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2Co_13:11 Closing exhortation. Bengel aptly observes: “Severius scripserat Paulus in tractatione, nunc benignius, re tamen ipsa non dimissa.”
λοιπόν ] See on Eph_6:10. What I otherwise have still to impress on you is, etc.: “Verbum est properantis sermonem absolvere,” Grotiu.
χαίρετε ] not: valete (for the apostolic valete follows only at 2Co_13:13), as Valla, Erasmus, and Beza have it, but gaudete (Vulgate). Encouragement to Christian joy of soul, Php_3:1; Php_4:4. And the salvation in Christ is great enough to call upon even a church so much injured and reproached to rejoice. Comp. 2Co_1:24.
καταρτίζεσθε ] let yourselves be brought right, put into the right Christian frame; τέλειοι γίνεσθε , ἀναπληροῦτε τὰ λειπόμενα , Chrysostom. Comp. 1Co_1:10; and see Suicer, Thes. II. p. 60.
παρακαλεῖσθε ] is by most, including Billroth, Schrader, Osiander, correctly understood of consolation; become comforted over everything that assails and makes you to need comfort, consolationem admittite! ἐπεὶ γὰρ πολλοὶ ἦσαν οἱ πειρασμοὶ καὶ μεγάλοι οἱ κίνδυνοι , Chrysostom. Rückert no doubt thinks that there was nothing to be comforted; but the summons has, just like what was said at 2Co_1:7, its good warrant, since at that time every church was placed in circumstances needing comfort. Rückert’s own explanation: care for your spiritual elevation, is an arbitrary extension of the definite sense of the word to an indefinite domain. Others, following the Vulgate (exhortamini), such as Rosenmüller, Flatt, Ewald, Hofmann, render: accept exhortations to what is good, which, however, in the connection is too vague and insipid; while de Wette, following Pelagius, Cornelius a Lapide, and others (exhort ye one another), imports an essential element, which Paul would have expressed by παρακαλεῖτε ἀλλήλους (1Th_4:18; 1Th_5:11) or ἑαυτούς (Heb_3:13).
τὸ αὐτὸ φρονεῖτε ] demands the being harmonious as identity of sentiment. See on Php_2:2.
εἰρηνεύετε ] have peace (one with another), Rom_12:18; 1Th_5:13; Mar_9:50; Plat. Theaet. p. 180 A; Polyb. v. 8. 7; Sir_28:9; Sir_28:13. It is the happy consequence of the τὸ αὐτὸ φρονεῖν ; with the δίχα φρονεῖν it could not take plac.
καὶ ὁ θεὸς κ . τ . λ .] This encouraging promise refers, as is clear from τῆς ἀγάπης καὶ εἰρήνης , merely to the two last points especially needful in Corinth—to the harmony and the keeping of peace; hence a colon is to be put after παρακαλεῖσθε . And then, if ye do that ( καί , with future after imperatives, see Winer, p. 293 [E. T. 392]), will God, who works the love and the peace (Rom_15:13; Rom_16:20; Php_4:9; 1Th_5:23; Heb_13:20), help you with His presence of grace. The characteristic genitival definition of God is argumentative, exhibiting the certainty of the promise as based on the moral nature of God.