1. 2 CORITHIAS 13 COMMETARYEDITED BY GLE PEASE1. This will be my third visit to you. Everymatter must be established by the testimony oftwo or three witnesses.[a]1. BARES, This is the third time ... - see the note on 2Co_12:14. For aninteresting view of this passage, see Paleys Horae Paulinae on this Epistle, No. 11: It isevident that Paul had been to Corinth but once before this, but he had resolved to gobefore a second time, but had been disappointed.In the mouth of two or three witnesses ... - This was what the Law of Mosesrequired; Deu_20:16; see the note on Joh_8:17; compare Mat_18:16. But in regard to itsapplication here, commentators are not agreed. Some suppose that Paul refers to hisown epistles which he had sent to them as the two or three witnesses by which hispromise to them would be made certain; that he had purposed it and promised it two orthree times, and that as this was all that was required by the Law, it would certainly beestablished. This is the opinion of Bloomfield, Rosenmuller, Grotius, Hammond, Locke,and some others. But, with all the respect due to such great names, it seems to me thatthis would be trifling and childish in the extreme. Lightfoot supposes that he refers toStephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, who would be witnesses to them of his purpose;see 1Co_16:17. But the more probable opinion, it seems to me, is that of Doddridge,Macknight, and others, that he anticipated that there wound be necessity for theadministration of discipline there, but that he would feel himself under obligation inadministering it to adhere to the reasonable maxim of the Jewish Law. No one should becondemned or punished where there was not at least two or three witnesses to prove theoffence. But where there were, discipline would be administered according to the natureof the crime.2. CLARKE, This is the third time I am coming to you - These words arenearly the same with those 2Co_12:14; and probably refer to the purpose which he hadtwice before formed of seeing them. But the latter clause seems to attach a differentmeaning to the passage; at least so it has been understood by some learned men.Schoettgen thus interprets the whole: the first coming of the apostle to Corinth waswhen he personally visited them, and there founded the Christian Church. By his secondcoming we are to understand his first epistle to them; and, by his being now ready tocome to them the third time, we are to understand this second epistle, which he wasthen going to send them. These were the two witnesses, and the apostle the third, whichhe gave to the Corinthians concerning the truth of his own ministry, or the falsity of theministry of the pretended apostle.

2. Calmet contends that the apostle had been twice before at Corinth, and that he nowpurposed to go a third time; and that these visits were the two or three witnesses towhich the apostle appeals.Dr. Lightfoot thinks that the two or three witnesses were Stephanas, Fortunatus, andAchaicus, sent to assure them of his coming. But this opinion cannot be supported.With respect to the two or three witnesses establishing the subject, Dr. Whitby says.Though these words seem to be cited from Deu_19:15, rather than from Mat_18:16, itbeing rare to find this apostle citing any thing from the New Testament, without callingit an ordinance of the Lord, yet it is probable that he here alludes to the practice thereprescribed for the reclaiming of offenders. And then his first epistle being written withthis introduction: Paul an apostle, and Sosthenes; his second thus: Paul and Timotheus;may pass for two or three witnesses; and his presence the third time in person, toexercise his censures on those offenders, before the body of the Church, may bear a fairresemblance to our Lords prescription in the above case: If thy brother offend, etc. - Sofar Whitby. See my notes on Mat_18:16 (note).3. GILL, This is the third time I am coming to you,.... Or am ready to come toyou, as the Alexandrian copy reads, as in 2Co_12:14. Though he had been as yet butonce at Corinth, and is to be reckoned and accounted for, either after this manner; hehad been once with them when he first preached the Gospel to them, and was themeans of their conversion, and laid, the foundation of their church state, of which thereis some account in Act_18:1 he came to them a second time, by writing his first epistle,when he desired to be considered by them, as though he was present with them, 1Co_5:3and now a third time by this second epistle, in which he also speaks as if he was amongthem, see the following verse; or else in this way, he had been actually in person withthem one time, and had been about to come in purpose and preparation a second time,but was prevented, and now was just ready a third time to set forward in his journey tothem; see 2Co_12:14 and so the Syriac version reads it here, this is the third time that Iam ready to come to you, and which our version also favours. The Alexandrian copy andsome others, the Complutension edition, the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions, read,behold, this third time, c. in order to raise and fix their attention to what he wassaying, or about to say:in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established;referring to Deu_19:15 which he applies much in the same manner Christ does in Mat_18:16 and which it is probable he had in view; signifying hereby, that he proceeded in ajudicial way, according to due form of law, and in such a manner as Christ had directed;and that they were to look upon his several comings in the sense now explained, to be asso many witnesses, whereby the several charges exhibited against them were fullyattested and confirmed, so that things were now ripe for judgment, and for a finalsentence to pass upon them.4. HERY, The apostle threatens to be severe against obstinate sinners when heshould come to Corinth, having now sent to them a first and second epistle, with properadmonitions and exhortations, in order to reform what was amiss among them.Concerning this we may notice, 1. The caution with which he proceeded in his censures:he was not hasty in using severity, but gave a first and second admonition. So someunderstand his words (2Co_13:1): This is the third time I am coming to you, referring tohis first and second epistles, by which he admonished them, as if he were present with 3. them, though in person he was absent, 2Co_13:2. According to this interpretation, thesetwo epistles are the witnesses he means in the first verse, referring rather to thedirection of our Saviour (Mat_17:16) concerning the manner how Christians should dealwith offenders before they proceed to extremity than to the law of Moses (Deu_17:6;Deu_19:15) for the behaviour of judges in criminal matters. We should go, or send, toour brother, once and again, to tell him of his fault. Thus the apostle had told theseCorinthians before, in his former epistle, and now he tells them, or writes to those whoheretofore had sinned, and to all others, giving warning unto all before he came inperson the third time, to exercise severity against scandalous offenders. Others thinkthat the apostle had designed and prepared for his journey to Corinth twice already, butwas providentially hindered, and now informs them of his intentions a third time tocome to them. However this be, it is observable that he kept an account how often heendeavoured, and what pains he took with these Corinthians for their good: and we maybe sure that an account is kept in heaven, and we must be reckoned with another day forthe helps we have had for our souls, and how we have improved them. 2. Thethreatening itself: That if (or when) he came again (in person) he would not spareobstinate sinners, and such as were impenitent, in their scandalous enormities. He hadtold them before, he feared God would humble him among them, because he should findsome who had sinned and had not repented; and now he declares he would not sparesuch, but would inflict church-censures upon them, which are thought to have beenaccompanied in those early times with visible and extraordinary tokens of divinedispleasure. Note, Though it is God's gracious method to bear long with sinners, yet hewill not bear always; at length he will come, and will not spare those who remainobstinate and impenitent, notwithstanding all his methods to reclaim and reform them.5. JAMISO, 2Co_13:1-14. He threatens a severe proof of his apostolic authority,but prefers they would spare him the necessity for it.This is the third time I am coming to you not merely preparing to come toyou. This proves an intermediate visit between the two recorded in Act_18:1; Act_20:2.In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established Quoted from Deu_19:15, Septuagint. I will judge not without examination, nor will Iabstain from punishing upon due evidence [Conybeare and Howson]. I will no longerbe among you in all patience towards offenders (2Co_12:12). The apostle in this case,where ordinary testimony was to be had, does not look for an immediate revelation, nordoes he order the culprits to be cast out of the church before his arrival. Othersunderstand the two or three witnesses to mean his two or three visits as establishingeither (1) the truth of the facts alleged against the offenders, or (2) the reality of histhreats. I prefer the first explanation to either of the two latter.6. BI, Pauls epistolary farewell to the CorinthiansThere is no evidence that Paul wrote a word to them after this. The letters had evidentlybeen a task to a man of his tender nature. No doubt he felt a burden rolled from hisheart, and a freer breath, when he dictated the last sentence.I. Words of warning. He warns them of a chastisement which he was determined toinflict upon all offenders against the gospel of Christ.1. The discipline would be righteous (2Co_13:1). He will not chastise any withoutproper evidence. Therefore the true need not fear; the false alone need apprehend.2. The discipline would be rigorous (2Co_13:2). He had threatened this in his former 4. letter (1Co_4:13-19). There is no more terrible chastisement than excommunicationfrom the fellowship of the good.3. The discipline would demonstrate the existence of Christ in him (2Co_13:3). Hecould have given this proof sooner, but he acted in this respect like Christ, and wascontent to appear weak amongst them, in order that his power might be moreconspicuously displayed (2Co_13:3-4).7. HAWKER, I take occasion from what Paul here saith of a two or threefold witness,in confirmation of general truths, to observe to the Reader; what a blessed testimony theChurch of God hath everlastingly to rest upon in the Holy Three, which bear record inheaven, and which Three are One, 1Jn_5:7. All the Persons of the Godhead have set totheir seal, of the truth as it is in Jesus. Three times from heaven, during our Lordsministry upon earth, God the Father, by an audible voice, confirmed the glories of hisPerson, and the authority of his mission, Mat_3:16-17; Mat_17:5; Joh_12:28-30. Jesushimself appeals both to his Fathers testimony, and his own, in proof of the same thing:it is also written (saith Jesus) in your law that the testimony of two men is true. I am onethat bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me, Joh_8:17-18; Deu_17:6 and Deu_19:15. And God the Holy Ghost, by his descent at the day ofPentecost, according to Christs most sure promise, as well as in the spirit of every childof God, beareth witness of Christ, Luk_24:49; Act_2:1-4; Rom_8:15-16. Reader whatknow you of this threefold witness to your souls joy? Rom_15:13.8. CALVI, This will be the third. He goes on to reprove still farther the insolenceof those of whom he had been speaking, some of whom living in profligacy andlicentiousness, and others, carrying on contentions and strifes among themselves,cared nothing for his reproof. For his discourse did not apply to the entire body ofthe Church, but to certain diseased and half-rotten members of it. Hence he now,with greater freedom, uses sharpness, because he has to do with particularindividuals, not with the whole body of the people, and besides this, it was withpersons of such a stamp, that he perceived, that he would do them no good bykindness, and mild remedies. After having spent a year and a half among them,(Acts 18:11,) he had visited them a second time. ow he forewarns them, that he willcome to them a third time, and he says, that his three comings to them will be in theplace of three witnesses. He quotes the law as to the authority of witnesses; not inthe natural and literal sense, as it is termed, but by accommodation, 943 orsimilitude, applying it to his particular purpose.The declaration of the law, says he, is, that we must rest on the testimony of twoor three witnesses for putting an end to disputes. 944 (Deuteronomy 19:15.)For the word established means that a decision is pronounced respecting a matter,that the strife may cease. I, indeed, am but one individual, but coming a third timeI shall have the authority of three witnesses, or, my three comings will be in theplace of three testimonies. For the threefold effort that was made for their welfare,and perseverance, as made trial of on three different occasions, might, with goodreason, be held equivalent to three persons.9. EBC, THE first part of this chapter is in close connection with what precedes; it is, 5. so to speak, the explanation of St. Pauls fear (2Co_12:20) that when he came to Corinthhe would be found of the Corinthians not such as they would. He expresses himselfwith great severity; and the abruptness of the first three sentences, which are not linkedto each other by any conjunctions, contributes to the general sense of rigor. This is thethird time I am coming to you is a resumption of 2Co_12:14, This is the third time Iam ready to come to you, and labors under the same ambiguity; it is perhaps morenatural to suppose that Paul had actually been twice in Corinth (and there areindependent reasons for this opinion), but the words here used are quite consistent withthe idea that this was the third time he had definitely purposed and tried to visit them,whether his purpose had been carried out or not. When he arrives, he will proceed atonce to hold a judicial investigation into the condition of the Church, and will carry itthrough with legal stringency. At the mouth of two and (where available) threewitnesses shall every question be brought to decision. This principle of the Jewish law,(Deu_19:15) to which reference is made in other New Testament passages connectedwith Church discipline, (Mat_18:16; 1Ti_5:19) is announced as that on which he will act.There will be no informality and no injustice, but neither will there be any moreforbearance. All cases requiring disciplinary treatment will be brought to an issue atonce, and the decision will be given rigorously as the matter of fact, attested by evidence,requires. He feels justified in proceeding thus after the reiterated warnings he has giventhem. To these reference is made in the solemn words of 2Co_13:2. English readers cansee, by comparing the Revised Version with the Authorized, the difficulties of translationwhich still divide scholars. The words which the Authorized Version renders as if I werepresent () are rendered by the Revisers as when I was present. All scholarsconnect this ambiguous clause with 6. : the second time. Hence there are twomain ways in which the whole passage can be rendered. The one is that which stands inthe Revised Version, and which is defended by scholars like Meyer, Lightfoot, andSchmiedel: it is in effect this-I have already forewarned, and do now forewarn, as I did.on the occasion of my second visit, so also now m my absence, those who have sinnedheretofore, and all the rest, that if I come again I will not Spare this is certainly rathercumbrous; but assuming that 2Co_2:1 gives strong ground for believing in a second visitalready paid to Corinth-a visit in which Paul had been grieved and humbled by disordersin the Church, but had not been in a position to do more than warn against theircontinuance-it seems the only available interpretation. Those who evade the force of2Co_11:1-33. I render here in the line of the Authorized Version: I have forewarned(viz., in the first letter, e.g., 1Co_4:21), and do now forewarn, as though I were presentthe second time, although I am now absent, those who have sinned, etc. So Heinrici.This, on grammatical grounds, seems quite legitimate; but the contrast betweenpresence and absence, which is real and effective in the other rendering, is here quiteinept. We can understand a man saying, I tell you in my absence, just as I did when Iwas with you that second time: but who would ever say, I tell you as if I were presentwith you a second time, although in point of fact I am absent? The absence here comesin with a grotesque effect, and there seems hardly room to doubt that the rendering inour Revised Version is correct. Paul had, when he visited Corinth a second time, warnedthose who had sinned before that visit, he now warns them again, and all others withthem who anticipated his coming with an evil conscience, that the hour of decision is athand. It is not easy to say what he means by the threat not to spare. Many point tojudgments like that on Ananias and Sapphira, or on Elymas the sorcerer; others to thedelivering of the incestuous person to Satan, for the destruction of the flesh; thesupposition being that Paul came to Corinth armed with a supernatural power ofinflicting physical sufferings on the disobedient. This uncanny idea has really no support 7. in the New Testament, in spite of the passages quoted; and probably what his words aimat is an exercise of spiritual authority which might go so far as totally to exclude anoffender from the Christian community.10. RAY STEDMA, What Paul clearly is saying here is that a true apostle isanswerable only to God, not to the congregation. A true servant of Christ does notneed to always justify himself before the people to whom he ministers. It is nice tohave their approval, but it is not necessary, as long as he had God's approval; and,because he does not require their approval, he will not fail to do what is necessarywhen he comes among them again, is his argument. He will deal with the reality ofwhat he finds, what is actually going on in the congregation.Evidently that is not a pleasant picture. There were certain wrong attitudes whichhe anticipates he will find, i.e., quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander,gossip, conceit, and disorder. Dr. William Barclay calls those, marks of anunchristian church. I wish I could tell you that very few churches are like this, butI have to admit, unfortunately, that, as I travel about, I find these conditions verycommon in many, many churches. It is always a shameful thing that churchesshould be divided, quarreling, filled with jealousy, anger, and selfishness. I find thereason behind this is a failure to want to obey what Scripture tells us to do withregard to one another. One reason many Christians are having to go topsychologists and secular counselors for help with their problems is because theyhave neglected what the Scripture says to do to one another. Instead of going tosomeone and telling him his fault between you and him alone, they start gossiping toothers about it, complaining, and feeling bitter, and refusing to talk to someone.These are kinds of things that destroy the witness and testimony of a congregation.Paul says, When I come I will deal with these because I do not require yourapproval of me, therefore I can deal honestly with what I see to be there.ot only were there wrong attitudes, but there was very wrong conduct there. Paulspeaks of impurity, immorality, and licentiousness. These are sexualattitudes that have to do with the whole realm of sexuality and its purposes. I amimpressed by these Corinthians letters. How faithfully the apostle dealt with thesematters of sexual impurity in a place and time where they were widely accepted asbeing normal. (We are coming to these conditions rapidly in our own day.) Theapostle persists in this. He does not give up. He dealt with these conditions over aperiod of months, even years. He sent people to them. He himself went. He wrotefour letters to them, all to try to help them in these areas, to deal honestly andopenly and courageously with the things that are wrong in public life, and to refuseto go along with the trend of the times, and to yield to what everybody is doing --that argument that has destroyed so many through the course of the ages. If there isanything a Christian is called on to do it is not to do what everybody else is doing. Itis to be different, because Christ has made the difference in our lives. The apostledeals with this and says that he will come again and deal honestly with it. He is freeto do so because as a true apostle he is answerable only to God and not to thecongregation. 8. 2 I already gave you a warning when I was withyou the second time. I now repeat it while absent:On my return I will not spare those who sinnedearlier or any of the others,1. BARES, I told you before - That I would not spare offenders; that I wouldcertainly punish them. He had intimated this before in the First Epistle 1Co_4:21; 1Co_5:1-13.And foretell you - Now apprise you of my fixed determination to punish everyoffender as he deserves.As if I were present, the second time - The mention of the second time hereproves that Paul had been with them but once before. He had formed the resolution togo to them, but had been disappointed. The time when he had been with them isrecorded in Act_18:1 ff. He now uses the same language to them which he says he woulduse if he were with them, as he had expected to be, the second time. See the remarks ofPaley on this passage, referred to above.And being absent - see the note on 1Co_5:3.To them which have heretofore sinned - To all the offenders in the church. Theyhad supposed that he would not come to them 1Co_4:18, or that if he came he would notdare to inflict punishment, 2 Cor. 9-11. They had, therefore, given themselves greaterliberty, and had pursued their own course, regardless of his authority and commands.I will not spare - I will punish them. They shall not escape.2. CLARKE. I told you before, etc. - As Calmet maintains that Paul had alreadybeen twice at Corinth, it is well to hear his reasons: St. Paul came to Corinth the latterend of the year of our Lord 52, and remained there eighteen months, Act_18:1, etc. Hecame there a second time in the year 55, but stayed only a short time, as he had to returnspeedily to Ephesus, 1Co_16:7; hence it is that St. Luke makes no mention of this secondjourney in the Acts. Finally he determined to visit them a third time; as in effect he didabout the year 57. Of his second voyage to Corinth, which is not mentioned in the Acts,he speaks expressly in this verse. I do not see sufficient evidence to induce me tosubscribe to this opinion of Calmet. I believe the apostle had been but once before atCorinth; and this matter is set in a clear point of view by Dr. Paley. See the Introduction,Section 11.I will not spare - I will inflict the proper punishment on every incorrigible offender.It does appear, from all the apostles threatenings, that he was possessed of a miraculouspower, by which he could inflict punishment on offenders; that he could deliver the bodyto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit might be saved in the day of the 9. Lord Jesus, 1Co_4:21; 1Co_5:5. What he says he told them before probably relates to1Co_4:21 : Shall I come with a rod, etc.3. GILL, I told you before, and foretell you as if I were present a secondtime,.... He means, that he had in his former epistle faithfully told them of their evils,and admonished them for them; and now he sends to them a second time before hiscoming, and again admonishes them, as if he was upon the spot with them; so that theyhad, as before, three witnesses, also a first and second admonition; which, should theybe without success, he must proceed further:and being absent now, I write to them which heretofore have sinned; beforehe wrote his first epistle, of which he had information, and had faithfully reproved andadmonished them; see 2Co_12:21.And to all other; that might since be drawn into a compliance with sinful practices,through their example; or as the Arabic version renders it, to the rest of thecongregation; who would be witnesses for him, and against them, that he hadadmonished them a first, and a second time: and by his present writing declares,that if I come again; for, not knowing what might fall out to prevent him, though hewas bent upon coming, and ready for it, nor what was the will of God about it, he doesnot choose to be positive in the matter; and therefore writes conditionally, and with aguard, and no doubt with a submission to the divine will:I will not spare; this was the reason why as yet he had not been at Corinth, because hewas willing to spare them; see 2Co_1:23 being loath to come to severities, if gentlermethods would take effect; but now having used all proper means, he is at a point, auddetermined not to spare, but to use his apostolical rod, or that power which the Lord hadgiven him in an extraordinary way, as an extraordinary officer, to punish incorrigibleoffenders, in such manner as the incestuous person, and Hymenaeus and Philetus hadbeen used by him.4. JAMISO, Rather, I have already said (at my second visit), and tell you (now)beforehand, AS (I did) WHEN I WAS PRESENT THE SECOND TIME, SO also NOW inmy absence (the oldest manuscripts omit the I write, which here wrongly follows inEnglish Version Greek text) to them which heretofore have sinned (namely, before mysecond visit, 2Co_12:21), and to all others (who have sinned since my second visit, or arein danger of sinning). The English Version, as if I were present the second time,namely, this next time, is quite inconsistent with 2Co_13:1, this is the third time I amcoming to you, as Paul could not have called the same journey at once the second andthe third time of his coming. The antithesis between the second time and now ispalpable.if I come again, etc. that is, whensoever I come again (Act_20:2). These wereprobably the very words of his former threat which he now repeats again.5. HAWKER, 2-4, I pause at this last verse, for it is a most interesting one, to considerfor a moment how blessedly the Holy Ghost speaks of Christs being crucified throughweakness. Paul very likely meant it in allusion, to-himself; that as Christ, in the days ofhis flesh; appeared in all the poverty and humbleness with which his character was 10. marked, and was, nevertheless, in the moment so appearing, just as much as ever Godsdear Son; so Paul meant to tell the Corinthians, that his poverty and outward appearanceought not to have lessened him in their esteem, for he had fully proved the Holy Ghostsauthority in their hearts, in sending him to them, to preach the Gospel. But I shall beg tocall the Readers attention to what Paul hath here said in relation to Christs beingcrucified in weakness, to a much higher consideration, than in accommodating it toPauls history.It is in my view a beautiful portion of God the Spirits gift to the Church, in teaching theLords people to behold immense blessings, held forth under slender appearances. Christcrucified through weakness is a comprehensive expression, alluding to the humannature of the Lord Jesus. In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren.The very nature he came to redeem, he must take into union with his Godhead. He mustbe made like unto sinful flesh. Like unto it. That is, sin only excepted, he must be thevery same. Weak, and subject to all the frailties and infirmities his sinless nature couldbe the subject of, capable of sustaining sufferings and death. Hence, in that weakness hewas crucified and died. But to demonstrate at the same time, that though Jesus enduredthose sufferings and death, for his body the Church, it was all voluntary, and as theSurety of his Church, for his divine power brake out through the vail of his body, inmany acts which demonstrated his Godhead, both in the wonders of his cross, and histriumph over death in rising again. For, saith the Holy Ghost by Paul concerning him, hewas declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by hisresurrection from the dead, Rom_1:4. Reader! are not these sweet views of Jesus? Is itnot blessed, by the way, here; and there interspersed in the Apostles writings, to findsuch blessed, testimonies, as God the Holy Ghost gives, of the precious union or God andman, in the Person of Christ?6. CALVIN, I told you before, and foretell you. The friendly and agreeable admonitions,that he had addressed to them so frequently, had been of no advantage. He, accordingly,betakes himself to a more severe remedy, with which he had previously threatened themin words when present with them. When we see him act with so much strictness, weneed have no doubt, that they were surprisingly ungovernable and obstinate; for itappears from his writings, what mildness, and what unwearied patience he wasotherwise prepared to manifest. As, however, it is the part of a good parent to forgiveand bear with many things, so it is the part of a foolish parent, and one that has noproper regard for the welfare of his children, to neglect to use severity, when there isoccasion for it, and to mingle strictness with mildness. We are well aware, that nothing ismore hurtful than excessive indulgence 945 Let us, therefore, use mildness, when we cansafely do so, and that too, dignified and properly regulated: let us act with greaterseverity, when necessity requires.It is asked, however, why it was, that the Apostle allowed himself to expose theparticular faults of individuals in so open a manner, as in a manner to point his finger atthe very persons? I answer, that he would never have done so, if the sins had been hid,but as they were manifest to all, and matter of notoriety, so as to furnish a perniciousexample, it was necessary that he should not spare the authors of a public scandal. 946It is asked, secondly, what kind of chastisement he threatens to inflict upon them, as hecould scarcely chastise them more severely in words. I have no doubt that he means, thathe will inflict punishment upon them by excommunication. For what is more to bedreaded, than being cut off from the body of Christ, expelled from the kingdom of God, 11. and delivered over to Satan for destruction, (1 Corinthians 5:5,) unless you repent?7. PULPIT COMMENTARY,WORDS OF WARNING. He warns them of a chastisementwhich he determined to inflict upon all offenders, both in doctrine and conduct, againstthe gospel of Christ. Four things are suggested here concerning the discipline heintended to prosecute.1. The discipline would be righteous. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall everyword he established. Here is a rule quoted and endorsed by Christ (Matthew 18:16), anaxiom of the Jewish Law and a natural dictate of judicial policy. What he probablymeans to say, is, I will not chastise any without proper evidence. I will not trust torumours or surmises; I will test every case myself, so that justice shall be done.Therefore the true need not fear, the false alone need apprehend.2. The discipline would be rigorous. I told you before, and foretell you, as if I werepresent, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore havesinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare. He had threatened this inhis former letter (1 Corinthians 4:13-19), in which he had also indicated severity, (1Corinthians 5:5), and spoken of delivering them to Satanan expression whichprobably means not only excommunication, but the infliction of corporal suffering. Theblindness of Elymas and the death of Ananias and Sapphira are instances of the power ofthe apostles over the body of men. This chastisement would be dealt, not only to thenotorious incestuous person often referred to, but to all other; he would spare none.I will not spare. A more terrible chastisement know I not than entire excommunicationfrom the fellowship of the good.3. The discipline would demonstrate the existence of Christ in him. Since ye seek aproof of Christ speaking in me. They had called in question his apostolic authority, theyhad demanded the evidence of his Divine commission. He says he would now furnishsuch evidence by inflicting just punishment on all offenders, and they should haveabundant proof that Christ spoke by him. He could have given this proof sooner, but heacted in this respect like Christ, and was content to appear weak amongst them, inorder that his power might be more conspicuously displayed. For though he wascrucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak inhim, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you. The thought, saysDean Plumptre, that underlies the apparently hard saying is that the disciples of Christshare at once in their Lord's weakness and in his strength. We, too, are weak, says theapostle, we have our share in infirmities and sufferings, which are ennobled by thethought that they are ours because we are his, but we know that we shall live in thehighest sense in the activities of the spiritual life, which also we shall share with him,and which comes to us by the power of God. This life will be manifested in the exercise ofour spiritual power towards you and for your good. In the case of the truly good, in allweakness there is strength, and the weakness one day will disappear and the strength bemanifest.8. JAMES DENNY, When he arrives, he will proceed 12. at once to hold a judicial investigation into the conditionof the Church, and will carry it through with legalstringency.At the mouth of two and (where available)three witnesses shall every question be brought todecision. This principle of the Jewish law (Deut. xix.15), to which reference is made in other New Testamentpassages connected with Church discipline (Matt, xviii.16; I Tim. v. 19), is announced as that on whichhe will act. There will be no informality and noinjustice, but neither will there be any more forbearance. All cases requiring disciplinary treatment willbe brought to an issue at once, and the decision willbe given rigorously as the matter of fact, attested byevidence, requires.Although it is supported by commentators like Chrysostom andCalvin, it is difficult to treat otherwise than as a whim the idea thatPaul s two or three visits to Corinth make him equal to the two orthree witnesses required by the law.Thus after the reiterated warnings he has given them.To these reference is made in the solemn words ofver. 2. English readers can see, by comparing theRevised Version with the Authorised, the difficulties oftranslation which still divide scholars. The wordswhich the Authorised Version renders as if I werepresent (w? Trapwv) are rendered by the Revisersas when I was present. All scholars connect thisambiguous clause with TO Sevrepov :the second time.Hence there are two main ways in which the wholepassage can be rendered. The one is that whichstands in the Revised Version, and which is defendedby scholars like Meyer, Lightfoot, 1 and Schmiedel : itis in effect thisI have already forewarned, and do 13. now forewarn, as I did on the occasion of my secondvisit, so also now in my absence, those who havesinned heretofore, and all the rest, that if I come againI will not spare. This is certainly rather cumbrous ;but assuming that chap. ii. I gives strong ground forbelieving in a second visit already paid to Corinth avisit in which Paul had been grieved and humbled bydisorders in the Church, but had not been in a positionto do more than warn against their continuance itseems the only available interpretation. Those whoevade the force of chap. ii. I render here in the lineof the Authorised Version :I have forewarned [viz.,in the first letter, e.g. iv. 21], and do now forewarn,as though I were present the second time, althoughI am now absent, those who have sinned, etc. SoHeinrici. This, on grammatical grounds, seems quitelegitimate; but the contrast between presence andabsence, which is real and effective in the other rendering, is here quite inept. We can understand a mansaying,I tell you in my absence, just as I did whenI was with you that second time: but who would eversay,I tell you as if I were present with you a secondtime, although in point of fact I am absent? Theabsence here comes in with a grotesque effect, and thereseems hardly room to doubt that the rendering in ourRevised Version is correct. Paul had, when he visitedCorinth a second time, warned those who had sinnedbefore that visit ; he now warns them again, and allothers with them who anticipated his coming with anevil conscience, that the hour of decision is at hand.It is not easy to say what he means by the threatnot to spare. Many point to judgments like thaton Ananias and Sapphira, or on Elymas the sorcerer ;others to the delivering of the incestuous person to 14. Satan,for the destruction of the flesh; the supposition being that Paul came to Corinth armed with asupernatural power of inflicting physical sufferings onthe disobedient. This uncanny idea has really nosupport in the New Testament, in spite of the passagesquoted ; and probably what his words aim at is anexercise of spiritual authority which might go so faras totally to exclude an offender from the Christiancommunity.9. RAY STEDMAN, Twice in that paragraph Paul speaks of the power of God. That iswhat a true servant of Christ relies upon. I find that many of the commentators indealing with this section picture the apostle as going back to Corinth and sitting as ajudge. He brings all these cases before him, and as a kind of bishop over the wholechurch he pronounces judgments and then mobilizes the congregation to put economicand social pressure upon the dissenting individuals to boycott them or excommunicatethem.But I do not find anything like that in Scripture. These are men's ideas that are broughtin. What the Apostle Paul is talking about is not some kind of social pressure that isbrought to bear to bring an evildoer to heel. He is talking about the ability of God to actinside people's conscience and heart and change them by pressure and by trouble, even,maybe disaster, whatever God's judgment may allow. But Paul's reliance is not on thecongregation to execute this judgment, but on God, on Christ, and that is quite differentthan what we often think of in this regard.Paul is probably referring to the fact that he would take the last step that is mentioned inMatthew 18:15-20, in the discipline of a church and church members: Discipline beginswith you going to someone and quietly telling him his fault, between you and him alone.Then if he will not hear you, take one or two more and tell them and talk it over amongyourselves. But if he will not hear them, then there comes a time when it is to be told tothe church. This is what Paul is talking about here. When he comes all he will do issimply make public what he has private knowledge of now. He will tell it to the wholechurch and then the church will seek to try to reach this individual and bring him torepentance. If he will not hear the church, then the Lord says, let him be unto you as apublican and sinner, i.e., regard him no longer as a Christian; let him go his way. Butnothing further is required, for God will begin to work. As Paul says, He was crucified inweakness but lives by the power of God. He is not weak in dealing with you, hut he ispowerful in you. When we come, though we are weak in him, in dealing with you weshall live with him by the power of God. He relies on the fact that God will bring aboutthe result. 15. 3 since you are demanding proof that Christ isspeaking through me. He is not weak in dealingwith you, but is powerful among you.1. BARES, Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me - see the notes onthe previous chapters. They had called in question his apostolic authority; they haddemanded the evidence of his divine commission. He says that he would now furnishsuch evidence by inflicting just punishment on all offenders, and they should haveabundant proof that Christ spoke by him, or that he was inspired.Which to you-ward is not weak - Or who, that is, Christ, is not weak, etc. Christhas manifested his power abundantly toward you, that is, either by the miracles that hadbeen performed in his name; or by the diseases and calamities which they had sufferedon account of their disorders and offences (see the note on 1Co_11:30); or by the forceand efficacy of his doctrine. The connection, it seems to me, requires that we shouldunderstand it of the calamities which had been inflicted by Christ on them for their sins,and which Paul says would be inflicted again if they did not repent. The idea is, that theyhad had ample demonstration of the power of Christ to inflict punishment, and they hadreason to apprehend it again.2. CLARKE. Since ye seek a proof of Christ - The conversion of the Corinthianswas to themselves a solid proof that Christ spoke by the apostle; and therefore he could,with great propriety, say that this power of Christ, far from being weak, was mightyamong them.3. GILL, Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me,.... This is the reasonwhy he was determined, that should he come among them, he would not spare them,because they called in question his apostleship, and demanded a proof of it; which, of allmen, they had the least reason to do; for they themselves were the seals of hisapostleship, and the signs of an apostle had been done among them; they queriedwhether he was an ambassador of Christ, and was sent by him, and in his name; whetherthe message he came with was from him, and whether the Gospel he preached was hisvoice; and particularly whether he had such a power to punish delinquents, as hethreatened them with the exercise of; a strange infatuation of the false apostles this,since Christ, who sent him, was with him, and spoke in him, and by him:which to you-ward, says he,is not weak, but is mighty in you; the Gospel of Christ, at the first preaching of it tothem by him, was the power of God unto salvation to them; and was attended withdivers signs and wonders, and gifts of the Holy Ghost; and besides, they had instances of 16. the power of Christ towards them in an awful way, in punishing sinners; as in thedelivery of the incestuous person to Satan, which was done by his Spirit being with themwhen assembled; and by smiting many of them with sickness, diseases, and infirmities,and with death itself, who had sinned, 1Co_5:4. Wherefore, seeing after all theseinstances of the voice and power of Christ in him, they yet questioned his apostolicalauthority, and sought proof of it; and especially since this was not so much a tempting ofhim, as a tempting of Christ in him, he was resolved not to spare them.4. HERY, The apostle assigns a reason why he would be thus severe, namely, for aproof of Christ's speaking in him, which they sought after, 2Co_13:3. The evidence ofhis apostleship was necessary for the credit, confirmation, and success, of the gospel hepreached; and therefore such as denied this were justly and severely to be censured. Itwas the design of the false teachers to make the Corinthians call this matter intoquestion, of which yet they had not weak, but strong and mighty proofs (2Co_13:3),notwithstanding the mean figure he made in the world and the contempt which by somewas cast upon him.5. JAMISO, Since The reason why he will not spare: Since ye challenge me togive a proof that Christ speaks in me. It would be better if ye would prove your ownselves (2Co_13:5). This disproves the assertion of some that Scripture nowhere assertsthe infallibility of its writers when writing it.which who (Christ).is not weak in relation to you, by me and in this very Epistle, in exercising uponyou strong discipline.mighty in you has given many proofs of His power in miracles, and even inpunishing offenders (2Co_5:11, 2Co_5:20, 2Co_5:21). Ye have no need to put me to theproof in this, as long ago Christ has exhibited great proofs of His power by me amongyou (2Co_12:12) [Grotius]. It is therefore not me, but Christ, whom ye wrong: it is Hispatience that ye try in despising my admonitions, and derogating from my authority[Calvin].6. SPURGEON, The Apostle had much joy in being the founder, thefather and the fosterer of so many Churches, but this joy broughtwith it constant and heavy trial. Care pressed heavily upon him, forhe mentions it as the crown and crush of all his burdensThat which comes upon me daily, the care of all the Churches. Hewas not simply as a father among them, buthe was as a nurse, continually on the watch and, in all tenderness,anxious for her little ones. He was deeply grieved whenhe saw anything wrong, lest he should have labored in vain, andshould see any perish who appeared to be hopeful converts.He always had in his minds eye the account which he would haveto give at the lastand his prayer was that hemight render that account with joy and not with grief, for he adds, 17. That is unprofitable for you. His whole soul wentafter the people of his charge and his heart sank within him whenhe observed prominent sin among them.The Corinthian Church was enriched with many gifts, butimpoverished by slender Grace. This Church had electedto conduct its arrangements upon the principle of everybodyspeaking who had something to say. Moreover, it chose tobe a Church without rule and order, not caring to appoint officerswho would be shepherds of the flock. That Churchseems to have been a frequent trial to the Apostle and, after writingto them once very earnestly, he wrote to them a secondtime with equal tenderness and energyand then he said he wouldhave to visit them in personand when he didcome, he would, by discipline among them, make them know thatChrist would not endure sin in His Church. Whateverthey had to say about Paul, personally, he meant to be faithful toGod and to the Truth of Godand he was sure thatthe power of God would be with him to support him in the work ofreformation.He writes in a sorrowful strain and yet one cannot help seeing howcalm and judicious he ishow deliberately heenquires into evidence and how impartially he judges the case. Hehad an intense desire to do the right thing and, therefore,passion and prejudice did not operate upon him. In this particulartext he shows the high qualities of moral courage,inflexible justice, loving tenderness and wise prudenceprovinghimself to be a fit leader of the host. On account ofPauls having put his finger upon the mischief that was amongthem, the Corinthians turned round upon him and disparagedhimhis letters might be weighty and powerful, but his personalpresence was weak. And his speechwell, it wascontemptible! They even questioned whether he was an Apostle atall!Had he lived with Christ? Had he sat at Jesus feet? Noit wasapparent to everybody that his conversion took place 18. after the departure of the Lord and you could never be quite surethat he had been supernaturally called as he said he hadbeen. Thus they murmured among themselves. From this ordeal,Paul does not shrink for a moment, but he answers alltheir evil speeches in the language before us.7. CALVIN, Since ye seek a proof A twofold meaning may be drawn from these words.The first is, Since you wish to try me, whether I speak of myself, or whether Christspeaks by me; and in this way Chrysostom, and Ambrose, explain it. I am ratherinclined, however, to understand him as declaring, that it does not so much concernhimself as Christ, when his authority is detracted from that when his admonitions aredespised, Christs patience is tried. It is Christ that speaks by me; when therefore, youbring my doctrine under your lash, it is not so much to me as to him that you do injury.Some one, however, will object thus: What! Will a mans doctrine, then, be exemptedfrom all investigation, so soon as he makes it his boast, that he has Christ as hisauthority? And what false prophet will not make this his boast? What distinction, then,will there be between truth and falsehood, and what will, in that case, become of thatinjunction:Try the spirits, whether they are of God. (1 John 4:1.)Every objection of this nature Paul anticipates, when he says that Christ has wroughtefficaciously in them by his ministry. For these two clauses, Christ speaking in me, and,who is mighty in you, not weak, must be read in connection, in this sense: Christ, byexercising his power towards you in my doctrine, has declared that he spoke by mymouth, so that you have no excuse on the ground of ignorance.We see, that he does not merely boast in words, but proves in reality that Christ speaksin him, and he convinces the Corinthians, before requiring them to give him credit.Whoever, then, will speak in the Church, whatever be the title that he claims for himself,it will be allowable to inquire as to his doctrine, until Christ has manifested himself inhim, and thus it will not be of Christ that judgment will be formed, but of the man.When, however, it is apparent, that it is the word of God that is advanced, what Paul saysholds good that it is God himself who is not believed 947 Moses spake with the sameconfidence. (Numbers 16:11.)What are we I and Aaron? You are tempting God.In like manner, Isaiah:Is it too small a thing that you grieve men,unless you grieve my God also? (Isaiah 7:13.)For there is no more room for shuffling, when it has been made apparent, that it is aminister of God that speaks, and that he discharges his office faithfully. I return to Paul.As the confirmation of his ministry had been so decided among the Corinthians,inasmuch as the Lord had shown himself openly, it is not to be wondered, if he takes itso much amiss, that he meets with resistance. On good grounds, truly, 948 might hethrow back upon them, as he does, the reproach, that they were rebels against Christ.8. JAMES DENNY, The third verse is to be taken closely with the second : I will not spare, since ye seek a proof of Christ 19. that speaketh in me, who to you-ward is not weak, butis powerful in you. The friction between the Corinthians and the Apostle involved a higher interest thanhis. In putting Paul to the proof, they were reallyputting to the proof the Christ who spoke in him. Inchallenging Paul to come and exert his authority, indefying him to come with a rod, in presuming on whatthey called his weakness, they were really challengingChrist. The description of Christ in the last clause who towards you is not weak, but is powerful in you,or among youmust be interpreted by the context.It can hardly mean that in their conversion, and in theirexperience as Christian people, they had evidence thatChrist was not weak, but strong : such a reference,though supported by Calvin, is surely beside the mark.The meaning must rather be that for the purpose inhand the restoration of order and discipline in theCorinthian Church the Christ who spoke in Paul wasnot weak, but mighty. Certainly any one who lookedat Christ in Himself might see proofs, in abundance, ofweakness ; going directly to the crowning one,Hewas crucified the Apostle says,in virtue of weaknessSin was so much stronger than He, in the days of Hisflesh, that it did what it liked with Him. Sin mockedHim, buffeted Him, scourged Him, spit upon Him,nailed Him to the tree so utter was His weakness,so complete the triumph of sin over Him. But that isnot the whole story :He liveth in virtue of the powerof God. He has been raised from the dead by theglory of the Father ; sin cannot touch Him any more :He has all power in heaven and on earth, and all thingsare under His feet. This double relation of Christ tosin is exemplified in His Apostle.For we also areweak in Him ; but we shall live with Him, in virtue ofGod s power, toward you. The sin of the Corinthianshad had its victory over Paul on the occasion of hissecond visit ; God had humbled him then, even asChrist was humbled on the cross ; he had seen theevil, but it had been too strong for him ; in spite ofhis warnings, it had rolled over his head. That, weakness, as the Corinthians called it, remained ; to 20. them he was still as weak as ever hence the presentdo-Oevov/juev : but to the Apostle it was no discreditablething ; it was a weaknessin Christ, or perhaps, assome authorities read,with Christ. In being overpowered by sin for the moment, he entered into thefellowship of his Lord s sufferings ; he drank out ofthe cup his Master drank upon the cross. But thecross does not represent Christ s whole attitude to sin,nor does that incapacity to deal with the turbulence,disloyalty, and immorality of the Corinthians representthe whole attitude of the Apostle to these disorders.Paul is not only crucified with Christ, he has beenmade to sit with Him in the heavenly places ; andwhen he comes to Corinth this time, it will not be inthe weakness of Christ, but in the victorious strengthof His new life. He will come clothed with powerfrom on high to execute the Lord s sentence on thedisobedient.This passage has great practical interest. Thereare many whose whole conception of the Christianattitude toward evil is summed up in the words :Hewas crucified through weakness. They seem to thinkthat the whole function of love in presence of evil, itswhole experience, its whole method and all its resources,are comprehended in bearing what evil chooses, or isable, to inflict. There are even bad people, like theCorinthians, who imagine that this exhausts the Christianideal, and that they are wronged if they are not allowedby Christians to do what they like to them with impunity. And if it is not so easy to act on this principlein our dealings with one another though there arepeople mean enough to try it there are plenty ofhypocrites who presume on it in their dealings withGod.He was crucified through weakness, they sayin their hearts ; the cross exhausts His relation to sin ;that infinite patience can never pass over to severity.But the assumption is false : the cross does not exhaustChrist s relation to sin ; He passed from the cross tothe throne, and when He comes again it is as Judge.It is the sin of sins to presume upon the cross ; it is 21. a mistake that cannot be remedied to persist in thatpresumption to the end. When Christ comes again,He will not spare. The two things go together inHim : the infinite patience of the cross, the inexorablerighteousness of the throne. The same two things gotogether in men : the depth with which they feel evil,the completeness with which they suffer it to work itswill against them, and the power with which theyvindicate the good. It is the worst blindness, as wellas the basest guilt, which, because it has seen the one,refuses to believe in the other.4 For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yethe lives by Gods power. Likewise, we are weak inhim, yet by Gods power we will live with him inour dealing with you.1. BARES, For though he was crucified through weakness - Various modeshave been adopted of explaining the phrase through weakness. The most probableexplanation is that which refers it to the human nature which he had assumed Phi_2:7-8; 1Pe_3:18, and to the appearance of weakness which he manifested. He did not chooseto exert his power. He appeared to his enemies to be weak and feeble. This idea would bean exact illustration of the point before the apostle. He is illustrating his own conduct,and especially in the fact that he had not exerted his miraculous powers among them inthe punishment of offenders; and he does it by the example of Christ, who thoughabundantly able to have exerted his power and to have rescued himself from hisenemies, yet was willing to appear weak, and to be crucified. It is very clear:(1) That the Lord Jesus seemed to his enemies to be weak and incapable of resistance.(2) That he did not put forth his power to protect his life. He in fact offered noresistance, as if he had no power.(3) He had a human nature that was especially sensitive, and sensible to suffering; andthat was borne down and crushed under the weight of mighty woes; see my notes onIsa_53:2-3. From all these causes he seemed to be weak and feeble; and these appear tome to be the principal ideas in this expression.Yet he liveth - He is not now dead. Though he was crucified, yet he now lives again,and is now capable of exerting his great power He furnishes proof of his being alive, in 22. the success which attends the gospel, and in the miracles which are performed in hisname and by his power. There is a living Redeemer in heaven; a Redeemer who is able toexert all the power which he ever exerted when on earth; a Redeemer, therefore, who isable to save the soul; to raise the dead; to punish all his foes.By the power of God - In raising him from the dead and placing him at his ownright hand; see Eph_1:19-21. Through the power of God he was brought from the tomb,and has a place assigned him at the head of the universe.For we also are weak in him - Margin, with him. We his apostles, also, are weakin virtue of our connection with him. We are subject to infirmities and trials; we seem tohave no power; we are exposed to contempt; and we appear to our enemies to bedestitute of strength. Our enemies regard us as feeble; and they despise us.But we shall live with him ... - That is, we shall show to you that we are alive. Bythe aid of the power of God we shall show that we are not as weak as our foes pretend;that we are invested with power; and that we are able to inflict the punishment which wethreaten. This is one of the numerous instances in which Paul illustrated the case beforehim by a reference to the example and character of Christ. The idea is, that Christ did notexert his power, and appeared to be weak, and was put to death. So Paul says that he hadnot exerted his power, and seemed to be weak. But, says he, Christ lives, and is clothedwith strength; and so we, though we appear to be weak, shall exert among you, or towardyou, the power with which he has invested us, in inflicting punishment on our foes.2. CLARKE. For though he was crucified through weakness - It is trueChrist was crucified, and his crucifixion appeared to be the effect of his weakness; yeteven this was not so; he gave up his life, none could take it away from him; and in his laststruggle, had he even been deficient in power, he could have had more than twelvelegions of angels to support him against the high priests mob, Mat_26:53; but how thencould the Scripture be fulfilled? And had he not died, how could the human race havebeen saved?Yet he liveth by the power of God - Though he appeared to be crucified throughhis own weakness, yet he now liveth by the power of God; exerting an almighty energy bywhich all things are subject to him.We also are weak in him - Because we are on Christs side we appear to you asweak as he did to the Jews; but it is not so, for we live with him - under the sameinfluence, and partaking of the same life; manifesting by our preaching and miracles thepower of God towards you. While I do not use the rod, I appear to you weak; I will use it,and then you shall find me to be strong.3. GILL, For though he was crucified through weakness,.... Of the humannature; for the nature which Christ assumed was in all things like to ours, excepting sin;it was subject to all sinless infirmities; it was mortal, passible, liable to sufferings, anddeath, and so he came to be crucified; though not against his will, or without hisprevious assent; as God, he was able to have prevented his crucifixion if he would; hegave an instance of his power over men, at the time of his apprehension, by strikingthem down to the ground; and told Pilate his judge at his trial, that he could have nopower to crucify him, if it was not given him from above; and he showed his superiorityover devils when upon the cross, by spoiling principalities and powers; so that his 23. crucifixion was not owing to want of power as God, but he became capable of it throughhis weakness as man:but yet he lives by the power of God; he was raised from the dead by a divinepower; by his own power as God, as well as by his Father's, and so was declared to be theSon of God with power; and he lives at the right hand of God as man and Mediator,vested with all power in heaven and in earth; though, in the days of his flesh, heappeared so weak, mean, and despicable: now the apostle mentions this case of ourLord's, to deter the Corinthians from despising him, on account of his outward weaknessand meanness; and from hence buoying themselves up, and in which they wereencouraged by the false apostles, that he had not, and could not exercise the power hetalked of; they had observed what mean figure he made when he was among them; andwhatever weight there might be in his letters, yet his bodily presence was weak, and hisspeech contemptible; wherefore he sets before them the instance of Christ, who thoughhe appeared very weak in his state of humiliation, yet he now lives in power, to assist andstrengthen his ministers, in every branch of their work; and suggests, that as it was withChrist, it was, and would be in some measure with him, and his fellow ministers:for we also are weak in him: like him, and for his sake, they were subject toinfirmities, reproaches, persecutions, and distresses; carried about daily the dying of theLord Jesus; bore a very great resemblance to him in his state of humiliation; were verymuch as he was in this world, and bore much for his name's sake; the Alexandrian copyand the Syriac version read, with him; being crucified with him, and dead with him:but we shall live with him by the power of God towards you; which is not to beunderstood of being raised by Christ to an immortal life, and of living with him in glory;though this is a certain truth, that such who suffer with Christ, shall live and reign, andbe glorified together with him; but of the life, power, and efficacy of the ministers ofChrist, and of Christ in and with them, displayed in the lively ministration of the wordand ordinances, in the vigorous discharge of all the branches of their office; not only inpreaching, but in rebuking, admonishing, laying on of censures, and punishingcriminals; and especially regards the powerful exertion and use of the apostolic rod; forthis life is not only with Christ, or through Christ being in them, notwithstanding alltheir outward weakness, and by the power of God, which supports them under all, andenables them to perform their work, but is towards you; the Corinthians, to beexercised towards them, to be seen among them, and felt by them.4. HERY, Even as Christ himself was crucified through weakness, or appeared inhis crucifixion as a weak and contemptible person, but liveth by the power of God, or inhis resurrection and life manifests his divine power (2Co_13:4), so the apostles, howmean and contemptible soever they appeared to the world, did yet, as instruments,manifest the power of God, and particularly the power of his grace, in converting theworld to Christianity. And therefore, as a proof to those who among the Corinthianssought a proof of Christ's speaking in the apostle, he puts them upon proving theirChristianity5. JAMISO, though omitted in some of the oldest manuscripts; then translate,For He was even crucified, etc.through weakness Greek, from weakness; that is, His assumption of ourweakness was the source, or necessary condition, from which the possibility of His 24. crucifixion flowed (Heb_2:14; Phi_2:7, Phi_2:8).by Greek, from; owing to.the power of God the Father (Rom_1:4; Rom_6:4; Eph_1:20).weak in him that is, in virtue of our union with Him, and after His pattern,weakness predominates in us for a time (exhibited in our infirmities and weak bodilypresence, 2Co_10:10; 2Co_12:5, 2Co_12:9, 2Co_12:10; and also in our not putting intoimmediate exercise our power of punishing offenders, just as Christ for a time kept inabeyance His power).we shall live with him not only hereafter with Him, free from our presentinfirmities, in the resurrection life (Phi_3:21), but presently in the exercise of ourapostolic authority against offenders, which flows to us in respect to you from the powerof God, however weak we now seem to you. With Him, that is, even as He nowexercises His power in His glorified resurrection life, after His weakness for a time.6. PHIL BEACH JR., We are seeing as never before that one of the great purposes of the Lord's dealings inour lives is to make us to know in a much greater way the weakness of Christ. One authorhas said, The highest purpose of God in the life of the believer is not to make him somuch a powerfully used instrument, as to bring him to the fullest manifestation of Christin every aspect of His character.1 Christ is so weak, so meek, so unable to take thingsinto His own hands when danger or trouble comes--being simply cast upon Father. Somany only speak of Christ's power, His might and His anointing. Yet there is aweakness that Christ possesses characterized by His absolute dependence upon theFather, and this is why God has given Him all power and might. Likewise He longs tobring us ever more fully into the practical experience of this weakness, which is the onlybasis upon which Father will grant us His power, His might, His life--and that moreabundantly!You see, beloved, the two thoughts in the above scripture quotation are two sides ofthe same coin. Only as the weakness of the Christ life is made good in our experience canwe subsequently know the life of power and resurrection in which our Father so longs usto walk. We see this weakness embodied in Christ when He is spoken of as the Lamb ofGod. This lamb nature is so heavenly and different than anything we can muster up inourselves--it is the fullness of the divine nature being manifested in a Man, the manChrist Jesus, and now God wants to get this very nature in us. Behold, what manner oflove the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God (1John 3:1). How unspeakable--that all of His glorious virtues--His meekness, Hishumility, His perfect surrender and submission to the will of God, and so much more--that all of these could become a part of us! This is not to say that we are to become Deity,but rather, that the fullness of Deity's nature is to be manifested in us!The Lamb Upon The ThroneWe must come to partake deeply in this lamb nature if we are ever to know the life ofreigning with Him. Only the lamb can sit upon the throne, and only those who are as Heis in the lamb nature will sit with Him there. Only that nature can be entrusted with thethrone and not abuse it. For though He is the Lion (and this speaks of His awesomereigning power and might), yet the Lion is also the Lamb. The Lamb is His true nature, 25. and the Lion is what God made Him because of His nature. How incredible!So we are seeing that the chief and most important work that God is doing is fullystripping a people from the nature of earth and transforming them, through the powerof the cross, so that they will be exclusively governed by the nature of the Lamb. Ourauthor continues, This can only be done in the winepress valley of fellowship with Hissufferings. He was 'crucified through weakness,' and there were no signs and wonderswrought by Him to thrill the multitude at Calvary; but in His weakness and Lamb-silencein suffering and His poured out life, He did more for the world than when Hehealed the sick and cast out demons in Galilee.2 If we suffer, we shall also reign withHim (2 Tim. 2:12). It is only to those who suffer with Him that the Lord will grant aplace on His throne and none else. Those who suffer are driven on out of extremityinto resources which are to be found in God alone. They become more and moredetached from all that earth holds dear, and they begin to practically dwell in theheavens with the reigning Lord.7. SPURGEON, Why did Paul interject this teaching? It was toshow us that this great principle runs through all Gods work in thesaving of men. He does not save men, today, by the strength of Hisministers, but by their weakness! And it is not thepower of the Gospel, judged after the manner of the flesh, that is toconquer nations, but, as in our Lords case, the victoryis to be won by weakness! Look at Paul, himselfhe came amongthese Corinthian people and, I dare say, whenthey were first converted they felt like the Galatiansthat theywould pluck out their own eyes and give them to him!But after a while, although he was very faithful, they turned againsthim, and said he was no orator, he had no greatforce of conception, or majesty of diction!The Apostle was willing enough to admit that he was devoid ofsuch showy gifts. Though you and I, at a distance,think very greatly of Paul, and very rightly so, yet among thosecavilers he was lightly esteemed. He did not give himselfthe lofty airs of the great teachers of the day and, therefore, foolishpersons despised him. Some liked Apollos better andothers preferred Cephasand thus they formed partiesagreeingin opposing Paul, but agreeing on nothing else. Paulwas willing to lose all personal honor, though, in truth, not a whitbehind the chief of the Apostles. He said, We have 26. this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the powermay be of God, and not of us. He cheerfully sank, thatHis Lord might be exalted!Moreover, in those days there was a great liking among the people,especially those who thought themselves educated,for the Greek philosophers. They said to one another, Have youstudied Solon? Have you accepted the teachingof Socrates? Have you drank in the doctrines of the divine Plato?That is the man! In him there is depth of reasoning andbreadth of thought! As for this Paul, he does not seem to care forthe great masters of thought. No, says Paul, I determinednot to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and Himcrucified. They looked for philosophy and didnot get itand he did not mean they should. But at least, theysaid, what he has to say ought to be delivered with allthe graces of oratory, after the best manner of the schools. No,says Paul, my speech and my preaching was not withenticing words of mans wisdomthat your faith should not standin the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.8. CALVIN, For though he was crucified. He speaks, with particular intention, ofChrists abasement, with the view of intimating indirectly, 949 that nothing wasdespised in him, but what they would have been prepared to despise, also, in Christhimself, inasmuch as heemptied himself, even to the death of the cross.(Philippians 2:8.)He shows, however, at the same time, how absurd it is to despise in Christ 950 theabasement of the cross, inasmuch as it is conjoined with the incomparable glory of hisresurrection. Shall Christ be esteemed by you the less, because he showed signs ofweakness in his death, as if his heavenly life, that he leads subsequently to hisresurrection, were not a clear token of his Divine power? For as the term flesh heremeans Christs human nature, 951 so the word God is taken here to denote his Divinity.Here, however, a question arises whether Christ labored under such infirmity as to besubjected to necessity against his will; for, what we suffer through weakness, we sufferfrom constraint, and not from our own choice. As the Arians of old abused this pretextfor effectually opposing the divinity of Christ, the orthodox Fathers gave this explanationof it that it was effected by appointment, inasmuch as Christ so desired, and not fromhis being constrained by any necessity. This answer is true, provided it be properlyunderstood. There are some, however, that mistakenly extend the appointment toChrists human will as if this were not the condition of his nature, but a permissioncontrary to his nature. For example: His dying, they say, did not happen because his 27. humanity was, properly speaking, liable to death, but by appointment, because he choseto die. I grant, indeed, that he died, because he chose to do so; but, whence came thischoice, but from this that he had, of his own accord, clothed himself with a mortalnature 952 If, however, we make Christs human nature so unlike ours, the main supportof our faith is overturned. Let us, therefore, understand it in this way that Christsuffered by appointment, not by constraint, because, being in the form of God he couldhave exempted himself from this necessity, but, nevertheless, he suffered throughweakness, because he emptied himself (Philippians 2:6.)We are weak in him. To be weak in Christ means here to be a partaker of Christsweakness. Thus he makes his own weakness glorious, because in it he is conformed toChrist, and he no longer shrinks back from the disgrace, that he has in common with theSon of God; but, in the mean time, he says that he will live towards them after Christsexample. I also, says he, will be a partaker of Christs life, after I shall have beenexempted from weakness. 953 To weakness he opposes life, and, accordingly, heunderstands by this term a condition that is flourishing, and full of honor. 954 Theclause towards you may also be taken in connection with the power of God, but it is of noimportance, as the meaning always remains the same that the Corinthians, when theybegan to judge aright, would have respectful and honorable views of the power of God,which was in Paul, and would no longer despise outward infirmity.9. HOMILIES BY J.R. THOMSON2 Corinthians 13:4 - Weakness and power.It must have been very painful to the sensitive and benevolent mind of the apostle tohave written thus to any congregation of Christians, especially to a congregation sointimately connected with him as was this at Corinth. The whole society was to blame forsuffering the Judaizers and the questioners of St. Paul's authority; when they shouldhave taken the part of their spiritual benefactor, and have indignantly resented theslights and misrepresentations which they tolerated. In the prospect of visiting Corinth,the apostle requires that the people shall put themselves to the test and shall give a proofof their reformation; otherwise, he will be compelled to give them a proof of hissupernatural power and thus to silence calumny and opposition.I. THE WEAKNESS OF CHRIST IS SHARED EVEN BY HIS SINCEREST AND MOSTFAITHFUL FOLLOWERS.1. In the Lord Jesus were, both in his person and in his ministerial career, manycircumstances of humiliation. His helpless childhood; his subjection to hunger, thirst,and weariness; his liability to pain; his endurance of death, are instances of the former.His submission to calumny and insult, to betrayal and desertion, to hatred and rejection,are proofs of the latter.2. Now, our Lord himself forewarned his disciples that they should share their Master'slot. Paul certainly took up the cross. The thorn or stake in the flesh, the feeble body, thescourgings and imprisonments which he was called upon to endure, were not regardedby him as accidents and misfortunes, but rather as proofs of true discipleship, asparticipations in the sufferings of the Lord. And this is the light in which all followers of 28. the Lord Jesus are justified in regarding the endurances and calamities which befallthem in treading in his steps and in executing his commission. It is the moral glory ofChristianity that it dignifies the sufferings of those who partake their Leader's spirit inself-denying endeavours for the salvation of their fellow men. Such servants of theDivine Master may well glory in infirmity. Their wounds are the honourable scarstelling of the severity of the conflict in which they have been engaged.II. THE POWER OF GOD WHICH WAS UPON CHRIST SHALL BE DISPLAYED INTHOSE WHO, SHARING THE MASTER'S SERVICE, SHARE ALSO HIS WEAKNESS.Paul was content that men should perceive the weakness manifest in the crucifixion ofthe Redeemer but he preached to them a risen, reigning, and glorified King. Theresurrection and ascension of Christ were both proofs of the acceptance of the Son bythe Father, and they were an inspiriting omen of the approaching victory of the cause forwhich Jesus deigned to die. From the throne of might and dominion, possessed of allauthority, the victorious Lord governs his Church on earth, and secures its safety andwell being. St. Paul felt himself entrusted with abundant means of maintaining hisspiritual authority as the ambassador of Christ. He might possess marks of the dyingof the Lord Jesus; but he wielded a might which no foe could resist. Let all faithfulservants of Jesus and true soldiers of the cross be encouraged by the reflection that theirCommander is omnipotent, and that he must reign until every foe is beneath his feet.5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are inthe faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize thatChrist Jesus is in youunless, of course, you failthe test?1. BARES, Examine yourselves - see the note on 1Co_11:28. The particularreason why Paul calls on them to examine themselves was, that there was occasion tofear that many of them had been deceived. Such had been the irregularities anddisorders in the church at Corinth; so ignorant had many of them shown themselves ofthe nature of the Christian religion, that it was important, in the highest degree, for themto institute a strict and impartial examination to ascertain whether they had not beenaltogether deceived. This examination, however, is never unimportant or useless forChristians; and an exhortation to do it is always in place. So important are the interestsat stake, and so liable are the best to deceive themselves, that all Christians should beoften induced to examine the foundation of their hope of eternal salvation.Whether ye be in the faith - Whether you are true Christians. Whether you haveany true faith in the gospel. Faith in Jesus Christ, and in the promises of God throughhim, is one of the distinguishing characteristics of a true Christian; and to ascertainwhether we have any true faith, therefore, is to ascertain whether we are sincere 29. Christians. For some reasons for such an examination, and some remarks on the modeof doing it; see the note on 1Co_11:28.Prove your own selves - The word used here ( dokimazete) is strongerthan that before used, and rendered examine ( peirazete). This word, prove,refers to assaying or trying metals by the powerful action of heat; and the idea here is,that they should make the most thorough trial of their religion, to see whether it wouldstand the test; see the note on 1Co_3:13. The proof of their piety was to be arrived at by afaithful examination of their own hearts and lives; by a diligent comparison of theirviews and feelings with the word of God; and especially by making trial of it in life. Thebest way to prove our piety is to subject it to actual trial in the various duties andresponsibilites of life. A man who wishes to prove an axe to see whether it is good or not,does not sit down and look at it, or read all the treatises which he can find on axe-making,and on the properties of iron and steel, valuable as such information would be;but he shoulders his axe and goes into the woods, and puts it to the trial there.If it cuts well; if it does not break; if it is not soon made dull, he understands thequality of his axe better than he could in any other way. So if a man wishes to know whathis religion is worth, let him try it in the places where religion is of any value. Let him gointo the world with it. Let him go and try to do good; to endure affliction in a propermanner; to combat the errors and follies of life; to admonish sinners of the error of theirways; and to urge forward the great work of the conversion of the world, and he willsoon see there what his religion is worth - as easily as a man can test the qualities of anaxe. Let him not merely sit down and think, and compare himself with the Bible and lookat his own heart - valuable as this may be in many respects - but let him treat his religionas he would anything else - let him subject it to actual experiment. That religion whichwill enable a man to imitate the example of Paul or Howard, or the great Master himself,in doing good, is genuine.That religion which will enable a man to endure persecution for the name of Jesus; tobear calamity without complaining; to submit to a long series of disappointments anddistresses for Christs sake, is genuine. That religion which will prompt a manunceasingly to a life of prayer and self-denial; which will make him ever conscientious,industrious, and honest; which will enable him to warn sinners of the errors of theirways, and which will dispose him to seek the friendship of Christians, and the salvationof the world, is pure and genuine. That will answer the purpose. It is like the good axewith which a man can chop all day long, in which there is no flaw, and which does notget dull, and which answers all the purposes of an axe. Any other religion than this isworthless.Know ye not your own selves - That is, Do you not know yourselves? This doesnot mean, as some may suppose, that they might know of themselves, without the aid ofothers, what their character was; or that they might themselves ascertain it; but it meansthat they might know themselves, that is, their character, principles, conduct. Thisproves that Christians may know their true character. If they are Christians, they mayknow it with as undoubted certainty as they may know their character on any othersubject. Why should not a man be as able to determine whether he loves God as whetherhe loves a child, a parent, or a friend? What greater difficulty need there be inunderstanding the character on the subject of religion than on any other subject; andwhy should there be anymore reason for doubt on this than on any other point ofcharacter? And yet it is remarkable, that while a child has no doubt that he loves aparent, or a husband a wife, or a friend a friend, almost all Christians are in very greatdoubt about their attachment to the Redeemer and to the great principles of religion. 30. Such was not the case with the apostles and early Christians. I know, says Paul,whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I havecommitted to him, etc.; 2Ti_1:12. We know. says John, speaking in the name of thebody of Christians, that we have passed from death unto life; 1Jo_3:14. We know thatwe are of the truth; 1Jo_3:19. We know that he abideth in us; 1Jo_3:24. We knowthat we dwell in him; 1Jo_4:13; see also Joh_5:2, Joh_5:19-20. So Job said, I knowthat my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand in the latter day upon the earth, etc.;Job_19:25. Such is the current language of scripture. Where, in the Bible, do the sacredspeakers and writers express doubts about their attachment to God and the Redeemer?Where is such language to be found as we hear from almost all professing Christians,expressing entire uncertainty about their condition; absolute doubt whether they loveGod or hate him; whether they are going to heaven or hell; whether they are influencedby good motives or bad; and even making it a matter of merit to be in such doubt, andthinking it wrong not to doubt?What would be thought of a husband that should make it a matter of merit to doubtwhether he loved his wife; or of a child that should think it wrong not to doubt whetherhe loved his father or mother? Such attachments ought to be doubted - but they do notoccur in the common relations of life. On the subject of religion, people often act as theydo on no other subject; and if it is right for one to be satisfied of the sincerity of hisattachments to his best earthly friends, and to speak of such attachment withoutwavering or misgiving, it cannot be wrong to be satisfied with regard to our attachmentto God, and to speak of that attachment, as the apostles did, in language of undoubtedconfidence.How that Jesus Christ is in you - To be in Christ, or for Christ to be in us, is acommon mode in the Scriptures of expressing the idea that we are Christians. It islanguage derived from the close union which subsists between the Redeemer and hispeople: see the phrase explained in the note on Rom_8:10.Except ye be reprobates - see the note on Rom_1:28. The word renderedreprobates ( adokimoi) means properly not approved, rejected: that which willnot stand the trial. It is properly applicable to metals, as denoting that they will not bearthe tests to which they are subjected, but are found to be base or adulterated. The sensehere is, that they might know that they were Christians, unless their religion was base,false, adulterated; or such as would not bear the test. There is no allusion here to thesense which is sometimes given to the word reprobate, of being cast off or abandonedby God, or doomed by him to eternal ruin in accordance with an eternal purpose.Whatever may be the truth on that subject, nothing is taught in regard to it here. Thesimple idea is, that they might know that they were Christians, unless their religion wassuch as would not stand the test, or was worthless.2. CLARKE. Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith - Try yourselves; pierce your hearts; bore yourselves throughout; try yourselvesby what I have written, and see whether ye retain the true faith of the Gospel.Prove your own selves - Put yourselves to the test, as youwould try gold or silver suspected of adulteration. No more take that for Gospel which isnot so, than you would take adulterated money for sterling coin. This is a metaphortaken from testing or assaying adulterated metals. 31. Know ye not your own selves - Are ye not full of wisdom and understanding? Andis it not as easy to find out a spurious faith as it is to detect a base coin? There is an assayand touchstone for both. If base metal be mixed with the pure you can readily detect it;and as easily may you know that you are in the faith as you can know that base metal ismixed with the pure. Does Jesus Christ dwell in you? You have his Spirit, his power, hismind, if ye be Christians; and the Spirit of Christ bears witness with your spirit that yeare the children of God. And this is the case except ye be reprobates; , basecounterfeit coin; mongrel Christians. This metaphor holds excellently here. They had aJudaizing Christian among them; such, presumptively, was the false apostle: they hadreceived his Judaico-Christian doctrine, and were what the prophet said of some of theIsraelites in his time. Reprobate silver, adulterated coin, shall men call them, Jer_6:30.And thus, when they were brought to the test, they were found reprobate; that is,adulterated with this mixture of bad doctrine. There is no other kind of reprobationmentioned here than that which refers to the trial and rejection of adulterated coin; and,by way of metaphor, to the detection of false Christianity. This reprobation came of thepeople themselves: they, not God, adulterated the pure metal. Man pollutes himself;then God reprobates the polluted.3. GILL, Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith,.... These words are tobe considered in connection with 2Co_13:3 for seeing they sought and demanded aproof the voice and power of Christ in the apostle, he directs them to self examination, tolook within themselves, to try, prove, and recognise their own souls; where if things wereright, they would find a proof of Christ's speaking in him, to them: he advises them toexamine the state of their own souls, and see whether they were in the faith; either in thedoctrine of faith, having a spiritual and experimental knowledge of it, true love andaffection for it, an hearty belief of it, having felt the power of it upon their souls, andabode in it; whether, as the Syriac version reads it, , ye stand in the faith,firm and stable; or in the grace of faith, either of miracles, or that which is connectedwith salvation; and which if they were in it, and had it, is attended with good works;operates by love to Christ and to his people; by which souls go out of themselves toChrist, live upon him, receive from him, and give him all the glory of salvation: and ifthis was their case, he desires to know how they came by their faith; and suggests, thattheir light in the doctrine of the Gospel, and their faith in Christ Jesus, as well as themiraculous gifts many of them were possessed of, were through his ministry as themeans; and this was a full proof of Christ's speaking in him:prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christis in you; by which he means, that if they took a survey of things in their own souls, itwould appear that Christ was in them; not as he is in all the world, filling heaven andearth with his presence; or as he is in every rational creature, as the Creator and authorof the light of nature; but in a special and spiritual manner, by his Spirit and grace; theFather reveals him in his people, as the foundation of their hope of glory; he himselfenters and takes possession of their hearts in conversion, communicates his grace, andmanifests himself, and is formed there by his Spirit; his graces are implanted, his imageis stamped, his Spirit is put within them, and he himself dwells by faith: and this uponinquiry would be found to be the case of the Corinthians,except, says the apostle,ye are reprobates; meaning not that they were so, as such may stand opposed to the 32. elect of God; for persons may as yet neither be in the faith, nor Christ in them, and yetboth be hereafter, and so not be left o