2 Corinthians 4:1-6. THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED As between the first and second Chapter s, the division between the third and fourth is badly made. Chapter 3 should have continued to 2 Corinthians 4:6. From 2 Corinthians 3:7 to 2 Corinthians 4:6 there is no very decided break in the subject. 1–6.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΓΚΑΚΟΥ͂ΜΕΝ (אABDFG) rather than ἐκκακοῦμεν (CD3KLP). Luke 18:1 ἐνκακεῖν is right; elsewhere (2 Corinthians 4:1; 2 Corinthians 4:16; Galatians 6:9; Ephesians 3:13; 2 Thessalonians 3:13) ἑγκ. But in all six places ἐκκακεῖν appears in some texts, a word for which authority is wanting. See Gregory, _Pr... [ Continue Reading ]
ΣΥΝΙΣΤΆΝΟΝΤΕΣ (ABP) rather than συνιστάντες (אCDFG) or συνιστῶντες (D3KL). Comp. 2 Corinthians 6:4. 2. ἈΛΛᾺ�. _But_ (on the contrary) _we have renounced the hidden things of_ shame, comp. τὰ κρυπτὰ τοῦ σκότους (1 Corinthians 4:5); also Ephesians 5:12 and Romans 2:16. ‘Dishonesty’ (A.V.) in 1611 migh... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἸ ΔῈ ΚΑῚ ἜΣΤΙΝ ΚΕΚΑΛΥΜΜΈΝΟΝ. _But if_ (2 Corinthians 4:16) _our Gospel is_ VEILED, _it is_ VEILED IN _them that are_ PERISHING (chiasmus). The perf. part. indicates that it has been and remains veiled, and ΤῸ ΕΥ̓ΑΓΓΈΛΙΟΝ ἩΜΩ͂Ν means our preaching of the good tidings. The reference to κάλυμμα (2 Cor... [ Continue Reading ]
ΑΥ̓ΓΆΣΑΙ (אBFGKLP) rather than καταυγάσαι (CDH) or διαυγάσαι (A). The compounds are probably interpretations of the true reading. Omit αὐτοῖς with אABCDFGH against D2D3KLP. With ΤΟΥ͂ ΘΕΟΥ͂ a few authorities add τοῦ� from Colossians 1:15. 4. Ὁ ΘΕῸΣ ΤΟΥ͂ ΑἸΩ͂ΝΟΣ ΤΟΎΤΟΥ. _The god of this_ AGE (Ephesian... [ Continue Reading ]
5. It is difficult to decide between Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν (BHKL, Copt. Arm.) and Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν (אACD, Latt. Goth.), and between διὰ Ἰησοῦν (BDFG) and διὰ Ἰησοῦ (אC), which διὰ Χριστοῦ (א15) supports. See on 2 Corinthians 1:1. 5. ΟΥ̓ ΓᾺΡ ἙΑΥΤΟῪΣ ΚΗΡΎΣΣΟΜΕΝ. It is very far-fetched to make γάρ refer back to... [ Continue Reading ]
ΛΆΜΨΕΙ (אABD, Syrr. Aeth.) rather than λάμψαι (א3CD3FGLP, Latt. Arm.). 6. ὍΤΙ Ὁ ΘΕῸΣ Ὁ ΕἸΠΏΝ. BECAUSE _GOD_ THAT SAID, OUT OF DARKNESS LIGHT SHALL SHONE, IS HE WHO SHINE _in our hearts for the_ ILLUMINATION (2 Corinthians 4:4) _of the knowledge of the glory of God_. The ὄτι introduces the reason why... [ Continue Reading ]
ἜΧΟΜΕΝ ΔῈ ΤῸΝ ΘΗΣΑΥΡὈΝ ΤΟΥ͂ΤΟΝ. The δέ introduces the contrast between the glory of the message and the weakness of the messenger. It matters little whether we interpret τὸν θησαυρόν as the γνῶσις τῆς δόξης, or the φωτισμός which this γνῶσις brings, or the ministry by which the γνῶσις is conveyed to... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΝ ΠΑΝΤῚ ΘΛΙΒΌΜΕΝΟΙ�ʼ ΟΥ̓ ΣΤΕΝΟΧΩΡΟΎΜΕΝΟΙ. IN EVERY WAY PRESSED, _but not_ STRAITENED. The participles agree with the subject of ἔχομεν. Here, as in Mark 3:9, the notion of pressure must be preserved in translating θλίβω, although ‘pressed’ and ‘pressure’ would not be suitable, 2 Corinthians 1:4-8 :... [ Continue Reading ]
8–11. Five illustrations of the contrast between the treasure and the earthen vessel.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΔΙΩΚΌΜΕΝΟΙ. Comp. 1 Corinthians 4:12; Galatians 6:12; Matthew 5:10. ΟΥ̓Κ ἘΓΚΑΤΑΛΕΙΠΌΜΕΝΟΙ. We might have expected ‘but not captured’ rather than ‘but not forsaken’; ‘left behind’ (R.V. margin) ‘by his friends in the hands of his foes’ may be the meaning: ἐγκαταλιπεῖν … ἢ μὴ βοηθῆσαι κινδυνεύοντι (Pl... [ Continue Reading ]
10. The two illustrations in 2 Corinthians 4:8 refer to the difficulties of his position; the two in 2 Corinthians 4:9 to those brought upon him by his opponents. The fifth and last is different from both pairs. He shares in the dying, and also in the life, of Jesus Christ. ΠΆΝΤΟΤΕ. First with empha... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΕῚ ΓᾺΡ ἩΜΕΙ͂Σ ΟἹ ΖΩ͂ΝΤΕΣ ΕἸΣ ΘΆΝΑΤΟΝ ΠΑΡΑΔΙΔΌΜΕΘΑ. _For_ ALWAY WE THE LIVING ARE BEING _delivered unto death_. No sooner is one rescue effected than the Apostle is handed over to death once more. He always goes about with his life in his hand; but then it is also in God’s hand, who does not allow i... [ Continue Reading ]
12. The tendency to insert μέν, against overwhelming evidence, in order to balance a subsequent δέ, is here illustrated. KL and some late authorities here read ὥστε ὁ μὲν θάνατος: comp. Acts 5:23; Acts 19:15. Even without δέ to suggest it, it is sometimes inserted, as Acts 19:5; Hebrews 6:16. In suc... [ Continue Reading ]
ἜΧΟΝΤΕΣ ΔῈ ΤῸ ΑΥ̓ΤῸ ΠΝΕΥ͂ΜΑ. BUT, BECAUSE WE HAVE _the same spirit of faith, according_ TO THAT WHICH _is written, I believed, wherefore I_ SPOKE, _we also believe, wherefore_ ALSO WE _speak_. The same trust in God which sustained the Psalmist sustains the Apostle; and it is this faith which enables... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤῸΝ ΚΎΡΙΟΝ ἸΗΣΟΥ͂Ν (אCDFGKLP, Lat. Vet.) rather than τὸν Ἰησοῦν (B, Vulg. Arm.); and ΣῪΝ ἸΗΣΟΥ͂ (אBCDFGP, Latt. Copt. Arm. Aeth.) rather than διὰ Ἰησοῦ (א3D3KL, Syrr. Goth.). 14. ΕἸΔΌΤΕΣ. BECAUSE WE KNOW. Comp. 2 Corinthians 1:7. This may be the πίστις of 2 Corinthians 4:13 in another form. To the m... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤᾺ ΓᾺΡ ΠΆΝΤΑ ΔΙʼ ὙΜΑ͂Σ. Once more (see on 2 Corinthians 3:2) we see the Apostle’s affection for his converts forcing its way to the front. The γάρ refers specially to σὺν ὑμῖν, but may cover the whole of 2 Corinthians 4:7-14. His ceaseless afflictions, perplexities, persecutions, overthrows, and app... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΓΚΑΚΟΥ͂ΜΕΝ (אBD) rather than ἑνκακοῦμεν (FG) OR ἐκκακοῦμεν (CD3KLP). See on 2 Corinthians 4:1. Ὁ ἝΣΩ ἩΜΩ͂Ν (אBCDFGP) rather than ὁ ἔσωθεν (D2D3KL). 16. ΔΙῸ ΟΥ̓Κ ἘΓΚΑΚΟΥ͂ΜΕΝ. WHEREFORE _we faint not_: see on 2 Corinthians 4:1, to which ἐγκακοῦμεν takes us back. The thought emerges again 2 Corinthi... [ Continue Reading ]
16–18. He has just said how his _faith_ sustains him. Without using the word, he now expresses his steadfast _hope_. The balanced antitheses, verse by verse, give this passage something of the rhythm of a hymn.... [ Continue Reading ]
17. After ΤΗ͂Σ ΘΛΊΨΕΩΣ B, Chrys. and perhaps other authorities omit ἡμῶν, and אCK with some versions omit ΕἸΣ ὙΠΕΡΒΟΛΉΝ. The latter is certainly to be retained. 17. ΤῸ ΓᾺΡ ΠΑΡΑΥΤΊΚΑ ἘΛΑΦΡῸΝ ΤΗ͂Σ ΘΛΊΨΕΩΣ. Literally, ‘For the momentary lightness of our affliction’; which is admirably turned as, _For... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜῊ ΣΚΟΠΟΎΝΤΩΝ ἩΜΩ͂Ν. SINCE _we look not_, do not fix our eyes upon or pay attention to: Philippians 2:4; Philippians 3:17; Romans 16:17. We might have had μὴ σκοποῦσι. Blass (§ 74. 5) compares φρίκη μοι προσῆλθεν, μόνου μου ὅντος. If ἡμῶν means all Christians, we may, with Chrysostom, interpret, PRO... [ Continue Reading ]