2 Corinthians 13
HAMM2 Corinthians 13:1
I am now this third time about to come among you, (see ch. xii. 14,) and this is my solemn second admonition by epistle, which if it be not obeyed, will certainly bring censures upon you at my coming.
[a] This is the third time] In the method prescribed by Christ to prepare for the censures of the church, Matt. xviii. 15, there is a threefold admonition; the first by one man alone, the injured person (if it be a matter of that nature) going and reproving him; and if that do not succeed, then take with thee ἔτι further (or over and above) one or two, that in the mouth of one or two witnesses every word may be established, that is, that the thing which thou layest to his charge be so confirmed, (according to that of John viii. 17. The testimony of two men is true, that is, (Ἰησοῦ, ἀληθῆς, true, in the sense of πιστὸς,) fit to be credited, of sufficient authority in law to be heeded and proceeded upon,) that by the testimony of these, as of witnesses, he may be convinced, and no longer able to deny the fact, as Heb. vi. 16, an oath is said to be εἰς βεβαίωσιν, for establishing or confirmation, as being ἀντιλογίας πέρας, an end of contradicting, that is, of affirming and denying. The thing so established (βεβαίωθιν or σταθιν) by oath, cannot longer be denied, or the party’s denial will not stand him in any stead. Or secondly, that the offender may by authority of these be induced (as the judge is on the accused person, Deut. xix. 15. Heb. x. 28.) to give sentence on himself, and so think fit to reform what he is admonished of. Now that this place distinctly refers to this part of discipline, this second admonition, appears most probable by his reciting of the very words in the institution, In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established; and proportionable to that, προείρηκα καὶ προλέγω, I foretold and foretell, which notes the first and second admonition. And though there precede a τρίτον ἔρχομαι, I come to you this third time, yet that refers evidently to this his third resolution personally to appear among them, ch. xii. 14, having resolved it twice already, and before that time comes, this second Epistle is to supply the place of a second admonition, as his first had been a first. And so the words will be rendered thus, Προείρηκα καὶ προλέγω δεύτερον, I have foretold or admonished you once in my first Epistle, and do now so again the second time, and both those ὡς παρὼν, as present; these epistolary warnings being to have the same force with them, as if he were present among them. And if this method, answerable to the first and second admonition instituted by Christ, do not prevail with you, then that which remains is, that he proceed to censures, and that he is resolved to do, οὐ φείσομαι, I will not spare. Where the apostolical power which he had over them maketh it improper for him to proceed to any third admonition, that of telling it to the church, in St. Matthew. So bishop
2 Corinthians 13:2
I gave you a solemn warning in my former epistle, which was of the same force as if I had been personally with you; and behold now I do so again; and though I am still absent, yet this epistle is to
2 Corinthians 13:3
And this I shall do the rather, because you are so high as to call my commission for apostleship into question, and to require me to prove that what I speak or do is from Christ; when by that which hath been done already, by miracles and other evidences, it is most manifest, that Christ hath expressed himself to speak to you by me, and so to own the doctrine I teach, and the authority I pretend to among you.
2 Corinthians 13:4
For as Christ appeared to be a weak and frail man in being crucified, but was evidenced to be omnipotent God by his resurrection; so I also may appear weak and a mere ordinary man, fit to be despised and contemned by you, (as you look upon me in myself, and in respect of the afflictions which have been and are upon me,) but yet I shall shew that I am an apostle of Christ, armed with commission and power from God, which I have already, both by preaching and miracles, and shall further, by censures upon the contumacious, evidence unto and among you.
2 Corinthians 13:5
Make trial by what you please, whether I am not an apostle of Christ, and have planted Christ among you, taught you the true faith. Have there not been such evidences of my apostleship, ch. xii. 12, such assurances of Christ’s giving me authority of his presence among you in my ministry, that you yourselves cannot choose but acknowledge it? yes, certainly there are, if you are not the most senseless wretched persons in the world, the most unfit for God to approve or wink at.
[b] Jesus Christ is in you] That Christ’s being among them signifies the presence and power of the gospel among the Corinthians, or in their church, through St. Paul’s apostleship, may appear, not only by the context, which wholly looks that way, but by that place, Exod. xvii. 7, to which these words seem to refer; where the tempting contumacious Israelites, after all the signs and miracles shewed among them, do still remain infidel, and ask in these very words, Εἰ Θεὸς ἐν ἡμῖν, Is the Lord among us, or no? So that the meaning of the apostle’s question here is, ‘Many miracles of Christ and his Spirit have been wrought among you by me, so that if you do not yet believe that I am an apostle of Christ, and so that Christ is among you, you are sure of the number of those Israelites, who after so many miracles still required more signs, or of the Pharisees, who did the same, Mark viii. 11;’ which being put in form of a question, Discern you not that Christ Jesus is among you? the answer is in the next words, Εἰ μὴ τι ἄρα ἀδόκιμοι ἐστε, which cannot be more distinctly and literally rendered than thus, Εἰ μὴ τι, (referring to the ἐπιγινώσκειν precedent,) If ye do not, that is, If ye do not discern it, in some degree, ἄρα ἀδόκιμοι ἐστε, doubtless ye are reprobates senseless, obdurate persons, most impious, and uncapable of faith, or any thing that is good. What the notion of ἀδόκιμοι is, hath been formerly mentioned. See note [g] on Rom. i.
2 Corinthians 13:6
But whatever you are yourselves, or whatever ye think of me, you shall find, I doubt not, that I am not disapproved by Christ, but abundantly owned by him.
2 Corinthians 13:7
Now I pray God to preserve you from every evil way, from all corruption or seduction, not that I may have occasion to approve my apostolical power
² among, &c. ³ Or, with him: for the King’s MS. reads &c. ⁴ Do ye not discern
yourselves, ‘H οὐκ ἀντρώσκειν ἀνατοῦς. ⁵ among, &c. ⁶ truly if in some measure ye do
not, ye are reprobates, εἰ μὴτι ἄρα ἀδίκημοί ἐστι.
[b] a thorn in the flesh] What this σκόλοψ τῇ σαρκὶ, thorn to the flesh, here signifies, will be best guessed from Ezech. xxviii. 24, where the pricking brier and grieving thorn is set to signify a sore affliction, to wound and torment, from the despisers, as it there follows, or persecutors of Israel. And so it will here signify no more but a sad and sharp affliction, inflicted on St. Paul (saith Irenaeus, l. 4. the last ch., and Theodoret and Theophylact on the place) by some followers of Simon Magus, that is, the Gnostics.
2 Corinthians 13:8
For though we have no ability to do any thing, in case we should set ourselves against Christ and his gospel, yet in defence of it we are able to do somewhat by his assistance and blessing; or, we have no power or authority to punish those who do not offend, or if we do, God cooperates not with us in that act (Theophylact).
2 Corinthians 13:9
And in this sense the weaker we are, that is, the less severe, the less proofs we give of our apostolical power, the better we are pleased, and the stronger, that is, the more innocent and blameless ye keep yourselves; having no delight in inflicting censures on offenders, but much rejoiced to see your innocence: and there is nothing that we more desire, than that you be made up into such a form or frame which shall be acceptable in God’s sight, or that ye live together in communion, undivided, see note [c], no one of you being broken off by excommunication.
2 Corinthians 13:10
And that is the reason of my giving you these wholesome warnings before I come, that when I come I may not proceed to excision, (according to the authority given me by Christ,) but deal with you according to that milder way of instruction, not of excommunication, which is to take place among contumacious offenders, such as I desire not to find you at my coming.
2 Corinthians 13:11
And now I take my leave of you, beseeching God’s blessing upon you; and I pray, be ye careful to keep together in the united profession of the same faith; and if there fall out any thing cross among you, support it cheerfully; be all mutually kind and peaceable, without any divisions or schisms among you: and that is the way to have that God, who so much values and so strictly commands love and peace among all, to be for ever among you by his grace.
[c] Be perfect] The proper original notion of the word καταρτίζειν is, to compact or knit together, either members in a body, or parts in a building. Thus it is applied to a building, Exod. xv. 17, κατοικητήριον ὁ κατηρτίσω, the place which thou hast made for thee to dwell in; and to walls, Ezra iv. 13. 16; to a body, psal. xl. 6. σῶμα κατηρτίσω μοι, a body thou hast framed or compacted for me. From hence it doth more largely signify, to prepare or make ready, in the same kind as builders do fit one part to another, and make it ready for use; and so again, to corroborate and strengthen, as that which is well compacted and knit together is made strong by that means; and lastly, to perfect, as the building of an house is the perfecting of it, especially in the passive voice, because that which is compacted and built is perfected and completed by that means. Answerable to these several notions is the Glossary of Hesychius, Καταρτίσαι (not, as it is corruptly read, Καταρτίσαι) κατασκευάσαι, τελειῶσαι, στερεῶσαι, the word signifies to prepare, to perfect, to strengthen or corroborate. In the New Testament the word is variously used, but so as will by the circumstances of the context be applicable to one or more of these three notions. Matt. iv. 21, and Mark i. 19, it is applied to the mending of the fishers’ nets, knitting them together, and so either strengthening or preparing them for use; Matt. xxi. 16. κατηρτίσω αἶνον, (in reference to the children’s ho-sannahs, or testimonies of Christ,) Thou hast out of their mouths compacted, or made up, or made ready, a song of praise, or confession, or testimony; Luke vi. 40. Every servant shall be κατηρτισμένος, made up, perfected, fitted for his crown, after the same manner as his master Christ is. So 1 Thess. iii. 10. καταρτίσαι ὑστερήματα, to make up, or perfect, or repair defects, and Heb. xiii. 21. καταρτίσαι ὑμῖς, perfect you, build you up, and so perhaps ver. 9 of this chapter, τὴν ὑμῶν κατάρτισαν,
2 Corinthians 13:12
Greet one another from me with all kindness, see note [c] Rom xvi.
2 Corinthians 13:13
All the Christians here send you greeting. “bounty or liberal effusion of the graces of God’s sanctifying Spirit, be with you all. Amen.
2 Corinthians 13:14
[d] communion] What is the notion of κοινωνία, for charity or liberality, hath been formerly observed, note [d] on Acts ii. and 2 Cor. viii. 4. And agreeably, though in a spiritual sense, is κοινωνία Πνεύματος, the communication of the Spirit here, the liberality of the Holy Ghost in the plentiful effusion of his gifts, so as it will be all one with δωρεὰ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος, the gift of the holy Spirit, Acts ii. 38, and so as will be most fit to join with χάρις Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, the grace, or charity, or liberality of Christ, and the love of God, (as in Cicero de Nat. Deor. l. 3. Dei gratia et charitas, “God’s grace or favour, and charity or love,” are put together.) For thus is χάρις Χριστοῦ, the grace of Christ, used 2 Cor. viii. 9; and thus κοινωνία Πνεύματος, the communication of the Spirit, Phil. ii. 1, being joined with σπλάγχνα and οἰκτιρμοὶ, bowels and mercies, that is, the evidences of the highest liberality.
2 Corinthians 13:18
I persuaded Titus to come to you, (see ch. ix. 5,) and sent Luke along with him: did Titus or the other make any kind of gain of you? did he defraud you of aught? did not he behave himself just after the same manner as I had done before?
2 Corinthians 13:19
Do not think, as formerly ye have done, that what I thus say is spoken largely, as to take off the objections which you have against me by some fair specious colours and excuses. No, in the sight of God I speak the very perfect truth, and would not say it for my own sake, were it not, in probability, to tend to your good, to take you off (by my giving this account of myself) from the factious courses which through admiration of other men’s persons ye are engaged in.
2 Corinthians 13:20
For I would fain prevent what I see too probable, that when I come to you we shall neither of us be much pleased at the meeting; not I with you, seeing you seduced and corrupted; nor you with me, when I shall be forced to inflict censures upon you: I mean, lest these sparks of faction and division that are among you break out into flames;
2 Corinthians 13:21
And I be forced to exercise severity among you, to inflict censures on many of those who had formerly offended, and been warned (if not punished) by my former epistle, and have not yet reformed and forsaken those base unnatural sins to which the heathen idol-feasts had betrayed them: (see note [c] 1 Cor. v, and note [b] 2 Cor. ii, and ch. xiii. 2.)