CHAPTER VII. _The apostle's inference from the preceding exhortation_, 1. _He presses them to receive him with affection, because of his_ _great love towards them_, 2-4. _He tells them what distress he felt on their account in_ _Macedonia, till he had met with Titus, and heard of their_ _prosp... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Corinthians 7:2. _RECEIVE US_] χωρησατε ημας. This address is variously understood. _Receive us_ into your _affections_-love us as we love you. _Receive us_ as your _apostles_ and teachers; we have given you full proof that God hath both sent and owned us. _Receive, comprehend_, what we now... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Corinthians 7:3. _I SPEAK NOT_ THIS _TO CONDEMN YOU_] I do not speak to reproach but to correct you. I wish you to open your eyes and see how you are corrupted, spoiled, and impoverished by those whom ye have incautiously preferred to the true apostles of Jesus Christ. _I HAVE SAID BEFORE,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Corinthians 7:4. _GREAT IS MY BOLDNESS OF SPEECH_] He seems to refer to the manner in which he spoke of them to others. _GREAT_ IS _MY GLORYING OF YOU_] They had probably been very loving and affectionate previously to the time in which they were perverted by their false apostle. He therefo... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Corinthians 7:5. _WHEN WE WERE COME INTO MACEDONIA_] St. Paul, having left Ephesus, came to Troas, where he stopped some time; afterwards he came to Macedonia, whence he wrote this epistle, _OUR FLESH HAD NO REST_] So exceedingly anxious was he to know the success of his first epistle to th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Corinthians 7:6. _COMFORTED US BY THE COMING OF TITUS_] Who brought him a most satisfactory account of the success of his epistle, and the good state of the Corinthian Church.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Corinthians 7:7. _HE TOLD US YOUR EARNEST DESIRE_] To see me, and correct what was amiss among yourselves. _YOUR MOURNING_] Because you had sinned. _YOUR FERVENT MIND_] The zeal you felt to testify your affectionate regard for me.... [ Continue Reading ]
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,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Corinthians 7:9. _YE SORROWED TO REPENTANCE_] Ye had such a sorrow as produced a complete change of mind and conduct. We see that a man may _sorrow_, and yet not _repent_. _MADE SORRY AFTER A GODLY MANNER_] It was not a sorrow because ye were found out, and thus solemnly reprehended, but a... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Corinthians 7:10. _FOR GODLY SORROW_] That which has the breach of God's holy law for its object. _WORKETH REPENTANCE_] A thorough _change of mind unto salvation_, because the person who feels it cannot rest till he finds _pardon_ through the mercy of God. _BUT THE SORROW OF THE WORLD WORK... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Corinthians 7:11. _WHAT CAREFULNESS IT WROUGHT IN YOU_] Carefulness of obeying my directions, 2 Corinthians 7:15; _yea_, what _clearing of yourselves_ from guilt by inflicting censures on the guilty person, and putting away evil from among you, 1 Corinthians 5:13; _yea, what indignation_ ag... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Corinthians 7:12. _NOT FOR HIS CAUSE THAT HAD DONE THE WRONG_] viz. the incestuous person. _NOR FOR HIS CAUSE THAT SUFFERED WRONG_] Some think the apostle means himself; others, that he means the _Church_ at Corinth, the _singular_ being put for the _plural_; others, the _family_ of the inc... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Corinthians 7:13. _FOR THE JOY OF TITUS_] Titus, who had now met St. Paul in Macedonia, gave him the most flattering accounts of the improved state of the Corinthian Church; and indeed their kind usage of Titus was a full proof of their affection for St. Paul.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 14. _FOR IF I HAVE BOASTED_] The apostle had given Titus a very high character of this Church, and of their attachment to himself; and doubtless this was the case previously to the evil teacher getting among them, who had succeeded in changing their conduct, and changing in a great measure the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 15. _AND HIS INWARD AFFECTION_] τα σπλαγαγχνα αυτου. _Those bowels of his_-his most tender affection. For the meaning of this word Matthew 9:36. _WHILST HE REMEMBERETH THE OBEDIENCE OF YOU ALL_] This is a very natural picture; he represents Titus as overjoyed even while he is delivering his a... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Corinthians 7:16. _I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN YOU, IN ALL_ THINGS.] It appears that the apostle was now fully persuaded, from the accounts given by Titus, that every scandal had been put away from this Church; that the faction which had long distracted and divided them was nearly broken; that all... [ Continue Reading ]