Albert Barnes Commentary 2 Corinthians 1:19

"For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, [even] by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not yea and nay, but in him is yea." — 2 Corinthians 1:19 (ASV)

For the Son of God. In this verse and the following, Paul states that he felt himself bound to maintain the strictest veracity for two reasons. The first is that Jesus Christ always demonstrated the strictest veracity (2 Corinthians 1:19). The second is that God was always true to all the promises He made (verse 20). As he felt himself to be the servant of the Savior and of God, he was therefore bound by the most sacred obligations to maintain a character irreproachable in regard to veracity. For the meaning of the phrase "Son of God," see Barnes on Romans 1:4.

Jesus Christ. It is agreed, says Bloomfield, by the best commentators, ancient and modern, that by 'Jesus Christ' his doctrine is intended here. The sense is that the preaching respecting Jesus Christ did not represent him as fickle and changeable—as unsettled, and as unfaithful; but as TRUE, consistent, and faithful. As that had been the regular and constant representation of Paul and his fellow-laborers in regard to the Master whom they served, it was to be inferred that they felt themselves bound sacredly to observe the strictest constancy and veracity.

By us, etc. Silvanus, here mentioned, is the same person who in the Acts of the Apostles is called Silas. He was with Paul at Philippi, and was imprisoned there with him (Acts 16), and was afterwards with Paul and Timothy at Corinth when he first visited that city (Acts 18:5). Paul was so much attached to him, and had so much confidence in him, that he joined his name with his own in several of his epistles (1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1).

Was not yea and nay. Our representation of him was not that he was fickle and changeable.

But in him was yea. He was not one thing at one time, and another at another. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. All that he says is true; all the promises that he makes are firm; all his declarations are faithful. Paul may refer to the fact that the Lord Jesus when on earth was eminently characterized by TRUTH.

Nothing was more striking than his veracity. He called himself "the Truth," as being eminently true in all his declarations. I am the way, and THE TRUTH, and the life (John 14:6; Revelation 3:7). And thus, he is called the faithful and true Witness (Revelation 3:14). In all his life he was eminently distinguished for that.

His declarations were simple truth; his narratives were simple, unvarnished, uncolored, unexaggerated statements of what actually occurred. He never disguised the truth; never prevaricated; never had any mental reservation; never deceived; never used any word, or threw in any circumstance, that was suited to lead the mind astray. He himself said that this was the great object which he had in view in coming into the world.

To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth (John 18:37). As Jesus Christ was thus distinguished for simple truth, Paul felt that he was under sacred obligations to imitate him and always to demonstrate the same inviolable fidelity. The most deeply felt obligation on earth is that which the Christian feels to imitate the Redeemer.