13. Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men; They glorifying God by means of the proof of this ministration for the subjection of your profession as regards the gospel of Christ,5 and for your single-minded liberality 6 unto them, and unto all men ; X. 10. For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; &c. For his letters, says one, are weighty and powerful; &c. 11. Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters &c. Let such an one assure himself of this, that, such as we are in word by letters &c. XI. 4. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. For if even he that is come preacheth another Jesus, whom we preached not, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye received not, or another gospel, which ye had not, ye might well bear with me.8 5. For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles. For I am assured that I come not a whit behind these too apostolic apostles.10 5 This is an exact translation of the Greek, and is clearer than the Authorized Version, if in nothing else, at least in getting rid of the word "experiment," which really has no meaning whatever. 6'Απλότητι τῆς κοινωνίας. 7 Φησί. 8 There is no word in the original here; but the whole sense of the passage seems to require the supply of me, and not, as in our version, him. 9 Λογίζομαι. 10 Τῶν ὑπὲρ λίαν ἀποστό 14. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. And no wonder; for Satan himself transforms himself1 into an angel of light. XII. 2. I knew a man in Christ about fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth); such an one caught up to the third heaven. I know a man in Christ above3 fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth); such an one, &c. 4. How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not possible for a man to utter. XIII. 3. Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you. Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, who 5 is not weak towards you, but is mighty in you. Awv, the super-apostolic Apostles. This phrase (which occurs only in this Epistle) is evidently ironical, as ὑπὲρ λιαν shows. Conybeare and Howson's Epistles of St. Paul. The exact rendering of the original. The apostle is speaking not of a transformation produced by some other agent, but of Satan's own artifices in putting on a specious form; and of his ministers feigning to be true apostles.-Whately's Lectures on Angels, p. 181, 2nd edit. 2Oida has never a past sense. Paul refers to his present knowledge of the person, and mentions fourteen years not as the date of the knowledge, but of the vision. Προ. 3 4 'Eóv, possible, meaning that the ideas conveyed to Paul were such as he could not, by any powers of human language, convey to another.-Whately's Scripture Revelations, 6th edit., p. 206. 5 The "which" is ambiguous. 5. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, unless when tested you are unable to bear it? 6 6. But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates. But I trust that ye shall know that we are not unable to bear the test.7 9. For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection. For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong and this also we wish, even your unity.8 11. Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, &c. Finally, brethren, farewell. Be knit together, be of good comfort, &c. ¶ The second epistle to the Corinthians was written from Philippi,10 &c. 6 Ει μή τι ἀδόκιμοι ἐστε. Αδόκιμος means failing under a test, and such was the meaning of reprobate when our version was made; but the change in its meaning since then necessitates a new rendering of the Greek in this and the following verses. 7'Adókiμoi. The word occurs again in the next verse. 8 Καταρτίζειν (whence κα τάρτισις) means to reduce a dislocated member to its right place, and to knit together the two portions of the joint. The word is well used in this Epistle, written to a church wherein so many had put themselves out of their places by misconduct. The word is used again in verse 11. 9 See note on verse 10 See note on Rom. xvi. ¶ I THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE GALATIANS. I. 4. WHO gave himself for our sins, that he might de liver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father : Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from out of this present evil world, according to the will of our God and Father:1 6. I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: I marvel that ye are so soon removing from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto a strange3 gospel: 7. Which is not another; but there are some that trouble you, &c. 4 Which is not another gospel; but there are some that trouble you, &c. 10. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? For do I now seek the favour of men, or God? or do I seek to please men? 1 See Granville Sharp's excellent tract on the Greek Article. 2 Μετατίθεσθε. 3"Ετερον is a strange gospel. St. Paul says, in the next verse, it was not another (äo) gospel, i.e. not a gospel at all, but a lying deception. 4 "Αλλο. * Πείθω signifies to propitiate or appease. A writer in the Journal of Sacred Literature, indeed, says that inculcate, or preach, is the proper rendering here, and that the passage is a declaration of the Apostle that his doctrines were not of human 13. For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, &c. For ye have heard of my manner of living in time past in the Jews' religion, &c. II. 4. And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might not bring us into bondage: But I refused to circumcise him, and that on account of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might not bring us into bondage: 11. But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was self-condemned.8 origin; that he preached not human worthiness, but God's free grace. The translation I have adopted, however, seems to be most natural and best, and is supported by Drs. Doddridge and Hammond, and Professor Scholefield. See Journal of Sacred Literature, 2nd series, vol. iii., p. 187, &c. 6 Αναστροφή means manner of living, especially referring to our social relations. "Conversation" is used in our version for manner of living, whether private or public; here it is private, but at Phil. i. 27 it is public. 7 That something must be supplied at the beginning of this verse to make the sense clear is allowed by all; but the exact nature of that supply can only be settled when we have determined whether the verse refers to the communication of Paul to the chief brethren, or to the circumcision of Titus. If to the first, then This communication I made will do; but if to the last, what I have proposed in the text, or only, according to Professor Scholefield, will throw light on the verse. See Conybeare and Howson's Epistles of St. Paul; also Scholefield's Hints. • Κατεγνωσμένος. Peter was acting in contradiction to his own avowed principles, and exhibiting a complete inconsistency. See Whately's Lectures on the Apostles, in which (Lecture viii) is a clear explanation of this matter. |