2 Corinthians 2:17 - Exposition

For we are not as many; rather, as the many . This clause is introduced to show how much courage and effort the work requires. "The many" might, by Greek idiom, mean "the majority." The apparent harshness of the assertion that the majority of teachers in the apostolic age dealt untruly with the Word of God, led to the substitution of οἱ λοιποὶ , the rest, in some manuscripts (D, E, F, G, L). But "the many" here means "the many antagonists of mine," who preach a different gospel ( Galatians 1:6 ). It must be remembered that conceit, Pharisaism, moral laxity, and factions were all at work in the Corinthian Church. Which corrupt. The Word means who are merely" trafficking with," "adulterating , '' "huckstering , " the Word of life. The word occurs in the LXX . of Isaiah 1:22 ; Ec 26:29; and Plato applies the same metaphor to the sophists, who peddle their wisdom about. The substantive kapelos means "a retail dealer," and especially a vintner, and the verb kapeleuo is always used in a bad sense, like the English "to huckster." Such deceitful dealers with the gospel are described in 2 Peter 2:3 , and in one of the Ignatian letters they are called Christemporoi, Christ-traffickers. Such were those who altered the perspective of the gospel, lowered its standard, and adulterated it with strange admixtures. Their methods and their teaching are constantly alluded to in these Epistles ( 1 Corinthians 1:17 , 1 Corinthians 1:31 ; 1 Corinthians 2:1-4 ; and 2 Corinthians 10:12 , 2 Corinthians 10:15 ; 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 , etc.), But as of sincerity, but as of God. lake one who speaks from the sincerity of his heart ( 2 Corinthians 1:12 ; 2 Corinthians 4:2 ) and by the inspiration of God ( 1 Corinthians 14:25 ). Before God speak we in Christ. The sphere of our teaching as of our life is Christ; and our work is done

"As ever in our great Taskmaster's eye."