1._It is not expedient for me to glory _Now, when as it were in the middle of the course, he restrains himself from proceeding farther, and in this way he most appropriately reproves the impudence of his rivals and declares that it is with reluctance, that he engages in this sort of contest with the... [ Continue Reading ]
2._I knew a man in Christ _As he was desirous to restrain himself within bounds, he merely singles out _one _instance, and that, too, he handles in such a way as to show, that it is not from inclination that he brings it forward; for why does he speak in the person of another rather than in his own?... [ Continue Reading ]
4._In paradise _(889) As every region that is peculiarly agreeable and delightful (890) is called in the Scriptures the _garden of God, _it came from this to be customary among the Greeks to employ the term _paradise _to denote the heavenly glory, even previously to Christ’s advent, as appears from... [ Continue Reading ]
5._Of such a man _It is as though he had said “I have just ground for glorying, but I do not willingly avail myself of it. For it is more in accordance with my design, to _glory in my infirmities _If, however, those malicious persons harass me any farther, and constrain me to boast more than I am in... [ Continue Reading ]
6._For if I should desire. _Lest what he had said, as to his having no inclination to glory, should be turned into an occasion of calumny, and malevolent persons should reply — “You are not inclined for it, because it is not in your power, he anticipates such a reply. “I would have it quite in my po... [ Continue Reading ]
7._And lest through the superiority of revelations. _Here we have a _second _reason — that God, designing to repress in him every approach to insolence, subdued him with a rod. That rod he calls a _goad, _by a metaphor taken from oxen. The word _flesh _is, in the Greek, in the dative (898) Hence Era... [ Continue Reading ]
8._For this thing I besought the Lord thrice. _Here, also, (907) the number _three _is employed to denote frequent repetition. (908) He means, however, to intimate, that this annoyance had been felt by him distressing, inasmuch as he had so frequently prayed to be exempted from it. For if it had bee... [ Continue Reading ]
9._He said to me. _It is not certain, whether he had this answer by a special revelation, and it is not of great importance. (910) For God answers us, when he strengthens us inwardly by his Spirit, and sustains us by his consolation, so that we do not give up hope and patience. He bids Paul be _sati... [ Continue Reading ]
10._I take pleasure in infirmities _There can be no doubt, that he employs the term _weakness _in different senses; for he formerly applied this name to the punctures that he experienced in the flesh. He now employs it to denote those external qualities, which occasion contempt in the view of the wo... [ Continue Reading ]
11._I have become a fool _Hitherto he had, by various apologies, solicited their forgiveness for what was contrary to his own custom and manner of acting, and contrary, also, to propriety, and what was due to his office as an Apostle — the publishing of his own praises. _Now, _instead of soliciting,... [ Continue Reading ]
12._The signs of an Apostle _By the _signs of an Apostle _he means — the seals, that tend to confirm the evidence of his Apostleship, or, at least, for the proofs and evidences of it. “God has confirmed my Apostleship among you to such a degree, that it stands in no need of proof being adduced.” The... [ Continue Reading ]
13._What is there in which. _Here is an aggravation of their ingratitude — that he had been distinguished, that they might receive benefit — that they had derived advantage from the attestation furnished of his Apostleship, and had, notwithstanding, given their concurrence to the slanders (930) of t... [ Continue Reading ]
14._Behold, this third time _He commends his own deed, for which he had received a very poor requital from the Corinthians. For he says, that he refrained from taking their worldly substance for two reasons _first, _because he sought _them, _not their wealth; and _secondly, _because he was desirous... [ Continue Reading ]
15._And I will most gladly spend _This, certainly, was an evidence of a more than fatherly affection — that he was prepared to lay out in their behalf not merely his endeavors, and everything in his power to do, but even life itself. Nay more, while he is regarded by them with coldness, he continues... [ Continue Reading ]
16._But be it so. _These words intimate, that Paul had been blamed by malevolent persons, as though he had in a clandestine way procured, through means of hired persons, what he had refused to receive with his own hands (934) — not that he had done any such thing, but they _“measure _others,” as the... [ Continue Reading ]
19._Do you again think. _As those that are conscious to themselves of something wrong are sometimes more anxious than others to clear themselves, it is probable, that this, also, was turned into a ground of calumny — that Paul had in the former Epistle applied himself to a defense of his ministry. F... [ Continue Reading ]
20._For I fear _He declares, in what way it tends to their edification, that his integrity should be vindicated, for, on the ground that he had _come _into contempt, many grew wanton, as it were, with loosened reins. Now respect for him would have been a means of leading them to repentance_, _for th... [ Continue Reading ]
21._Lest, when I come, my God should humble me _His abasement was reckoned to him as a fault. The blame of it he throws back upon the Corinthians, who, when they should have honored his Apostleship, loaded it, on the contrary, with disgrace; for their proficiency (941) would have been the glory and... [ Continue Reading ]