The occasion of St. Paul's writing again to the Corinthians, and deferring for the present to come unto them, is here intimated. There was an incestuous person in the church of Corinth, who had married his father's wife; if she were his own natural mother, the sin was most prodigious and unnatural,... [ Continue Reading ]
As if the apostle had said,. gave you. sharp reproof in my former epistle, but it was in much love, and upon. good design; namely, to procure such. reformation of life and manners among you, as might prevent my sorrow when. came unto you; for as your grief is my grief, so my joy is the joy of you al... [ Continue Reading ]
Here our compassionate apostle tells them, That what he had wrote in his former epistle with some severity and sharpness, concerning the incestuous person, was so far from being written with any intention to grieve them, that it was. real affliction to him,. very heavy pressure upon his heart, which... [ Continue Reading ]
As if the apostle had said, This incestuous person, who hath caused so much grief to me by his sin, has caused no little grief to you also, to the sounder part of you, even to all, but those who were partakers with him in his sin: he hath grieved me, but in part only; you, as well as myself, have be... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. The nature of that punishment which the holy apostle thought and adjudged, to be sufficient for the guilty person's sin; and that was excision, not destruction; excommunication, not death. The rejection of such. sinner from the communion of the church, by church-censure and discipli... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe, 1. The great duty which the apostle directs the Corinthians to the performance of, towards this sorrowful offender: TO FORGIVE HIM, TO COMFORT HIM, TO CONFIRM HIM; that is, to absolve him from the sentence and censure of the church; no longer to continue their aversion to him, but to restor... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. Our apostle declares what was his in writing his former epistle to them, namely, this amongst others, to exercise their obedience, and to make trial what regard they would show to his apostolical authority; whether they would be as obedient to his directions in absolving of penitent... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. The unwearied diligence of this great apostle in traveling from place to place, and carrying the gospel with him from one city and nation to another: I CAME TO TROAS, AND FROM THENCE TO MACEDONIA. Observe, 2. The success which the holy apostle had in preaching the gospel with unwea... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. The title given to the gospel, and to the preachers and dispensers of it; they are. SAVOUR, an illusion, probably, to the ointment of sweet perfume, which the high-priests under the law were anointed with. The breath of the gospel is. sweet odour or smell, and God's faithful ministe... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. The character which the apostle gives the false apostles who were crept in amongst the Corinthians: they were CORRUPTERS OF THE WORD OF GOD; they did sophisticate and adulterate the sincere word of God, by intermixing their own pride and passions, their own inventions and imaginatio... [ Continue Reading ]