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In this chapter the apostle proceeds in maintaining the honour of his apostleship. He magnified his office when there were those who vilified it. What he says in his own praise was only in his own justification and the necessary defence of the honour of his ministry, the preservation of which was necessary to its success. First, He makes mention of the favour God had shown him, the honour done him, the methods God took to keep him humble, and the use he made of this dispensation, 2Co 12:1-10. Then he addresses himself to the Corinthians, blaming them for what was faulty among them, and giving a large account of his behaviour and kind intentions towards them, 2Co 12:11-21.

This chapter 2 Corinthians 12 is a continuation of the same general subject which was discussed in the two previous chapters. The general design of the apostle is, to defend himself from the charges brought against him in Corinth, and especially, as it would appear, from the charge that he had no claims to the character of an apostle. In the previous chapters he had met these charges, and had shown that he had just cause to be bold toward them; that he had in his life given evidence that he was called to this work, and especially that by his successes and by his sufferings he had showed that he had evidence that he had been truly engaged in the work of the Lord Jesus.

This chapter contains the following subjects.

1. Paul appeals to another evidence that he was engaged in the apostolic office - an evidence to which none of his accusers could appeal - that he had been permitted to behold the glories of the heavenly world; 2 Corinthians 11:1-10. In the previous chapter he had mentioned his trials. Here he says 2 Corinthians 12:1, that as they had compelled him to boast, he would mention the revelation which he had had of the Lord. He details, therefore, the remarkable vision which he had had several years before 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, when he was caught up to heaven, and permitted to behold the wonders there, Yet he says, that lest such an extraordinary manifestation should exalt him above measure, he was visited with a sore and special trial - a trial from which he prayed earnestly to be delivered, but that he received answer that the grace of God would be sufficient to support him; 2 Corinthians 12:5-9. It was in view of this, he says 2 Corinthians 12:10 that he had pleasure in infirmities and sufferings in the cause of the Redeemer.

2. He then 2 Corinthians 12:11-12 sums up what he had said; draws the conclusion that he had given every sign or evidence that he was an apostle; that in all that pertained to toil, and patience, and miracles, he had shown that he was commissioned by the Saviour; though with characteristic modesty he said he was nothing.

3. He then expresses his purpose to come again and see them, and his intention then not to be burdensome to them; 2 Corinthians 12:13-15. He was willing to labor for them, and to exhaust his strength in endeavoring to promote their welfare without receiving support from them, for he regarded himself in the light of a father to them, and it was not usual for children to support their parents.

4. In connection with this, he answers another charge against himself. Some accused him of being crafty; that though he did not burden them, yet he knew well how to manage so as to secure what he wanted without burdening them, or seeming to receive anything from them; 2 Corinthians 12:16. To this he answers by an appeal to fact. Particularly he appeals to the conduct of Titus when with them, in fall proof that he had no such design; 2 Corinthians 12:17-19.

5. In the conclusion of the chapter, he expresses his fear that when he should come among them he would find much that would humble them and give him occasion for severity of discipline; 2 Corinthians 12:20-21. This apprehension is evidently expressed in order that they might be led to examine themselves, and to put away whatever was wrong.

St. Paul mentions some wonderful revelations which he had received from the Lord, 2 Corinthians 12:1-5. He speaks of his suffering in connection with these extraordinary revelations, that his character might be duly estimated, 2 Corinthians 12:6. That he might not be too much exalted, a messenger of Satan is sent to buffet him; his prayer for deliverance, and the Divine answer, 2 Corinthians 12:7-9. He exults in sufferings and reproaches, and vindicates his apostleship, 2 Corinthians 12:10-13. Promises to come and visit them, 2 Corinthians 12:14, 2 Corinthians 12:15. Answers some objections, 2 Corinthians 12:16-18. And expresses his apprehensions that when he visits them he shall find many evils and disorders among them, 2 Corinthians 12:19-21.

INTRODUCTION TO 2 Corinthians 12

The apostle in this chapter proceeds upon the same subject, in vindicating himself against the false teachers, and giving proof of his apostleship; he takes notice of a very remarkable and unusual vision he was favoured with; makes mention of an uncommon temptation of Satan, how he was delivered from it, and the use it was of to him; excuses his boasting to the Corinthians; lays the blame of it upon them who obliged him to do it, though they had such undeniable proofs of his apostleship among them; signifies he intended to come and see them, and expresses his strong affection for them, and good will towards them; removes the calumnies of covetousness, guile, and craftiness; reproves them for their sins, and threatens them in case of impenitence. Though in some respects glorying was not so convenient, and quite disagreeable to the apostle himself, yet such were his circumstances, that it was become necessary for him to do it, and therefore goes on with it; and to his character, qualifications, labours, sufferings, and deliverances, adds the visions and revelations of the Lord he had been honoured with, 2 Corinthians 12:1 and singles out a very particular one, which he describes by the time when, about fourteen years ago; by the person who saw it, himself, whom he speaks of in the third person, that there might be as little appearance of boasting as possible; by the place where it was seen, the third heaven, into which he was caught; by the form or manner of the vision, or the circumstance and condition in which he was when he saw it, of which he could give no account; as whether in or out of the body, 2 Corinthians 12:2, which last circumstance is repeated to denote the certainty of it, and his ignorance as to this part of it; for the truth of which he appeals to God, 2 Corinthians 12:3, and affirms again, that such an one as he had described was caught up to paradise; by which he explains what he meant by the third heaven, and further declares, that being there he heard words unutterable, 2 Corinthians 12:4. Now though this vision was matter of glorying, yet since he was the person that was so highly honoured with it, he would not dwell any longer on it, but rather speak of his infirmities, as he afterwards does, 2 Corinthians 12:5, yet if he had shown a design of boasting, it would not have been acting a foolish part; however, he thought it best to forbear, lest it should lead any into too high an opinion of him, 2 Corinthians 12:6, and indeed, these high enjoyments were apt to fill himself with pride and vanity, wherefore God, in his infinite wisdom, thought fit to take some methods to humble him; which leads him to give an account of a sore temptation that befell him, which was grievous to him, and in which he was buffeted by Satan; the end of which was to keep down his pride, and hide it from him, 2 Corinthians 12:7. The use this was of to him, and how he behaved under it, and the request he made to the Lord to be freed from it, are declared in 2 Corinthians 12:8, to which he received an answer, which was full and satisfactory, gave him pleasure, and determined him to glory in his infirmities, 2 Corinthians 12:9, which he does in 2 Corinthians 12:10, and gives an enumeration of them, and his reason for glorying in them: and whereas he knew he should be chargeable with folly, in glorying in other things as he had done, he blames the Corinthians for it, who had obliged him to it; for had they engaged as they should have done in the vindication and commendation of him, there would have been no need of his own; and they were furnished with matter and arguments enough for such a purpose, since it must have been a plain case to them that he was not inferior to the chief of the apostles, 2 Corinthians 12:11, of which they had a full demonstration, partly by the signs, wonders, and mighty deeds which were done in the midst of them by him, 2 Corinthians 12:12, and partly by the gifts of grace bestowed on them through his ministry, on account of which they did not come short of any other churches; unless it was in this, that they had the Gospel preached without charge unto them, 2 Corinthians 12:13, the apostle goes on to acquaint them that he had a third time intended to come and see them, when he would be no more burdensome and chargeable to them than he had been before; have no regard to theirs but to them, acting the part of a father that lays up for his children, but takes nothing from them, 2 Corinthians 12:14, and expresses his strong affection for them, even though they should show but little to him, and his earnest desire to be serviceable to them, and the pleasure he should take therein, 2 Corinthians 12:15, and whereas it was suggested by the false teachers, that though he did not take money of them in person, he had used some underhand crafty methods by the means of others to drain them of it, 2 Corinthians 12:16, he replies and vindicates his innocence, by putting the question to them in general; whether he had made any gain by any persons he had sent to them, 2 Corinthians 12:17, and particularly inasmuch as he had sent Titus and another brother, whether he had made any gain of them, and whether the apostle and he were not of the same spirit; and whether they did not take the same steps, 2 Corinthians 12:18, and then observes, that all the pains that he took in the vindication of himself, was not so much on his own account as theirs, even for their edification, that that might not be hindered, for whom he had the most endeared affection: and for the truth of all this he appeals to God, 2 Corinthians 12:19, and closes this chapter with observing the many evils which were among them, which he feared he should find among them, when he came, unrepented of; and which would be matter of grief and humiliation to him, and oblige him to use that severity among them which would not be agreeable to them, 2 Corinthians 12:20.

CHAPTER 12

2 Corinthians 12:1. καυχᾶσθαι δή] So also Tisch., following K M and most min. Arm. and the Greek Fathers. But B D** E F G I, and many min., also Syr. utr. Arr. Vulg. It. Ambrosiast. have the reading καυχᾶσθαι δεῖ, which Griesb. has recommended, and Scholz, Lachm. Rück. have adopted. D* א* 114, Copt. Slav. codd. Lat. Theophyl. have καυχᾶσθαι δέ, which Fritzsche, Diss. II. p. 122 f., prefers. The testimonies for καυχᾶσθαι δεῖ preponderate so decidedly that we are not entitled to derive δεῖ from 2 Corinthians 11:30. On the other hand, the apparent want of connection in καυχ. δεῖ οὐ συμφ. was sufficient, occasion, partly for changing δεῖ into δέ, or by means of itacism into δή (the latter Reiche defends and Ewald follows, also Hofm.), partly for prefixing an εἰ to the καυχ. from 2 Corinthians 11:30 (א** 39, Lect. 17, Vulg. Pel.).

οὐ συμφέρει μοι, ἐλεύσομαι γάρ] Lachm. and Rück. read οὐ συμφέρον μὲν, ἐλεύσομεν δέ (Lachm.: δὲ καί, after B), supported by B F G א, and in part by some min. vss. and Fathers. But μὲν … δέ betrays itself as a correction by way of gloss of the difficult γάρ, in which μοί was supplanted by μέν, and γάρ by δέ. The question whether συμφέρον is original instead of συμφέρει, is decided by the circumstance that, according to the codd., the reading συμφέρον is connected with the reading μὲν … δέ, and hence falls with it.—2 Corinthians 12:3. ἐκτός] B D* E* א, Method. in Epiph. have χωρίς. So Lachm. Tisch. and Rück. Rightly; ἐκτός is from 2 Corinthians 12:2. The subsequent οὐκ οἶδα is deleted by Lachm., but only on the authority of B, Method.—2 Corinthians 12:6. τί] is doubtless wanting in B D*** E** F G א* 37, 67** Arm. Boern. Tol. Harl.** codd. Lat. Or., and is deleted by Lachm. and Rück. But how easily it was left out, being regarded as utterly superfluous, and even as confusing!—2 Corinthians 12:7. Before the first ἵνα Lachm. has διό, following A B F G א 17, Boern. An insertion for the sake of connection, occasioned by the not recognising the inverted order of the words, so that καὶ τῇ ὑπερβ. τῶν ἀποκαλ. was attached in some way to what goes before (with some such meaning as this: in order that no one may get a higher opinion of me … even through the abundance of the revelations).

The second ἵνα μὴ ὑπεραίρωμαι is wanting in A D E F G א* 17, and several vss. and Fathers (bracketed by Lachm.); but the emphasis of the repetition being overlooked, the words have been passed over as having been used already.—2 Corinthians 12:9. δύναμίς μου] μου is wanting in A* B D* F G א*, and several vss. and Fathers. Deleted by Bengel, Lachm. Tisch. Considering, however, the no small weight of the testimonies for μου (A** D*** E K L א** and almost all min. vss. Or. Chrys. Theodoret), and seeing that the syllable μου might easily be passed over after the syllable μις, the Recepta is to be preserved, its sense also being necessary according to the whole contex.

τελειοῦται] A B D* F G א* have τελεῖται. So Lachm. Tisch. and Rück. Rightly; the former is an interpretation.—2 Corinthians 12:11. After ἄφρων Elz. has καυχώμενος, against decisive evidence. An exegetical addition.—2 Corinthians 12:12. ἐν σημείοις] ἐν is wanting in A B D* א17, 39, 71, al. Vulg. ms. Clar. Germ. Tol. and Fathers; while F G, Boern. Syr. Chrys. Ambrosiast. have καί. ἐν is mechanically repeated from what precedes, and with Lachm. Tisch. and Rück. is to be deleted.—2 Corinthians 12:13. ἡττήθητε] B D* א* 17 have ἡσσώθητε (so Lachm.), which is nothing but a copyist’s error, and in D and א is rightly corrected; F G have ἐλαττώθητε, which is a gloss.—2 Corinthians 12:14. After τρίτον Griesb. Scholz, Lachm. Rück. Tisch. read τοῦτο, following doubtless a preponderance of authorities, among which, however, D E 93, Copt. Syr.? put it before τρίτον. An addition from 2 Corinthians 13:1.

ὑμῶν] is wanting after καταναρκ. in A B א 17, 71, al. Aeth. Damasc., while D* F G have ὑμᾶς. Both have been supplied, and are rightly deleted by Lachm. Tisch.—2 Corinthians 12:15. εἰ καί] καί is wanting in A B F G א* Copt. Sahid. Deleted by Lachm. An addition from misunderstanding; see the exegetical remarks.—2 Corinthians 12:19. πάλιν] Lachm. Tisch. and Rück. read πάλαι on preponderating evidence. Rightly; the πάλαι not understood was erroneously glossed.

In what follows κατέναντι is to be adopted instead of κατενώπιον, with Lachm. and Rück., on preponderating evidence. Comp. 2 Corinthians 2:17.—2 Corinthians 12:20. Instead of ἔρεις, Lachm. and Rück. read ἔρις, but against preponderating evidence. The latter might easily originate through itacism. Instead of ζῆλοι, Lachm. Tisch. and Rück. read ζῆλος, following A B D* F G, Goth. Syr. Arm. Dam. Rightly; the plural crept in from the surrounding forms.—2 Corinthians 12:21. ἐλθόντα με] Lachm. Rück. and Tisch. read ἐλθόντος μου, following A B F G א* 39, 93. Rightly; the Recepta is a grammatical emendation, which brought with it the omission of the subsequent με.

ταπεινώσῃ] Lachm. and Tisch. read ταπεινώσει, following B D E F G L, min. Oec. The subjunctive is a mechanical alteration in accordance with the preceding and usual form.

CONTENTS.

Breaking off from what precedes, Paul passes over to the revelations which he has had, narrates one of them, and says: Of this he would boast, not of himself, except only of his weaknesses; for he will perpetrate no folly by self-glorying, but abstains from it, in order not to awaken too high an opinion of himself (2 Corinthians 12:1-6). And in order that he might not plume himself over those revelations, there was given to him a painful affliction, on account of which after a thrice-repeated invocation he had been referred by Christ to His grace; hence he preferred to glory in his weaknesses, in order that he might experience the power of Christ, for which reason he had pleasure in his weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

He had become a fool, compelled thereto by them; for he ought to have been commended by them, since in no respect did he stand behind the fancied apostles, but, on the contrary, had wrought amongst them the proofs of his apostolic dignity (2 Corinthians 12:11-12). This leads him, amidst bitter irony, again to his gratuitous working, which he will continue also on his third arrival (2 Corinthians 12:13-15). But not only had he not by himself and immediately taken advantage of them, but not even through others mediately (2 Corinthians 12:16-18). Now begins the conclusion of the whole section: Not before them, but before God, does he vindicate himself, yet for their edification. For he fears that he may find them not in the frame of mind which he wishes, and that he may be found by them in a fashion not wished for (2 Corinthians 12:19-21).

2Co 12:1-21.

REVELATIONS IN WHICH HE MIGHT GLORY: BUT HE RATHER GLORIES IN INFIRMITIES, AS CALLING FORTH CHRIST'S POWER: SIGNS OF HIS APOSTLESHIP: HIS DISINTERESTEDNESS: NOT THAT HE IS EXCUSING HIMSELF TO THEM; BUT HE DOES ALL FOR THEIR GOOD, LEST HE SHOULD FIND THEM NOT SUCH AS HE DESIRED, AND SO SHOULD HAVE TO BE SEVERE AT HIS COMING.

1. He proceeds to illustrate the "glorying in infirmities"

(2Co 11:30).

He gave one instance which might expose him to ridicule

(2Co 11:33);

he now gives another, but this one connected with a glorious revelation of which it was the sequel: but he dwells not on the glory done to himself, but on the infirmity which followed it, as displaying Christ's power. The oldest manuscripts read, "I MUST NEEDS boast (or glory) though it be not expedient; for I will come." The "for" gives a proof that it is "not expedient to boast": I will take the case of revelations, in which if anywhere boasting might be thought harmless. "Visions" refers to things seen: "revelations," to things heard (compare

1Sa 9:15)

or revealed in any way. In "visions" their signification was not always vouchsafed; in "revelations" there was always an unveiling of truths before hidden

(Da 2:19, 31).

All parts of Scripture alike are matter of inspiration; but not all of revelation. There are degrees of revelation; but not of inspiration.

of--that is, from the Lord; Christ,

2Co 12:2.

It is not expedient - It is not well; it does not become me. This may either mean that he felt and admitted that it did not become him to boast in this manner; that there was an impropriety in his doing it though circumstances had compelled him, and in this sense it is understood by nearly, or quite, all expositors; or it may be taken ironically. "Such a man as I am ought not to boast. So you say, and so it would seem. A man who has done no more than I have; who has suffered nothing; who has been idle and at ease as I have been, ought surely not to boast. And since there is such an evident impropriety in my boasting and speaking about myself, I will turn to another matter, and inquire whether the same thing may not be said about visions and revelations. I will speak, therefore, of a man who had some remarkable revelations, and inquire whether he has any right to boast of the favors imparted to him." This seems to me to be the probable interpretation of this passage.

To glory - To boast; 2 Corinthians 10:8, 2 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Corinthians 11:10. One of the charges which they alleged against him was, that he was given to boasting without any good reason. After the enumeration in the previous chapter of what he had done and suffered, he says that this was doubtless very true. Such a man has nothing to boast of.

I will come - Margin, "For I will." Our translators have omitted the word (γὰρ gar) for in the text, evidently supposing that it is a mere expletive. Doddridge renders it, "nevertheless." But it seems to me that it contains an important sense, and that it should be rendered by then. "Since it is not fit that I should glory, then I will refer to visions, etc. I will turn away then from that subject, and come to another." Thus, the word (γὰρ gar) is used in John 7:41. "Shall then μὴ γὰρ mē gar Christ come out of Galilee?" Acts 8:31. "How can I then τὼ tō; γὰρ gar except some man should guide me?" see also Acts 19:35; Romans 3:3; Philippians 1:18.

To visions - The word "vision" is used in the Scriptures often to denote the mode in which divine communications were usually made to people. This was done by causing some scene to appear to pass before the mind as in a landscape, so that the individual seemed to see a representation of what was to occur in some future period. It was usually applied to prophecy, and is often used in the Old Testament; see my note on Isaiah 1:1, and also on Acts 9:10. The vision which Paul here refers to was that which he was permitted to have of the heavenly world; 2 Corinthians 12:4. He was permitted to see what perhaps no other mortal had seen, the glory of heaven.

And revelations of the Lord - Which the Lord had made. Or it may mean manifestations which the Lord had made of himself to him. The word rendered "revelations" means properly an "uncovering" (ἀποκάλυψις apokalupsis, from ἀποκαλύπτω apokaluptō, to uncover), and denotes a removal of the veil of ignorance and darkness, so that an object may be clearly seen; and is thus applied to truth revealed, because the obscurity is removed and the truth becomes manifest.