Behold, the third time I am ready to come to
you
Not that he had been twice at Corinth, and was now about to come
a third time; for as yet he had been but once there, when he
first preached to them, was the means of their conversion, and
settled them in a church state; he had promised them to come a
second time, but as yet was prevented; see ( 1
Corinthians 16:5 ) ( 2
Corinthians 1:15 ) , and now a third time he had purposed it
in his mind, and had prepared for it, and was just ready to come
unto them; when he assures them he had not altered his mind, nor
should he change his conduct, but steer the same course he had:
and I will not be burdensome to you;
he signifies he would preach the Gospel freely to them, and take
nothing of them; and this he says lest they should think with
themselves, that though he took no stipend of them before, yet
when he came again he would:
for I seek not yours;
their money and substance, as did the false apostles:
but you;
they themselves, their spiritual good and welfare, the comfort,
edification, instruction, and salvation of their immortal souls;
like a good and faithful shepherd, who sought not the fleece, but
the good of the flock; or rather like a loving tender father,
that was affectionately concerned for the good of his children:
for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but
the
parents for the children;
not but that children ought to take care of, and provide for
their aged and indigent parents, and churches ought to maintain
their faithful ministers; but the apostle argues from a common
fact which nature and affection direct unto, and have formed into
a sort of a law, that parents not only care for their children,
bring them up, and provide for them food and raiment; but as they
are blessed by Providence, lay up treasures for them for tithe to
come, and not children for their parents; this is neither usual
nor necessary, for however, as the case may be, children may be
obliged to maintain their parents when grown old and in want, yet
not to lay up substance for them for futurity; and by it the
apostle suggests, that he was a spiritual father to these
Corinthians, and they were his children; for whose spiritual
welfare he had the highest concern, and whatever he did was out
of no disrespect to them, but from the strongest affection for
them.