d Himself who came in the Person of the Sufferer. The second
statement implies that Christ, though sinless, was treated as a sinner.
He thus by dying accomplished the end which our punishment would
accomplish, namely, the expression of God's hatred of sin and love of
righteousness.

The Epistle opens with an introduction and thanksgiving, in which there
seems to be a note of sadness, marking the effect which the crisis in
Corinth has left on the mind of St. Paul. He proceeds to give a
personal explanation. The visit to the {148} Corinthians on the way to
Macedonia was abandoned only because of the pain which it would have
given them; the sharp letter was not written in wrath, but in sorrowful
love (i. 23-ii. 1-4). St. Paul goes on to ask pardon for the man who
caused the recent disturbance (ii. 5-11).

Then, whilst he is describing his journey to Macedonia (ii. 12-17), he
breaks off suddenly into a digression, in which he describes the
dignity of the apostolic ministry, its superiority over the Mosaic
ministry, the nature of its commission, and the seal of it in a life
which is always martyrdom (iii. 1-vi. 13). St. Paul concludes this
section with a short appeal to the Corinthians to avoid contamination
from heathenism (vi. 14-vii. 1).

He then returns to the situation of ii. 13. He tells us with how much
joy he received the news that Titus brought him--joy for the
Corinthians, for Titus, and for himself. The next two chapters (viii.,
ix.) contain instructions and exhortations respecting the fund
mentioned in 1 Cor. xvi. 1. The last four chapters follow quite
naturally. The apostle speaks with plain severity to rebuke those who
created the recent disturbance, and to warn any there may be whose
submission perhaps has not been quite entire. The prevailing tone is
that of pathetic and sorrowful expostulation. St. Paul repeats the
unkind things that have been said of him--how unimposing his presence,
that he depends on alms, that he is only eloquent with his pen. But he
defends his apostleship with absolute though very humble confidence,
counting up the things that he can say for himself--his share in Jewish
privileges, his sufferings for Christ, the revelations that God has
sent him, the signs of his success, the continual weakness that Christ
gives and blesses. Truly, the apostle is even greater than his grief.

The Epistle concludes with a benediction, in which St. Paul
co-ordinates the Three Persons of t