2 Corinthians 13:3

2Co_13:3-5

Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me.

The proof of our ministry

Notice--

I. Gods method of operation in the Church by His appointed servants.

1. The rebellious Corinthians had spoken ill of the apostle as lacking in power: his personal presence was not commanding, his speech was not fascinating. Paul does not deny the charge, but declares the general principle of power in weakness, by which the Lord conducts the gospel dispensation.

(1) Life, born of death, is the life of our souls (2Co_13:4). By assuming our weakness Christ gained the power to act as our substitute, and put away our sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Because of His being obedient to death, even the death of the Cross, God also hath highly exalted Him, etc. By this sign He conquered: the ensign of His Cross is the seal of victory. It is Himself thus slain which is His power to pardon and to save.

(2) Our Lords power over our hearts comes by His great love, and this matchless manner of His showing it. Stooping so low to save such unworthy ones He conquers our hearts. His dying love has begotten living love within us.

2. Why did Paul interject this teaching? To show us that God does not save by the strength of His ministers, but by their weakness.

(1) Paul was willing to lose all personal honour, though, in truth, not a whit behind the chief of the apostles. We have this treasure in earthen vessels, etc. He cheerfully sank that his Lord might be exalted.

(2) In those days there was a great liking for philosophy. But Paul determined not to know anything among them save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. But at least, they said, what he has to say ought to be delivered with the graces of oratory. No, says Paul, my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of mans wisdom: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

(3) He might have come among them and said, I am an apostle; I have supreme power over churches; out of this Church I shall eject offenders without any question; yet he never used such authority; on the contrary he was the servant of all, gentle, unselfish. If any one was grieved, Paul was grieved with him; if any suffered trial, Paul was tried. Thus he was a power among them. By laying aside authority he became mighty to influence them for good. All who desire to be useful must learn that in self-sinking their usefulness will be found. He who becomes least is greatest of all. When I am weak, then am I strong.

II. The sure proof of power; the indisputable evidence of any ministers call from God to preach the gospel.

1. Ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me.

(1) He did not care about what they thought of his own speaking; but he was greatly concerned that they should not think lightly of the Lord Jesus who spoke in him.

(2) Further, the apostle declares that even the power of the living Christ is the power of God. Our Lord kept nothing to Himself, but His weakness through which He was crucified, for He liveth by the power of God. Such must be the power of every Christian worker.

(3) Then, says Paul, If you want a proof of Christs speaking in me with power, look at yourselves. He says elsewhere, Ye are our epistle. Ye are Gods husbandry, and the test of how far our husbandry has been the Lords husbandry must be found in your fruitfulness. The proof that Christ really doth speak by us is that He has wrought by that speaking in you after such a fashion as proves the doctrine to be Divine. Your souls are the seals of Christs power. If ye seek any proof of Christ speaking by me, ye have it in your--

1. Conversion. When the chief priests and scribes saw the man that was healed standing with Peter and John, they could say nothing against them. Conversion proves that He by whose means it was wrought was sent by God.

2. Comfort. If by our speaking the Lord strengthens your weak hands and confirms your feeble knees, He points us out to you as His messengers.

3. Correction. Have you not sometimes felt your hearts turned inside out, as if the spirit of burning were scorching and purging you? Was not that of the Lord?

4. Conduct. My heart sinks within me when I hear of some who have been numbered with us. Do people say, These are members of Spurgeons church? You are either our joy and crown, or else our sorrow and dishonour. You must estimate whether a man farms well by the crops which he raises. True you cannot condemn him if a few thorns and thistles spring up in the hedgerows, but if there is a preponderance of weeds, everybody says, This is wretched farming.

5. Consecration. When your zeal burns, when you speak by the power of the Holy Ghost, then again I can say, seek ye a proof of Christ speaking by me? You are my witnesses inasmuch as by our word you have been stirred up to speak in the power of the Holy Ghost for the winning of souls.

6. Completion of the Christian character, and the display of it in the last hours. I have come down many times from the chamber of dying Christians with faith confirmed and joy increased. No dying man has looked me in the face and said, Sir, you did not preach a religion which a man can die with.

III. A needed proof of ourselves.

1. Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith. It is something to have our ministry attested, but it is much more to have your salvation attested.

(1) Therefore you are not to take it for granted that you are saved. In London years ago every shop had its sign, and they had a saying that the house which had the sign of the sun in a certain street was darker than any other. So there are some who have grace for their sign, but no sign of grace. To have a name to live is a wretched thing, if we be really dead

(2) Of course we are to examine our lives, but he says, Examine yourselves. Sin within will ruin even if it be not seen in act. Of course we are to examine our doctrines, but even more we are to examine ourselves. Heart error is more deadly than head error.

(3) Prove your own selves. Pry deeper. You have already given yourself a sifting; take a finer sieve and go to work again. You have already been in the crucible--go in again, and become as silver tried in a furnace purified seven times. A man cannot make too sure work about his own salvation. But can we not be certain of our safety? Yes, we can: but certain because we have not shunned the most rigorous self-examinations.

2. And what is to be the point of search? Whether ye be in the faith, whether what ye believe is true, and whether you truly believe it.

3. Dwell mostly on this point, Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? Is Jesus Christ in you? I know all about Him. Yes, but is He in you? I read of Him. Read on, but is He in you? (C. H. Spurgeon.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3. Since—The 2Co_13:3-8 must be taken as a separate paragraph, with a period (and not a colon, as in the English version) at close of 2Co_13:2. The key-word running through the passage, δοκιμη, test, in its different forms, is unhappily translated in our version without due uniformity. The connexion between 2Co_13:3; 2Co_13:5 is: Since ye seek a test of me—Test your own selves. From which, inclusive to you, 2Co_13:4, is a parenthesis. The word proof or test, 2Co_13:3, reappears in prove, 2Co_13:5, and in reprobates, test-condemned, in 2Co_13:5-7. The thought running through the whole is, Since you are putting my apostleship to the test, see that your own genuineness, as Christians, can stand the test.

Proof of Christ speaking in me—They, the Christine influence in Corinth, were putting St. Paul’s authority from Christ to experiment. Christ speaking in me is a very intense declaration of his own inspiration from Christ. It claims that his own apostolic words are Christ’s words.

Which—Who, referring to Christ. The Christ speaking in me… is not weak, but mighty in his announcements, threatenings, and sentences of judgment, toward (not in) you.

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

13:3-4 Christ speaks through me: Paul represented Christ to the Corinthian congregation, and he would exercise God’s power in dealing with them. • Paul’s weakness was patterned on the humiliation of Christ, who was crucified in weakness (see 8:9). Paul’s judgment on the sinners would be tempered by the constraint of Christ’s love (5:14-21). • We, too, are weak: Paul’s humanity was frail, yet he could draw on Christ’s strength (12:10).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

2Co 13:3. Δοχιμὴν ζητεῖτε, ye seek a proof) A metonymy for, you provoke me; you tempt me; you desire to find out what I am; see 2Co 13:5 [ἑαυτοὺς δοκιμάζετε, prove your own selves].—δοκιμὴ has its conjugates in 2Co 13:5-6 [ἀδοκιμοι].—τοῦ Χριστοῦ) i.e., whether Christ is speaking in me. The Corinthians had doubts; he presently proves that they ought not to doubt.—εἰς ὑμᾶς, ἐν ὑμῖν, to you-ward, in you) The particles differ; see ch. 2Co 10:1—οὐκ ἀσθενεῖ, is not weak) by me and this very epistle.[91]—δυνατεῖ) The ardour of his mind produced this new word by a paraphrase in respect to ἀσθενεῖ.

[91] [Christ, who] is not weak towards you, as far as I and this very epistle can effect.—ED.

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

2Co_13:3. I will not spare you; for ye in fact will not have it otherwise! Ye challenge, in fact, by your demeanour, an experimental proof of the Christ that speaks in me. Thus ἐπεί, before which we are to conceive a pause, annexes the cause serving as motive of the οὐ φείσομαι, that was under the prevailing circumstances at work. Emmerling begins a protasis with ἐπεί, parenthesizes ὃς εἰς ὑμᾶς κ.τ.λ., and the whole fourth verse, and regards ἑαυτοὺς πειράζετε in 2Co_13:5 as apodosis. So, too, Lachmann, Olshausen, Ewald, who, however, treat as a parenthesis merely 2Co_13:4. This division as a whole would not yield as its result any illogical connection, for, because the readers wish to put Christ to the proof, it was the more advisable for them to prove themselves. But the passage is rendered, quite unnecessarily, more complicated and cumbrou.

ἐπεὶ δοκιλὴν ζητεῖτε κ.τ.λ.] That is, since you make it your aim that the Christ speaking in me shall verify Himself, shall give you a proof of His judicial working. To take τοῦ … Χριστοῦ as genitive of the subject (comp. 2Co_9:13; Php_2:22) better suits the following ὃς καὶ ὑμᾶς κ.τ.λ., than the objective rendering (Billroth and Rückert, following older expositors): a proof of the fact that Christ speaks in me.

ὃς εἰς ὑμᾶς οὐκ ἀσθενεῖ κ.τ.λ.] who in reference to you is not impotent, but mighty among you. By this the readers are made to feel how critical and dangerous is their challenge of Christ practically implied in the evil circumstances of the church (2Co_12:20 f.), for the Christ speaking in the apostle is not weak towards them, but provided with power and authority among them, as they would feel, if He should give them a practical attestation of Himself. A special reference of δυνατεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν to the miracles, spiritual gifts, and the like, such as Erasmus, Grotius,[394] Fritzsche,[395] de Wette, and others assume, is not implied in the connection (see especially 2Co_13:4); and just as little a retrospective reference to 2Co_10:10 (Hofmann).

Of the use of the verb ΔΥΝΑΤΕῖΝ no examples from other writers are found, common as was ἈΔΥΝΑΤΕῖΝ. Its use in this particular place by Paul was involuntarily suggested to him by the similar sound of the opposite ἀσθενεῖ. Yet he has it also in Rom_14:4; as regards 2Co_9:8, see the critical remarks on that passag.

ἘΝ ὙΜῖΝ] not of the internal indwelling and pervading (Hofmann), which is at variance with the context, since the latter has the penal retribution as its main point; but the Christ speaking in Paul has the power of asserting Himself de facto as the vindex of His word and work in the church, so far as it is disobedient to Him and impenitent.

[394] Grotius: Non opus habetis ejus rei periculum facere, cum jampridem Christus per me apud vos ingentia dederit potentiae suae signa.

[395] Fritzsche, Diss. II. p 141: qui Christus χαρίσματα largiendo, miracula regundo, religionis impedimenta tollendo, ecclesiam moderando, ipse vobis se fortem ostendit. This emphatic ipse is imported,which arose out of Fritzsches regarding the apostle, not Christ, as the subject of δοκιμήν.

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 13:3 . ἐπεὶ δοκιμὴν κ . τ . λ .: seeing that ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me ( cf. Mat 10:20 ), i.e. , a proof that I am really an “Apostle” with a “mission” from Christ to speak in His Name. This last thought leads him into a short digression. “He who has thus commissioned me is not weak, but strong, and this paradoxical strength in weakness is mine also” (2Co 13:3 b , 2Co 13:4 ). ὃς εἰς ἡμᾶς κ . τ . λ .: who is not weak in relation to you, sc. , as you think me to be (2Co 10:10 , 2Co 11:21 ), but is powerful in your midst . And this is true for two reasons: ( a ) because of His Resurrection, as the Victor over Death; ( b ) because of the strength with which He empowers us in the discharge of our duty to you. Each of these reasons is now introduced by καὶ γάρ .

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

3. ἐπεὶ δοκιμὴν ζητεῖτε. This is the reason why he cannot spare; they themselves have rendered that impossible, seeing that ye seek a proof (2Co 2:9, 2Co 8:2, 2Co 9:13) of the Christ that speaketh in me. They had virtually challenged the Christ that St Paul preached, to give a proof of His power. It is a very clumsy arrangement to take ἐπεὶ δοκιμὴν κ.τ.λ. as the protasis to ἑαυτοὺς πειράζετε, and make the whole of 2Co 13:4 a parenthesis. For ἐπεί both Origen and Theodoret read sometimes εἰ and sometimes ἤ: hence the an quaeritis? of the Vulgate and some other Latin texts.

δς εἰς ὑμᾶς … ἐν ὑμῖν. Note the chiasmus; Who to youward is not weak, but is powerful in you. Comp. 2Co 2:16, 2Co 4:3, 2Co 6:8, 2Co 9:6, 2Co 10:11. Although ἀδυνατεῖν is common, δυνατεῖν is used by no one but S. Paul: in 2Co 9:8 and Rom 13:4 the rarity of the word has produced variants; but here the reading is unquestioned. It makes a specially good contrast to ἀσθενεῖν. By ἐν ὑμῖν is meant ‘among you, in the Church’ (comp. 2Co 10:1, 2Co 11:12), not ‘in your hearts.’ Whether in δυνατεῖ S. Paul is thinking of σημεῖα, τέρατα, and δυνάμεις (2Co 12:10), it is impossible to say: perhaps he is rather thinking of judgments (comp. 1Co 11:30). With ἀσθενεῖ comp. Rom 8:3 of the powerlessness of the Law. Place at most a semicolon at the end of 2Co 13:3; what follows is an answer to the supposed objection that a Christ who could not save himself from crucifixion must be a powerless Christ.

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.

And will be most mighty to be revenged of you, when need shall be.

A most sharp reprehension, for that, while they despise the Apostle’s admonitions, they tempt Christ’s own patience: and also while they condemn him as wretched and miserable, they lay nothing herein against him, which is not common to him with Christ.

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

Since--The reason why he will not spare: Since ye challenge me to give a "proof" that Christ speaks in me. It would be better if ye would "prove your own selves" (Co2 13:5). This disproves the assertion of some that Scripture nowhere asserts the infallibility of its writers when writing it.

which--"who" (Christ).

is not weak--in relation to you, by me and in this very Epistle, in exercising upon you strong discipline.

mighty in you--has given many proofs of His power in miracles, and even in punishing offenders (Co2 5:11, Co2 5:20-21). Ye have no need to put me to the proof in this, as long ago Christ has exhibited great proofs of His power by me among you (Co2 12:12) [GROTIUS]. It is therefore not me, but Christ, whom ye wrong: it is His patience that ye try in despising my admonitions, and derogating from my authority [CALVIN].

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 3. Since ye seek a proof of Christ] The conversion of the Corinthians was to themselves a solid proof that Christ spoke by the apostle; and therefore he could, with great propriety, say that this power of Christ, far from being weak, was mighty among them.

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

3. Since ye seek a proof A twofold meaning may be drawn from these words. The first is, “Since you wish to try me, whether I speak of myself, or whether Christ speaks by me;” and in this way Chrysostom, and Ambrose, explain it. I am rather inclined, however, to understand him as declaring, that it does not so much concern himself as Christ, when his authority is detracted from — that when his admonitions are despised, Christ’s patience is tried. “It is Christ that speaks by me; when therefore, you bring my doctrine under your lash, it is not so much to me as to him that you do injury.”

Some one, however, will object thus: “What! Will a man’s doctrine, then, be exempted from all investigation, so soon as he makes it his boast, that he has Christ as his authority? And what false prophet will not make this his boast? What distinction, then, will there be between truth and falsehood, and what will, in that case, become of that injunction:

Try the spirits, whether they are of God.” (1 John 4:1.)

Every objection of this nature Paul anticipates, when he says that Christ has wrought efficaciously in them by his ministry. For these two clauses, Christ speaking in me, and, who is mighty in you, not weak, must be read in connection, in this sense: “Christ, by exercising his power towards you in my doctrine, has declared that he spoke by my mouth, so that you have no excuse on the ground of ignorance.”

We see, that he does not merely boast in words, but proves in reality that Christ speaks in him, and he convinces the Corinthians, before requiring them to give him credit. Whoever, then, will speak in the Church, whatever be the title that he claims for himself, it will be allowable to inquire as to his doctrine, until Christ has manifested himself in him, and thus it will not be of Christ that judgment will be formed, but of the man. When, however, it is apparent, that it is the word of God that is advanced, what Paul says holds good — that it is God himself who is not believed Moses spake with the same confidence. (Numbers 16:11.)

What are we — I and Aaron? You are tempting God.

In like manner, Isaiah:

Is it too small a thing that you grieve men, unless you grieve my God also? (Isaiah 7:13.)

For there is no more room for shuffling, when it has been made apparent, that it is a minister of God that speaks, and that he discharges his office faithfully. I return to Paul. As the confirmation of his ministry had been so decided among the Corinthians, inasmuch as the Lord had shown himself openly, it is not to be wondered, if he takes it so much amiss, that he meets with resistance. On good grounds, truly, might he throw back upon them, as he does, the reproach, that they were rebels against Christ.

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.

(3) Which to you-ward is not weak.—There is still a touch of indignant sadness in the tone in which the words are uttered. Men will not be able to cast that reproach of weakness upon Him whose might they will feel all too keenly.

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

3. since ye seek] They had demanded a proof of his power, and he would not fail to give it.

a proof of Christ speaking in me] Literally, of the in-me-speaking Christ. The delicate shade of meaning here can hardly be rendered into English. Perhaps ‘of a Christ who speaks in me’ would be the nearest approach to it. Our version hardly conveys a sufficient idea of the perpetual indwelling of Christ in His members and of the inspiring influence which He constantly exerted on one so devoted to Him as St Paul. See Mat_10:20. For proof see ch. 2Co_2:9, 2Co_8:2. The connection of this verse with what precedes and what follows is to be found in the fact that everything St Paul did, whether in the exercise of his Apostolic power, or in any other way, was done to produce in their lives a conformity to that of Christ. Cf. ch. 6.

which to you-ward is not weak] Rather, Who to you-ward. St Paul continually (see ch. 2Co_4:10-11, and ch. 11, 12.) identifies himself with Christ, in his weakness as well as his strength. He is going (see next verse) to point to the weakness of Christ as united with his own. But he prefaces this remarkable statement with the observation (cf. 1Co_4:11) that at present the Corinthians knew little of communion with Christ in His weakness, much of His power to change the heart and life. Cf. 1Co_1:18; 1Co_1:24; 1Co_2:5. Also ch. 2Co_10:4.

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.

Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me,.... This is the reason why he was determined, that should he come among them, he would not spare them, because they called in question his apostleship, and demanded a proof of it; which, of all men, they had the least reason to do; for they themselves were the seals of his apostleship, and the signs of an apostle had been done among them; they queried whether he was an ambassador of Christ, and was sent by him, and in his name; whether the message he came with was from him, and whether the Gospel he preached was his voice; and particularly whether he had such a power to punish delinquents, as he threatened them with the exercise of; a strange infatuation of the false apostles this, since Christ, who sent him, was with him, and spoke in him, and by him:

which to you-ward, says he,

is not weak, but is mighty in you; the Gospel of Christ, at the first preaching of it to them by him, was the power of God unto salvation to them; and was attended with divers signs and wonders, and gifts of the Holy Ghost; and besides, they had instances of the power of Christ towards them in an awful way, in punishing sinners; as in the delivery of the incestuous person to Satan, which was done by his Spirit being with them when assembled; and by smiting many of them with sickness, diseases, and infirmities, and with death itself, who had sinned, Co1 5:4. Wherefore, seeing after all these instances of the voice and power of Christ in him, they yet questioned his apostolical authority, and sought proof of it; and especially since this was not so much a tempting of him, as a tempting of Christ in him, he was resolved not to spare them.

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

3 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you.

Ver. 3. A proof of Christ speaking in me] The Church is Christi docentis auditorium, saith Bernard, the place wherein he ordinarily teacheth, who hath his school on earth, though his chair in heaven. Scholam habet in terris, Cathedram in caelis.

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.

Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me - see the notes on the previous chapters. They had called in question his apostolic authority; they had demanded the evidence of his divine commission. He says that he would now furnish such evidence by inflicting just punishment on all offenders, and they should have abundant proof that Christ spoke by him, or that he was inspired.

Which to you-ward is not weak - Or who, that is, Christ, is not weak, etc. Christ has manifested his power abundantly toward you, that is, either by the miracles that had been performed in his name; or by the diseases and calamities which they had suffered on account of their disorders and offences (see the note on 1Co 11:30); or by the force and efficacy of his doctrine. The connection, it seems to me, requires that we should understand it of the calamities which had been inflicted by Christ on them for their sins, and which Paul says would be inflicted again if they did not repent. The idea is, that they had had ample demonstration of the power of Christ to inflict punishment, and they had reason to apprehend it again.

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

Do you seek a proof? By the Greek it signifies for you, or in your regard. The sense is, that he has left me power enough to chastise those among you who shall deserve it, when I come. (Witham) --- I do not know why you delay your conversion. Can you doubt whether it is God who speaks to you by my mouth, who has great power among you, and who is very capable of punishing you. (Bible de Vence)

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).

Christ (saith the apostle) hath openly showed his power in my ministry, speaking to you; how else came your hearts to be turned from dumb idols to serve the living God? How came you to be furnished with those excellent gifts wherewith you abound? But, seeing all this is not judged a sufficient proof of Christ’s

speaking in me to you, but you are yet doubting whether I am an apostle or no, and calling for

a proof of Christ in me; I will, if I come, and find any that have lived scandalously, and are impenitent, show you another proof of that power and authority with which Christ hath trusted me. Which must be understood, either of his miraculous power to inflict some bodily afflictions upon them, or (which is more probable) of his power as an apostle to cut them off from the communion of gospel churches.

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

Of Christ speaking in me; rather, of the Christ who speaketh in me. Which; rather, who. But is mighty in you. The spirit of Christ, in spite of all their shortcomings, had not deserted them. (see 1Co_1:6, 7 2:4)

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

seeing that ye seek a proof of Christ that speaketh in me; who to you-ward is not weak, but is powerful in you:

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.

3. Since ye seek a proof, etc. Since some denied his apostleship, he would give a proof of the might of Christ through him.

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.

he was crucified

This can be made active. AT: "they crucified him" (See: Active or Passive)

but we will live with him by the power of God

God gives us the power and ability to live life in and with him.

translationWords

Christ

power

crucify

life

God

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

3.] ἐπεί gives the reason why he will not spare: they required the exertion of discipline; and they challenged him to the proof of his apostolic authority.

δοκιμὴν … χριστοῦ] The genitive is either objective, a proof of Christ speaking in me, i.e. ‘that Christ speaks in me,’—or subjective, a proof given by Christ speaking in me—‘a token of my authority vouchsafed by Christ speaking in me.’ This latter meaning is more suited to what follows, where Christ becomes the subject. Such proof would be, the immediate execution, by divine power, of some punishment denounced by Paul’s word, as in Act 13:11.

ὅς, i.e. Christ: see above.

δυνατεῖ, to answer to ἀσθενεῖ, refers both to gifts and miracles, and to the Power of Christ which He would exert in punishment;—εἰς ὑμᾶς and ἐν ὑμῖν differ—the εἱς being hypothetical,—the ἐν, matter of fact. The assertion tends to remind them of the danger of provoking Christ, who spoke by Paul.

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

3. ἐπεὶ δοκιμὴν ζητεῖτε. This is closely connected with what precedes, and there should be at most a semicolon (RV) at the end of v. 2. He will not spare, because the Corinthians themselves have made it impossible for him to do so; ‘seeing that ye are seeking a proof (2:9, 8:2, 9:13) of the Christ that speaketh in me’. They demanded that the Apostle should give some convincing sign that Christ was working in him. Christ ought to manifest His power in him. That made it necessary for St Paul to show how severely Christ condemned such sins as theirs, when there was no repentance. This seems to point to the supernatural infliction of suffering. There is perhaps something of irony in this. ‘You want a proof that the power of Christ is in me. You shall have it,—in a form that will not please you.’

εἰς ὑμᾶς οὐκ ἀσθενεῖ ἀλλὰ δυνατεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν. Chiasmus once more, as in 12:9, 20, etc.; ‘Who to youward is not weak, but is powerful in you.’ Δυνατέω is peculiar to Paul in Bibl. Grk., who uses it always of Divine power. When he wants a contrast to human weakness, he uses δυνατός εἰμι (v. 9, 12:10); but this may be accidental. Neither towards the Corinthians nor among them had Christ shown Himself to be wanting in power. There was the amazing fact of ‘saints’ in such a city as Corinth. There were the spiritual gifts which had been so richly bestowed upon many members of the Church, and of which some of them had been so proud. And there were the σημεῖά τε καὶ τέρατα καὶ δυνάμεις wrought by the Apostle himself (12:12). Scepticism in the case of men who had had these experiences was wilful scepticism; they did not wish to be convinced. But when he comes they shall have evidence which they cannot resist.

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

A proof of Christ speaking in me [δοκιμην του εν εμοι λαλουντος χριστου] . Lit., of the Christ that speaks in me. An experimental proof of what kind of a being the Christ who speaks in me is. In you [εν υμιν] . Better, among you. He is speaking, not of Christ as He dwells in them, but as He works with reference to them [εις] and among their number, inflicting punishment for their sin.

Through [εξ] . Lit., out of, marking the source of both death and life. Are weak in Him. The parallel with ver. 3 must be carefully noted. Christ will prove Himself not weak, but mighty among you. He was crucified out of weakness, but He is mighty out of the power of God. A similar weakness and power will appear in our case. We are weak in Him, in virtue of our fellowship with Him. Like Him we endure the contradiction of sinners, and suffer from the violence of men : in fellowship with His risen life we shall be partakers of the power of God which raised Him from the dead, and shall exhibit this life of power toward you in judging and punishing you.

Toward you. Construe with we shall live.

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