v. 14-19. His constraining motive-CHRIST'S LOVE. 20-21. His office: its work and its ground.

1.

His apostolic exhortation.

He entreats them to be separate from unbelief and impurity.

Reasons why this separation is indispensable.

The effect of these promises.

2-16. He appeals to the Corinthians, and justifies his

letter.

PART II.-viii.-ix. 15. THE COLLECTION FOR THE POOR

SAINTS IN JERUSALEM.

viii. 1-6. Informs them of the liberality of the Churches of

7-15.

16-24.

Macedonia.

Exhorts them also to contribute.

Titus and two others commissioned to complete the collection.

ix. 1-5. Urges them to make good his boasting of them, and have their collection ready.

6-7.

8-10.

"As we sow, so we shall reap."

God can provide for all their needs.

11-15. Method in which God blesses rich givers.

PART III.-X.-xiii. 13. DEFENCE OF HIS APOSTOLIC DIGNITY. X. 1-6. Assures them of the spiritual nature and power of his office.

(7-xi. 18.

xii. 3.

وو

7.

11-16.

17-18.

19.

Digression touching his labours, &c., as an Apostle.
Revelations vouchsafed to him.

His infirmity in the flesh.

Excusing his boasting, he describes the signs of an
Apostle given by him.

Refutes the charge of self-seeking.)

He is not defending himself as before judges,

20-21. But only speaking for their well-being. xiii. 1-10.

He warns them that severity may be required on his arrival.

11-13. Gives general exhortations.

LIST OF AUTHORS QUOTED OR REFERRED TO.

1. Alford's Greek Testament.

2. Brown and Fausset's Commentary.

3. Olshausen on Corinthians.

4. Conybeare and Howson's Life of St. Paul.

5. Speaker's Commentary on Acts, by the Lord Bishop of Chester.

6. Smith's Dictionary of the Bible.

7. Scriptures Arranged. Rev. H. Linton.

8. Wordsworth's Greek Testament.

9. Townsend's New Testament. 2 vols.

10. Slade on the Epistles. 2 vols.

ABBREVIATIONS USED.

1. Alford, or Alfd.

2. B. and F.

3. Olsh.

4. Sp. Com.

lxx. for Septuagint Version, B.C. 280.

NOTES

ON THE

II. EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS.

CHAPTER I.

He

Address and Greeting. Thanksgiving for deliverance from danger to his life. He is able now to comfort others in affliction. asserts confidently his integrity of purpose towards the Corinthians, and defends himself against the charge of fickleness in not having come to them.

Address and Greeting.-(v. 1) "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia: (v. 2) Grace be to you and peace from God our father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ."

Thanksgiving for deliverance.-(v. 3) "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; (v. 4) Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. (v. 5) For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ."

His ability to comfort others.-(v. 6) "And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings

which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. (v. 7) And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation."

He refers to his danger in Asia.-(v. 8) "For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: (v. 9) But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: (v. 10) Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; (v. 11) Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf."

His integrity of purpose.-(v. 12) "For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward. (v. 13) For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end; (v. 14) As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus."

His defence against accusations.—(v. 15) “And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a second benefit; (v. 16) And to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to be brought on my way toward Judæa. (v. 17) When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea, yea, and nay, nay?"

The unchangeableness of the truth.-(v. 18) "But as God is true, our word towards you was not yea and nay. (v. 19) For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea. (v. 20) For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. (v. 21) Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; (v. 22)

Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts."

He states his reason for not coming.-(v. 23) "Moreover, I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth. (v. 24) Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy for by faith ye stand."

"Timothy," v. 1.-Timothy had helped to found the Church of Corinth. Having recently failed in his effort to recover the Corinthians from their serious and dangerous lapse, he is referred to here by St. Paul in order to show (1) that he was held free from blame with regard to his failure, and (2) that notwithstanding the rejection of his mission by the Corinthians, he was still animated by feelings of loving interest for their welfare.

"Our brother," v. 1.-" Our "-St. Paul's and the Corinthians'; or brother in missionary labour; perhaps also as one of the founders of the Church. Elsewhere St. Paul calls him "son," 1 Tim. i. 18; 1 Cor. iv. 17. He had been sent by St. Paul to Macedonia, and met him at Philippi on his arrival there from Troas, ch. ii. 12-13; 1 Cor. xvi. 10-11. Timothy is nowhere called an Apostle.-Sp. Com. "At Corinth," v. 1.-See Introduction to 1st Epistle to Corinthians.

"All the saints," v. 1.-In Gal. i. 2, he addresses all the churches, that being a circular epistle. Here he addresses the Church in Corinth alone, and all the saints in the province only indirectly.

"In all Achaia," v. 1.-Under the Romans the Province of Achaia comprised Hellas proper, and the Peloponese; but it would appear from St. Paul's use of the term, 1 Cor. xvi. 15, "the first-fruits of all Achaia," that he applies it only to the Peloponese, for Stephanas was not the first-fruits of the Province of Achaia, Dionysius the Areopagite and others having been converted before him.-Sp. Com.

"Grace," v. 2.-In his Epistles to the Romans, Ephesians, and Philippians, he adds words of praise. In this Epistle, and in that to the Galatians, there are no such words. The omission seems to have been desigued. Compare Rom. i. 8, Eph. i. 15, Phil. i. 2-8, and even 1 Cor. i. 4-8; for since writing the 1st Epistle the Corinthians had "changed for the worse."-Sp. Com.