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2Co_1:8. Οὐ γ . θέλ . ὑμ . ἀγν .] See on Rom_1:13; Rom_11:25; 1Co_12:1; 1Th_4:13.
ὑπὲρ τῆς θλίψ .] regarding (de) the affliction, concerning the same. See Bernhardy, p. 244; Kühner, II. § 547, 2.
ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ ] as in 1Co_16:19. What particular affliction is meant, and at what place it happened, we do not know. The readers, who must have known it, may have learnt it from Titus or otherwise. Perhaps it was the ἀντικείμενοι πολλοί , 1Co_16:9, who had prepared for him the extraordinary trial. The tumult of Demetrius in Ephesus, Act_19:23 ff. (Theodoret, Calvin, Estius, Cornelius a Lapide, Michaelis, Vater, Schrader, Olshausen, Osiander, Ewald, and others), is not to be thought of, since Paul was not in personal danger there, Act_19:30, and immediately after the tumult set out on his journey to Greece, Act_20:1. Heumann, Emmerling, Rückert, Bisping, suggest a severe illness. Against this it may be urged that, according to 2Co_1:5, it must have been a πάθημα τοῦ Χριστοῦ (for the special experience must be held as included under the general one previously spoken of), as well as that Paul speaks in the plural. Both grounds tell at the same time against Hofmann, who thinks of the shipwreck, 2Co_11:25, to which, in fact, ἐν τ . Ἀσίᾳ , 2Co_1:8, is not suitable, even if we ventured to make a mere stranding on the coast out of the incident. Besides, the reading ῥύεται , 2Co_1:10, militates against thi.
ὅτι καθʼ ὑπερβ . κ . τ . λ .] that we were burdened to the uttermost beyond strength, a statement of that which, in regard to the affliction mentioned, is not to be withheld from the readers. καθʼ ὑπερβολήν defines the degree of ἐβαρ . ὑπὲρ δύναμ . See Fritzsche, Diss. I. p. 1 f. (“ut calamitates vires meas egregie superarent”). The view which regards the two expressions as co-ordinate (Chrysostom, Luther, Calvin, Estius, and many, including Flatt, Rückert, Osiander, Hofmann): so heavy that it went beyond our ability, would place alongside of each other the objective greatness of the suffering and its disproportion to the subjectivity (see de Wette): still the position of ἐβαρ ., as well as the want of a καί before ὑπέρ , is more favourable to the view which takes ἐβαρ . ὑπ . δύν . together; and this is also confirmed by the subjectivity of the following ὥστε ἐξαπορ . κ . τ . λ . The suffering made itself palpable to him as a πειρασμὸς οὐκ ἀνθρώπινος (1Co_10:13). Rückert, moreover, has no ground for thinking that ἐβαρήθ . is inappropriately used of persecutions, attempts to murder, and the like, and that ὑπὲρ δύναμιν is also opposed to it. βαρύς , βαρέω , and βαρύνω are used of all troubles by which we feel ourselves burdened. See the passages from Homer in Duncan, Lex., ed. Rost, p. 202; comp. Plat. Crit. p. 43 C; Soph. Trach. 151; Theocr. xvii. 61, and expressions like βαρύμοχθος , βαρύποτμος , βαρυπενθής , βαρυδαίμων , and the lik.
ὥστε ἐξαπορ . κ . τ . λ .] so that we became quite perplexed even ( καί ) in regard to life, placed in the highest perplexity even with regard to the preservation of our life, ἐκ strengthens the simple verb, iv. 8. Polyb. i. 62. 1, iii. 47. 9, 48. 4. The genitive ( τοῦ ζῆν ) is the usual case in Greek with ἀπορεῖν , in the sense of having lack of something; seldom is it found in the sense of being perplexed about something (Dem. 1380, 4; Plat. Conv. p. 193 E).