2 Corinthians 1:14

As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(14) As also ye have acknowledged.—The parenthetical clause (better, ye did acknowledge) comes in to qualify the fear which had been partly veiled by the hope. They had done him some, though not adequate, justice. The phrase “in part” may be noted as specially characteristic of the Epistles of this period (Romans 11:25; Romans 15:15; Romans 15:24; 1Corinthians 11:18; 1Corinthians 12:27; 1Corinthians 13:9).

That we are your rejoicing . . .—Better, a ground of exultation to you, as you are to us. The words must be connected with the future rather than the past. “I trust that you will one day recognise that you have as much reason to be proud of me as I have to be proud of you.” The word for “rejoicing,” “boasting,” “glorying,” &c., is specially characteristic of this period of St. Paul’s life, occurring forty-six times in 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, and Romans, and only six times in his other Epistles. The “day of the Lord Jesus,” of His great advent to judge the world (comp. Romans 2:16), defines the “end” to which the previous verse had pointed.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

1:12-14 Though, as a sinner, the apostle could only rejoice and glory in Christ Jesus, yet, as a believer, he might rejoice and glory in being really what he professed. Conscience witnesses concerning the steady course and tenor of the life. Thereby we may judge ourselves, and not by this or by that single act. Our conversation will be well ordered, when we live and act under such a gracious principle in the heart. Having this, we may leave our characters in the Lord's hands, but using proper means to clear them, when the credit of the gospel, or our usefulness, calls for it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

As also ye have acknowledged us - You have had occasion to admit my singleness of aim, and purity of intention and of life by your former acquaintance with me; and you have cheerfully done it. "In part" (ἀπὸ μέρους apo merous). Tyndale renders this: "as ye have found us partly." The sense seems to be, "as part of you acknowledge;" meaning that a portion of the church was ready to concede to him the praise of consistency and uprightness, though there was a faction, or a part that denied it.

That we are your rejoicing - That we are your joy, and your boasting. That is, you admit me to be an apostle. You regard me as your teacher, and guide. You recognize my authority, and acknowledge the benefits which you have received through me.

Even as ye also are ours - Or, as you will be our rejoicing in the day when the Lord Jesus shall come to gather his people to himself. Then it will be seen that you were saved by our ministry; and then it will be an occasion of abundant and eternal thanksgiving to God that you were converted by our labors. And as you now regard it as a matter of congratulation and thanksgiving that you have such teachers as we are, so shall we regard it as a matter of congratulation and thanksgiving - as our chief joy - that we were the instruments of saving such a people. The expression implies that there was mutual confidence, mutual love, and mutual cause of rejoicing. It is well when ministers and people have such confidence in each other, and have occasion to regard their connection as a mutual cause of rejoicing and of καύχημα kauchēma or boasting.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

14. in part—In contrast to "even to the end": the testimony of his life was not yet completed [Theophylact and Bengel]. Rather, "in part," that is, some of you, not all [Grotius, Alford]. So in 2Co 2:5; Ro 11:25. The majority at Corinth had shown a willing compliance with Paul's directions in the first Epistle: but some were still refractory. Hence arises the difference of tone in different parts of this Epistle. See [2301]Introduction.

your rejoicing—your subject of glorying or boast. "Are" (not merely shall be) implies the present recognition of one another as a subject of mutual glorying: that glorying being about to be realized in its fulness "in the day (of the coming) of the Lord Jesus."

Matthew Poole's Commentary

In part, may either refer to persons or things; part of you have so owned and acknowledged us, though others of you have abused us. Or you have in part, or at some times, owned us, that you had cause to bless God for us, and to rejoice that God ever sent us to preach the gospel amongst you. And as some have owned us as their joy, or all of you have at some times acknowledged us as such, so you are also

our rejoicing; we rejoice tllat God hath made our labour successful to your souls, and I trust, in the day when the Lord Jesus shall come to judge the world, you shall be more our rejoicing.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

As also you have acknowledged us in part,.... This may refer either to the thing known and acknowledged, namely, the integrity of the apostle's conversation, and others; which though they did not know thoroughly and perfectly, yet did in part, and that so far as that they might acquit them from the charge brought against them; or to the persons who knew this, as that there were some in the church of Corinth, a part of them, though not all, who knew and had acknowledged them to be upright and sincere ministers of the word, and had declared that they had reason to rejoice and bless God that ever they heard them: and

that we are your rejoicing: or "glorying in", or "unto the day of the Lord Jesus": when he shall come to judge the world in righteousness, then they should before him, angels and men, rejoice and glory in this, that they had been blessed with such sincere and faithful ministers, who sought not any worldly advantage, but the glory of Christ, and the salvation of souls:

even as, adds the apostle,

ye also are ours; we do now, and so we shall then, rejoice and glory in this, that our labour among you was not in vain, but was blessed for your conversion and edification.

Geneva Study Bible

As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your {m} rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the {n} day of the Lord Jesus.

(m) Paul's rejoicing in the Lord was that he had won the Corinthians: and they themselves rejoiced that such an apostle was their instructor, and taught them so purely and sincerely.

(n) When he will sit as judge.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

2 Corinthians 1:14. καθὼς καὶ ἐπέγνωτε κ.τ.λ.: as also ye did acknowledge us in part; i.e., some of them made this acknowledgment, but not all (1 Corinthians 3:4).—ὅτι καύχημα ὑμῶν ἐσμεν: that (not “because”) we are your glorying (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:12); that is, the Corinthian Church was proud of its connexion with the great Apostle, and still “gloried” in him.—καθάπερ καὶ ὑμεῖς ἡμῶν κ.τ.λ.: as ye also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus. Lest this assertion of his single-mindedness and integrity should seem to claim any undue superiority to his fellow Christians at Corinth, he hastens to add, parenthetically, with remarkable tact, that if he is their “glory” so are they his. He constantly thinks thus of his converts; cf., e.g., Php 2:16 and 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20.—ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ: “A day of the Lord,” “The Day of the Lord” are common expressions in the prophets; cf. Isaiah 13:6; Isaiah 13:9, Jeremiah 46:10, Ezekiel 30:3, Zechariah 14:1, Joel 1:15; Joel 2:1; Joel 2:11; Joel 2:31 (cited Acts 2:20), etc. And the phrase is taken up by St. Paul (1 Thessalonians 5:2, 1 Corinthians 1:8; 1 Corinthians 5:5; cf. Php 1:10, 2 Timothy 1:12), and is applied to the Second Advent of Christ; cf. also 2 Peter 3:10, and Matthew 24:42.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

14. As also] St Paul connects “the future for which he hopes, with the past of which he knows.”—Meyer.

in part] It is here delicately hinted that the whole Corinthian Church did not acknowledge St Paul.

we are your rejoicing] Rather, ground of rejoicing. The word here rendered ‘rejoicing’ is rendered indifferently ‘boasting,’ ‘glorying,’ ‘rejoicing,’ ‘whereof to glory ‘in the A.V. See Romans 4:2; 1 Corinthians 5:6, and ch. 2 Corinthians 9:3.

even as ye also are ours] See note on 2 Corinthians 1:11. It was, moreover, the special object of the Apostle to remind the Corinthians of the identity of their interests before he proceeded to vindicate himself or to rebuke them. Some of them, he says, already recognized this truth. See also next verse. Chrysostom remarks on the humility of the Apostle in thus placing himself on a level with his converts.

in the day of the Lord Jesus] See 1 Corinthians 3:13; 1 Corinthians 4:3; 1 Corinthians 4:5 and notes.

Bengel's Gnomen

2 Corinthians 1:14. Ἀπὸ μέρους, in part) The antithesis, even unto the end, is in the preceding verse.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 14. - In part. Not as a whole Church. Some only of the Corinthians had been faithful to his teaching and to himself. (For the phrase, see Romans 11:25; Romans 15:15, 24; 1 Corinthians 11:18; 1 Corinthians 12:27; 1 Corinthians 13:9) Rejoicing; rather, ground of boast, as in 2 Corinthians 9:3; Romans 4:2, "whereof to glory;" 1 Corinthians 5:6. In ver. 12 the substantive means "the act of rejoicing." The word is characteristic of this group of Epistles, in which it occurs forty-six times, Even as ye also are ours. This clause takes away all semblance of self-glorification. In 1 Thessalonians 2:19, 20 and Philippians 2:16 he expresses the natural thought that a teacher's converts are, and will be in the last day, his "crown of exultation." Here alone he implies that they may glory in him as he in them. The thought, however, so far frond being egotistical, merely indicates the in. tense intercommunion of sympathy which existed between him and them. He does but place himself on a level with his converts, and imply that they mutually gloried in each other. In the day of the Lord Jesus (see on 1 Corinthians 3:13). 2 Corinthians 1:14

Vincent's Word Studies

In part (ἀπὸ μέρους)

Referring to the partial understanding of his character and motives by the Corinthians.