_Would to God_ Rather, _I wish;_ (for the word _God_ is not in the original text;) _you could bear a little with me_ So does he pave the way for what might otherwise have given offence; _in my folly_ Of commending myself, which to many may appear folly; and really would be so if it were not, on this... [ Continue Reading ]
_But I fear_ Love is full of these fears; _lest by any means_ By some means or other; _as the serpent_ A most apposite comparison; _deceived Eve_ Simple, ignorant of ill; _by his subtlety_ Which is in the highest degree dangerous to such a disposition; _so your minds_ (We might therefore be tempted,... [ Continue Reading ]
_For if he that cometh_ After me, with such extraordinary pretences; _preach another Jesus_ Can point out to you another Saviour; _whom we have not preached_ Who shall better or equally deserve your attention and regard; or if ye _receive another spirit_ By his preaching, _which ye have not received... [ Continue Reading ]
_Have I committed an offence_ Will any turn this into an objection; _in abasing myself_ Stooping to work at my trade; _that ye might be exalted_ To the dignity of being the children of God; _because I have preached the gospel to you_ free of expense. “This the apostle's enemies said was a presumptio... [ Continue Reading ]
_As the truth of Christ is in me_ As sure as I am a true Christian, and an apostle. The expression has the nature of an oath. See on Romans 9:1. _No man shall stop me of this boasting_ For I will receive nothing from you. _Wherefore_ For what reason have I resolved on this? Is it, as my enemies tell... [ Continue Reading ]
_For such are false apostles_ Whatever they may pretend to the contrary, being destitute of that divine mission which all the true apostles have; _deceitful workers_ Pretending to great disinterestedness in their work, while their only design is to promote their own interest; _transforming themselve... [ Continue Reading ]
_I say again_ He premises a new apology to this new commendation of himself; _let no man think me a fool_ In boasting thus of myself; let no one think I take any pleasure in doing it, or that I do it without a very strong reason. Let the provocation I have received be considered: let the necessity o... [ Continue Reading ]
_Seeing that many glory after the flesh_ In circumcision, Jewish extraction, and other outward privileges and qualifications; _I will glory also_ In the same manner; nor can my seeming folly offend you; _for ye_ The disciples of the false apostles; _suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are_ won... [ Continue Reading ]
_Are they Hebrews?_ Descended from Heber, (see Genesis 11:14,) and speaking the Hebrew language, though with some variation; _so am I_ Paul indeed was a native of Tarsus in Cilicia, but his father and mother were Hebrews, Philippians 3:5. And having been sent to Jerusalem when young, he was instruct... [ Continue Reading ]
_Are they ministers of Christ?_ “St. Paul does not compare himself with the false teachers as an apostle, but as a minister of Christ simply. And to show how much he exceeded them in that inferior character, he mentions his labours in the ministry, and his sufferings undergone in his many journeys a... [ Continue Reading ]
_In journeyings_ For the sake of preaching the gospel; _often_ In which I have been exposed to a variety of dangers, from _waters, robbers, my own countrymen_, and _the heathen. In perils in the city_ From tumults. Of these dangers, frequent mention is made in the Acts: as in Damascus; after that, i... [ Continue Reading ]
_Besides those things that are without_ These external troubles which I have mentioned; _that which cometh upon me daily_ Greek, η επισυστασις μου η καθ ' ημεραν, _that which rusheth upon me daily_, or that which is my daily pressure. The expression denotes a crowd of people surrounding and pressing... [ Continue Reading ]
_In Damascus_, &c. As if he had said, I must be permitted to add one circumstance more to illustrate the dangers to which I was exposed, as soon as I engaged in the Christian cause, and the remarkable interposition of Divine Providence for my preservation: _the governor under Aretas_ King of Arabia... [ Continue Reading ]