1Paul sheweth that, though he had been favoured with visions and revelations, 5yet for commendation of his apostleship he chose rather to glory in his infirmities: 11blaming the Corinthians, who had seen in him all the signs of an apostle, for forcing him to such vain boasting. 14He telleth them of his design of visiting them again with the same disinterestedness and fatherly affection as before. 16He justifieth himself from any crafty extortion by his messengers; 20and expresseth his fears, lest, both to his sorrow and theirs, he should find many notorious disorders still not repented of among them.
1IT 1is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and 2revelations of the Lord.
1 Or, suits not well with me. Namely, because boasting has a show of self-conceitedness. Understand this then, unless I was constrained thereto for the defense of mine apostleship. See here verses 11, 12.
2 That is, which the Lord has made or shown to me.
2 Ia knew a man 3in Christ above fourteen years ago, (4whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up 5to the third heaven.
a Acts 9:3; 22:17; 1 Cor. 15:8.
3 That is, who is in Christ, or a Christian. Thus he speaks of himself in the third person, as a sign of humility, as if it was a thing which was outside of him. Others take this word in Christ, for by Christ, for a form of an oath, as verse 19; Rom. 9:1.
4 That is, whether it was only shown to me by an ecstasy in my spirit, or that my spirit was for a time brought out of my body up into heaven to see and hear this, I know not. Others take it thus: whether I was lifted up into heaven both body and soul, or with the soul only, which I know not.
5 That is, into the habitation of the angels and holy souls, which in verse 4 he calls paradise by a similitude taken from the earthly paradise. See Luke 23:43; Rev. 2:7. The cause why this is called the third heaven, is, because the air is accounted the first heaven, the visible heavens in which are the stars, the second, and the heaven above all those heavens the third. See 1 Kings 8:27.
3And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
4How that he was caught up into 6paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man 7to utter.
6 See verse 2.
7 Or, to express. Namely, because they go beyond a man’s comprehension in this life; or, because God willed not such a thing, seeing these things served Paul alone, this to strengthen him against all the troubles which pursued him in his ministry. Otherwise, Paul revealed the whole counsel of God concerning the salvation of man to the congregations. See Acts 20:27.
5Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but 8in mine infirmities.
8 That is, in my troubles and tribulations which are come upon me, as heretofore is declared in verse 9 and 2 Cor. 11:23, etc.
6For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.
7And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me 9a thorn in the flesh, the 10messenger of Satan tob11buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
9 Gr. scolops, which word signifies a sharp stake, or a pricking splinter, or a thorny wood that sticks in anyone’s legs or flesh, when they go through the woods or thickets. It signifies also sometimes a caltrop, which is cast before horses or men in their going to hinder or to slow them down. Both significations agree well with Paul’s discourse. See Num. 33:35; Ezek. 28:24.
10 Or, an angel Satan, who was an instrument that procured him this trouble for his humiliation, as it is to be seen in the example of Job.
b Job 2:6.
11 Or, should give me blows in the cheeks, that is, procure me reproach and trouble. Now what trouble this was, the apostle does not express. Some think that they were the persecutions and tribulations themselves; others some pains and distresses of the body, which sometimes came upon him; others that they were troubles and temptations of the soul, but all is uncertain. This only appears out of the ninth and tenth verses that they were some special weaknesses of the soul or of the body.
8For this thing I besought the Lord 12thrice, that it might depart from me.
12 That is, several times.
9And he said unto me, 13My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is 14made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ 15may rest upon me.
13 Namely, whereby I so strengthen thee against these weaknesses that thou mayest overcome them. See 1 Cor. 10:13.
14 That is, brought to an end, or, shown to be perfect, as James 2:22.
15 Or, dwell upon me. The Greek word signifies to inhabit or overshadow anything, as a booth or tabernacle.
10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: 16for when I am weak, then am I 17strong.
16 Namely, in myself, by all such distresses and troubles.
17 Namely, through God, Who strengthens and comforts me in the midst of them.
11I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: forc in nothing am I 18behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be 19nothing.
c 1 Cor. 15:10.
18 Namely, by the grace of God, which guided and assisted me, 1 Cor. 15:10.
19 Namely, of myself, 1 Cor. 3:7.
12Trulyd the 20signs of an apostle were 21wrought among you in all patience, 22in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
d 1 Cor. 9:2.
20 Namely, whereby a true apostle of Christ is known.
21 Gr. wrought out.
22 Or, with.
13For what is it wherein ye were inferior to 23other churches, excepteit be that I myself was 24not burdensome to you? 25forgive me this wrong.
23 Namely, which were planted and set up by other apostles, with whom he here compares himself.
e 1 Cor. 9:12; 2 Cor. 11:9.
24 Namely, by taking maintenance from you, for myself and those who were with me.
25 A sharp admonishment by a manner of speaking, whereof see 2 Cor. 11:19. Or, this injustice.
14Behold, 26the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: forf I seek 27not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
26 See hereof 2 Cor. 13:1.
f Acts 20:33.
27 That is, not your goods, but your salvation.
15And I will very gladly 28spend and be spent 29for you; though the moreg abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
28 Namely, to maintain myself and mine among you.
29 That is, even hazard may life for the salvation of your souls.
g 2 Cor. 6:12.
16But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, 30being crafty, I 31caught you with guile.
30 This is a slander of the false apostles, whose words he quotes, and afterwards confutes.
31 Or, captured, that is, so brought you to me with gentle reins that afterwards I might make mine advantage of you.
17Did I make 32a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?
32 Or, forced anything from you, extorted something by covetousness, as the Greek word implies; so also in the following verse.
18I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not 33in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?
33 That is, were we not led by the same Spirit of God in our conduct of life among you?
19Again, think ye that we 34excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God 35in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.
34 Namely, only to make our own matters fair unto you, and not much rather for your sake, to confirm you in the truth received.
35 See the annotation on verse 2 previously.
20For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you 36such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such 37as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, 38tumults:
36 That is, many among you going on carelessly in the same faults, as is declared in the end of this verse.
37 That is, sharper in the exercise of ecclesiastical discipline than thus far you have experienced.
38 Or, uproar, disturbances.
21And lest, when I come again, my God will 39humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned 40already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and 41lasciviousness which they have committed.
39 This the apostle says because there was nothing which exalted and rejoiced him more, than that his labor had its due fruits among them; and that nothing humbled and grieved him more, than when, through sins and scandals, his labor seemed to suffer damage. See 1 Thes. 2:19, 20.
40 Namely, whereof he had written in the previous epistle.
41 Or, immodesty, wantonness, petulancy.