ΓΆΡ (B17, 37, Copt., Syr., Pesh.) should perhaps be preferred to δέ (אABCFG); and ΠΆΛΙΝ ἘΝ ΛΎΠΗΙ (אABCDFG) is to be preferred to ἐλθεῖν ἐν λύπῃ (some cursives, some versions), and ΠΡῸΣ ὙΜΑ͂Σ ἘΛΘΕΙ͂Ν (אABCKL) to ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς (DFG). The whole should read ΠΆΛΙΝ ἘΝ ΛΎΠΗΙ ΠΡῸΣ ὙΜΑ͂Σ ἘΛΘΕΙ͂Ν (אABCKLOP... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ ΤΊΣ Ὁ ΕΥ̓ΦΡΑΊΝΩΝ ΜΕ; _Who then is he that maketh me glad?_ The καί makes the question more emphatic, implying that in that case there would be distressing incongruity: comp. 2 Corinthians 2:16; Mark 10:26; Luke 18:26; John 9:36. Winer, p. 545. This use of καί is classical. Blass § 77. 6. Ὁ ΛΥΠΟΎ... [ Continue Reading ]
3. Omit ὑμῖν after ἔγραψα (א1ABC1OP). 3. ἜΓΡΑΨΑ ΤΟΥ͂ΤΟ ΑΥ̓ΤΌ. _I wrote this_ VERY THING: see critical note. The interpretation is important; but there are several uncertainties. For τοῦτο αὐτό _may_ mean ‘for this very reason’: see Bigg on 2 Peter 1:5; Winer, p. 178; Blass § 49. But had S. Paul mean... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΛΛᾺ ΤῊΝ�. Strong emphasis on τὴν�. No doubt some had called his severe letter cruel. But had he not loved them so much, he either would have done nothing, or would not have abstained from coming and inflicting heavy punishment. ἭΝ ἜΧΩ ΠΕΡΙΣΣΟΤΈΡΩΣ ΕἸΣ ὙΜΑ͂Σ. Not only are they dear to him; few of h... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἸ ΔΈ ΤΙΣ ΛΕΛΎΠΗΚΕΝ, ΟΥ̓Κ ἘΜῈ ΛΕΛΎΠΗΚΕΝ. _But if any hath caused_ SORROW, _he hath caused_ SORROW, _not to me_. The repetition of λύπη and λυπέω must be preserved in translation here, as that of θλίψις and θλίβω, παράκλησις and παρακαλέω in 2 Corinthians 1:4-8. Εἰ does not imply that there is doubt;... [ Continue Reading ]
5–11. Having vindicated himself with regard to the charge of levity (2 Corinthians 1:15 to 2 Corinthians 2:4), he now goes on to vindicate his treatment of the grievous offender. It used to be assumed that this referred to the incestuous person, whom the Apostle sentenced to excommunication (1 Corin... [ Continue Reading ]
ἹΚΑΝῸΝ ΤΩ͂Ι ΤΟΙΟΎΤΩΙ Ἡ ἘΠΙΤΙΜΊΑ ΑὝΤΗ. Not, ‘This is a sufficient punishment for such a one,’ but THIS PUNISHMENT IS FOR SUCH A ONE A SUFFICIENT THING; it satisfies the requirements. Perhaps ἱκανόν is here _verbum forense_ (Bengel), used in the sense of legal satisfaction. Legal words are rather freq... [ Continue Reading ]
7. The μᾶλλον after τοὐναντίον (אCKLOP) or after ὑμᾶς (DFG) is doubtful. AB and Aug. omit. 7. ὭΣΤΕ ΤΟΥ̓ΝΑΝΤΊΟΝ [ΜΑ͂ΛΛΟΝ] ὙΜΑ͂Σ ΧΑΡΊΣΑΣΘΑΙ ΚΑῚ ΠΑΡΑΚΑΛΈΣΑΙ. There is no need to understand δεῖν: _so that on the contrary_ YOU MAY _forgive and comfort him_. If μᾶλλον is genuine (see critical note), it i... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΥΡΩ͂ΣΑΙ ΕἸΣ ΑΥ̓ΤῸΝ�. TO RATIFY _towards him_ LOVE, _i.e._ to make it valid and effective (Galatians 3:15). The metaphor is so natural, especially in one so fond of legal phraseology as S. Paul, that we cannot infer from κυρῶσαι that a formal decree, restoring the offender to communion, is suggested... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἸΣ ΤΟΥ͂ΤΟ ΓᾺΡ ΚΑῚ ἝΓΡΑΨΑ. Here, as in 2 Corinthians 2:3, it is very unlikely that either 1 Corinthians or this letter is meant. It is the _second lost letter_, written between these two, to which ἕγραψα refers. This severe letter, carried by Titus, was a testing letter; and the point of the γάρ and... [ Continue Reading ]
Δ ΚΕΧΆΡΙΣΜΑΙ ΕἼ ΤΙ ΚΕΧΆΡΙΣΜΑΙ (אABCFGO) rather than εἴ τι κεχάρισμαι ᾦ κεχάρισμαι (DKL). εἴ τι κεχάρισμαι is too well attested to be rejected as a gloss. 10. ὮΙ ΔΈ ΤΙ ΧΑΡΊΖΕΣΘΕ, ΚἈΓΏ. The δέ is ignored in the A.V. and most earlier English Versions. It may be a mere particle of transition; or may int... [ Continue Reading ]
ἽΝΑ ΜῊ ΠΛΕΟΝΕΚΤΗΘΩ͂ΜΕΝ ὙΠῸ ΤΟΥ͂ ΣΑΤΑΝΑ͂. THAT WE BE NOT OVERREACHED BY SATAN. Comp. 2 Corinthians 7:2; 2 Corinthians 12:17-18; 1 Thessalonians 4:6. Here only is the verb used in the passive. The ‘we’ unites the interests of the Corinthians with his own. The evil one, whose personality is clearly mar... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΛΘῺΝ ΔῈ ΕἸΣ ΤῊΝ ΤΡΩΙΆΔΑ. NOW _when I came to Troas_. ‘Furthermore’ (A.V.) is quite wrong. Having got the charge of levity and the case of the grievous offender out of the way, he returns to the affliction which was so near killing him in Asia. His anxiety about the mission of Titus, and about the e... [ Continue Reading ]
12–17. The passage about the great offender (2 Corinthians 2:5-11) follows quite naturally after 2 Corinthians 2:4, the connecting thought being λύπη. But it is somewhat of a digression, from which the Apostle now returns. We might go direct from 2 Corinthians 2:4 (or even from 2 Corinthians 1:11) t... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟΥ̓Κ ἜΣΧΗΚΑ ἌΝΕΣΙΝ ΤΩ͂Ι ΠΝΕΎΜΑΤΊ ΜΟΥ. Literally, I HAVE NOT GOT RELIEF FOR _my spirit_. As in 2 Corinthians 1:9, the perfect shows how vividly he recalls the feelings of that trying time. No one English word will represent ἄνεσις in all the places where it occurs; 2 Corinthians 7:5; 2 Corinthians 8:... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΩ͂Ι ΔῈ ΘΕΩ͂Ι ΧΆΡΙΣ. This abrupt transition graphically, though unintentionally, reproduces the sudden revulsion of feeling caused by the news which Titus brought from Corinth. At the mere mention of Macedonia, the memory of what he experienced there carries him away. The journey, the search, the me... [ Continue Reading ]
ὍΤΙ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ͂ ΕΥ̓ΩΔΊΑ ἘΣΜῈΝ ΤΩ͂Ι ΘΕΩ͂Ι. The ὅτι explains διʼ ἡμῶν. Those who diffuse the fragrant knowledge are now themselves spoken of as being to God (dat. comm.) a sweet odour (Daniel 2:46 Theodot.) of _Christ_. The emphasis is on Χριστοῦ: _For_ it is of Christ _that we are a sweet odour to God_.... [ Continue Reading ]
16. ἘΚ ΘΑΝΆΤΟΥ … ἘΚ ΖΩΗ͂Σ (אABC, Copt. Aeth., Clem. Orig.). In both places ἐκ is omitted (?as difficult) DFGKL, Vulg. Arm., Chrys. Iren-Lat. 16. ΟἾΣ ΜῈΝ ὈΣΜῊ ἘΚ ΘΑΝΆΤΟΥ ΕἸΣ ΘΆΝΑΤΟΝ, ΟἾΣ ΔῈ ὈΣΜῊ ἘΚ ΖΩΗ͂Σ ΕἸΣ ΖΩΉΝ. Note the chiasmus: the clauses balance what precedes in the reverse order. Comp. 2 Cori... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟἹ ΠΟΛΛΟΊ (אABCK, most versions) rather than οἱ λοιποί (DFGL, Syr., Arm.); and ΚΑΤΈΝΑΝΤΙ ΘΕΟΥ͂ (א1ABC) rather than κατενώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ (FGKL) or κατέναντι τοῦ θεοῦ (P) or κατενώπιον θεοῦ (D). 2 Corinthians 2:1-17. THE VINDICATION CONTINUED There should be no break here. The first chapter should hav... [ Continue Reading ]