Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.
Read Chapter 7
Ambrosiaster
AD 400
Paul wants the Corinthians to give thought to what he is saying, so that when they have taken it to heart they may conclude that what he is saying is true. Commentary on Paul’s Epistles.
Receive us. Embrace us with the arms of love, as with all our heart we do you (Theophylact). Cf. vi11-13. Strictly, the Greek denotes "make a place for us"—a large place in your hearts. Maldonatus (Not. Manusc.) renders the words. "Bear with me if I have praised myself over-much."
We have defrauded no man. We have obtained no man"s goods, either by violence or fraud. Cf. ii11.
Receive us. This, according to St. Chrysostom and others, is the same as what he said before, be enlarged or dilated in heart, that is, have a love, and true charity, and a zeal for us, and for the ministers of the gospel.
We have injured no one He perhaps hints at the ways and proceedings of the false teachers among them. (Witham)
Paul expresses himself in this negative way in order to make his point more sharply. He does not mention all the good he has done but merely challenges the Corinthians to come up with any way he has wronged them, which of course they could not do.
Again he raises the discourse about love, mitigating the harshness of his rebuke. For since he had convicted and reproached them as being beloved indeed, yet not loving in an equal degree, but breaking away from his love and mixing up with other pestilent fellows; again he softens the vehemence of his rebuke, saying, Make room for us, that is, love us; and prays to receive a favor involving no burden, and advantaging them that confer above them that receive it. And he said not, 'love,' but with a stronger appeal to their pity , make room for. 'Who expelled us?' says he: 'Who cast us out of your hearts? How come we to be straitened in you?' for since he said above, You are straitened in your affections; here declaring it more clearly, he said, make room for us: in this way also again winning them to himself. For nothing does so produce love as for the beloved to know that he that loves him exceedingly desires his love.
We wronged no man. See how again he does not mention the benefits...
