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the less he was loved by them, still he was led to say, “ Be it so.” By not being a burden to them he had shown a commend able craftiness and caught them, as it were, with guile. Tuesday,' April 2 . 2 Cor. 12 : 17 - 2 1 . Some in Corinth might say: “ No, you did not take advantage, of us when you were with us yourself, but you did by those who were sent to us.” Paul faces this unkind insinuation squarely. He asks: “ Did I take advantage of you by any one of them whom I have sent unto you?” He refers in this question to Titus and the unnamed brother whom he sent with Titus, so he names Titus ■specifically and states what they could not deny, that so far from taking advantage o f them by Titus and the brother who accompanied him, that they had walked in the same Spirit’s lead ing, and the same steps as Paul himself. Furthermore, they might think that all this time Paul was excusing himself, or making a defense o f his conduct unto them. He tells them that this was not at all the case. It was “ in the sight o f God” he was speaking, not merely in their sight, and he was speaking “ in Christ,” and it was all done, not for his own defense, but for their “ edifying.” He was speaking in behalf o f their building up, for he feared that otherwise when he came he should find them not such as he would, and that he should be found such as they would not, i. e., severe in punishing offenders. He specifies some o f the things he was afraid of finding among them, viz., “strife, jeal ousies, wraths, factions, back-bitings, whis perings, swellings, tumults.” He tells them if he did find these things among them he should be humbled "again" as' he was on his second visit, and that he would “mourn
Monday, April I. 2 Cor. 12 : 14 - 16 .
Paul here announces, that he is about to make them a third visit (cf. ch. 13:1, 2), and declares that he will not be a burden to them this time, as he had not been on his former visits. He tells them that he is not after their money, but after themselves. He regards himself as their parent and them as his children (cf. 1 Cor. 4:14, IS) and says, “The children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.” Incidentally, these words teach us that it is not wrong for parents to lay up for their children. Indeed, we are taught that they should do so. He tells them further that “most gladly” would he “ spend and be spent for” their “souls.” When we can say o f others that we would be glad to “spend” what we have, and “be spent out” (all that we are) for their- souls, then .we beyond a question will win souls. One o f the secrets why most o f us are not more used for winning souls is because we are not willing to spend what we have and be spent, all that we are, for the sake o f winning souls. Paul certainly had a real love for souls. Then comes a pathetic question: : “If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less ?” Men are naturally ungrateful, and it is often the case that the more one loves others and the more he spends himself for them, the less he is appreciated and loved. Paul is not alone in his experience o f this,, but are we as ready as Paul was to gladly spend what we have and be spent, what we are, even though the more we love and spend our selves and what we have the less we are loved ? That is true love, love that works on even though it is not recompensed even by gratitude. Even though it were true that 1 the more abundantly he loved them
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