6 But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.



Ver. 6. But though I be rude in speech] Gr. an idiot, a plain, downright, homespun, homely spoken person. The ancients busied themselves (saith Cyril), ïõê åí åõñåóéëïãéá , not about coin and newly coined language, but åí áðïäåéîåé ôùí èåéùí ãñáöùí , about solid demonstrations drawn out of the Holy Scriptures. Jerome reports of Didymus that he was an apostolic writer, as you might easily gather by his style, Tam sensuum nomine quam simplicitate verborum. His matter was as lofty as his language low and ordinary. Jerome himself is much commended by learned men, Quod ubique non sit aeque Latinus, that he is not always so curious and choice of his words. But what reason he had, I see not, to censure St Paul so sharply as he doth, Ob sensus involutos, eloquium implicatum, et artis Grammaticae imperitiam, for his intricate sense, dark elocution, and unskilfulness in grammar learning. True it is, he was a plain preacher, as he here acknowledgeth; and why he affected plainness, he telleth us, 1Co_1:17, as stooping to common people’s capacities. But that he could play the orator if he pleased, appears Act_17:22-31; Act_26:2; insomuch as the Lycaonians called him Mercury, because he was "a master of speech," Act_14:12. And as for his Epistles, there is as good rhetoric found in them as in any heathen orator whatsoever. Demosthenes is but dull to him; and Austin’s wish was to have seen Paulum in ore, Paul preaching, which he would have esteemed a high happiness.