Observe here, 1. The writer of this epistle described by his name, PAUL; by his office, AN APOSTLE OF JESUS CHRIST; with the manner how he obtained this office of an apostle, namely, BY THE WILL OF GOD; it was not man, but God, that called him to the apostleship. It is of great concern and consequen... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. The several gracious and comfortable titles which the apostle gives to Almighty God; he styles him, 1. THE FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST; so he is by nature; and Christ his Son by eternal and ineffable generation: for as the words, OUR LORD, ascribed here to Christ, do not exclud... [ Continue Reading ]
Note here, 1. That the saint's sufferings are called the SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST. The head suffers in the members, because the members suffer for the sake of the head. Note, 2. That the saint's sufferings in the cause, and for the sake of Christ, are sometimes overflowing and excessive sufferings: THE... [ Continue Reading ]
As if the apostle had said, "What sufferings soever. have met with in my ministerial office, you have the benefit of them, and special advantage by them; and therefore you ought not to despise me upon the account of my sufferings, (as do the false prophets, and would have you do,) byt you ought the... [ Continue Reading ]
Here St. Paul tells the body of the Corinthians, that he had. good hope concerning them, that as they had endured sufferings for Christ, so they would still endure them; assuring them, that they should share no less in consolation than they did in affliction. Learn hence, That such as suffer for Ch... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. That it is of no small benefit and advantage, but of excellent use to us, to know what are the troubles and afflictions which do befall the servants of God for righteousness' sake: WE WOULD NOT HAVE YOU IGNORANT OF OUR TROUBLE. Observe, 2. How pressing the troubles and afflictions... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, The great and imminent danger which the apostle was in: his very life was in. hazard, nay, even despaired of; he looked upon himself as. dead man: but when he had thus sentenced himself,. divine power, which wrought above all his thoughts and rational conjectures, reprieved him, and re... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, The deliverer, God; the delivered, St. Paul, and the saints that were in Asia with him; the deliverance itself, or the imminent and impending evil delivered from, DEATH, GREAT DEATH, SO GREAT. DEATH. Learn, 1. That in times of great and imminent danger, God, and God alone, is the imme... [ Continue Reading ]
Our apostle having commemorated the goodness and power of God in former deliverances, and expressed his assurance of present and future deliverances, doth in this verse excite and exhort the faithful at Corinth to help and further him with their prayers. YOU ALSO HELPING TOGETHER BY PRAYER FOR US.... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. That though St. Paul did not put confidence and trust in his sincerity and Christian grace, yet he did rejoice, and holily glory, in the evidence of his grace, and in the testimony of. sincere and upright conscience: OUR REJOICING IS THIS. Learn hence, That an holy glorying and rej... [ Continue Reading ]
The apostle having asserted his own sincerity and upright conversation in the former verse, he doth in this verse make his appeal to the consciences of the Corinthians for his justification. It is. good demonstration of our uprightness, when we can not only appeal to God as touching our sincerity, b... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. The great trial which St. Paul met with from the Corinthians, whose spiritual father he was: though he had served them with great faithfulness, yet they did ACKNOWLEDGE HIM BUT IN PART. There was. time when he was high in their esteem. Who but Paul! None but he! but now. great part... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. The apostle's steady purpose, and fixed resolution, to come and spend some time amongst the Corinthians: I WAS MINDED TO COME UNTO YOU. Where. faithful minister has good hopes and confidence of doing good amongst. people, there is great encouragement for coming to them, and abiding... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. How the heart of this holy apostle was carried forth in the service of God and souls, and how accordingly he orders all his journeys from one place to another, and determines his continuance and stay, longer in one place than another, as the glory of God, the advantage of the gospel... [ Continue Reading ]
Here our apostle begins to make his apology and defence for himself, for changing his purpose in coming to Corinth according to promise, and to free himself from the imputation of levity, inconstancy, and falsehood, cast upon him by his back friends, the false apostles, for promising to come to Cori... [ Continue Reading ]
By the WORD here, some understand St. Paul's promise to come to Corinth, that he did very seriously intend to come unto them; as if he had said, "As God is true to his promise, so has he taught me to be true to mine." Others understand by the WORD, St. Paul's preaching, that his doctrine was not mut... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse contains. new argument for the constancy and immutability of St. Paul's doctrine, drawn from the subject matter of his preaching; namely, JESUS CHRIST. As Christ is always one and the same, whom himself and other ministers did preach, so is our doctrine one and the same also. Note here,... [ Continue Reading ]
Our apostle had proved in the foregoing verse the constancy of his own doctrine which he preached from the immutabilithy and constancy of Christ, the subject of it. Here he proveth Christ to be unchangeable, in that all the promises which God hath made to us are fulfilled both in him and by him. ALL... [ Continue Reading ]
In these two verses we have four very great and noble privileges, which the apostle declares God had conferred upon the Corinthians: namely, his establishing, anointing, and sealing of them, and giving the earnest of his Holy Spirit to them. First, their establishment: HE WHICH STABLISHETH US WITH... [ Continue Reading ]
In these words, our apostle doth assure the Corinthians in. very solemn manner, that it was not any inconstancy or carnal respect in himself that made him delay his coming to them, but it was purely to spare them, as being unwilling to come with his rod among them, and to use severity upon them. He... [ Continue Reading ]
As if the apostle had said, "Though we have. ministerial power, yet we have not. magisterial dominion over you, to treat as we please the professors of the gospel, or to punish those that walk not according thereunto." Learn hence, That though Christ has invested the officers of the church with. mi... [ Continue Reading ]