Biblical commentary on the New Testament - The Christian ...

THE PAULINE EPISTLES. ItHt
a special commission to Cormtli. He hoped to be able to wait for
bim in Ephcsus, in order to receive an account of the troubled state
of affairs in the Corintbian church, and of the reception which his
Epistle encountered. But a sudden uproar created by Demetrius
the silver-smith (Acts xix. 24 seq.), who was himself injured in re-
spect to the gains which he derived from the sale of small silver
models of the celebrated temple of Diana at Ephesus, compelled
him to leave the city earlier than he wished. In Macedonia, however,
whither Paul immediately betook himself, he again met with
Titus, who then informed him particularly of the condition of the
church at Corinth, and the impression which his Epistle had produced.
This account induced the Apostle to wi-ite the Second
Epistle to the Corintliians, from Macedonia. The contents of
this other Epistle, which was written a few months after the first,
bear so cl(3se a relation to the contents of the first, that the identity
of the author is, thereby alone, made sufficiently evident. In
the second chapter, e. g., we find mention again of the incestuous
person, whom Paul had enjoined it upon the church to exclude from
communion with them. As he had now been excommunicated,
Paul speaks in his behalf, that he might not sink into utter despondency
(2 Cor. ii. 7). Of most importance, however, are the par-
ticular expressions in regard to those Jewish Christians who desolated
the Corinthian church as well as others. Titus had informed
the apostle with what an arrogant disposition they had received his
letter. Against these, therefore, he expresses himself with the utmost
severity, while he treats those who remained faithful to the
truth, with suavity and great kindness. In rebuking the perversity
of these Judaizers, he feels it necessary to speak of himself ; for
these proud sectaries not only rejected the apostolic authority of
Paul, but also sought by their calumnies to deprive him of the
honour of being the most successful labourer in our Lord's vineyard
"With noble plainness, therefore, Paul boasts of all that the Lord
had done for him and through him ; and the further removed this
plainness was from false humility, and the less he avoided giving
ground for the imputation of appearing arrogant and self-conceited,
the more likely was his account of himself to make an impression
upon all his opponents. We do not know definitely what effect this
Ejnstle produced upon the state of things at Corinth ; but, from the
subsequent flourishing condition of the Corinthian church, we may
with great probability infer that Paul's Epistle contributed essen-
tially to the annihilation of divisions. At all events, the Epistle is
60 completely Pauline, and harmonises so exactly with all known
historical circumstances, that its genuineness has never been con-
tested either in ancient or modern times.
What was not effected by the Epistle of Paul to the church of