2 Corinthians 12:11-21 - "i Seek Not Yours, But You"
"The long burst of passionate self-vindication has now at last expended itself," says Dean Stanley, and Paul returns to the point whence he diverged at 2 Corinthians 10:7, where he was avowing his intention to repress the disobedience of those who still resisted his authority at Corinth. "Now," he says, "my folly is over. That I should have indulged in it is your fault, not mine." What a comfort it is that he lays such repeated stress on his weakness! Instead of complaining of it, he used it as an argument with Christ that He should put forth more grace, and as an argument with his converts, that the results of his work had been granted as the divine endorsement of his apostolate.
Paul felt that his paternal relation to this church gave him the right to rebuke them, as a father rebukes his children. But he realized that they did not reciprocate his love, probably because they permitted the evil things enumerated in the closing verses. Often moral obliquity accounts for the decline and failure of love. Among other things, they had even accused him of getting money, if not directly, yet through Titus. But there were worse things still that needed to be dealt with, 2 Corinthians 12:20-21. Would that we were more often humbled to the dust by the sins of our brethren! [source]
Chapter Summary: 2 Corinthians 12
1For commending of his apostleship, though he might glory of his wonderful revelations, 9yet he rather chooses to glory of his infirmities; 11blaming the Corinthians for forcing him to this vain boasting 14He promises to come to them again; but yet altogether in the affection of a father; 20although he fears he shall to his grief find many offenders, and public disorders there
Greek Commentary for 2 Corinthians 12:16
I did not myself burden you [εγω ου κατεβαρησα υμας] First aorist active of late verb καταβαρεω katabareō to press a burden down on one. Only here in N.T. [source]
Crafty [πανουργος] Old word from παν pan all, and εργο ergo to do anything (good or bad). Good sense is skilful, bad sense cunning. Only here in N.T. and Paul is quoting the word from his enemies. With guile (δολωι dolōi). Instrumental case of δολος dolos bait to catch fish with. The enemies of Paul said that he was raising this big collection for himself. Moffatt has done well to put these charges in quotation marks to make it plain to readers that Paul is ironical. [source]
With guile [δολωι] Instrumental case of δολος dolos bait to catch fish with. The enemies of Paul said that he was raising this big collection for himself. Moffatt has done well to put these charges in quotation marks to make it plain to readers that Paul is ironical. [source]
With guile [] Alluding to a charge that he availed himself of the collection for the poor to secure money for himself. He uses his adversaries' words. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 2 Corinthians 12:16
Romans 1:29Full of [μεστους] Paul changes from participle to adjective. Old adjective, rare in the N.T., like μεστοω mestoō to fill full (only in Acts 2:13 in N.T.), stuffed full of (with genitive). Five substantives in the genitive (πτονου phthonou envy, as in Galatians 5:21, πονου phonou murder, and so a paronomasia or combination with πτονου phthonou of like sounding words, εριδος eridos strife, as in 2 Corinthians 12:16, κακοητιας kakoēthias malignity, and here only in N.T. though old word from κακοητης kakoēthēs and that from κακος kakos and ητος ēthos a tendency to put a bad construction on things, depravity of heart and malicious disposition. [source]
3 John 1:7Taking nothing [μηδεν λαμβανοντες] Present active participle with the usual negative with participles (1 John 2:4).Of the Gentiles (απο των ετνικων apo tōn ethnikōn). Instead of the usual ετνων ethnōn (Luke 2:32), late adjective for what is peculiar to a people (ετνος ethnos) and then for the people themselves (Polybius, Diodorus, not in lxx), in N.T. only here, Matthew 5:47; Matthew 6:7; Matthew 18:17. Like our heathen, pagan. John is anxious that Christian missionaries receive nothing from the heathen, as our missionaries have to watch against the charge of being after money. There were many travelling lecturers out for money. Paul in 1 Cor 9 defends the right of preachers to pay, but refuses himself to accept it from Corinth because it would be misunderstood (cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:6.; 2 Corinthians 12:16.). Note απο apo here as in collecting taxes (Matthew 17:25) rather than παρα para which may be suggestive. [source]
What do the individual words in 2 Corinthians 12:16 mean?
Be it sohoweverInotdid burdenyoubutbeingcraftyby trickeryI caught
Greek Commentary for 2 Corinthians 12:16
First aorist active of late verb καταβαρεω katabareō to press a burden down on one. Only here in N.T. [source]
Old word from παν pan all, and εργο ergo to do anything (good or bad). Good sense is skilful, bad sense cunning. Only here in N.T. and Paul is quoting the word from his enemies. With guile (δολωι dolōi). Instrumental case of δολος dolos bait to catch fish with. The enemies of Paul said that he was raising this big collection for himself. Moffatt has done well to put these charges in quotation marks to make it plain to readers that Paul is ironical. [source]
Instrumental case of δολος dolos bait to catch fish with. The enemies of Paul said that he was raising this big collection for himself. Moffatt has done well to put these charges in quotation marks to make it plain to readers that Paul is ironical. [source]
Alluding to a charge that he availed himself of the collection for the poor to secure money for himself. He uses his adversaries' words. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 2 Corinthians 12:16
Paul changes from participle to adjective. Old adjective, rare in the N.T., like μεστοω mestoō to fill full (only in Acts 2:13 in N.T.), stuffed full of (with genitive). Five substantives in the genitive (πτονου phthonou envy, as in Galatians 5:21, πονου phonou murder, and so a paronomasia or combination with πτονου phthonou of like sounding words, εριδος eridos strife, as in 2 Corinthians 12:16, κακοητιας kakoēthias malignity, and here only in N.T. though old word from κακοητης kakoēthēs and that from κακος kakos and ητος ēthos a tendency to put a bad construction on things, depravity of heart and malicious disposition. [source]
See note on 1 Timothy 1:2 for this adjective with Timothy. Titus is not mentioned in Acts, possibly because he is Luke‘s brother. But one can get a clear picture of him by turning to 2 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Corinthians 7:6-15; 8:6-24; 2 Corinthians 12:16-18; Galatians 2:1-3; Titus 1:4.; Titus 3:12; 2 Timothy 4:10. He had succeeded in Corinth where Timothy had failed. Paul had left him in Crete as superintendent of the work there. Now he writes him from Nicopolis (Titus 3:12). [source]
Present active participle with the usual negative with participles (1 John 2:4).Of the Gentiles (απο των ετνικων apo tōn ethnikōn). Instead of the usual ετνων ethnōn (Luke 2:32), late adjective for what is peculiar to a people (ετνος ethnos) and then for the people themselves (Polybius, Diodorus, not in lxx), in N.T. only here, Matthew 5:47; Matthew 6:7; Matthew 18:17. Like our heathen, pagan. John is anxious that Christian missionaries receive nothing from the heathen, as our missionaries have to watch against the charge of being after money. There were many travelling lecturers out for money. Paul in 1 Cor 9 defends the right of preachers to pay, but refuses himself to accept it from Corinth because it would be misunderstood (cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:6.; 2 Corinthians 12:16.). Note απο apo here as in collecting taxes (Matthew 17:25) rather than παρα para which may be suggestive. [source]