圣经注释书

第十二章概述 (公元57年)

本章中，使徒继续维护他使徒职分的尊荣。当有人贬损他的职分时，他便高举自己的职分。他所说称赞自己的话，不过是为自己的辩护，以及为维护他职事的尊荣所作的必要申辩——因为维护这尊荣对职事的果效是必需的。首先，他提到　神向他所示的恩惠、所赐的尊荣、　神为使他谦卑所用的方法，以及他如何运用这一安排（林后 12:1-10）。随后他转向哥林多人，责备他们中间的过失，并详尽地叙述自己的行为和向他们所怀的善意（林后 12:11-21）。

本章（哥林多后书第12章）延续前两章所讨论的同一总主题。使徒的总目标，是为自己辩护，脱离在哥林多加在他身上的指控，尤其是——看来如此——那说他不配使徒名分的指控。在前两章中，他已经回应了这些指控，表明他有正当的理由向他们放胆；表明他的人生已经显出他蒙召作这工的证据；特别是，他的成功与他的受苦都表明，他有证据显明自己实在是在作主耶稣的工。

本章包含以下主题。

1. 保罗诉诸另一个他从事使徒职分的证据——一个他的控告者们无一能诉诸的证据——就是他曾蒙准观看天上世界的荣耀（2 Corinthians 12:1-10）。在前一章，他提到了自己的试炼。在这里他说（2 Corinthians 12:1），他们既迫使他夸口，他就要提到他所领受的主的启示。于是他详述了数年前那次非凡的异象（2 Corinthians 12:2-4）：那时他被提到天上，蒙准观看那里的奇妙。然而他说，为了免得他因这非凡的显现象被高举得过高，他受了一次剧烈而特殊的试炼——他曾恳切祈求脱离这试炼，但所得到的答复是：神的恩典够他用的（2 Corinthians 12:5-9）。他说，正是鉴于这一点（2 Corinthians 12:10），他以软弱、以为救赎主所受的苦难为可喜乐的。

2. 随后（2 Corinthians 12:11-12）他总结前面所说的话；得出结论：他已经给出了他是使徒的每一种凭据；在一切关乎劳苦、忍耐和神迹的事上，他都显明自己是蒙救主差派的；尽管他以其特有的谦逊说自己算不得什么。

3. 随后他表达了自己要再来见他们的心意，以及到时不愿累着他们的打算（2 Corinthians 12:13-15）。他甘愿为他们劳苦，甘愿在不接受他们供应的情况下竭尽全力促进他们的福祉，因为他看自己如同他们的父亲，而儿女供养父母并非惯例。

4. 与此相关，他回答了针对自己的另一项指控。有人指控他诡诈：他虽然没有累着他们，却深谙手段，能不加重他们的负担、也不显得从他们有所领受，就得到自己所要的（2 Corinthians 12:16）。对此，他以事实回应。特别是，他诉诸提多在他们中间的行为，作为他绝无此种用意的充分证明（2 Corinthians 12:17-19）。

5. 在本章的结尾，他表示担心自己到他们那里去的时候，会发现许多叫他们羞愧、并给他机会施行严厉惩戒的事（2 Corinthians 12:20-21）。他显然是带着这顾虑说话，为要引导他们省察自己，除去一切不对的事。

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).

林后 12:1-21。

他本可引以夸口的启示：但他宁可夸自己的软弱，因软弱能显出基督的大能；他作使徒的凭据；他的不求己利；并非为自己向他们分诉，而是凡事都为他们的益处，免得他来时发现他们不如他所愿，因而不得不严厉待他们。

1. 他接着说明「夸自己的软弱」

（林后 11:30）。

他曾举一例，那例可能使他受讥笑

（林后 11:33）；

如今他再举一例，但这例与一次荣耀的启示相连，且是其后续：然而他不着重于自己所领受的荣耀，而是着重于随之而来的软弱，因这软弱彰显了基督的大能。最古的抄本读作：「我必须夸口（或夸耀），虽然并不合宜；因为我将要说明。」这「因为」证明了「夸口并不合宜」：我要举出启示的事为例——若在任何事上夸口可算为无害，那便是在启示上了。「异象」指所看见的事；「启示」指所听见的事（比较

撒上 9:15）

或以任何方式启示出来的事。在「异象」中，其含义并非总能赐下；在「启示」中，则总有从前隐藏之真理的揭开

（但 2:19, 31）。

圣经各部分同样都是默示的，但并非都是启示。启示有程度之分；默示则没有。

属乎——即来自主；基督，

林后 12:2。

我自夸固然无益——就是不好；不合我的身份。这话既可以指他感到并承认，他这样夸口不合宜；他这样作有失体统，尽管环境迫使他如此——几乎所有、乃至全部解经家都取这个理解；也可以按讽刺的意思来理解。"像我这样的人当然不该夸口。你们既这样说，事情也似乎如此。一个没有比我作得更多、没有受过什么苦、像我一样安逸闲散的人，实在不该夸口。既然我夸口、谈论自己如此明显地不合宜，我就转到另一个题目，看看论到异象和启示，岂不也可以说同样的话。因此，我要说到一个曾领受非凡启示的人，看看他对自己所领受的恩惠有什么权利夸口。"在我看，这大概是这段经文合宜的解释。

夸口——即夸耀自己；参 2 Corinthians 10:8, 2 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Corinthians 11:10。他们加给他的指控之一，就是说他喜好无故夸口。在上一章列举了他所作、所受的一切之后，他说，这话无疑很对。这样的人确实没有什么可夸的。

我要……说——旁注作："因为我要。"我们的译者在正文里省略了（γὰρ gar）"因为"一词，显然认为它只是一个虚词。多德里奇（Doddridge）译作："然而"。但在我看，这词包含重要的意义，当译作"那么"。"既然我不该夸口，那么我就要提到异象等。那么我就从那题目转开，转到另一个题目。"（γὰρ gar）一词在 John 7:41 就是这样用的："那么μὴ γὰρ mē gar，基督是出于加利利吗？"（Acts 8:31）"若没有人指教我，怎能τὼ tō; γὰρ gar明白呢？"另参 Acts 19:35; Romans 3:3; Philippians 1:18。

到……显现——"异象"一词在圣经中常用来指神通常向人传达默示的方式。这是借着使某个景象如画般掠过人心，以致当事人仿佛看见了一幅将要发生在将来某个时期之事的图景。它通常用于预言，且在旧约中常用；见我论 Isaiah 1:1 的注释，以及 Acts 9:10 的注释。保罗在这里所指的异象，是他蒙准观看天上世界的那次经历（2 Corinthians 12:4）。他蒙准看见的，也许是任何必死之人未曾见过的——天堂的荣耀。

和主的启示——即主所赐下的启示。也可以指主向他所作的关于他自己的显现。译作"启示"的这个词，本义是"揭开"（ἀποκάλυψις apokalupsis，源于ἀποκαλύπτω apokaluptō，揭开），指除去无知和黑暗的遮蔽，使对象得以清楚看见；因此用于指被启示的真理，因为朦胧既被除去，真理就显明了。