were adverse, and the present coldness of their attitude toward him under the influence of

their false teachers. Let us see this before proceeding to a more detailed analysis.

A | 12. Ye have not injured me.

B | 13. Infirmity of the flesh. At the first.

C | 14-15. | a | My temptation.

b | Not reject, but received.

b | As angel, as Christ Jesus.

affection

a | Your eyes.

A | 16. Am I become your enemy?

C | 17, 18. | a | They zealously affect you.

b | But not well.

b | They would exclude you.

a | That ye might affect them.

a | It is good.

affecting

b | To be zealously affected always.

a | In a good thing.

b | Not only when I am present.

B | 19, 20. I travail in birth again.

A great deal of discussion has arisen as to the intention of the Apostle in these words.

Calvin and many more recent writers take the view that "this is intended to remove the

suspicion which might have rendered his former reproofs more disagreeable . . . . . So far

as respects myself, I have no cause to complain of you".

Ellicott says that the meaning is "Ye did not injure me formerly, do not injure me now

by refusing . . . . ." Others have suggested that Paul meant "ye have not injured me, but

Christ". To these suggestions there are objections, both grammatical and contextual. It is

proverbial that there are none so difficult to conciliate as those who have done an injury,

consequently the Apostle assures them that rather than feeling that they had injured him

at all, he entertained the warmest recollection of the way they had received him, even

when the circumstances were adverse. So, he continued, never think that because I tell

you the truth, and that truth be somewhat unpleasant, that I can possibly be or become

your enemy. We may get a little light on his intention by observing the way he uses

adikeo "to injure" elsewhere. In Acts 25: 10, 11, he said "To the Jews have I done no

wrong . . . . . if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may

deliver me unto them". Paul was not charged with immoral conduct, with bribery,

corruption or theft, he was charged with antagonism to "the law of the Jews, the temple

and Caesar" (Acts 25: 8).

Again in II Cor. 7:, he uses the expression, "Receive us; we have wronged no man"

and proceeds to use such expressions as "I speak not to condemn you, for I have said

before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you". He confessed he had "made