This is a chapter that has talked to me in a sundry of ways over the years. It is peppered with a great list of dichotomies as well. I see that Paul is trying to stir up their pure minds by way of remembrance. (2 Pet 3:1)
Were I Paul, which is quite evident that I am not, I am sure that I would teach and proclaim much in the same manner as he does here. He tells about some of the distress and duress that he has suffered, but not in a manner of bragging. He is desirous to tell these Corinthians that when they face opposition that he is aware of what they are fighting. Not because he read about it in the Pentateuch or some other old book, but by personal experience. I have been taught and thus said for years, "a man with a testimony is never at the mercy of a man with an argument." Paul definitely had a testimony, wouldn't you agree?
So we see here that because of Paul's love for these people that he "succored them." Here is what that word means: Succored "To give assistance to in time of want, difficulty, or distress." (AHD)
This word and scripture sort of reminds me of the way my wife nurtured and raised our children. When one of the boys fell down I would say, "he'll be alright, it did him some good to get banged up a little." She would give me a dirty look, that was her baby, and then she picked up this crying baby kissed and talked sweetly to him. Man how can you get that boy to become a REAL man with treatment like that? Now that I am a little (err a lot) older and wiser, I can see where she was right and I was definitely wrong. Good thing my wife read verse 18.
Starting in verse 8 through the end of the chapter there is a heavy peppering of several dichotomies. Now to explain: Dichotomy "division into two mutually exclusive, opposed, or contradictory groups." (AHD) I especially like the dichotomy in verse 9 "as unknown, and yet well known." This is another way of talking about those "unsung heroes" of their day and of ours. I know and have known some of those men and I am sure you have also. Those men that stood up and volunteered for work when asked, but would not stand to take credit for the labor. Those REAL men are the ones that work hard, smile a lot, but hate to stand and talk in front of people.
Then comes the biggest club that I ever got hit with by my soon to be father-in-law: verse 14 "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers." Bottom line of this scripture meant that I was not allowed to be alone with his daughter, no dating, no holding hands, could not set next to her at church and a lot more rules; not until I received the Holy Ghost. I remember saying "what is this the dark ages? My goodness it's 1970 for crying out loud." I hated it then, I am so happy about it now. It helped to form a portion of my integrity and character and it also gave me direction for educating our children when they were growing up.
The summary of this chapter is in verse 17 "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord," that says it. We cannot try to conform to the pressures from without, but we must separate ourselves from those things that are trying to derail our salvation. This separate and holy life has never hurt me; all it has done has helped me experience a richer more fulfilling life.
David DeTar
