2 Corinthians 3:1

2 Corinthians 3:1. Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? or [1] need we, as do some, epistles of commendation to you or from you? (On these two questions see footnote on chap. 2 Corinthians 1:13.) In those times, when means of communication between distant places were both few and slow, such recommendatory letters would be natural, and we have examples of the practice in Acts 15:23; Acts 18:27; indeed in this very Epistle (2 Corinthians 8:18-19), as also in 3 John 1:5-8. Against the usefulness of such letters in general the apostle here says nothing. But ‘was it come to this, that he needed such to his own children in the faith'? The “some” who did need such letters were doubtless the parties who had come to Corinth as emissaries from the hostile party of Jewish zealots for the law, to poison them against his own person and teaching, and who, in order to make way for themselves, had brought with them letters, probably from the headquarters of his opponents at Jerusalem (see Galatians 2:12).

[1] The Authorised Version has done well in departing here (with Beza) from the received reading (‘unless it be that we need,' etc.). Though the evidence against it is decisive, they were probably less influenced by this than by its evident unsuitableness.