II. CORINTHIANS.

believe not, lest the light of the || 5 °For we preach not ourselves, Anime glorious gospel of Christ, who but Christ Jesus the Lord; and A810 ronis Cæs. 4. is the image of God, should shine ourselves your servants for Jesus' unto them.

The heavenly treasure

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6 For God who commanded glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

810. the light to shine out of darkness, ronis Cæs. 4. hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the

■ Gen. 1. 3. Or, is he who hath. 2 Pet. 1. 19.

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7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, 'that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

4 Ver. 4. 1 Pet. 2. 9. ch. 5.1.1 Cor. 2.5. ch. 12. 9.

And ourselves your servants] Labouring as fervently and||ο5ρακον not only signifies a shell, or vessel made of shell, but

as faithfully for your eternal interests, as your most trusty slaves can do for your secular welfare. And we do this for Christ's sake; for although we, by our labour, shew ourselves to be your servants, yea, your slaves, δούλους, yet it is a voluntary service; and we are neither employed by you, nor receive our wages from you. We belong to Jesus; and are your servants on his account, and by his

order.

Verse 6. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness] The apostle refers here to Gen. i. 3. For, || when God created the heavens and the earth, DARKNESS was on the face of the deep; and God said, let THERE BE LIGHT, and there was light. Thus he caused the light to shine out of darkness.

Hath shined in our hearts] He has given our hearts the glorious light of the gospel; as he has given the world the glorious light of the sun. As sure, therefore, as God is the author of the light, and the creator of the universe, so sure is he the author of the gospel : it is no human invention; and is as far beyond the power of man's wisdom and might; as the creation of the world is beyond all created power, energy, and skill.

The light of the knowledge] To give us that light, that we might enlighten others; this appears to me to be the design of the apostle's προς φωτισμον της γνωσεως της δοξης του Θεου, or, as Dr. Whitby paraphrases it, to give us, and enable us to give to others, the light of the knowledge of God through Christ.

In the face of Jesus Christ. ] It is in and through Jesus that we can receive the Divine light: and it is in and by him that we can be made partakers of the Divine glory. The light, mercy, holiness, and glory of God, are reflected upon and communicated to us through Jesus the Christ. And it is εν προσωπῳ in the appearance and person of Jesus Christ, that these blessings are communicated to us.

also πηλον οπτημενον, an earthen vessel, which has been burnt in the kiln; and earthen vessels, or pottery in general: the difference between σκευη οςρακινα, earthen ware, and σκευη κεραμεως, the potter's vessel, is this: the latter implies the vessel as it comes out of the hands of the potter, BEFORE it is burnt: and the other is the vessel AFTER it has passed through the kiln. St. Chrysostom, speaking of this difference, observes, that the vessels once baked in the kiln, if broken, are incapable of being restored, δια την εκ του πυρος, εγγινομενεν αυτοις απαξ απτυπιαν, because of the hardness once gotten by fire; whereas the other are of clay unbaken, if they be spoiled, ραδίως προς το δευτερον επανελθη σχημα, they may easily, by the skill of the potter, be restored to some second form. See Hammond. This comports excellently with the idea of St. Paul: our bodies are in a recoverable form; they are very frail, and easily marred; but by the skill of the workman, they may be easily built up anew, and made like unto his glorious body. The light and salvation of God in the soul of man, is a heavenly treasure in a very mean casket.

The Rabbins have a mode of speech very similar to this. "The daughter of the emperor thus addressed Rab. Joshua, the son of Chananiah:-Oh! how great is thy skill in the law, and yet how deformed thou art! what a great deal of wisdom is laid up in a sordid vessel! The Rabbin answered, Tell me, I pray thee, of what are those vessels in which you keep your wines? She answered, they are earthen vessels. He replied,-how is it, seeing ye are rich, that ye do not lay up your wine in silver vessels, for the common people lay up their wine in earthen vessels? She returned to her father, and persuaded him to have all the wine put into silver vessels; but the wine turned acid; and when the emperor heard it, he enquired of his daughter, who it was that had given her that advice? she told him that it was Rabbi Joshua. The Rabbi told the whole story to the emperor, and added this sentence: -The wisdom and study of the law cannot dwell in a comely man. Cæsar objected, and saidThere are comely persons who have made great progress in the study of the law. The Rabbi answered-Had they observes, to resemble our bodies in which our souls dwell.not been so comely, they would have made greater progress : The Platonists make two bodies of a man; the one they for a man who is comely, has not a humble mind; and therecall όχημα ψυχης the chariot of the soul; the other, that fore he soon forgets the whole law." See Schoettgen. which we see and touch; and this they call ο5ρακινον, which | There is a great deal of good sense in this allegory; and the is the same to us, as the shell is to the fish. The word most superficial reader may find it out.

Verse 7. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels.] The original oςρακινοις σκευεσιν, signifies, more literally, vessels made of shells, which are very brittle; and as a shell is the outward part of a fish, it is very fit, as Dr. Hammond

C

9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

which the Apostles passed.

dying of the Lord Jesus, that the

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life also of Jesus might be made A. C. 810 manifest in our body.

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11 For, we which live fare alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus

10 Always bearing about in the body the might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

That the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.] God keeps us continually dependent upon himself; we have nothing but what we have received: and we receive every necessary supply, just when it is necessary; and . have nothing at our own command. The good, therefore, that is done, is so evidently from the power of God, that none can pretend to share the glory with him.

Verse 8. We are troubled on every side] We have already seen in the Notes on the ninth chapter of the preceding Epistle, that St. Paul has made several allusions to those public games which were celebrated every fifth year at the Isthmus of Corinth: and those games have been in that place, particularly described. In this, and the three following verses, the apostle makes allusion to the contests at those games; and the terms which he employs in these verses cannot be understood, but in reference to those agonistical exercises to which he alludes. Dr. Hammond has explained the whole on this ground; and I shall here borrow || his help. There are four pairs of expressions taken from the customs of the agones. 1. Troubled on every side, yet not distressed. 2. Perplexed, but not in despair. 3. Persecuted, but not forsaken. 4. Cast down, but not destroyed. Three of these pairs belong to the customs of wrestling; the fourth to that of running in the race.

Troubled on every side, &c.] Εν παντι θλιβομενοι The word θλιβεσθαι, belongs clearly to παλη, wrestling. So says Aristotle, Rhet. lib. i. cap. 5. (and the scholiast on that place) ο γαρ δυναμενος-θλιβειν, και κατεχειν παλαισίκος· || "He that can gripe his adversary, and take him up, is a good wrestler;" there being two dexterities in that exercise; 1. to gripe, and, 2. to throw down, which Hesychius calls wθειν and κρατειν ; the first of these is here mentioned, and expressed by θλίβεσθαι, to be pressed down; to which is here opposed, as in a higher degree, σενοχωρεισθαι, to be brought to distress, as when one cannot get out of his antagonist's hands, nor make any resistance against him. So Isai. xxviii. 20. στενοχωρουμενοι ου δυναμεθα μαχεσθαι, || we are brought to such extremities that we can fight no longer.

• Rom. 8. 17. 2 Tim. 2. 11, 12. 1 Pet. 4. 13. Rom. 8. 36. 1 Cor. 15. 31, 49.

skill, knows not what to do: so in Hesychius, απορούντες, αμηχανουντες, they that are not able to do or attempt any thing, yet are not εξαπορουμενοι, they miscarry not finally, ορθοί ισαμενος, stand after all upright; ουκ απογινωσκοντες και ηττωμενοι, despair not, nor are they overcome, but find a happy issue out of all, being at last conquerors.

Verse 9. Persecuted but not forsaken] ́ Διωκομενοι αλλ' σκ εγκαταλειπομενοι. The διωκομενοι, pursued, is peculiar to the δρομος or race, when one being foremost others pursue, and get up close after him, endeavouring to ontstrip him, but cannot succeed: this is the meaning of oυκ εγκα ταλειπομενοι, not outstripped, or 'out-gone, as the word implies. So in PLUTARCH, τους απολειφθέντας ου σεφανουσι they do not crown them that are distanced or left behind. So says the apostle, 1 Cor. ix. all run, but only ONE re ceiveth the PRIZE.

Cast down, but not destroyed] Καταβαλλόμενοι αλλ' ουκ απολλυμενοι. This also belongs to wrestlers, where he that throws the other first, is conqueror. And so Hesychius, καταβαλειν, νικησει, ριψει, to cast down is to overcome, to throw. And then, the being not destroyed signifies, that although they were thrown down, cast into troubles and difficulties, yet they rose again, and surmounted

them all.

Verse 10. Always bearing about in the body, &c.] Being every moment in danger of losing our lives in the cause of truth, as Jesus Christ was. We, in a word, bear his cross, and are ready to offer up our lives for him. There is probably an allusion here to the marks, wounds, and bruises which the contenders in those games got, and continued to carry throughout life.

That the life also of Jesus might be made manifest] That in our preservation, the success of our ministry and the miracles we work, we might be able to give the fullest demonstration, that Jesus is risen again from the dead; and that we are strengthened by him to do all these mighty works.

Verse 11. For we which live] And yet, although we are preserved alive, we are in such continual dangers, that we carry our life in our hands, and are constantly in the spirit of sacrifice. But the life, the preserving power of Christy

Perplexed, but not in despair] Απορουμενοι, αλλ' ουκ εξαπορουμενοι. The word απορεισθαι, to be in perplexity, is fit for the wrestler, who being puzzled by his antagonist's is manifest in our continual support.

Ch. 13. 9. Rom. 1. 12. 2 Pet. 1. 1. 8.11. 1 Cor. 6. 14. 1 Cor. 3. 21. ch. 1.6.

of an eternal blessedness.

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15 For, all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might Anime through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

17 For, our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more ex

Ps. 116. 10. Rom.
Ch. 1. 11. & 8. 19. & 9. 11, 12. Rom. 7.22. Eph. 3. 16. Col. 3. 10.
Col. 1.24. 2 Tim. 2.10. 1 Pet. S. 4. Matt. 5. 12. Rom.8.18. 1 Pet. 1.6. & 5. 10.

Verse 12. Death worketh in us, &c.] We apostles are in continual danger, and live a dying life; while you who have received this gospel from us, are in no danger.

Verse 13. We having the same spirit of faith] As David had when he wrote Psal. cxvi. 10. I believed, therefore have I spoken; we also believe that we shall receive the fulfilment of all God's promises; and being fully convinced of the truth of the Christian religion, we speak, and testify, that our deliverance is from God; that he does not fail those who trust in him; and that he saves, to the uttermost, them who come unto him through Christ Jesus.

Verse 14. Knowing that he which raised up the Lord, &c.] And though we shall at last, seal this truth with our blood; we fear not, being persuaded that as the body of Christ was raised from the dead by the power of the Father, so shall our bodies be raised: and that we shall have an eternal life with him in glory.

Verse 15.] For, all things are for your sakes] We proclaim all these truths, and bear all these sufferings for your sakes; thinking all our sufferings nothing if we can gain converts to Christ, and build believers up on their most holy faith.

That the abundant grace] Η χαρις πλεονασασα; the abounding benefit; the copious outpouring of the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit by which you have been favoured and enriched; may, through the thanksgiving of many, redound to the glory of God: i. e. that the gratitude of the multitudes which have been converted, may keep pace with the blessings which they have received, and περισσευση, abound, as these blessings have abounded.

But though our outward man] That is, our body: that part of us that can be seen, heard, and felt-perish, be slowly consumed by continual trials and afflictions; and be martyred at last:

Yet the inward man] Our soul; that which cannot be felt or seen by others; is renewed, is revived, and receives a daily increase of light and life from God: so that we grow more holy, more happy, and more meet for glory every day.

It was an opinion among the Jews, that even spirits stood in need of continual renovation. They say that "God renews the angels daily, by putting them into the fiery river from which they proceeded, and then gives them the same name they had before." And they add, that in like manner, he renews the hearts of the Israelites every year, when they turn to him by repentance. It is a good antidote against the fear of death, to find, as the body grows old and decays, the soul grows young, and is invigorated. By the outward man, and the inward man, St. Paul shews that he was no materialist; he believed that we have both a body and a soul; and so far was he from supposing that when the body dies, the whole man is de composed, and continues so to the resurrection; that he asserts that the decays of the one, lead to the invigorating of the other; and that the very decomposition of the body itself leaves the soul in the state of renewed youth. The vile doctrine of materialism, is not apostolic.

Verse 17. For our light affliction, &c.] Mr. Blackwall, in his sacred classics, has well illustrated this passage. I shall here produce his paraphrase as quoted by Dr. Dodd :"This is one of the most emphatic passages in all St. Paul's

Verse 16. For which cause we faint not] Ουκ εκκακουμεν. || writings, in which he speaks as much like an orator as he

See on verse 1. Here we have the same various reading εγκακουμεν, we do no wickedness; and it is supported by BDEFG. and some others; but it is remarkable that Mr. Wakefield follows the common reading here, though the various reading is at least as well supported in this verse as in verse first. The common reading, faint not, appears to agree best with the apostle's meaning.

does as an apostle. The tightness of the trial is expressed by το ελαφρον της θλίψεως, the lightness of our affliction; as if he had said, it is even levity itself in such a comparison. On the other hand, the καθ' υπερβολην εις υπερβολην, which we render far more exceeding, is infinitely emphatical, and cannot be fully expressed by any translation. It signifies. that all hyperboles fall short of describing that weight, We must not look at things

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ceeding and eternal weight of glory; || which are not seen: for the things

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18 While we look not at the things ronis Cæs. 4. which are seen, but at the things

Rom. 1. 17. & 8.24. ch. 5.7.

eternal glory, so solid and lasting, that you may pass from hyperbole to hyperbole, and yet when you have gained the last, are infinitely below it. It is every where visible what influence St. Paul's Hebrew had on his Greek : כבר cabad sig nifies to be heavy, and to be glorious: the apostle in his Greek, unites these two significations, and says WEIGHT of GLORY.

St. Chrysostom's observations on these words are in his very best manner; and are both judicious and beautiful : TIΘΗΣΙ παραλληλα τα παροντα τοις μελλουσι το παραυτικα προς το αιωνιον" το ελαφρον προς το βαρύ

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which are seen are temporal; but the A. U. C. 810. things which are not seen are eternal.

Galat. 3. 11. Hebr. 10.38. & 11. 1.

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things that are permanent; that can have no end; they are things which belong to God; holiness, happiness, and the endless communication and fruition of himself.

But, we must remark, that the light afflictions work out this far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, only to those who do not look at the things which are seen. A man may be grievously afflicted, and yet have his eye bent on temporal good; from his afflictions he can derive no benefit; though many think that their glorification must be a necessary consequence of their afflictions: and hence we do not unfre

την θλίψιν προς την δοξαν· και ουδε τουτοις αρκείται, | quently hear among the afflicted poor-" Well, we shall not

αλλ' ετεραν τίθησι λεξιν, διπλασιαζων αυτην, και λεγων, καθ' υπερβολην εις υπερβολην τουτεσι, μεγεθος υπερβολικως υπερβολικοη.

"The apostle opposes things present, to things future: a moment, to eternity: lightness, to weight: affliction, to glory. Nor is he satisfied with this; but he adds another

suffer both here and in the other world too." Afflictions may be means of preparing us for glory, if during them, we receive grace to save the soul: but afflictions of themselves, have no spiritual nor saving tendency; on the contrary, they sour the unregenerated mind, and cause murmurings against the dispensations of Divine Providence. Let us,

word, and doubles it, saying, καθ' υπερβολην εις υπερβολην : | therefore, look to God, that they may be sanctified; and

this is a magnitude excessively exceeding." See Parkhurst, sub voce υπερβολη.

Verse 18. While we look not at the things which are seen] Μη σκοπουντων; while we aim not at the things which are seen; do not make them our object; are not striving to obtain them, for they are not worthy the pursuit of an immortal spirit, because they are seen; they are objects to

when they are, then we may say exultingly, these light af flictions, which are but for a moment, work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. O world to come, in exchange for the present! O eternity, for a moment! O eternal communion in the holy blessed and eternal life of God, for the sacrifice of a poor miserable and corrupted life here on earth!-Whoever sets no value on this seed of a blessed

temporary; they are to have a short duration; and must
have an end. But the things which we make our scope and
aim, are not seen; they are spiritual, and therefore invisible
to the eye of the body; and besides, they are αιωνια, eternal, || for eternity! Quesnel.

eyes of the flesh are capable of perceiving, is not worthy of a soul capable of possessing God. Nothing which is of a perishable nature can be the chief good of a being that was made

which the natural eye can reach; and they are πρόσκαιρα, || eternity, knows not what it comprehends. That which the

CHAPTER V.

The apostle's strong hope of eternal glory, and earnest longings after that state of blessedness, 1-4. The as surance that he had of it from the Holy Spirit, and his carefulness to be always found pleasing to the Lord, 5-9. All must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, 10. Knowing that this awful event must take place, he laboured to convince men of the necessity of being prepared to meet the Lord, being influenced to this wort by his love of Christ, 11-13. Jesus Christ having died for all, is a proof that all were dead, 14. Those for whom he died, should live to him, 15. We should know no man after the flesh, 16. They who are in Christ are new creatures, 17. The glorious ministry of reconciliation, 18-21.