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The glorious ministry

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forth know we him no more. | reconciled us to himself by

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17 Therefore if any man be Jesus Christ, and hath given in Christ, he is a new crea- to us the ministry of reconture: old things are passed ciliation; away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God,

Rom. viii. 9. xvi. 7. Gal. vi. 15
Gal. v. 6. vi. 15. Isai. xliii. 18, 19.

who hath

b Or, let him be.
xv. 17. Eph. ii.

made an atonement for their sins, and rose again for their justification.

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19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing

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idolatry and wickedness was among the Jews denominated a new creation. He who converts a man to

Verse 16. Know we no man after the flesh] As we know that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; and as we know that all are alienated from God, and are dead in trespasses and sins; therefore we esteem no man on account of his family re-creation, and creation is the proper work of an all-wise iations, or the stock whence he proceeded, because we see all are shut up in unbelief, and all are children of wrath.

the true religion is the same, says R. Eliezer, as if he had created him.

Verse 18. And all things are of God] As the thorough conversion of the soul is compared to a new

Yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh] We cannot esteem a man who is a sinner, were he erea allied to the blood royal of David, and were he of the same family with the man Christ himself; nor can we prize a man because he has seen Christ in the Besh; for many have seen him in the flesh to whom he will say: Depart from me, for I never knew you. So we: nothing weighs with us, nor in the sight of God, but redemption from this death, and living to him who died for them.

Almighty Being; then, this total change of heart, soul, and life, which takes place under the preaching of the gospel, is effected by the power and grace of God: this is salvation, and salvation must ever be of the Lord; and therefore men should apply to him, who alone can work this wondrous change.

Who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ] Having given Jesus Christ to die for sinners, they have through him access unto God; for his sake and on his account God can receive them; and it is only by the grace and spirit of Christ that the proud, fierce, and diabolic nature of men can be changed and reconciled to God; and by and through this sacrifice God can be propitious to them. There is an enmity in the heart of man against sacred things; the grace of Christ alone can remove this enmity.

The ministry of reconciliation] Diakoviaν TNS KAraλλayns The OFFICE or function of this reconciliation; called, ver. 19, the word; Tov XOYOν τNG KATAλλayns the DOCTRINE of this reconciliation. KaraMayn, recon

We know that the Jews valued themselves much in having Abraham for their father; and some of the Judazing teachers at Corinth might value themselves in having seen Christ in the flesh, which certainly St. Paul did not; hence he takes occasion to say here that this kind of privilege availed nothing; for the edd creature, however noble, or well descended in the sight of men, is under the curse; and the new crea-ciliation, comes from Karaλλaσow, to change thoroughly; ture only is such as God can approve. Verse 17. If any man be in Christ, he is a new rature] It is vain for a man to profess affinity to Christ according to the flesh, while he is unchanged his heart and life, and dead in trespasses and sins; for he that is in Christ, that is, a genuine Christian, aving Christ dwelling in his heart by faith, is a new Prature; his old state is changed: he was a child of Setan, he is now a child of God; he was a slave of sin, and his works were death; he is now made free from sin, and has his fruit unto holiness, and the end elasting life. He was before full of pride and wrath; he is now meek and humble. He formerly had his sertion in this life, and lived for this world alone; bow has God for his portion; and he looks not at de things which are seen, but at the things which e eternal. Therefore, old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new.] The man is not aly mended, but he is new made; he is a new creature, kain krisis, a new creation, a little world in imself: formerly, all was in chaotic disorder; now, there is a new creation, which God himself owns as his workmanship, and which he can look on and pronounce very good. The conversion of a man from

and the grand object of the gospel is to make a complete change in men's minds and manners; but the first object is the removal of enmity from the heart of man, that he may be disposed to accept of the salvation God has provided for him, on the terms which God has promised. The enmity in the heart of man is the grand hinderance to his salvation.

Verse 19. That God was in Christ] This is the doctrine which this ministry of reconciliation holds out, and the doctrine which it uses to bring about the reconciliation itself.

God was in Christ: 1. Christ is the same as Messiah, the anointed one, who was to be Prophet, Priest, and King, to the human race; not to the Jews only, but also to the Gentiles. There had been prophets, priests, and kings, among the Jews and their ancestors; and some who had been priest and prophet, king and priest, and king and prophet; but none have ever sustained in his own person the threefold office except Christ; for none have ever ministered in reference to the whole world but he. The functions of all the others were restrained to the ancient people of God alone. 2. Now all the others were appointed of God in reference to this Christ; and as his types, or

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a Gr. put in us.--b Job xxxiii. 23. Mal. ii. 7. Ch. iii. 6. Eph. vi. 20.- -c Ch. vi. 1. representatives, till the fulness of the time should 3. And that this Christ might be adequate to the great work of reconciling the whole human race to God, by making atonement for their sins, God was in him. The man Jesus was the temple and shrine of the eternal divinity; for in him dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, Col. ii. 9; and he made peace by the blood of his cross. 4. Christ, by his offering upon the cross, made atonement for the sins of the world; and therefore one important branch of the doctrine of this reconciliation was to show that God would not impute or account their trespasses to them, so as to exact the penalty, because this Jesus had died in their stead.

The whole of this important doctrine was short, simple, and plain. Let us consider it in all its connexions: 1. You believe there is a God. 2. You know he has made you. 3. He requires you to love and serve him. 4. To show you how to do this he has given a revelation of himself, which is contained in his law, &c. 5. You have broken this law, and incurred the penalty, which is death. 6. Far from being able to undo your offences, or make reparation to the offended majesty of God, your hearts, through the deceitfulness and influence of sin, are blinded, hardened, and filled with enmity against your Father and your Judge. 7. To redeem you out of this most wretched and accursed state, God, in his endless love, has given his Son for you; who has assumed your nature, and died in your stead. 8. In consequence of this he has commanded repentance towards God, and remission of sins, to be published in his name in all the earth. 9. All who repent, and believe in Christ as having died for them as a sinoffering (ver. 21), shall receive remission of sins. 10. And if they abide in him they shall have an eternal inheritance among them that are sanctified.

Verse 20. We are ambassadors for Christ] 'Yπεр Χριστου-πρεσβευομεν We execute the function of ambassadors in Christ's stead. He came from the Father to mankind on this important embassy. He has left the world, and appointed us in his place. Ambassador is a person sent from one sovereign power to another; and is supposed to represent the person of the sovereign by whom he is deputed. Christ while on earth represented the person of the Sovereign of the world; his apostles and their successors represent the person of Christ. Christ declared the will of the Father to mankind; apostles, &c., declare the will of Christ to the world. We are ambassadors for Christ.

As though God did beseech you by us] What we

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21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

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say to you we say on the authority of God; our entreaties are his entreaties; our warm love to you, a faint reflection of his infinite love; we pray you to return to God, it is his will that you should do so; we promise you remission of sins, we are authorised to do so by God himself. In Christ's stead we pray you to lay aside your enmity and be reconciled to God; i. e. accept pardon, peace, holiness, and heaven which are all procured for you by his blood, and offered to you on his own authority.

"What unparalleled condescension and divinely tender mercies are displayed in this verse! Did the judge ever beseech a condemned criminal to accept of pardon? Does the creditor ever beseech a ruined debtor to receive an acquittance in full? Yet our almighty Lord, and our eternal Judge, not only vouchsafes to offer these blessings, but invites us, entreats us and with the most tender importunity solicits us no to reject them." The Rev. J. Wesley's notes in loc

This sentiment is farther expressed in the following beautiful poetic version of this place, by the Rev Charles Wesley:

"God, the offended God most high,
Ambassadors to rebels sends;
His messengers his place supply,
And Jesus begs us to be friends.
Us, in the stead of Christ, they pray,
Us, in the stead of Christ, entreat,
To cast our arms, our sins, away,
And find forgiveness at his feet.
Our God, in Christ, thine embassy
And proffered mercy we embrace;
And, gladly reconciled to thee,
Thy condescending mercy praise.
Poor debtors, by our Lord's request
A full acquittance we receive;
And criminals, with pardon blest,
We, at our Judge's instance, live.”

Verse 21. For he hath made him to be sin for us Τον μη γνοντα ἁμαρτίαν, ὑπερ ἡμῶν ἁμαρτίαν εποίησεί He made him who knew no sin (who was innocent a sin-offering for us. The word àpapria occurs her twice in the first place it means sin, i. e. transgres sion and guilt; and of Christ it is said, He knew sin, i. e. was innocent; for not to know sin is the sam as to be conscious of innocence; so, nil conscire sibi, be conscious of nothing against one's self, is the sam as nulla pallescere culpa, to be unimpeachable.

In the second place it signifies a sin-offering, or se crifice for sin, and answers to the chattaah and chattath of the Hebrew text; which signifies both st

Observations on particular

CHAP. V.

parts of the preceding chapter. and sin-offering in a great variety of places in the Pen- | mountains, extraordinary hail, and most tempestuous tateuch. The Septuagint translate the Hebrew word wind; so, here, the righteousness of God may mean a by auapria in ninety-four places in Exodus, Leviticus, thorough righteousness, complete justification, complete and Numbers, where a sin-offering is meant; and sanctification; such as none but God can give, such where our version translates the word not sin, but an as the sinful nature and guilty conscience of man offering for sin. Had our translators attended to require, and such as is worthy of God to impart. their own method of translating the word in other And all this righteousness, justification, and holiness, places where it means the same as here, they would we receive in, by, for, and through HIM, as the grand, not have given this false view of a passage which has sacrificial, procuring, and meritorious cause of these, been made the foundation of a most blasphemous and every other blessing. Some render the passage: doctrine; viz. that our sins were imputed to Christ, We are justified through him, before God; or, We are and that he was a proper object of the indignation of justified, according to God's plan of justification, divine justice, because he was blackened with imputed through him. an; and some have proceeded so far in this blasphemous career as to say, that Christ may be considered as the greatest of sinners, because all the sins of mankind, or of the elect as they say, were imputed to him, and reckoned as his own. One of these writers translates the passage thus: Deus Christum pro maximo peccatore habuit, ut nos essemus maxime justi, God accounted Christ the greatest of sinners, that we might be supremely righteous. Thus they have confounded in with the punishment due to sin. Christ suffered in our stend; died for us; bore our sins (the punishment due to them) in his own body upon the tree, for the Lord laid upon him the iniquities of us all; that is, the punishment due to them; explained by making his sal-his life, an offering for sin; and healing us by his stripes.

But that it may be plainly seen that sin-offering, not sin, is the meaning of the word in this verse, I shall set down the places from the Septuagint where the word occurs; and where it answers to the Hebrew rds already quoted; and where our translators have rendered correctly what they render here incorrectly.

in Exodus, chap. xxix. 14, 36: LEVITICUS, chap. iv. 6, 8, 20, 21, 24, 25, and 29 twice, 32, 33, and 34; chap. v. 6, 7, 8, 9 twice, 11 twice, 12; chap. vi. 17, 25 twice, 30; chap. vii. 7, 37; chap. viii. 2, 14 twice; chap. ix. 2, 3, 7, 8, 10, 15, 22; chap. x. 16, 17, 19 twice; chap. xii. 6, 8; chap. xiv. 13 twice, 19, 22, 31; chap. xv. 15, 30; chap. xvi. 3, 5, 6, 9, 11 twice, 15, 25, 27 twice; chap. xxiii. 19: NUMBERS, chap. vi. 11, 14, 16; chap. vii. 16, 22, 28, 34, 40, 46, 52, 58, 70, 76, 82, 87; chap. viii. 8, 12; chap. xv. 24, 25, 27; chap. xviii. 9; chap. xxviii. 15, 22; chap. xxix. 5. 11, 16, 22, 25, 28, 31, 34, 38.

Besides the above places, it occurs in the same signification and is properly translated in our version in the following places:

2 CHRONICLES, chap. xxix. 21, 23, 24: EZRA, chap. 17; chap. viii. 35: NEHEMIAH, chap. x. 33: JOB, lap. i. 5: EZEKIEL, chap. xliii. 19, 22, 25; chap. . 27, 29; chap. xlv. 17, 19, 22, 23, 25. In all, te hundred and eight places, which, in the course of own reading in the Septuagint, I have marked. That we might be made the righteousness of God in him.] The righteousness of God signifies here the salvation of God, as comprehending justification through the blood of Christ, and sanctification through his Spirit; or, as the mountains of God, the hail of God, the wind of God, mean exceeding high

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In many respects this is a most important and instructive chapter.

1. The terms house, building, tabernacle, and others connected with them, have already been explained from the Jewish writings. But it has been thought by some that the apostle mentions these as readily offering themselves to him from his own avocation, that of a tent maker; and it is supposed that he borrows these terms from his own trade in order to illustrate his doctrine. This supposition would be natural enough if we had not full evidence that these terms were used in the Jewish theology precisely in the sense in which the apostle uses them here. Therefore, it is more likely that he borrowed them from that theology, than from his own trade.

2. In the terms tabernacle, building of God, &c., he may refer also to the tabernacle in the wilderness, which was a building of God, and a house of God; and as God dwelt in that building, so he will dwell in the souls of those who believe in, love, and obey him. And this will be his transitory temple till mortality is swallowed up of life, and we have a glorified body and soul to be his eternal residence.

3. The doctrines of the resurrection of the same body; the witness of the Spirit; the immateriality of the soul; the fall and miserable condition of all mankind; the death of Jesus, as an atonement for the sins of the whole world; the necessity of obedience to the divine will, and of the total change of the human heart, are all introduced here and although only a few words are spoken on each, yet these are so plain and so forcible as to set those important doctrines in the most clear and striking point of view.

4. The chapter concludes with such a view of the mercy and goodness of God in the ministry of reconciliation, as is no where else to be found. He has here set forth the divine mercy in all its heightenings; and who can take this view of it without having his heart melted down with love and gratitude to God, who has called him to such a state of salvation?

5. It is exceedingly remarkable that, through the whole of this chapter, the apostle speaks of himself in the first person plural; and though he may intend other apostles, and the Christians in general, yet it is very evident that he uses this form when only himself can be meant, as in verses 12 and 13, as well as in several places of the following chapter. This may be esteemed rather more curious than important.

We should not receive

II. CORINTHIANS.

the grace of God in vain.

CHAPTER VI.

We should not receive the grace of God in vain, having such promises of support from Him, 1, 2. We should act so as to bring no disgrace on the gospel, 3. How the apostles behaved themselves, preached, suffered, and rejoiced, 4-10. St. Paul's affectionate concern for the Corinthians, 11-13. He counsels them not to be yoked with unbelievers, and advances several arguments why they should avoid them, 14-16. Exhorts them to avoid evil companions and evil practices, on the promise that God will be their Father, and that they shall be his sons and his daughters, 17, 18.

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TE then, as a workers to- time accepted, and in the day
gether with him, beseech of salvation have I succoured
also that ye receive not thee: behold, now is the ac-
cepted time; behold, now is

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of God in vain.

2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a the day of salvation.)

a 1 Cor. iii. 9.- b Ch. v. 20.- c Hebr. xii. 15.

NOTES ON CHAP. VI. Verse 1. We then, as workers together with him] Συνεργούντες δε και παρακαλούμεν. The two last words, with him, are not in the text, and some supply the place thus we then, as workers together WITH YOU, and the Armenian version seems to have read it so; but no MS. has this reading, and no other Version. For my own part I see nothing wanting in the text if we only suppose the term apostles; we (i. e. apostles), being fellow-workers, also entreat you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

By the grace of God, rnv xapiv tov Osov, this grace or benefit of God, the apostle certainly means the grand sacrificial offering of Christ for the sin of the world, which he had just before mentioned in speaking of the ministry of reconciliation. We learn, therefore, that it was possible to receive the grace of God and not ultimately benefit by it; or, in other words, to begin in the Spirit and end in the flesh. Should any one say that it is the ministry of reconciliation, that is, the benefit of apostolic preaching, that they might receive in vain ; I answer, that the apostolic preaching, and the whole ministry of reconciliation, could be no benefit to any man farther than it might have been a means of conveying to him the salvation of God. And it is most evident that the apostle has in view that grace or benefit that reconciles us to God, and makes us divinely righteous. And this, and all other benefits of the death of Christ, may be received in vain.

Verse 2. For he saith] That is, God hath said it, by the prophet Isaiah, chap. xlix. 8; which place the apostle quotes verbatim et literatim from the Septuagint. And from this we may at once see what is the accepted time, and what the day of salvation. The Advent of the Messiah was the ry eth ratson, the time of God's pleasure or benevolence, of which all the faithful were in expectation; and the day of salvation, пуw ɔr yom yeshuah, was the time in which this salvation should be manifested and applied. The apostle therefore informs them that this is the time

d Isai. xlix. 8.

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predicted by the prophet; and the ministry of reconciliation being exercised in full force is a proof that the prophecy is fulfilled; and therefore the apostle confidently asserts, Behold, Now is this accepted time, Now the Messiah reigns, Now is the gospel dispensation, and therefore Now is the day of salvation; that is, the very time in which the power of God is present to heal, and in which every sinner believing on the Lord Jesus may be saved.

I rather think that this second verse should be read immediately after the last verse of the preceding chapter; as where it now stands it greatly disturbs the connexion between the first and the third verses. I will set down the whole in the order in which I think they should stand. Chap. v. 20: Now then we are ambassadors for Christ; as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead, to be reconciled to God. For he hath made him a sin-offering for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him: for he saith, “I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee." Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. Immediately after this, the sixth chapter will very properly commence, and we shall see that the connexion will be then undisturbed:

We then, as fellow-workers, beseech you also, that ye receive not this grace of God in vain, giving no offence in any thing, that this ministry be not blamed. This change of the place of the second verse, which every one allows must, if it stand here, be read in a parenthesis, preserves the whole connexion of the apostle's discourse, and certainly sets his argument before us in a stronger light. Let us review the whole: 1. God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, chap. v. 18. 2. He appointed the apostles to proclaim to mankind the doctrine of reconciliation, chap. v. 19. 3. The apostles, in consequence, proclaim this doctrine; and show that Christ was a sacrifice for sin, and that through him we may be perfectly saved, chap. v. 20, 21. 4. They show also

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that all this was agreeable to the declaration of God by the prophet Isaiah, chap. xlix. 8, where he predicts the days of the Messiah, and the grace then to be communicated, chap. vi. 2. 5. The apostle then, speaking in the person of all his fellow-labourers, who had this ministry of reconciliation intrusted to them, exhorts them not to receive such a benefit of God in vain, chap. vi. 1. 6. He exhorts those who Lad embraced the gospel not to put a stumblingblock in the way of others, by acting irreligiously, lest this ministry of reconciliation should be reproached on their account, chap. vi. 3. 7. He shows what conscientious and scrupulous care he and his fellow-apostles took to preach and walk so that this ministry might have its full effect, chap. vi. 4,.&c. This view of the subject, if I mistake not, shows a Beautiful consistency throughout the whole.

Verse 3. Giving no offence] The word πроσкоTη, read proppa, Rom. xiv. 13, signifies a stumblingblack in general, or any thing over which a man stumbles or falls; and here means any transgression or rendal that might take place among the ministers, or the Christians themselves, whereby either Jews or Gentiles might take occasion of offence, and vilify the gospel of Christ.

Verse 4. But in all things approving ourselves] The apostle now proceeds to show how conscientiously himself and his fellow-labourers acted, in order to render the ministry of reconciliation effectual to the salvation of men. They not only gave no offence in any thing, but they laboured to manifest themselves to be the genuine ministers of God, in much patience-bearing calmly up under the most painful and oppressive afflictions.

In afflictions] Ev Oxto. This may signify the series of persecutions and distresses in general; the state of cruel suffering in which the church of God and the apostles then existed.

In necessities] Ev avaykaıç Straits and difficulties; including all that want and affliction which arose from the impoverished state of the church.

In distresses] Ev OTEVOXwpiais. Such straits and diffculties as were absolutely unavoidable and insurmountable. The word implies, being reduced to a narrow place, driven to a corner, hemmed in on every side, as the Israelites were at the Red Sea; the sea before them, Pharaoh and his host behind them, and Egyptian fortresses on either hand. God alone could bring them out of such difficulties, when their enemies themselves saw that the wilderness had shut them in. So was it often with the apostles; all

conducted themselves.

5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;

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6 By pureness, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,

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7 By the word of truth, by the power of

d Ch. xi. 23, &c.

e Or, in tossings to and fro.—f Ch. iv. 2. vii. 14.- 1 Cor. ii. 4.

human help failed, and their deliverance came from God alone.

| Verse 5. In stripes, in imprisonments] Of these the history of the Acts of the Apostles gives ample testimony; and there were doubtless many instances of persecution in various forms which are not on record.

In tumults] Akaraoraσiais” Insurrections raised against them because of the gospel. It is more natural to understand the word thus, than of agitations, or tossings to and fro, in consequence of their unsettled state of life; or because of persecution, which obliged them to flee from place to place.

In labours] Both with our own hands to provide for ourselves the necessaries of life, that we might not be chargeable to others; and in labours to spread the gospel of God through all countries where his providence opened our way.

In watchings] Passing many nights without sleep

or rest.

In fastings] Partly constrained through want of food; and partly voluntary, as a means of obtaining an increase of grace both for ourselves and for the churches.

Verse 6. By pureness] Ev ȧyvorηre In simplicity of intention, and purity of affection; together with that chastity and holiness of life which the gospel enjoins.

By knowledge] Of the divine mysteries. By long-suffering] Under all provocations. By kindness] To our most virulent persecutors, and to all men.

By the Holy Ghost] There are doubts among learned men whether the apostle here means that SPIRIT who is called the Third Person of the Holy TRINITY; or some grace, disposition, or quality of the soul, which was thus denominated, as implying a spirit wholly purified, and fitted to be a habitation of God.

Schoettgen quotes a passage from Rabbi Bechai in which it appears to him to have this latter meaning: "Rabbi Pinchas, the son of Jair, said: Reflection leads to sedulity; sedulity to innocence; innocence to abstinence; abstinence to cleanness; cleanness to sanctity; sanctity to the fear of sin; fear of sin to humility; humility to piety; and piety to the Holy Spirit. Of these ten virtues five are external, or belong to the body; and five, internal, or belonging to the soul; but all men prefer the tenth, which is wip ruach hakkodesh, the Holy Spirit." Even allowing Rabbi Pinchas to be a person on whose

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