2 Corinthians 13:5,6 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Examine yourselves, &c. You examine and try me, but let me admonish you to turn the search into your own hearts, that ye may know, with certainty, whether ye be in the faith Whether ye possess true and saving faith in Christ and his gospel, and are therefore true Christians. For if, on a strict inquiry, you find that you are, you will therein find a proof of my being a true apostle, as it is by means of my ministry that you are become such. Prove your own selves Whether ye be such as can, or such as cannot, bear the test, as the word δοκιμαζετε implies. Know ye not your own selves By your own sense and feeling; that Jesus Christ is in you By the enlightening, quickening, and sanctifying influences of the Spirit of truth and grace; is in you the hope of glory, Colossians 1:27; dwelleth in your hearts by faith, Ephesians 3:17; so that you are vitally united to him, have in you the mind that was in him, and walk as he walked. All true Christian believers know this by the witness and fruits of Christ's Spirit, see John 14:20; Romans 8:9-16. Some translate the words, Jesus Christ is among you; that is, in the church of Corinth; and understand them of the miraculous gifts, and the power of Christ which attended the censures of the apostle. Except ye be reprobates Αδοκιμοι, persons disapproved, or mere nominal Christians; and such as, whatever your gifts may be, will be finally rejected, as reprobate silver, that will not stand the touchstone. The reader will easily observe that this word, here rendered reprobates, and which, as has been observed, properly means persons disapproved, has no relation here, or anywhere else in Scripture, to any decree of God absolutely and unconditionally excluding a part of mankind from a capacity of salvation; but only denotes those who, through the rejection or abuse of divine grace, continue to render themselves unfit to be approved of God as his people, either now or at the day of judgment. “Thus they who, when they knew God, did not glorify him as God, but changed his truth into a lie, and worshipped the creature more than the Creator, are said (Rom 1:21-28) to be given up by God, εις νουν αδοκιμον, to a reprobate mind, which prompted them to do those things which God could not approve of, but abhor; and they who resisted the truth, through the corruption of their minds, are styled αδοκιμοι περι την πιστιν, that is, reprobates concerning the faith, 2 Timothy 3:8; that is, men whose faith cannot be owned or approved of by God. They also are in Scripture, as to their manners, styled reprobates, whose minds and consciences are defiled; so that though in words they profess to know God, yet in works they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and to every good work αδοκιμοι, reprobates, that is, void, not of judgment only to discern, but of affection to approve of it, Titus 1:16. Thus that earth is styled αδοκιμος, reprobate, or rejected, which, after all the showers which fall upon it, brings forth only thorns and briers, Hebrews 6:8; and that silver, αργυριον αδοκιμον, reprobate silver, which, being falsely stamped or coined, will not be received, but rejected, Proverbs 25:4; Isaiah 1:22. And in this sense St. Paul saith, he kept under his body, lest while he preached to others, he himself should be αδοκιμος, disowned and rejected by God, 1 Corinthians 9:27.” Whitby. But I trust, &c. But whatever be the case of any of you, I hope ye shall soon know that we are not reprobates Are not disapproved of God, have not lost our evidence of the divine presence and favour.