2 Corinthians 4:2

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 might mean ‘disgrace’ or ‘shame’: “It is a great reproche and dishonesty for the husband to come home without his wiffe, or the wyffe withoute her husbande” (More, Utopia, p. 138 ed. Arber): but now it is misleading. In the N.T. αἰσχύνη is rare (Luke 14:9; Philippians 3:19; Hebrews 12:2; Jude 1:13; Revelation 3:3; Revelation 3:18); in the LXX. it is very frequent. For the genitive comp. εἰς πάθη ἁτιμίας (Romans 1:26). From ἀπειπάμεθα (here only) we are not to infer that he gave these shameful things up: he abjured them from the first. Comp. δότε τὸν μισθόν μου, ἢ� (Zechariah 11:12). Everything which shame naturally hides he kept himself free from. Plato is said to have defined αἰσχύνη as φόβος ἐπὶ προσδοκίᾳ�. With the form ἀπειπάμεθα comp. προείπαμεν (1 Thessalonians 4:6), and see WH. II. Appendix, p. 164; Winer, p. 103.

πανουργίᾳ. This shows what he specially has in his mind,—unscrupulous conduct, readiness for anything, especially underhand practices, in order to gain one’s ends (2 Corinthians 11:3; 1 Corinthians 3:19; Ephesians 4:14): from everything of this kind he kept aloof. ‘Craftiness,’ like astutia (Vulgate), emphasizes the cunning which πανουργία often implies. He perhaps refers to the unscrupulous cunning with which the Judaizers beguiled the Corinthians, passing themselves off as ministers with superior authority. Assuming that 10–13 is part of the second lost letter, this may be a reference to 2 Corinthians 11:3; or to 2 Corinthians 12:16, which shows that S. Paul was accused of πανουργία.

δολοῦντες τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ. Unlike καπηλεύοντες (2 Corinthians 2:17), this does not imply that the falsifying was done for gain: see 2 Corinthians 1:12. He does not intrigue, and he does not adulterate the Gospel with worthless traditions and strained misinterpretations.

ἀλλὰ τῇ φανερώσει τῆς�. In marked contrast to τὰ κρυπτὰ τῆς αἰσχύνης and πανουργία: but (on the contrary) by the manifestation of the truth (placed first with emphasis), viz. the truth of the Gospel (Galatians 2:5; Galatians 2:14). See on 2 Corinthians 2:16.

συνιστάνοντες ἑαυτούς. See critical note. This commending ourselves looks back to 2 Corinthians 3:1. The use of the reflexive pronoun of the 3rd pers. with verbs of the 1st (Acts 23:14; Romans 8:23; Romans 15:1; 1 Corinthians 11:31) and 2nd (Luke 12:1; Luke 12:33; Luke 16:9; Luke 16:15; Luke 17:3; Luke 17:14) is common where no ambiguity is involved: comp. 2 Corinthians 4:5; 2 Corinthians 5:12; 2 Corinthians 5:15; 2 Corinthians 6:4.

πρὸς πᾶσαν συνείδησιν� = πρὸς τὴν πάντων τῶν�. Comp. πᾶσαν ψυχὴν� (Romans 2:9). S. Paul does not commend himself to men’s fancies, or passions, or prejudices, or even to their intellect; but to that power which God has given to each to discern between right and wrong. Every kind of conscience will recognize his integrity. See on 2 Corinthians 1:12, and Ellicott on Ephesians 1:8.

ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ. The commendation is made with all solemnity, the judges to whom he appeals being reminded that he and they will be responsible for the verdict: comp. Galatians 1:20; 2 Timothy 2:14; 2 Timothy 4:1. “The strength of St Paul’s language is to be explained by the unscrupulous calumnies cast upon him by his enemies” (Lightfoot on Galatians 1:20). Deus ipse testis est nos manifestare puram veritatem, cujus oculos nihil latet (Herveius Burgidolensis). Magnum esset, si hoc solummodo de hominibus diceret; sed, quia homines falli possunt, ideo subjunxit quod majus est incomparabiliter (Atto Vercellensis).