2 Corinthians 6

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My Notes Authors Matthew Henry - Commentary on the Whole Bible The apostle proceeds to address himself more particularly to the Corinthians, and cautions them against mingling with unbelievers. Here observe, I. How the caution is introduced with a profession, in a very pathetic manner, of the most tender affection to them, even like that of a father to his children, v. 11-13. Though the apostle was happy in a great fluency of expressions, yet he seemed to want words to express the warm affections he had for these Corinthians. As if he had said, “O ye Corinthians, to whom I am now writing, I would fain convince you how well I love you: we are desirous to promote the spiritual and eternal welfare of all to whom we preach, yet our mouth is open unto you, and our heart is enlarged unto you, in a special manner.” And, because his heart was thus enlarged with love to them, therefore he opened his mouth so freely to them in kind admonitions and exhortations: “You are not,” says he, “straitened in us; we would gladly do you all the service we can, and promote your comfort, as helpers of your faith and your joy; and, if it be otherwise, the fault is in yourselves; it is because you are straitened in yourselves, and fail in suitable returns to us, through some misapprehensions concerning us; and all we desire as a recompense is only that you would be proportionably affected towards us, as children should love their father.” Note, It is desirable that there should be a mutual good affection between ministers and their people, and this would greatly tend to their mutual comfort and advantage.

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My Notes Authors

My Notes Authors John Calvin - Commentaries **For he saith, In an acceptable time. He quotes a prediction of Isaiah, exceedingly appropriate to the exhortation of which he speaks. It is without doubt of the kingdom of Christ that he there speaks, 576576 “Il ne faut point douter, que le Prophete ne parle du regne de Christ;” — “There is no room to doubt, that the Prophet speaks of the kingdom of Christ.” as is manifest from the context. The Father, then, appointing his Son a leader, for the purpose of gathering together a Church, addresses him in these words:

My Notes Authors John Calvin - Commentaries **Giving no offense We have already on several occasions remarked, that Paul sometimes commends the ministry of the gospel generally, and at other times his own integrity. 581581 “Tantost met en auaut la rondeur de sa conscience en la predication d’iceluy;” — “Sometimes he brings into view the uprightness of his conscience in the preaching of it.” In the present instance, then, he speaks of himself, and sets before us in his own person a living picture of a good and faithful apostle, that the Corinthians may be led to see how unfair they were in their judgment, in preferring before him empty blusterers. 582582 “Thrasones.” See Calvin on the Corinthians, vol. 1, p. 98, n. 1. For as they assigned the praise to mere pretences, 583583 “Ne faisans cas que de masques, c’est A dire, de l’apparence externelle;” — “Setting no value on anything but masks; that is to say, outward appearance.” they held in the highest esteem persons that were effeminate and devoid of zeal, while, on the other hand, as to the best ministers, they cherished no views but such as were mean and abject. Nor is there any reason to doubt, that those very things that Paul makes mention of to his own commendation, had been brought forward by them in part as a ground of contempt; and they were so much the more deserving of reproof, inasmuch as they converted into matter of reproach, what was ground of just praise.

My Notes Authors John Calvin - Commentaries **In much patience. The whole of the enumeration that follows is intended to show, that all the tests by which the Lord is accustomed to try his servants were to be found in Paul, and that there was no kind of test to which he had not been subjected, in order that the faithfulness of his ministry might be more fully established. 584584 “Afin que sa fidelite fust tant plus notoire, et la certitude de son ministere tant mieux approuvee;” — “In order that his faithfulness might be so much the better known, and the stability of his ministry so much the better approved.” Among other things that he enumerates, there are some that are under all circumstances required for all the servants of Christ. Of this nature are _labors, sincerity, knowledge, watchings, gentleness, love, the word of truth, the Spirit, the power of God, the armor of righteousness. _There are other things that are not necessary in all cases; for in order that any one may be a servant of Christ, it is not absolutely necessary, that he be put to the test by means of stripes and imprisonments Hence these things will in some cases be wanting in the experience of the best. It becomes all, however, to be of such a disposition as to present themselves to be tried, as Paul was, with stripes and _imprisonments, _if the Lord shall see meet.

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My Notes Authors John Calvin - Commentaries **By the armor of righteousness By_ righteousness_ you must understand — rectitude of conscience, and holiness of life. He employs the metaphor of armor, because all that serve God require to fight, inasmuch as the devil is always on the alert, to molest them. Now they must be completely armed, because, if he does not succeed in one onset, he thereupon makes a new attempt, and attacks them at one time from before, at another from behind — now on this side, and then on that. 593593 “Here the spiritual arms are not particularized; yet the terms τῶν δεξιῶν καὶ ἀριστερῶν, (on the right hand and the left,) are very comprehensive, referring to the complete armor and arms, on both sides, with which the ὁπλίτης, or completely armed soldier was furnished, who was thus said to be ἀμφιδέξιος (ambidexter.) Thus the general sense is: ‘We employ no other arms than the panoply of righteousness.’” — Bloomfield. — Ed.

My Notes Authors John Calvin - Commentaries **By honor and dishonor This is no slight test for subjecting a man to trial, for to a man of a noble spirit nothing is more unpleasant, than to incur disgrace. Hence we may observe in all histories, that there have been few men of heroism that have not fallen back, on being irritated by insults. 594594 “Il y en a eu bien peu, qui estans irritez des iniures et mauuais traittemens que on leur faisoit, ne se soyent descouragez, et n’ayent laissez leur train de vertu;” — “There have been very few of them, who have not, on being irritated by injuries and bad treatment shown them, felt discouraged, and left off their virtuous career.” Hence it is indicative of a mind well established in virtue, not to be moved away from one’s course by any disgrace that may be incurred — a rare virtue, but one without which you cannot show that you are a servant of God. We must, it is true, have a regard to good character, but it must be only in so far as the edification of our brethren requires it, and in such a way as not to be dependent on reports 595595 “Du bruit qu’on fera courir de nous;” — “On reports that may be circulated against us.” — nay more, so as to maintain in the same even course in _honor _and in _dishonor. _For God allows us to be tried even by the slander of wicked men, with the view of trying us, 596596 “Voulant essayer si nous cheminons droit settlement pour l’amour de luy, sans cercher autre recompense;” — “Wishing to try whether we walk aright, purely from love to Him, without seeking any other reward.” whether we act uprightly from disinterested motives; 597597 “Gratuito;” — “gratuitously.” — There can be no doubt, that Calvln has here in his eye Job 1:9 . “Doth Job fear God for nought?” The Hebrew word החנים (hachinnam,) is rendered in the Septuagint δωρεὰν — gratuitously for if one is drawn aside from duty by the ingratitude of men, that man shows that he had not his eye directed to God alone. As then we see that Paul was exposed to infamy and insults, and yet did not on that account stop short, but held forward with undaunted courage, and broke through every impediment so as to reach the goal, 598598 “Mesme faisant violence … tous empeschemens, est venu, comme par force, jusques au bout;” — “Even breaking violently through all impediments, came, as it were, by fource to the goal.” let us not give way, if the same thing should befall us.