N. Turner, Grammatical Insights into the New Testament (T. & T. Clark, 1965), p. 16.
On this whole section the admirable treatment in Geerhardus Vos, The Pauline Eschatology (Eerdmans, 1953), should be consulted.
Some recent studies suggest that a form of Gnosticism is in mind (e.g. Schmithals). W. Marxsen holds that ‘a Gnostic idea is being expressed apocalyptically’ and reminds us of heretics who spoke of the resurrection as past (2 Tim. 2:18) (Introduction to the New Testament (Fortress, 1974), p. 39). But there is no real evidence that Gnosticism was as early as this. Further, this is not a natural understanding of what Paul says.
Studia Evangelica, vol. ii, ed. F. L. Cross (Akademie-Verlag, 1964), pp. 635–638.
B. B. Warfield, Biblical and Theological Studies (Presbyterian and Reformed, 1952), p. 473.
Charles H. Giblin has a monograph on the problems of this chapter, The Threat to Faith (Pontifical Biblical Institute, 1957). This is a detailed discussion and Giblin has assembled a large amount of material. But his solutions do not attract. Thus he translates here ‘the seizing power’ and understands the expression of an evil force. There is a good discussion of the problems in Best, pp. 295–302.
