A Commentary of the Book of 2 Corinthians
By Dr. Barry L. Jenkins
Text Used: Legacy Standard Bible
Bible Study 2 Corinthians 1: 1-17
Text:
2 But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness. 2 For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me? 3 And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all. 4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.
5 But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all. 6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. 7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. 8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. 9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. 10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; 11 lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord, 13 I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia. 14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. 15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: 16 to the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
Verse by verse commentary:
Verse 1: “But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.”
Paul confesses that he was disheartened by their situation. Had he proceeded with the visit, it would have been characterized by distress.
Verse 2: “For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?”
Paul did not wish to arrive in a state of sorrow, with tears in his eyes. His presence would have caused them to weep as well. In that scenario, who would have been a source of gladness for Paul? They all would have been weeping profusely.
Verse 3: “And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.”
Subsequent to the painful visit (refer to verse 1), Paul dispatched a letter of strong reproof to the Corinthian congregation, delivered by the hand of Titus. Paul desired to visit them under joyful circumstances. He had been anticipating their communication confirming that the matters he had addressed in his previous correspondence had been rectified.
Verse 4: “For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.”
Paul's objective in composing the distressing epistle was not merely to induce sorrow in the Corinthians. He was pursuing their ultimate well-being, even when this necessitated causing pain to both them and himself.
Verse 5: “But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.”
This may refer to the individual residing with his father’s wife (1 Cor. 5:1–8), but this interpretation is questionable as the transgression appears to have been aimed directly at Paul.
Verse 6: “Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.”
It appears that following Paul's departure from Corinth, or at least subsequent to the arrival of Titus with the unpleasant letter, the Corinthians implemented church discipline against the offender.
Verse 7: “So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.”
The objective of church discipline is restoration, not destruction or vengeance.
Verse 8: “Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.”
Paul strongly advised the church congregation to extend forgiveness to the individual, providing compelling justifications for this counsel. Forgiveness serves as the necessary remedy for mending damaged relationships. It was crucial that the church community reaffirm their affection for this repentant member.
Verse 9: “For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.”
Paul had likely been assessing the faith of this nascent congregation: Were they prepared to acknowledge sin among them for what it truly was? Were they ready to administer discipline to one of their own? It would have been more expedient for them to disregard the issue, yet Paul had challenged their faith by demanding a response. Subsequently, he proceeded to convey the reciprocal lesson: extending forgiveness and mercy in the face of genuine repentance can be as challenging as applying discipline.
Verse 10: “To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;”
Paul shall accept the judgment of the Corinthian congregation regarding this matter. The phrase, "In the person of Christ," is a recurring idea within this epistle. All of our actions are executed not in secrecy but in the presence of Christ, the Lord of the church. If both Paul and Christ have extended forgiveness to the offender, the Corinthians ought to do so as well.
Verse 11: “lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.”
Satan will achieve a victory if we either completely disregard church discipline or if we administer it but remain severe and unforgiving following a genuine change of heart.
Verse 12: “Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,”
Troas was a city situated in the far northwest of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), across the Aegean Sea from Greece. Paul embarked on his journey to Philippi from this location. It was in Troas that Paul experienced a vision of a Macedonian man earnestly imploring him to come and offer assistance. When God "opens" a door, it signifies an opportunity to preach the gospel for the furtherance of His divine purposes. It is not to be interpreted as a prospect for new business or employment.
Verse 13: “I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.”
Paul had anticipated that Titus would meet him at Troas to convey news concerning the letter of rebuke. Even while proclaiming the gospel in Troas, Paul experienced distress because Titus had not arrived with a report regarding the congregation in Corinth. He awaited Titus’s arrival, but when Titus failed to appear, Paul proceeded to Philippi in Macedonia. It was there that Titus finally arrived, reporting that the Corinthians had addressed the sin within their congregation and that the man in question had repented and forsaken his transgression. At this juncture, the narrative of his relationship with the Corinthian church is interrupted until 7:5, and Paul inserts an extensive digression concerning the nature of the new covenant ministry in which he is engaged.
Verse 14: “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.”
Paul presents a dramatic analogy, likening the preaching of the gospel to a Roman triumphal procession. This background involves a Roman general returning to Rome after achieving numerous victories on the frontier, perhaps in Europe or Africa, as Rome was generally successful in its campaigns. The conqueror's return would be celebrated with a grand triumphal entry into the city, an event that could sometimes last from morning until well into the night. The procession would feature captured animals and other spoils of war. At the forefront would be those captured individuals who were to be released and granted Roman citizenship. Conversely, at the rear of the procession would be the captives destined for execution.
Against this historical backdrop, Paul declares, "Thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ." This is a profound statement; when one is in Christ, failure is impossible. Paul asserts that God perpetually leads us in triumph.
Verse 15: “For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:”
Our identity as a sweet aroma to God signifies that He takes pleasure in us and in the essence of our existence. This represents the more profound and ultimate realization of the Old Testament sacrifices, which were themselves a pleasing aroma to God.
Verse 16: “to the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?”
The proclamation of the Gospel and the subsequent repentance and faith in Christ by a multitude is a cause for rejoicing, signifying triumph. For those who are redeemed, we become a "savour of life." However, one must consider those who reject Christ; to them, we are a "savour” of death." The question, "Who is sufficient for these things," underscores the profound solemnity of conveying a message with implications of eternal life or death. No individual inherently possesses the merit for this grave undertaking, yet God, nevertheless, qualifies us for it.
Verse 17: “For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.”
The foundational principle of Christian ministry is to preach the Word of God with sincerity, as the Holy Spirit illuminates its truth, refraining from corruption, distortion, or exploitation for profit.
