Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among
you
Not only the doctrine which he preached, the power that attended
it, and the success it met with among them, were clear signs and
evident proofs of his being sent by Christ; not only they
themselves, who were converted under his ministry, were
testimonials and seals of his apostleship, but also the many
other wonderful works done by him confirmed the same, and showed
him to be an apostle, and that he was not a whit behind, but
equal to the chiefest of them: nor does he refer them to signs
that were wrought by him, among others, and in other places,
which were many; but to those which they themselves were
witnesses of, and therefore might and ought to have spoken of
them in defence of him; and in order to stop the mouths of the
false apostles, a particular enumeration of these signs follows:
in all patience;
it is one sign, and what is here mentioned in the first place of
an apostle and minister of Christ, that he patiently bears all
injuries and indignities, reproaches, persecutions, and all
manner of afflictions, for Christ's sake and the Gospel's; and
this the apostle did; and had he not been sent by Christ, it is
not reasonable to imagine that he would have exposed himself to
so many evils and dangers; or would have bore with so much
patience the ill usage of men, and particularly the unkindness
and ingratitude he met with at Corinth; but he took all
patiently, having their good and the glory of Christ at heart:
in signs and wonders, and mighty deeds;
meaning preternatural and miraculous performances; such as
raising the dead, healing the sick, cleansing lepers, casting out
devils, speaking with divers tongues, and the like, which were
confirming evidences of apostleship; so (Nyrwbgw Nyon) , "wonders and powers", or "mighty
deeds", are mentioned together by the Jews F9, as the
same things.