15.In this confidence. After having given them reason to expect that he would come, he had subsequently changed his intention. This was made an occasion of calumny against him, as appears from the excuse that he brings forward. When he says that it was from relying onthis confidence that he formed the purpose of coming to them, he indirectly throws the blame upon the Corinthians, inasmuch as they had, by their ingratitude, hindered, to some extent, his coming to them, by depriving him of that confidence.
That ye might have a second benefit The first benefit had been this — that he had devoted himself for the entire period of a year and six months (Act_18:11) to the work of gaining them to the Lord; the second was their being confirmed, by means of his coming to them, in the faith which they had once received, and being stirred up by his sacred admonitions to make farther progress. Of this latter benefit the Corinthians had deprived themselves, inasmuch as they had not allowed the apostle to come to them. They were paying, therefore, the penalty of their own fault, and they had no ground for imputing any blame to Paul. If any one, however, prefers, with Chrysostom, to take
χάριν (benefit) as used instead of
καράν (joy,) I do not much object to it. (275) The former interpretation, however, is more simple.
(275) “ modern Commentators explain the
χάριν gift or benefit; but the ancient Commentators, and some modern ones, as Wolf and Schleus, gratification for
χαράν. It should seem to mean benefit generally, every spiritual advantage, or gratification from his society, imparted by his presence.” — Bloomfield One MS. reads
χαράν Kypke, who renders
χάριν, joy adduces instances in support of this meaning of
χάρι ” though acknowledged to be unusual, from Plutarch, Polybius, and Euripides. The phrase is rendered in Tyndale’ version, (1534,) and also in Cranmer’ (1539,) and Geneva, (1557,) versions — one pleasure moare. — Ed.