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does not assign the reason why Paul is concerned about his official action, because, namely, now is the time in which God would have the world helped (Hofmann), but gives, as the context requires by the exhortation brought in at 2Co_6:1, a parenthetic urgent inducement for complying with this exhortation without delay
2Co_6:2 does not assign the reason why Paul is concerned about his official action, because, namely, now is the time in which God would have the world helped (Hofmann), but gives, as the context requires by the exhortation brought in at 2Co_6:1, a parenthetic urgent inducement for complying with this exhortation without delay.
λέγει γάρ ] sc. ὁ θεός , from what precedes. The passage is Isa_49:8, exactly according to the LXX. The person addressed is the òáã éäåä , whose idea is realized in Christ. He is regarded as the head of the true people of God; He is listened to, and He is helped, when the grace of God conveyed through Him is not received without result. Such is the Messianic fulfilment of that, which in Isaiah is promised to the servant of God regarding the deliverance and salvation of the unfortunate peopl.
καιρῷ δεκτῷ ] Thus the LXX. translate áÌÀòÆú øÈöåÉï , at a time of favour. Paul was able to retain the expression of the LXX. all the more, that in the fulfilment of the prophetic word the acceptableness ( δεκτῷ ) of the καιρός for the people of God consists in this, that it is the point of time for the display of divine favour and grace. Chrysostom well says: καιρὸς … ὁ τῆς δωρεᾶς , ὁ τῆς χάριτος , ὅτε οὐκ ἔστις εὐθύνας ἀπαιτηθῆναι τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων , οὔτε δἰκην δοῦναι , ἀλλὰ μετὰ τῆς ἀπαλλαγῆς καὶ μυρίων ἀπολαῦσαι ἀγαθῶν , δικαιοσύνης , ἁγιασμοῦ , τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων . In substance the same thing is indicated by ἐν ἡμέρᾳ σωτηρίας , on the day of deliverance. If καιρὸς δεκτός is taken as the time pleasing to God (Hofmann),[247] it is less in keeping with the parallel “day of salvation.” The aorists are neither of a future (Menochius) nor of a present character (Flatt), but the Deity speaking sees the future as having already happened. See on Luk_1:51.
In the commentary which Paul adds: ἰδοὺ , νῦν κ . τ . λ ., he discloses the element of that utterance of God, which moves to the use of this welcome salvation-bringing time. Behold, now is the acceptable time, behold, now is the day of deliverance, which the prophet has foretold; now or never may you be successful in obtaining salvation through a fruitful acceptance and apprehension of the divine grace! If the νῦν is past, and you have frustrated in your case the grace received, then the hearing and help promised by the prophet are no longer possible! The duration of this νῦν was in Paul’s view the brief interval before the near-approaching Parousia. The stronger εὐπρόσδεκτος (2Co_8:12; Rom_15:16; Rom_15:31; Plut. Mor. p. 801 C), which he has used instead of the simple form, has proceeded involuntarily from his deep and earnest feeling on the subject.
[247] Comp. Calvin, who understands by it the “tempus plenitudinis” of Gal_4:4.