Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [2 Corinthians: Chapter 1].
1:7 {Our hope for you} (\h• elpis h•m•n huper hum•n\). The old
word \elpis\, from \elpiz•\, to hope, has the idea of waiting
with expectation and patience. So here it is "steadfast"
(\bebaia\, stable, fast, from \bain•\, to plant the feet down).
{Partakers} (\koin•noi\). Partners as in Lu 5:10.
1:8 {Concerning our affliction} (\huper t•s thlipse•s h•m•n\).
Manuscripts read also \peri\ for in the _Koin•_ \huper\ (over)
often has the idea of \peri\ (around). Paul has laid down his
philosophy of afflictions and now he cites a specific
illustration in his own recent experience. {In Asia} (\en
Asi•i\). Probably in Ephesus, but what it was we do not know
whether sickness or peril. We do know that the disciples and the
Asiarchs would not allow Paul to face the mob in the amphitheatre
gathered by Demetrius (Ac 20:30f.). In Ro 16:4 Paul says that
Prisca and Aquila laid down their necks for him, risked their
very lives for him. It may have been a later plot to kill Paul
that hastened his departure from Ephesus (Ac 20:1). He had a
trial so great that "we were weighed down exceedingly beyond our
power" (\kath' huperbol•n huper dunamin ebar•th•men\). Old verb
from \baros\, weight, \barus\, weighty. First aorist passive
indicative. See on ¯1Co 12:31 for \kath' huperbol•n\ (cf. our
hyperbole). It was beyond Paul's power to endure if left to
himself. {Insomuch that we despaired even of life} (\h•ste
exapor•th•nai h•mas kai tou z•in\). Usual clause of result with
\h•ste\ and the infinitive. First aorist passive infinitive
\exapor•th•nai\, late compound for utter despair (perfective use
of \ex\ and at a complete loss, \a\ privative and \poros\, way).
There seemed no way out. {Of life} (\tou z•in\). Ablative case of
the articular infinitive, of living.
1:9 {Yea} (\alla\). Confirmatory use as in 7:11, rather than
adversative. {The answer of death} (\to apokrima tou thanatou\)
This late word from \apokrinomai\, to reply, occurs nowhere else
in N.T., but is in Josephus, Polybius, inscriptions and papyri
(Deissmann, _Bible Studies_, p. 257; Moulton and Milligan's
_Vocabulary_), and always in the sense of decision or judgment
rendered. But Vulgate renders it by _responsum_ and that idea
suits best here, unless Paul conceives God as rendering the
decision of death. {We ourselves have had within ourselves}
(\autoi en heautois esch•kamen\). Regular perfect of \ech•\, to
have. And still have the vivid recollection of that experience.
For this lively dramatic use of the present perfect indicative
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