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o f Christ.' He hoped to ultimately go far ther than this, but the immaturity o f their faith prevented this as yet. But when their faith was grown he expected to be magnified in, them unto further abundance, even unto preaching the gospel in the regions beyond them. But Paul would not glory in that. There was but one thing to glory in, that was the Lord Himself (v. 17; cf. 1 Cor. 1:31; 15:10). Would that we might all remember that always. It is easy to commend one’s self, but “not he that commendeth himself is' approved, but whom the Lord commendeth” (cf. 1 Cor. 4:4, R. V .). Tuesday, March ig. 2 Cor. 1 1 : 1 - 3 . At the first glance it might seem as if Paul were too sensitive and too much con cerned about the recognition o f his apos tolic authority, but as we study more closely we learn that it was about Their loyalty to the truth and to the Christ that he repre sented that Paul was concerned. Some in Corinth might say .that this constant defense o f himself" on Paul’s part was “ foolishness” (v. 1, R. V .). Paul does not deny that it looked that way, but says, “Would that ye could bear with me in a little foolishness: nay, indeed, bear with me.” This is very humble and very tender and very pathetic. It is a revelation o f the humble and affectionate heart o f Paul. Then Paul goes on to tell them why he is so anxious that they should bear with him, viz,, he was jealous over them with a jeal ousy that was o f God. The words translated “ Godly jealousy” mean literally, “jealousy o f God” or “God’s jealousy.” That may mean _either a jealousy that God had imparted to Paul, or a jealousy that was Gods own jealousy over them. At the very least it means a jealousy that was of Divine origin. Paul could not bear that any part of their affection be transferred from Christ to some one else. He had espoused them tq one husband (and one only)- and. that husband was Christ. His whole aim was to present them in virgin purity to Christ! He does not say, “as pure
virgins,” but “as a pure virgin” ; for it is not the individual believer that is the bride o f Christ, but the whole body o f believers taken together (Eph. 5 :23-32). "There is a school o f interpretation today that teaches that the Church is not the bride o f Christ, but that Israel is, but this passage makes the conclusion inescapable that it is the Church that is presented “as a pure virgin to Christ,” Paul speaks o f himself as 'pre senting them to Christ, but in the full and final sense it is Christ Himself who pre sents the Church to Himself (Eph. 5:27). This is at His second coming (Matt. 25:6; Rev. 19:6, 7). Paul feared lest their minds be Qorrupted by these eloquent' and able false teachers from ,“the singleness (single ness is a more exact translation than “sim plicity” as in the Authorized and Revised Versions) o f affection .and. “purity that is toward Christ.” That is, Paul feared lest these false teachers, whom some o f the Corinthians held in such high esteem, 7 should turn toward themselves the love that ought to be wholly fixed on Jesus Christ, Him alone. In that case they could not be presented as a pure virgin to Christ. Paul did not desire this love for himself, he desired it for Christ and Christ only. Oftentimes a gifted teacher’ or preacher does.corrupt the minds o f his - hearers from the singleness and purity that is toward Christ by diverting ter himself that love and trust that should be fixed on Christ alone. Those who thus corrupt the disciples o f Christ from the simplicity of affection and the purity that was toward Him were following the example o f the serpent in the garden who beguiled Eve in his craftiness. . .Wednesday, March 20 . 2 Cor , 1 1 : 4 . Paul in speaking o f these’ false teachers uses the phrase that belongs peculiarly to Christ, “ He that cometh (literally, The Coming One)” (cf. Matt. 11:3, R .V .; Heb. 10:37, R .V .). Perhaps the false teachers used it o f themselves. Paul calls their attention to the fact that they were.after all not getting anything really and essen-
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