S
E C O N D C O R I N I T H I A N S
CHAP. XIII.
In
this chapter the apostle threatens to be severe against obstinate sinners, and
assigns the reason thereof (ver. 1-6); then he makes a suitable prayer to God
on the behalf of the Corinthians, with the reasons inducing him thereto (ver.
7-10), and concludes his epistle with a valediction and a benediction, ver.
11-14.
|
The
Apostle Asserts His Claims.
|
A. D. 57.
|
|
|
1 This is the third time I am
coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be
established. 2 I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were
present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which
heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not
spare: 3 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to
you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you. 4 For though he was
crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are
weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.
5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know
ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be
reprobates? 6 But I trust that ye shall know that we are not
reprobates.
In these verses observe,
I. The apostle threatens to be severe against obstinate sinners when he should
come to
Corinth
, having now sent to them a first and second epistle, with proper admonitions
and exhortations, in order to reform what was amiss among them. Concerning
this we may notice, 1. The caution with which he proceeded in his censures: he
was not hasty in using severity, but gave a first and second admonition. So
some understand his words (v. 1): This is the third time I am coming
to you, referring to his first and second epistles, by which he admonished
them, as if he were present with them, though in person he was absent, v.
2. According to this interpretation, these two epistles are the witnesses he
means in the first verse, referring rather to the direction of our Saviour
(Matt. xvii. 16) concerning the manner how Christians should deal with
offenders before they proceed to extremity than to the law of Moses (Deut.
xvii. 6; xix. 15) for the behaviour of judges in criminal matters. We should
go, or send, to our brother, once and again, to tell him of his fault. Thus
the apostle had told these Corinthians before, in his former epistle, and now
he tells them, or writes to those who heretofore had sinned, and to all
others, giving warning unto all before he came in person the third
time, to exercise severity against scandalous offenders. Others think that
the apostle had designed and prepared for his journey to Corinth twice
already, but was providentially hindered, and now informs them of his
intentions a third time to come to them. However this be, it is observable
that he kept an account how often he endeavoured, and what pains he took with
these Corinthians for their good: and we may be sure that an account is kept
in heaven, and we must be reckoned with another day for the helps we have had
for our souls, and how we have improved them. 2. The threatening itself: That
if (or when) he came again (in person) he would not spare
obstinate sinners, and such as were impenitent, in their scandalous
enormities. He had told them before, he feared God would humble him among
them, because he should find some who had sinned and had not repented;
and now he declares he would not spare such, but would inflict church-censures
upon them, which are thought to have been accompanied in those early times
with visible and extraordinary tokens of divine displeasure. Note, Though it
is God's gracious method to bear long with sinners, yet he will not bear
always; at length he will come, and will not spare those who remain obstinate
and impenitent, notwithstanding all his methods to reclaim and reform them.
II. The apostle assigns a reason why he would be thus severe, namely, for a
proof of Christ's speaking in him, which they sought after, v.
3. The evidence of his apostleship was necessary for the credit, confirmation,
and success, of the gospel he preached; and therefore such as denied this were
justly and severely to be censured. It was the design of the false teachers to
make the Corinthians call this matter into question, of which yet they had not
weak, but strong and mighty proofs (v. 3), notwithstanding the mean
figure he made in the world and the contempt which by some was cast upon him.
Even as Christ himself was crucified through weakness, or appeared in
his crucifixion as a weak and contemptible person, but liveth by the power
of God, or in his resurrection and life manifests his divine power (v.
4), so the apostles, how mean and contemptible soever they appeared to the
world, did yet, as instruments, manifest the power of God, and particularly
the power of his grace, in converting the world to Christianity. And
therefore, as a proof to those who among the Corinthians sought a proof of
Christ's speaking in the apostle, he puts them upon proving their Christianity
(v. 5): Examine yourselves, &c. Hereby he intimates that, if
they could prove their own Christianity, this would be a proof of his
apostleship; for if they were in the faith, if Jesus Christ was in them, this
was a proof that Christ spoke in him, because it was by his ministry that they
did believe. He had been not only an instructor, but a father to them. He had
begotten them again by the gospel of Christ. Now it could not be imagined that
a divine power should go along with his ministrations if he had not his
commission from on high. If therefore they could prove themselves not to be
reprobates, not to be rejected of Christ, he trusted they would know
that he was not a reprobate (v. 6), not disowned by Christ. What
the apostle here says of the duty of the Corinthians to examine themselves,
&c., with the particular view already mentioned, is applicable to the
great duty of all who call themselves Christians, to examine themselves
concerning their spiritual state. We should examine whether we be in the
faith, because it is a matter in which we may be easily deceived, and wherein
a deceit is highly dangerous: we are therefore concerned to prove our own
selves, to put the question to our own souls, whether Christ be in us, or
not; and Christ is in us, except we be reprobates: so that either we
are true Christians or we are great cheats; and what a reproachful thing is it
for a man not to know himself, not to know his own mind!
|
The
Apostle Asserts His Claims.
|
A. D. 57.
|
|
|
7 Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not
that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest,
though we be as reprobates. 8 For we can do nothing against the
truth, but for the truth. 9 For we are glad, when we are weak, and
ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection.
10 Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should
use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to
edification, and not to destruction.
Here we have,
I. The apostle's prayer to God on the behalf of the Corinthians, that they
might do no evil, v. 7. This is the most desirable thing we can
ask of God, both for ourselves and for our friends, to be kept from sin, that
we and they may do no evil; and it is most needful that we often pray to God
for his grace to keep us, because without this we cannot keep ourselves. We
are more concerned to pray that we may not do evil than that we may not suffer
evil.
II. The reasons why the apostle put up this prayer to God on behalf of the
Corinthians, which reasons have a special reference to their case, and the
subject-matter about which he was writing to them. Observe, he tells them, 1.
It was not so much for his own personal reputation as for the honour of
religion: "Not that we should appear approved, but that you should do
that which is honest, or decent, and for the credit of religion, though we
should be reproached and vilified, and accounted as reprobates," v.
7. Note, (1.) The great desire of faithful ministers of the gospel is that the
gospel they preach may be honoured, however their persons may be vilified.
(2.) The best way to adorn our holy religion is to do that which is honest,
and of good report, to walk as becomes the gospel of Christ. 2. Another reason
was this: that they might be free from all blame and censure when he should
come to them. This is intimated in v. 8, We can do nothing against
the truth, but for the truth. If therefore they did not do evil, nor act
contrary to their profession of the gospel, the apostle had no power nor
authority to punish them. He had said before (ch. x. 8) and says here (v.
10) that the power which the Lord had given him was to edification, not to
destruction; so that, although the apostle had great powers committed to him
for the credit and advancement of the gospel, yet he could not do anything to
the disparagement of the truth, nor the discouragement of those who obeyed it.
He could not, that is, he would not, he dared not, he had no commission to act
against the truth; and it is remarkable how the apostle did rejoice in this
blessed impotency: "We are glad," says he (v. 9),
"when we are weak and you are strong; that is, that we have no
power to censure those who are strong in faith and fruitful in good
works." Some understand this passage thus: "Though we are weak
through persecutions and contempt, we bear it patiently, and also joyfully,
while we see that you are strong, that you are prosperous in holiness, and
persevering in well-doing." For, 3. He desired their perfection (v.
9); that is, that they might be sincere, and aim at perfection (sincerity is
our gospel-perfection), or else he wished there might be a thorough
reformation among them. He not only desired that they might be kept from sin,
but also that they might grow in grace, and increase in holiness, and that all
that was amiss among them might be rectified and reformed. This was the great
end of his writing this epistle, and that freedom he used with them by writing
these things (those friendly admonitions and warnings), being absent,
that so, being present, he should not use sharpness (v. 10), that
is, not proceed to the utmost extremity in the exercise of the power which the
Lord had given him as an apostle, to revenge all disobedience, ch.
x. 6.
|
The
Apostolic Benediction.
|
A. D. 57.
|
|
|
11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be
of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace
shall be with you. 12 Greet one another with a holy kiss.
13 All the saints salute you. 14 The grace of the Lord Jesus
Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be
with you all. Amen.
Thus the apostle concludes this epistle with,
I. A valediction. He gives them a parting farewell, and takes his leave of
them for the present, with hearty good wishes for their spiritual welfare. In
order to this,
1. He gives them several good exhortations. (1.) To be perfect, or to be knit
together in love, which would tend greatly to their advantage as a church, or
Christian society. (2.) To be of good comfort under all the sufferings and
persecutions they might endure for the cause of Christ or any calamities and
disappointments they might meet with in the world. (3.) To be of one mind,
which would greatly tend to their comfort; for the more easy we are with our
brethren the more ease we shall have in our own souls. The apostle would have
them, as far as was possible, to be of the same opinion and judgment; however,
if this could not be attained, yet, (4.) He exhorts them to live in peace,
that difference in opinion should not cause an alienation of affections--that
they should be at peace among themselves. He would have all the schisms that
were among them healed, that there should be no more contention and wrath
found among them, to prevent which they should avoid debates, envyings,
backbitings, whisperings, and such like enemies to peace.
2. He encourages them with the promise of God's presence among them: The
God of love and peace shall be with you, v. 11. Note, (1.) God is
the God of love and peace. He is the author of peace, and lover of concord. He
hath loved us, and is willing to be at peace with us; he commands us to love
him, and to be reconciled to him, and also that we love one another, and be at
peace among ourselves. (2.) God will be with those who live in love and peace.
He will love those who love peace; he will dwell with them here, and they
shall dwell with him for ever. Such shall have God's gracious presence here,
and be admitted to his glorious presence hereafter.
3. He gives directions to them to salute each other, and sends kind
salutations to them from those who were with him, v. 12, 13. He would
have them testify their affection to one another by the sacred rite of a kiss
of charity, which was then used, but has long been disused, to prevent all
occasions of wantonness and impurity, in the more declining and degenerate
state of the church.
II. The apostolical benediction (v. 14): The grace of the Lord Jesus
Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you
all. Thus the apostle concludes his epistle, and thus it is usual and
proper to dismiss worshipping assemblies. This plainly proves the doctrine of
the gospel, and is an acknowledgment that Father, Son, and Spirit, are three
distinct persons, yet but one God; and herein the same, that they are the
fountain of all blessings to men. It likewise intimates our duty, which is to
have an eye by faith to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost--to live in a continual
regard to the three persons in the Trinity, into whose name we were baptized,
and in whose name we are blessed. This is a very solemn benediction, and we
should give all diligence to inherit this blessing. The grace of Christ, the
love of God, and the communion (or communication) of the Holy Ghost: the grace
of Christ as Redeemer, the love of God who sent the Redeemer, and all the
communications of this grace and love, which come to us by the Holy Ghost; it
is the communications of the Holy Ghost that qualify us for an interest in the
grace of Christ, and the love of God: and we can desire no more to make us
happy than the grace of Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy
Ghost. Amen.
Contents
|
Next
Section
