2 Corinthians 11:3 - Exposition

I fear. Even now he would only contemplate their defection as a future dread, not as a present catastrophe. Lest by any means; lest haply ( 2 Corinthians 2:7 ; 2 Corinthians 9:4 ). As the serpent beguiled Eve. St. Paul merely touches on the central moral fact of the temptation and the Fall ( Genesis 3:1-6 ). He enters into no speculation about the symbols, though, doubtless, like St. John ( Revelation 12:9 ; Revelation 20:2 ), he would have identified the serpent with Satan. Through his subtlety. The word means "crafty wickedness." It is used in 2 Corinthians 12:16 , and is found in 2 Corinthians 4:2 ; Luke 20:23 . Your minds; literally, your thoughts ( 2 Corinthians 2:11 ). Should be corrupted (comp. Colossians 2:4-8 ; 1 Timothy 4:1 ). The simplicity. The apostles always insisted on this virtue, but especially St. Paul, in whose Epistles the word ( ἁπλότης occurs seven times. That is in Christ; rather, that is towards (literally, into ) Christ; as Cranmer rendered it, "The perfect fidelity Which looks to him above."