2 Corinthians 7:2-9

Butler's Commentary

SECTION 1

Augmentation (2 Corinthians 7:2-9)

2 Open your hearts to us; we have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one. 3I do not say this to condemn you, for I said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. 4I have great confidence in you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. With all our affliction, I am overjoyed.

5 For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest but we were afflicted at every turnfighting without and fear within. 6But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he told us of your longing your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more. 8For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it (though I did regret it), for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. 9As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting; for you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.

2 Corinthians 7:2-4 Passion: Repentance has been defined by William Chamberlain as a pilgrimage from the mind of the flesh to. the mind of Christ. In other words, repentance is an ongoing, constant battle to bring the believer's mind and body into captivity unto Christ (see 2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Repentance is not a one-time event in the life of a believer. Repentance and spiritual growth are synonymous. It is an ever recurring problem for preachersin their own lives, certainly but also in their struggle to produce it in the lives of those to whom they minister. Repentance is the primary goal of all preaching (see Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38; Acts 11:18; Acts 17:30-31, etc.). When Christ evaluated the seven churches of Asia Minor in order to prepare them for the great tribulation at the hands of beastly Rome, he admonished them to repent.

The fundamental problem preachers have with repentance is its augmentation. Even apostles struggled in their ministries to produce repentance in people. Paul had been dealing for a long time with the need of the Corinthian Christians to repent of their arrogance toward the sinful man and woman in the congregation (see comments 1 Corinthians 5:1 ff). Paul had been severe in his communications with the Corinthians, both face to face, and in writing. This had caused some believers at Corinth to react with hostility toward Paul, slandering his character. This posed another sin from which he admonished them to repent. Paul wrote a severe third letter and sent it to Titus. While Titus was away in Corinth, Paul grieved that it had been necessary to be severe with people so dear to his heart. Titus returned with the good news that the Corinthians had repented. Paul was elated! And in this fourth letter (better known as II Corinthians) he bared his soul as he related the problem he had bringing them to repentance. The Corinthians had repented, but evidently they were still stand-offish toward Paul. Perhaps they were afraid the apostle was still angry with them. They were still smarting from his rebukes and were determined they would not involve themselves emotionally with him so as to be hurt again. They would be Christian brothers again, but not friends! But true repentance must result in reconciliation!

So Paul shows that passion (earnest love) is part and parcel with the severity that produces repentance. Paul has already plead with them (see 2 Corinthians 6:11-13) to widen their hearts to make room for him. He has already stated (2 Corinthians 6:11-13) that full reconciliation between them awaits only the restoration of their affectionsnot his. Now, after a brief parenthetical warning against an attitude of paganism, he repeats his fervent plea for a restored friendship. He says, Open your hearts to us. (Gr. Chroesate hemas, contain us, or, make room for us). The word heart is not in the text, but may be understood from the previous discussion (2 Corinthians 6:11-13). Had Paul never felt passionately attached to these Corinthians, he would never have rebuked them for their sins. He would not have cared whether they would repent or not. He would have justified himself expressing no interest in their reformation, and washed his hands of the entire matter. But Paul did not do that. He persisted. He kept on admonishing them until they changed their minds and their actions. And it was his love for them that made him persist!

He begs them to make room for him in their hearts by considering that he (and his co-workers) had wronged (Gr. edikesamen, treated unjustly or unfairly) no one; he had corrupted (Gr. ephtheiramen, ruined) no one. The word ephtheiramen is a word signifying corrupting by means of false doctrine. Paul uses the same word in 1 Corinthians 15:33 to warn that evil homiletics (sermons teaching that there is no resurrection) corrupts good morals. No doubt there had been some in the church at Corinth accusing Paul of corrupting the church by his teaching in favor of Christian liberty. The Judaizers would have been such accusers. At the same time, there would have been accusations by the Gnostic element that his teaching against sexual freedom would have a corrupting influence. Paul also reminds the Corinthians that he had not taken advantage of (Gr. epleonektesamen, lit. seek to get more, or defrauded) anyone. This Greek word is a compound of pleonexia which is translated covetousness. He writes later in this same epistle that he had not burdened the Corinthian church by taking financial support from them (see 2 Corinthians 12:13; 2 Corinthians 12:16-17; and 1 Corinthians 9:15-18). The Corinthians have been given no reason by Paul to restrict their affections toward him.

Paul had no recrimination to make, although he might have been justified in doing so, He longed for repentance and reconciliation. He had already stated that the Corinthians were in his heart (2 Corinthians 6:11-13). And his affection for them was deep. He (and his co-workers) were ready to lay down their lives for the Corinthians. Paul's passion for these brethren leads him to have great confidence (Gr. polle parresia, much boldness) on their behalf. He is able to be proud (Gr. polle kauchesis, much boasting) of them to others. His only motive in producing repentance and reconciliation in them is to be able to boast of their spiritualitynot his. He will take no credit for what they become. He will give credit to the Lord and to them. He is content to be simply the unheralded instrument for the glory of God and their edification. As a matter of fact, he gave the Corinthians credit for having filled (Gr. pepleromai, perfect tense verb, past action with a continuing result) his life with strength (Gr. paraklesei, paraclete, one called along side to strengthen), and overflowing joy. It was Paul's passion for the good of his Corinthian brethren that gave augmentation to solving the problem of repentance.

Preachers are plagued with the problems of repentance in those whom they serve because, unlike the apostle Paul, they frequently approach the problem from a selfish perspective thinking only about their own image and not about building up their brethren. Preachers will simply have to enlarge their hearts (2 Corinthians 6:11-13) and make themselves vulnerable and be willing to suffer some afflictions if they are going to find the way to produce repentance in believer's lives. Preachers are going to have to faithfully and fairly preach uncorrupted doctrine with a passion for people's souls before repentance will ever come to fruition. Preachers must be willing to share their own life and death with their congregations if they wish to witness spiritual growth through repentance. Such passion, such love, will inevitably produce repentance and reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 7:5-7 Pathos: Any preacher who expects to call his congregation to repentance must have pathos. He must be able to empathize (enter into feelings of another) in the chastening, sorrow and spiritual trauma that accompanies personal repentance. Paul had pathos. His pathos or empathy did not come easily. He knew the stresses and pressures of inner spiritual struggle (see Romans 7:13-25). He knew the afflictions of the body (1 Corinthians 9:24-27) necessary to maintain a life of repentance. He could feel with the Corinthians. When he was in Macedonia he, and his co-workers, experienced no physical rest and no spiritual or psychological rest, (see comments 2 Corinthians 2:12-17). He was afflicted (Gr. thlibomenoi, pressured) at every turn. Just what the fighting without was, we do not know. We would be safe in speculating that it had to do with the harassment of the Judaizers which was constant and vicious wherever Paul preached. The fear within is already described in 2 Corinthians 2:12-17.

This pathos so necessary to augment a program of repentance in others does not come overnight. There is no such thing as instant empathy. Before we can really understand what others must endure to repent, we must have walked a mile in their moccasins. Paul had walked more than his mile in the shoes of repentance (see 2 Corinthians 12:7 ff).

The apostle tells the Corinthians that the coming of Titus with the good news from Corinth had comforted (strengthened) him (2 Corinthians 7:6). But he also states that before Titus came he had been downcast (Gr. tapeinous, laid low, humiliated). Paul had walked the penitent's path of humiliation and lowly-mindedness. He knew what the Corinthians suffered (humiliation) in their choice to repent. He also knew that God would strengthen those who were lowliminded enough to repent. Biblical history is replete with examples of penitent men whom God lifted up and strengthenedAbraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Nehemiah, Mordecai. It also provides a long list of impenitent men who went from bad to worseCain, Nimrod, King Saul, Absalom, Ahab, Belshazzar, Haman and a host of others.

And what was the good news by which God strengthened the downcast apostle? First, it was the strengthening experience the penitent response of the Corinthians had upon Titus. Paul was so very glad to see the spiritual growth that had taken place in Titus as Titus had seen God's word work in the lives of the Corinthians. This is one of the most important ways by which a preacher finds the courage to go on striving to produce repentanceto see how manifested repentance brings about spiritual growth even in those merely observing it. Sincere, visible repentance elicits sober thinking and holy inclinations in everyone who is fortunate enough to be present when it happens! Paul saw its effects in Titus. That had an effect on Paul!
When Titus told Paul that the Corinthians vehemently desired to see Paul (Gr. epipothesin); that they lamented and wailed (Gr. odurmon) for him; that they were zealous (Gr. zelon) for him, then Paul rejoiced even more. How could a preacher rejoice more than overflowing (Gr. huperperisseuomai) (2 Corinthians 7:4)? But that is the extent to which a preacher must be willing to relate to or empathize with people in order to produce repentance in their lives and in his.

2 Corinthians 7:8-9 Pain: Finally, preachers must understand that there is no repentance without some pain! Paul had written severe rebukes. He had called the Corinthians childish for their divisions; arrogant for their indifference to immorality; shameful and incompetent because they could not judge wrong-doers; disgraceful in their corporate worship about the Lord's table; immature in their use of spiritual gifts. All this in First Corinthians. We do not know how severe he was in the unpreserved letters he wrote, or in the personal confrontation he made with them. One thing we do knowwhile Paul was, at first, sorry he had to be so harsh, in the long run he did not regret (Gr. metamelomai) it. This shows the depth of Paul's love for the Corinthians. Paul knew what he had written and said would hurt, but he knew that the grief and the hurt were necessary.

True love causes pain when it has to. God made the Valley of Achor (Trouble) a door of hope for Israel (Hosea 2:15). The prophets of the Old Testament are clear that God chastens by hurting the rebellious in order to bring about repentance. We do not show love to someone by withholding the truth. Paul said to the Galatians, Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? (Galatians 4:16). We often let people go on and on in sin, saying we love them too much to hurt them, but nothing is more self-deceptive. What we usually mean by such a statement is that we do not want to hurt ourselves! When a sinner is told the truth about his sins, he gets angry with the one who told himno matter how sincere and loving the attempt to produce repentance. That hurts! No one likes rejection! Paul did not like it! But he was willing to endure it for the sake of the Corinthians. When we say, Well, I just love him too much to hurt him, we are really kidding ourselves and saying we do not want to hurt ourselves.

It is appropriate here to make some extended quotations from, The Problem of Pain, by C.S. Lewis, pub. Macmillan Co.

... the older type of nurse or parent was quite right in thinking that the first step in education is -to break the child's will.-' Their methods were often wrong: but not to see the necessity is, I think, to cut oneself off from all understanding of spiritual laws.
The human spirit will not even begin to try to surrender self-will as long as all seems to be well with it.
... pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world. A bad man, happy, is a man without the least inkling that his actions do not -answer,-' that they are not in accord with the laws of the universe.
Until the evil man finds evil unmistakably present in his existence, in the form of pain, he is enclosed in illusion. Once pain has roused him, he knows that he is in some way or other -up against-' the real universe: he either rebels. or else makes some attempt at an adjustment, which, if pursued, will lead him to religion.
No doubt Pain as God's megaphone is a terrible instrument; it may lead to final and unrepented rebellion. But it gives the only opportunity the bad man can have for amendment. It removes the veil; it plants the flag of truth within the fortress of a rebel soul.
Everyone has noticed how hard it is to turn our thoughts to God when everything is going well with us.
When I think of painIf I knew any way of escape I would crawl through sewers to find it. I am not arguing that pain is not painful. Pain hurts. That is what the word means. I am only trying to show that the old Christian doctrine of being made -perfect through suffering-' is not incredible.

We have commented on what Paul learned (see 2 Corinthians 1:3-11) through affliction. That God perfects (brings to the goal, fulfills) man through affliction, pain, suffering and tribulation is a primary doctrine of both Old and New Testaments. It began when God cursed the earth for man's sake (Genesis 3:17-18) and subjected the whole creation to futility (Romans 8:18-25). It is the primary method God uses to bring this wicked world to repentance (Romans 1:18 ff). Preachers must face the stark reality that there is no repentance without pain. Jesus clearly indicated that the way which leads to life is narrow and difficult. He said it was hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom. Paul said we enter the kingdom through many tribulations (Acts 14:22). Peter and John in their epistles have much to say about suffering and tribulation necessary for a life of holiness. For more discussion of this see, Isaiah, Vol. II, Special Study entitled, The Three Dimensions of Discipline, by Paul T. Butler, pub. College Press.

When you love a person you tell him the truth. But when you do you are risking his friendship for his first reaction will be one of hurt and defensiveness. If you are willing to make yourself vulnerableto risk his friendship to tell him the truth, you demonstrate that you really love him. Usually, over the long-haul, the fact that you love him will come through.

Paul faithfully confronts the Corinthians with the truth. It hurt him to have to do it. It hurt them to hear it. But it was the beginning of their repentance and salvation. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant; later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it (Hebrews 12:11). Even the sinless Lord Jesus was brought to the goal (perfected) for which God sent him into the world through the things he suffered (see Hebrews 2:10; Hebrews 5:7-9). The grief Paul's severity engendered is clearly stated to be the cause of their repentance (2 Corinthians 7:9). The apostle goes so far as to say he rejoiced that he brought them to grief because (Gr. hoti, causal conjunction that) they were grieved unto (Gr. eis, preposition unto, sometimes used in a causal relation e.g. Matthew 12:41; Luke 11:32; Romans 4:20; Acts 2:38) repentance. In other words the pain of Paul's severe words caused the Corinthians to move toward the change of mind and life called repentance. The Greek phrase, elupethete gar kata theon hina en medeni zemiothete ex hemon, reads literally, for you were grieved according to God in order that in nothing you suffered loss from us. J.B. Phillips translates it, In other words, the result was to make you sorry as God would have had you sorry, and not merely to make you offended by what we said. RSV translates kata theon as godly grief. They were grieved in God's waynot in the way of the world or the devil. Apparently God has a way he wants man to be grieved in order that he may be brought to repentance. It is the preacher's job to find God's way to grieve people so they will repent! And God's way is not without pain!