2 Corinthians 6:9

6:1-10 The gospel is a word of grace sounding in our ears. The gospel day is a day of salvation, the means of grace the means of salvation, the offers of the gospel the offers of salvation, and the present time the proper time to accept these offers. The morrow is none of ours: we know not what will be on the morrow, nor where we shall be. We now enjoy a day of grace; then let all be careful not to neglect it. Ministers of the gospel should look upon themselves as God's servants, and act in every thing suitably to that character. The apostle did so, by much patience in afflictions, by acting from good principles, and by due temper and behaviour. Believers, in this world, need the grace of God, to arm them against temptations, so as to bear the good report of men without pride; and so as to bear their reproaches with patience. They have nothing in themselves, but possess all things in Christ. Of such differences is a Christian's life made up, and through such a variety of conditions and reports, is our way to heaven; and we should be careful in all things to approve ourselves to God. The gospel, when faithfully preached, and fully received, betters the condition even of the poorest. They save what before they riotously spent, and diligently employ their time to useful purposes. They save and gain by religion, and thus are made rich, both for the world to come and for this, when compared with their sinful, profligate state, before they received the gospel.

As unknown, and yet well known,.... Not unknown to Father, Son, and Spirit, or to one another, but to the world; and that not with respect to their outward estate, but their spiritual and eternal state; as that they were the chosen of God, the children of God, and born again; they knew not what a life they lived, or what they lived upon; and as they were unacquainted with their inward troubles, they were strangers to their spiritual joys here, and to what they shall partake of hereafter.

Moreover, something more may be intended in this word "unknown"; as that they were not owned, esteemed, and approved of by them, but slighted, despised, hated, and persecuted: and yet well known; to God the Father, who loved them with an everlasting love, chose them in Christ, gave them to him, made a covenant with him on their account, and sent his Son to redeem them, which knowledge of them is special, eternal, affectionate, approbative, and attended with care of them; well known to Jesus Christ, who knows all that are his, specially, distinctly, perfectly, and that from everlasting, bears a strong affection for them, takes great care of them, indulges them with intimate communion with him, and openly owns and acknowledges them as his own; well known to the Spirit of God, who enlightened and quickened them, regenerated and sanctified them, wrought faith and every other grace in them, witnessed their adoption to them, led them into all truth, filled and furnished them with his gifts, and dwelt in them, and abode with them, as the seal and earnest of their future glory; and were well known to the saints, and one another: they loved each other, delighted in each other's company; they knew each other's experiences, joys, and sorrows, and, in some measure, their hearts, and even their spiritual and eternal estate. As dying, and behold we live.

As unknown, and yet well known; dealt with by Jews and heathens as persons wholly unknown to them, though we be sufficiently known; or being such whom the world knoweth not, as to our state towards God, and interest in him, though it knows us well enough as to our other circumstances. As dying, and, behold, we live; so hunted and persecuted, as that we appear every day dying; yet such hath been the power of God’s providence, that we yet live: As chastened, and not killed; and though our heavenly Father chasteneth us, yet we are not utterly consumed: the apostle alludeth to that, Psalm 118:18 : The Lord hath chastened me sore; but he hath not given me over to death.

2 Corinthians 6:9 . Ἀγνοούμενοι , unknown ) [ so that we are either quite unknown and neglected, or we are considered altogether different from what we really are .—V. g.]— Galatians 1:22 ; Colossians 2:1 .— ἐπιγινωσκόμενοι ) well known .—[35] ἰδοὺ , behold ) suddenly and contrary to hope. [35] Ἀποθνήσκοντες , dying ) 2 Corinthians 11:23 .—V. g.

2 Corinthians 6:9 . ὡς ἀγνοούμενοι καὶ ἐπιγινωσκόμενοι : as unknown, sc. , an obscure person without proper credentials ( cf. 2 Corinthians 3:2 , 2 Corinthians 10:10 ), and yet well known ( cf. 2 Corinthians 11:6 ).— ὡς ἀποθνήσκοντες καὶ ἰδοὺ ζῶμεν : as dying (as was doubtless often reported when he was ill; see on 2 Corinthians 1:8 above, and cf. 2 Corinthians 11:23 , where he speaks of the continual hazards of his life), and behold we live ( cf. 2 Corinthians 4:10 , where the death of the body is contrasted with the daily manifestation of the true life).— ὡς παιδευόμενοι καὶ μὴ θανατούμενοι : as chastened, sc. , as a punishment for his sins, which had very probably been said of him when the news of his grievous sickness ( 2 Corinthians 1:8 , etc.) reached his foes at Corinth, but not killed . He does not deny that he has been “chastened” (see reff. and cf. chap. 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 ), but he recalls in thankfulness the words of Ps. 117:18, παιδεύων ἐπαίδευσέν με Κύριος , καὶ τῷ θανάτῳ οὐ παρέδωκέν με .

Verse 9. - As unknown; literally, as being ignored ; as those whom no one cares to recognize . And yet well known. "And becoming fully recognized." "Recognized" by God ( 1 Corinthians 13:12 ), and ultimately by all good men ( 2 Corinthians 11:6 ), though they might be contemptuously ignored by men. As dying ( 2 Corinthians 1:9 ; 2 Corinthians 4:10, 11 ). Behold . The word calls attention to what seemed like a daily miracle. The paradox of the Greek tragedian - "Who knows if life be death, and death be life?" which seemed so supremely amusing to Aristophanes and the wits of Athens, became a familiar fact to the early Christians ( Romans 8:36 ; 1 Corinthians 15:31 ; Ephesians 2:5, 6 ; Colossians 2:13 , etc.). As chastened. The daily Divine education of suffering ( Psalm 118:18 ). 2 Corinthians 6:9

9. unknown … yet well known—"unknown" in our true character to those who "evil report" of us, "well known" to those who hold us in "good report" (2Co 6:8). Conybeare explains, "Unknown by men, yet acknowledged by God" (1Co 13:12). Perhaps both God and men (believers) are intended as knowing him (2Co 5:11; 11:6). dying … live—(2Co 1:9; 4:10, 11; 11:23). Compare Gaussen's remark, see on [2314]2Co 6:5. "Behold" calls attention to the fact as something beyond all expectation. chastened … not killed—realizing Ps 118:18.

9. as unknown, and yet well known ] The passage would be better without the ‘yet’ interpolated by our translators (following Tyndale). St Paul was ‘unknown’ to some, and ‘well known’ to others. Cf. ch. 2 Corinthians 3:1-2 , 2 Corinthians 4:2 , 2 Corinthians 5:11 . as dying, and behold, we live ] See ch. 2 Corinthians 4:10-11 . Also Romans 8:36-37 ; 1 Corinthians 4:9 ; 1 Corinthians 15:31 ; Ephesians 2:6 ; Colossians 2:13 ; Colossians 3:1-4 . as chastened, and not killed ] Cf. Psalm 118:18 , which was no doubt in the Apostle’s mind. Also ch. 2 Corinthians 7:4 .

(9) As unknown, and yet well known. —In the absence of fuller information as to what disparaging language had been used in reference to St. Paul, it is not easy to appreciate the precise force of the words thus used. Possibly, he had been spoken of as a man of “unknown” or obscure antecedents, and his answer to that taunt is, as in 2Corinthians 1:13-14 , that where he was known at all he was recognised as being what indeed he was. He could show even to them, to some of them at least, whether it were not so. In “dying, and, behold, we live” we may trace a reference partly to the “sentence of death” which had, as it were, been passed upon him ( 2Corinthians 1:9 ), partly to the malignant exultation with which that fact had been received, or was likely, he thought, to be received by those who hated him. We can picture them as saying, “His course will soon be over; he will not trouble us long;” and his answer to that imagined sneer is that he is still in full energy. What has befallen him has been a chastening and a discipline, but he is not yet, as they fondly thought, “killed” and delivered over unto death.