John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 3. 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, hl dja jnw j 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.
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
φοβουμαι 5399 5736 V-PNI-1S δε 1161 CONJ μηπως 3381 CONJ ως 5613 ADV ο 3588 T-NSM οφις 3789 N-NSM ευαν 2096 N-ASF εξηπατησεν 1818 5656 V-AAI-3S εν 1722 PREP τη 3588 T-DSF πανουργια 3834 N-DSF αυτου 846 P-GSM ουτως 3779 ADV φθαρη 5351 5652 V-2APS-3S τα 3588 T-NPN νοηματα 3540 N-NPN υμων 5216 P-2GP απο 575 PREP της 3588 T-GSF απλοτητος 572 N-GSF της 3588 T-GSF εις 1519 PREP τον 3588 T-ASM χριστον 5547 N-ASM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
3. The serpent. Paul's only allusion to the story of the serpent in Eden. Eve. In accordance with the representation of the Church as the bride. Simplicity that is in Christ. Rev. adds, and the purity, following Westcott and Hort's text. Simplicity, single-hearted loyalty. In Christ; better, as Rev., towards (eiv).
Robertson's NT Word Studies
11:3 {The serpent beguiled Eve} (ho ofis exepatesen heuan). Paul's only mention of the serpent in Eden. The compound exapataw means to deceive completely. {Lest by any means} (me pws). Common conjunction after verbs of fearing. {Corrupted} (fqarei). Second aorist passive subjunctive with me pws of fqeirw, to corrupt.
