Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on 2 Corinthians 11:3
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
But I fear lest by any means, etc..] Jealousy is always attended with fear, care, and solicitude, whether in things natural or spiritual. The apostle, as things were in this church, could not but express his fears, lest as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety; that is, the old serpent the devil, who made use of a serpent, the most subtle creature of all the beasts of the field, and seduced Eve from her obedience to God, to transgress his command, by eating the forbidden fruit. The apostle here speaks the language and sense of the Jews, who say f87, that, µhl dja µç çjnw ˆjç “Satan and the serpent have one name”, i.e. are the same; and that it was the old serpent (the devil), hwjl ytpd, “that beguiled Eve” f88, and who is said to be corrupted by him; “the serpent (they say f89) was corrupted first, after that, hwj hlqlqtn, “Eve was corrupted”, and after that Adam was corrupted.” So the apostle was jealous and fearful, knowing that the false apostles were ministers of Satan, artful and cunning men, lest, through their craftiness and sophistry, your minds, says he, should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ; that is, lest their judgments should be misled, their minds be vitiated with corrupt principles, and be carried away in any degree with the error of the wicked, from off the pure and simple doctrine of the Gospel, which respects the person and grace of Christ; and chiefly lies in this one plain, easy, and important truth, salvation alone by him. The Vulgate Latin version reads, “your minds should be corrupted, and should fall from the simplicity that is in Christ”.
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