The Corinthians are exhorted to I. CORINTHIANS. watchfulness and steadfastness A. M. 4063. may be with you without fear; for || selves to *the ministry of the A. M. 4063 1 1he worketh the work of the Lord, as saints,) A. D. 59. r q A. D. 59. 16 That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth. 17 I am glad of the coming of Stephanas, and Fortunatus, and Achaicus: * for that which was lacking on your part, they have supplied. 13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, you like men, be strong. d with the church that is in their house. 20 All the brethren greet you. one another with a holy kiss. 14 Let all your things be done with charity. 15 I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is "the first-fruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted them- || own hand. t • Greet ye 21 The salutation of me Paul with mine 16. Rom. xvi. 5.- * 2 Cor. viii. 4; ix. 1; Heb. vi. 10. y Heb. xiii. 17. -2 Heb. vi. 10.- 2 Cor. xi. 9; Phil. ii. 30; Philem. 13. Col. iv. 8.— 1 Thess. v. 12; Phil. ii. 29.- d Rom. xvi. 5, 15; Philemon 2.- Le Romans xvi. 16. f Col. iv. 19; 2 Thess. iii. 17. Stephanas, that it is the first-fruits of Achaia-That he and they were the first converts in that province; and that they have addicted themselves—According to the rank in which Providence has placed them, and the abilities which God hath given them; to the ministry of the saints-To the supplying of their temporal and spiritual wants, both in promoting the 1 Rom. xvi. 21; Phil. ii. 20, 22; 1 Thess. iii. 2.- m 1 Tim. iv. 12.- Acts xv. 33.- Chap. i. 12; iii. 5. -P Matt. xxiv. 42; xxv. 13; 1 Thess. v. 6; 1 Pet. v. 8.- - Chap. xv. 1; Phil. i. 27; iv. 1; 1 Thess. iii. 8; 2 Thess. ii. 15.- Eph. vi. 10; Col. i. 11. Chap. xiv. 1; 1 Pet. iv. 8.- Chap. i. possible; for I look for him with the brethrenNamely, Erastus, who had been sent with Timothy to Corinth, (Acts xix. 22,) and Titus, who carried this letter, and another brother, whose name is not mentioned; (see 2 Cor. xii. 17, 18;) perhaps also some of the Corinthian brethren, whom the apostle had desired Titus to bring with him to Ephesus, having need of their assistance. As touching Apol-progress of the gospel, and succouring the afflicted. los-For whom many of you have so high a regard; I greatly desired him to come to you with Timothy and the other brethren-Having an entire confidence in his friendship, prudence, and fidelity, and hoping that his presence among you might have been particularly useful at this crisis; but his will was not to Verses 17, 18. I am glad of the coming of Stephacome at this time-Perhaps lest his coming should nas, &c.-This Stephanas is supposed by many to increase the divisions among them; but he will come have been the son of Stephanas mentioned verse when he shall have convenient time-Jerome says, 15. He, with Fortunatus and Achaicus, are supApollos actually went to Corinth, after the disturb-posed to have been the messengers sent, by the sinances had ceased. But whether in this, Jerome delivered his own opinion only, or some ancient tradition, is uncertain. Verses 13, 14. To conclude. Watch ye-Against all your seen and unseen enemies; stand fast in the faith-Seeing and trusting in Him that is invisible: quit you like men-With courage and patience; be strong-To do and suffer his will. Let all your things be done with charity-Namely, your differences about worldly affairs, mentioned chap. vi., your disputes concerning marriage and a single state; (chap. viii.;) your eating things sacrificed to idols; (chapters viii., x;) your eating the Lord's supper; (chap. xi.;) and your method of exercising your gifts, chapters xii., xiv. In all these ye ought to have a regard to the good of your neighbours, that ye may not occasion each other to sin. Verses 15, 16. Ye know the house, or family, of That ye also-In your turn; submit yourselves to the admonitions of such; so repaying their free service. And to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth-That labours in the gospel, either with or without a fellow-labourer. cere part of the Corinthian church, with the letter mentioned chap. vii. 1. For that which was lacking on your part they have supplied-They have performed the offices of love which you could not supply, by reason of your absence. For they have refreshed my spirit-By their obliging behaviour and edifying conversation, as I doubt not they have often refreshed yours, by their ministrations among you; or will refresh yours by informing you of my success in preaching the gospel. Verses 19-21. The churches of Asia-Especially those of Ephesus and its neighbourhood; salute you ---With all Christian affection, heartily wishing you peace and prosperity. Aquila and PriscillaFormerly members of your church, (Acts xviii. 2, 18,) but who at present are with me; salute you much -With singular Christian love; in the Lord--In his grace and Spirit. These worthy persons lived in The apostle concludes with A. M. 4063. g 22 If any man love not the Lord || 24 My love be with you all in Christ. A. M. 4063. Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema, Jesus. Amen. A. D. 59. The first epistle to the Corinthians was written from Philippi by Stephanas, and Fortunatus, and Achaicus, and Timotheus. i Jude 14, 15.- Rom. xvi. 20. Corinth all the time the apostle was there. And it is as if he had said, Though such a person's wickwhen he departed, they accompanied him to Ephe-edness cannot be discovered and punished by the sus, (Acts xviii. 18,) where they remained till after he church, yet the Lord, at his coming, will find it out, left Ephesus to go to Jerusalem. For when he re- and punish him with eternal perdition. This territurned to Ephesus, he found them there, as is plain ble curse the apostle wrote in his epistle to the Cofrom their salutation sent to the Corinthians in this rinthians, because many of the faction, but especially letter, which was written from Ephesus. But they their leader, had shown great alienation of mind from seem to have left Ephesus about the time the apostle Christ. And he wrote it with his own hand, to show departed to go into Macedonia. For in the letter how serious he was in the denunciation;" and he which he wrote to the Romans from Corinth, they inserted it between his salutation and solemn beneare saluted as then residing in Rome. With the diction, that it might be the more attentively regardchurch which is in their house-The Christian con- ed. "Estius says, from his example, and from the gregation which assembles there. All the brethren || anathemas pronounced Gal. i. 8, 9, arose the prac--Who labour with me in the gospel, or are memtice of the ancient general councils, of adding to bers of the church here; greet you--Wish you all their decisions, or definitions of doctrine, anathemas felicity. Greet ye one another with a holy kiss- || against them who denied these doctrines." Be this See on Rom. xvi. 16. The salutation of me Paul || as it may, let it ever be remembered that professing with mine own hand-What precedes having been || Christians, who do not sincerely love their Master, written by an amanuensis. See 2 Thess. iii. 17; || lie under the heaviest curse which an apostle could Col. iv. 18. pronounce, or God inflict. Let the unhappy creaVerse 22. If any man love not the Lord Jesus-tures take the alarm, and labour to obtain a more In sincerity, but is secretly alienated from him in heart, while he calls himself his servant, preferring some secular interest of his own to that of his Divine Master; if any one be an enemy to Christ's person, offices, doctrines, or commands; let him be Anathema Maran-atha-Anathema signifies a thing devoted to destruction, and it seems to have been customary with the Jews of that age, when they had pro- Verses 23, 24. The grace of our Lord Jesus nounced any man anathema, to add the Syriac ex-|| Christ-All the blessed tokens and effects of his fapression, Maran-atha, that is, the Lord cometh; vour; be with you-And rest upon you for time and namely, to execute vengeance upon him. See note || eternity! My love-My most sincere, tender, and on Rom. ix. 3. We may add further here, "Ana- || affectionate regards; be with you all in Christ Jesus thema Maran-atha, were the words with which the -Who is our peace, and the bond of our union with Jews began their greatest excommunications, where- God and one another. There is a great propriety by they not only excluded sinners from their so- and beauty in this manner of ending an epistle, in ciety, but delivered them to the divine Cherem, or which the apostle had so sharply reproved the CoAnathema; that is, to eternal perdition. This form rinthians. By assuring them of his love, he showed they used, because Enoch's prophecy concerning the them that all the severe things he had written procoming of God to judge and punish the wicked, began ceeded from his anxiety for their eternal welfare, with these words, as we learn from Jude, who quotes and thereby removed the prejudices which his rethe first sentence of that prophecy, verse 14. Where-proofs might otherwise have raised in their minds. fore, since the apostle denounced this curse against Amen--An expression which I add in testimony of the man, who, while he professed subjection to my sincerity and seriousness in this and in all the Christ, was secretly alienated from him in his heart, things I have written. b ingenuous temper, ere the Lord, whom they neglect, and against whom they entertain a secret enmity, descend from heaven with unsupportable terror, and pronounce the anathema with his own lips, in circumstances which shall for ever cut off all hope, and all possibility of its being reversed! See Mac|| knight and Doddridge. 213 PREFACE то THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. IT was observed in the preface to the former epistle to the Corinthians, that it was written from Ephesus, and probably a little time before the riot of Demetrius, about A. D. 57. Near the con clusion of that epistle, the apostle mentioned his intention of tarrying at Ephesus till the pentecost following. This he doubtless did; but soon after left that city, and went to Troas, in expectation of meeting Titus there on his return from Corinth, and receiving from him an account of the state of the Corinthian church. But Titus not meeting him there as he expected, the apostle proceeded to Macedonia, where Titus came to him, and gave him a satisfactory account of the state of affairs in the church at Corinth, and of the effect which his epistle had produced on the minds of the Corinthians. From some place of this country he wrote this second epistle to the Corinthians, and probably within a year after his writing the former. For if the former, as has been observed, was written only a little while before the riot at Ephesus, there could only be a short interval between the dates of the two epistles, namely, the time of the apostle's abode at Ephesus after writing the first letter, and at Troas after leaving Ephesus, and the weeks which he spent in Macedonia before the arrival of Titus; all which united could not make above a year. It was also mentioned in the preface to the first epistle, that the design of it was twofold; first, to correct certain corruptions and abuses which had crept into the church at Corinth; and secondly, to answer some important queries which they had proposed to him. Now the intention of this second letter was more fully to illustrate some of the same points on which he had discoursed in the former, according to the farther information which Titus had given him of the circumstances of that church, and the temper of its members. But at the same time he intersperses and enforces such occasional reflections and advices upon various subjects as he judged would be most conducive to their instruction and edification. Two reasons seem especially to have urged the apostle to write this second epistle so soon after the former: 1. The case of the incestuous person that lay under censure, whom, as he was truly penitent, it was desirable with all speed to restore to the communion of the church. Concerning this, therefore, he gives directions, (chap. ii.;) and afterward (chap. vii.) declares the satisfaction which he had upon the information he had received of their conduct in that affair. 2. He had proposed, at the close of the former epistle, their making a contribution to the relief of the poor saints in Judea; and as, it seems, they delayed this business, and the apostle judged it expedient that it should be proceeded with and accomplished as soon as possible, he thought it proper to write immediately to them to that purpose, urging them withal to be liberal, after the example of the churches in Macedonia. There are, however, divers other things still more worthy of consideration in this epistle; as, 1. The account which the apostle gives of his labours and success in preaching the gospel in several places, chap. ii. 2. The comparison which he draws between the Mosaic and Christian dispensation, and his illustration of the superior glory of the latter to that of the former, chap. iii. 3. The manifold sufferings which he and his fellow-labourers met with, and their motives and encouragements to patience and diligence in their work, chap. iv., v. 4. The caution he gives the Corinthians against associating with unbelievers, chap. vi. 5. The way and manner in which he justifies himself and his apostleship from the injurious insinuations and accusations of false teachers, who endeavoured to ruin his reputation at Corinth, chap. x., xi., xii., and in other parts of the epistle. It must be observed, the thread and connection of this whole letter are historical; other things being interwoven only by way of digression; and in every part of it the apostle beautifully displays the most tender affection toward the Corinthians, who had been greatly moved by the seasonable severity of his former address; and directs, encourages, and comforts them with various admonitions and considerations. THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. CHAPTER I. In this chapter, after an assertion of his apostolic office, and a Christian salutation, the apostle, (1,) Expresses his grateful sense of God's goodness in preserving him from the dangers to which he had been exposed in Asia, and in delivering him from his troubles, for the encouragement of others under trouble, 1–11. (2,) He asserts his own and his fellow-labourers' integrity of conduct, 12-14. (3,) Vindicates himself from the charge of levity, or inconstancy, in his purpose to have visited them sooner, 15–24. A. D. 60. e A. D. 60. A. M. 4064. PAUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ by || in any trouble by the comfort where- A. M. 4064 the will of God, and Timothy our with we ourselves are comforted of God. brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia: | 2 c Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 3d Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are 1 Cor. i. 1; Eph. i. 1; Col. i. 1; 1 Tim. i. 1; 2 Tim. i. 1. Phil. i. 1; Col. i. 2.- e Rom. i. 7; 1 Cor. i. 3; Gal. i. 3; Phil. i. 2; Col. i. 2; 1 Thess. i. 1; 2 Thess. i. 2; Philem. 3. NOTES ON CHAPTER I. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which 1is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. 7 And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so a Eph. i. 3; 1 Pet. i. 3. Acts ix. 4; Chap. iv. 10; Col. i. 24. Chap. iv. 15.1 Or, is wrought.— Rom. viii. 17; 2 Tim. ii. 12. of it, in order to read it in their public meetings for their own edification."-Macknight. Grace be to you, &c.-See on Rom. i. 7. Verses 1, 2. Paul, an apostle-Appointed and made such, not by my own will or choice, or those of any man, or any number of men; but by the will Verses 3-7. Blessed be God, &c.—A solemn and of God-Who called me by his grace to that sacred beautiful introduction, highly suitable to the aposand important office; see Gal. i. 1, 15; and Timo-tolical spirit; even the Father of our Lord Jesus thy, our―Or rather a, brother-St. Paul, writing to Christ-Who is his only-begotten Son, both as to his Timothy, styles him his son; writing of him, his divine and human nature; see Heb. i. 2; Luke i. 35; brother. From this it is evident that Timothy was and as he is Mediator, appointed, authorized, and with the apostle when this second epistle to the qualified by the Father for that office. The Father Corinthians was written; and by joining his name of mercies-From whose paternal compassion and with his own in this epistle, he did him the greatest readiness to forgive the penitent, that sincerely behonour, and highly advanced his credit with the lieve in and turn to him, all our hopes are derived; Corinthians, and all other Christians who should and the God of all comfort-Whose nature it is read it. To the church of God which is at Corinth || ever to have mercy; and who knows how to pro-Whom he hath mercifully called out from the portion his supports to the exigence of every trial. world and united to himself. With all the saints Who comforteth us in all our tribulation-Bestows which are in all Achaia-“Corinth being the me- comfort on us, his apostles and ministers, for the tropolis of the province of Achaia, the brethren in sake of others; that we may be able to comfort them those parts, no doubt, had frequent intercourse with which are in any trouble-He that has experienced those in Corinth, and by that means had an oppor- one kind of affliction is able to comfort others in that tunity of hearing this letter read in the Christian affliction: he that has experienced all kinds of af assemblies at Corinth. But as they had equal need, flictions, is able to comfort others in all. For as with the Corinthians, of the admonitions and advi- the sufferings of Christ abound in us-The sufferces contained in this letter, it was addressed to them ings endured for his sake, which he accounts his likewise, that they might be entitled to take copies own; so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ— 9 But we had the 2 sentence of death A. M. 4064. in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: 10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us: i Jer. xvii. 5, 7.—2 Pet. ii. 9. whole city was filled with confusion; when the populace had seized his companions; when, in the distraction of his mind, he insisted on coming forth among them; when the Christians, who were about him, would not suffer him; when his friends, certain of the chief of Asia, sent to him, desiring that he would not adventure himself into the tumult; when, lastly, he was obliged to quit immediately the place and the country; and, when the tumult was ceased, to depart into Macedonia. Nothing could be more ex h Acts xix. 23; 1 Cor. xv. 32; xvi. 9.-2 Or, answer. "The consolation of which the apostle speaks was derived from the presence of Christ with him in his affliction; from a sense of the love of Christ shed abroad in his heart; from the joy which the success of the gospel gave him; from the assured hope of the reward which was prepared for him; from his knowledge of the influence of his sufferings to encourage others; and from the enlarged views which || he had of the government of God, whereby all things are made to work for good to them who love God; so that he was entirely reconciled to his suffer-pressive of the circumstances in which the history ings;" finding by experience, that his consolation describes him to have been at the time when the quite overbalanced them all. Whether we be afflict- epistle purports to have been written," than the ed, it is for your consolation-Namely, when you verses under consideration. "It is the calm recollecsee with what Christian courage and patience we tion of a mind emerged from the confusion of instant are enabled to bear afflictions; and salvation-By danger. It is that devotion and solemnity of thought encouraging you to undergo the like, and so to which follows a recent deliverance. There is just obtain salvation; or, for your present comfort, and enough of particularity in the passage to show that present and future salvation; which is effectual in it is to be referred to the tumult at Ephesus."-Paley. the enduring of the same sufferings-That is, the That we were pressed out of measure-The Coprospect or hope of which salvation is of sufficient rinthians knew before that he had been in trouble. power to enable you to endure the like sufferings He now declares the greatness and the fruit of it; which we have endured, if you should be called above strength-Above the ordinary strength of a thereto; see chap. iv. 17, 18; Rom. viii. 18. Or whe- || Christian, even of an apostle; insomuch that we dether we be comforted, it is for your comfort-That spaired even of life-Ourselves, and were looked we may be the better able to comfort you. And our upon by others as dead men. We had the sentence hope of you-Grounded on your patience in suffer- of death in ourselves-That is, not only did others ing for Christ's sake; is steadfast-Firm and un-apprehend this concerning us, but we ourselves did shaken; knowing that as you are partakers of the sufferings-By Christian sympathy, and enduring the like yourselves; so shall ye be also of the consolation-Which arises from principles and hopes which are not peculiar to us, who are apostles, or to other ministers of the gospel, but common to all sincere believers, such as I trust you in general are. Verses 8-11. For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant-As if he had said, We speak thus concerning the sufferings wherewith God is pleased to exercise his people, because we have lately experienced them in a large measure: of our trouble which came to us in Asia-It is probable that the apostle here refers either to some opposition which he met with in his journey through Galatia and Phrygia, (Acts xviii. 23,) of which no particular account has reached us; or to the tumult excited by Demetrius, as is related Acts xix. 23-41. "It may be said, perhaps, that it does not appear from the history that any danger threatened Paul's life in the uproar at Ephesus, so imminent as that from which he here represents himself to have been delivered. This matter, it is true, is not stated by the historian in form; but the personal danger of the apostle we cannot doubt must have been extreme, when the indeed think that the appointed end of our life and ministry was come. That we should not trust in ourselves-That, for the future, we should put no confidence in our own wisdom or power to elude the designs of our enemies, nor merely regard human probabilities; but in the greatest and most extreme dangers should learn to repose a cheerful confidence in the power and providence of that God who, at his own pleasure, raiseth the dead by his almighty word; who delivered us from so great a death-As then threatened us; and doth still deliver-In the various dangers with which we are continually surrounded. In whom we trust that he will yet deliver us-From every evil, and preserve us to his heavenly kingdom. Ye also-As well as other churches; helping by prayer for us-From this we learn, that the most eminent saints may be assisted and benefited by the prayers of persons much inferior to them in station and piety; which is a great encouragement to us to pray for one another, and a reason for our desiring each other's prayers. That for the gift -Namely, my deliverance; bestowed by the means of many persons praying for it, thanks may be given by many on our behalf-Since nothing can be more reasonable than that mercies obtained by prayer should be acknowledged in praise. |