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#5.
A Coveted Acknowledgment ignored (by man),
yet recognized (by the Lord) (II Cor. 6: 9).
pp. 99, 100
In that day we shall all recognize even as we are all recognized now (I Cor. 13: 12).
Such was the promise that held our attention in the previous article. We now turn to a
passage in the second epistle to these same Corinthians, that deals with the present, viz.,:
"As unknown, and yet well known" (II Cor. 6: 9).
The margin of our old Bible, which is too worn to be used elsewhere than on the desk,
reads, "As ignored yet recognized". Dr. Bullinger in his "Figures of speech used in the
Bible", places II Cor. 6: 8-10 under the figure Antithesis or Contrast, and these verses
contain the last of a series of statements distributed under four heads, as follows:
(1)
A
seven-fold
passive experience (II Cor. 6: 4, 5).
(2)
A
seven-fold
self-denial (II Cor. 6: 5, 6).
(3)
A
seven-fold
means to endure (II Cor. 6: 6-8).
(4)
A
seven-fold
result (antithesis) (II Cor. 6: 8-10).
This last group is composed of a series of antitheses, which include the passage we are
considering.
"Deceivers, and yet true;
Unknown, yet well known;
Dying, yet living;
Chastened, yet not killed;
Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;
Poor, yet enriching others;
Having nothing, yet possessing all things."
This long list of personal experiences is introduced by the words, "in all things
approving ourselves as the ministers of God" (II Cor. 6: 4). The word "approving"
translating the same word that is rendered "commending" in 3: 1 and 5: 12.
"Do we begin again to commend ourselves?"
"For we commend not ourselves again unto you."
Meyer draws attention to the position of heautous in these passages as compared with
II Cor. 6: 4. Where the commending of ourselves is used in a bad sense, heautous
precedes the verb; but in II Cor. 4: 2 and 6: 4 heautous follows the verb. Alford
remarks:
"This is only one of continually occurring instances of the importance of the
collocation of words with regard to emphasis."