them to those who were to be their husbands; and if this officer permitted them, through negligence, to be corrupted between the espousals and the consummation of the marriage, great blame would naturally fall upon him." So it would be a matter of great grief to the apostle, if, instead of preparing themselves for the marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven, any of them should be corrupted by antiChristiau errors. 2. The apostle compares the seduction of the Corinthians, by their false apostles, to the old serpent (the devil) beguiling Eve to her ruin, and that of her posterity. This may lead us to inquire, by what means was Eve deceived? It is to be recollected that the serpent did not directly contradict the declaration of the Almighty, "Thou shalt surely die;" but he began with insinuating doubts and queries. "Yea," indeed! "Hath God said so and so?" and, when he found that she listened to his insinuations-then he boldly adds, "Ye shall not surely die."-On the contrary, ye shall be immortalized, and become wise as gods. (Gen. iii. 1—5.) So it is highly probable that these instruments of Satan did not directly contradict the doctrine of the apostle; but first queried his divine authority, and then proceeded to insinuate that he was deceiving them, or was at least himself ignorant and deceived. 3. St. Paul guards the Corinthians against listening to any other doctrines than those which had been the means of leading them to conversion. If, indeed (as though he had said), your new teacher could present you with a new Saviour, whose miracles were more convincing, or his doctrines more sublime; if another gospel were revealed, or another and more divine spirit poured from on high; then, indeed, you might have some pretence for listening to your new apostles; but as you know there is "no other name given to men by which they can be saved, but that of Jesus" (See Acts iv. 12), listen not to their vain pretensions or seductive reasonings.' 4. One thing, indeed, by which St. Pau gave great umbrage (as it should seem) to these teachers, was his refusing to receive any regular support from the churches, as the others did, and which unquestionably he had a right to do. But he gloried in making the propagation of the gospel as free as was the grace in which it origi nated; and therefore laboured hard in a common handicraft business, rather than burden any of the churches, and partice larly the Corinthians; choosing rather to subsist on the voluntary donations of the poor Macedonians, than to be dependant on them, who, though more wealthy, were evidently less generous. (See ch. ix. 2-4. This he calls robbing other churches to spare them. 5. Both Satan and his emissaries fre quently transform themselves into angels of light, for the better accomplishment of their dark designs. Of the former there can be no doubt, and of the latter there are too many unhappy proofs. It is not for us, who have not the gift of discerning spirits, to point out individual characters; but when men show more zeal to support a party than for the conversion of soulswhen they evidence more anxiety to please their hearers than to profit them-when they aim to exalt themselves and debase the characters of their brethren-theu, assuredly, are they "false apostles and deceitful workers, whose end shall be according to their works." NOTES-Chap. XI. Con. Ver. 16. Receive me.-Margin, "suffer me." Ver. 17. I speak it not after the Lord.-The apostle appears so jealous lest, by this appearance of boasting, he should bring any reproach upon the Spirit of inspiration, that he takes it upon himself; as if he had said, "If I seem guilty of vain boasting, attribute it to my own weakness only, and not to the Lord by whom I am inspired. Compare Expos. 1 Cor. vii. 25-40; page 532. Ver. 18. Many glory after the flesh--See chap. x. 18; xii. 5, 6; Phil. iii. 4. Ver. 19. Ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise: i. e. you readily suffer yourselves to be made fools (as in the next verse) by other teachers, and why not by me? This is evidently spoken sal rically, as also several other things in this chapters and this, perhaps, is what the apostle means by speaking foolishly, or, as it were, in jest. 20 For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face. 21 I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit wherein-soever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also. 22 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. 23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. [and sufferings. the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and naked ness. 28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? 30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. 31 The God and Father of our Lord 24 Of the Jews five times received Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. I forty stripes save one. 25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by 32 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: 33 And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands. (N) EXPOSITION. (N) Ver. 16-33. Paul compelled to self-defence." It must be confessed (says the modest and amiable Dr. Watts) that there are some ..... occurrences in life which make it proper, and almost necessary, to speak of one's self to advantage · prudence and religion should direct us how to distinguish those seasons and occasions. A wise man, when he is constrained to speak of his own character, or to support his own honour, feels a sort of inward uneasiness, lest he should be taken for a vain-glorious fool; and is even ashamed to speak what is necessary for his own vindication, lest it should appear like vanity and boasting. See this notably exemplified in the conduct of St. Paul..... This very man, who counts himself less than the least of all the saints, was once reviled by some upstarts in the Corinthian church. ..... .... Then he is compelled to produce his own credentials, to display his own divine commission, and to make his superior qualifications known to the people. I suppose (says he) I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles; though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge, &c.; and then he recounts his abundant labours, his abundant sufferings, and his service to Christ and souls: but mark, how often this man of heavenly wisdom represents this, his conduct, as acting like a fool; and he seems to blush while he boasts himself a little: Let no man think me a fool indeed; but, if you will think me so, yet as a fool receive me..... Boasting of one's self, in the judgment of a great apostle, is so foolish a thing, that, when wisdom itself requires him to practise it, he is quite ashamed of it, and almost ex IT T is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 21 knew a man in Christ about fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell : God knoweth ;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth ;) 4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 5 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. 6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. [and revelations: 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake for when I am weak, then am I strong. 11 I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing. 12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all EXPOSITION-Chap. XI. Continued. pects that he shall be taken for a fool.". (Humility represented in St. Paul, &c. § 4.) In looking over the list of Paul's sufferings, in the latter part of this chapter, we cannot but feel admiration at the number and weight of calamities which he sustained in the cause of Christ; but a small portion of which are recorded in the book of Acts. For instance, we have only on record one instance of his imprisonment (viz. at Philippi) and one of his being Scourged with rods (Acts xvi. 20). The shipwreck at Melita was long after his writing this Epistle, and therefore could not be one of the three here named. So numerous, so various, so long continued were the sufferings of this indefatigable apostle, unjustly censured and reproached as he was, by those who carefully avoided the like sufferings, NOTES. CHAP. XII. Ver. 1. I will come.-Gr. For [or therefore] I will come. Mackn. "yet," &c. Ver. 2. A man in Christ-In our English idiom, "A certain Christian." See chap. v. 17.-About fourteen years ago. Our translators, dating this Epistle in A.D. 60, fix this period in A. D. 46, when Paul appears to have been at Lystra; Acts xiv. 6. But as we have fixed the date of the Epistle two years earlier (viz. in 58), this carries back the event to 44, when Dr. Benson thinks Panl saw the trance related Acts xxii. 17, as above-mentioned. Ver. 4. Not lanful.-Marg," not possible." So Doddr. and Mackn. Ver. 7. A thorn in the flesh.-This has been a thorn in the eyes of most commentators. The expression evidently means a great and painful affliction. See Num. xxxiii. 55; Josh. xxiii. 13.-A messenger of Satan.-The Scriptures teach us to consider afflictions generally in this light. See Job i. and ii., and Exposition. Ver. 9. Rest upon me-Doddr. "pitch its tent upon me." Mackn. "over me." Ver. 11. In nothing am I behind the very chirfest apostles.-Compare chap. xi. 5. On this passage the late Mr. Fuller remarks the near similitude be tween vices and virtues, the distinction often lying chiefly in the motive. Ex. gr. "A vain man speaks well of himself, and Paul speaks well of himself. Thus the branches intermingle. But trace them to their respective roots, and there you will find them distinct. The motive in one case is the desire of applause; in the other, justice to an injured charac ter, and to the gospel, which suffered in his re proaches." Fuller's Harm, p. 29. Though I be nothing-i. e. in myself. CHAP. XII. He promises them] patience, in signa, and wonders, and mighty deeds. 13 For what is it wherein you were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong. 14 Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. 15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. 16 But be it so, I did not burden you nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile. 17 Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you? 18 I desired Titus, and with him I [another visit. sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps? 19 Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying. 20 For 1 fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults: 21 And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed. (0) CHAP. XII. EXPOSITION. (0) Ver. 1-21. Paul proceeds to recount his various divine visions and revelations.-Admitting, as he had before done, that it did not become him to say anything more of either his labours or his sufferings, the apostle goes on to speak of divine visions and revelations, which he had been favoured with, so far back as fourteen years from this period; and of these he speaks as regarding a third person, that he might not again be charged with glorying; yet it cannot be doubted that he is speaking of himself, since he confesses as much in the sixth and seventh verses: and here three things call for our attention-his elevating visions, his depressing afflictions, and the spiritual benefit which he derived from the latter. 1. These extraordinary visions occurred to him many years before, and probably, as Dr. Benson surmises, while in a trance in the temple, as mentioned Acts xxii. 17. They were evidently of the same nature with those vouchsafed to the Old Testament prophets; and if our common dreams often assume the most perfect appearance of reality, we need not wonder that Paul hesitated as to the fact, whether he had been carried up to heaven, or heaven brought down to him; whether he was in the body, or out of it, at the time, he could scarcely ascertain. The vision appeared so glorious, and the bliss so complete, that he seemed to be in the third heaven. By this we understand (as the Jews did), the immediate presence of God; that blissful region where our Lord promised to meet the converted thief, immediately after his death; that glory in which the apostle himself wished to be with his heavenly Master. (Chap. v. 8.) Nor does there seem any ground for distinction between this heaven and paradise, since St. John evidently speaks of them as the same. (Compare Rev. ii. 7, & xxii. 2.) Wherever Christ is, there is paradise, and NOTES. Ver. 14. Behold, the third time.-See Exposition on chap. xiii. 1. Ver. 15. For you.-Gr. "for your souls." So Doddridge. Ver. 16. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.-This is generally considered as the objection of his adversaries, the ancients not having the means that we have of distinguishing such passages by means of inverted commas. Macknight therefore supplies the words [they say]. The craft here referred to is supposed to be, that of quartering others, whom he sent, upon them, though he would not burden them himself: to which he replies, "Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent? Others consider this, as well as the following sentence, as spoken interrogatively: "Being crafty, did [ take you in by guile? Did I make a gain of you?" &c. there is heaven; nor is there any heaven to the Christian but in his presence. In this blissful place and state, our apostle heard words unutterable, and doubtless saw things indescribable; about which, therefore, it would be utterly in vain for us to attempt to form conjectures. It does not appear, however, that he received at this time any new revelations for the use of the church, for what he heard was unutterable; but the scene to which he was admitted, was probably designed to animate and encourage him in all his future labours and sufferings, even to martyrdom and death. 2. These elevating scenes were followed by circumstances no less depressing, and which have, indeed, occasioned much more controversy; namely, "the thorn in the flesh," which was sent to humble him. From this being called a messenger of Satan, many have concluded that St. Paul referred to the false apostle, who had given him so much trouble; and it is true that he did buffet him, and did all he could not only to humble him, but also to degrade him. But from the answer of the Lord to Paul, and especially from what the latter adds of his infirmities, we rather conceive that it was a painful affection of his nerves, though not exactly of the nature stated by Dr. Whitby; but rather, as Dr. Watts conjectured, a state of great nervous debility, to which the Doctor himself was unhappily subject during his latter years. In this case, probably, his voice, naturally weak, might become tremulous and disagreeable, and his spirits suffer a painful depression, the consequence of those overwhelming glories which he had been permitted to behold. Something si milar seems to have been the case with Daniel, chap. vii. 28; viii. 27. 3. Piety can, however, triumph over all the afflictions to which human nature is subject. First, he prays for deliverance, and that repeatedly; but when he received the promise of "grace sufficient" to support him, he was not only content, but rejoiced in it. "Most gladly (says he) will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." He gloried in them, 1. As a kind of certificate of the divine favour and protection; and, 2. As means of glorifying the power and grace of Christ, and that the power of Christ might rest upon him." "When I am weak, then am I strong; Grace my support, and Christ my song!" From this prayer, which (as even Mr. Belsham admits) was offered to Jesus Christ, Dr. Pye Smith, and others, have drawn a forcible argument in favour of our Lord's divinity; for surely Paul knew better than to pray to a mere creature, and especially for a deliverance, which none but God could give. (Letters to Mr. Belsham, p. 90, 91.) The apostle having thus far justified himself, and rendered glory to God, tells the Corinthians, that he intended the third time to come to see them; but he much feared it would be little either to his satis faction or to theirs: he was fearful of still finding among them the same disorders as had before grieved him, and that he should be obliged to use towards them a severity which would greatly grieve and mortify him. A good pastor always grieves for the wanderings of his flock. NOTES. CHAP. XIII. Ver. 1. In-Doddr. " By "--the mouth of two or three witnesses.-See Num. xxxv. 30; Deut. xvii. 6, and xix. 15. Ver. 4. Weak in him.--Mackn. " with him;" that is, we are weak as he was in the days of his flesh ; and we shall be strong, as he now is, being armed with his power, and mighty through his might, Ver. 5. Reprobates.-Doddr." disapproved." We know of no instance in Scripture in which this word is used in reference to a divine decree. We believe it always signifies "disapproved," or rejected" in consequence of such disapprobation. See Rom. 1. 28; 2 Tim. iii. 8; Titus i. 16. |