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2Co_10:16. Infinitive without a connecting καί , and all the less therefore dependent in its turn on ἐλπίδα δὲ ἔχοντες , but rather infinitive of the aim: we hope to become exceedingly large among you, in order to preach the gospel unto the lands lying beyond you,[316] not within the boundary-line of another to boast of what is already done. This negative part is a side-glance at the opponents who in Corinth, which lay within the range of the line drawn for Paul, and so ἐν ἀλλοτρίῳ κανόνι , had boasted in regard to the circumstances of the church there, which they had, in fact, found already shaped before they came, consequently εἰς τὰ ἕτοιμα . Comp. Calvin: “quum Paulus militasset, illi triumphum agebant.” Beza and Billroth, also de Wette and Hofmann (who thinks all three infinitives dependent on ἐλπ . ἔχ .), take the infinitive as epexegesis of μεγαλυνθ . by adding an id est; but this is precluded by the correct connection of ἐν ὑμῖν with μεγαλυνθ . For, if Paul hopes to become large among the Corinthians, this cannot mean the same thing as to preach away beyond Corinth ( εἰς τὰ ὑπερέκεινα ὑμ . εὐαγγ .). No; that μεγαλυνθ . denotes the becoming capable for further extended working, the being put into a position for it, and accordingly the aim of this is: εἰς τὰ ὑπερέκεινα ὑμῶν εὐαγγ . Ewald would make the infinitives εὐαγγ . and καυχ . dependent on κατὰ τ . κανόνα ἡμ ., so that they would explain in what more precisely this rule consists; but this is forbidden by the fact that εἰς περισσ . is not placed before κατὰ τ . κ . ἡμ .
The adverb ὑπερέκεινα , ultra, is bad Greek. See Thomas Magister, p 336: ἐπέκεινα ῥήτορες λέγουσι … ὑπερέκεινα δὲ μόνοι οἱ σύρφακες (the rabble). Comp. Bos, Ellips., ed. Schaef. pp. 288, 290.
εἰς before ὑπερέκ . does stand for ἐν (Flatt and others), but comp. 1Pe_1:25; Joh_8:26 1Th_2:9.
οὐκ ἐν ἀλλοτρ . κανόνι ] οὐκ , not μή , is here used quite according to rule (in opposition to Rückert), since the οὐκ ἐν ἀλλ . καν . is correlative to the εἰς τὰ ὑπερέκεινα ὑμῶν as contrast (Hartung, Partikell. II. p. 125 f.). And this correlation demands that ἐν be understood not of the object of καυχᾶσθαι (Hofmann), but locally, to which also the very notion of κανών (2Co_10:13) points: within the measuring-line drawn for another, i.e. as to substance: in the field of activity divinely destined for another.
On εἰς with καυχ ., in reference to, comp. Arist. Pol. v. 10.
[316] “Meridiem versus et occidentem; nam Athenis Corinthum venerat, Act_18:1,” Bengel.