8 for we are not able to do anything against the truth, but for the truth;
to do whatever Thy hand and Thy counsel did determine before to come to pass. `And now, Lord, look upon their threatenings, and grant to Thy servants with all freedom to speak Thy word, in the stretching forth of Thy hand, for healing, and signs, and wonders, to come to pass through the name of Thy holy child Jesus.'
how shall we escape, having neglected so great salvation? which a beginning receiving -- to be spoken through the Lord -- by those having heard was confirmed to us, God also bearing joint-witness both with signs and wonders, and manifold powers, and distributions of the Holy Spirit, according to His will.
because of this, these things -- being absent -- I write, that being present, I may not treat `any' sharply, according to the authority that the Lord did give me for building up, and not for casting down.
for even if also anything more abundantly I shall boast concerning our authority, that the Lord gave us for building up, and not for casting you down, I shall not be ashamed;
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ -- ye being gathered together, also my spirit -- with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver up such a one to the Adversary for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
mighty works also -- not common -- was God working through the hands of Paul, so that even unto the ailing were brought from his body handkerchiefs or aprons, and the sicknesses departed from them; the evil spirits also went forth from them. And certain of the wandering exorcist Jews, took upon `them' to name over those having the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, `We adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul doth preach;' and there were certain -- seven sons of Sceva, a Jew, a chief priest -- who are doing this thing; and the evil spirit, answering, said, `Jesus I know, and Paul I am acquainted with; and ye -- who are ye?' And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaping upon them, and having overcome them, prevailed against them, so that naked and wounded they did flee out of that house, and this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who are dwelling at Ephesus, and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified,
then having fasted, and having prayed, and having laid the hands on them, they sent `them' away. These, indeed, then, having been sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia, thence also they sailed to Cyprus, and having come unto Salamis, they declared the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews, and they had also John `as' a ministrant; and having gone through the island unto Paphos, they found a certain magian, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name `is' Bar-Jesus; who was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man; this one having called for Barnabas and Saul, did desire to hear the word of God, and there withstood them Elymas the magian -- for so is his name interpreted -- seeking to pervert the proconsul from the faith. And Saul -- who also `is' Paul -- having been filled with the Holy Spirit, and having looked stedfastly on him, said, `O full of all guile, and all profligacy, son of a devil, enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease perverting the right ways of the Lord? and now, lo, a hand of the Lord `is' upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season;' and presently there fell upon him a mist and darkness, and he, going about, was seeking some to lead `him' by the hand; then the proconsul having seen what hath come to pass, did believe, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.
And a certain man, Ananias by name, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, and did keep back of the price -- his wife also knowing -- and having brought a certain part, at the feet of the apostles he laid `it'. And Peter said, `Ananias, wherefore did the Adversary fill thy heart, for thee to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back of the price of the place? while it remained, did it not remain thine? and having been sold, in thy authority was it not? why `is' it that thou didst put in thy heart this thing? thou didst not lie to men, but to God;' and Ananias hearing these words, having fallen down, did expire, and great fear came upon all who heard these things, and having risen, the younger men wound him up, and having carried forth, they buried `him'. And it came to pass, about three hours after, that his wife, not knowing what hath happened, came in, and Peter answered her, `Tell me if for so much ye sold the place;' and she said, `Yes, for so much.' And Peter said unto her, `How was it agreed by you, to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? lo, the feet of those who did bury thy husband `are' at the door, and they shall carry thee forth;' and she fell down presently at his feet, and expired, and the young men having come in, found her dead, and having carried forth, they buried `her' by her husband; and great fear came upon all the assembly, and upon all who heard these things.
And Moses saith, `By this ye do know that Jehovah hath sent me to do all these works, that `they are' not from my own heart; if according to the death of all men these die -- or the charge of all men is charged upon them -- Jehovah hath not sent me; and if a strange thing Jehovah do, and the ground hath opened her mouth and swallowed them, and all that they have, and they have gone down alive to Sheol -- then ye have known that these men have despised Jehovah.' And it cometh to pass at his finishing speaking all these words, that the ground which `is' under them cleaveth, and the earth openeth her mouth, and swalloweth them, and their houses, and all the men who `are' for Korah, and all the goods, and they go down, they, and all that they have, alive to Sheol, and the earth closeth over them, and they perish from the midst of the assembly; and all Israel who `are' round about them have fled at their voice, for they said, `Lest the earth swallow us;' and fire hath come out from Jehovah, and consumeth the two hundred and fifty men bringing near the perfume.
And John answering said, `Master, we saw a certain one in thy name casting forth the demons, and we forbade him, because he doth not follow with us;' and Jesus said unto him, `Forbid not, for he who is not against us, is for us.' And it came to pass, in the completing of the days of his being taken up, that he fixed his face to go on to Jerusalem, and he sent messengers before his face, and having gone on, they went into a village of Samaritans, to make ready for him, and they did not receive him, because his face was going on to Jerusalem. And his disciples James and John having seen, said, `Sir, wilt thou `that' we may command fire to come down from the heaven, and to consume them, as also Elijah did?' and having turned, he rebuked them, and said, `Ye have not known of what spirit ye are; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save;' and they went on to another village.
`And signs shall accompany those believing these things; in my name demons they shall cast out; with new tongues they shall speak; serpents they shall take up; and if any deadly thing they may drink, it shall not hurt them; on the ailing they shall lay hands, and they shall be well.' The Lord, then, indeed, after speaking to them, was received up to the heaven, and sat on the right hand of God;
And Jesus said, `Forbid him not, for there is no one who shall do a mighty work in my name, and shall be able readily to speak evil of me:
As a bird by wandering, as a swallow by flying, So reviling without cause doth not come.
And he goeth up thence to Beth-El, and he is going up in the way, and little youths have come out from the city, and scoff at him, and say to him, `Go up, bald-head! go up, bald-head!' And he looketh behind him, and seeth them, and declareth them vile in the name of Jehovah, and two bears come out of the forest, and rend of them forty and two lads. And he goeth thence unto the hill of Carmel, and thence he hath turned back to Samaria.
And he sendeth unto him a head of fifty and his fifty, and he goeth up unto him (and lo, he is sitting on the top of the hill), and he speaketh unto him, `O man of God, the king hath spoken, Come down.' And Elijah answereth and speaketh unto the head of the fifty, `And if I `am' a man of God, fire doth come down from the heavens, and consume thee and thy fifty;' and fire cometh down from the heavens, and consumeth him and his fifty. And he turneth and sendeth unto him another head of fifty and his fifty, and he answereth and speaketh unto him, `O man of God, thus said the king, Haste, come down.' And Elijah answereth and speaketh unto them, `If I `am' a man of God, fire doth come down from the heavens, and consume thee and thy fifty;' and fire of God cometh down from the heavens, and consumeth him and his fifty. And he turneth and sendeth a third head of fifty and his fifty, and the third head of fifty goeth up, and cometh in, and boweth on his knees over-against Elijah, and maketh supplication unto him, and speaketh unto him, `O man of God, let be precious, I pray thee, my soul and the soul of thy servants -- these fifty -- in thine eyes.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Corinthians 13
Commentary on 2 Corinthians 13 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 13
2Co 13:1-14. He Threatens a Severe Proof of His Apostolic Authority, but Prefers They Would Spare Him the Necessity for It.
1. This is the third time I am coming to you—not merely preparing to come to you. This proves an intermediate visit between the two recorded in Ac 18:1; 20:2.
In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established—Quoted from De 19:15, Septuagint. "I will judge not without examination, nor will I abstain from punishing upon due evidence" [Conybeare and Howson]. I will no longer be among you "in all patience" towards offenders (2Co 12:12). The apostle in this case, where ordinary testimony was to be had, does not look for an immediate revelation, nor does he order the culprits to be cast out of the church before his arrival. Others understand the "two or three witnesses" to mean his two or three visits as establishing either (1) the truth of the facts alleged against the offenders, or (2) the reality of his threats. I prefer the first explanation to either of the two latter.
2. Rather, "I have already said (at my second visit), and tell you (now) beforehand, AS (I did) WHEN I WAS PRESENT THE SECOND TIME, SO also NOW in my absence (the oldest manuscripts omit the 'I write,' which here wrongly follows in English Version Greek text) to them which heretofore have sinned (namely, before my second visit, 2Co 12:21), and to all others (who have sinned since my second visit, or are in danger of sinning)." The English Version, "as if I were present the second time," namely, this next time, is quite inconsistent with 2Co 13:1, "this is the third time I am coming to you," as Paul could not have called the same journey at once "the second" and "the third time" of his coming. The antithesis between "the second time" and "now" is palpable.
if I come again, &c.—that is, whensoever I come again (Ac 20:2). These were probably the very words of his former threat which he now repeats again.
3. Since—The reason why he will not spare: Since ye challenge me to give a "proof" that Christ speaks in me. It would be better if ye would "prove your own selves" (2Co 13:5). This disproves the assertion of some that Scripture nowhere asserts the infallibility of its writers when writing it.
which—"who" (Christ).
is not weak—in relation to you, by me and in this very Epistle, in exercising upon you strong discipline.
mighty in you—has given many proofs of His power in miracles, and even in punishing offenders (2Co 5:11, 20, 21). Ye have no need to put me to the proof in this, as long ago Christ has exhibited great proofs of His power by me among you (2Co 12:12) [Grotius]. It is therefore not me, but Christ, whom ye wrong: it is His patience that ye try in despising my admonitions, and derogating from my authority [Calvin].
4. though—omitted in some of the oldest manuscripts; then translate, "For He was even crucified," &c.
through weakness—Greek, "from weakness"; that is, His assumption of our weakness was the source, or necessary condition, from which the possibility of His crucifixion flowed (Heb 2:14; Php 2:7, 8).
by—Greek, "from"; "owing to."
the power of God—the Father (Ro 1:4; 6:4; Eph 1:20).
weak in him—that is, in virtue of our union with Him, and after His pattern, weakness predominates in us for a time (exhibited in our "infirmities" and weak "bodily presence," 2Co 10:10; 12:5, 9, 10; and also in our not putting into immediate exercise our power of punishing offenders, just as Christ for a time kept in abeyance His power).
we shall live with him—not only hereafter with Him, free from our present infirmities, in the resurrection life (Php 3:21), but presently in the exercise of our apostolic authority against offenders, which flows to us in respect to you from the power of God, however "weak" we now seem to you. "With Him," that is, even as He now exercises His power in His glorified resurrection life, after His weakness for a time.
5. Examine—Greek, "Try (make trial of) yourselves."
prove your own selves—This should be your first aim, rather than "seeking a proof of Christ speaking in me" (2Co 13:3).
your own selves—I need not speak much in proof of Christ being in me, your minister (2Co 13:3), for if ye try your own selves ye will see that Christ is also in you [Chrysostom], (Ro 8:10). Finding Christ dwelling in yourselves by faith, ye may well believe that He speaks in me, by whose ministry ye have received this faith [Estius]. To doubt it would be the sin of Israel, who, after so many miracles and experimental proofs of God's presence, still cried (Ex 17:7), "Is the Lord among us or not?" (Compare Mr 8:11).
except ye be reprobates—The Greek softens the expression, "somewhat reprobates," that is, not abiding the "proof" (alluding to the same word in the context); failing when tested. Image from metals (Jer 6:30; Da 5:27; Ro 1:28).
6. we … not reprobates—not unable to abide the proof to which ye put us (2Co 13:6). "I trust that" your own Christianity will be recognized by you (observe, "ye shall know," answers to "know your own selves," 2Co 13:5) as sufficient "proof" that ye are not reprobates, but that "Christ speaks in me," without needing a proof from me more trying to yourselves. If ye doubt my apostleship, ye must doubt your own Christianity, for ye are the fruits of my apostleship.
7. I pray—The oldest manuscripts read, "we pray."
not that we should appear approved—not to gain credit for ourselves, your ministers, by your Christian conduct; but for your good [Alford]. The antithesis to "reprobates" leads me to prefer explaining with Bengel, "We do not pray that we may appear approved," by restraining you when ye do evil; "but that ye should do what is right" (English Version, "honest").
though we be as reprobates—though we be thereby deprived of the occasion for exercising our apostolic power (namely, in punishing), and so may appear "as reprobates" (incapable of affording proof of Christ speaking in us).
8. Our apostolic power is given us that we may use it not against, but for the furtherance of, the truth. Where you are free from fault, there is no scope for its exercise: and this I desire. Far be it from me to use it against the innocent, merely in order to increase my own power (2Co 13:10).
9. are glad—Greek, "rejoice."
when we are weak—having no occasion for displaying our power; and so seeming "weak," as being compassed with "infirmities" (2Co 10:10; 11:29, 30).
ye … strong—"mighty" in faith and the fruits of the Spirit.
and—not in the oldest manuscripts.
we wish—Greek, "pray for."
your perfection—literally, "perfect restoration"; literally, that of a dislocated limb. Compare 2Co 13:11, "Be perfect," the same Greek word; also in 1Co 1:10, "perfectly joined together"; Eph 4:12, "the perfecting of the saints."
10. Therefore—because I wish the "sharpness" to be in my letters rather than in deeds [Chrysostom].
edification … not to destruction—for building up … not for casting down. To "use sharpness" would seem to be casting down, rather than building up; therefore he prefers not to have to use it.
11. farewell—meaning in Greek also "rejoice"; thus in bidding farewell he returns to the point with which he set out, "we are helpers of your joy" (2Co 1:24; Php 4:4).
Be perfect—Become perfect by filling up what is lacking in your Christian character (Eph 4:13).
be of good comfort—(2Co 1:6; 7:8-13; 1Th 4:18).
14. The benediction which proves the doctrine of the Divine Trinity in unity. "The grace of Christ" comes first, for it is only by it we come to "the love of God" the Father (Joh 14:6). The variety in the order of Persons proves that "in this Trinity none is afore or after other" [Athanasian Creed].
communion—joint fellowship, or participation, in the same Holy Ghost, which joins in one catholic Church, His temple, both Jews and Gentiles. Whoever has "the fellowship of the Holy Ghost," has also "the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ," and "the love of God"; and vice versa. For the three are inseparable, as the three Persons of the Trinity itself [Chrysostom]. The doctrine of the Trinity was not revealed clearly and fully till Christ came, and the whole scheme of our redemption was manifested in Him, and we know the Holy Three in One more in their relations to us (as set forth summarily in this benediction), than in their mutual relations to one another (De 29:29).
Amen—omitted in the oldest manuscripts. Probably added subsequently for the exigencies of public joint worship.