In this chapter 2 Corinthians 2 Paul continues the discussion of the subject which had been introduced in the previous chapter. At the close of that chapter, he had stated the reasons why he had not visited the church at Corinth; see the notes on 2 Corinthians 1:23. The main reason was, that instead... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT I DETERMINED THIS WITH MYSELF - I made up my mind on this point; I formed this resolution in regard to my course. THAT I WOULD NOT COME AGAIN TO YOU IN HEAVINESS - In grief (ἐνη λύπ enē lup). “I would not come, if I could avoid it, in circumstances which must have grieved both me and you. I w... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IF I MAKE YOU SORRY - “If when I should come among you, I should be called on to inflict sorrow by punishing your offending brethren by an act of severe discipline as soon as I came, who would there be to give me comfort but those very persons whom I had affected with grief? How little prepared... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WROTE THIS SAME UNTO YOU - The words “this same” (τοῦτο αὐτὸ (touto auto) refer to what he had written to them in the former Epistle, particularly to what he had written in regard to the incestuous person, requiring them to excommunicate him. Probably the expression also includes the comman... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR OUT OF MUCH AFFLICTION - Possibly Paul’s enemies had charged him with being harsh and overbearing. They may have said that there was much needless severity in his letter. He here meets that, and says, that it was with much pain and many tears that he was constrained to write as he did. He was pa... [ Continue Reading ]
IF ANY HAVE CAUSED GRIEF - There is doubtless here an allusion to the incestuous person. But it is very delicately done. He does not mention him by name. There is not anywhere an allusion to his name; nor is it possible now to know it. Is this not a proof that the names of the offending brethren in... [ Continue Reading ]
SUFFICIENT TO SUCH A MAN - The incestuous person who had been by Paul’s direction removed from the church. The object of Paul here is to have him again restored. For that purpose he says that the punishment which they had inflicted on him was “sufficient.” It was: * A sufficient expression of the... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THAT CONTRARIWISE - On the other hand: on the contrary. That is, instead of continuing the punishment. Since the punishment was sufficient, and has answered all the purpose of bearing your testimony against the offence, and of bringing him to repentance, you ought again to admit him to your commu... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE I BESEECH YOU THAT YE WOULD CONFIRM YOUR LOVE TOWARD HIM - The word rendered here as “confirm” (κυρῶσαι kurōsai) occurs in the New Testament only here and in Galatians 3:15. It means to give authority, to establish as valid, to confirm; and here means that they should give strong express... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR TO THIS END ALSO DID I WRITE - The apostle did not say that this was the only purpose of his writing, to induce them to excommunicate the offender. He does not say that he wished in an arbitrary manner to test their willingness to obey him, or to induce them to do a thing in itself wrong, in ord... [ Continue Reading ]
TO WHOM YE FORGIVE ANYTHING - The sense here is, “I have confidence in you as a Christian society and such confidence, that if you forgive an offence in one of your members, I shall approve the act, and shall also be ready to forgive.” He refers, doubtless, to this particular case; but he makes his... [ Continue Reading ]
LEST SATAN - The devil. The name Satan denotes an adversary, an accuser, an enemy. It is the usual proper name which is given to the devil, the great adversary of God and man. SHOULD GET AN ADVANTAGE OF US - The literal translation of the Greek would be, “That we may not be defrauded by Satan.” (Ἵ... [ Continue Reading ]
FURTHERMORE - But (δὲ de). This particle is properly adversative; but frequently denotes transition, and serves to introduce something else, whether opposite to what precedes, or simply continuative or explanatory. Here, it is designed to continue or explain the statement before made of his deep af... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAD NO REST IN MY SPIRIT - I was disappointed, sad, deeply anxious. Though the work in which I was engaged was that which usually gives me my highest joy, yet such was my anxiety to learn the state of things in Corinth, and the success of my letter, and to see Titus, whom I was expecting, that I h... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THANKS BE UNTO GOD ... - There seem to have been several sources of Paul’s joy on this occasion. The principal was, his constant and uniform success in endeavoring to advance the interests of the kingdom of the Redeemer. But in particular he rejoiced; * Because Titus had come to him there, and... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WE ARE UNTO GOD - We who are his ministers, and who thus triumph. It is implied here that Paul felt that ministers were laboring for God, and felt assured that their labors would be acceptable to him. The object of Paul in the statement, in this and in the following verses, is undoubtedly to mee... [ Continue Reading ]
TO THE ONE - To those who perish. WE ARE THE SAVOUR OF DEATH UNTO DEATH - We are the occasion of deepening their condemnation, and of sinking them lower into ruin. The expression used here means literally, “to the one class we bear a death-conveying odor leading to their death” - a savor, a smell wh... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WE ARE NOT AS MANY - This refers doubtless to the false teachers at Corinth; and to all who mingled human philosophy or tradition with the pure word of truth. Paul’s design in the statement in this verse seems to be to affirm that he had such a deep sense of the responsibility of the ministerial... [ Continue Reading ]