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2Co_1:12. The apostle now begins the vindication of himself, at first in reference to the purity of his walk in general (2Co_1:12), then in reference to his honesty in writing (2Co_1:13-14), and afterwards specially in reference to the changing of his plans for the journey (2Co_1:15-24).
γάρ ] Ground assigned for the confidence uttered in 2Co_1:11, that the readers would help him by their intercession in the manner denoted: for we boast, according to the witness of our conscience, to have made ourselves worthy of your help.
καύχησις is not equivalent to καύχημα , materies gloriandi (so most, but in no passage rightly, see on Rom_4:2), but we should interpret: For this our boasting (which is contained in 2Co_1:11) is the testimony which our conscience furnishes that we, etc. In other words: This our boasting is nothing else than the expression of the testimony of our conscience, that, etc.; hence no αἰσχύνεσθαι ἀπὸ καυχήσεως (Isa_12:1-3) can take place. The contents of this testimony ( ὅτι κ . τ . λ .) shows how very much the καύχησις of Paul is a καυχᾶσθαι ἐν κυρίῳ (1Co_1:31). Accordingly, αὕτη is to be taken together with ἡ καύχησις ἡμῶν (comp. 1Co_8:9 : ἡ ἐξουσία ὑμῶν αὕτη ); τὸ μαρτύριον κ . τ . λ . is the predicate, which is introduced by ἐστί , and ὅτι κ . τ . λ . is the contents of the testimony. By the plain simplicity of this explanation we obviously exclude the view that αὕτη is preparative, and that it is to be referred either to τὸ μαρτύριον (Luther and most), or, more harshly, with Hofmann, to ὅτι κ . τ . λ ., because in that case τὸ μαρτύριον κ . τ . λ . is made an interpolated appositio.
ἐν ἁγιότητι (see the critical remarks) καὶ εἰλικρ . Θεοῦ ] Θεοῦ is not used superlatively, as Emmerling would still take it. Further, it neither denotes what is well-pleasing to God (Schulz, Rosenmüller, Flatt, Rückert, Reiche), nor what avails before God (Calvin, Beza, Estius, Billroth, and others, following Theophylact), nor what is like God (Pelagius), nor the God-like (Osiander), which is God’s manner (Hofmann), but the moral holiness and purity established by God through the influence of the divine grace, as the following οὐκ ἐν σοφ . σαρκ ., ἀλλʼ ἐν χάριτι Θεοῦ proves.[128] So also Olshausen, de Wette, Kling, Neander, Winer, p. 221 [E. T. 261]. Comp. δικαιοσύνη Θεοῦ , Rom_1:17, εἰρήνη Θεοῦ , Php_4:7, and the like. The rare word ἁγιότης is found also in 2Ma_15:2; Heb_12:10; Schol. Arist. Thesm. 301. Regarding εἰλικρ ., see on 1Co_5:8. Stallbaum, ad Plat. Phaed. p. 66 A.
οὐκ ἐν σοφ . σαρκ . ἀλλʼ ἐν χάρ . Θεοῦ ] is not to be placed in a parenthesis, for it is parallel to the previous ἐν ἁγιότ . κ . εἰλικρ . Θεοῦ , and gives negative and positive information about it. The σοφία σαρκ . is the merely human wisdom, the wisdom which is not the work of the divine influence (of the Holy Spirit), but of human nature itself unenlightened and unimproved, guided by the sinful lust in the σάρξ . See on 1Co_1:26.
ἐν χάριτι Θεοῦ ] is not to be explained of miracles (Chrysostom), nor yet with Grotius: “cum multis donis spiritualibus,” but without any limitation of the influence of the divine grace, under which Paul lived and worked.
The thrice repeated use of ἐν denotes the spiritual element in which his course of life moved (Eph_2:3; 2Pe_2:18).
ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ] i.e. among profane humanity. This serves by contrast to make the holiness of his walk and conversation more prominent. Comp. Php_2:15.
πρὸς ὑμᾶς ] denotes the direction of his association, in intercourse with you. See Bernhardy, p. 265. More than with others, he had established such a relation with the Corinthians (hence περισσοτ .).
[128] With this fall to the ground also the scruples of Rückert against the word ἁγιότητι , which he either wishes to take abusive, like the Latin sanctitas, integrity, or conjectures in its stead ἁγνότητι . Reiche’s difficulty regarding ἁγιότ ., that Paul talks of his purity as teacher, is also untenable. He certainly speaks of his entire conduct, not merely of his teaching.