Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

2 Corinthians 1:20

διὸ καὶ διʼ αὐτοῦ (אABCFP) rather than καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ (D2KL).

2 Corinthians 1:1-2. THE APOSTOLIC SALUTATION

20. ὅσαι γὰρ ἐπαγγελίαι θεοῦ, ἐν αὐτῷ τό Ναί. For how many soever be the promises of God, in Him is the yea (R.V.), or possibly, in Him is their yea, i.e. their fulfilment. Numerous as they have been, Christ has fulfilled them all, not merely those which affect the Jews. For here again ἐν αὐτῷ probably means ‘in Christ.’ S. Paul says promises, not prophecies. He is not thinking of such fulfilments as S. Matthew (Matthew 1:22; Matthew 2:5; Matthew 2:15; Matthew 2:17; Matthew 2:23, &c.) and S. John (John 12:38; John 13:18; John 19:24; John 19:36) love to suggest, but of such as he points out Romans 9:25; Romans 9:33; Galatians 3:8; Galatians 3:22. Both ἐπαγγελία and ἐπαγγέλλομαι are used in the N.T. in two main senses: (1) the promises of the O.T. which are fulfilled by the Gospel (Acts 13:32; Acts 26:6; Romans 4:13-20; Romans 9:4, &c.); (2) the promises made by Christ (Galatians 3:14; Ephesians 1:13). Ἐπαγγελία is one of the words which links the disputed passage, 2 Corinthians 6:14 to 2 Corinthians 7:1, to the rest of the letter.

διὸ καὶ διʼ αὐτοῦ τό Ἀμήν. See critical note. Wherefore also through Him is the Amen (R.V.), viz. the Amen in public worship (1 Corinthians 14:16; Deuteronomy 27:15 ff.; Nehemiah 3:13; Nehemiah 3:6; Psalms 41:13). By uttering the Amen in the public services the Corinthians had given their assent to this preaching of Christ. It was through His (or God’s) fulfilment of the promises that their Amen came to be uttered. Or perhaps better, the Ναί refers to Christ’s promise, the Ἀμήν to the response of the disciple: comp. Revelation 22:20. The other reading seems to make ‘the Amen’ a mere repetition of ‘the yea,’ like ‘Abba, Father.’

τῷ θεῷ πρὸς δόξαν διʼ ἡμῶν. To the glory of God through us, His instruments, as in 2 Corinthians 1:19. The emphasis is on τῷ θεῷ. The sequence runs thus: God made promises; Christ fulfilled them all; the Apostles preached Him as the fulfilment; the Corinthians said Amen to this; God was glorified (2 Corinthians 8:19) through this effectual preaching.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

2 Corinthians 1:20

Old Testament

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