Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

2 Corinthians 6:2

2 Corinthians 6:2. (for he saith (Isaiah 49:8), At an acceptable [1] time I hearkened unto thee, and in the day of salvation I succoured thee. The whole strain of prophecy from which these words are quoted is brightly Messianic, and the words quoted were addressed by Jehovah to “His Servant” the Messiah, assuring Him that He is fully alive to His rightful claims, that He “hearkens to Him at the choice time” (‘the tense is the prophetic perfect' [2]); for Jehovah had said, “Ask of me, and I will give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession” (Psalms 2:8), and when “the day of salvation” arrives He will not fail to make His promise good. Well, says our apostle here, behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation): ‘Do ye, Gentile converts, therefore, make this good in your own case, shewing, by what the Gospel has made you to be, that this is no name but a glorious reality.'

[1] The verbal association of ideas here in δέξασθαι (2 Corinthians 6:1) and δεκτ ῷ (2 Corinthians 6:2) should be noticed by the student of the original.

[2] Cheyne's Isaiah, ii. p. 1

Ver. 2. giving, etc. The connexion is with the opening words of the chapter, As “working together with God,” and... giving no occasion of stumbling in any thing, that our ministration be not blamed. How far the opposite of this was the uniform procedure of the apostle, he protests in the remarkable and glowing verses that follow.

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Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

2 Corinthians 6:2

Old Testament

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