2 Corinthians 12

2 Corinthians 12:1

COming to you] Gr. Tec. ready to come to you.

In the mouth, &c.] See Deuteronomy 9:15.

2 Corinthians 12:2

if I come again I will not spare] he threatneth here that he will make use of his Apostolicall power, which was very great and extraordinary; for they not onely inflicted spirituall Censures, but also corporall: Paul strook Barjesus with blindnesse, Acts 13:11. Peter, Ananias and Saphira with death; and as was noted before, those who were delivered by them to Satan, suffered not onely in soul thereby being terrified in their conscience, but also were often tormented in body.

2 Corinthians 12:3

Since ye seck a proof of Christ] A sharpe reprehension; for that while they despise the Apostles admonition, they tempt Christs own patience, and while they contemne Paul as a miserable man, they lay nothing herein against him which is not common to him with Christ. If ye seek a proof of Christs speaking in me, look to your selves who had all your soundnesse from my ministery, if ye have any.

2 Corinthians 12:4

through weaknesse] Saint Hilarie in his ninth book de Trinitate, expoundeth this place; Through the weaknesse of his flesh which was subject to all humane infirmities, sinne onely accepted: or touching the vile forme of a servant, which he took upon him when he abased himself. To cleare which passage, Oecumenius farther observeth that the word〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉in Saint Paul, is taken in a three-fold sense; sometimes for bodily sicknesse, as 1 Corinthians 11:30. sometimes for imbecillitie and wavering in faith, Romans 13:1. sometimes for outward persecutions, temptations, and afflictions, as it is taken in the former Chapter, vers. 9. 10. and so he takes the word in this place, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. To infirmities painfull Christ in his state of humiliation here upon earth was subject, but no waies to any infirmities that are sinfull.

in him] Or, with him.

2 Corinthians 12:5

Examine] Or, try.

whether ye be in the faith] He confirmeth that which he spake of God appearing in his ministery; and he gathereth by the mutuall relation between the peoples faith and the Ministers preaching, that they must either reverence his Apostleship upon whose doctrine their faith is grounded; or they must condemne themselves of infidelitie, and must confesse themselves not to be of Christs body. Whether ye are in the faith, that is, in the state of faithfull Christians; and whether Christ live in you his Spirit which you received by my Gospel.

reprobates] Or, unapproved. or, rejected.

2 Corinthians 12:6

reprobates] Or, unapproved. or, rejected.

2 Corinthians 12:7

as reprobates] Or, unapproved. or, rejected. Not reprobates, but as reprobates, nor so simply, but in the opinion of some. In this verse he mitigateth his former sharpnesse, trusting that they will shew themselves towards their faithfull Apostles, apt and willing to be taught: adding this moreover, that he passed not for his own fame and estimation, so he may any way further their salvation, which is the onely mark that the shooteth at.

2 Corinthians 12:8

we can do nothing against the truth] Through it be a true axiome Magna est veritas & praevalet; &, Veritas laborare potest opprimi non potest; the truth is most strong and cannot be subverted yet it seemes the Apostle here understandeth not so much truth truth of doctrine, as truth of life, sinceritie and true pietie. For he threameth to use his Apostolicall power in punishing, which that they might escape, he prayeth to God in the seventh verse, that they might do no evill; which exhortation he bindeth with this reason: For we cannot do any thing against the truth, that is, if you be innocent and walk in the truth, you need not fear any Anathema, or Church censure. For the power which the Lord hath given us, is for the supporting the Church, and not destroying it; to uphold and maintain innocencie and righteousnesse, true religion and vertue, and suppresse the contrarie.

2 Corinthians 12:9

even your perfection] That all things might be in good order amongst you, and the members of the Church restored which have been shaken and put out of their places.

2 Corinthians 12:10

I take pleasure in infirmities] Gr. I think, or, like well of infirmities. I do not onely bear them patiently, but also take great comfort in them.

when I am weak, then am I strong] When I am weak in my self, I am strong in Christ; or, when I am weak in the flesh, I am strong in the Spirit. When he was cast in prison, and his feet made fast in the stocks, he by his prayer caused the foundation of the prison to be shaken; when after he had suffered shipwrack, and was cast into a barbarous Island, and there a Viper light upon his finger, and the Islanders gave him for a gone man, he not onely shook off the viper without hurt, but also got great favour of the chief man in the Island, by curing his father of a fever and bloody-flux; and when he was brought before Nero, and all forsook him, yet even there (being a forlorn prisoner) he got the better of his potent adversaries, and was delivered our of the mouth of the Lion. Thus God in his greatest infirmities and distresses strengthened and delivered him, that the History of his life made good that which he here affirmeth of himself.

2 Corinthians 12:11

Be perfect] To three principall maladies, of which the Corinthians were sick, ignorance, pusillanimitie, and saction; he applieth three remedies: to the first, growth in grace, and the knowledge of Christ, and a striving to perfection; saying, be ye perfect: to the second, spirituall courage; saying, be of good comfort: to the third, unitie; be of one mind, live in peace.

2 Corinthians 12:12

the signes of an Apostle] He taketh not the word signes here, as afterwards in this verse, for wonders and mighty deeds, but by signes he meanes demonstrations à signe, evident arguments, whereby it may well appear, that he was indeed an Apostle of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 12:13

I my self was not burdensome to you] Or, was not slack, or, failed in any thing towards you. See Chap. 11. 9.

2 Corinthians 12:14

I will not be burdensome to you] Or, slack in any thing towards you.

2 Corinthians 12:15

gladly spend and be spent] That is, not onely bestow my pains and my estate, but also my body, and lay down my life for you. Here the Greek Scholiast noteth seven steps or degrees in the Apostles love; the first, he might have received maintenance from them, (Christ so commanding it, that the Ministers of the Gospel should live of the Gospel) yet he would not. The second, he was in want, yet would not be chargeable to them any way to relieve him. The third, he preached constantly to them, though they allowed him nothing for his pains. The fourth, he was at great expence with them. The fifth, he not onely gladly bestowed what he had, among them, but was willing to be bestowed, and sacrifice his life for them.

The sixt, this all he doth for those who did but coldly affect him. The seventh, though they in no way answered him in his love, but as his love still grew hotter to them, theirs grew colder to him, yet he diminished nothing of his love to them, or care for them.

you] Gr. your souls.

2 Corinthians 12:19

think you that we excuse our selves] He concludeth, that he writeth not these things unto them, as though he needed to defend himself, for he is guilty of nothing that is laid against him; but because it is behoveable for them to doubt nothing of his sidelity, who was their instructer and Apostle.

2 Corinthians 12:20

I shall be found unto you such as you would not] Having confirmed his Authoritie unto them, he rebuketh them sharply, and threatneth them also like an Apostle of Christ, that he will not spare them hereafter, unlesse they repent, seeing that this is the third time he had warned them.

2 Corinthians 12:21

God will humble me] He calleth the inflicting censures upon the Corinthians the abasing of himself, because as their proficiencie in Christs Schoole and growth in grace was a great cause of exaltation and glorying to him: so their falling into enormous crimes and continuing in them without repentance, enforcing him to use his Apostolicall power in censuring them, was a great hearts grief unto him, and occasion of much dejection of mind.