Commentary by John W. Gregson

PAUL'S FIRST LETTER ACCOMPLISHED ITS PURPOSE

II Corinthians 7:2 - 16

Paul manifests his love and devotion to the people of Corinth. It was not his intention to condemn the people beyond measure, but he felt like he needed to warn them of errors in the fellowship. The English word "condemn" is from two Greek words - kata meaning in and krisi meaning accusation or judgment, so Paul is saying he does not set in judgment of the Corinthians. He had committed himself to them and "he hoped both to die with them and then live with them forever" (Yeager, Volume XIII, p. 395). Paul implies that the Corinthians are in his heart to share death and life.

In verse 4 Paul is comforted in the love of the Corinthians. He came to them with boldness (parresia) or confidence of speech but also with great pride (kauchesis) or boasting and filled (pepleroman) with comfort making him exceedingly joyful (huperperisseuomai) or abounding with joy in the midst of tribulation (thlipsei) or anguish. So the very thought of the Corinthians brings comfort to Paul, enabling him to rejoice in tribulation. "The pride...which the Apostle takes in his converts is not that of self-congratulations, but that of joy and gratitude before God because of the manifestation of His saving and transforming grace, even through so unworthy an instrument as himself, in the lives of men and women who previously were in bondage to Satan" (Hughes, pp. 262, 263). Furthermore, Paul is rejoicing at the coming of Titus with his good report of them; he is overabounded or overflowed with joy. Though the Corinthians still had many imperfections, their recent attitude to the apostle, as confirmed by the report of Titus, had brought him in full measure the comfort he so much needed; and the joy, of which he had been so sorely bereft during the anxious period of waiting for news about them, was now overflowing (Tasker, p. 102).

5 - 7 He now relates some history. He reiterates the suffering he went through to bring to the Corinthians the gospel. His "flesh had no rest (anesin), relaxation or ease, but he and his associates were troubled (thibomenoi) or persecuted on every side; fightings (machai) or strife without, fears (phoboi) or terror within." The account of Paul's troubles is found in Acts 16 and 17. His "flesh" denotes the human weaknesses of Paul and his liability to infirmities. He and his associates found conflicts with the opposition both inside and outside of the church, and within themselves fears arising from these conflicts and possibly also from the state of the Corinthian church.

In verses 6 and 7 Paul is comforted by the coming (parousia) or presence of Titus, his trusted ambassador, and his report on the Corinthians. He brought Paul a good report; furthermore, the Corinthians desired to see Paul again. When Paul was cast down (tapeinous) or humbled, God always gave him a boost of comfort. Jehovah God is the great Comforter, and He always knows the needs of His children. To know that the Corinthians has received Paul's first letter in the right spirit was a great comfort; in fact, he was greatly relieved when he learned of how they had reacted. Paul uses two words, consolation (paraklesei) or encouragement and comfort (pareklethe) or entreat, which come from the same root word parakaleo to express his feelings. Paul was overcome with their earnest desire (epipothesin) or intense yearning and mourning to see him; they had a fervent mind (zelon) or zeal toward Paul, and he rejoiced (charenai) or exulted all the more.

8 - 10 Paul had rebuked the Corinthians for their envy, strife and divisions, and more especially for the fornication in the church when he sent to them the first epistle of Corinthians. He wondered if the epistle would be received in the same spirit in which it was written. Paul wrote, "For though I made you sorry (elupesa) or sorrowful with a letter, I do not repent (metemelomai) or regret, though I did repent (metamelomen) or regret; for I perceive that same epistle hath made you sorry (elupesen), though it were but for a season (oran) or a time." What did Paul mean by this verse? See R. S. V. for a more accurate translation. Yeager translates it, "Because if in fact I made you sorry by the epistle, I am not sorry, (although as a matter of fact I was sorry for a while). I see that that letter made you sad if only for a short time." He says further, "I rejoiced (verse 7) despite the fact that I know that my letter hurt your feelings. I did not regret sending it because I see that the same letter made you sad for a short time. Paul did admit he had some second thoughts about the wisdom of being so harsh with them in his first epistle...The word is the emotional reaction to repentance, which is the intellectual 'change of the mind'" (pp. 400, 401). The words metameloumai and metemelomen simply mean to regret or have remorse while the word metanoeo and its derivatives mean to repent or to regret. The word metamelomai seems to present the emotional side of repentance while metanoeo presents the intellectual side which results in a change of mind and life style. Just being sorry for sins is not enough to effect salvation; it takes a turning to God with a repentant heart and being through with sin. The context must determine the explanation of the word.

Paul rejoices now that the letter accomplished what was desired; he regretted that he must send them the epistle. No true-hearted preacher loves to administer rebuke, but sometimes it is necessary. "Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry but that ye sorrowed to repentance; for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage (zemiothete) or nor suffer loss by us." Regardless as to how the Corinthians received the epistle, it accomplished the desired results. They repented of their oversight of the incestuous man and supposedly withdrew fellowship from him. To be sorry "in a godly manner" means to be sorrowful in God's way; God's way as opposed to man's way and the devil's way.

"For godly sorrow worketh repentance (metanoian) to salvation not to be repented of (ametameleton) or which brings no regret; but the sorrow (or grief) of the world worketh (ergazetai) or generates (spiritual) death." "True" sorrow and repentance bring salvation. "Worldly" sorrow is sorrow for loss, disappointment, shame or ruin. "This ethical conception of the world as evil, allied to the flesh and the devil, and ruled over by Satan is found three times in the Epistle of James, once in the Epistles of Peter, but frequently in the writings of John and Paul" (Gould, p. 189). Moffett writes of godly sorrow as, "the sorrow that God directs." Cain, Saul, Ahithophal and Judas are some examples of sorrow that did not lead to repentance. Their sorrow, if they had any, was because of the painful and unwelcome consequences of sin. By contrast Esau sorrowed with many tears over his lost birthright but found no place of repentance (Hebrews 12:16f); however, David suffered extreme sorrow because of his sin, but his sorrow was directed to God in deep penitence (Psalm 51:2ff). "His was truly sorrow -- centered in God and His holiness. And such godly sorrow is transmuted into godly joy -- the joy of God's salvation and the praise of His goodness (Psalm 51:12ff). The sorrow of the world, on the other hand, culminates in the weeping and gnashing of teeth in judgment (Matthew 13:42, 50; 25:30); it earns the wages of sin (Romans 6:23) (Hughes, p. 273).

11 - 13 "For behold this very same thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness (spouden), earnestness or diligence it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves (apologian), self-vindication, apology or self-defense, yea, what indignation (aganaktesin) or anger, yea, what fear (of God's chastisement), yea, what vehement desire (epipothesin) or longing, yea, what zeal, yea, what full punishment (ekdikesin) or full justice of the offender! In all things ye have proved yourselves (sunestesate) or commend yourselves to be clear (agnous), pure or chaste in this matter." The repentance of the Corinthians brought forth in them the fruit of good living to the honor and glory of God. The report of Titus led Paul to believe that the Corinthians has taken his admonition and constructive criticism the way that Paul had desired of them.

Of course, the incestuous man had acted rebellious and had sinned against God, but Paul had in view neither the one who did the wrong nor those who were wronged, directly and primarily, but he wrote for the sake of the whole church. Paul cared initially for the church; that was the reason the sin needed to be manifested (phanerothenai) or declared openly. Diligence (spouden) or a carefulness was required to remedy the situation so that God's name was not profaned and the cause of Christ damaged. The Corinthians repented and vehemently defended themselves to Paul; they proved to themselves and to Paul that they had the highest esteem for the apostle (Yeager, p. 407).

"Therefore, we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all." Titus had returned to Paul rejoicing in the zeal and obedience of the Corinthians. This in turn had made Paul to rejoice. He had boasted of them beforehand to Titus, and now they had justified what he had said of them. Paul comes back to the word for comfort; he was comforted (parakeklemetha) or exhorted in the Corinthian's comfort (paraklesei), consolation or encouragement. Furthermore, everyone rejoiced - Paul, Titus and the Corinthians; everybody is happy when the Lord's will is done, and when the work goes forward.

14 - 16 "For if I have boasted (kekauchemai) or gloried anything to him of you, I am not ashamed (katheschunthen) or dishonored; but as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting (kauchesis) or rejoicing, which I made before Titus, is found to be true." Paul had related to Titus what great Christians the Corinthians were; now he is not ashamed of them, on the contrary, he is proud of them.

"And his inward affection (splagchna) or compassion is more abundant (perissoteros) or more exceeding toward you, while he remembered (anamimneskomenou) or brought in remembrance the obedience (hupakoen) or submission of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received (edexasthe) or accepted him." Titus now loved the Corinthians more that he did before they took Paul's counsel. "I rejoice, therefore, that I have confidence in you in all things." Paul's confidence in the Corinthians has grown more and more.

Return to Home Page for John W. Gregson