2 Corinthians 1

Chap. I. Ver. 1—24. Paul, after his usual apostolical benediction, thanks God on behalf of the Corinthian church, and encourages them under their trials.—This Epistle, as stated in our Table of Apostolical Epistles, appears to have been written within a year after the preceding; and probably, as mentioned at the end of it, from Philippi in Macedonia. To understand this Epistle rightly, the reader must be informed, that Titus, who seems to have been the bearer of the first Epistle, as well as of this, ((2 Corinthians 8:17-18),) spent some time in Corinth, in order to obtain a correct knowledge of the state and circumstances of that church, and of their feelings towards the apostle, which he communicated to him, when they met in Macedonia; and it is evident that upon his information, are founded both the commendations and reproofs in this epistle.

But these are not all to be considered as addressed to the same individuals; for it is clear that this church was composed of very heterogeneous materials—Jews and Gentiles, saints and hypocrites; and while some were entitled to Paul’s warmest commendations, others merited his severest censures. Dr. Doddridge remarks, that out of St. Paul’s thirteen Epistles, “eleven of them begin with exclamations of joy, praise, and thanksgiving,” which fact sufficiently shows his amiable disposition, and the deep interest which the apostle felt in the prosperity and happiness of the churches. The doctrine here insinuated is also highly interesting and important, namely, that ministers, and even apostles, enjoy and endure, not only the common lot of joy and suffering in their own persons, but, being public characters, both the afflictions which they endure, and the consolations which they enjoy, are all intended for the instruction and consolation of the church of Christ; that they (ministers) may be “able to comfort those who are in any trouble.”

And the advantage is reciprocal: ministers partake (ver. 11) in the prayers and sympathies of their people. As an instance of this, St. Paul appears to advert to the opposition he had met with in Ephesus, when he was in danger of being torn to pieces by the mob that Demetrius had raised, ((Acts 19:30-31);) when his friends, as he acknowledges, interested themselves for him in prayer to God, as well as by their personal exertions on his behalf. “The consolation of which the apostle speaks” so strongly in this chapter, says Dr. Macknight very justly, “was derived from the presence of Christ with him in his affliction; from a sense of the love of Christ shed abroad in his heart; from the joy which the success of the gospel gave him; from the assured hope of the reward which was prepared for him; from his knowledge of the influence of his sufferings to encourage others; and from the enlarged views which he had of the government of God, whereby all things are made to work together for good to them who love him.”

But the concluding verses of this chapter are of peculiar interest and importance, and must not be passed without a remark or two.—5. We note the stability of the gospel: all the promises of God are in him, [Christ,] yea, i.e. plainly asserted; and in him, amen, or faithfully accomplished, “to the glory of God.” —2. By “the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts,” we understand those divine influences which our Lord promised to all believers, to guide them into truth and righteousness; and which may properly be considered as an “earnest” of those higher influences which shall finally prepare them for heaven and glory. “As we are born again by the Spirit, (says Bishop Pearson,) and receive from him our regeneration, so we are assured by the same Spirit of our adoption; and because, being ‘sons,’ we are also ‘heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ,’ by the same Spirit we have the pledge, or rather ‘the earnest of our inheritance.’ For ‘He which establisheth us in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God, who hath also sealed us, and hath given the earnest of his Spirit.’”

Chap. I. Ver. 1—24. Paul reproves the Galatians for being so soon seduced into error.—Galatia was a province of the Lesser Asia, which was first evangelized by the labours of St. Paul; who passing through it in the latter part of A. D. 50, was received with much acceptance, and there planted several churches. ((Acts 16:5-6).) About four years after this, he paid them a second visit, when he confirmed and edified the churches he had before planted. ((Acts 18:23).) Between these visits, (in 52 or 53,) this Epistle is supposed to have been written, from which we learn, that soon after his first visit, some Judaizing teachers from Judea attempted to subvert the gospel, and degrade the character of the apostle, as appointed not by Jesus Christ, as were the twelve, but by the church; and not equal, either in authority or gifts, to Peter and his companions.

In opposition to these insinuations, the apostle begins with stating, that he was not chosen or appointed by any man, or by any number of men, but by Christ himself, and by God the Father, who raised him from the dead. The churches of Galatia, like most of the first Christian churches, were composed both of Jews and Gentiles; and it was the former part, probably, that first listened to the legal doctrine, which made the rite of circumcision, and conformity to the Mosaic laws, necessary to salvation. The great object of this Epistle coincides with that of the Epistle to the Romans, as it respects the ground of our justification, which in both is declared to be by grace alone; the chief difference is, that in the latter (for the Epistle to the Romans was last written) he considers the impossibility of legal justification, both as re-

Chap. I. Ver. 1. Not of men, neither by man—i.e. not from (any society of) men, neither appointed by (any particular) man, but, &c. Macknight. Who raised him.—This circumstance is very properly introduced, because it was part of the apostolic office to be a witness of Christ’s resurrection. (Acts 1:22). Ver. 2. And all the brethren—Particularly ministers and persons inspired, including, probably, Luke, Silas, and Timothy. Ver. 6. So soon.—If there were but four years between Paul’s two visits to Galatia, and this Epistle was written in the interim, it should seem their apostacy must have been within a year or two after their conversion. Ver. 7. Which is not another—i.e. which, in fact, is no gospel at all, though substituted for that of Jesus.

Ver. 8, 9. Accursed.—Gr. anathema. See note on (1 Corinthians 16:22). Ver. 0. Do I now persuade men, or God?—i.e. “Do I endeavour to ingratiate myself with men, or to approve myself to God?”—Doddridge. See (Acts 12:12). “Having made Blastus their friend:” i.e. ingratiated themselves with him. The same word as here used. Ver. 11. Not after—Or “according to” man—i.e. not of human invention or authority. See on ver. 1. language, even so late as the fifth century, Christianity appears to have been planted in these regions by St. Paul himself, (ch. i. 5;) who visited at least twice in that country, ((Acts 16:6); xviii. 23.) This evidence shows that this Epistle was written soon after their reception of the Gospel, as it complains of their speedy apostacy from his doctrine, (ch. i. 6;) and as there is no notice of his second journey into that country, it has been supposed, with much probability, that it was written soon after his first, and commonly about A. D. 52 or 53. It appears, that soon after the Apostle had a [visit], some Judaizing teachers intruded themselves into the churches; drawing them off from the true gospel—to depend on ceremonial observances, was not taught at first, but by the revelation of Jesus. Regarding the law of Nature and the law of Moses; in this Epistle to the Galatians, continuing himself to the Mosaic law, he contents himself with showing, that no justification before God could be obtained by obedience to that law, the reasons of which we shall see as we proceed.

But some Jewish teachers, whether from their undue prejudices toward the Mosaic law, or from the desire to form a party, at the head of which they might themselves be placed, had seduced these Galatians from their allegiance to Christ, now their only Lord and Master, and persuaded them to desert to Moses, with whom those who were Gentiles had certainly nothing to do; and to whom even the Jews, having been liberated by Christ, owed no longer subjection. This the apostle regrets, and seems to attribute it to a fickleness of mind, much too common in every age, and not less to be lamented. Luther, the great German Reformer, wrote (as is well known) a commentary on this book, of considerable extent, to which we shall often recur, if not quote; and of all his own writings, this was his favourite, because in it he largely and ably defended his favourite doctrine of “Justification by faith alone,”

which he considered as the grand article by which the church alone must stand or fall. This is the gospel which Paul had taught to the Galatians, and he pronounces a bitter anathema against him who should dare to preach any other, even though “he were an angel from heaven.” We do not mean, however, to insinuate that there are not other truths of great importance connected with this; but this doctrine of free grace we consider as the very pith or kernel of the gospel; Ver. 14. Profited.—Doddridge, “made proficiency.” Ver. 16. Among the heathen.—See (Acts 9:15), and note.—Not with flesh and blood—i.e. neither with his own feelings, nor with any of his Ver. 17. I went into Arabia—That is, after a few days spent in Damascus.

But this journey is not mentioned in the Acts, and was probably more for retirement than public labour. How long he stopped there is unknown; a little more than a year, and from thence he returned to Damascus, where he finished the three years mentioned in ver. 18, and was then obliged to fly. See (2 Corinthians 11:32-33). [Arabia is an extensive country of western Asia, lying between the Persian Gulf on the east, and the Red sea on the west, the Indian ocean on the south, and Syria on the north. It is generally divided into three parts—Arabia Felix, Arabia Petra, and Arabia Deserta. The former is surrounded on three sides by the Persian gulf, Indian ocean, and red sea, being bounded on the north by Arabia Petra, the capital of which was Petra, and which has Egypt on the west, and Palestine and Arabia Deserta on the north; which latter has the mountains of Trachonites on the west, the Euphrates on the east, and Syria on the north, and from its vicinity to Damascus,

was probably the Arabia to which St. Paul passed. Bagster, may indeed be compared to the beautiful blossoms, or wholesome fruits, which this plant bears, and therefore as essential to the system. In the following part of the chapter he offers other facts, in proof that he received both his authority and instructions alone from heaven; for upon his conversion, instead of going up to Jerusalem, either to consult or to receive instruction, he went immediately into Arabia, and did not go to Jerusalem till three years after his conversion; and then he found there only two of the apostles, with whom he stopped but a few days; so that he could receive from them neither his commission nor his information.

And as to the Jewish churches there, he had no personal introduction even to them; only they heard, through Peter and James, that he now preached the faith he formerly persecuted, and “glorified God” on his account.

Notes on the verses

Chap. II. Ver. 1. And Timothy.—By this it appears that Timothy had returned to Paul, in Macedonia, and was now with him, see Ver. 5. The sufferings of Christ.—Macknight, “for Christ.” Doddridge explains it; “sufferings in the cause of Christ.” Ver. 9. The sentence of death.—Meaning that death was fully expected by Ver. 19. So great.—Macknight, “so terrible,”—a death. Ver. 11. Ye also helping together by prayer.—Doddridge, “Working together in prayer.” That for the gift bestowed upon us.—Doddridge, “That so the favour [obtained] for us by [the importunate] prayers of many.” Ver. 12. In simplicity and godly sincerity.—Gr. “In the simplicity and sincerity of God;” i.e. in the sight of God.

On the latter word Leigh says, “A fine word! It is a metaphor, either from such things as are tried by being held up against the beams of the sun, to see what faults are in them; or else from such things as are purged and clarified by the heat of the sun from the gross matter that is in them. Mel sincerus, is honey sine cera, or without wax.” —Conversation—(That is, “we have conducted ourselves;” for anastrepho in Greek and conversatio in Latin are used to denote the whole of a man’s conduct, the tenor and practice of his life.)—Bagster. Ver. 13. Than what ye read—i.e. in the Scriptures; but as the word is ambiguous, Doddridge renders it, “Than what you know.” Ver. 15. A second benefit.—Gr.

“grace,” or gift; meaning the advantage of Paul’s personal ministry a second time. Ver. 17. Yea yea, &c.—That is, honest and plain dealing. Ver. 18. Our word.—Meaning the word preached.—Not yea and nay—Not wavering uncertain, or contradictory. So Doddridge. Ver. 23. To spare you, I came not as yet unto Corinth—i.e. as Doddridge explains it, it was from tenderness towards the Corinthians. So Macknight, “To avoid punishing you, I have not as yet come to Corinth,”—wishing to give you time to repent. Ver. 24. Not that we have dominion over your faith.—The apostles were only servants of Christ, and had no authority but what they derived from him, not from the teachings of the Holy Spirit. See (Matthew 20:25).