St Paul's only Object the Spiritual Advancement of his Converts 1. _But I determined this with myself_ St Paul now further vindicates his consistency. Not only did he stay away from Corinth to spare the Corinthians the sharp rebukes which his immediate presence would have necessitated, but he hoped... [ Continue Reading ]
_For if I make you sorry_ So all the principal English translators. But the rendering gives a false impression to a modern ear. The best equivalent in modern English is -if I _pain_you." The idea of sorrow for the sin does not appear to have been introduced as yet. The - _I_" in this passage is emph... [ Continue Reading ]
_And I wrote this same unto you_ Either (1) the announcement in 1 Corinthians 16:7 of the Apostle's change of purpose, or (2) the rebukes in the former Epistle that grieved them, especially the passage in ch. 5 of that Epistle which (cf. also 2 Corinthians 2:2_; 2 Corinthians 2:5_of this chapter) re... [ Continue Reading ]
_For out of much affliction and anguish of heart_ The word here translated anguish denotes a _drawing or holding together_, as we say, a _spasm_. It is only found here and in Luke 21:25. It was from no proud consciousness of superiority that St Paul wrote the rebukes of his former Epistle. He was no... [ Continue Reading ]
_he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all_ According to the A. V. the meaning is that the Apostle, anxious not to lay too heavy a charge at the door of the Corinthian Church, to which (see 1 Corinthians 5:2; 1 Corinthians 5:6) he considers the guilt to attach, declares... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sufficient to such a man is this punishment_ See note on 1 Corinthians 5:3-5. The discipline of the Apostolic Church, which had as its main object the restoration of the offender, was content when this object was attained. As soon as the offender renounced his sin, the end of the discipline was rea... [ Continue Reading ]
_comfort him_ Better, perhaps, ENCOURAGE him. See note on ch. 2 Corinthians 1:3. _such a one_ ὁ τοιοῦτος, the man of that description, the name by which St Paul always denotes the offender. See note on 1 Corinthians 5:5. St Paul will not disgrace him to all future ages by mentioning his name. _swa... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wherefore I beseech you, that you would confirm your love towards him_ The word -your" is not in the original. It is not _their_love, but love _itself_, the fundamental principle (see 1 Corinthians 13:1; 1 John 4:8; 1 John 4:16) of the Christian covenant. The word here rendered _confirm_is used of... [ Continue Reading ]
_For to this end also did I write_ St Paul here gives a third reason for writing the first Epistle. Not only was he anxious for the restoration of the offender, for a visit to Corinth which should have nothing of a painful character about it, but he wished to test the readiness of the Corinthians to... [ Continue Reading ]
_To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also_ St Paul is here exercising the power of the keys (see Matthew 16:19; Matthew 18:18; John 20:23). He is not speaking of any private forgiveness of a personal injury, but of the public absolution of an offender lying under the censure of the church. See 1... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lest Satan should get an advantage of us_ See note on 1 Corinthians 5:10. The word signifies (1) to have more, (2) to be greedy, and hence (3) to overreach, to defraud. _devices_ The word properly means _mental processes_, "the product of mind." Meyer. It is translated _minds_in ch. 2 Corinthians 3... [ Continue Reading ]
_Furthermore, when I came to Troas_ Another proof is now given of the Apostle's sincere desire for the well-being of his converts, his distress at the non-arrival of Titus at the time expected. In spite of the opportunity afforded him of preaching the gospel at Troas, his anxiety would not suffer hi... [ Continue Reading ]
_I had no rest in my spirit_ i.e. the higher and nobler part of his being, superior to the soul. Cf. 1 Corinthians 2:14-15 and notes. Also 1 Corinthians 15:44-46. _because I found not Titus my brother_ Titus (see ch. 2 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 12:18) had been sent by the Apostle to superintend... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now thanks be unto God_ This passage is an instance of the abrupt digressions peculiar to St Paul's style. See Introduction to the first Epistle, p. 16, and 1 Corinthians 4:8. Also Introduction to this Epistle. "As soon as St Paul came to the word Macedonia, memory presented to him what had greeted... [ Continue Reading ]
_For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ_ The form of the expression is here altered in two ways: (1) the Apostle himself now becomes the -sweet savour," while (2) the idea of sacrifice is first brought in. The Apostle now uses the phrase used in the LXX. for a sacrificial odour (see note on la... [ Continue Reading ]
_To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life_ The reading accepted by most recent editors is -a savour arising from death and resulting in death," and -a savour arising from life and resulting in life," according to a construction common to St Paul... [ Continue Reading ]
_For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God_ The original makes -many" definite with the article, thus clearly pointing out the false teachers, against whom so much of this and the former Epistle is directed. The word of God may be corrupted (1) by the admixture of foreign doctrines, e. g... [ Continue Reading ]