TEXT. 9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 11 Knowing, therefore, the terrour of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God, and I trust, also, are made manifest in your consciences. PARAPHRASE. 9 quitting this habitation to get home to the Lord. Wherefore, I make this my only aim, whether staying here in this body, or departing out of it, so to acquit myself, as 10 to be acceptable to him. For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may receive according to what he has done in the body, whe11 ther it be good, or bad. Knowing, therefore, this terrible judgment of the Lord, I preach the gospel, per NOTES. i.e. I go undauntedly, without flagging, preaching the gospel with sincerity, and direct plainness of speech. This conclusion, which he draws here, from the consideration of the resurrection and immortality, is the same, that he makes, upon the same ground, ch. iv. 14, 16. 9 · Εἴτε ἐνδομῶντες ἔντε ἐκδημῦντες, " whether staying in the body, or going "out of it," i.e. whether I am to stay longere here, or suddenly to depart. This sense the foregoing verse leads us to; and what he says in this verse, that he endeavours (whether ivdnu, or ixdur) "to be well-pleasing to the Lord," i. e. do what is well-pleasing to him, shows, that neither of these words can sig nify, here, his being with Christ in heaven. For, when he is there, the time of endeavouring to approve himself is over. k St. Paul, from chap. iv. 12, to this place, has, to convince them of his uprightness in his ministry, been showing, that the hopes, and sure expectation he had, of eternal life, kept him steady and resolute, in an open, sincere preaching of the gospel, without any tricks or deceitful artifice. In which his argument stands thus: "Knowing that God, who raised up Christ, will raise me "up again, I without any fear, or consideration of what it may draw upon me, "preach the gospel faithfully, making this account, that the momentaneous "afflictions, which, for it, I may suffer here, which are but slight in com"parison of the eternal things of another life, will exceedingly increase my "happiness in the other world, where I long to be; and therefore death, which "brings me home to Christ, is no terror to me; all my care is, that whether "I am to stay longer in this body, or quickly to leave it, living or dying, I may approve myself to Christ, in my ministry." In the next two verses, he has another argument, to fix in the corinthians the same thoughts of him; and that is, the punishment he shall receive at the day of judgment, if he should neglect to preach the gospel faithfully, and not endeavour sincerely and earnestly to make converts to Christ. TEXT. 12 For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that you may have somewhat to answer them, which glory in appearance, and not in heart. 13 For, whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or, whether we be sober, it is for your cause. PARAPHRASE. suading men to be christians. And with what integrity I discharge that duty, is manifest to God, and I trust, 12 you also are convinced of it, in your consciences. And this I say, not that I commend myself again: but that I may give you an occasion not to be ashamed of me, but to glory on my behalf, having wherewithal to reply to those, who make a show of glorying in outward appearance, without doing so inwardly in their hearts". 13 For if I am besides myself, in speaking, as I do of myself, it is between God and me; he must judge: men are not concerned in it, nor hurt by it. Or, if I do it NOTES. 121 From this place, and several others in this epistle, it cannot be doubted, but that his speaking well of himself, had been objected to him as a fault. And in this lay his great difficulty, how to deal with his people. If he answered nothing to what was talked of him, his silence might be interpreted guilt and confusion: if he defended himself, he was accused of vanity, self commendation and folly. Hence it is, that he uses so many reasons to show, that his whole carriage was upon principles far above all worldly considerations: and tells them here, once for all, that the account he gives of himself, is only to furnish them, who are his friends, and stuck to him, with matter to justify themselves, in their esteem of him, and to reply to the contrary faction. This may be understood of the leaders of the opposite faction, who, as it is manifest from ch. x. 7, 15, and xi. 12, 22, 23, pretended to something that they gloried in, though St. Paul assures us, they were satisfied, in conscience, that they had no solid ground of glorying. He 1s St. Paul, from the 13th verse of this chapter, to chap. vi. 12, gives another reason for his disinterested carriage, in preaching the gospel; and that is his love to Christ, who, by his death, having given him life, who was dead, he concludes, that in gratitude he ought not to live to himself any more. therefore, being as in a new creation, had now no longer any regard to the things, or persons, of this world; but being made, by God, a minister of the gospel, he minded only the faithful discharge of his duty in that embassy; and, pursuant thereunto, took care that his behaviour should be such as he describes, ch. vi. 6-10. "Besides myself," i.e. in speaking well of myself, in my own justification. He that observes what St. Paul says, chap. xi. 1, and 16-21, chap. xii. 6 and 11, will scarce doubt, but that the speaking of himself, as he did, was, by his enemies, called glorying, and imputed to him as folly and madness. TEXT. 14 For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that, if one died for all, then were all dead: 15 And that he died for all, that they, which live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him, which died for them, and rose again. 16 Wherefore, henceforth, know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we bave known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 17 Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are past away, behold, all things are become new. PARAPHRASE. soberly, and upon good ground; if what I profess of myself be in reality true, it is for your sake and advantage. 14 For it is the love of Christ constraineth me, judging as I 15 do, that, if Christ died for all, then all were dead: And that, if he died for all, his intention was, that they.who by him have attained to a state of life, should not any longer live to themselves alone, seeking only their own private advantage; but should employ their lives in promoting the gospel and kingdom of Christ, who for them 16 died, and rose again: So that, from henceforth, I have no regard to any one, according to the flesh, i. c. for being circumcised, or a jew. For, if I myself have gloried in this, that Christ himself was circumcised, as I am, and was of my blood and nation, I do so now no more 17 any longer. So that if any one be in Christ, it is, as if he were in a new creation, wherein all former, mun NOTES. 16 p This may be supposed to be said with reflection on their jewish, false apostle, who gloried in his circumcision; and, perhaps, that he had seen Christ in the flesh, or was some way related to him. 17 9 Gal. vi. 14, may give some light to this place. To make these 16th and 17th verses coherent to the rest of St. Paul's discourse here, they must be understood, in reference to the false apostle, against whom St. Paul is here justifying himself; and makes it his main business, in this, as well as in his former epistle to show, what that false apostle gloried in, was no just cause of boasting. Pursuant to this design, of sinking the authority and credit of that false apostle, St. Paul, in these and the following verses, dextrously insinuates these two things: 1st, That the ministry of reconciliation being committed to him, they should not forsake him, to hearken to, and follow, that pretender. 2dly, That they, being in Christ, and the new creation, should, as he does, not know any man in the flesh, not esteem, or glory in, that false apostle, because TEXT. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you, in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. VI. 1 We then as workers together with him, beseech you also, that receive not the grace of God in vain: ye PARAPHRASE. dane relations, considerations, and interests', are ceased, and at an end; all things in that state are new to him: 18 And he owes his very being in it, and the advantages he therein enjoys, not, in the least measure, to his birth, extraction, or any legal observances, or privileges, but 19 wholly and solely to God alone; Reconciling the world to himself by Jesus Christ, and not imputing their trespasses to them. And, therefore I, whom God hath reconciled to himself, and to whom he hath given the ministry, and committed the word of his reconciliation; 20 As an ambassador for Christ, as though God did by me beseech you, I pray you in Christ's stead, be ye recon21 ciled to God. For God hath made him subject to sufferings and death, the punishment and consequence of sin, as if he had been a sinner, though he were guilty of no sin; that we, in and by him, might be made righteVI. 1 ous, by a righteousness imputed to us by God. I therefore, working together with him, beseech you also, NOTES. he might, perhaps, pretend to have seen our Saviour in the flesh, or have heard him, or the like. Krios signifies "creation," and is so translated, Rom. viii. 22. • Tà apxaia, "old things," perhaps, may here mean the jewish economy; for the false apostle was a jew, and, as such, assumed to himself some authority, probably by right of blood, and privilege of his nation: vid. 2 Cor. xi. 21, 22. But that, St. Paul here tells them, now, under the gospel, is all antiquated, and quite out of doors. TEXT. 2 (For he saith, "I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the "day of salvation have I succoured thee:" behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation!) 3 Giving no offence, in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: 4 But, in all things, approving ourselves, as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings. 6 By pureness, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned. 7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness, on the right hand, and on the left. 8 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; 9 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and not killed; PARAPHRASE. that you receive not the favour of God, in the gospel, 2 preached to you, in vain. (For he saith, "I have heard "thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation "have I succoured thee:" behold, now is the accepted 3 time; behold, now is the day of salvation!) Giving no offence to any one, in any thing, that the ministry be not 4 blamed: But, in every thing, approving myself, as becomes the minister of God, by much patience, in afflic5 tions, in necessities, in straits, In stripes, in imprisonments, in being tossed up and down, in labours, in watch6 ings, in fastings; By a life undefiled; by knowledge; by long-sufferings; by the gifts of the Holy Ghost; by love 7 unfeigned; By preaching the gospel of truth sincerely; by the power of God, assisting my ministry; by uprightness of mind, wherewith I am armed at all points, both 8 to do and to suffer; By honour and disgrace; by good 9 and bad report: as a deceiver', and yet faithful; As an NOTES. 1 "Receive the grace of God in vain," the same with "believing in vain,” 1 Cor. xv. 2, i e. receiving the doctrine of the gospel for true, and professing christianity, without persisting in it, or performing what the gospel requires. 8t" Deceiver," a title (it is like) he had received from some of the opposite faction at Corinth: vid, chap. xii. 16. |