Commentaries:
Barnes' Notes
Partly - That is, your affliction consisted partly in this. The Greek is, "this" - specifying one kind of affliction that they were called to endure.
Whilst ye were made a gazing-stock - Greek ́ theatrizomenoi - you were made a public spectacle, as if in a theater; you were held up to public view, or exposed to public scorn. When this was done, or in precisely what manner, we are not told. It was not an uncommon thing, however, for the early Christians to be held up to reproach and scorn, and probably this refers to some time when it was done by rulers or magistrates. It was a common custom among the Greeks and Romans to lead criminals, before they were put to death, through the theater, and thus to expose them to the insults and reproaches of the multitude. See the proofs of this adduced by Kuinoel on this passage. The "language" here seems to have been taken from this custom, though there is no evidence that the Christians to whom Paul refers had been treated in this manner.
By reproaches - Repreached as being the followers of Jesus of Nazareth; probably as weak and fanatical.
And afflictions - Various "sufferings" inflicted on them. They were not merely reviled in words, but they were made to endure positive sufferings of various kinds.
And partly, while ye became companions of them that were so used - That is, even when they had not themselves been subjected to these trials, they had sympathized with those who were. They doubtless imparted to them of their property; sent to them relief, and identified themselves with them. It is not known to what particular occasion the apostle here refers. In the next verse he mentions one instance in which they had done this, in aiding him when he was a prisoner.
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Zephaniah 3:12
2 Corinthians 1:12
Hebrews 10:39
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