2 Corinthians 6

2 Corinthians 6:1

1. συνεργοῦντες, viz. τῷθεῷ, Whose representatives they were, and Whose grace they recommended. This is implied not only in what went before, but in the τοῦθεοῦ of our verse itself. Meyer makes it τῷχριστῷ, referring it to the ὑπὲρχρ. above: Chrys., Theodoret, Bengel, Olsh., al., ὑμῖν, which certainly would have been expressed, and does not suit the sense, nor Paul’s habit of speaking of the ministry, see 1 Corinthians 3:9. Flatt and Emmerling would make the σύν imply, working with our exhortations, aiding them by our example: which sense, though occasionally belonging to σύν and πρός in composition, could hardly have place here without some plainer indication in what went before, of that to which the preposition refers,—and would not suit the καί, which severs συνεργ. from παρακαλ.

The δέ is one of transition, introducing a new feature. Moreover, while working with God, we also exhort, that you (when preaching to you,—or others, when preaching to others: he still is describing his practice in his ministry, not using a direct exhortation to the Corinthians) receive not (‘recipiatis;’—not ‘receperitis,’ ‘that ye will not have received,’ i.e. ‘will not by apostasy shew that ye have received …’ as Erasm., al., and De Wette. This mistake arises mainly from regarding the words as directly addressed to the Corinthians instead of a description of his apostolic practice) the grace of God (i.e. the reconciliation above spoken of) to no purpose (i.e. unaccompanied by sanctification of life; so Chrys., ἵνα … μὴνομίσωσινὅτιτοῦτόἐστικαταλλαγὴμόνον, τὸπιστεῦσαιτῷκαλοῦντι, ἐπάγειταῦτα, τὴνπερὶτὸνβίονσπουδὴνἀπαιτῶν. Hom. xii. p. 521.)

2 Corinthians 6:2

2. Ground of the exhortation: viz. the importance of the present time as the day of acceptance,—shewn by a Scripture citation. For he (God, with whom we συνεργοῦμεν and whose grace we recommend) saith, ‘In an accepted time (Heb. בְּעֵת רָצוֹן, ‘in a season of grace’) I heard thee, and in the day of salvation I helped thee:’ behold (inserted for solemnity—to mark the importance of what follows), NOW is the favourably accepted time (εὐπρόσδεκτος, a far stronger term than δεκτός, q. d. the very time of most favourable acceptance, said from the fulness of his feeling of the greatness of God’s grace),—behold, NOW is the day of salvation. ὁγὰρἐντοιούτῳκαιρῷἀγωνιζόμενος, ἐνᾧτοσαύτηκέχυταιδωρεά, ἐνᾧτοσαύτηχάρις, εὐκόλωςἐπιτεύξεταιτῶνβραβείων. Chrys. p. 522. The prophecy is one directly of the Lord Jesus, as the restorer and gatherer of his people; and the time of acceptance is the interval of the offer of the covenant to men, conceded to Him by the Father.

2 Corinthians 6:3

3. διδόντες, resumed from συνεργοῦντες, 2 Corinthians 6:1; 2 Corinthians 6:2 being parenthetic. It, and all the following participles, 2 Corinthians 6:9-10, qualify παρακαλοῦμεν, shewing the pains and caution used by him to enforce this exhortation by his example as well as his precept. So Grot.: ‘ostendit enim, quam serio moneat, qui, ut aliquid proficiat, nullis terreatur incommodis, nulla non commoda negligat.’ But evidently, before the list is exhausted, he passes beyond the mere confirmation of his preaching, and is speaking generally of the characteristics of the Christian ministry.

ἐνμηδενί, in nothing, compare ἐνπαντί, below: not, ‘in no man’s estimation,’ as Luther. μηδεμ.,—μηδενί, are not = οὐδεμ.—οὐδενί, but, see on ch. 2 Corinthians 5:21, subjectively said—we exhort, being such as give, &c.: so 1 Corinthians 10:33, ἐγὼπάνταπᾶσινἀρέσκω, μὴζητῶνκ.τ.λ.

προσκοπή = σκάνδαλον, or πρόσκομμα, Romans 14:13. μωμηθῇ] μωμᾶσθαι, ‘to reproach’ (see Winer, edn. 6, § 38. 7. a, and Moulton’s note), is one of those deponent verbs which have an aorist passive: so διαλέγεσθαι, βούλεσθαι, δύνασθαι, σπλαγχνίζεσθαι, &c.

The διακονία, the office itself, would be reproached, if cause of offence were found in the character of its bearers.

2 Corinthians 6:4

4. Meyer well remarks the position of συνιστ. ἑαυτούς. When the words signified ‘to recommend ourselves,’ in a bad sense, ch. 2 Corinthians 3:1, 2 Corinthians 5:12,—ἑαυτ. preceded the verb: but here and ch. 2 Corinthians 4:2, where used in a good sense, and without any stress on ἑαυτούς, it follows the verb. This is only one of continually occurring instances of the importance of the collocation of words with regard to the emphasis.

διάκονοι] not διακόνους: recommending ourselves, as ministers of God should do. The ambiguity of the E. V. might have been avoided by a different arrangement of words: ‘in all things, as the ministers of God, approving ourselves.’

The following datives are a specification of παντί; but not all of the same sort: some signify instruments by which, some, situations in which, some both these. Bengel remarks: “Insignis gradatio. Sequuntur ter tria patienda (i.e. from θλίψεσιν to νηστείαις), quibus patientia (ὑπομονή) exercetur; pressuræ,—plagæ,—labores. Primus ternarius continet genera, secundus, species adversorum: tertia spontanea” (but qu?: see below). So that the ὑπομονὴπολλή belongs to 2 Corinthians 6:4-5, and 2 Corinthians 6:6 goes on to other points.

στενοχ.] See ch. 2 Corinthians 4:8, note.

2 Corinthians 6:5

5. On πληγ., see reff.

φυλακ.] At Philippi only as yet, as far as we know from the narrative of the Acts;—but there must have been many other occasions, see ch. 2 Corinthians 11:23. He may have been imprisoned at Antioch in Pisidia, Acts 13:50, and at Lystra, Acts 14:19 and at Corinth, Acts 18:12; Acts 18:14; and we cannot tell what may have befallen him during his journeys, Acts 15:41; Acts 16:6; Acts 18:23.

ἐνἀκαταστ.] in tumults, see Acts 13:50; Acts 14:5; Acts 14:19; Acts 16:22; Acts 17:5; Acts 18:12, and above all, Acts 19:23-41. The sense given by Chrys. (p. 522), al., τὸμηδαμοῦδύνασθαιστῆναιἐλαυνόμενον, is philologically allowable, cf. Demosth. 383. 7, ἀκατάστατονὥσπερἐνθαλάττῃπνεῦμα, and James 1:8, and Polyb. xxxi. 13. 6, ὑποδεικνύωναὐτοῖςτὴνἀκαταστασίαντῆςβασιλείας,—but not found in N. T.

ἐνκόποις] usually, and here, signifies ‘labour in the Lord,’ for his sake, see reff. So also κοπιάω, Romans 16:6; Romans 16:12 (bis), and reff. Chrys., al., interpret it of his manual work, 1 Corinthians 4:12; and ἀστατοῦμεν and κοπιῶμεν occurring there together certainly gives some semblance to the view: but see ch. 2 Corinthians 11:23, where this can hardly be; it is most probable that the weariness of his excessive apostolic labour was in his mind.

ἀγρυπνίαις] Chrys. says, p. 523, τὰςνύκταςἐναἷςἐδίδασκεν. ἢὅτικαὶἐναὐταῖςεἰργάζετο. But I would rather believe the ἀγρυπνίαι to have been watchings through anxiety for the churches.

ἐννηστείαις] This is generally, and by De W. against Meyer, taken to refer to involuntary hunger and thirst. But, as the latter remarks, the word does not appear to be ever so used; and in ch. 2 Corinthians 11:27, Paul himself distinguishes ἐννηστείαις from ἐνλιμῷκ. δίψει. The meaning of fastings must therefore be retained. So Chrys., Theodoret, and Calvin.

2 Corinthians 6:6

6. The nine preceding datives (see on 2 Corinthians 6:4) have expanded ὑπομονῇ. We now resume the main catalogue, with ἐνἁγνότητι, in purity: which is variously explained: of bodily chastity, Grot.:—of unselfishness, Theodoret, and Chrys., as an alternative (ἢσωφροσύνην … ἢτὴνἐνἅπασικαθαρότητα, ἢτὸἀδωροδόκητον, ἢκαὶτὸδωρεὰντὸεὐαγγ. κηρύττειν. ib.):—I prefer the second of Chrys.’s meanings, general purity of character, εἰλικρίνεια,—unblamableness of life, and singleness of purpose.

ἐνγνώσει] knowledge of the Gospel, in a high and singular degree; see 1 Corinthians 2:6 ff. So Chrys.: σοφίᾳτῇπαρὰτοῦθεοῦδεδομένῃ.

χρηστότητι] kindness: a kind and considerate demeanour.

ἐνπν. ἁγίῳ] in the Holy Spirit, as the Power by Whom all these motives are wrought. The omission of the article, aft. ἐν, constitutes no objection to this rendering, as Bp. Middleton (in loc.) supposes: cf. διὰπν. ἁγίουτοῦδοθέντοςἡμῖν, Romans 5:5,—and the very same words as these, 1 Thessalonians 1:5,—in both which places the meaning is undoubted; neither of which, however, is noticed by Middleton. The words do not appear to hold any logical place in the list, any more than ἐνδυν. θεοῦ below.

2 Corinthians 6:7

7. ἐνλόγ. ἀληθ.] is taken by De W., Meyer, al., as subjective,—‘in speaking, or teaching truth’—‘in discourse, the contents whereof were truth:’ but their objection against the sense in the word of truth, = ἐντῷλόγῳτῆςἀληθείας, as it is expressed Colossians 1:5, is not valid, on account (1) of the government by a preposition, which would make the insertion of the article optional,—(2) of the whole catalogue being anarthrous, which would cause the article to be omitted for uniformity’s sake.

ἐνδυν. θεοῦ] viz. the Power spoken of ch. 2 Corinthians 4:7,—the power manifested in every part of our apostolic working,—not merely in miracles.

διὰτ. ὅπλ. τ. δικ.] By means of (ἐν is changed for διὰ, first apparently on account of τὰὅπλα, marking them more distinctly as instruments,—and then continued) the weapons of righteousness (belonging to,—or as Meyer, furnished by, the righteousness which is of faith. That panoply, part of which only in the more particular specification of Eph 6:13-17, viz. the θῶραξ, is allotted to δικαιοσύνη,—is here all assigned to it.

Some of the ancient Commentators,—Chrys., Œcum., al., and Grot., Estius, al., understand by ὅπλα, ‘instruments,’ as in Romans 6:13, and interpret these instruments to be, situations and opportunities of life, whether prosperous, δεξιά, or adverse, ἀριστερά: but the other interpretation is in better accordance with the Apostle’s habit of comparison,—see ch. 2 Corinthians 10:4; Ephesians 6:13 ff.; 1 Thessalonians 5:8).

τῶνδεξ. κ. ἀριστ.] which are on the right and left: i.e. encompassing and guarding the whole person. Grot., Bengel, and most recent Commentators, even De W. and Meyer, explain it, both righthanded,—i.e. of attack, the sword and spear,—and left-handed,—i.e. of defence, the shield: but it seems to me that this would require: τῶνδεξιῶνκαὶτῶνἀριστερῶν: whereas now, no article being inserted before ἀριστ., it is implied that the panoply (τὰὅπλα) is on both sides (δεξιὰκ. ἀριστερά) of the person. On the interpretation prosperity and adversity, see above.

2 Corinthians 6:8

8. Perhaps the instrumental signification of διὰ need not be strictly retained. The preposition, once adopted, is kept for the sake of parallelism, though with various shades of meaning. I would understand it in διὰδοξ., &c., as in διὰπολλῶνδακρύων, as pointing out the medium through which. Thus understood, these two pairs in 2 Corinthians 6:8 will form an easy transition from instrumental, through medial, to the passive characteristics which follow.

ὡςπλάνοι] From speaking of repute, he passes to the character of the repute. In all these capacities and under all these representations or misrepresentations, we, as ministers of God, recommend ourselves. But in these following clauses a new point is perhaps brought out, viz. the difference of our real state from our reputed one. That this is the case with ὡςἀποθν. κ. ἰδοὺζῶμεν with and all following, is of course clear. But is it so with the two clauses preceding that one? Do they mean, ‘as deceivers, and yet true, as unknown, and yet well known,’ or,—’as deceivers, and as true men, as unknown, and as well known?’ I own I am not clear on this point.

The words καὶἰδοὺζῶμεν may be an indication how the Apostle would have the previous two clauses understood; but they also may be a transition, altering the previous reference of the second member of the clause, now that the subject is no longer matter of rumour, as πλάνοι and ἀγνοούμενοι, but matter of fact, as ἀποθνήσκοντες, and the following. If the latter alternative be taken, the two clauses will serve as a transition to the subsequent ones, thus: having said, διὰδυσφημίαςκ. εὐφημίας, he proceeds ὡςπλάνοι (answering to δυσφ.) καὶἀληθεῖς (answering to εὐφ.),—ὡςἀγνοούμενοι (still having δυσφ. in view,—as ‘unknown,’ of obscure reputation), καὶἐπιγινωσκόμενοι (still looking back at εὐφ., seeing that the ἐπίγνωσις would lead to good repute): then, having by the participles of the latter clause expressed more a matter of fact than did the adjectives of the former one, he passes to ὡςἀποθνήσκοντες, which has no longer its main reference to the repute of others, but to the fact, see ch. 2 Corinthians 4:7 ff., as exhibited in himself. I confess that on the whole this rendering recommends itself to my mind.

2 Corinthians 6:9

9. καὶἰδοὺζῶμεν is much stronger, more triumphant, than καὶζῶντες. There is something still of the idea of one reputed dead and found to be alive; though I would not say with Meyer that ὡςἀποθν. altogether refers to a supposd triumph of his adversaries, “Now it is all over with him! His course is ended!”

ὡςπαιδ.] Surely we must now drop altogether the putative meaning of the ὡς. The sense has been (see above) some time verging that way, and in the clauses which follow, the ὡς expresses just what it does in ὡςθεοῦδιάκονοι, viz. ‘quippe qui simus.’

Ps. 117:18, LXX, seems to have been in his mind: παιδεύωνἐπαίδευσέμεὁ (om ὁ [7]) κύριος, καὶτῷθανάτῳοὐπαρέδωκέμε …

[7] The CODEX . Procured by Tischendorf, in 1859, from the Monastery of St. Catherine on Mount Sinai. The Codex Frederico-Augustanus (now at Leipsic), obtained in 1844 from the same monastery, is a portion of the same copy of the Greek Bible, the 148 leaves of which, containing the entire New Testament, the Ep. of Barnabas, parts of Hermas, and 199 more leaves of the Septuagint, have now been edited by the discoverer. A magnificent edition prepared at the expense of the Emperor of Russia appeared in January, 1863, and a smaller edition containing the N.T. &c., has been published by Dr. Tischendorf.

The MS. has four columns on a page, and has been altered by several different correctors, one or more of whom Tischendorf considers to have lived in the sixth century. The work of the original scribe has been examined, not only by Tischendorf, but by Tregelles and other competent judges, and is by them assigned to the fourth century. The internal character of the text agrees with the external, as the student may judge for himself from the readings given in the digest. The principal correctors as distinguished by Tischendorf are:—A, of the same age with the MS. itself, probably the corrector who revised the book, before it left the hands of the scribe, denoted therefore by us à-corr1; B (cited as à2), who in the first page of Matt. began inserting breathings, accents, &c., but did not carry out his design, and touched only a few later passages; Ca (cited as à3a) has corrected very largely throughout the book. Wherever in our digest a reading is cited as found in à1, it is to be understood, if no further statement is given, that Ca altered it to that which is found in our text; Cb (cited as à3b) lived about the same time as Ca, i.e. some centuries later than the original scribe. These are all that we need notice here6.

2 Corinthians 6:10

10. Here even more clearly than before, the first member of the clause ὡςλυπ. ἀεὶδὲχαίρ. cannot express the opinion of his adversaries. For however παιδευόμενος might be wrested to signify ‘a man under the chastisement of God’ as a ground of reproach, λυπούμενος will surely not bear the meaning solcher der nach gemohnlicher menschlicher Unsicht traurig sehn mußte,’ ‘one in such a situation, that according to ordinary human estimation he must be wretched,’ as De Wette,—but must point to the matter of fact, that he is really ‘afflicted.’ See reff.

πτωχοί again can hardly have been a reproach, but sets forth the fact—as poor men, but enriching (not by distribution of alms, as Chrys., Theodoret, Estius, but by imparting spiritual riches, see 1 Corinthians 1:5) many:—as having nothing (in the sense in which οἱἔχοντες are ὡςμὴἔχοντες, 1 Corinthians 7:29,—in the improper sense of ‘to possess’ in which we here use the word—thus, we have nothing, are destitute), but possessing (finally and as our own, our inheritance never to be taken away; in that sense of the word ‘to possess’ which this world’s buyers are not to use—οἱἀγοράζοντες, ὡςμὴκατέχοντες, 1 Corinthians 7:30) all things. See a similar ‘possession of all things,’ 1 Corinthians 3:22; though this reaches further than even that,—to the boundless riches of the heavenly inheritance.

2 Corinthians 6:11-8

11–8:1. EARNEST TO FROM AND .

2 Corinthians 6:13

13. τὴναὐτὴνἀντιμ., as τὸνὅμοιοντρόπον Jude 1:7, κλισίας, Luke 9:14, not governed by κατά understood, but in fact an accus. of a remoter object, answering in many cases exactly to the further removed of the two accusatives in the double accusative government. The sense seems to be compounded of τὸναὐτὸντρόπον and ἀντιμισθίαν, In the same manner, as a return for my largeness of heart to you.

ὡςτέκνοιςλ. explains ἀντιμισθίαν,—it being naturally expected of children that they should requite the love and care of their parents, by corresponding love and regard.

2 Corinthians 6:14-7

14–7:1. Separate yourselves from unbelief and impurity. On the nature of the connexion, Stanley has some good remarks. He now applies to circumstances which had arisen among the Corinthians the exhortation which in 2 Corinthians 6:1 he described himself as giving in pursuance of his ministry of reconciliation. The following exhortations are general, and hardly to be pressed as applying only to partaking of meats offered to idols, as Calv., al., or to marriage with unbelievers, as Estius,—but regard all possible connexion and participation,—all leanings towards a return to heathenism which might be bred by too great familiarity with heathens. Become not (‘ne fiatis, molliter pro: ne sitis,’ Bengel: rather, perhaps, as expressing, ‘do not enter into those relations in which you must become’) incongruous yokefellows (the word and idea from ref.

Levit. Hesych[9]: ἑτερόζυγοιοἱμὴσυζυγοῦντες. Grot. explains it, ‘alteram partem jugi trahere,’ but this does not give the force of ἑτερο-:—Theophyl., μὴἀδικεῖτετὸδίκαιονἐπικλινόμενοικ. προσκλινόμενοιοἷςοὐθέμις: so making the simile that of an unequal balance: but this could hardly be without more precise notification) with unbelievers (Winer explains the construction, edn. 6, § 31. 10, Remark 4, thus, μὴγίν. ἑτεροζυγοῦντες, καὶοὕτωςὁμοζυγοῦντεςἀπίστοις: better, as De W., μὴγίν. ὁμοζ. ἀπίστοιςκ. οὕτωςἑτεροζυγοῦντες).

[9] Hesychius of Jerusalem, centy. vi.

μετοχή] ‘share in the same thing,’ community..

δικαιοσ. is the state of the Christian, being justified by faith: he is therefore excluded from ἀνομία, the proper fruit of faith being obedience.

φωτί, of which we are the children, 1 Thessalonians 5:5, and not of darkness.

Meyer remarks, that the fivefold variation of the term to express partnership,—μετοχή, κοινωνία, συμφώνησις, μερίς, συγκατάθεσις, shews the Apostle’s command of the Greek language. The construction of κοινωνία with a dat. and πρός, is illustrated by Wetst. from Stobæus, S. 28, εἰδέτιςἔστικοινωνίαπρὸςθεοὺςἡμῖν,—and Philo, leg. ad Caium, § 14, vol. ii. p. 561, τίςοὖνκοινωνίαπρὸςἈπόλλωνα, τῷμηδὲνοἰκεῖονἢσυγγενὲςἐπιτετηδευκότι;

2 Corinthians 6:15

15. After a question beginning with πῶς, τίς, and the like, a second question is regularly introduced by δέ. Thus Hom. Od. α. 225, τίςδαίς, τίςδὲὅμιλος; see Hartung, Partikellehre, i. 169.

βελίαρ] Heb. בְּלִיַּעַל, ‘contemptibleness,’ ‘wickedness:’ found 1 Samuel 2:12 al., and variously translated by the LXX. Theod. has retained the original form in Judges 19:22. It appears to have been subsequently personified, and used, as here, for a name of the Evil One (see Stanley). The termination -αρ is stated by Meyer to have arisen from the frequent permutation of λ and ρ in the dialect of the Grecian Jews.

2 Corinthians 6:16

16. συγκατάθ., ‘agreement in opinions;’ see reff., and cf. Plato, Gorg. § 122, σὺδὲδὴπότερονσυγκατατίθεσαιἡμῖνπερὶτούτωντὴναὐτὴνδόξανἢἀντιφῇς;

ναῷθεοῦ, between you, the Church of God,—see below, and 1 Corinthians 3:16;—εἰδώλων, idols, as the lords and ἐπώνυμοι of the heathen world.

ὑμεῖςγάρ] explanation of ναῷθεοῦ as applying to them, and justification of it by a citation from the prophetic Scriptures. The words cited are compounded of Lev 26:12, and Ezekiel 37:26-27.

2 Corinthians 6:17

17. The necessity of separation from the heathen enforced by another citation,—Isaiah 52:11,—freely given from memory; κἀγὼεἰσδέξ. ὑμ. being moreover substituted, from Ezekiel 20:34, for προπορεύσεταιγὰρπρότεροςὑμῶνκύριος, κ. ὁἐπισυνάγωνὑμᾶςθεὸςἸσραήλ. The ἀκάθαρτον must be understood of the pollutions of heathenism generally, not of any one especial polluted thing, as meat offered to idols.

2 Corinthians 6:18

18. The citation continues, setting forth the blessings promised to those who do thus come out from heathendom. Various passages of the O. T. are combined. In 2 Kings 7:14 (LXX), we have ἐγὼἔσομαιαὐτῷεἰςπατ., κ. αὐτὸςἔσταιμοιεἰςυἱόν·—the expression οἱυἱοίμου and αἱθυγατέρεςμου is found Isaiah 43:6; and τάδελέγεικύριοςπαντοκράτωρ begins the section from which the former clauses are taken, 2 Kings 7:8 (LXX).