2 Corinthians 3:1

ἀρχόμεθα πάλιν ἑαυτοὺς συνιστ.: are we beginning again (sc., as, for instance, in 1 Corinthians 9:15; 1Co 14:18; 1 Corinthians 15:10, or possibly he alludes to 2 Corinthians 1:12 above; cf. chap. 2 Corinthians 5:12; 2 Corinthians 10:18 below) to commend ourselves? His opponents seem to have made this charge, which he is careful to repudiate again (2 Corinthians 10:12; cf. 2 Corinthians 12:11). The phrase ἑαυτον συνιστάνειν (or συνιστάναι, for both forms occur) is found four times in this Epistle (see reff.), and always in a bad sense, the prominent place of ἑαυτὸν signifying that there has been undue egotism; on the other hand, συνιστάνειν ἑαυτὸν, which occurs three times (see reff.), is always used in a good sense, of that legitimate commendation of himself and his message which every faithful minister will adopt. Neither form occurs elsewhere in the N.T. (unless Galatians 2:18, παραβάτην ἐμαυτὸν συνιστάνω, be regarded as an exception). ἢ μὴ χρῄζομεν κ. τ. λ.: or do we need, as some do (i.e., the οἱ πολλοί of 2 Corinthians 2:17; τινες is his usual vague description of opponents; see 1 Corinthians 4:18; 1 Corinthians 15:12, chap. 2 Corinthians 10:2; Galatians 1:7; 1 Timothy 1:3; 1 Timothy 1:19), epistles of commendation to you or from you? Greek teachers used to give ἐπιστολαὶ συστατικαί (Diogenes Laert., vii. 87); for such commendatory mention cf. Acts 15:25 (of Judas and Silas to the Church at Antioch), Acts 18:27 (of Apollos to the Church at Corinth), Romans 16:1 (of Phœbe to the Church at Rome), chap. 2 Corinthians 8:16-24 (of Titus and his companions to the Church at Corinth); cf. also 1 Corinthians 16:3. St. Paul scouts the idea that he, who first brought the Gospel to Corinth, should need to present formal credentials to the Corinthian Church; and it would be equally anomalous that he should seek recommendations from them (ἐξ ὑμῶν). He has testimonies to his character and office far superior to any that could be written on papyrus. These can be pointed to if any object that his Apostolic office was self-assumed, and that he delivers the Gospel message in his own way and on his own authority (Galatians 1:12).