2 Corinthians 10:10

10. Letters How many letters of St. Paul’s had they seen? Perhaps but one, the first epistle to the Corinthians. But he may have written to Corinth a second. Nay, he may have written, and doubtless did write, many letters that form no part of the sacred canon, and have not been preserved. A divine guidance directed the Church in selecting the New Testament books. Not every casual note of an apostle was treasured for future ages. Two powerful epistles had been written to Thessalonica; and it is by no means improbable that copies of them were already read and revered in the Church of Corinth.

Say they The Christines, whose names are mercifully spared.

Bodily presence Literally, the presence of his body. The expression is too decided to admit a just doubt that Paul’s bodily person is meant, and is described as weak in its impression. Without referring to the uniform traditions on this subject, we gather from Scripture itself due proof of this fact. The Lystrans (Acts 14:12) styled Barnabas Jupiter, and Paul Mercurius. This clearly indicates that Barnabas had a majestic presence and Paul had not. ( See note on the passage.) But more, as Mercurius was god of eloquence, so it is clear Paul was held by them to be eloquent, and was called chief speaker; and as Mercurius was, in mythology, held to be small and nimble, such was, doubtless, at this, his young manhood, Paul’s person. As years, toils, dangers, ecstasies, operated upon his original powerful bilious-nervous temperament, he became, for a period, over nervous and epileptic. This epileptic tendency overcame him at moments when all his powers of oratory were needed, overthrowing and discrediting him at the decisive moment. At other times it affected and weakened his utterance, so as to make his speech contemptible. This tendency disclosed itself soon after his great ecstasies described in 1 Corinthians 13:1-5, (where see note,) and became that thorn in the flesh which he prayed in vain to have withdrawn. It was this overwhelming nervousness which, under pressure of his anxiety for his dear Corinthians, made him darkly doubt whether his first inspired epistle was not a mistake whether all his foundations were not broken up, and the abyss of death were not opening beneath him. 2 Corinthians 1:8-10.

Yet there was some periodicity in these fits. Some of his grandest efforts of oratory took place after this. In particular, his speech before Festus and Agrippa was the product of his whole nature rallied to the top of its powers. Such persistence as his, through long years of such unparalleled trials, infallibly presupposes a powerful bilious base. This, overlaid with an intense nervous tendency, made him an apparent semi-invalid, often unimpressive in his presence, seemingly incapable of endurance, and yet very hardy and hard to kill.

Contemptible Alford refers this to Paul’s not bringing the power of words and rhetoric to bear on his speeches. But all that was true of his letters. Nay, it was in his abjuring rhetoric and philosophy, and flinging himself upon his pure, deep evangelism, that his power and impressiveness, when present, consisted. The defeat of Paul in his masterly effort at Athens, and his loneliness there and after he went to Corinth, did for awhile all but paralyze him. That was one of his weak periods. And probably all his first residence at Corinth was characterized by alternate feebleness and power. The thorn in the flesh rendered his utterance at times contemptible.