Bible Commentaries

2Co 6:1-18.

HIS APOSTOLIC MINISTRY IS APPROVED BY FAITHFULNESS IN EXHORTATION, IN SUFFERINGS, IN EXHIBITION OF THE FRUITS OF THE HOLY GHOST: HIS LARGENESS OF HEART TO THEM CALLS FOR ENLARGEMENT OF THEIR HEART TO HIM. EXHORTATIONS TO SEPARATION FROM POLLUTION.

1. workers together--with God

(Ac 15:4; 1Co 3:9).

Not only as "ambassadors."

beseech--entreat

(2Co 5:20).

He is describing his ministry, not exhorting directly.

you also--rather, "WE ALSO (as well as God,

2Co 5:20)

beseech" or "entreat you":

2Co 6:14, 15,

on to

2Co 7:1,

is part of this entreaty or exhortation.

in vain--by making the grace of God a ground for continuance in sin

(2Co 6:3).

By a life of sin, showing that the word of reconciliation has been in vain, so far as you are concerned

(Heb 12:15; Jude 4).

"The grace of God" here, is "the reconciliation" provided by God's love

(2Co 5:18, 19;

compare

Ga 2:2).

2. For--God's own promise is the ground of our exhortation.

he saith--God the Father saith to God the Son, and so to all believers who are regarded as one with Him.

heard thee--In the eternal purposes of my love I have hearkened to thy prayer for the salvation of thy people (compare

Joh 17:9, 15, 20, 24).

accepted . . . accepted--The Greek of the latter is more emphatic, "well-accepted." What was "an accepted time" in the prophecy

(Isa 49:8,

Hebrew, "in the season of grace") becomes "the well-accepted time" in the fulfilment (compare

Ps 69:13).

As it is God's time of receiving sinners, receive ye His grace: accept

(2Co 6:1)

the word of reconciliation in His accepted time.

in the day of salvation--"in a day of salvation"

(Lu 4:18, 19, 21; 19:42; Heb 3:7).

3. Resuming the connection with

2Co 6:1,

interrupted by the parenthetical

2Co 6:2.

"Giving no offense" (compare

1Co 10:33),

"approving ourselves," and all the other participles down to

2Co 6:10,

are nominatives to "we also entreat you"

(2Co 6:1),

to show the pains he took to enforce his exhortation by example, as well as precept [ALFORD]. "Offense" would be given, if we were without "patience" and the other qualifications which he therefore subjoins (compare

Ro 14:13).

4. Translate, to mark the true order of the Greek words, "in everything, as God's ministers recommending ourselves," that is, that our hearers may give our message a favorable hearing, through our consistency in every respect, not that they may glorify us. Alluding to

2Co 3:1,

he implies, We commend ourselves, not like them by word, but by deed.

patience--

(2Co 12:12).

Put first. "Pure-minded" follows

(2Co 6:6).

Three triplets of trials exercising the "patience" (patient endurance) follow: Afflictions (or "tribulations"), necessities, distresses (or "straits"); stripes, imprisonments, tumults; labors, watchings, fastings. The first triplet expresses afflictions generally; the second, those in particular arising from the violence of men; the third, those which he brought on himself directly or indirectly.

5. stripes--

(2Co 11:23, 24; Ac 16:23).

imprisonments--

(2Co 11:23).

He had been, doubtless, elsewhere imprisoned besides at Philippi when he wrote this Epistle.

tumults--

(Ac 13:50; 14:5, 19; 16:22;

and recently

Ac 19:23-41).

labours--in the cause of Christ

(2Co 11:23; Ro 16:12).

watchings--

(2Co 11:27).

Sleepless nights.

fastings--The context here refers to his trials, rather than devotional exercises (compare

2Co 11:27).

Thus "foodlessness" would seem to be the sense (compare

1Co 4:11; Php 4:12).

But the usual sense of the Greek is fasts, in the strict sense; and in

2Co 11:27

it is spoken of independently of "hunger and thirst." (Compare

Lu 2:37; Ac 10:30; 14:23).

However,

Mt 15:32; Mr 8:3,

justify the sense, more favored by the context, foodlessness, though a rare use of the word. GAUSSEN remarks "The apostles combine the highest offices with the humblest exterior: as everything in the Church was to be cast in the mould of death and resurrection, the cardinal principle throughout Christianity."

6. By . . . by, &c.--rather, as Greek, "In . . . in," implying not the instrument, but the sphere or element in which his ministry moved.

knowledge--spiritual: in Gospel mysteries, unattainable by mere reason

(1Co 2:6-16; 2Co 3:6, 17, 18).

long-suffering . . . kindness--associated with "charity" or "love"

(1Co 13:4),

as here.

by the Holy Ghost--in virtue of His influences which produce these graces, and other gifts, "love unfeigned" being the foremost of them.

7. By the word of truth, by the power of God--rather, "IN . . . in," &c. As to "the word of truth" (compare

2Co 4:2; Col 1:5),

and "the (miraculous) power of God"

(2Co 4:7);

1Co 2:4,

"in demonstration of the Spirit and of power."

by the armour--Greek, "through" or "by means of the armor." "Righteousness," which is the breastplate alone in

Eph 6:13-17,

here is made the whole Christian panoply (compare

2Co 10:4).

on . . . right . . . and . . . left--that is, guarding on every side.

8. Translate, "Through glory and dishonor (disgrace)," namely, from those in authority, and accruing to us present. "By," or "through evil report and good report," from the multitude, and affecting us absent [BENGEL]. Regarded "as deceivers" by those who, not knowing

(2Co 6:9),

dishonor and give us an evil report; "as true," by those who "know"

(2Co 6:9)

us in the real "glory" of our ministry. In proportion as one has more or less of glory and good report, in that degree has he more or less of dishonor and evil report.