τρίτον τοῦτο κ. τ. λ.: _this is the third time I am coming to you. “At the mouth of two witnesses or three shall every word be established.”_ That is, he will hold a formal enquiry in the strict legal way (see reff.) when he arrives. No evasions will be possible.... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Corinthians 13:1-10. IF HE COMES AGAIN, HE WILL NOT SPARE: CHRIST IS HIS STRENGTH: LET THE CORINTHIANS SEE TO IT THAT HE BE THEIRS ALSO.... [ Continue Reading ]
προείρηκα καὶ προλ. κ. τ. λ.: _I have said beforehand_ (at chap. 2Co 10:6; 2 Corinthians 10:11; 2 Corinthians 12:21), _and I do say beforehand, as when I was present the second time_ (_cf._ 2 Corinthians 2:1; 2 Corinthians 12:14), _so now being absent, to them that have sinned heretofore, i.e._, bef... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐπεὶ δοκιμὴν κ. τ. λ.: _seeing that ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me_ (_cf._ Matthew 10:20), _i.e._, a proof that I am really an “Apostle” with a “mission” from Christ to speak in His Name. This last thought leads him into a short digression. “He who has thus commissioned me is not weak, but... [ Continue Reading ]
(_ a_) καὶ γὰρ ἐσταυρώθη κ. τ. λ.: _for He was crucified through weakness_ (_cf._ Philippians 2:8; 1 Peter 3:18; ἐκ indicating that it was His self-assumed ἀσθένεια which made the Passion possible), _but liveth through_ (ἐκ again indicating the ultimate condition) _the Power of God_ (see reff. and _... [ Continue Reading ]
ἑαυτοὺς πειράζετε κ. τ. λ.: _try your own selves_ (πειράζειν generally has a sinister sense in the N.T. = “to tempt,” as at 1 Corinthians 7:5; 1 Corinthians 10:9; Galatians 6:1; 1 Thessalonians 3:5; but see reff.) _whether ye be in the Faith, sc._, the objective Christian Creed (_cf._ 1 Corinthians... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐλπίζω δὲ κ. τ. λ.: _but_, however it may be with you, _I hope that ye shall know that we are not reprobate_, that _we_ can confidently submit to any testing of our apostolic authority.... [ Continue Reading ]
εὐχόμεθα δὲ κ. τ. λ.: _now we pray to God_ (for εὐχ. πρὸς _cf._ Numbers 11:2) _that ye do no evil; not that ye may appear approved, i.e._, the motive of his prayer was not that his ministry should be accredited by its success, _but that ye may do that which is honourable_ (see reff. and mark the con... [ Continue Reading ]
οὐ γὰρ δυνάμ. κ. τ. λ.: _for we can do nothing_, exhibit no Apostolic power, _against the truth, i.e._, against the facts of the case, _but for the truth_ (_cf._ 1 Corinthians 3:1 for the elliptical constr.). The principle here laid down is of far widen application than an accurate exegesis can assi... [ Continue Reading ]
χαίρομεν γὰρ κ. τ. λ.: _for we rejoice when we are weak and ye are strong, i.e._, in Christian graces. The primary reference is to that weakness which the non-exercise of Apostolic authority would seem to suggest to them (2 Corinthians 13:4; 2 Corinthians 11:21), and of which his opponents were very... [ Continue Reading ]
διὰ τοῦτο ταῦτα κ. τ. λ.: _for this cause I write these things, i.e._, this letter, _while absent that I may not when present_ (_cf._ 2 Corinthians 2:3) _deal sharply_ (we must understand ὑμῖν after χρήσωμαι, as at Esther 1:19; Esther 9:27) _according to the authority which the Lord gave me for buil... [ Continue Reading ]
λοιπὸν, ἀδελφοὶ κ. τ. λ.: _finally, brethren_ (λοιπόν strictly = “from henceforth,” but is used vaguely, as in reff. for “finally”. “Well, then,” is its nearest equivalent as used in Modern Greek) _rejoice_ (as at Philippians 3:1; Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16 and everywhere in the Pauline E... [ Continue Reading ]
FINAL EXHORTATIONS, SALUTATIONS AND BENEDICTION.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἀσπάσασθε ἀλλήλ. κ. τ. λ.: _salute one another with a holy kiss_. This common form of Eastern salutation became at an early date part of the ritual of Christian worship, as indicating the brotherhood of the faithful in the family of God. So early as Justin (_Apol._, i., 65) we read of the “kiss of p... [ Continue Reading ]
ἡ χάρις τοῦ κ. κ. τ. λ.: _the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ_ (his concluding salutation in Rom., 1 Cor., Gal., Phil., Philm., 1 and 2 Thess.), _and the Love of God_ (see on 2 Corinthians 5:14), _and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit_ (as at Philippians 2:1, and _cf._ 1 Corinthians 1:9; 1 Corinthian... [ Continue Reading ]