fear--of the wrath of God, and of sinning any more [Sclater and Calvin]; fear of Paul [Grotius], ([1Co 4:2], ).
vehement desire--longing for restoration to Paul's approval [Conybeare and Howson]. "Fear" is in spite of one's self. "Longing desire" is spontaneous, and implies strong love and an aspiration for correction [Calvin]. "Desire" for the presence of Paul, as he had given them the hope of it ([1Co 4:19]; ) [Grotius and Estius].
zeal--for right and for God's honor against what is wrong. Or, "for the good of the soul of the offender" [Bengel].
revenge--Translate, "Exacting of punishment" ([1Co 5:2], ). Their "carefulness" was exhibited in the six points just specified: "clearing of themselves," and "indignation" in relation to themselves; "fear" and "vehement desire" in respect to the apostle; "zeal" and "revenge" in respect to the offender [Bengel]; (compare [2Co 7:7]).
In all--the respects just stated.
clear--Greek, "pure," namely, from complicity in the guilty deed. "Approved yourselves," Greek, "commended yourselves." Whatever suspicion of complicity rested on you ([1Co 5:2], ) through your former remissness, you have cleared off by your present strenuousness in reprobating the deed.
12. though I wrote unto you--"making you sorry with my letter" ([2Co 7:8]).
his cause that suffered wrong--the father of the incestuous person who had his father's wife ([1Co 5:1]). The father, thus it seems, was alive.
that our care for you, &c.--Some of the oldest manuscripts read thus, "That YOUR care for us might be made manifest unto you," &c. But the words, "unto you," thus, would be rather obscure; still the obscurity of the genuine reading may have been the very reason for the change being made by correctors into the reading of English Version. Alford explains the reading: "He wrote in order to bring out their zeal on his behalf (that is, to obey his command), and make it manifest to themselves in God's sight, that is, to bring out among them their zeal to regard and obey him." But some of the oldest manuscripts and versions (including the Vulgate and old Italian) support English Version. And the words, "to you," suit it better than the other reading. [2Co 2:4], "I wrote ... that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you," plainly accords with it, and disproves Alford's assertion that English Version is inconsistent with the fact as to the purpose of his letter. His writing, he says, was not so much for the sake of the individual offender, or the individual offended, but from his "earnest care" or concern for the welfare of the Church.
13. The oldest manuscripts read thus, "Therefore (Greek, 'for this cause,' namely, because our aim has been attained) we have been (English Version, 'were,' is not so accurate) comforted; yea (Greek, 'but'), in OUR comfort we exceedingly the more joyed for the joy of Titus," &c. (compare [2Co 7:7]).
14. anything--that is, at all.
I am not ashamed--"I am not put to shame," namely, by learning from Titus that you did not realize the high character I gave him of you.
as ... all things ... in truth, even so our boasting ... is found a truth--As our speaking in general to you was true ([2Co 1:18]), so our particular boasting to Titus concerning you is now, by his report, proved to be truth (compare [2Co 9:2]). Some oldest manuscripts read expressly, "concerning you"; this in either reading is the sense.
15. his inward affection--literally, "bowels" (compare [2Co 6:12]; [Php 1:8]; 2:1; [Col 3:12]).
obedience--([2Co 2:9]).
fear and trembling--with trembling anxiety to obey my wishes, and fearful lest there should be aught in yourselves to offend him and me ([2Co 7:11]; compare [1Co 2:3]).
16. therefore--omitted in the oldest manuscripts. The conclusion is more emphatical without it.
that I have confidence in you in all things--rather, as Greek, "that in everything I am of good courage concerning (literally, 'in the case of') you," as contrasted with my former doubts concerning you.
Chapter 8
[2Co 8:1-24]. The Collection for the Saints; the Readiness of the Macedonians a Pattern to the Corinthians; Christ the Highest Pattern; Each Is to Give Willingly after His Ability; Titus and Two Others Are the Agents Accredited to Complete the Collection.
1. we do you to wit--we make known to you.
the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia--Their liberality was not of themselves naturally, but of God's grace bestowed on them, and enabling them to be the instrument of God's "grace" to others ([2Co 8:6], ). The importance given in this Epistle to the collection, arose as well from Paul's engagement ([Ga 2:10]), as also chiefly from his hope to conciliate the Judaizing Christians at Jerusalem to himself and the Gentile believers, by such an act of love on the part of the latter towards their Jewish brethren.
2. trial of affliction--The Greek expresses, "in affliction (or, 'tribulation') which tested them"; literally, "in a great testing of affliction."
abundance of their joy--The greater was the depth of their poverty, the greater was the abundance of their joy. A delightful contrast in terms, and triumph, in fact, of spirit over flesh.
their deep poverty--Greek, "their poverty down to the death of it."
abounded unto the riches of their liberality--another beautiful contrast in terms: their poverty had the effect, not of producing stinted gifts, but of "abounding in the riches of liberality" (not as Margin, "simplicity"; though the idea of singleness of motive to God's glory and man's good, probably enters into the idea); (compare [Ro 12:8], and Margin; [2Co 9:11], Margin; see on [2Co 9:13]; [Jas 1:5]).
3-5. they were willing--rather, supply from [2Co 8:5], the ellipsis thus, "According to their power ... yea, and beyond their power, THEY GAVE."
of themselves--not only not being besought, but themselves beseeching us.
6. Insomuch that--As we saw the Macedonians' alacrity in giving, we could not but exhort Titus, that as we collected in Macedonia, so he in Corinth should complete the work of collecting which he had already begun there, lest ye, the wealthy people of Corinth, should be outdone in liberality by the poor Macedonians.
as he had begun--Greek, "previously begun," namely, the collection at Corinth, before the Macedonians began to contribute, during the visit to Corinth from which he had just returned.
finish in you the same grace--complete among you this act of grace or beneficence on your part.
also--as well as other things which he had to do among them [Alford].
7. in faith--([2Co 1:24]).
utterance--(See on [1Co 1:5]). Not as Alford, "doctrine" or "word."
knowledge--([1Co 8:1]).
diligence--in everything that is good.
your love to us--literally, "love from you (that is, on your part) in us" (that is, which has us for its object; which is felt in the case of us).
8. not by commandment--"not by way of commandment."
but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and &c.--rather, "But by (mention of) the forwardness of others (as an inducement to you), and to prove (literally, 'proving') the sincerity of your love." The Greek is "by means of," not "on account of the forwardness," &c. Bengel, Ellicott, and others translate, "By means of the forwardness of others, proving the sincerity of your love ALSO." The former is the simpler construction in the Greek.
9. ye know the grace--the act of gratuitous love whereby the Lord emptied Himself of His previous heavenly glory ([Php 2:6], ) for your sakes.
became poor--Yet this is not demanded of you ([2Co 8:14]); but merely that, without impoverishing yourselves, you should relieve others with your abundance. If the Lord did so much more, and at so much heavier a cost, for your sakes; much more may you do an act of love to your brethren at so little a sacrifice of self.
might be rich--in the heavenly glory which constitutes His riches, and all other things, so far as is really good for us (compare [1Co 3:21], ).
10. advice--Herein he does not (as some misinterpret the passage) disclaim inspiration for the advice he gives; but under the Spirit, states that it is his "opinion" [Alford] or "judgment" [Ellicott, and others], not a command, that so their offering might be free and spontaneous.
this--my giving you an advice, not a command.
who have begun before--"seeing that ye have begun before" the Macedonian churches; "a year ago" should be connected with this clause.