Introductory remarks:
Paul continues with comfort to the Church at Corinth. "Paul describes his and his coworker's behavior, that they have been always careful and patient in trouble, proving themselves to be ministers of God. Paul tells the Corinthians that his love is complete towards them but loving other things restricts their love. He says they cannot live in harmony with unbelievers and that they should separate themselves" (A Survey of 2 Corinthians by - Brenda). This chapter may be outlined as follows: the ministry of reconciliation continued vv. 1-13: the temple of the living God vv. 14-18.
The Ministry of Reconciliation Continued
Verse 1, "We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain."
LGT "But working together [with Him], we also exhort you not to receive the grace of God in to no purpose."
But working together: the apostles were fellow-workers with God in giving out His grace doctrines. "With Him" is not in the original, but it is understood. We also can be sure that we are also fellow-workers, or partners with God, if we give the grace of God out as He intended, and never mix it with works. We also exhort you: this is an exclusive "we' in that Paul refers to himself and the other apostles. Not to receive the grace of God in to no purpose: the sacrifice of Christ on the cross; this ministry of reconciliation; the preaching of the grace of God, all serve to explain the complete grace ministry of Paul, urging all men to be reconciled to God. Paul says that if he adds anything to God's grace it serves absolutely to no purpose, and is an empty gospel.
Verse 2, "(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)"
LGT "For He says, In a time I listened to thee, and in a day of salvation I helped thee: Lo, [is the] time well-accepted, behold, now is [the] day of salvation."
Paul is quoting Isaiah 49:8. "The words are addressed to the servant of Jehovah (Isaiah), promising to invest him with spiritual power, that he may be a light to Israel and to others. Paul, taking the words in their Messianic sense, urges that now is the time when God thus dispenses His favor to Christ, and through Him to men. The application turns on the words acceptable time; a time in which God receives. As He receives, receive ye Him" (Vincent). God spoke to Isaiah in His prophetic mind of the coming of the Messianic Kingdom when Christ would rule over Israel and all the earth; here Paul makes use of this prophecy to urge men to accept the gospel of grace now, and not to put it off, for tomorrow may be too late.
Verse 3, "Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed."
LGT "Giving no occasion of stumbling in anything, that the ministry be not blamed."
Giving no occasion of stumbling in anything: Paul says that they, the ministers of the gospel of grace, present it so precisely that no one would be able to stumble over its meaning. Some commentators, such as McGee, like to make actions of the apostles, or as he says, minister's conduct, the reason for the stumbling; however, the context is that of presenting the grace doctrine of salvation that is in view, and as we learned previously, the Judaizers were confusing the issue of free grace by adding works, and this is the real reason for stumbling, because that is not salvation at all. That the ministry be not blamed: that is, the ministry the Lord Jesus began, and gave over to His chosen apostles, that not only preached the gospel of grace, but also left us the Word of God as our own to posses.
Verse 4, "But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses."
LGT "But in everything commending ourselves as God's servants, in much endurance, in tribulations, in necessities, in distresses."
But in everything commending ourselves: Paul states that he and the other apostles commend themselves in the ministry, and stand worthy through Christ to fulfill their mission; the ways in which they do this is stated in the next few verses. As God's servants: Paul says that they are simply servants of God and not someone to receive any praise whatsoever; if only the Roman church understood these verses, they could not flaunt themselves before the ignorant masses, highlighted by the actions of their most beloved Pope, who is nothing more than a pompous ass. In much endurance: staying power to endure whatever they experience. In the patient endurance in tribulations of all kinds. In tribulations: all types of trials that test their faith. In necessities: unavoidable stress and anxiety for want of simple day-to-day needs. In distress: the Greek word for "distress" means "in tight places" that is, very complex and physically disturbing situations.
Verse 5, "In stripes, in imprisonment, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fasting."
LGT "In stripes, in imprisonments, in instability, in labors, in watchings, in fastings."
In stripes, in imprisonments: (See Acts 16:23.ff.). In instability: commotion caused him by the preaching of the gospel of grace. In labors: labor in the gospel, and might also include the labor Paul did in tent making to support himself. In watchings: Paul slept very little for he was always on the lookout for enemies of the gospel. In fasting: I believe Paul is referring to going without food involuntarily. "Voluntary fasting would be out of place in this enumeration of difficulties" (Vincent).
Verse 6, "By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned."
LGT "In pureness, in knowledge, in longsuffering, in kindness, in [the] Holy Spirit, love unfeigned."
In pureness: Paul lived a pure life in fellowship with the Lord, and all these things happened to Him for Christ's sake; this should answer the question asked by the immature believer, 'Why do Christians suffer?' In knowledge: Paul proclaimed the pure gospel of grace, and he suffered repeatedly for it, and he knew it was Christ they hated, so it was for the sake of the pure gospel. In longsuffering: Paul kept his negative passions in check during all his trials. In kindness: Paul followed Christ's example of keeping his anger under control. In the Holy Spirit: the Holy Spirit produced all these divine traits in Paul, for the Holy Spirit inspired him in his ministry. In love unfeigned: this love unfeigned is true agape love; love that is genuine, unconditional, divine love, which can only be produced by the Holy Spirit.
Verse 7, "By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left."
LGT "In [the] Word of Truth, in [the] power of God: through the arms of righteousness on the right hand and left."
In the Word of Truth: by making known the Gospel of Grace. In the power of God: "The idea here is, the apostles used the great powers entrusted to them by God, not as impostors would have done, for the purposes of gain and ambition, or for vain display, but solely for the furtherance of the true religion, and the salvation of men. They thus showed that they were sent from God, as well by the nature of the powers with which they were entrusted, as by the manner in which they used them" (Barnes). Through the arms of righteousness on the right and left: the warriors in the armies had the spear in their right hand and the shield in the left prepared for battle, the apostles had the full armor of God, the Word of Truth, and were prepared for battle against Satan and his army.
Verse 8, "By honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true."
LGT "Through glory and dishonor, through evil report and good report: as deceivers and true."
Through glory and dishonor: the believers in the churches they founded would treat them with true honor, as their ministers in the gospel; however, those outside the church, who would oppose the gospel of grace, also treated them with dishonor. Through evil report and good report. The slander fired at them by rank unbelievers did not slow them down even a little in their proclaiming the gospel of grace, and the good report, did not puff them up into missing their mission of glorifying God in all that they do. As deceivers and true: they were treated as imposters by the Judaizers, and other false teachers, but were always vindicated by their true message, which is the Gospel of Grace.
Verse 9, "As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed."
LGT "As being unknown, and well-known, as dying, and lo we live; as disciplined, and not put to death."
As being unknown: not recognized by the false teachers that were saying that Paul was not a true apostle. And well-known: well-known by the believers who truly mattered. As dying: the apostles were constantly exposed to death threats and death situations. And lo we live: they are still around preaching the Gospel of Grace. As disciplined: this does not refer to the scourging that they received, but the trials that God allowed them to experience in order that they also might grow in grace. And not put to death: God allowed them to experience suffering, but not unto death. God was with them in every situation, so that all things worked together for their good.
Verse 10, "As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things."
LGT "As sorrowful, but always rejoicing; as poor, but enriching many; as having nothing, and all things possessing."
As sorrowful: sorrow at seeing so many reject the gospel of grace. But always rejoicing: seeing may accept the Gospel of Grace was reason for their rejoicing even among their sorrow. As poor: poor in these worlds' goods. But enriching many: enriching many with the wonderful Good News, seeing his spiritual children grow in grace. As having nothing: having no property nor have this world's goods. And all things possessing: of all things eternal they were rich indeed, for they were laying up true treasures in heaven, that is, eternal rewards in the form of crowns.
Verse 11, "O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged."
LGT "Our mouth has been opened to you, Corinthians; our heart has been expanded."
Our mouth has been opened to you: Paul has not kept back anything from these believers in the church at Corinth. Our heart has been expanded: the love that Paul had for the souls of the believers was divine in nature, and it was produced in him by the Holy Spirit, and the best way he could explain his feelings is to say that his heart is full for them.
Verse 12, "Ye are not straightened in us, but ye are straightened in your bowels."
LGT "Ye are not straightened in us, but ye are straightened in your bowels."
The word "straightened" is in antithesis [in direct opposition] to vs. 11 our heart has been enlarged. We are not limited by our affection for you, and you are also enlarged in your affection for us; the bowels refer to their inner affections.
Verse 13, "Now for a recompense in the same, (I speak as unto my children), be ye also enlarged."
LGT "But the same as recompense, (as to children I speak), be ye also expanded."
Paul says, "I speak to you as your spiritual parent", open your hearts to me as I have opened mine to you. I do not ask for silver or gold, but the return of your agape love, produced by the Spirit of God; this is all the recompense [reward] I ask for.
The Temple of the Living God
Verse 14, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?"
LGT "Be not diversely yoked with unbelievers: for what partnership [has] righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship light with darkness?"
Be not diversely yoked together with unbelievers: Paul is making a point here taken from the Old Testament of yoking an ass with an ox (Deut. 22:10). Paul's point being, yoking two different kinds of animals, one being clean, and the other unclean. This would include marriage of a believer with an unbeliever; of making a partnership in business; of socializing as friends. This does not mean that we are not to be friendly to unbelievers, it simply means we are not to fellowship with them; you see fellowship and socializing are two different things. We may go to the same places as the unbeliever, but we are not to enter into their social circles as if we are of the same mind. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness: if we spend too much time entertaining the unbeliever, we will end up going their way, and certainly not leading them our way. We believers are all declared righteous the moment we accept Christ, and Paul exhorts us "to come apart and be separate" (vs. 17). Or what fellowship light with darkness: Jesus Christ is the Light of the World, and every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ has this Light within them. The unbeliever is walking in darkness because he refuses this Light, and we have no fellowship with darkness. The believer has nothing spiritually in common with the children of darkness, so it only makes spiritual sense that we keep our fellowship confined to the family of God.
Verse 15, "And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?"
LGT "And what symphony of Christ with Belial? Or what part to a believer with an unbeliever?"
And what symphony of Christ with Belial: there is no agreement of Christ with Satan. The word for "concord" here is symphonesis, (sym - bring together, phonesis - sounds, which makes melodious sounds); so the word suggests harmony and not discord. Christ is the creator and sustainer of all good, while Satan is the father of lies and all evil. Or what part to a believer with an unbeliever: the word "unbeliever" is not just one who does not believe in Christ, but a disbeliever, that is, one who refuse to believe in Christ; the unbeliever may yet believe, the disbeliever refuses to believe; a good example of this type of rank unbelief is in that court jester, Bill Maher, as he presented his worldview of hatred of God on the O'Reilly Fox News show.
Verse 16, "And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."
LGT "And what agreement [has] a temple of God with idols? For we are a temple of [the] Living God. Just as God said: I will dwell and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be of Me a people."
Paul states here that idolatry has no part with God, for an idol is made with the hands of men out of things created by God. God creates, that is, brings into existence out of nothing; man makes, that is, brings into existence out of pre-existing matter, which God has already created out of nothing. Paul states that every believer is a temple of the Living God based upon His union with them through the indwelling presence of Christ and the Holy Spirit. The last part of this verse Paul is loosely quoting Lev. 27:11, 12; and Ezek. 37:27. As God promised Israel that He would be their God, it is yet to take place. Christ has become the Head of the True Church, because God's chosen people have rejected Him to this very hour. It will not be till after the Seven Years Tribulation for the Jews upon the earth that they will accept Christ as the Savior of the entire world.
Verse 17, "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you."
LGT "Wherefore, you all come out from the midst of them and be separated, says [the] Lord, and touch not [the] unclean: and I will receive you."
Paul is quoting Isaiah 52:11, 12, loosely. The thought he is getting across is that they were to keep themselves from idols, and not to make lasting relationships with the unbeliever. Believers are to separate themselves from the common world because of the evil influence. If we are to have perfect fellowship with the Lord it has to be on these terms of separation and not be unequally yoked with the world.
Verse 18, "And I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."
LGT "And I will be to you a Father, and ye shall be to Me for sons and daughters, says [the] Lord Almighty."
Paul says now that we are believers; we are sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty. What a wonderful family we belong to. If this is not a motivator to touch not the unclean thing, and allow the Holy Spirit to control our lives I don't know what can. We are royalty, and we are loved with the same divine love from God that He has for His only Begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. We are brothers of Christ and children of God; "Hallelujah! What a Savior."
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