2 Corinthians 1:15-22

HIS CHANGE OF PLAN WAS NOT DUE TO FICKLENESS. καὶ ταύτῃ τῇ πεποιθήσει ἐβουλόμην κ. τ. λ.: and in this confidence (sc., that they would acknowledge his sincerity) I was minded to come before (sc., before he went to Macedonia) unto you, that ye might have a second benefit. The circumstances seem to have been as follows. While St. Paul was at Ephesus (Acts 19) his intention had been to cross the Ægean to Corinth, thence to visit Macedonia, and then to come back to Corinth on his way to Judæa with the contributions which he had gathered (cf. 1 Corinthians 16:3-4). The Corinthians would thus have enjoyed a “second benefit” (cf. Romans 1:11; Romans 15:29), inasmuch as he would have visited them both on his way to Macedonia, and on his return journey. This project he had communicated to them, probably in the letter which is lost (1 Corinthians 5:9). But he received bad news from Corinth (1 Corinthians 1:11), and he wrote 1 Cor. in reply. In this letter (1 Corinthians 16:5) he incidentally mentioned that he had changed his plans, and that he now proposed to travel from Ephesus to Corinth viâ Macedonia, the route which he adopted in the sequel (Acts 20:1 ff., chap. 2 Corinthians 2:12; 2 Corinthians 7:5). When the Corinthians heard of this, they began to reproach him with fickleness of purpose (chap. 2 Corinthians 1:17), and the charge came to his ears. We have his defence in the verses (15 22) before us.