11. ] Ye have approved yourselves to be clear. The Old Interpreter reads, “Ye have shown yourselves.” Erasmus renders it, “Ye have commended yourselves.” I have preferred a third rendering, which appeared to me to suit better — that the Corinthians showed by clear evidences, that they were in no degree participants in the crime, with which they had appeared, from their connivance, to have had some connection. What those evidences were, we have already seen. At the same time, Paul does not altogether clear them, but palliates their offense. For the undue forbearance, which they had exercised, was not altogether free from blame. He acquits them, however, from the charge of concurrence. (653) We must farther observe, that he does not acquit all of them without exception, but merely the body of the Church. For it may readily be believed, that some were concerned in it, and countenanced it; but, while all of them together were involved in disgrace, it afterwards appeared that only a few were in fault.
12. Wherefore if I wrote. He acts as persons are wont to do, that are desirous of a reconciliation. He wishes all past things to be buried, he does not any more reproach them, he does not reprove them for any thing, he does not expostulate as to any thing; in fine, he forgets every thing, inasmuch as he was satisfied with their simply repenting. And, certainly, this is the right way — not to press offenders farther, when they have been brought to repentance. For if we still
call their sins to remembrance, (Genesis 17:18,)
it is certain that we are actuated by malevolence, rather than by pious affection, or a desire for their welfare. These things, however, are said by Paul by way of concession, for, unquestionably, he had followed up the offense that he had taken, and had felt desirous that the author of this offense should be chastised, but now he puts his foot upon what had been in some degree offensive. “I am now desirous, that whatever I have written may be looked upon as having been written with no other view, than that you might perceive your affection towards me. As to all other things, let us now leave them as they are.” Others explain it in this way, — that he had not regard to one individual in particular, but consulted the common advantage of all. The former interpretation, however, is the more natural one.
Your concern for us. As this reading occurs very generally in the Greek versions, I have not ventured to go so far as to erase it, though at the same time in one ancient manuscript the reading is ἡμων, ( of us,) (654) and it appears from Chrysostom s Commentaries, that the Latin rendering (655) was more commonly received in his times even among the Greeks — that our concern for you might become manifest to you, that is, that it might be manifest to the Corinthians, how much concerned Paul was in regard to them. The other rendering, however, in which the greater part of the Greek manuscripts concur, is, notwithstanding, a probable one. For Paul congratulates the Corinthians on their having learned at length, through means of this test, how they stood affected towards him. “You were not yourselves aware of the attachment that you felt towards me, until you had trial of it in this matter.” Others explain it as referring to the particular disposition of an individual, in this way: “That it might be manifest among you, how much respect each of you entertained for me, and that, through the occurrence of this opportunity, each of you might discover what had previously been concealed in his heart.” As this is not of great moment, my readers are at liberty, so far as I am concerned, to make choice of either; but, as he adds at the same time, in the sight of God, I rather think that he meant this — that each of them, having made a thorough search, as if he had come into the presence of God, (656) had come to know himself better than before.
(653) “ Il les absout quant a ce qu’on lent pouuoit obiecter qu’ils auoyent consenti a ce mesfait;” — “He acquits them in so far as it might be alleged that they had concurred in that crime.”
(654) “Some (as Newcome and Wakefield) would read, from several MSS., and Versions, Fathers, and early editions, including that of R. Stephens τὴν σπονδὴν ὑπερ ἡμῶν, (your care for us) But though produces a sense, yet it is one far-fetched and jejune, which does not arise naturally from the subject, and is not so agreeable to the context. The external authority for the reading in question is but slender; the Ed. Princ., and the great bulk of the MSS., having ἡμῶν ὑπερ ὑμῶν, — our (care) for you. ” — Bloomfield. — Ed.
(655) The rendering of the Vulgate is as follows: “ Solicitudinem nostrum quam habemus pro vobis;” — “Our anxiety which we have for you.” Wiclif, (1380,) following, as usual, the Vulgate, renders it thus: “Our busynesse which we haw for you bifor God.” — Ed.
(656) “ Ne plus ne moins que s’il eust este deuant Dieu;” — “Neither more nor less than if he had been in the presence of God.”