Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Corinthians 12:15
And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
15. very gladly ] Or most gladly.
spend and be spent ] St Paul regards himself but as a gift of Christ’s love, in that he has been made a channel of His grace. Simply as such, as a means whereby Christ is enriching them with Himself, he will not only spend himself, but be spent by others, just as money is, which is worthless in itself, and is only valuable for what it enables us to obtain.
though the more abundantly I love you ] This passage shews us how the man valued and yearned for affection, even while the Apostle knew it to be right to do his duty, without expecting the least return of any kind.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And I will very gladly spend – I am willing to spend my strength, and time, and life, and all that I have, for your welfare, as a father cheerfully does for his children. Any expense which may be necessary to promote your salvation I am willing to submit to. The labor of a father for his children is cheerful and pleasant. Such is his love for them that he delights in toil for their sake, and that he may make them happy. The toil of a pastor for his flock should be cheerful. He should be willing to engage in unremitted efforts for their welfare; and if he has any right feeling he will find a pleasure in that toil He will not grudge the time demanded; he will not be grieved that it exhausts his strength, or his life, anymore than a father will who toils for his family. And as the pleasures of a father who is laboring for his children are among the purest and most pleasant which people ever enjoy, so it is with a pastor. Perhaps, on the whole, the pleasantest employment in life is that connected with the pastoral office; the happiest moments known on earth are the duties, arduous as they are, of the pastoral relation. God thus, as in the relation of a father, tempers toil and pleasure together; and accompanies most arduous labors with present and abundant reward.
Be spent – Be exhausted and worn out in my labors. So the Greek word means. Paul was willing that his powers should be entirely exhausted and his life consumed in this service.
For you – Margin, as in the Greek, for your souls. So it should have been rendered. So Tyndale renders it. The sense is, that he was willing to become wholly exhausted if by it he might secure the salvation of their souls.
Though the more abundantly I love you … – This is designed doubtless as a gentle reproof. It refers to the fact that notwithstanding the tender attachment which he had evinced for them, they had not manifested the love in return which he had a right to expect. It is possible that there may be an allusion to the case of a fond, doting parent. It sometimes happens that a parent fixes his affections with undue degree on some one of his children; and in such cases it is not uncommon that the child evinces special ingratitude and lack of love. Such may be the allusion here – that Paul had fixed his affections on them like a fond, doting father, and that he had met with a return by no means corresponding with the fervour of his attachment; yet still he was willing, like such a father, to exhaust his time and strength for their welfare. The doctrine is, that we should be willing to labor and toil for the good of others, even when they evince great ingratitude. The proper end of laboring for their welfare is not to excite their gratitude, but to obey the will of God; and no matter whether others are grateful or not; whether they love us or not; whether we can promote our popularity with them or not, let us do them good always. It better shows the firmness of our Christian principle to endeavor to benefit others when they love us the less for all our attempts, than it does to attempt to do good on the swelling tide of popular favor.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 15. And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you] I will continue to act as a loving father, who spends all he has upon his children, and expends his own strength and life in providing for them the things necessary for their preservation and comfort.
Though the more abundantly I love you] I will even act towards you with the most affectionate tenderness, though it happen to me, as it often does to loving fathers, that their disobedient children love them less, in proportion as their love to them is increased. Does it not frequently happen that the most disobedient child in the family is that one on which the parents’ tenderness is more especially placed? See the parable of the prodigal son. It is in the order of God that it should be so, else the case of every prodigal would be utterly deplorable. The shepherd feels more for the lost sheep than for the ninety-nine that have not gone astray.
If I be asked, “Should Christian parents lay up money for their children?” I answer: It is the duty of every parent who can, to lay up what is necessary to put every child in a condition to earn its bread. If he neglect this, he undoubtedly sins against God and nature. “But should not a man lay up, besides this, a fortune for his children, if he can honestly?” I answer: Yes, if there be no poor within his reach; no good work which he can assist; no heathen region on the earth to which he can contribute to send the Gospel of Jesus; but not otherwise. God shows, in the course of his providence, that this laying up of fortunes for children is not right; for there is scarcely ever a case where money has been saved up to make the children independent and gentlemen, in which God has not cursed the blessing. It was saved from the poor, from the ignorant, from the cause of God; and the canker of his displeasure consumed this ill-saved property.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; I am so far from desiring your money, that, if I had it, I would willingly spend it for you; and I do spend my strength for you, willing to die in your service, labouring for the good of your immortal souls.
Though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved; but I am very unhappy as to some of you, who will not rightly understand me, but love me the less, the more they see my love to them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15. I will . . . spendall Ihave.
be spentall that I am.This is more than even natural parents do. They “lay uptreasures for their children.” But I spend not merely mytreasures, but myself.
for youGreek,“for your souls”; not for your mere bodies.
the less I be lovedLoverather descends than ascends [BENGEL].Love him as a true friend who seeks your good more than your goodwill.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And I will gladly spend,…. Meaning all his time, talents, and strength, which God had bestowed upon him for their spiritual profit and advantage; yea, all that small pittance of worldly goods that he enjoyed: he not only determined to take nothing from them, but was willing to communicate his little substance to them, or spend it in their service; and not only so, but be spent for them:
and be spent for you, or “for your souls”: for the good of them; his sense is, either that he was willing to have his whole substance expended, if it would be of any use to them; or his whole strength exhausted, in laborious preaching to them; or even his life to be laid down for them, was it necessary; which sense is favoured by the Syriac and Arabic versions; all which expressed his tender affection as a spiritual father for them: adding,
though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved; though he loved them more than he did other churches, or than the false apostles loved them, and yet were loved by them less than he was by other churches; or by them, than the false apostles were; or rather the meaning is, that though he increased in his love, and in the expressions of it to them, and they grew colder and more indifferent to him, yet this should not hinder his warmest desires and most earnest endeavours after their spiritual and eternal welfare. This way of speaking strongly expresses his love to them, and tacitly implies the lukewarmness of theirs to him; and yet that it should be no discouragement to him to proceed in doing them all the service he was capable of.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
I will most gladly spend and be spent ( ). Both future active of old verb (Mr 5:26) to spend money, time, energy, strength and the future passive of , late compound to spend utterly, to spend out, (–), to spend wholly. Only here in N.T.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Be spent [] . Only here in the New Testament. To spend utterly. Later Greek writers use the simple verb dapanaw to expend, of the consumption of life.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And I will very gladly spend,” (ego de hedista depaneso) “But I most gladly will spend,” in unselfish devotion to his call, 2Co 1:6-7; Rom 9:3; Php_2:17; 2Ti 2:10. “Others” was Paul’s motivation to service.
2) “And be spent for you,” (kai ekdapanethesomai huper ton psuchon humon) “and will be spent on behalf of your souls,” the welfare of your souls, your entire Christian lives, Mar 8:35-37; 1Co 6:19-20; Mat 6:33. He would lose his life to gain it again, 1Co 3:8.
3) “Though the more abundantly I love you,” (ei perissateros humas agapo) “if (it be) the more abundantly I love you all,” as it appears, more it seems than other churches, reflected in both his letters written to them and years of service rendered to them, beginning with a year and six months teaching with his first visit; Act 18:1-11; Act 18:18.
4) “The less I be loved,” (hesson agapomai) “the less I am loved,” by you, less than by other churches, Joh 13:34-35. In non-support for me, though I require it not, the way you should respond to my love, my affections to you after a year and a half of my teaching among you all, Act 18:11; Gal 6:6. This is one of the most forlorn expressions in the Scriptures, responding to ingratitude of brethren whom he had helped so much, See also Gal 4:13-18; 2Jn 1:7-9.
OTHERS
Lord, help me to live from day to day
In such a self-forgetful Way
That even when I kneel to pray
My prayer shall be for – OTHERS.
Help me in all the work I do
To ever be sincere and true
And know that all I’d do for you
Must needs be done for – OTHERS.
Let Self” be crucified and slain
And buried deep; and all in vain
May efforts be to rise again
Unless to live for – OTHERS.
And when my work on earth is done
And my new work in heaven’s begun
May I forget the crown I’ve won
While thinking still of – OTHERS.
Others, Lord, yes, others
Let this my motto be,
Help me to live for others,
That I may live like Thee.
-C. D. Meigs
PREFERRING OTHERS
At an accident in a coal mine a rope broke and precipitated several men to the bottom of the shaft. Two boys caught hold of a stationary chain, and held on till relief came. A man was let down by a rope to rescue them. He first came to Daniel Harding, who cried, “Don’t mind me, I can hold on a little longer. Save Joseph Brauer first, who is a little lower down, and nearly exhausted.” The rescuer obeyed this instruction, and after twenty minutes returned and saved the boy who risked his own life for another.
-Anon.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
15. And I will most gladly spend This, certainly, was an evidence of a more than fatherly affection — that he was prepared to lay out in their behalf not merely his endeavors, and everything in his power to do, but even life itself. Nay more, while he is regarded by them with coldness, he continues, nevertheless, to cherish this affection. What heart, though even as hard as iron, would such ardor of love not soften or break, especially in connection with such constancy? Paul, however, does not here speak of himself, merely that we may admire him, but that we may, also, imitate him. Let all Pastors, therefore, learn from this, what they owe to their Churches.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(15) And I will very gladly spend and be spent.The pronoun is emphatic, I, for my part. The latter verb implies spending to the last farthing. As he sought not theirs, but them, so he is ready to spend for them not only all that he has, but even, as if to the verge of exhaustion, all that he is. And yet with all this there was the painful consciousness of toiling without adequate return. It seemed to him, in his intense craving for affection, as if their love varied inversely with his own.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
15. Very gladly A rich, hearty flow of unselfishness. Others joy in gaining and taking, I in expending and giving.
Spend Expend what I possess.
Be spent All I am.
Less I be loved A repayment, at least in love, would be grateful; but this is no condition to my expenditure of all I have and am. Nay, though the more I expend the less be your love, I still joy in the sacrifice.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?’
And he is happy that it should be so. He is delighted to spend himself, until he is absolutely spent, for them. (The play on words is also there in the Greek). He will hold nothing back. He will gladly give of himself, of his time, of his energy, of his affection, of his reputation and, if need be, of his health. He loves them abundantly. Will they then respond to his abundant love with something less?
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
2Co 12:15. I will very gladly spend and be spent “I will gladly exhaust my strength, and put myself to any expence too, for your salvation; though the consequence of all should be, that the more abundantly I love you, the less I should be loved by you.” See 2Ti 2:10. 1Th 2:8.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Co 12:15 . Paul applies what was said generally in 2Co 12:14 : . . ., to himself ( , I on my part ): I, however, will very willingly spend and be spent for the good of your souls , in order, namely, to prepare them for the salvation of eternal life (Heb 10:39 ; Heb 13:17 ; 1Pe 1:9 ; Jas 1:21 ). Theodoret rightly says: .
For examples of ( strengthens, Polyb. xxv. 8. 4, xxi. 8. 9, xvii. 11. 10) used of the life , see Kypke, II. p. 272. On the subject-matter, comp. Horace, Od. i. 12. 38 f.: “animaeque magnae prodigum Paullum.”
. ] does not stand for (which is read by Elzevir and Tischendorf), for which Rckert takes it, but is the simple if , and that not even in the sense of or , as it is used “ne quid confidentius, directius affirmetur” (Dissen, ad Dem, de Cor . p. 195), but, as is here most in keeping with tender delicacy in the expression of a harsh thought, in the purely hypothetical sense: if , which I leave undecided, etc. In view of the possible case, that he finds the less love among his readers, the more he loves them (this is implied in the mutual reference of the two comparatives, see Matthiae, 455, Rem. 7), [381] the apostle will most gladly sacrifice his own (what he has from others, or even by his own work) and himself (comp. Rom 9:3 ; Phi 2:17 ) for their souls, in order that thus he may do his utmost to overcome this supposed and possibly existing disproportion between his loving and being loved by stimulating and increasing the latter (Rom 12:21 ; 1Co 13:4-7 ). Hofmann, not observing the clever turn of the hypothetical expression of the thought, without reason finds this view absurd, and with sufficient crudeness and clumsiness takes to as an independent question , to which Paul himself makes answer with (in the sense: be it so withal , I will let it rest there). To this interrogative view Hofmann ought all the less to have resorted, seeing that interrogation in such an indirect form (Winer, p. 474 [E. T. 639], and see on Mat 12:10 ; Luk 13:23 ) is wholly without example in Paul, often as he has had an opportunity for using it. It is found often in Luke, more rarely in Matthew and Mark. Except in the writings of these three, the N. T. does not present that independent use of the indirectly interrogative .
[381] In opposition to Hofmann, who, not attending to the correspondence of the two comparatives, supplies with .: than others , and with : than by others .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
Ver. 15. Spend and be spent ] If like clouds we do sweat ourselves to death, so souls may be brought home to God, it is a blessed way of dying. Mr Samuel Cook’s motto was Impendam et expendar, I will spend and be spent; this he cheerfully verified.
The less I be loved ] This is many a good man’s grief, but his reward is nevertheless with God. The nurse looks not for her wages from the child, but from the parent.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
15. ] , Theodoret: and similarly Chrys. and Theophyl. They lay up treasures: I will spend them: , ; , , , Theophyl. Cf. Hor. Od. i. 12. 38: ‘animque magn prodigum Paullum.’
is less strong than , which has been apparently a gloss on it. It assumes the case, but does not bring out the contrast between the course of action and the state of circumstances so strongly. Here , it appears as if were by the connected with , ‘ and will be spent , used up, in the service of your souls, if, the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved :’ implying, that such a return for his love was leading to, and would in time accomplish, the .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
2Co 12:15 . . . .: and I will most gladly spend and be wholly spent for your souls’ sake ( cf. chap. 2Co 1:6 , Rom 9:3 , Phi 2:17 , 1Th 2:8 , 2Ti 2:10 for the like expressions of unselfish devotion). is here used (as at Heb 13:17 , 1Pe 2:11 ) of the spiritual part of man, the interests of which are eternal. . . .: if I loved you more abundantly, i.e. , than I love other Churches of my foundation ( cf. 2Co 11:11 ), am I loved less ( sc. , than I am loved by other Churches)? Is it thus that you requite my affection?
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
spend. Greek. dapanao. See Act 21:24.
be spent. Greek. ekdapanao. Spend out, exhaust. Only her
You = your souls (App-110.)
love. Greek. agapao. App-136.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
15.] , Theodoret: and similarly Chrys. and Theophyl. They lay up treasures: I will spend them:- , ; , , , Theophyl. Cf. Hor. Od. i. 12. 38: animque magn prodigum Paullum.
is less strong than , which has been apparently a gloss on it. It assumes the case, but does not bring out the contrast between the course of action and the state of circumstances so strongly. Here, it appears as if were by the connected with ,-and will be spent, used up, in the service of your souls, if, the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved: implying, that such a return for his love was leading to, and would in time accomplish, the .
Fuente: The Greek Testament
2Co 12:15. , but I) The makes an Epitasis [emphatic addition to the enunciation already made].-) I will spend what belongs to me.-, I myself will be spent)-, less) Love rather descends, than ascends. [It is unworthy to repay the most devoted love with a scanty measure of love.-V. g.]
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
2Co 12:15
2Co 12:15
And I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls.-As their father in the gospel (1Co 4:14-16) he would most gladly spend and be spent for his children, if he could save their souls. Because of his great love for them, he admonished and reproved them.
If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?-Thus he concludes his long boast of love by words of love, the greatest we can conceive, a love not destroyed; but moved by greater sacrifice by the unloving spirit of those loved. Such is the love revealed in Gods gift of his Son for rebellious man.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
will: 2Co 12:9, 2Co 1:6, 2Co 1:14, 2Co 2:3, 2Co 7:3, Joh 10:10, Joh 10:11, Gal 4:10, Phi 2:17, Col 1:24, 1Th 2:8, 2Ti 2:10
you: Gr. your souls, 2Co 12:14, Heb 13:17
though: 2Co 6:12, 2Co 6:13, 2Sa 13:39, 2Sa 17:1-4, 2Sa 18:33, 1Co 4:8-18
Reciprocal: Exo 18:18 – Thou wilt surely wear away Exo 28:30 – upon his heart Deu 22:4 – thou shalt surely Psa 109:4 – For my Isa 49:4 – spent Mat 20:27 – whosoever Mar 10:21 – loved 1Co 4:14 – my 1Co 10:14 – my 1Co 16:24 – love 2Co 1:12 – not 2Co 2:4 – not 2Co 3:2 – in 2Co 4:12 – death 2Co 4:16 – though 2Co 6:6 – love 2Co 6:11 – our heart 2Co 11:11 – because 2Co 12:19 – dearly Gal 5:13 – but Phi 2:30 – nigh 1Pe 5:2 – not for
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Co 12:15. Though . . . the less I be loved. Paul would not let the indifference of the Corinthians keep him from continuing his fatherly concern for them. Spend and be spent is somewhat figurative. He would go on devoting his time and talents upon them, and also permit them to make use of him for their own benefit.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
2Co 12:15. And I will most gladly spend and be spent (Gr. spent out) for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?[1]
[1] This is certainly the true reading, and (without the of the received text) the above is the only legitimate translation.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 15 Like a father, he would give up all he had for the salvation of his spiritual children. He wonders if this greater love will cause them to love less.
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
And I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Verse 15
Though the more, &c.; that is, even though it should be so.