Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

2 Corinthians 2:9

εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ἕγραψα. Here, as in 2 Corinthians 2:3, it is very unlikely that either 1 Corinthians or this letter is meant. It is the second lost letter, written between these two, to which ἕγραψα refers. This severe letter, carried by Titus, was a testing letter; and the point of the γάρ and the καί is: For it is also in harmony with my present request that you should forgive him, that I wrote in order to test you rather than to be severe on the offender. The εἰς τοῦτο anticipates ἴνα γνῶ, and its emphatic position makes it almost equivalent to ‘simply for this.’ For τὴν δοκιμήν, comp. 2 Corinthians 8:2; 2 Corinthians 9:13; 2 Corinthians 13:3; Romans 5:4; Philippians 2:22 In translating, the A.V. has ‘experience,’ ‘experiment,’ ‘trial,’ and ‘proof.’; the R.V. has ‘probation,’ ‘proving,’ and ‘proof.’ See Mayor on James 1:3.

εἰ εἰς πάντα ὑπήκοοί ἐστε. The reading ᾖ, ‘whereby,’ agreeing with δοκιμῇ, although supported by only AB, 17, is worthy of consideration. The εἰς πάντα is the important point. It was not for them to decide how far they were to obey: their obedience must extend to (εἰς) all points. Here again we seem to have corroboration of the view that 10–13 is part of the lost letter. In 2 Corinthians 10:6 S. Paul says ἐν ἑτοίμῳ ἕχοντες ἐκδικῆσαι πᾶσαν παρακοήν, ὅταν πληρωθῇ ὑμῶν ἡ ὑπακοή. What is said here looks like a direct reference to this; and 2 Corinthians 7:15-16 may be another reference to 2 Corinthians 10:6. In the earlier severe letter he spoke of ‘avenging disobedience.’ In this later conciliatory letter there is no longer any such thought. See on 2 Corinthians 2:3 and on 2 Corinthians 1:23 for other facts of a similar kind. The three together make a strong case; and they lie within a very short section of the letter, 2 Corinthians 1:23 to 2 Corinthians 2:11.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

2 Corinthians 2:9

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