2 Corinthians 7:7

7. The repetition of the word ‘comfort’ must be maintained. For ἐφʼ ὑμῖν, which indicates that the Corinthians were the basis of the comfort, comp. 1 Thessalonians 3:7; 1 Corinthians 13:6; 1 Corinthians 16:17; Romans 16:9.

ἀναγγέλλων ἡμῖν. while he told us (R.V.); Titus found comfort in the telling of what he had witnessed at Corinth. But this need not be pressed. By a natural anacoluthon S. Paul writes ἀναγγέλλων, attracted to παρεκλήθη, instead of ἀναγγέλλοντος agreeing with αὐτοῦ.

ἐπιπόθησιν. Longing. Except in 2 Corinthians 7:11 and in Aquila, Ezekiel 23:11, the word occurs nowhere else in Biblical Greek: and neither πόθος, ποθή, nor πόθησις occurs in the N.T. or the LXX. But ἐπιποθεῖν is found in all groups of the Pauline Epistles. For ὀδυρμός comp. Matthew 2:18; Jeremiah 48 (31):15; 2Ma 11:6; and for ζῆλος, 2 Corinthians 7:11; 2 Corinthians 9:2; Romans 10:2; Philippians 3:6; Colossians 4:3. But ζῆλος may be used of evil ardour, envious rivalry, jealousy (2 Corinthians 12:20; 1 Corinthians 3:3; Galatians 5:20). Trench, Syn. § xxvi. For ὑμῶν see last note on 2 Corinthians 12:19.

ὥστε με μᾶλλον χαρῆναι. So that I rejoiced still more (than at the meeting with Titus): or, so that I rejoiced rather (than was troubled). But the former is better (2 Corinthians 7:13). S. Paul’s sympathy and craving for sympathy are very conspicuous here.