2 Corinthians 11:27-29 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.… The word "care" is "anxiety" — the same word by which Christ (Luke 8:4-15) designates one of the three influences by which the good seed is "stifled." St. Paul speaks here of it in the list of sufferings for Christ's sake. That anxiety which our Lord reproved (Matthew 6:25, etc.; Luke 10:41) has a namesake among the graces. St. Paul, who says (Philippians 4:6), "Be anxious about nothing," mentions this without apology as his daily experience. Just in proportion to the meanness of the one is the dignity of the other. The anxieties which choke the Word are commonly as selfish as they are earthly; those of which Paul was here capable are elevating, and, so far from choking the Word, grow out of it. Notice, respecting this care of all the Churches — I. ITS UNSELFISHNESS. These people were nothing to him. They were neither kinsfolk, neighbours, nor countrymen. They were converts, but his idea of his responsibility towards them was not to do his duty and then leave it. He was solicitous, even to pain, about their continuous welfare. II. ITS STRICTNESS. 1. As regards his government of the Churches, with what eagerness both of authority and argument does he throw himself into questions even of dress! (1 Corinthians 11:3-16; cf. 1 Timothy 2:13, 14). In our ritual controversies we are certain that he would have laid down, as it is now thought tyranny to do, the law of obedience (1 Corinthians 14:36). 2. His anxiety, as his Epistles show, was a doctrinal anxiety. He was fighting for Christ, and therefore was peremptory in his enforcement of doctrine. III. INDIVIDUAL (ver. 29). True he made the world his province, but he took a personal interest in his converts. See how he deals with the incestuous person. He never suffered the supposed interests of Churches to eclipse the value of souls. I knew an archbishop who failed not, whatever his distance or occupation, to write at certain intervals to a common northern townsman whom he had reclaimed from intemperance for his establishment in grace. (Dean Vaughan.) Parallel Verses KJV: In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. |
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