2 Corinthians 7:8

For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season. WITH A LETTER - Greek, 'in the letter'; namely, the first letter. I DO NOT REPENT, THOUGH I DID REPENT. Translate, 'I do not regret it, though I did regret it.' The Greek regret [ metamelomai (G3338)] and repent [ metanoeo (G3340)] are distinct. Paul was almost regretting, through parental tenderness and doubt of the result, his having by rebukes grieved the Corinthians; but now that he has learned from Titus the salutary effect produced on them, he no longer regrets it. FOR I PERCEIVE ... - explanatory of 'I did regret it,' and parenthetical ('for I perceive th...

8._For though I grieved you. _He now begins to apologize to the Corinthians for having handle them somewhat roughly in the former Epistle. Now we must observe, in what a variety of ways he deals with them, so that it might appear as though he sustained different characters. The reason is that his discourse was directed to the whole of the Church. There were some there, that entertained an unfavorable view of him — there were others that held him, as he deserved, in the highest esteem — some were doubtful: others were confident — some were docile: others were obstinate. (642) In consequence of this diversity, he required to direct his discourse now in one way, then in another, in order to suit himself to all. Now he lessens, or rather he takes away altogether any occasion of offense, on account of the severity that he had employed, on the ground of its having turned out to the promotion o...

5-11 There were fightings without, or continual contentions with, and opposition from Jews and Gentiles; and there were fears within, and great concern for such as had embraced the Christian faith. But God comforts those who are cast down. We should look above and beyond all means and instruments, to God, as the author of all the consolation and good we enjoy. Sorrow according to the will of God, tending to the glory of God, and wrought by the Spirit of God, renders the heart humble, contrite, submissive, disposed to mortify every sin, and to walk in newness of life. And this repentance is connected with saving faith in Christ, and an interest in his atonement. There is a great difference between this sorrow of a godly sort, and the sorrow of the world. The happy fruits of true repentance are mentioned. Where the heart is changed, the life and actions will be changed. It wrought indigna...

Verse 2 Corinthians 7:8. _I DO NOT REPENT, THOUGH I DID REPENT_] Though I had many doubts in my mind concerning the success of my letter; and though I grieved that I was obliged to write with so much severity, the case absolutely requiring it; yet now I am not sorry that I have written that letter, because I find it has completely answered the end for which it was sent....

FOR THOUGH I MADE YOU SORRY ... - That is, in the First Epistle which he had sent to them. In that Epistle he had felt it necessary to reprove them for their dissensions and other disorders which had occurred and which were tolerated in the church. That Epistle was suited to produce pain in them - as severe and just reproof always does; and Paul felt very anxious about its effect on them. It was painful to him to write it, and he was well aware that it must cause deep distress among them to be thus reproved. I DO NOT REPENT - I have seen such happy effects produced by it; it has so completely answered the end which I had in view; it was so kindly received, that I do not regret now that I wrote it. It gives me no pain in the recollection, but I have occasion to rejoice that it was done. THOUGH I DID REPENT - Doddridge renders this: “however anxious I may have b

EXPOSITION Conclusion of his appeal (2 Corinthians 7:1). The apostle's feelings towards them (2 Corinthians 7:2). Explanation of the objects of his last letter, and expression of his joy at the good results it had brought about (2 Corinthians 7:2). 2 CORINTHIANS 7:1 HAVING THEN THESE PROMISES. The promises of God's indwelling and fatherly love (2 Corinthians 6:16). DEARLY BELOVED. Perhaps the word is added to soften the ster

FOR THOUGH I MADE YOU SORRY WITH A LETTER,.... His former epistle, relating to the incestuous person: I DO NOT REPENT, THOUGH I DID REPENT; not of writing the letter, which was wrote by divine inspiration; but of the sorrow occasioned by it, though now he did not repent of that: FOR I PERCEIVE THAT THE SAME EPISTLE MADE YOU SORRY, THOUGH IT WERE BUT FOR A SEASON; inasmuch as the sorrow was true, hearty, and genuine, though it was but for a time, the apostle was entirely satisfied, and the more pleased, because of its brevity, since it was sincere....

2 CORINTHIANS 7:8 ble,pw @ga,r# {C} Because of preponderant attestation, a majority of the Committee preferred the reading ble,pw ga,r and explained the rise of variations as attempts to clear the construction. Thus, copyists rightly sensed that a new portion of the discourse begins with eiv kai. metemelo,mhn (whence B inserts de, after eiv as an adversative conjunction), and therefore the main clause was taken to begin either at ble,pw, with the consequent omission of ga,r, or at nu/n cai,rw, with the substitution of the participial form ble,pwn as a gloss for ble,pw...

8. THE APOSTLE'S EXHORTATIONS AND REJOICINGS. CHAPTER 6:14-7 _ 1. His Exhortations. (2 Corinthians 6:14; 2 Corinthians 7:1 .)_ 2. His Rejoicing and Confidence. (2 Corinthians 7:2 .) The first exhortation is to separation from evil, without which no true fellowship with God can be enjoyed. It is one of the most important exhortations in the Pauline epistles, and greatly needed in our days of laxity and worldliness among Christians. God calls His people to holiness. “But as He who hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” He has separated us from the world which lieth in the wicked one

AGONISING ANXIETY HAS BEEN CANCELLED BY ABUNDANT JOY. The cause of his anxiety had been in part the condition of affairs in the church at Corinth, but even more the measures he had taken to deal with it, followed by torturing doubt as to how these would be received by the Corinthians. Someone had behaved outrageously. Someone had been outraged. There can be no doubt that it was Paul who had suffered, though whether he was personally present or what was the nature of the outrage we cannot tell. What made it serious was that the Corinthians had not repudiated the insult to their friend. Stung by their fickleness, and moved by fear lest they should fall away altogether from himself and the gospel, Paul had written a letter so severe that from the moment he despatched it, probably by the hand of Titus, he was torn with anxiety lest it should have the very opposite effect to what he desired....