ACC ~ 2 Corinthians 13 v1 - 4

OVERVIEW:

Paul takes great pains to write in advance of his coming, because he hopes that the church will put things right before he gets there (CHRYSOSTOM). The Corinthians wanted to test him to see whether he would dare to exact retribution (AMBROSIASTER). Paul had rebuked them so often and so many people had heard his threats that if he comes and nothing has changed, he will be forced to carry them out (CHRYSOSTOM). Christ was crucified in weakness, even though this weakness was not his own but rather something which he assumed on our behalf (SEVERIAN OF GABALA).

13:1 | Evidence of Witnesses

WITNESSES REQUIRED. AMBROSIASTER: Paul is here appealing to the law, saying that it applies to the Corinthians as well. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

ADVANCE NOTICE. CHRYSOSTOM: Paul takes great pains to write in advance of his coming, because he hopes that the church will put things right before he gets there, so that what he threatens to do will prove to be unnecessary. HOMILIES ON THE EPISTLES OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 29.1.

13:2 | Two Warnings

A DEFEAT. CHRYSOSTOM: Paul is saying that he has stuck his neck out so often and so many people have heard his threats that if he comes and nothing has changed he will have to carry them out. Even so, he will see it more as a humbling and as a defeat than as anything else. HOMILIES ON THE EPISTLES OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 29.1.

13:3 | Christ Speaking in Me

SEEKING PROOF. AMBROSIASTER: The Corinthians are seeking proof that Christ is speaking in the apostles. When they do not obey Paul’s teachings, they want to test him to see whether he will dare to exact retribution. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

LONG-SUFFERING. CHRYSOSTOM: Paul will not punish the Corinthians just to prove that he has the power to do so. His patience with them does not stem from weakness but from love and long-suffering. HOMILIES ON THE EPISTLES OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 29.2.

13:4 | Living by the Power of God

BELIEVERS MADE STRONG BY BEING WEAK. AMBROSIASTER: Paul is referring here to the personal experience of the apostles, who were made weak by being treated badly, imprisoned and beaten. … Believers are made strong by being weak. Death inflicted by unbelievers is life as far as believers are concerned, for they will rise again to reign with Christ. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

CRUCIFIED IN WEAKNESS. CHRYSOSTOM: This is a difficult passage which causes problems for many people. What is meant here by “weakness”? In Scripture weakness can refer to bodily illness, and it can also mean not being securely grounded in faith. But there is a third possibility, and that is what we find here. Weakness can mean persecutions, trials, plottings and the like. Christ was not weak in body or in spirit, but he was persecuted and put to death. It was not because of any inherent weakness that he went to the cross; on the contrary, he chose to die in that way in order to give us life in the power of God. HOMILIES ON THE EPISTLES OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 29.2-3.

WEAKNESS HE ASSUMED. SEVERIAN OF GABALA: Earlier Paul said that Christ became sin and a curse for us, even though he knew no sin and was not a curse in himself. Likewise here he says that Christ was crucified in weakness, even though this weakness was not his own but rather something which he assumed on our behalf. PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH.