Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [2 Corinthians: Chapter 10].
10:9 {As if I would terrify you by my letters} (\h•s an ekphobein
humas dia t•n epistol•n\). This use of \h•s an\ with the
infinitive is seen in the papyri (Moulton, _Prolegomena_, p. 167)
and it is not \an\ in the apodosis (Robertson, _Grammar_, pp.
974, 1040). The active of this old compound verb means to
frighten, to terrify. Here only in N.T. It is common in the LXX
(Job 7:14; 33:16). Note plural (letters) here and cf. 1Co 5:9;
2Co 2:3.
10:10 {They say} (\phasin\). Reading of B old Latin Vulgate, but
Westcott and Hort prefer \ph•sin\ (says one, the leader). This
charge Paul quotes directly. {Weighty and strong} (\bareiai kai
ischurai\). These adjectives can be uncomplimentary and mean
"severe and violent" instead of "impressive and vigorous." The
adjectives bear either sense. {His bodily presence} (\h• parousia
tou s•matos\). This certainly is uncomplimentary. "The presence
of his body." It seems clear that Paul did not have a commanding
appearance like that of Barnabas (Ac 14:12). He had some
physical defect of the eyes (Ga 4:14) and a thorn in the flesh
(2Co 12:7). In the second century _Acts of Paul and Thecla_ he
is pictured as small, short, bow-legged, with eye-brows knit
together, and an aquiline nose. A forgery of the fourth century
in the name of Lucian describes Paul as "the bald-headed,
hook-nosed Galilean." However that may be, his accusers sneered
at his personal appearance as "weak" (\asthen•s\). {His speech of
no account} (\ho logos exouthen•menos\). Perfect passive
participle of \exouthene•\, to treat as nothing (cf. 1Co 1:28).
The Corinthians (some of them) cared more for the brilliant
eloquence of Apollos and did not find Paul a trained rhetorician
(1Co 1:17; 2:1,4; 2Co 11:6). He made different impressions on
different people. "Seldom has any one been at once so ardently
hated and so passionately loved as St. Paul" (Deissmann, _St.
Paul_, p. 70). "At one time he seemed like a man, and at another
he seemed like an angel" (_Acts of Paul and Thecla_). He spoke
like a god at Lystra (Ac 14:8-12), but Eutychus went to sleep
on him (Ac 20:9). Evidently Paul winced under this biting
criticism of his looks and speech.
10:11 {What we are} (\hoioi esmen\). Rather, "what sort"
(\hoioi\), not \ho\ (what) nor \hoi\ (who). Literary plural.
\Hoios\ is qualitative just as \toioutoi\ (such). Paul's quality
in his letters when absent (\apontes\) and in his deeds when
present (\parontes\) is precisely the same.
http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/2CO10.RWP.html (4 of 6) [28/08/2004 09:12:15 a.m.]