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2 Corinthians 2

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The Purpose of the Severe Letter 1–4

1
But I determined this for myself, that I would not come again to you with sorrow. ​
2
For if I make you sorry, who then is he that maketh me glad but he that is made sorry by me?
3
And I wrote this very thing, 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 made sorry, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you. ​

Forgiveness and Restoration of the Offender 5–11

5
But if any hath caused sorrow, he hath caused sorrow, not to me, but in part (that I press not too heavily) to you all. ​
6
Sufficient to such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the many; ​
7
so that contrariwise ye should rather forgive him and comfort him, lest by any means such a one should be swallowed up with his overmuch sorrow. ​
8
Wherefore I beseech you to confirm your love toward him.
9
For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye are obedient in all things. ​
10
But to whom ye forgive anything, I forgive also: for what I also have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, for your sakes have I forgiven it in the presence of Christ; ​
11
that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan: for we are not ignorant of his devices. ​

Anxiety and the Journey to Macedonia 12–13

12
Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ, and when a door was opened unto me in the Lord, ​
13
I had no relief for my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went forth into Macedonia. ​

The Triumph of Christ's Ministry 14–17

14
But thanks be unto God, who always leadeth us in triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest through us the savor of his knowledge in every place. ​
15
For we are a sweet savor of Christ unto God, in them that are saved, and in them that perish; ​
16
to the one a savor from death unto death; to the other a savor from life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? ​
17
For we are not as the many, corrupting the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, speak we in Christ. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for 2 Corinthians 2

Verse 1

in heaviness — Lype, grief or pain, is the word of this chapter: 'heaviness' here, 'sorrow' in vv.3 and 7, with its verb in vv.2, 4, 5 ('sorry', 'grieved'). Paul 'determined' (krino, judged) not to come with grief; 'to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth' (2 Cor 1:23).

Verse 3

I wrote this same unto you — The letter was written so that he should not 'have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice'. Joy (chara) and grief (lype) are set against each other, and he is 'having confidence' (peitho) that his joy is theirs. Of the same letter he says later, 'I made you sorry with a letter' (2 Cor 7:8).

Verse 4

many tears — Dakry, tears, also Paul's word for his work at Ephesus, 'serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears' (Acts 20:19). 'Anguish' (synoche) occurs elsewhere only in Luke 21:25. The aim of the letter was not that they be grieved but 'that ye might know the love' (agape) he has for them.

Verse 5

in part — The wrong done in the congregation grieved Paul only 'in part', since it fell on them all. 'Overcharge' is epibareo, to lay a weight on; the other two uses are 'chargeable' in 1 Thess 2:9 and 2 Thess 3:8. He will not press the whole church beneath it.

Verse 6

Sufficient to such a man — Hikanos, enough, the same word as 'who is sufficient' in v.16. 'Punishment' is epitimia, found only here in the New Testament. It was 'inflicted of many', a corporate act of the assembly, as in 1 Cor 5:4, 'when ye are gathered together'. Enough has been done.

Verse 7

swallowed up — Katapino, to drink down; in 1 Pet 5:8 the adversary walks about 'seeking whom he may devour'. 'Forgive' is charizomai, to give as a favour (from charis, grace), as in Eph 4:32, 'even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you'. Comfort (parakaleo) is joined to forgiveness.

Verse 9

the proof of you — Dokime, proof by testing, as in Phil 2:22, 'ye know the proof of him'. The test was obedience (hypekoos) 'in all things'. Its result is given in 2 Cor 7:11, 'In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter', and 7:15, 'the obedience of you all'.

Verse 10

in the person of Christ — Prosopon, face or presence, the word of 'many persons' in 2 Cor 1:11 and 'the face of Moses' in 3:7. The assembly forgives first and Paul joins it: 'To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also'. He acts as one of the 'ambassadors for Christ' (2 Cor 5:20).

Verse 11

get an advantage of us — Pleonekteo, to take more than one's share; it is 'defrauded' in 2 Cor 7:2 and 'make a gain' in 12:17. 'Devices' is noema, a thing of the mind, rendered 'minds' in 3:14, 4:4 and 11:3. There the serpent 'beguiled Eve through his subtilty', so that minds 'should be corrupted'.

Verse 12

a door was opened — Thyra, a door, for an opening to preach. Elsewhere, 'a great door and effectual is opened unto me' (1 Cor 16:9), and 'that God would open unto us a door of utterance' (Col 4:3). Here it is 'of the Lord' that the door stands open at Troas, to preach 'Christ's gospel'.

Verse 13

no rest in my spirit — Anesis, relief or relaxation. In Macedonia 'our flesh had no rest' (2 Cor 7:5); that is resolved in 7:6, 'God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus'. Paul calls Titus 'my brother' (adelphos), and the unrest was over not finding him at Troas.

Verse 14

causeth us to triumph — Thriambeuo, to lead in triumph, found only here and in Col 2:15, 'triumphing over them in it'. It is God who leads, 'in Christ'. 'Savour' is osme, a fragrance, and the knowledge of him is made manifest (phaneroo) 'in every place'.

Verse 15

a sweet savour of Christ — Euodia, fragrance, found only here, in Eph 5:2 (Christ's gift, 'a sweetsmelling savour') and in Phil 4:18. The root idea is the sacrifice of Gen 8:21, 'the LORD smelled a sweet savour'. The same fragrance falls on two groups, those being saved (sozo) and those that perish (apollymi).

Verse 16

who is sufficient for these things? — Hikanos, as in v.6. The answer comes in 2 Cor 3:5–6: 'our sufficiency is of God' and 'able ministers of the new testament'. One gospel is 'death unto death' to some and 'life unto life' to others; Simeon spoke of the child as 'set for the fall and rising again of many' (Luke 2:34).

Verse 17

corrupt the word of God — Kapeleuo, to deal in as a huckster, found only here in the New Testament. Against it stands 'sincerity' (eilikrineia), also in 1 Cor 5:8 and 2 Cor 1:12. Paul speaks 'in the sight of God', and has 'renounced the hidden things of dishonesty… nor handling the word of God deceitfully' (2 Cor 4:2).