The Ministry of Suffering and Reconciliation (2 Corinthians 6)
The Ministry of Suffering and Reconciliation
(2 Corinthians 6)
Vs. 1—Συνεργοῦντες δὲ. See Stanley and my notes on 1 Thess 3:2; 1 Cor 3:9.
Vs. 4ff.—ἐν ὑπομονῇ πολλῇ—Bengel has a good note on this passage.
As it is not to be supposed that the Apostle balanced the words in his mind, so it is inconceivable on the other hand that the order of the words should be a disorder. We may then expect to find some general principle of arrangement, though we may fail on a particular point in establishing the system. Bengel is evidently right in his first ‘ternarius’ but do not the words thereafter go in pairs?
I. Part One
A. In Physical Endurance
ἐν ὑπομονῇ πολλῇ
a) sub-divided, ascend.—θλίψεσιν . . . ἀνάγκαις . . . στενοχωρίαις
by amount of pressure (θλίψεσιν is not as severe as στενοχωρίαις)
Cf. especially 2 Cor 4:8 also Rom 2:9 (Rom 8:35) ἀνάγκαις also less severe than στενοχωρίαις. Cf. 2 Cor 12:10 where the four terms of ἀσθενείαι are ὕβρεσιν, ἀνάγκαις, διωγμοῖς, στενοχωρίαις. Note that the superlative of ὕβρεσιν is διωγμοῖς, the superlative of ἀνάγκαις is στενοχωρίαις; as ὕβρεσιν is to διωγμοῖς, so ἀνάγκαις is to στενοχωρίαις.
b) subdivided and enumerated according to their character (so Bengel)
1) suffering personal violence—ἐν πληγαῖς, ἐν φυλακαῖς
2) overtaxing bodily strength—ἐν ἀκαταστασίαις, ἐν κόποις
3) denying bodily cravings—ἐν ἀγρυπνίαις, ἐν νηστείαις
(the first three in the list reflect external persecution, the next three are self-imposed cf. 2 Cor 11:27). ἀκατάστατος almost as Chrysostom ‘hurrying from place to place’ but this word always has the sense of ‘tumult’ in the New Testament. ἐν νηστείαις—voluntary abstinence (cf. 2 Cor 11:27). Also, πληγαῖς, φυλακαῖς, ἀκαταστασίαις are in a descending scale.
B. In the display of inward virtues (self)
Moral—ἐν ἁγνότητι
Intellectual—ἐν γνώσει
In the display of outward excellences (fellow-men)
Passive forbearance (μακροθυμίᾳ)
Active kindness (χρηστότητι) (cf. 1 Cor 13:4; Gal 5:22)
II. Part II. In the Specifically Christian Character
In the inward spirit—ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ
In the outward manifestation—ἐν ἀγάπῃ ἀνυποκρίτῳ (cf. Gal 5:22).
In the Apostolic (Ministerial) Character
In Preaching—ἐν λόγῳ ἀληθείας
In Working Wonders—ἐν δυνάμει Θεοῦ
THEN, διὰ τῶν ὅπλων τῆς δικαιοσύνης τῶν δεξιῶν καὶ ἀριστερῶν seems to sum it all up, δικαιοσύνη in its credit sense.
Vs. 7—τῶν δεξιῶν καὶ ἀριστερῶν Alford argues from the absence of the article before ἀριστερῶν that there is no reference to arms, offensive and defensive. It might much more plausibly be argued from the presence of the article before δεξιῶν that there is such a reference. On only defensive armor—see 1 Thess 5:8, on both offensive and defensive see Eph 6:14 sqq.
Vs. 8—ὡς πλάνοι καὶ ἀληθεῖς. Alford is right in rejecting the ‘putative’ meaning of ὡς. The Apostle argues that they are recommended by the contrast between a superficial view of them and their real position, as being deceivers (in the eyes of the world), and (in reality) true men. πλάνοι so the Jews and Judaizers regarded him. It is the very term applied to our Lord in Mt 27:63.
Vs. 9—This entire passage speaks to the strange and paradoxical character of the social phenomena. There was the superficial and the true view of their state. Note the paradoxical character of this very sentence. It seems to break down with the clause ὡς παιδευόμενοι καὶ μὴ θανατούμενοι. This is owing to the humility of the Apostle. In παιδευόμενοι as chastened by God, the accusations of his enemies, the [????] . . . his humility will not let him affirm. See Meyer.
ὡς ἀποθνήσκοντες καὶ ἰδοὺ ζῶμεν cf. the rhetoric of the Greek orator.
Vs. 10—ὡς πτωχοὶ cf. Trench’s Synon. p. 141. See Ar. Plaut. 549.