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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comAdam Clarke Commentary - 2 Corinthians 4:8 - 4:8
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We are troubled on every side - We have already seen, in the notes on the ninth chapter of the preceding epistle, that St. Paul has made several allusions to those public games which were celebrated every fifth year at the Isthmus of Corinth; and those games have been in that place particularly described. In this and the three following verses the apostle makes allusion to the contests at those games; and the terms which he employs in these verses cannot be understood but in reference to those agonistical exercises to which he alludes. Dr. Hammond has explained the whole on this ground; and I shall here borrow his help. There are four pairs of expressions taken from the customs of the agones.
1. Troubled on every side, yet not distressed.
2. Perplexed, but not in despair.
3. Persecuted, but not forsaken. Cast down, but not destroyed.
Three of these pairs belong to the customs of wrestling; the fourth, to that of running in the race.
Troubled on every side, etc. - Εν παντι θλιβομενοι. The word θλιβεσθαι, belongs clearly to παλη wrestling. So says Aristotle, Rhet. lib. i. cap. 5, (and the Scholiast on that place), ὁ Î³Î±Ï Î´Ï…Î½Î±Î¼ÎµÎ½Î¿Ï‚ - θλιβειν και κατεχειν, παλαιστικος· “He that can gripe his adversary, and take him up, is a good wrestler;†there being two dexterities in that exercise:
1. to gripe, and
2. to throw down, which Hesychius calls ωθειν and κÏατειν; the first of these is here mentioned, and expressed by θλιβεσθαι, to be pressed down; to which is here opposed, as in a higher degree, στενοχωÏεισθαι, to be brought to distress, as when one cannot get out of his antagonist’s hands, nor make any resistance against him. So in Isaiah: στενοχωÏουμενοι ου δυναμεθα μαχεσθαι, we are brought to such extremities that we can fight no longer.
Perplexed, but not in despair - ΑποÏουμενοι, αλλ’ ουκ εξαποÏουμενοι. The word αποÏεισθαι, to be in perplexity, is fit for the wrestler, who being puzzled by his antagonist’s skill knows not what to do: so in Hesychius, αποÏουντες, αμηχανουντες, they that are not able to do or attempt any thing, yet are not εξαποÏουμενοι, they miscarry not finally, οÏθοι ἱσταμενοι, stand after all upright; ουκ απογινωσκοντες και ἡττωμενοι, despair not, nor are they overcome, but find a happy issue out of all, being at last conquerors.