Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.
Read Chapter 4
Ambrosiaster
AD 400
Some of the Corinthians were angry that Paul had not come to them, not because they wanted him to but because they were proud and imagined that Paul thought they were unworthy of a visit. In fact, Paul wanted to go but had more important things to do. Commentary on Paul’s Epistles.
Some of those new doctors and preachers are so puffed up, that they pretend I dare not come to you any more, nor defend myself: he may also mean the man that lived in incest, his companions and his flatterers.
But I will come to you shortly, and then I shall use my authority in taking notice of their vain talk, they shall find and experience that power, which God hath given me by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and of working miracles. (Witham)
But I will come. The good effect which this letter produced amongst the Corinthians retarded his intended journey, so that he did not go to Corinth till one or two years after this letter was written. He wrote his second epistle to the same before he paid them a visit, to apply a soothing remedy to their minds and hearts, sorely afflicted with his charitably severe corrections contained in this his first epistle. (Haydock)
What will you; or what disposition shall I find in you? let it not be necessary for me to use the chastising rod by excommu...
Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming unto you. For there he glances both at them and at certain others, casting down their highmindedness: since the love of preeminence is in fault, when men abuse the absence of their teacher for their own self-will. For when he addresses himself unto the people, observe how he does it by way of appeal to their sense of shame; when unto the originators of the mischief, his manner is more vehement. Thus unto the former he says, We are the offscouring of all: and soothing them he says, Not to shame you I write these things; but to the latter, Now as though I were not coming to you, some are puffed up; showing that their self-will argued a childish turn of mind. For so boys in the absence of their master wax more negligent.
This then is one thing here indicated; and another is that his presence was sufficient for their correction. For as the presence of a lion makes all living creatures shrink away, so also does that of Paul the corrupte...
