Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?
Read Chapter 3
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
Do we begin again to commend ourselves? At the end of the Apostle had seemed to praise himself and seek the favour of the Corinthians, hence he meets here any suspicion of vain glory.
Or need we . . . epistles of commendation to you . . . or from you? ie, written by you to commend me to others.
SYNOPSIS OF THE CHAPTER
i. Paul asserts that he does not seek or need the praise of men, as the Judaising false apostles sought it: the fruit of his preaching Isaiah , he says, sufficient commendation.
ii. He states (ver6) the cause of this to be that the Apostles and other ministers of the New Testament and of the Spirit were adorned by more honour and glory than were Moses and the other ministers of the Old Testament and of the letter.
iii. He points out (ver13) that the Jews have still a veil over their heart in reading the Old Testament, and so do not see Christ in it; but that they will see Him when this veil shall be taken away by Christ at end of the world.
The apostle had been obliged, in different parts of his first epistle, to say some things to his own advantage, in order to maintain the dignity of his ministry against false teachers, who had endeavoured to lessen his authority. He is again obliged to show the excellency of his ministry, and the superiority of the gospel over the law of Moses. (Theodoret)
We have not need, he says, of commendatory letters, like those false teachers: we have only to say that we founded the Church of Corinth, and we shall be sufficiently known. Your religion, your piety, and your virtues are renowned in the whole world. (ver. 2.) This is our letter: we have no need to speak: the effects speak for themselves. But still this is not our doing; for we are not sufficient to think any thing of ourselves. (ver. 5.) This letter is not of our writing; we could only do the same as Moses in the old law, prepare the tables, (ministered by us) it was God himself that wrote the ten commandments, and it is God himsel...
He anticipates and puts himself an objection which others would have urged against him, 'Thou vauntest yourself;' and this though he had before employed so strong a corrective in the expressions, Who is sufficient for these things? and, of sincerity...speak we. 2 Corinthians 2:16-17 Howbeit he is not satisfied with these. For such is his character. From appearing to say any thing great of himself he is far removed, and avoids it even to great superfluity and excess. And mark, I pray you, by this instance also, the abundance of his wisdom. For a thing of woeful aspect, I mean tribulations, he so much exalted and showed to be bright and lustrous, that out of what he said the present objection rose up against him. And he does so also towards the end. For after having enumerated numberless perils, insults, straits, necessities, and as many such like things as be, he added, We commend not ourselves, but speak as giving you occasion to glory. 2 Corinthians 5:12 And he expresses this again wi...
