2 Corinthians 13:13. Concluding wish of blessing—whether written by his own hand (Hofmann) is an open question—full and solemn as in no other Epistle, tripartite in accordance with the divine Trinity,[403] from which the three highest blessings of eternal salvation come to believers.

The grace of Christ (comp. Romans 5:15; Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:2; 2 Corinthians 8:9; Galatians 6:18; Ephesians 1:2; Php 1:2; 2 Thessalonians 1:2; Philemon 1:25), which is continuously active in favour of His own (Romans 8:34; 2 Corinthians 12:8), is first adduced, because it is the medians, Romans 5:1; Romans 8:34, between believers and the love of God, that causa principalis of the grace of Christ (Romans 5:8), as it also forms the presupposition of the efficacy of the Spirit, Romans 8:1-2. The fellowship of the Holy Spirit—that is, the participation in the gracious efficacy of the Holy Spirit[404]—is named last, because it is the consequence of the two former (Romans 8:9; Galatians 4:6), and continues (Romans 7:6; Romans 8:4 ff., Romans 8:26 f.) and brings to perfection (Romans 8:11; Galatians 6:8) their work in me.

μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν] sc. εἴη. Seal of holy apostolic love after so much severe censure, one thing for all.

[403] On the old liturgical use of this formula of blessing, see Constit. apost. viii. 5. 5, viii. 12. 3.

[404] Estius, Calovius, and Hammond understand κοινωνία. of the communicatio activa of the Holy Spirit, which, doubtless, as τοῦ πνευμ. ἁγ. would be genitivus subjecti, is in accordance with the preceding clauses, and not at variance with the linguistic usage of κοινωνία in itself (Fritzsche, ad Rom. III. pp. 81, 287), but is in opposition to the usage throughout in the N. T. (see on Romans 15:26; 1 Corinthians 10:16), and not in keeping with passages like Php 2:1; 1 Corinthians 1:9; 2 Peter 1:4,—passages which have as their basis the habitually employed conception of the participation in the divine, which takes place in the case of the Christian. Hence also not: familiaris consuetudo with the Holy Spirit (Ch. F. Fritzsche, Opusc. p. 276). Theophylact well remarks: τὴν κοινωνίαν τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος, τουτέστι τὴν μετοχὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν μετάληψιν, καθʼ ἣν ἁγιαζόμεθα, τῇ ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς ἐπιφοιτήσει τοῦ παρακλήτου κοινωνοὶ αὐτοῦ γενόμενοι καὶ αὐτοὶ, οὐκ οὐσίᾳ, ἀλλὰ μεθέξει ὄντες.

2 Corinthians 13:13. ἡ χάρις τοῦ κ. κ.τ.λ.: the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ (his concluding salutation in Rom., 1 Cor., Gal., Phil., Philm., 1 and 2 Thess.), and the Love of God (see on 2 Corinthians 5:14), and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit (as at Php 2:1, and cf. 1 Corinthians 1:9; 1 Corinthians 10:16) be with you all, even with those who opposed him. The ordinary conclusion of a letter of the period was ἔρρωσθε, as χαίρειν was the introductory greeting (see on 2 Corinthians 1:1). But St. Paul has a signature of his own, which he calls the σημεῖον ἐν πάσῃ ἐπιστολῇ (2 Thessalonians 3:17); viz., he always ends with a prayer that Christ’s grace may rest on his correspondents, either in the form ἡ χάρις τοῦ Κυρ. Ἰη. Χρ. or in the abbreviated form ἡ χάρις (as in Eph., Col. and the Pastorals). Here, and here only, he fills it out so as to embrace the Three Persons of the Blessed Trinity. Possibly the phrase the “God of Love” in 2 Corinthians 13:11 has suggested here mention of the “Love of God,” i.e., the love which God has for man; and a prayer for the “Fellowship of the Holy Spirit,” i.e., the κοινωνία which is the Spirit’s gift, is a fitting conclusion to a letter addressed to a community agitated by faction and strife and jealousy (2 Corinthians 12:20). But whatever were the thoughts which suggested this triple benediction (cf. Numbers 6:23 f.), it remains, as Bengel says, “egregium de SS. Trinitate testimonium”. It offers a devotional parallel to the Baptismal Formula (Matthew 28:19); and the order of its clauses receives its explanation in later words of St. Paul: διʼ αὐτοῦ ἔχομεν τὴν προσαγωγὴν … ἐν ἑνὶ πνεύματι πρὸς f1τὸν πατέρα (Ephesians 2:18). It is the Grace of Christ which leads us towards the Love of God, and the Love of God when realised through the Spirit’s power promotes the love of man (1 John 4:11), the holy fellowship fostered by the indwelling Spirit.

πρὸς Κορ. κ.τ.λ. This subscription is found (in substance) in [66] [67], the Harclean and Bohairic vss. and in many cursives, but has no real authority. The mention of Titus and Luke is plainly derived from chap. 2 Corinthians 8:18. A few cursives add the name of Barnabas; the Peshitto mentions Titus only. The form of subscription in the best MSS., [68] [69] [70] 17, is simply πρὸς Κορινθίους Β.

[66] Codex Mosquensis (sæc. ix.), edited by Matthæi in 1782.

[67] Codex Angelicus (sæc. ix.), at Rome, collated by Tischendorf and others.

[68] Codex Sinaiticus (sæc. iv.), now at St. Petersburg, published in facsimile type by its discoverer, Tischendorf, in 1862.

[69] Codex Alexandrinus (sæc. v.), at the British Museum, published in photographic facsimile by Sir E. M. Thompson (1879).

[70] Codex Vaticanus (sæc. iv.), published in photographic facsimile in 1889 under the care of the Abbate Cozza-Luzi.

2 Corinthians 13:13. Ἡ) This prayer corresponds in both epistles. The first epistle, indeed, has also its own conclusion and prayer; but yet because the first epistle is taken up and renewed in many important particulars by the second, this prayer is also suitable to it, and in the very universality of the prayer, the apostle seems also to have had reference to the first epistle.—χάρις, grace) This is mentioned in the first place, for by the grace of Christ we come to the love of the Father. [An admirable testimony to the Holy Trinity.—V. g.]—ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ, the love of God) 2 Corinthians 13:11.—ἡ κοινωνία, the communion) which has also come to you Gentiles, and which produces harmony.[94]

[94] Bengel, J. A. (1860). Vol. 3: Gnomon of the New Testament (M. E. Bengel & J. C. F. Steudel, Ed.) (J. Bryce, Trans.) (434–437). Edinburgh: T&T Clark.

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