2 Corinthians 1:9

2Co 1:9. Ἀλλὰ, but) i.e. nay; supply, for this reason we ourselves, etc.; that not, etc.—τὸ ἀπόκριμα) Hesychius says, ἀπόκριμα, κατάκριμα, ψῆφον. ἀποκρίνειν, to pass sentence on one condemned, to consider him as dead. The antithesis is trusting. Simonius takes a different view.—ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ, but in) illustrating the wonderful nature of faith in the greatest difficulties, which seem to have no means of escape.—ἐγείροντι, who raiseth) 1 Corinthians 15. He had written at great length on the resurrection of the dead; he now repeatedly touches on the same doctrine, and, taking for granted, that its truth is admitted by the Corinthians, urges its bearing upon their practice.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Co_1:9. Ἀλλά] is the simple but, the contrast of the negation contained in ἐξαπορηθῆναι, which contrast, nevertheless, no longer depends on ὥστε: the independent position makes it all the weightier. There is therefore the less ground for taking ἀλλά as nay indeed, with Hofmann, and making it point to the following clause of purpose, whereby the chief clause αὐτοὶ κ.τ.λ. would be arbitrarily forced into a position logically subordinateviz., if we ourselves, etc., it was to serve to the end, that we, et.

αὐτοὶ ἐν ἑαυτοῖς] for our own selves in our own consciousnessi.e. apart from what might take place from without, through divine interference, to cause a change in our position. This certainty in their own heart, however, could not but exclude all self-confidence; hence ἵνα μὴ πεποιθότες κ.τ.λ.

ἀπόκριμα] not equivalent to κατάκριμα (so most, following Hesychius), but to responsum (Vulgate, Billroth), the award, decision. Comp. ἀπόκρισις. So in Suidas (see Wetstein) and Josephus, Antt. xiv. 17 (in Kypke). Chrysostom says well: τὴν ψῆφον, τὴν κρίσιν, τὴν προσδοκίαν τοιαύτην γὰρ ἠφίει τὰ πράγματα φωνήν· τοιαύτην ἀπόκρισιν ἐδίδου τὰ συμβάντα, ὅτι ἀ̓ποθανούμεθα πάντως.

As to ἐσχήκ., observe the perfect habuimus, which represents the situation as present. Comp. on Rom_5:2.

ἵνα μὴ κ.τ.λ.] divinely appointed aim of the αὐτοὶ … ἐσχήκαμεν. Comp. 1Co_1:15.

τῷ ἐγείροντι τοὺς νεκρ.] is to be referred not only to the future awaking of the dead, but to the awaking of the dead in general, as that which is exclusively Gods doing. This characteristic of God is the ground of the confidence. For the awaker of the dead must also be able to rescue from the danger of death (2Co_1:10). Comp. Rom_4:17; Heb_11:19. See on Rom. l.c. Mira natura fidei in summis difficultatibus nullum exitum habere visis, Bengel. Hence Paul, in spite of the human ἐξαπορηθῆναι, 2Co_1:8, could yet say of himself, 2Co_4:8 : οὐκ ἐξαπορούμενοι.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Co 1:9 . ἀλλὰ αὐτοὶ κ . τ . λ .: nay, we ourselves had the sentence of death in ourselves; i.e. , the danger was so great that the sentence of death had been already pronounced, as it were. ἀπόκριμα might mean “answer,” as the Revisers translate it (they give sentence , with the A.V., in their margin); cf. the verb ἀποκρίνειν . But in the other places where this rare word is found ( e.g. , Jos., Ant. , xiv. 10, 6, and an inscription of 51 A.D., quoted by Deissmann, Neue Bibelstudien , p. 85) it stands for an official decision or sentence. Cf. κρίμα θανάτου , “the sentence of death” ( Sir 41:3 ). The tense of ἐσχήκαμεν is noteworthy; it seems to be a kind of historical perfect, used like an aorist ( cf. chap. 2Co 2:13 , 2Co 11:25 , Rev 5:7 ; Rev 8:5 , for a similar usage). ἵνα μὴ πεποιθότες κ . τ . λ .: i.e. , “the gravity of the danger was such as to impress upon me the vanity of putting my trust anywhere save in God, who has the power of life and death”. God can “raise the dead” (see chap. 2Co 4:14 ); much more can He bring back the dying from the gates of death.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

I was resolved within myself to die.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

But--"Yea."

in God which raiseth the dead--We had so given up all thoughts of life, that our only hope was fixed on the coming resurrection; so in Co1 15:32 his hope of the resurrection was what buoyed him up in contending with foes, savage as wild beasts. Here he touches only on the doctrine of the resurrection, taking it for granted that its truth is admitted by the Corinthians, and urging its bearing on their practice.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 9. We had the sentence of death in ourselves] The tribulation was so violent and overwhelming, that he had no hope of escaping death.

That we should not trust in ourselves] The tribulation was of such a nature as to take away all expectation of help but from GOD alone.

But in God which raiseth the dead] This is very like the business at Lystra; and would be sufficient to fix the apostle's reference to that fact could the time and other circumstances serve.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

9. Nay more, we had the sentence of death This is as though we should say — “I had already laid my account with dying, or had regarded it as a thing fixed.” He borrows, however, a similitude from those who are under sentence of death, and look for nothing but the hour when they are to die. At the same time he says, that this sentence had been pronounced by him upon himself, by which he intimates, that it was in his own view that he had been sentenced to death — that he might not seem to have had it from any revelation from God. In this sentence, therefore, there is something more implied than in the feeling of anxiety (ἐξαπορεῖσθαι) that he had made mention of, because in the former case there was despair of life, but in this case there is certain death. We must, however, take notice, chiefly, of what he adds as to the design — that he had been reduced to this extremity, that he might not trust in himself For I do not agree with what Chrysostom says — that the Apostle did not stand in need of such a remedy, but set himself forth to others as a pattern merely in appearance. For he was a man that was subject, in other respects, to like passions as other men — (James 5:17) — not merely to cold and heat, but also to misdirected confidence, rashness, and the like. I do not say that he was addicted to these vices, but this I say, that he was capable of being tempted to them, and that this was the remedy that God seasonably interposed, that they might not make their way into his mind.

There are, accordingly, two things to be observed here. In the first place — that the fleshly confidence with which we are puffed up, is so obstinate, that it cannot be overthrown in any other way than by our falling into utter despair. For as the flesh is proud, it does not willingly give way, and never ceases to be insolent until it has been constrained; nor are we brought to true submission, until we have been brought down by the mighty hand of God. (1 Peter 5:6.) Secondly, it is to be observed, that the saints themselves have some remains of this disease adhering to them, and that for this reason they are often reduced to an extremity, that, stript of all self-confidence, they may learn humility: nay more, that this malady is so deeply rooted in the minds of men, that even the most advanced are not thoroughly purged from it, until God sets death before their eyes. And hence we may infer, how displeasing to God confidence in ourselves must be, when for the purpose of correcting it, it is necessary that we should be condemned to death.

But in God that raiseth the dead As we must first die, in order that, renouncing confidence in ourselves, and conscious of our own weakness, we may claim no honor to ourselves, so even that were not sufficient, if we did not proceed a step farther. Let us begin, therefore, with despairing of ourselves, but with the view of placing our hope in God. Let us be brought low in ourselves, but in order that we may be raised up by his power. Paul, accordingly, having brought to nothing the pride of the flesh, immediately substitutes in its place a confidence that rests upon God. Not in ourselves, says he, but in God

The epithet that follows, Paul has adapted to the connection of the subject, as he does in Romans 4:17, where he speaks of Abraham. For to

believe in God, who calleth those things that are not, as though they were, and to hope in God who raiseth the dead,

are equivalent to his setting before him as an object of contemplation, the power of God in creating his elect out of nothing, and raising up the dead. Hence Paul says, that death had been set before his eyes, that he might, in consequence of this, recognize the more distinctly the power of God, by which he had been raised up from the dead. The first thing in order, it is true, is this — that, by means of the strength with which God furnishes us, we should acknowledge him as the Author of life; but as in consequence of our dulness the light of life often dazzles our eyes, it is necessary that we should be brought to God by having death presented to our view.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(9) We had the sentence of death in ourselves.—The word translated “sentence” (apokrima) does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament, nor indeed in the LXX. Literally, it means answer, and was probably a half-technical term, used in medical practice, which St. Paul may have adopted from St. Luke, expressing the “opinion” which a physician formed on his diagnosis of a case submitted to him. The Apostle had found himself in a state in which, so far as he could judge for himself, that opinion would have been against the prospect of recovery. He ceased to trust in himself, i.e., in any remedial measures that he could take for himself. He could only fold his hands and trust in God. Recovery in such a case was a veritable resurrection. It may be noted, however, that a cognate word (apokrisis) is frequently used by Hippocrates in the sense of a morbid or virulent secretion, and possibly the word here used may also have had that meaning. In this case, what he says would be equivalent to “We had the symptoms of a fatal disease in us.”

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9. sentence] The word thus translated occurs only here in the N. T. It is translated answer by Wiclif, Tyndale, and Cranmer: the word sentence having been adopted by our translators from the Geneva version. At that time, however, the word sentence had not quite the same meaning which it bears now, but had rather the force of the Latin sententia, opinion. See Act_15:19. The word signifies not the answer itself, but rather the purport of the answer, as though the result of the Apostle’s self-questionings had been a rooted persuasion, implanted from above, that, as he says in ch. 2Co_4:12, ‘Death worketh in us, but life in you,’ a rooted persuasion, that is, of the transitoriness of the natural life, of the permanence of the new life that comes from God. Cf. 1Co_4:9, especially in the Greek.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But we had the sentence of death in ourselves,.... By the sentence of death is meant, not any decree of heaven, or appointment of God that they should die; nor any sentence of condemnation and death passed on them by the civil magistrate; but an opinion or persuasion in their own breasts, that they should die; so far were they from any hopes of life, that they looked upon themselves as dead men, as the Egyptians did, when their firstborn were slain, and said, "we be all dead men", Exo 12:33, and to this extremity they were suffered to be brought by the wise counsel of God, for the following purposes, to learn to lay aside all self-trust and confidence:

that we should not trust in ourselves; in our strength, wisdom, and policy, to make our escape, and preserve our lives; and also to teach and encourage them to trust in God alone, and depend on his arm, on his almighty power:

but in God which raiseth the dead; who will raise the dead at the last day, and so is able to deliver persons when they are in the most distressed condition, and in their own opinion as dead men.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:

Ver. 9. But we had the sentence] Gr. Απολριμα, the answer or denunciation of death. Here we must distinguish between answers of trial and direct answers. This was of the former sort, for Paul died not at that time. When Leyden was so long and so strictly besieged by the Duke of Alva, that they were forced for their sustenance to search and scrape dunghills, &c., and the duke, in the language of blasphemy, threatened the defendants with cruel death, that very night the winds turned, the tide swelled, and the waters came in, and forced him to raise the siege.

That we should not trust] Hope is never higher elevated than when our state in all men’s eyes is at lowest.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But we had the sentence of death in ourselves - Margin, “answer.” The word rendered “sentence” (ἀπόκριμα apokrima) means properly an answer, judicial response, or sentence; and is here synonymous with verdict. It means that Paul felt that he was condemned to die; that he felt as if he were under sentence of death and with no hope of acquittal; he was called to contemplate the hour of death as just before him. The words “in ourselves,” mean, against ourselves; or, we expected certainly to die. This seems as if he had been condemned to die, and may either refer to some instance when the popular fury was so great that he felt it was determined he should die; or more probably to a judicial sentence that he should be cast to the wild beasts, with the certain expectation that he would be destroyed, as was always the case with those who were subjected to the execution of such a sentence.

That we should not trust in ourselves - This is an exceedingly beautiful and important sentiment. It teaches that in the time to which Paul refers, he was in so great danger, and had so certain a prospect of death, that he could put no reliance on himself. He felt that he must die; and that human aid was vain. According to every probability he would die; and all that he could do was to cast himself on the protection of that God who had power to save him even then, if he chose, and who, if he did it, would exert power similar to that which is put forth when the dead are raised. The effect, therefore, of the near prospect of death was to lead him to put increased confidence in God. He felt that God only could save him; or that God only could sustain him if he should die. Perhaps also he means to say that the effect of this was to lead him to put increased confidence in God after his deliverance; not to trust in his own plans, or to confide in his own strength; but to feel that all that he had was entirely in the hands of God. This is a common, and a happy effect of the near prospect of death to a Christian; and it is well to contemplate the effect on such a mind as that of Paul in the near prospect of dying, and to see how instinctively then it clings to God. A true Christian in such circumstances will rush to His arms and feel that there he is safe.

But in God which raiseth the dead - Intimating that a rescue in such circumstances would be like raising the dead. It is probable that on this occasion Paul was near dying; that he had given up all hope of life - perhaps, as at Lystra Act 14:19, he was supposed to be dead. He felt, therefore, that he was raised up by the immediate power of God, and regarded it as an exertion of the same power by which the dead are raised. Paul means to intimate that so far as depended on any power of his own, he was dead. He had no power to recover himself, and but for the gracious interposition of God he would have died.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The sentence. Literally, the answer of death, by which death seemed unavoidable; and this God permitted to teach us not to trust, or confide, in ourselves, but in him only, &c. (Witham)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

But we had the sentence of death in ourselves; we verily thought we should have been killed; and so it is expounded by the last words of the former verse,

we despaired even of life. And this God did to teach us, that we should, when we are in dangers, look above the creature, and have no confidence in created means, but only look up to him, who

raiseth the dead; as Abraham offered up Isaac, Heb 11:17-19, accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead. Abraham had a promise to bottom such a faith upon; God had told him: That in Isaac his seed should be called: so had Paul, God having revealed to him, that he had a farther work for him to do. So have not all Christians; we do not know our courses, nor what work God hath in his eternal counsels laid out for us, and therefore cannot be confident of deliverances in this life by the Almighty power of God; but yet we, under our greatest trials, may trust in God, who will certainly raise us from the dead; of which faith we have an instance in Job, Job 19:25-27. However, for our comfort in our distresses we may observe: That God, in his great deliverances of his people, useth to suffer them first to be brought to the greatest extremities; that in the mount of the Lord it may be seen, and that they may learn to know that their salvations are from him; more from his Almighty power, than from the virtue of any means they can use, though yet it be our duty to use what lawful means his providence affordeth us.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

9. Sentence—Well expressed by Alford: “We had in ourselves the response of death; that is, our answer within ourselves to the question ‘life or death?’ was ‘death.’ The Greek word may signify sentence or answer. being the answer given by a judge when his sentence or verdict upon the accused was asked.

Raiseth the dead—Esteeming his recovery as nearly a resurrection. And the greatness of the danger raised his thoughts from self to the Author of life.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But; perhaps rather, yea. The word strengthens the phrase, "were in utter perplexity." We had the sentence of death in ourselves. The original is more emphatic, "Ourselves in our own selves we have had." Not only did all the outer world look dark to me, but the answer which my own spirit returned to the question," What will be the end of it all?" was "Death!" and that doom still seems to echo in my spirit. The sentence; rather, the answer. The word is unique in the LXX and the New Testament. In ourselves. Because I seemed to myself to be beyond all human possibility of deliverance. That we should not trust in ourselves. There was a divinely intended meaning in my despair. It was meant to teach me, not only submission, but absolute trust in God. (see Jer_17:5, Jer_17:7) Which raiseth the dead. Being practically dead utterly crushed with anguish and despairing of deliverance I learnt by my deliverance to have faith in God as one who can raise men even from the dead.

The sentence of death in ourselves.

St. Paul had just recovered from a depression of spirit under which his frame, never very robust, had been bowed down almost to the grave. He was no Stoic. No spiritual man is. Regenerate life brings quickened sensibility. The new heart is both deep and rapid in its appreciations, and feels intensely both joy and sorrow. St. Paul had not lost faith or comfort in his distress. Tie trusted in the living and life-giving God. All spiritual men find that faith thrives when they have to endure hardness. If they occupy places of ease or walk on sunny heights, they look down into the sorrows of life and call them dark and dismal. But when their path lies through the valley on which death shadows fall, they lift their eyes to the hills whence help comes. The hills are near and strong, and the sky above reveals its golden stars. It is in houses of comfort that we often find doubt and discontent; but Divine serenity floats over the tried saints, and the secret prayers of God"s stricken ones have the sweetest tones of hope. The reason of this is not obscure. If your chamber is full of light by night, and you look out through the window, you discern little or nothing all is dark. But if your chamber be in darkness, and you look forth, you see the moon and stars ruling the night, the trees standing as solemn sentinels in the valley, and the mountain casting a broad shadow on the sea. So, when you have worldly ease and pleasure, heavenly things are very dim to you. But, when the world is darkened, heaven brightens, and you trust in God who raises the dead. There is a heathen conception of death which makes all vigorous limb shrink and recoil. Tim dead are thought to go away into a mournful stillness, or move through the air and haunt lonely places, as pallid shades or ghosts. There is also a Hebrew conception of death which sufficed in the time of the Old Testament, but falls quite short of what is now brought to light by the gospel (see Psa_115:17; Isa_38:18, Isa_38:19) But Christ has delivered from the fear of death. Every believer in Christ may enter into the consolation of St. Paul. If he is in sickness and has a sentence of death in himself, or sees that sentence written on the wan countenance of one whom he loves, he is not without a strong solace. It is not the mere philosophical tenet of the immortality of the soul, which implies an endless being, but by no means attains to the Christian doctrine of eternal life. It is faith in God who raises the dead. Father Abraham had this comfort when he strode up the hill, with the knife to slay and the fire to consume in sacrifice his dear son, "accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure." We read of certain Hebrew women who through faith "received their dead brought to life again." We remember one instance in the ministry of Elijah, and another in that of Elisha. In those times it was an object to live long in the land which Jehovah God had given to his people; and so it was a blessed resurrection to be restored so as to prolong one"s days on the earth. In the beginning of the gospel a few such cases are reported. We allude to the ruler"s daughter, the widow"s son, Lazarus, and Tabitha or Dorcas. But the gospel being fully unfolded, and the hope laid up in heaven made known, there are no more instances of restoration to mortal life. To depart out of the world and be with Christ is far better than to remain in it. So the resurrection for which we wait is that of the just at the appearing of Jesus Christ. When we believe in God who raises the dead, the first and chief reference is to his having raised up the slain Jesus (see Rom_4:24 Rom_10:9; 1Co_15:15) This is in the very heart of the gospel, and this carries with it the sure and certain hope of the resurrection of "the dead in Christ." "God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power." The sentence of death which St. Paul had felt was not executed till years had passed; but it was well to be forearmed. Ere long, warned or unwarned, we all must endure death, if the Lord tarry. And before we die we may have to see the sentence carried out in others whom we love and for whom we must go mourning. There is no help in facing death but that which comes of faith; there is no comfort in regard to those who have endured it but in the belief that they are already with God, "breathers of an ampler day," and in the hope that he will raise them up complete and glorious at his coming. F.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Yea, we had the sentence of death in ourselves - We ourselves expected nothing but death.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Observe here, The great and imminent danger which the apostle was in: his very life was in a hazard, nay, even despaired of; he looked upon himself as a dead man: but when he had thus sentenced himself, a divine power, which wrought above all his thoughts and rational conjectures, reprieved him, and revived him.

Hence learn, that the almighty power of God sometimes works beyond all creature expectations, beyond all human probabilities, beyond all rational conjectures, to help and deliver his people in hopeless and helpless trouble.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

yea, we ourselves have had the sentence [or answer] of death within ourselves [i. e., when we asked ourselves, "Can we possibly live?" we were compelled in our hopelessness to answer, "No; we must die"], that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raiseth the dead:

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

9. We had the sentence of death in ourselves. The meaning seems to be that he felt that the time had come for him to die, and his reprieve from death was, as it were, a resurrection from death by the providence of God.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

9. ἀλλὰ αὐτοὶ ἐν ἑαυτοῖς τὸ ἀπόκριμα τοὺ θανάτου ἐσχήκαμεν. Nay, we ourselves within ourselves have got the answer of death. ‘When we asked whether it was to be life or death for us, our own presentiment said, death.’ The ἀλλά does not mark opposition, but confirms what precedes: ‘you may disbelieve this, but more than this is true’: comp. 2Co 8:7, 2Co 10:2; Joh 16:2. The A.V. has ‘sentence’ in the text and ‘answer’ in the margin; the R.V. transposes. Josephus and Polybius use ἀπόκριμα for a decision of the Roman Senate; and in an inscription dated A.D. 51, and therefore about the time of this letter, it is used of the decisions of the Emperor Claudius (Deissmann, Bible Studies, p. 257). Therefore ‘sentence’ or ‘verdict’ is admissible, although ‘answer’ is perhaps correct. Chrysostom gives as equivalents, τὴν ψῆφον, κρίσιν, τὴν προσδοκίαν … τὴν ἀπόφασιν. The Vulgate has responsum. The word occurs nowhere else in Biblical Greek. With the perfect, ἐσχήκαμεν, which vividly recalls the situation and prolongs it into the present, comp. 2Co 2:13 and 2Co 7:5.

ἵνα μὴ πεποιθότες ὦμεν ἐφʼ ἑαυτοῖς. This was God’s purpose in sending the presentiment of death: comp. 2Co 4:7; 1Co 1:15. For the periphrastic perfect comp. Joh 16:24; Joh 17:19.

τῷ ἐγείροντι τοὺς νεκρούς. Present participle: He continually raises the dead, and a fortiori can rescue from death (Rom 4:17). Thus the ἐξαπορηθῆναι of 2Co 1:8 becomes the οὐκ ἐξαπορούμενοι. of 2Co 4:8. This passing mention of the doctrine of the resurrection (2Co 4:14, 2Co 5:10), which had been impugned at Corinth (1Co 15:12), is perhaps intentional.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9.] ἀλλά, moreover,—carries on and intensifies the description of his hopeless state.

We had in ourselves the response of death, i.e. our answer within ourselves to the question, ‘Life or Death?’ was, ‘Death.’ So Vulg., Estius, Billroth, Rückert, Meyer, De Wette.

τ. ἀπόκρ. may perhaps mean, the ‘sentence,’ as : ἀπόκριμα, κατάκριμα, ψῆφον,—and most Commentators. The perfect ἐσχήκαμεν is here (see also ch. 2:12, 13) in a historical sense, instead of the aorist: which is unusual. Winer, edn. 6, § 40. 4 (see Moulton’s note 4, p. 340), illustrates the usage by ἦλθεν καὶ εἴληφεν (τὸ βιβλίον), Rev 5:7: see also Rev 8:5.

ἵνα μὴ …] very similarly ch. 4:7, ἔχομεν δὲ τὸν θησαυρὸν τοῦτον ἐν ὀστρακίνοις σκεύεσιν, ἵνα ἡ ὑπερβολὴ τῆς δυνάμεως ᾖ τοῦ θεοῦ, καὶ μὴ ἐξ ἡμῶν.

τῷ ἐγ. τ. νεκρούς] Our thoughts were weaned from all hope of surviving in this life, and fixed on that better deliverance which God shall work when He raises us from the dead.

To see in this expression merely a figure (De W.), and understand ‘Who raiseth the dead’ as = ‘Who delivers men from peril of their lives?’ because such peril is below and elsewhere (ch. 11:23) called θάνατος,—is surely very forced. Understanding it literally as above, I cannot see how it can be spoken with reference to the Ephesian tumult. If it alludes to any external danger, I should be disposed to refer it to the same obscure part of Paul’s history to which he alludes 1Co 15:32, where he also speaks of the hope of the resurrection as his great support. But there would be this objection, that these two passages can hardly refer to the same event; this evidently had taken place since the sending of the first Epistle.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9. ἀλλὰ αὐτοὶ ἐν ἑαυτοῖς Cf. Rom 8:23. ‘Nay, we ourselves had the sentence of death within ourselves.’* We may render ἀλλά either ‘Nay,’ i.e. ‘It may seem incredible, but,’ or ‘Yea,’ i.e. ‘One may put the matter still more strongly.’ The ἀλλά confirms what has just been said (7:11, 8:7, 10:4), and is equivalent to our colloquial, ‘Why.’ In his own mind the Apostle was convinced that in all human probability his hours were numbered.

With ἐσχήκαμεν comp. ἔσχηκα (2:13), πεποίηκα (11:25), πεποίηκεν (Heb 11:28). Here we might explain the perf. as expressing the permanent effects of the ἀπόκριμα as vividly recalling the moment when the ἀπόκριμα was recognized. But there seems to be a “purely aoristic use of the perfect.” (Winer, p. 340), especially in late Greek. In Rev. v. 7 we have aor. and perf. combined, and the same in reverse order in Rev 3:3, Rev 8:5, Rev 11:17. See J. H. Moulton, pp. 143-146; Blass, §59. 4.

Both AV and RV. express doubt whether ‘sentence’ or ‘answer’ is the better translation of ἀπόκριμα. Vulg. has responsum. The word occurs nowhere else in Biblical Greek, but Josephus and Polybius use it for a decision of the Roman Senate; and Deissmann (Bible Studies, p. 257) quotes an inscription dated a.d. 51 in which ἀπόκριμα is used of a decision of the Emperor Claudius. Both Chrys. and Thdrt. use τὴν ψῆφον as an equivalent, to which Chrys. adds τ. προσδοκίαν and τ. ἀπόφασιν Cf. ὦ θάνατε, καλόν σου τὸ κρίμα ἐστίν, and μὴ εὐλαβοῦ κρίμα θανάτου (Ecclus. 41:2, 3).

ἵνα μὴ πεποιθότες ὦμεν ἐφʼ ἑαυτοῖς. A thoroughly Pauline touch. He has told us of one Divine purpose in sending afflictions and comfort, viz. to train him for administering comfort to others who are in affliction (v. 4). Here he tells us of another. Suffering of great intensity has been sent to prove to him his own helplessness, and to teach him to trust in God, who has the power of life and death (2Ki 5:7), and can not only recover the dying but restore the dead (4:14; Rom 4:17). We need not water down ἵνα into a mere equivalent to ὥστε: the telic force is quite in place here. This dreadful trial was sent to him in order to give him a precious spiritual lesson (12:7-10).

τῷ ἐγείρότι. Timeless present participle expressing a permanent attribute, like ὁ παρακαλῶν in v. 4. Cf. Heb 11:19, where δυνατός (not δύνατοι) gives a Divine attribute. In such extreme danger and dread, human aid was worthless; real relief could come only from Him who had power to raise the dead: and to be rescued from so desperate a condition was almost a resurrection. Bousset refers to the “Eighteen-petition-prayer” of the Jews, the Schmone-Esre or chief prayer which each Jew ought to say thrice daily. It really contains nineteen petitions, as Schürer (Gesch. d. Jüd. Volk. ii. pp. 460-462, 3rd ed. 1898) has shown. In the second petition we have, “Thou art almighty for ever, O Lord, for Thou makest the dead to live. Thou art mighty to help, Thou who sustainest the living through Thy mercy, and makest the dead to live through Thy compassion. … Who is like unto Thee, O King, who killest and makest alive and causest help to spring up. And true art Thou in making the dead to live.” This is the great mark of Divine power—restoring the dead to life. Chrys. thinks that it is mentioned here because the possibility of resurrection was questioned at Corinth (1Co 15:12). But the mention is quite natural, without any polemical purpose. A reflexion on Corinthian scepticism is more probable in 4:14 and 5:15. Thdrt. and some others weaken the meaning greatly by substituting ἐγείραντι for ἐγείροντι, as if it referred to the single act of raising Christ from the dead. Even in Deo qui suscitat mortuos (Vulg.) is not quite adequate: in Deo mortuorum resuscitatore is the full meaning. Of the whole clause, ἵνα μὴ κ.τ.λ., we may admit that facit locus iste contra eos qui suis aliquid meritis tribuere praesumunt (Pseudo-Primasius).

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Sentence of death [αποκριμα του θανατου] . Apokrima, occurs only here in the New Testament, and not in classical Greek nor in the Septuagint. In the latter the kindred words have, almost uniformly, the meaning of answer. Josephus used it of a response of the Roman senate. Sentence, which occurs in some inscriptions, if a legitimate rendering at all, is a roundabout one, derived from a classical use of the verb ajpokrinw to reject on inquiry, decide. Rev., therefore, correctly, answer of death. The sense is well given by Stanley : "When I have asked myself what would be the issue of this struggle, the answer has been, 'death." ' Doth deliver [ρυεται] . The correct reading is rJusetai will deliver, Rev.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.