Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Corinthians 6:12
Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.
12. Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels ] i.e. “our heart is large enough to receive you and give you full possession of our affections, but yours is too narrow to receive any one but yourselves;” for such would seem to be the meaning hinted at, though not fully expressed, by the Apostle. The word bowels is a Hebraism for loving-kindness. As instances of its use in the O. T., take Son 5:4; Isa 16:11; and in the New, Php 2:1. For straitened ( angwischid, Wiclif) see note on ch. 2Co 4:8. The original meaning of the word is to coop up in a narrow space. The word strait in the sense of narrow (Latin, strictus) was a common phrase when the A. V. was made. e.g. Mat 7:13. It survives in modern English in such words as straits, strait-waistcoat.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Ye are not straitened in us – That is, you do not possess a narrow or contracted place in our affections. We love you fully, ardently, and are ready to do all that can be done for your welfare. There is no lack of room in our affections toward you. It is not narrow, confined, pent up. It is ample and free.
But ye are straitened in your own bowels – That is, in the affections of your hearts. The word used here ( splangchna) commonly means in the Bible the tender affections. The Greek word properly denotes the upper viscera; the heart, the lungs, the liver. It is applied by Greek writers to denote those parts of victims which were eaten during or after the sacrifice – Robinson (Lexicon). Hence, it is applied to the heart, as the seat of the emotions and passions; and especially the gentler emotions, the tender affections, compassion, pity, love, etc. Our word bowels is applied usually to the lower viscera, and by no means expresses the idea of the word which is used in Greek. The idea here is, that they were straitened, or were confined in their affections for him. It is the language of reproof, meaning that he had not received from them the demonstrations of attachment which he had a right to expect, and which was a fair and proportionate return for the love bestowed on them. Probably he refers to the fact that they had formed parties; had admitted false teachers; and had not received his instructions as implicitly and as kindly as they ought to have done.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 12. Ye are not straitened in us] That is, Ye have not a narrow place in our affections: the metaphor here is taken from the case of a person pent up in a small or narrow place, where there is scarcely room to breathe.
Ye are straitened in your own bowels.] I have not the same place in your affections which you have in mine. The bowels are used in Scripture to denote the most tender affections. See Clarke on Mt 9:36.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Ye are not straitened in us; if you cannot mutually rejoice in me, and what I write, or if you do not repay me the like affection, the fault is not in me; I have done my duty, and that too from a true principle of love to you.
But ye are straitened in your own bowels; but it is through mistakes and misapprehensions in yourselves, your not aright conceiving of me in the discharge of my apostolical office. Or the cause of your trouble and sorrow is from yourselves, upon your suffering the incestuous person, and other scandalous persons, to abide in your communion; which was an error I could not but take notice of, according to that apostolical authority which God hath committed to me.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
12. Any constraint ye feeltowards me, or narrowness of heart, is not from want of largeness ofheart on my part towards you, but from want of it on your parttowards me.
bowelsthat is,affections (compare 2Co 12:15).
not straitened in usthatis, for want of room in our hearts to take you in.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Ye are not straitened in us,…. The meaning of which is, either you are not brought into straits and difficulties by us; we do not afflict and distress you, or fill you with anguish and trouble;
but ye are straitened in your own bowels; you are distressed by some among yourselves, who ought not to be with you, with whom you should have no fellowship and communion: or thus, you have room enough in our hearts, our hearts are so enlarged with love to you, that they are large enough to hold you all; an expression, setting forth the exceeding great love, and strong affection the apostle bore to the Corinthians; when, on the other hand, they had but very little love to him comparatively; he had a heart to hold them all without being straitened for room; and among all them they could scarce find room enough in their hearts and affections for him.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Ye are not straitened in us ( ). The same figure as in verse 11. See on 4:8 for . There is no restraint in me (my heart). My adversaries may have caused some of you to tighten up your affections ( for affection as in Jas 5:11; 1Pet 3:8).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Not straitened in us. It is not that our hearts are too narrow to take you in. Straitened in antithesis with enlarged.
In your own bowels [ ] . See on 1Pe 3:8; Jas 5:11. Rev., affections. It is your love that is contracted.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Ye are not straitened in us,” (ou stenochoreisthe en hemin) “Ye are not restrained (hardened) in us;” There was no lack of room for the Corinthians in Paul’s love for them, 2Co 12:16.
2) “But ye are straitened,” (stenochoreisthe de) “But ye are restrained or hardened;- The more Paul loved them it appears that the less he was loved of them, the less they responded to his affections because of their love of the world, 2Co 12:15; 1Jn 2:15-17.
3) “In your own bowels,” (en tois splagchnois humon) “in your bowels or emotions,” center of your affections, and upper viscera, heart, lungs and liver. These were considered, down to the bowels, to be the center of all affections, first by the Jews, later and lower by the Greeks. The capacity to love and to hate have been attributed to the heart, viscera, and bowels, as to hate with the guts or to have a “gut” feeling; Mat 22:37; Phm 1:7; Phm 1:12; Phm 1:20.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
12. Ye are not straitened in us That is, “It is owing to your own fault that you are not able to share in this feeling of cheerfulness, which I entertain towards you. My mouth is opened, so that I deal familiarly with you, my very heart would willingly pour itself forth, (605) but you shut up your bowels.” He means to say, that it is owing to their corrupt judgment, that the things that he utters are not relished by them.
(605) “ Mon coeur mesme s’ouuriroit volontiers pour vous mettre deuant les yeux l’affection que i’ ay enuers vous;” — “My very heart would willingly open itself up, so as to place before your eyes the affection which I entertain towards you.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(12) Ye are not straitened in us.The word presents a natural contrast to the expansion, the dilatation, of heart of the previous verse. There was no narrowness in him. In that large heart of his there was room for them and for a thousand others. It had, as it were, an infinite elasticity in its sympathies. The narrowness was found in their own bowelsi.e., in their own affections. They would not make room for him in those hearts that were so straitened by passions, and prejudices, and antipathies.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
12. Straitened Narrowed; as being closely squeezed by a narrow entrance or small apartment.
In us In our hearts. The Corinthians were tightened, but not by or in the narrowness of the apostolic soul.
Straitened in your own bowels Narrowed and contracted in your own affections. The apostle is, indeed, aroused to free, bold, copious plainness of declaration.
Bowels The inwards or intestines, which, being often excited by aroused feeling, become the physical term for the feeling or its abode.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘You are not straitened in us, but you are straitened in your own affections. Now for a recompense in like kind (I speak as to my children), be you also enlarged.’
He stresses to them that it is not his affections and loving concern for them that are narrowed and hemmed in. He has not allowed himself to be affected by their failure of loyalty towards him. He still loves them like a father. There is nothing that is limiting his affection. But rather it is their affections for him that are restricted. They are too constrained by the things around them, and are withholding their full affection from him and from Christ. So he now pleads for reciprocation and enlargement of their affections in response to his own, because he looks on them as his dear children.
And with a view to that enlargement he will now go on to deal with the things that they have been setting their affections on which have caused the present situation, and calls on them to recognise that their hearts are wrongly taken up with false attractions, and that they must therefore separate themselves from them before they destroy them.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
2Co 6:12. Ye are not straitened, &c. “There is no want of kindness in our souls toward you; but, alas! there is reason to fear, concerning some of you at least, that yourown hearts are too much shut up, through the workings of unbelief, carnality, and coolness of affection, against us, and against the consolations which are in Christ for you, which suit your circumstances, and of whichwe would fain have you partakers.”
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Co 6:12 . A negative confirmation of the . . just said, and opposite state of matters on the part of the Corinthians.
Not straitened are ye in us, but straitened in your innermost part ( ., the seat of love, like , 2Co 6:11 , to which the expression stands related under the increasing emotion by way of climax). The meaning of it is: “ valde vos amo, non item vos me .” It is impossible, on account of the , to take it as an imperative (Aretius, Luther, Heumann, Morus, Schleusner).
. ] non angusto spatio premimini in animis nostris : in this Paul retains the figure of the previous . . . Chrysostom aptly says: . Comp. 2Co 7:3 ; Phi 1:7 . The negative expression is an affectionate, pathetic litotes, to be followed by an equally affectionate paternal reproof. This is explanation enough, and dispenses with the hypothesis that Paul is referring to the opinion of the church, that it had too narrow a space a smaller place than it wished in his heart (Hofmann). Those who interpret ., 2Co 6:11 , as to cheer , take the meaning to be: not through us do ye become troubled, but through yourselves (Kypke, Flatt; comp. Elsner, Estius, Wolf, Zachariae, Schrader; comp. also Luther), a thought, however, which is foreign to the whole connection; hence Flatt also assumes that Paul has 2Co 7:2 ff. already in his thoughts; and Schrader explains 2Co 6:14 to 2Co 7:1 as an interpolation. [249]
. . . .] so that there is in them no right place for us (comp. 1Jn 3:17 ). Chrysostom: , . Paul did not write . ., because by this the contrast would have passed from the thing to the persons (for he had not, in fact, written . ), and so the passage would have lost in fitting concert and sharp force. Rckert thinks that Paul refers in 2Co 6:12 to an utterance of the Corinthians, who had said: ! meaning, we are perplexed at him , and that now he explains to them how the matter stood with this , but takes the word in another sense than they themselves had done. A strangely arbitrary view, since the use of the in our passage was occasioned very naturally and completely by the previous . Comp. Chrysostom, Theodoret.
[249] Emmerling explains this section 2Co 6:14 to 2Co 7:1 to be, not an interpolation, but a disturbing addition, only inserted by Paul on reading over the Epistle again, “ sententiis subito in animo exortis .” And recently Ewald has explained it as an inserted fragment from another Epistle, proceeding probably only from some apostolic man, to a Gentile Christian church. But (1) the apparent want of fitting in to the connection, even if it did exist (but see on ver. 14), would least of all warrant this view in the case of an Epistle written under so lively emotion. (2) The contents are quite Pauline, and sufficiently ingenious. (3) The name , which does not occur elsewhere in Scripture, is not evidence against Paul, since in his Epistles (the Pastoral ones excepted) even the name , so current elsewhere, occurs only at two passages of the Epistle to the Ephesians. Besides, the . may be an echo of some apocryphal utterance known to the readers (comp. Eph 5:14 ). (4) The expressions (comp. , 1Co 9:10 , al .), (comp. Col 1:12 ), (comp. , 1Co 7:5 ), (comp. Eph 5:26 ), cannot, any more than which he does not use elsewhere, excite well-grounded suspicion in the case of one so rich in handling the language. (5) The critical evidence gives not the slightest trace of ground for assuming that the section did not originally stand in all the manuscripts. How different it is with passages really interpolated, such as Mar 16:9 ff.; Joh 7:33 ff.! Yet Holsten has also, zur Evang. d. Paul. u. Petr . p. 387, assented to the condemnation of the section.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
12 Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.
Ver. 12. Ye are not straitened in us ] Non habitatis anguste in nobis; so Piscator renders it.
But ye are straitened ] Ye are bankrupts in love, ye comply not, ye do not reciprocate. Plain things will join every point one with another; not so round and rugged things.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Co 6:12 . . . .: ye are not straitened in us (this carries on the metaphor of ), but ye are straitened in your own affections; i.e. , his adversaries at Corinth may have said that he was a man of narrow sympathies, and that there was no room in his heart for his Corinthian converts, but, in fact, the lack of sympathy was on their side it is they that are “narrow-minded”. = the upper viscera, i.e. , the heart, lungs and liver, the vital parts, and so may be rendered “the affections”.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
not. Greek. ou. App-105.
straitened. Greek. stenochoremai. See 2Co 4:8.
bowels. Greek. splanchnon. The inward parts. Metaphorically, of the affections, the seat of which we regard as the heart. Figure of speech Catachresis. App-6. Occurs here, 2Co 7:15. Luk 1:78. Act 1:18. Php 1:1, Php 1:3; Php 2:1. Col 3:12. Phm. 2Co 7:12, 2Co 7:20. 1Jn 1:3, 1Jn 1:17. All metaph. save Act 1:18.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
2Co 6:12. , ye are not straitened) The Indicative. The antithesis is, be ye enlarged [2Co 6:13].- ) in us. , in its strict sense, in, as at ch. 2Co 7:3. Our heart has sufficient room to take you in. The largeness of Pauls heart is the same as that of the Corinthians, on account of their spiritual relationship, of which 2Co 6:13.-, ye are straitened) by the narrowness of your heart on account of your late offence.- , in your bowels) which have been grieved on my account.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
2Co 6:12
2Co 6:12
Ye are not straitened in us,-Straitened means compressed in a narrow place. They were not straitened in a narrow place in his affections for them (2Co 7:3; Php 1:7); he assures them that they had ample room there. If there was in any sense constraint in their relations with him, they could rest assured that it was altogether on their part, and not at all on his.
but ye are straitened in your own affections.-They were straitened by the narrowness of their own love.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
are not: Ecc 6:9, *marg. Job 36:16, Pro 4:12, Mic 2:7
in your: Phi 1:8, 1Jo 3:17
Reciprocal: Exo 28:30 – upon his heart 2Co 7:3 – for 2Co 7:15 – inward affection is 2Co 11:11 – because 2Co 12:15 – though Phi 1:23 – in
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Co 6:12. Straitened means to be cramped or restricted, and bowels is used figuratively in reference to the affections. Paul is complaining of the lack of affection mainfested by the Corinthians. (See chapter 12:15.) He means to tell them their lack of affectionate expression for him is not his fault, for his heart was large enough for all their love (preceding verse); the fault is their own restriction.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own affections.
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Verse 12
Not–in us, &c.; ye are not straitened in our affection for you, but in your own regard and affection forms.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
6:12 Ye are not {h} straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own {i} bowels.
(h) You are in my heart as in a house, and that no narrow or confined house, for I have opened my whole heart to you; but you are inwardly narrow towards me.
(i) After the manner of the Hebrews, he calls those tender affections which rest in the heart, “bowels”.