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TEXT.

10 For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God, and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

12 For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that you may have somewhat to answer them, which glory in appearance, and not in heart.

PARAPHRASE.

10 self, as to be acceptable to him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive according to what he has done in the body, whether it be good 11 or bad. Knowing, therefore, this terrible judgment of the Lord, I preach the Gospel, persuading men to be Christians. And with what integrity I discharge that duty is manifest to God, and I trust you also are convinced of it, in your con12 sciences. And this I say, not that I commend' myself again: but that I may give you an occasion not to be ashamed of me, but to glory on my behalf, having wherewithal to reply to those, who make a show of glorying in outward appearance, without

NOTES.

* St. Paul, from chap. iv. 12, to this place, has, to convince them of his uprightness in his ministry, been showing, that the hopes, and sure expectation, he had of eternal life, kept him steady and resolute, in an open sincere preaching of the Gospel, without any tricks or deceitful artifice. In which his argument stands thus: "Knowing that God, who raised up Christ, will raise me up again, I without any fear, or consideration of what it may draw upon me, preach the Gospel faithfully, making this account, that the momentaneous afflictions which, for it, I may suffer here, which are but slight in comparison of the eternal things of another life, will exceedingly increase my happiness in the other world, where I long to be; and therefore death, which brings me home to Christ, is no terror to me; all my care is, that whether I am to stay longer in this body, or quickly to leave it, living or dying, I may approve myself to Christ, in my ministry." In the next two verses he has another argument, to fix in the Corinthians the same thoughts of him; and that is, the punishment he shall receive at the day of judgment, if he should neglect to preach the Gospel faithfully, and not endeavour sincerely and earnestly to make converts to Christ.

12 From this place, and several others in this epistle, it cannot be doubted but that his speaking well of himself had been objected to him as a fault. And in this lay his great difficulty, how to deal with this people. If he answered nothing to what was talked of him, his silence might be interpreted guilt and confusion if he defended himself, he was accused of vanity, self-commendation, and folly. Hence it is, that he uses so many reasons to show that his whole carriage was upon principles far above all worldly considerations: and tells them here, once for all, that the account he gives of himself is only to furnish them, who are his friends, and stuck to him, with matter to justify themselves, in their esteem of him, and to reply to the contrary faction,

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13 For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.

14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead :

15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

PARAPHRASE.

13 doing so inwardly in their hearts". For if I am besides myself, in speaking as I do of myself, it is between God and me; he must judge: men are not concerned in it, nor hurt by it. Or, if I do it soberly, and upon good ground; if what I profess of myself be in reality true, it is for your sake and 14 advantage. For it is the love of Christ constraineth me, judging as I do, that if Christ died for all, then all were 15 dead: And that if he died for all, his intention was, that they, who by him have attained to a state of life, should not any longer live to themselves alone, seeking only their own private advantage; but should employ their lives in promoting the Gospel and kingdom of Christ, who for them died, and rose 16 again: So that, from henceforth, I have no regard to any one, according to the flesh P, i. e. for being circumcised, or a Jew. For if I myself have gloried in this, that Christ him

NOTES.

This may be understood of the leaders of the opposite faction, who, as it is manifest from ch. x. 7, 15, and xi. 12, 22, 23, pretended to something that they gloried in, though St. Paul assures us, they were satisfied, in conscience, that they had no solid ground of glorying.

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13 St. Paul, from the 13th verse of this chapter, to chap. vi. 12, gives another reason for his disinterested carriage, in preaching the Gospel; and that is his love to Christ, who, by his death, having given him life, who was dead, he concludes, that in gratitude he ought not to live to himself any more. He therefore, being as in a new creation, had now no longer any regard to the things or persons of this world; but being made, by God, a minister of the Gospel, he minded only the faithful discharge of his duty in that embassy; and, pursuant thereunto, took care that his behaviour should be such as he describes, ch. vi. 3-10.

"Besides myself," i. e. in speaking well of myself, in my own justification. He that observes what St. Paul says, chap. xi. 1, and 16-21, ch. xii. 6, and 11, will scarce doubt, but that the speaking of himself as he did was, by his enemies, called glorying, aud imputed to him as folly and madness.

16 This may be supposed to be said with reflection on their Jewish, false apostle, who gloried in his circumcision; and, perhaps, that he had seen Christ in the flesh, or was some way related to him.

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17 Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are past away; behold, all things are become new.

18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

PARAPHRASE.

self was circumcised, as I am, and was of my blood and na17 tion, I do so now no more any longer. So that if any one be in Christ, it is as if he were in a new creation, wherein all former, mundane relations, considerations, and interests', are ceased, and at an end; all things in that state are new to 18 him: And he owes his very being in it, and the advantages he therein enjoys, not in the least measure to his birth, extraction, or any legal observances, or privileges, but wholly and 19 solely to God alone; Reconciling the world to himself by Jesus Christ, and not imputing their trespasses to them. And therefore I, whom God hath reconciled to himself, and to whom he hath given the ministry, and committed the word of 20 his reconciliation; As an ambassador for Christ, as though God did by me beseech you, I pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For God hath made him subject to sufferings and death, the punishment and consequence of sin, as

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NOTES.

179 Gal. vi. 14, may give some light to this place. To make these 16th and 17th verses coherent to the rest of St. Paul's discourse here, they must be understood in reference to the false apostle, against whom St. Paul is here justifying himself; and makes it his main business in this, as well as in his former epistle, to show, what that false apostle gloried in was no just cause of boasting. Pursuant to this design, of sinking the authority and credit of that false apostle, St. Paul, in these and the following verses, dexterously insinuates these two things: 1st, That the ministry of reconciliation being committed to him, they should not forsake him, to hearken to and follow that pretender. 2dly, That they, being in Christ, and the new creation, should, as he does, not know any man in the flesh, not esteem, or glory in, that false apostle, because he might, perhaps, pretend to have seen our Saviour in the flesh, or have heard him, or the like. Κτίσις signifies "creation," and is so translated, Rom. viii. 22.

* Tà ¿pxaĩa, “old things," perhaps may here mean the Jewish economy; for the false apostle was a Jew, and, as such, assumed to himself some authority, probably by right of blood, and privilege of his nation: vid. 2 Cor. xi. 21, 22. But that, St. Paul here tells them, now, under the Gospel, is all antiquated, and quite out of doors.

TEXT.

VI. 1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also, that ye receive not the grace of God in vain :

2 (For he saith, "I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee:" behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation!)

3 Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: 4 But, in all things, approving ourselves, as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,

5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;

6 By pureness, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,

7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

8 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;

9 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and not killed;

PARAPHRASE.

if he had been a sinner, though he were guilty of no sin; that we, in and by him, might be made righteous, by a righteousVI. 1 ness imputed to us by God. I therefore, working together with him, beseech you also, that you receive not the favour of 2 God, in the Gospel preached to you, in vain s. (For he saith, "I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee:" behold, now is the accepted 3 time; behold, now is the day of salvation!) Giving no offence to any one in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: 4 But, in every thing, approving myself, as becomes the minister of God, by much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in 5 straits, In stripes, in imprisonments, in being tossed up and 6 down, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; By a life undefiled; by knowledge; by long-sufferings; by the gifts of the 7 Holy Ghost; by love unfeigned; By preaching the Gospel of truth sincerely; by the power of God, assisting my ministry; by uprightness of mind, wherewith I am armed at all points, 8 both to do and to suffer; By honour and disgrace; by good 9 and bad report; as a deceiver', and yet faithful; As an obscure, unknown man, but yet known and owned; as one often

NOTES.

1 "Receive the grace of God in vain," the same with " believing in vain," 1 Cor. xv. 2, i. e. receiving the doctrine of the Gospel for true, and professing Christianity, without persisting in it, or performing what the Gospel requires. 8" Deceiver," a title (it is like) he had received from some of the opposite faction at Corinth: vid. chap. xii. 16.

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10 As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

11 O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. 12 Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels. 13 Now, for a recompense in the same, (I speak as unto my children) be ye also enlarged.

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?

15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, "I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."

17 Wherefore, "Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

PARAPHRASE.

in danger of death, and yet, behold, I live; as chastened, but 10 yet not killed; As sorrowful, but yet always rejoicing; as

poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet 11 possessing all things. O ye Corinthians, my mouth is opened

to you, my heart is enlarged" to you; my affection, my ten12 derness, my compliance for you, is not strait, or narrow. It 13 is your own narrowness makes you uneasy. Let me speak to you, as a father to his children; in return, do you, likewise, 14 enlarge your affections and deference to me. Be ye not as

sociated with unbelievers, having nothing to do with them in their vices or worship": for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? What communion hath light 15 with darkness? What concord hath Christ with Belial? 16 Or what part hath a believer with an unbeliever? What agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, "I will dwell in them, among them will I walk; and I will be their 17 God, and they shall be my people." Wherefore, "Come out from among them, and be separate, saith the Lord, and

NOTES.

11 Another argument, St. Paul makes use of, to justify and excuse his plainness of speech to the Corinthians, is the great affection he has for them, which he here breaks out into an expression of, in a very pathetical manner. This, with an exhortation to separate from idolaters and unbelievers, is what he insists on, from this place to chap. vii. 16.

14 Vid. chap. vii. 1.

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15 Belial is a general name for all the false gods, worshipped by the idolatrons Gentiles.

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