SEV Biblia, Chapter 11:2
Porque os celo con celo de Dios; pues os he desposado a un marido, para presentaros como una virgen limpia al Cristo.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 11:2
Verse 2. I am jealous over you, &c.] The apostle evidently alludes either to the ynybw shoshabinim or paranymphs among the Hebrews, whose office is largely explained in the notes on John iii. 29, and the observations at the end of that chapter ; or to the harmosyni, a sort of magistrates among the Lacedemonians who had the care of virgins, and whose business it was to see them well educated, kept pure, and properly prepared for married life. That I may present you as a chaste virgin] The allusion is still kept up; and there seems to be a reference to Lev. xxi. 14, that the high priest must not marry any one that was not a pure virgin. Here, then, Christ is the high priest, the spouse or husband; the Corinthian Church the pure virgin to be espoused; the apostle and his helpers the shoshabinim, or harmosyni, who had educated and prepared this virgin for her husband, and espoused her to him. See the observations already referred to at the end of the third chapter of John.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 2. For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy , etc..] He lets them know it was not so much on his own account, or at all with any selfish views, or for any secular interest of his own, that he was so concerned, but it was a godly jealousy, or a zeal of God; which he was inspired with by God, and which was for the honour and glory of God, even Jesus Christ, who is God overall; and for their real good and spiritual welfare, as a church of Christ, that possessed him, which put him upon saying what he was about to do; and what affected him the more was, when he considered himself as a friend of the bridegroom, who had been concerned in the betrothing of them to Christ: for I have espoused you to one husband ; by whom is meant Christ, as the following clause explains it: Christ stands in the relation of an husband to the church catholic and universal; to the whole general assembly and church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven; even to all the elect of God, that ever were, are, or shall be; and so he does to particular congregated churches, as he did to this church at Corinth, and so he does to every individual believer: which character he responds to, by loving them with a love prior to theirs, a love of complacency and delight, which is single, special, and peculiar, strong and affectionate, wonderful and inconceivable, constant, and what will last for ever; by sympathizing with them under all their afflictions, temptations, desertions, and exercises of every kind; by nourishing and cherishing them, which phrases are expressive of the spiritual food and clothing he provides for them, of that intimate communion he admits them to, and of that whole care he takes of them; by paying all their debts, supplying all their wants, supporting them with his right hand, protecting them against all their enemies, giving them grace here, and glory hereafter; and, last of all, by interesting them in his person, and all that he has, in all the blessings and promises of the covenant in his wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. The act of espousing, the apostle here, with respect to this church, takes to himself, though in another sense, and which is the principal one, it is ascribed to Christ himself, who betroths all his to himself in righteousness, in judgment, in lovingkindness, and tender mercies; he saw them in his Father's purposes and decrees, in all the glory they were designed to be brought unto, when he loved them as his Father did, and desired them for his spouse and bride, which was granted to him; and then secretly in covenant betrothed them to himself, and ever after looked upon them as in a conjugal relation to him; wherefore though they fell in Adam, and became guilty and filthy, he gave himself for them as his church and bride, to sanctify and cleanse them, that he might present them to himself, just such a glorious church he had seen them before. In consequence of this, the Spirit of God attends the ministration of the Gospel, to the conversion of each of these souls, when they become willing to be the Lord's, and give their free and full consent to have him for their husband; and this is the day of their open espousal to him, and in this the apostle had, and other ministers of the Gospel have a concern; he was a means, in the hands of the Spirit, of their regeneration, a minister by whom they believed, an instrument in directing their souls to Christ, by setting forth his unsearchable riches, the glory of his person, and fulness of his grace: as Abraham's servant set forth the greatness of his master, and the large possessions his son was heir to, and brought out his bracelets and ear rings, his jewels of gold and silver, and thereby gained his point, a wife for Isaac; so the Spirit of God going along with the ministration of the apostle so wrought upon these Corinthians, as to give up themselves to the Lord, and take him for their head and husband, Saviour and Redeemer. This was the concern the apostle had herein, and his view, desire, and hope were, to set them before Christ their husband, pure and incorrupt: that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ ; that is, single in their love to, him, strictly adhering to him, and him only, as standing in such a relation to them; pure in the principles of faith, sincere and upright in their worship, and holy in their lives and conversations; nothing was more desirable to him than this, that he might thus present them to Christ at the great day; whereby it would appear, that his labour was not in vain in the Lord: now having been concerned in this affair of espousing them to Christ, and they not yet presented to him, or took home by him, he could not, as things were circumstanced, but entertain a godly jealousy over them in his own breast, lest the false apostles should draw them aside in any degree from their love to Christ, and faith in him.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-4 - The apostle desired to preserve the Corinthians from being corrupted by the false apostles. There is but one Jesus, one Spirit, and one gospel to be preached to them, and received by them; and why should any be prejudiced, by the devices of an adversary, against him who firs taught them in faith? They should not listen to men, who, withou cause, would draw them away from those who were the means of their conversion.
Greek Textus Receptus
ζηλω 2206 5719 V-PAI-1S γαρ 1063 CONJ υμας 5209 P-2AP θεου 2316 N-GSM ζηλω 2205 N-DSM ηρμοσαμην 718 5668 V-AMI-1S γαρ 1063 CONJ υμας 5209 P-2AP ενι 1520 A-DSM ανδρι 435 N-DSM παρθενον 3933 N-ASF αγνην 53 A-ASF παραστησαι 3936 5658 V-AAN τω 3588 T-DSM χριστω 5547 N-DSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
2. I am jealous (zhlw). The translation is correct. The word is appropriate to the image which follows, in which Paul represents himself as the marriage-friend who has betrothed the bride to the bridegroom, and consequently shares the bridegroom's jealousy of his bride (see on John iii. 29). Compare the Old-Testament passages in which God is represented as the spouse of His people: Isa. liv. 5; lxii. 5; Jer. iii. 1; Ezek. xvi. 8; Hos. ii. 18, 19. For the different senses of the word, see on envying, Jas. iii. 14. 156 Theodoret's comment on the passage is: "I was your wooer for your husband, and the mediator of your marriage; through me you received the bridegroom's gifts; wherefore I am now affected with jealousy."I have espoused (hrmosamhn). Only here in the New Testament. Lit., have fitted together. Used in the classics of carpenter's or joiner's work; of arranging music, tuning instruments, and fitting clothes or armor. As here, of betrothing or taking to wife. The Septuagint usage is substantially the same.
Present. Compare Eph. v. 27.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
11:2 {With a godly jealousy} (qeou zelwi). Instrumental case of zelos. With a jealousy of God. {I espoused} (hermosamen). First aorist middle indicative of harmozw, old verb to join, to fit together (from harmos, joint). Common for betrothed, though only here in N.T. The middle voice indicates Paul's interest in the matter. Paul treats the Corinthians as his bride.
