That is, seeing we have such. glorious ministry far more excelling than that of Moses, mentioned in the conclusion of the foregoing chapter, as we have received mercy or special favours from God in committing it to us, so we faint not under the difficulties and pressures to which it doth expose us.... [ Continue Reading ]
As if he had said, We preach the gospel plainly; but if men do not understand and believe it, will not embrace and obey it, it is not an argument of the gospel's obscurity, but of our hearers' incredulity. The gospel is not hid from men for want of clearness, but only by means of their own voluntary... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. The title given to Satan: he is styled THE GOD OF THIS WORLD; not properly, but because the honour and homage of. god is challenged by him, and by. multitude of sinners given to him. He is called by our Saviour, the PRINCE OF THIS WORLD; and by the apostle THE RULER OF THE DARKNESS... [ Continue Reading ]
In these words our apostle further manifests his fidelity and integrity in preaching the gospel, by showing that he sought to advance Christ, and not himself, in preaching of it. Here note, 1. The duty practised by St. Paul: WE PREACH. How mean and ignoble soever this office of preaching is esteeme... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, The faithful and humble acknowledgment which the apostle makes, how himself and his fellow-apostles came to preach Jesus Christ so convincingly to others; namely, That Almighty God, who at first, by his omnipotent word, produced light out of darkness, by no less efficacy and power brou... [ Continue Reading ]
In the foregoing verses we find the apostle magnifying his office, extolling his ministry, and vindicating his fidelity in the discharge of his duty. In this verse observe, 1. He compares the gospel he preached to. treasure: WE HAVE THIS TREASURE;. treasure for the enriching and edifying of the chu... [ Continue Reading ]
The false apostles and some weak Christians having taken offence at the manifold and great sufferings which St. Paul, with his fellow-apostles, had met with in the course of their ministry: in these verses St. Paul shows the church at Corinth, that there was no reason at all why any should be offend... [ Continue Reading ]
A double reason is here assigned why the apostle bare his sufferings with such invincible courage and Christian patience. The first is drawn from the advantage which would redound to the church by his sufferings: ALL THINGS ARE FOR YOUR SAKES: that is, all the straits we are put to, turn to your adv... [ Continue Reading ]
The original word for FAINTING signifies to shrink back, as cowards in war, or to sink down as porter under the pressure of some heavy burden: FOR THIS CAUSE WE FAINT NOT. For what cause? namely, this, that though their bodies were weakened by affliction, and they were daily decaying, as to the stre... [ Continue Reading ]
Still our apostle proceeds in assigning reasons why all the afflictions which himself and others met with, were not only tolerable, but joyous; namely, because, 1. His afflictions were light: 2. Because they were short. They were light; but how? Not considered in themselves; so they were hard and... [ Continue Reading ]
The last reason is assigned here why the apostle was kept from fainting in and under the pressure of the most heavy afflictions: he looked not at present, but future things; not at things seen, but unseen; not at things temporal, but eternal. Observe here, 1. What it was that the apostle, when on e... [ Continue Reading ]