn from Acts 9: 23, that this watch 
 was Kept by the Jews. There is a bit of his- 
 torical problem here. Syria was a Roman 
 province ; but it appears to have been at this 
 time very temporarily under Aretas, King of 
 Arabia, and to have been governed by a pre- 
 fect of his appointment. How this fact, not 
 mentioned elsewhere, came about, whether 
 by the favor of the Roman Emperor, or by a 
 sudden incursion, is matter of conjecture. But 
 the idea of conquest is not probable. Aretas 
 was the father-in-law of Herod Antipas. 
 
 33. By the wall— should be, Through the 
 wall. The window was probably an opening 
 in the wall itself. The basket was a rope bas- 
 ket. This carries forward the account of the 
 apostle's weakness. Among the instances of 
 it were such ignominious escapes as this. 
 
 CRITICAL NOTES. — CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Bear with me . . . in my folly is the read- 
 ing of KLP, etc., syr sch ? cop? ; hear from me 
 . . . foolishness is found in NBDEP, also FG 
 it vulg syrP, etc. Some is inserted before little 
 in NBDEM, etc., f vulg syrP, etc. It is omit- 
 ted in FGKLP d e g r, etc. 
 
 3. So your minds, etc., is found in D bando 
 EKLM. etc., f vulg syr utr , etc.; so is omitted 
 in KB I) : FGP d e g r cop, etc. From the sim- 
 p/irity is the reading of N C D C KLMP fvulg 
 syr ,ch . syrP txt , etc. And purity is added in 
 N ; BF(r g Byr* *, also in 1)*E d e, etc. 
 
 6. Have been made manifest is the reading 
 of K°D C EK LP r vulg syr utr cop, etc. ; having 
 made it manifest is found in N*BFG g, etc. 
 
 23. In stripes . . . in prisons is the order in 
 N FG g, etc.; also X°I) b KLM <yr utr cop. etc. 
 The reverse order is found in BD* andc E d e f 
 vulg. 
 
 27. In labor is the reading of X c KLiIP f 
 vulg, etc. ; by labor of X*BDEFG d e g, etc. 
 
 28. That which cometh upon me is found in 
 KLMP it vulg, etc. , my charge is found in 
 KBDEFG, etc. 
 
 31. Our Lord is found in DEJIP d e f vulg 
 syi .sc!i cop) etc . the Jj0rd in xBFGKL g syrP, 
 etc. Jesus Christ is the reading of DEKLMP 
 d e fvulg syr 8ch cop, etc. ; Christ is omitted in 
 NBFG gsyrP, etc. 
 
 32. Desirous to is found in KD'EKLMP, 
 also in FG g cop syrP, etc. It is omitted in 
 BD*d e f vulg syr sch , etc. 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 
 General subject. — Paul's vision and counter- 
 acting affliction ; and his defence of his apos- 
 tolic action. 1-6. His vision, and the state- 
 ment that he glories over the subject of that, 
 not over himself. 7-10. His thorn' in the 
 flesh, given to prevent exaltation over his 
 visions, and his glorying over that and like 
 weaknesses, because of the sufficient grace of 
 Christ, and the power of Christ perfected in 
 such weaknesses. 11. The bitter necessity of 
 boasting forced on him by their failure to do 
 him justice. 12. Proof that he established 
 his apostleship among them by signs and 
 miracles. 13-15. Defence of his action in 
 working among them gratuitously, in which 
 he sees a chance for them to derogate his apos- 
 tolic work. 16-18. Defence against the possible 
 charge that he extorted money from them by 
 his emissaries. 19-21. He is not really defend- 
 ing himself in all this, but seeking their 
 spiritual good, which is hindered by their loss 
 of confidence in him. 
 
 Ch. 12 : 1. This verse should bo translated, 
 // is necessary to glory, though not indeed ex- 
 pedient ; but I trill come to visions and revela- 
 tions of the Lord. Paul returns here to his 
 constant refrain of repugnance at the boast- 
 ing that he feels forced on him, Before, he 
 has dw<'lt on the foolishness of it. and now he 
 dwells moresoherly on the unprofitableness of 
 it. This inexpediency is owing to the moral 
 quality of the thing in itself; making it 
 
216 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XII. 
 
 2 I knew a "man in Christ above fourteen years ago, 
 (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of 
 the body, I cauuot tell; God knoweth ;) such a one 
 caught up to the third heaven. 
 
 3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or 
 out of the body. I cannot tell : God knoweth ;) 
 
 4 How that lie was caught up into paradise, and 
 heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a 
 man to utter. 
 
 'I Lord. I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago 
 (whether in the body, I know not; or whether out 
 of the body, 1 know not; God knoweth), such a one 
 
 3 caught up even to the third heaven. And I know 
 such a man (whether in the body, or apart from 
 
 4 the body, I know not; God knoweth), how that he 
 was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeak- 
 able words, which it is not lawful for a man to 
 
 dangerous to indulge in it, even when circum- 
 stances make it necessary and right. The 
 necessity, as we have seen, is because the 
 charges and self-praise of his enemies force 
 him to vindicate himself. The 'visions and 
 revelations' he introduces as a new subject of 
 boasting, treating it in the peculiar and char- 
 acteristic manner that we shall see, ver. 5. 
 
 2. This verse should be translated, I know 
 a man in Christ fourteen years ago {whether 
 in the body — I know not ; or out of the body— 
 I know not — God knows), such a one caught zip 
 as far as the third heaven. Everything tends 
 to show that the apostle is here talking of him- 
 self. First, of course, that he boasts of it, and 
 introduces it in the midst of these references to 
 himself. And then, his evident acquaintance 
 with these unspeakable things. Moreover, 
 in ver. 7, he directly identifies these revela- 
 tions as made to himself. His speaking of it 
 in the third person is owing to the peculiar 
 nature of such a vision, in which a man is rapt 
 out of himself, as it were, and looks at him- 
 self from the outside. His doubt whether this 
 took place in the body or not. arises from the 
 inactivity of the lower sensibilities at such a 
 time, while the consciousness of the personal 
 state would be through these. Paul is not in 
 doubt whether it was merely an appearance 
 or vision, or an actual sight of the celestial 
 things; but whether the catching up was 
 simply of the spirit, or of the whole man, 
 body and spirit; and in which form an actual 
 beholding took place. Paul would not men- 
 tion in this connection, probably, anything 
 less than that. 'The third heaven.' There 
 is, of course, much disputing about Paul's 
 meaning here. But there seems to be little 
 doubt that he had in mind the Kabbinical 
 idea of seven heavens. He was himself a 
 Kabbi, and the language here is such as to 
 suggest that doctrine and nothing else. Both 
 the terms, 'third heaven' and 'paradise,' be- 
 long to that nomenclature, and the nature 
 and connection of the two statements confirm 
 the reference. For, as we shall see, the two 
 
 statements are not identical, but successive to 
 each other ; and this exactly corresponds to the 
 relative position of the 'third heaven,' and of 
 'paradise' in the Rabbinical heavens. But we 
 need not suppose that Paul's intention went 
 any further than to use this familiar language 
 for the expression of his thought. If he had 
 had, as we suppose, a real vision of celestial 
 things, the reality would be larger probably 
 than the finical speculation of the Rabbis. 
 And this language would be used, therefore, 
 by way of accommodation as a convenient 
 vehicle for the fact, common to both the real- 
 ity and the doctrine, that there are many 
 heavens. The time of this event, fourteen 
 years before, puts it probably within the 
 period of his stay at Antioch, previous to his 
 first missionary tour, and prevents the identi- 
 fication of this with any of the recorded vis- 
 ions of Paul. 'Fourteen years ago' belongs 
 with the participle 'caught-up.' 
 
 3. And I knew — should be, I know. I 
 cannot tell — should be, / know not. The use 
 of this conjunction, denoting an additional 
 fact and not a resumption or continuance of 
 the preceding, shows that the two statements 
 are not identical, but succeed each other: and 
 that therefore, 'third heaven' and 'paradise' 
 are not identical terms. 
 
 4. Paradise. This was originally a Per- 
 sian word, denoting first, a park for game, 
 and then a pleasure-garden. It is applied, in 
 the Scriptures, to the abode of blessed spirits, 
 where they dwell in the presence of God. 
 (See Rev. 2 : 7.) It would not correspond, 
 therefore, to the comparatively low third 
 heaven. The apostle approaches "his great 
 statement, as he seems to have come to his 
 august vision, gradually. And his dwelling 
 on the mysteriousness of it in the repeated 
 'whether in the body,' adds to the effect of 
 this stately drawing near. Unspeakable 
 words, which it is not lawful for a man 
 to utter. Thes,e two modifiers explain each 
 other. The first does not mean, Too great to 
 be spoken, beyond the capacity of speech; but 
 
Ch. XII.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 217 
 
 5 Of such a one will I glory : yet of myself I will not 
 glory, but in mine infirmities. 
 
 (j For though 1 would desire to glory, I shall not be a 
 foul; for l will Nay the truth: imt »".-»■ l forbear, lest 
 any than should think of ine above that which he seeth 
 me tn in-, < .r that he heareth of uia 
 
 7 Ami lest 1 should be exalted above measure' through 
 the abundance of the revelations, there was given to 
 me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of >atan to 
 bullet tue, lest I should be exalted above measure. 
 
 5 utter. On behalf of such a one will I glory: but 
 on my own behalf I will not glory, save in my 
 
 6 weaknesses. For if I should desire to glory, l .-bail 
 not bo foolish; for 1 shall .-peak the truth: but I 
 forbear, lost any man should account of me above 
 that which he seeth no- to fee, or heareth from me. 
 
 7 And by reason of the exceeding greatness of the 
 revelations, l that I should not be exalted overmuch, 
 there was given to mo a - thorn In the flesh, a mes- 
 senger of Satan to buffet me, that l should not be 
 
 1 Some ancient authorities read, where/ore 2 Or, stake. 
 
 things that it is wrong to speak, on account of 
 their sacredness. 
 
 5. This verse should be translated, On be- 
 half of such a one will I glory ; but on behalf 
 of myself, I will not glory, except in my weak- 
 nesses. The apostle makes a contrast here 
 between such a one, and himself. And yet 
 such a one was himself; but so rapt out of 
 himself and made the subject of a strange ex- 
 perience, in which he was simply passive 
 under the hand of another, that he seems ti> 
 himself a stranger. It is not the ordinarily 
 active Paul, into whose experiences his own 
 energy entered, and made them subjects of 
 boasting, but only an instrument played on 
 by a strange hand, over whom he might boast, 
 but not as he would boast over his proper self. 
 'Except in my weakness.' The things that 
 he endured rather than the things that he 
 performed; or among his deeds, those that 
 showed the weakness of service and humility, 
 not the strength of self-assertion, were his 
 material of boasting. (See ver. 10.) 
 
 6. For though I would desire to glory, 
 I shall not be a fool ; for I will say the 
 truth — should be, For if I wish to glory, I 
 shall not be foolish ; for I shall speak truth. 
 The use of the auxiliaries in the Authorized 
 Version is commended to the attention of tho&e 
 who profusely eulogize its English style. And 
 as a translation of the Greek, it is equally 
 commendable. Lest any man should 
 think — should be, Lett any one think. Or 
 that he heareth of me — should be, Or hear- 
 eth from me. The first part of this verso is 
 intended to prove the ability to glory, if he 
 wishes it. implied in ver. 5. (See Winer, 
 453.) 'I shall not be foolish.' The fool ish- 
 ness of boasting is here meant in a different 
 sense from 11: 1, 16, etc. There it is applied 
 to boasting in itself considered ; here to untrin 
 boasting. He will not be foolish; for he will 
 speak the truth. S ; ngular and rare boasting 
 that! In the last part of the verse, he gives 
 
 his reason for not boasting. He does not want 
 any one's estimate of him to depend on his 
 stories, but on his acts performed in the per- 
 son's presence. This may come from what 
 they see him do, or what they hear him say 
 in the way of teaching, Christian conversa- 
 tion, and the like. (See Col. 4:6.) This is a 
 self-denying standard, depriving him of much 
 just advantage ; but Paul will leave no chance 
 of accusation in other men's thoughts, espe- 
 cially as they have accused him of being weak, 
 when present, in both action and speech. (See 
 10: 10.) So he will leave the Corinthians to 
 judge of him by what he is in Corinth. 
 
 7. This verse should be translated, And be- 
 cause of the surjiassing nature of the revela- 
 tions, wherefore, that I may not be exalted, 
 there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a mes- 
 senger of Satan to buffet me, that I may not 
 be exalted. On the insertion of wherefore, 
 which changes the structure, see Crit. Notes. 
 The word translated, exalted above meas- 
 ure, is a compound verb, but it takes the whole 
 verb to express the simple idea of exalt. The 
 phrase, in the flesh, denotes, probably, the 
 sphere or locality of the suffering; it was a 
 bodily, not a spiritual, infliction. The chief 
 objection to Meyer's interpretation of a thorn 
 fur the flesh, a scourge for the sinful pride of 
 the man, is that it leaves this important ques- 
 tion, whether it is bodily or spiritual, unset- 
 tled, and yet boldly takes the physical answer 
 for granted. As to the nature of this 'thorn 
 in the flesh,' it is one of the vexed questions 
 of interpretation. Certainly there is nothing 
 here nor elsewhere to decide it. But since it 
 is described here as continued, while still his 
 active labors as an apostle were kept up. it 
 must have been something local, not weaken- 
 ing the general system. And if Gal. 4: 13 
 seq. refers to the same thing, then ver. 15 may 
 contain an intimation thai it was tin affection 
 of the eyes. And Gal. 6: 11 may he -up- 
 posed to contain a reference to the same 
 
218 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XII. 
 
 8 For this thing I bejsought the Lord thrice, that it 
 might depart from me. 
 
 4 And he said unto ine, My grace is sufficient for 
 thee- for my strength is made perfect in weakness. 
 Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmi- 
 ties that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 
 
 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in re- 
 proaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses 
 for Christ s sake: for when I am weak, then am 1 
 strong. 
 
 8 exalted overmuch. Concerning this thing I be- 
 sought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from 
 
 9 me. And he hath said unto me, My grace is suffi- 
 cient for thee : for my power is made perfect in 
 weakness. Most gladly therefore will i rather glory 
 in my weaknesses, that the strength of Christ may 
 
 10 • rest upon me. Wherefore I take pleasure in weak- 
 nesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in 
 distresses, for Christ's sake: for wheu i am weak, 
 then am 1 strong. 
 
 1 Or, cover me. Gr. sprejd a tabernacle t 
 
 visual weakness in its large letters with my 
 own hand. But these are slight materials for 
 theory-building. ' A messenger of Satan.' It 
 is frequently inferred from this, and 1 Cor. 5: 
 5, and the like, that the New Testament con- 
 tains a dualistic doctrine of evil, referring 
 diseases, and other material evils, to the action 
 of Satan. But certainly such a doctrine is 
 untrue, all such effects being directly trace- 
 able to the laws of nature, and not superim- 
 posed upon nature. They are, therefore, 
 divine in their origin; and the only sense in 
 which they can be truly traced to Satanic 
 agency, is by connecting them with the moral 
 evil of the world, which is attributed to the 
 evil one. And the language used here can 
 just as easily be explained in this true, as in 
 that untrue, way. It comes out of Paul's 
 vivid sense of the connection between the 
 moral and the physical evil in the world, and 
 his idea of what the world would be without 
 sin. (See Horn. 8: 19-23.) The gift is divine, 
 and the purpose, to prevent his pride, is the 
 divine purpose. The first 'that I may not be 
 exalted,' is the purpose of the gift; and the 
 second, of the buffeting. 
 
 8. This verse should be translated, Concern- 
 ing this, I besought the Lord thrice that it 
 may depart from me. 'The Lord' here is 
 Christ, as ' my strength,' in the answer, (ver.9) i 
 is 'the power of Christ,' in the latter part 
 of the verse. 'Thrice' is evidently a definite 
 number. Twice he made his request without 
 any answer, and the third time, he received 
 the answer given. 
 
 9. And he said unto me — should be, He 
 hath said. The perfect denoting an act of 
 which the results continue to the present 
 time. My grace is sufficient for thee. 
 Not enough to enable him to bear the pain, 
 which would be comparatively irrelevant; 
 but sufficient for him, enough for him to have 
 without this removal of pain, for which he 
 asks. For my strength is made perfect in 
 
 weakness. This is the reason why Christ's 
 grace is enough. That grace is not made 
 powerless in man's weakness; but perfects its 
 strength just then; and hence it is sufficient 
 for the sufferer without the added favor of 
 healing. This is, of course, because spiritual 
 good is better than material, and grace in- 
 creases the former. ' My ' is omitted before 
 ' strength ' ; but is understood. (See Crit. 
 Notes. ) In my infirmities— better, My weak- 
 nesses. May rest upon me. The Greek 
 here is very expressive. The verb means to 
 fix the habitation; to take up the abode in. 
 (See John 1 : 14; Kev. 7: 15; 21 : 3.) It is not 
 the common coin of figurative expression, 
 and hence its choice marks more than ordi- 
 nary fitness of language. Rather — marks a 
 comparison between glorying in weaknesses 
 and praying to have them removed. The 
 clause that follows denotes the purpose of his 
 glorying in weaknesses, considered as a means 
 of detaining them. The ' weaknesses' meant, 
 are such as are mentioned in ver. 10, and not 
 spiritual weaknesses, such as liability to tempt- 
 ation. (See on ver. 5.) 
 
 10. Therefore I take pleasure in in- 
 firmities, in reproaches— should be, Where- 
 fore I take pleasure in weaknesses ; in injuries. 
 The reproaches (or, injuries), necessities, 
 persecutions, and distresses (or afflic- 
 tions), are specifications under weaknesses. 
 The 'weaknesses' are, as before, the things 
 that he endures — those in which he is passive 
 and powerless. For Christ's sake. This 
 might modify either the preceding nouns; so 
 that the meaning would be, weaknesses, inju- 
 ries, etc., for the sake of Christ; or the verb, 
 he takes pleasure, for Christ's sake, in these 
 things. The difficulty with the former is that, 
 it makes an unnecessary limitation of the 
 thought, especially as the particular case 
 mentioned, 'the thorn in the flesh,' is ti"t for 
 the sake of Christ. The statement is then, 
 that he takes pleasure for Christ's sake, in 
 
Ch. XII.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 219 
 
 11 I am hecoine a fool in glorying; ye have compelled 
 nie: for I ought to have been coniineuded of you: for 
 in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, 
 though I be nothing. 
 
 \\i Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among 
 you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty 
 deeds. 
 
 13 For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other 
 churches, except it be that 1 myself was not burden- 
 some to you? forgive me this wrong. 
 
 14 Behold, the third time I am ready to come to 
 you: and 1 will not be burdensome to yon : for 1 seek 
 not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay 
 up for the parents, but the parents for the children. 
 
 11 I am become foolish: ye compelled me; for I 
 ought to have been commended of you: for in 
 nothing was l behind 'the very chielesl apostles, 
 
 12 though ! am nothing. Truly the signs of an apostle 
 were wrought Hiuong you in ;i n 'patience, by signs 
 
 13 and wonders and » mighty works. For what is there 
 wherein ye were made inferior to the rest of the 
 churches, except it be that 1 myself was not a bur- 
 den to you? forgive me this wrong. 
 
 14 Behold, this is the third time I am ready to 
 come to you; and 1 will not be a burden to you: 
 for I seek not yours, but you: for the children 
 ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents 
 
 1 Or, those pre-eminent apostles 2 Or, stedfastness . . .3 Gr. powers. 
 
 weaknesses, inasmuch as the power that he 
 receives he employs for Christ. For when I 
 am weak — should be, For whenever. The 
 'strength' that he receives is spiritual strength. 
 (See Ruin. 5: 3-5.) Then is emphatic— that 
 is just the time that he is strong. 
 
 11. I am become a fool in glorying; ye 
 have compelled me— should be, I have be- 
 come foolish — you compelled me. (See Crit. 
 Notes.) The apostle's sorrowful refrain again, 
 uttered here as he looks back over the adula- 
 tory talk about himself, in which he has in- 
 dulged. But he has been compelled to it by 
 their misjudgment of him, and the consequent 
 danger that they will be alienated from 
 Christ. (See on 11: 2seq.) For I ought to 
 have been commended of you— should be, 
 by you. This is emphatic, in contrast with 
 the self-commendation to which he has been 
 compelled. Paul means that men should 
 judge of him by what they personally see or 
 hear (see on ver. 6.) ; but he has failed of just 
 judgment on this ground among the Corinth- 
 ians. Instead of being commended by them, 
 he is led therefore, contrary to his rule and 
 desire, to commend himself. 'I' is also em- 
 phatic, in contrast with the boastful false 
 apostles, who seem to have been commended 
 by the Corinthians. For in nothing am I be- 
 hind the very chiefest apostles — should be, 
 For in nothing ivas I behind the superexcellent 
 apostles. The reference is to the false teachers. 
 (See Crit. Notes.) It is a reason why he, 
 at least as much as they, should have re- 
 ceived the commendation of the Corinthians. 
 Though I be nothing — the apostle feels that 
 he is nothing, and the grace of Christ every- 
 thing ; and yet that grace operates to make 
 him something who is nothing; otherwise it 
 is poor grace. (See 1 Cor. 15: 8-10.) 
 
 12. Tli is vi'M' should be translated, The 
 signs of the apostle were wrought among you 
 
 in every patience, by signs and wonders and 
 
 powers. (See Crit. Notes.) The definite 
 article before ' apostle ' makes it abstract, de- 
 noting what belongs to the class. 'Every 
 patience' differs from 'all patience,' of the 
 Common Version, as denoting every kind of 
 patience, instead of the quantitative idea of 
 'all patience.' 'In every patience' is the 
 spirit in which these signs were wrought — the 
 constancy which keeps one to his purpose in 
 spite of obstacles and sufferings, Signs, and 
 wonders, and mighty deeds (or, powers), 
 are the three New Testament words for mira- 
 cles; one denoting them as tokens of divine 
 approval; another by the wonder that they 
 inspire ; and the third by the power that they 
 display. They are the things by means of 
 which the signs of an apostle were wrought 
 among them by Paul. 
 
 13. This verse should be translated, For 
 tvhat is there in which you were made inferior 
 to the other churches, except that I myself 
 was not burdensome to you ? This is the apos- 
 tle's appeal to them in support of the preced- 
 ing statement. In the context, the inferior- 
 ity would consist, not in the character of the 
 church, but in the nature of the work done 
 there by the apostle, irrespective of its results. 
 He has not done less or worse work, nor fewer 
 miracles there, than in other churches. The 
 only respect in which there had been any 
 possible disparagement of them, was that 
 mentioned in 11: 7 seq., that he received 
 nothing from them for his labor. In that re- 
 spect he had not shown signs of being an 
 apostle! He calls it a wrong, with reference 
 to their view of it, being himself, as we have 
 seen, conscious of nothing but good intention 
 in it. 
 
 14. The first part of this verse should be 
 translated, Behold, this is a third time I am 
 ready to come to you ; and I will not be bur- 
 
220 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XII. 
 
 15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for 
 you ; though the wore abundantly I love you, the less 
 I be loved. 
 
 16 But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, 
 being crafty, I caught you with guile. 
 
 17 Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom 
 I sent unto you? 
 
 18 I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. 
 Did Titus make a gaiu of you? walked we not in the 
 same spirit '.' walked tee not in the same steps? 
 
 19 Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto 
 you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all 
 things, dearly beloved, for your edifying. 
 
 15 for the children. And I will most gladly spend 
 and be J spent for your souls. If 1 love you 
 
 16 more abundantly, am I loved the less? But be 
 it so, I did not myself burden you ; but, beiug 
 
 17 crafty, I caught you with guile. "Did I take ad- 
 vantage of you by any one of them whom 1 have 
 
 18 sent unto you? 1 exhorted Titus, and I sent the 
 brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage 
 of you ? walked we not by the same Spirit ? walked 
 we not in the same steps? 
 
 19 - Ye think all this time that we are excusing our- 
 selves unto you. In the sight of God speak we in 
 Christ. But all things, beloved, are for your edifying 
 
 1 Gr. spent out 2 Or. Think ye . . . you. 
 
 densome. On the insertion of 'this' and the 
 omission of 'to you,' see Crit. Notes. The 
 'third time' does not belong to his readiness 
 to come, but to his coming. There had been 
 two previous visits, and this was the third. 
 This is introductory to his statement that he 
 means to act in the same way in reference to 
 his support, as on the two preceding visits. 
 His reason for this is that, he does not seek 
 their goods, but themselves. The first motive 
 is the selfish one — it profits him ; the second is 
 unselfish — he seeks them for their good. For 
 the children, etc. This presents his reason 
 for seeking them, and not theirs. He reasons 
 from the analogous relation of parents to chil- 
 dren — he being their. spiritual father. But 
 this is not the side of his relation to them that 
 determines the question of his receiving sup- 
 port from them, though it does establish his 
 obligation to lay up spiritual goods for them. 
 This unselfishness is striking. On Paul's view 
 of the support of apostles, considered as a 
 general principle rather than a personal pref- 
 erence, see 1 Cor. 9: 5 seq. 
 
 15. And I wiJl very gladly spend and be 
 spent for you — should be, And I will most 
 gladly spend and be consumed for you. The 
 spending is probably to be taken in its ordi- 
 nary sense, denoting the use of his money to 
 support him in their service. The passive 
 verb in the second clause is an intensive form 
 of this, denoting that he lays himself out 
 completely for them. It is a figurative ex- 
 pression for the consecration of his life and 
 strength to their service. Though the more 
 abundantly I love you, the less I be 
 loved — should be, If I loved you more abund- 
 antly, am I laved less? (See Crit. Notes.) 
 His willingness to serve them freely, gratuit- 
 ously, is a proof of his greater love; and now 
 do they, If asks, so misunderstand him as to 
 take this very occasion to love him less? 
 
 16. But be it so. This is a concession of 
 what he has said about not being burdensome 
 to them. Paul takes for the time the position 
 of an opponent, and says, Supposing that I 
 did not myself burden you, I caught you with 
 craft ; I got from you by emissaries tvhat I did 
 not myself take. The sense would be ex- 
 pressed by inserting did I? at the end of the 
 verse. The subject is emphatic in the clause, 
 I did not burden you, contrasting / with Titus, 
 and the others sent to them. (On the verb of 
 this clause, see on 11: 20.) 
 
 17. By any of them whom I sent unto 
 you? — should be, By any one of them whom 
 I have sent to you. He answers the supposi- 
 tion in the preceding verse by a question 
 appealing to their knowledge of the facts. 
 Did I take advantage of you by my emissaries, 
 being too crafty to do it myself? 
 
 18. I desired Titus, and with him I 
 sent a brother— should be, I exhorted T$tns, 
 and I sent with him the brother. The exhort- 
 ation was to make a visit to Corinth. 'The 
 brother' was known to them (and hence the 
 use of the article), but unknown to us. The 
 visit was evidently the one mentioned in ch. 
 7. The one spoken of in ch. 8 was not yet 
 made. He mentions this visit by way of ex- 
 ample, it being the latest and the freshest in 
 their mind. In the same spirit— should be, 
 By the same Spirit, denoting the Holy Spirit 
 as the standard to which this conduct was 
 conformed. In the same steps — denotes the 
 outward, as the other does the inward, like- 
 ness of their action. The footsteps are Paul's; 
 and the question is, whether Titus followed 
 his example of unselfishness. 
 
 19. Again, think ye that we excuse 
 ourselves unto you — should be, You think 
 nil this time that we are defending ourselves 
 unto you. It is not certain that this is a state- 
 ment instead of a question ; but it is rhetori. 
 
Ch. XII.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 221 
 
 20 For I fear, lest, wheu I come, I shall not find you 
 sueu as I would, and that 1 shall be found unto you 
 such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, 
 wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tu- 
 mults: 
 
 21 And lest, when I come again, my (iod will humble 
 me among you, and that I shall bewail many which 
 have sinned already, and have not repented of the un- 
 cleanness and fornication and lasciviousuess which 
 they have committed. 
 
 20 For I fear, lest by any means, when I come, I should 
 find you nol BUCD as i would, and should myself he 
 
 found of you such as ye would not; lest byauj moans 
 there should />•■ strife, jealousy, wraths, factions, back- 
 
 21 bitin«4s, whisperings, swellings, 'tumults; lest, when 
 I come again, my God should humble mo before 
 
 you, and i should mourn for many of them that 
 have ginned heretofore, and repented not of the iin- 
 eleaness and fon.ieatiou and lasciviousuess which 
 they committed. 
 
 1 Or, disorders. 
 
 cally preferable. (On the change of 'again,' 
 see Crit. Notes.) We speak before God in 
 Christ ; but we do all things, dearly be- 
 loved, for your edifying— should be, Be- 
 fore God in Christ we speak, and all things, 
 beloved, for your upbuilding. This is Paul's 
 answer to the preceding charge that he finds 
 in their thoughts. 'Before God' is in con- 
 trast with 'to you' in the preceding, and 
 both are emphatic. Instead of defending 
 himself before them, he is speaking before 
 God. He is Paul's judge. In Christ is prob- 
 ably in contrast with the merely human spirit 
 in which he would defend himself before 
 them. 'All things' does not need any other 
 verb supplied with it, but is the object of ' we 
 speak.' This gives the unselfish purpose of 
 his speech, in contrast with the selfishness of 
 mere self-defence before men for its own sake. 
 The construction of his action is the same as 
 in 11 : 2. He has no merely selfish purpose to 
 set himself right before them ; but wishes by 
 this defence to regain their love for Christ, 
 whom he represents, and so to build them up 
 spiritually. It is not the act, but the ultimate 
 purpose of self-defence, that he denies. 
 
 20. This verse should be translated, For I 
 fear, lest by any means, on my coming, I may 
 find you not such as I wish, and be found by 
 you such as you do not wish; lest by any 
 means there may be strife, jealousy, wraths, 
 factions, slanders, whisperings, inflations, 
 disorders. On the change to the singular in 
 the first two words of the above list, see Crit. 
 Notes. The first is doubtful ; but the change 
 is adopted by the revisers, and in the princi- 
 pal texts. The verse confirms the preceding 
 statement, showing the necessity of his speak- 
 ing such words as he has for their edification. 
 But he does not here present the edification 
 as an end in itself, but with reference to their 
 r-'lations to him, which has been the subject 
 n e Mioso last chapters. His fear lest he may 
 1. found what they do not wish, refers to his 
 
 castigation of their offences, spoken of in 10: 
 2-0. The sins named in this list are those that 
 belong to the factions, and personal and 
 party strifes among them. 
 
 21. This verse should be translated, Lest, 
 when I come again, my God shall humble me 
 in respect to you, and I shall mourn over many 
 of them xvho have sinned before, and have not 
 repented,- on account of the nncleanness and 
 fornication and licentiousness which they com- 
 mitted. This sentence, as the preceding ones 
 introduced by 'lest,' is connected with the 
 verb 'I fear,' in ver. 20, and gives another of 
 the things feared by him. This class of sins, 
 coming under the general head of impurity, 
 is distinct from the class enumerated in ver. 
 20, and forms the other distinguishing vice of 
 the Corinthian church. This is the reason 
 that the apostle separates the two from each 
 other, in order that the double trouble, with 
 its crossings and complications, may be de- 
 fined and emphasized. The only reason that 
 can be given why the apostle should mourn 
 'over many of them who have sinned before, 
 and have not repented,' instead of overall such, 
 is that the entire class would include some 
 other sins than lust, which is the particular 
 sin that he has in mind here. The phrase, 
 'on account of their uncleanness,' etc., be- 
 longs with the verb, 'I shall mourn,' denoting 
 the ground of that. This sin of impurity is 
 the one over which he expects specially to 
 mourn, and be humiliated; but there are 
 other sins, and hence sinners of that class are 
 onl}- many, not all sinners. The apostle says 
 'my God,' because he recognizes in all such 
 divine action the personal relation of God to 
 himself. "What lends to this humhling its 
 significance is that it comes from his God. 
 
 CRITICAL NOTES.— CHAPTER XII. 
 
 1. It is difficult to analyze in the English 
 the different changes in this verse. Doubtless 
 is the rendering of a Greek word found in 
 
222 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XIII. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 THIS is the third time I am coming to you. In the 
 mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word 
 be established. 
 
 2 I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were 
 present, the second time; and being absent now I write 
 to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, 
 that, if I come again, I will not spare: 
 
 1 This is the third time I am coming to you. At the 
 mouth of two witnesses or three sha:l every word be 
 
 2 established. I have said l beforehand, and I do say 
 1 beforehand, 2 as when I was present the second 
 time, so now, being absent, to them that have sinned 
 heretofore, and to all the rest, that, if I come again, 
 
 1 Or, plainly... .2 Or, at if I were present the eecond time, even though I am i 
 
 KM, etc.; but is substituted in KD cop. It 
 is necessary, instead of either, is found in 
 BD C EFGLP, etc., it vulg syr utr , etc. It is 
 not expedient for me, is found in D C EKL, etc. 
 d e syrP; though not indeed expedient, is the 
 reading in NBFG f vulg cop. For I will 
 come (see margin of Authorized Version) is 
 found in DEKL syr utr , etc.; but I will come, 
 is the reading of XBFG, etc., f g vulg cop, 
 etc. 
 
 5. My infirmities is the reading of KD C 
 EF, etc.; f g vulg, etc.; my is omitted in BD*, 
 etc., d e syr utr cop, etc. 
 
 7. Wherefore is inserted (see Notes) in NA 
 BFG g, etc. It is omitted in DEKLP, etc. 
 d e f vulg syr ntr , etc. 
 
 11. In glorying is found in «° A 2 D b and c 
 EK, etc., syr utr cop, etc. It is omitted in 
 K*A*BD* etc., it vulg, etc. 
 
 12. In signs, is the reading of D c EK, etc., 
 vulg one MS. cop. It is by signs, in x*ABD, 
 etc. it vulg syr utr , etc. 
 
 14. The third time, is the reading of 
 KLP, etc.; this is a third time is found in 
 NAI3FG it vulg syr ntr sah cop, etc. Burden- 
 some to you, is the reading of D b and ° EKL, 
 etc. it vulg syr u,r sah cop ; also D* FG ; to 
 you is omitted in XAB, etc. 
 
 15. Though is the reading of N°D b and c 
 EKLP, etc. f vulg syr utr , etc.; if is the read- 
 ing of XABFG sah cop. If the more I love 
 you, making the other clause that follows, 
 conditional, instead of this clause, is the read- 
 ing in »S°BDEFGKLP it vulg, etc. If I 
 love you more, making this conditional, is the 
 reading in K*A sah cop, etc. The change is 
 not clearly substantiated on external grounds. 
 
 19. Again is found in k c DEKLP g S yr utr 
 cop, etc.; all this time, in X*ABFG de f vulg 
 (exc. one MS.) 
 
 20. Strifes is the reading of BDEFGLPK 
 it vulg sah cop syrP, etc.; strife of NA syr 8Ch . 
 etc. Jealousies is found in KD b an<1 c EKLP, 
 etc., it vulg sah cop nyi*, etc.; the singular in 
 ABD"FG syr" ob , etc. 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 1, 2. Continuation of the preceding subject, 
 stating that if he does find things as he fears, 
 he will institute proceedings against the 
 offenders. 3, 4. He will do this in order 
 to furnish them the proof that they require ; 
 that the Christ who was weak, but is strong, 
 speaks in him. 5. Necessity, therefore, that 
 they try themselves instead of him. 6-10. 
 He hopes that, in case of necessity, they will 
 not find him without this proof of power; 
 and yet he prays that their conduct may be 
 such as not to require it. 11-14. Closing 
 words. 
 
 Ch.13: 1. The third time. See on 12; 
 
 14. There is only one previous visit recorded 
 in Acts — viz., in ch. 18. But that cannot 
 weigh against this plain testimony from the 
 apostle himself. In the mouth of two or 
 three witnesses— should be, At the mouth 
 of two witnesses and three. This is a citation 
 of the law of testimony given in Deut. 19: 15, 
 and is a statement that, in accordance with 
 that law, ecclesiastical proceedings will be 
 instituted against offenders. The divisions 
 into chapters here is specially unfortunate, as 
 this is directly connected with the preceding 
 statement about his coming to them ; and the 
 whole statement is obscured by the neglect of 
 this. The course of thought is as follows: 
 He says: I fear lest I shall find, when I come, 
 divisions and unrepented lusts among you. 
 It will be my third coming, and this time you 
 will not find my bodily presence weak; it will 
 be a time of judgments and of the summoning 
 of witnesses. The peculiar form of expression, 
 'two witnesses and three,' is taken directly 
 from the Septuagint. Our Lord cites the 
 same law of testimony. (Matt, is: u.) 
 
 2. This verse should be translated, I have 
 said before, and say beforehand, as when I was 
 present the second time, also now being absent, 
 
Ch. XIII.] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 223 
 
 3 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, 
 Which to you-waid is not weak, but is mighty in you. 
 
 4 Fur though he was crucified through weakness, 
 yet he liveth by the power of (jod. For we also are 
 weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power 
 of God toward you. 
 
 :i I will not spare; seeing that ye seek a proof of Christ 
 who speaketh in me; who to you-wara is not weak, 
 
 4 but is powerful In you: tor he was crucified through 
 weakness yet he liveth through the power ol I tad. 
 For We also are weak 'in him, but we shall live 
 with him through the power of God toward you. 
 
 I Many ancient authorities read, with. 
 
 to those that have sinned heretofore and, to all 
 the rest, that if I come again, I will not spare. 
 (On the omission of I write, see Crit. Notes.) 
 The threefold repetition of the idea of 'before,' 
 which in Greek is expressed each time by the 
 same word, is a thorough specimen of the 
 apostle's style. So far as it is an involved 
 style, it is quite Greek, and not Hebrew. The 
 first 'before,' means before now ; the second, 
 1 beforehand,' means before the event, a fore- 
 telling ; the third, 'heretofore,' means before 
 now. The effect of the whole is to impress on 
 them the consistency and persistency of his 
 purpose, and the certainty, therefore, that he 
 will do what he says. It is intended to coun- 
 teract the impression, referred to in 10: 1,10 
 seq., of his vacillation and real weakness. He 
 says : I have been called weak, because I have 
 spared you; but you will see that there has 
 been hidden wider this, all the time, a real 
 strength. 
 
 3. Since ye seek, etc. This gives the 
 reason for the preceding declaration. Since 
 they seek a proof that Christ does indeed 
 speak in him, making him not weak, but 
 strong, he will show it by his not sparing 
 them when he comes. This is the kind of 
 proof that they demand, not of the spiritual 
 power that saves men, but of the authority 
 that strikes fear into men; and this also he 
 will show, now that the time has come. 
 Which to you-ward is not weak, but is 
 mighty in you — should be, Who is not weak 
 toward you, but is powerful among you, Paul 
 is here speaking of the power of Christ mani- 
 fested in the church, not his indwelling in 
 individuals, as is shown by the fact that the 
 power to correct and punish sins is expressly 
 included. If it were possible to make the 
 'you' collective, instead of individual, 'in' 
 would be the proper preposition. This state- 
 ment seems to be intended to offset their doubt 
 of the apostle's power. If he can show thnt 
 Christ speaks in him, he. at least, is not weak ; 
 and they may well be careful how they pro- 
 voke that power. 
 
 4. For though he was crucified through 
 weakness, yet he liveth by the power of 
 
 God— should be, For he was crucified from 
 weakness, but he liveth from the power of (Jod. 
 (See Crit. Notes.) The first clause is conces- 
 sive in its tone, but not in its form. The 
 preposition shows the source of the crucifixion 
 in his own weakness, and of the present life 
 in the power of God. The weakness of Christ 
 here is the same that Paul has attributed to 
 himself,' the weakness of passive endurance, 
 and of humble service, the weakness of his 
 human condition, subject to the power of his 
 enemies. But besides this human, beautiful 
 weakness through which Christ died, there 
 was in him the power of God b\' which death 
 had no power over him. In this resurrection- 
 life of Christ, there is included the power and 
 glory of the risen Christ, by virtue of which 
 he judges, as well as bears, the sins of men. 
 For we also are weak in him, but we 
 shall live, etc. This is a proof of the pre- 
 ceding statements in regard to Christ, based 
 on the communion between him and his 
 people, such that what his people experience, 
 will be found also in his life. (See John 15: 
 20; Matt. 10: 24,25.) 'In him.' It was by 
 virtue of their connection with Christ that 
 they had this weakness of patience and humble 
 service. Live with him by the power of 
 God toward you— should be, From the 
 power of God. The representation is changed 
 a little in form. The life is 'with' Christ, 
 instead of 'in' him; and its source is in 'the 
 power of God,' as with the life of Christ. 
 The toward you modifies the verb ' we shall 
 live,' and shows that this life spoken of here, 
 is not the resurrection -life. It is a life in rela- 
 tion to the Corinthians, and makes a contrast 
 to the weakness spoken of in the preceding 
 verse. It is a figurative representation of his 
 assumption of authority and activity toward 
 them after the analogy of the same things in 
 Christ's resurrection-life. He lire* in power, 
 Paul says, and you will find us coming to life 
 in the same way. 
 
224 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XIII. 
 
 5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; 
 prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, 
 how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be repro- 
 
 6 But I trust that ye shall know that we are not 
 reprobates. 
 
 7 Now I pray to God that ye do no evil ; not that we 
 should appear approved, but that ye should do that 
 which is honest, though we be as reprobates. 
 
 5 Try vour own selves, whether ye are in the faith; 
 prove your own selves. Or know ye not as to 
 your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you? 
 
 6 ii n less indeed ye are reprobate. But I hope that 
 
 7 ye shall know that we are not reprobate. Now we 
 pray to God that ye do no evil ; not that we may 
 appear approved, but that ye may do that which 
 
 5. Examine yourselves, whether ye be 
 in the faith: prove your own selves. 
 Know ye not your own selves, how that 
 Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be repro- 
 bates?— should be, Try yourselves, whether 
 you are in in the faith; prove yourselves. Or 
 do you not know yourselves that Jesus Christ 
 is in you ? unless perhaps you are unapproved. 
 'Yourselves' is in each case the object of the 
 verb. In the first two cases it is emphatic, in 
 contrast with their examination of Paul and 
 of his apostolic authority. He has assured 
 them that proofs, such as they seek even, will 
 not he wanting as to that; and now he warns 
 them that what they need to do in view of his 
 coming is to prove themselves, so as to be 
 prepared for his coming. 'In the faith '—not 
 a dogmatic, but a living faith. They are not 
 to examine their belief to see whether it cor- 
 responds with a creed; but to examine their 
 lives to see whether they correspond with a 
 living and spiritual faith in Christ. 'Or do 
 you not know?' etc. This is a reason why 
 they might avoid such self-examination, and 
 is therefore presented as an alternative. Do 
 you not know, Paul says, that Christ is in 
 you,? does self-examination make you doubt- 
 ful of that, and so do you avoid it? Notice 
 that 'Christ is in you' is here substituted for 
 'you are in the faith' of the preceding part of 
 the verse. 'Unless perhaps you are unap- 
 proved.' This last word is difficult to trans- 
 late. It means, not standing the test, not 
 furnishing the necessary proof. This is the 
 case in which Christ is not in them. If they 
 are not genuine, do not abide the proof, then 
 Christ is not in them. The preceding ques- 
 tion expects an affirmative answer from its 
 form ; and this is exceptional, therefore, with 
 reference to that. 
 
 6. This verse should be translated, But I 
 hope that you. will know that we are not unap- 
 proved. 'We' is emphatic, in contrast with 
 the preceding supposition that they arc unap- 
 proved. The test is of their Christian charac- 
 ter, and of his apostolic authority. This 
 
 would be vindicated by his assertion and 
 maintenance of his power to judge and cor- 
 rect them, a sign of his apostolicity that they 
 valued and doubted. This is in immediate 
 relation to their self-examination, and its re- 
 sults; for they were to undergo the apostolic 
 judgment as well as their own, and it is in 
 connection with this that his apostolic au- 
 thority was to be shown. Whether they stand 
 the test or not, he trusts that they will find 
 him abiding it. 
 
 7. This verse should be rendered, But we 
 pray to Cod that you may do nothing evil; not 
 in order that we may appear approved, but 
 that you may do that which is good, and ive 
 may be as unapproved. (See Crit. Notes.) 
 This is adversative to the preceding, inasmuch 
 as it ends in the apostle's remaining 'unap- 
 proved,' instead of 'approved' ; and the con- 
 junction at the beginning is to be rendered, 
 therefore, 'But' instead of 'Now.' He does 
 not want his vindication to be secured by 
 their doing evil. And this he does not pray 
 for, in order that the good conduct of his dis- 
 ciples may establish his claim to the apostle- 
 ship, but for its own sake. He prays that 
 they may do good, in order that they may do 
 good. Connected with this last is a second 
 purpose, viz., 'that he may be as unapproved.' 
 This is not concessive in its form, nor even in 
 its intent exactly. It comes as a necessary 
 consequence of their doing right, and is there- 
 fore a constituent part of his prayer for that. 
 It is to be remembered that the proof which 
 they are demanding now of his apostleship is 
 an assertion of his power over them, as a 
 judge and spiritual head, to strike offenders 
 mute; and without offenders, therefore, he 
 will be left without proof. Not without 
 proof as he counts it, but without the proof 
 that they require; and so practically, for 
 present purposes, without, proof, unapproved. 
 This then would be a part of his purpose in 
 praying that they might do right, that he 
 might thus be left without the proof of apos- 
 tleship that their wrong-doing would give 
 
Ch. XIII] 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 225 
 
 8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for 
 the truth, 
 
 9 For wo are glad, when we are weak, and ye are 
 strong: and iliis also we wish, even your perfection. 
 
 10 Therefore I write these things being absent, lest 
 being present 1 should use sharpness, according to the 
 power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and 
 not to destruction. 
 
 11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good 
 comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of 
 love and peace shall be with you. 
 
 8 is honourable, 1 though we be as reprobate. For 
 we can do nothing against the truth, but for the 
 
 9 truth. For we rejoice, when we are weak, and 
 ye are strong: this we also pray for, even your 
 
 10 perfecting. For this cause I write these things 
 while absent, that I may not when present deal 
 sharply, according to the authority which the Lord 
 gave me for building up, and not for casting 
 down. 
 
 11 Finally, brethren, '■'farewell. Be perfected; be 
 comforted; be of the same mind; live in peace; 
 and the God of love and peace shall be with you! 
 
 1 Gr. and that 2 Or, rejoice : be perfected. 
 
 him. As reprobates. This gives just the 
 modification of his thought that lie wishes. 
 As we have seen, it is not his wish to he abso- 
 lutely unapproved, but only as unapproved, 
 seemingly without proof, as it looks to them. 
 
 8. For we can do nothing— should be, 
 For we have no power. There is a reference 
 here to his apostolic power, which is under 
 discussion. The truth is here the truth of 
 the gospel. If that is embodied and repre- 
 sented in their lives, he has no power against 
 it, and will therefore remain unapproved, so 
 far as that is concerned. 
 
 9. For we are glad when— better, We 
 rejoice whenever. And this also we wish, 
 even your perfection — should be, This we 
 also pray for, your perfecting. (See Crit. 
 Notes.) The weakness here meant is power- 
 lessness to judge and punish offenders; and 
 in contrast with this is their strength, the 
 absence of that enforced submission to the 
 power of another that would be their position 
 as offenders. This is the apostle's confirma- 
 tion of the statement that he has no power 
 against the truth. Instead of sorrowing when 
 they were strong, and he consequently weak, 
 as he would do if his power was on the side of 
 error instead of truth, he rejoices. The verb 
 is emphatic, and contains the point of his 
 argument. 'This we also pray for.' 'This' 
 is their strength, of which he has just spoken, 
 for which he not only rejoices, but also prays. 
 'And your perfecting' is added as an explana- 
 tory equivalent of that to which 'this' refers. 
 What he rejoices over, and prays for, is an 
 indication of the side on which his power is 
 enlisted. 
 
 10. Therefore — viz., because he prays for 
 their perfection. The object of this prayer he 
 furthers by this writing, in which he endeav- 
 ors to vindicate his apostolic claim and char- 
 acter, and to further in them the spiritual 
 results of his apostolic work. Lest being 
 
 present, I should use sharpness— should 
 be, That I may not when present deal severely. 
 In chap. 10 he has introduced himself as 
 using boldness in his letters, and gentleness 
 in his speech ; and in this chapter he warns 
 them that on his next coming he will use 
 toward them the severity of judgment, if he 
 finds them continuing their ill-doing. And 
 now, in accordance with the spirit of the 
 whole passage, he tells them that he uses this 
 present severity in writing, in order to avoid 
 the necessity of it when he comes. This is in 
 accordance with what he has said about his 
 rejoicing, when he is weak, and they are 
 strong. According to the power which 
 the Lord hath given me to edification, 
 and not to destruction— should be, Accord- 
 ing to the authority which the Lord gave me 
 for building up, and not for pulling down. 
 (See 10: 8.) 'Building' is the apostle's favorite 
 figure to denote the work of the Christian 
 teacher in perfecting the graces and character 
 of his disciples; and that is the object for 
 which his authority is given him. 'Pulling 
 down' is here the result atttendant on judg- 
 ment and discipline. It is not inward and 
 spiritual ; because in the spiritual realm the 
 effect of judgment, or at least its object, is 
 building up; but outward. It is their degra- 
 dation in the eyes of the church by taking 
 away their reputation and standing. Judg- 
 ment is with him, as with the Lord, a necessary 
 thing; but it is not the object of his work. 
 (See John 3: 17; 12: 47.) This object of his 
 authority is in accordance with his purpose 
 not to use severity, if it can be avoided. 
 
 11. This verse should be translated, As for 
 the rest, brethren, rejoice, be perfected, be 
 comforted, be of the same mind, be peaceful. 
 These exhortations are not simply general, by 
 way of rounding off the Epistle ; but each has 
 a purpose. He has written much that is de- 
 pressing; but in view of the fact that here, 
 
226 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 [Ch. XIII. 
 
 12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. 
 
 13 All the saints salute you. 
 
 14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love 
 of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with 
 you all. Amen. 
 
 1f The second epistle to the Corinthians was written 
 from Philippi, a city of Macedonia, hy Titus and Lucas. 
 
 12 Salute one another with a holy kiss. 
 
 13 All the saints salute you. 
 
 14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love 
 of tiod, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, he 
 with you all. 
 
 after all, is a Christian church, with some 
 conspicuous advantages, he ends by bidding 
 them 'rejoice.' To 'be perfected,' in view of 
 all thtit he has said of their imperfections, is 
 an obvious need. In those times, when 
 Christianity was a new religion, separating its 
 converts from old associations and friend- 
 ships, and yet a religion with a special mission 
 to comfort men, 'be comforted' has its under- 
 stood place in every Epistle. And harmony 
 and peace were the crying need of the Cor- 
 inthian Church. The God of love and 
 peace. These designations make an obvious 
 part of the argument, showing that it would 
 be a denying of God's nature not to be in 
 harmony with those who are thus in harmony 
 with him. 
 
 12. Greet one another with a holy kiss 
 — should be, Salute one another in a holy 
 kiss. The verbs in this and ver. 13 are the 
 same; and this identity should be preserved. 
 'A holy kiss.' The kiss was a common East- 
 ern salutation, not confined, as with us, to 
 near relations or friends. (See Luke 7r 45.) 
 And it seems to have been adopted by the 
 Christian church as a special token of peace 
 and good-will among its members. (See 
 Rom. 16: 16; 1 Cor. 16: 20; 1 Thess. 5: 26; 
 1 Pet. 5: 14.) It was this ' holy kiss,' not the 
 ordinary kiss of greeting, that Paul com- 
 mends. 
 
 13. All the saints salute you — viz., all 
 the Christians in the place where Paul is. 
 
 14. On the form of these benedictions, see 
 
 on 1 Cor. 1 : 3. This is the only Epistle of 
 Paul in which anything more than the com- 
 prehensive grace is introduced in the closing 
 words. And here it stands first as being dis- 
 tinctive in Christianity. The communion 
 of the Holy Ghost— should be, The partak- 
 ing, or sharing, of the Holy Spirit. He 
 wishes that they may have a part in that 
 blessed Holy Spirit. With you all— a signifi- 
 cant close of the Epistle in which he has had 
 to rebuke so many. These blessings he in- 
 vokes on them all without distinction. It is a 
 prayer; and prayer, like charity, "is not 
 strained." Amen is to be omitted. (See 
 Crit. Notes.) The subscription is not, of 
 course, in the original, and, except the mere 
 title, is wanting in the oldest manuscripts. 
 
 CRITICAL NOTES. — CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 2. / write is found in D C EKLP syr utr , etc. 
 It is omitted in NABD*FG, etc., it vulg, etc. 
 
 4. Though is found in N C AD ba " dc EL f vulg 
 syr atr , etc. It is omitted in N*BD*FGKP d e 
 g cop, etc. 
 
 7. I pray is the reading of D C EKL syr sch . 
 etc. We pray is found in NABD*FGP it 
 vulg syrP cop, etc. 
 
 9. And this also is found in N C D°EKL syr sch , 
 etc. And is omitted in K*ABD*FGP it vulg 
 cop, etc. 
 
 14. Amen is found in X C DEKP d e vulg 
 syr utr C0P) etc _ i t i s omitted in XABFG, f g, 
 etc. 
 
Date Due 
 
 r ■ - ii i 
 
 

 
 J» #*■ Jtt Jf Hr 
 
 IMF mf? 
 
 ■> W'-'-Jt