2 Corinthians 6:3 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Giving, as far as in us lies, no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed On our account. But in all things Or in every respect; approving ourselves To our Divine Master and his church; as the ministers of God, in much patience Shown, 1st, In afflictions, necessities, distresses All which are general terms. 2d, In stripes, imprisonments, tumults Which are particular sorts of affliction, necessity, distress. 3d, In labours, watchings, fastings Voluntarily endured. All these are expressed in the plural number, to denote a variety of them. The first word, θλιψεις, Dr. Whitby understands to mean affliction in general: the second, αναγκαι, necessities, as signifying more grievous and unavoidable troubles; the third, στενοχωριαι, distresses, such pressures as reduce us to the greatest straits. In the first, several ways to escape may appear, though none without difficulty: in the second, one way only, and that a difficult one: in the last, none at all appears. In tumults The Greek word, ακαταστασιαι, implies such attacks as a man cannot stand against; but which bear him hither and thither by violence. In labours Incessantly pursued, either in our ministerial work, or in those secular callings by which we are often obliged to earn our daily bread. In watchings When, in the prosecution of our various employments, the hours of the night are added to those of the day: in fastings To which, besides those which devotion chooses, we are often obliged to submit, for want of proper supplies of food. By pureness Of conduct, and by keeping ourselves unspotted from the world; or by purity of the motives which animate us. By knowledge Of those divine truths, which it is our great business to teach others. Or, as some render the expression, by prudence; namely, that which is spiritual and divine: not that which the world terms so. Worldly prudence is the practical use of worldly wisdom: divine prudence, of spiritual understanding. By long-suffering Under affronts and injuries from the people of the world, and amid the weaknesses, failings, and faults of the people of God. By kindness Χρηστοτητι, gentleness, or goodness of disposition. By the Holy Ghost Directing, strengthening, supporting, as well as sanctifying us, and by the exercise of his miraculous gifts. By love unfeigned To God and man, manifested in all our words and actions. By the word of truth That sword of the Spirit, whereby we repel the tempter; or by preaching the gospel faithfully and zealously. By the power of God Attesting that word by divers miraculous operations, and rendering it effectual to the conviction and conversion of sinners; and which we know will render it finally victorious over all opposition. By the armour of righteousness The shield of faith, the helmet of hope, as well as the breastplate of righteousness; on the right hand and on the left On all sides; the panoply, or whole armour of God, even all Christian virtues. This is said in allusion to the armour of the ancients. For soldiers carried bucklers in their left hands, and swords and javelins in their right. The former were their defensive, the latter their offensive arms. Wherefore the apostle's expression denotes all the branches of righteousness whereby, in those difficult times, the ministers of the gospel were as effectually enabled to defend themselves, and overcome their enemies, as soldiers were to defend their bodies, and vanquish their foes, by the offensive and defensive armour which they wore.