INTRODUCTION TO 2 CORINTHIANS 2 The apostle, in this chapter, goes on to give reasons of his not coming, as yet, to Corinth; and removes the charge of severity, which some might think him guilty of, in what he had written in his former epistle concerning the incestuous person, who having repented o... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT I DETERMINED WITH MYSELF,.... The apostle having removed the charge of levity and inconstancy brought against him, goes on to excuse his delay in coming to them, and to soften the severity, which some thought too much, he had used in his former epistle: he determined with himself, he took up a r... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IF I MAKE YOU SORRY,.... That is, should he come among them, and be the means of fresh grief and sorrow: WHO IS HE THEN THAT MAKETH ME GLAD? such was his love and affection for them, and sympathy with them, that should they be grieved, he should grieve also; they were the only persons he could... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WROTE THIS SAME UNTO YOU,.... Not what he had written in the preceding verse, or in 2 Corinthians 1:23, where he says, that his not coming to them as yet was to spare them; but what he had written to them in his former epistle, concerning the excommunication of the incestuous man, which had so... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR OUT OF MUCH AFFLICTION AND ANGUISH OF HEART,.... Being greatly pressed in his spirit, and grieved at his heart, for the abominable iniquities among them, which they seemed to take no notice of, and to be unconcerned about, yea, rather to be puffed up with: I WROTE TO YOU WITH MANY TEARS; as sig... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF ANY HAVE CAUSED GRIEF,.... The incestuous person is here manifestly designed, though he is not named, who had been the cause and occasion of much grief and sorrow, both to himself and others; for the apostle is not to be understood, as though he doubted whether he had caused grief or not, but... [ Continue Reading ]
SUFFICIENT TO SUCH A MAN IS THIS PUNISHMENT,.... By this punishment is meant, the excommunication of the incestuous person, or the censure that was laid upon him by the church: for this WAS INFLICTED BY MANY; not by the pastor only, or by the elders or more eminent persons in the church, but by the... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THAT CONTRARIWISE YE OUGHT RATHER TO FORGIVE HIM,.... On the other hand, so far the apostle suggests they should be from inflicting any other punishment on him, or by any means adding to, and increasing what was inflicted, that they ought to forgive him his offence, by taking off the censure from... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE I BESEECH YOU,.... Or exhort you: THAT YE WOULD CONFIRM YOUR LOVE TOWARDS HIM: express your love to him in the most kind and tender manner, show the same, and as strong love to him as you did before, and as if he had never offended; receive him as a brother in the most affectionate manner... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR TO THIS END ALSO DID I WRITE,.... Or "I have written", both in this and in his former epistle to them, and in both with this view, THAT I MIGHT KNOW THE PROOF OF YOU; that he might try, prove, and know them: WHETHER YE BE OBEDIENT IN ALL THINGS; he wrote unto them in his former epistle, to put... [ Continue Reading ]
TO WHOM YE FORGIVE ANYTHING, I FORGIVE ALSO,.... This may extend to the forgiveness of any person, in any case; either in time past, or at the present time, or in time to come; though it has a particular respect to the forgiveness of the incestuous man, which the apostle had determined in his own mi... [ Continue Reading ]
LEST SATAN SHOULD GET AN ADVANTAGE OF US,.... Or make gain of us, or we should be circumvented by him; a metaphor taken from covetous persons, who take every occasion, and make use of every advantage to circumvent and deceive persons in trading with them: Satan gets an advantage of the churches, whe... [ Continue Reading ]
FURTHERMORE, WHEN I CAME TO TROAS,.... The apostle proceeds, in this latter part of the chapter, to take notice of and remove the charge of ostentation and insincerity in preaching the Gospel, and hints at other reasons of his not coming to Corinth; particularly that he took a journey to Troas, expe... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAD NO REST IN MY SPIRIT,.... Though there was such a door opened to preach the Gospel, and such an opportunity of doing good, yet he was greatly distressed in his mind; very restless and uneasy in his spirit, and could not be satisfied to stay; which shows, that though he was so great a man, he w... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THANKS BE UNTO GOD,.... The apostle having mentioned the door that was opened for him at Troas, to preach the Gospel with success, calls to mind the great and manifold appearances of God for him and his fellow ministers, in blessing their labours to the conversion of many souls; which causes him... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WE ARE UNTO GOD A SWEET SAVOUR,.... Here a reason is given, why the savour of the knowledge of God in Christ is made manifest by the ministers of the Gospel, because they themselves are a sweet savour; not that they are so in themselves, for they have the same corrupt hearts and natures, and com... [ Continue Reading ]
TO THE ONE WE ARE THE SAVOUR OF DEATH UNTO DEATH,.... Who are for death, or appointed to it; see Jeremiah 43:11. What the apostle says of the Gospel, and Gospel ministers, the Jews his countrymen used frequently to say of the law, and to which he seems to refer; "saith Rabba f, to them that go on t... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WE ARE NOT AS MANY,.... The apostle here removes from himself, and other ministers of the Gospel, a character which belonged not to them, but to the false apostles; who are described by their number many; there were great swarms of false teachers in the early times of Christianity; see 1 John 2:... [ Continue Reading ]