1 But I have judged this with myself, not to come back to you in grief.
But I call God to witness upon my soul that to spare you I have not yet come to Corinth.
What will ye? that I come to you with a rod; or in love, and [in] a spirit of meekness?
For I fear lest perhaps coming I find you not such as I wish, and that *I* be found by you such as ye do not wish: lest [there might be] strifes, jealousies, angers, contentions, evil speakings, whisperings, puffings up, disturbances; lest my God should humble me as to you when I come again, and that I shall grieve over many of those who have sinned before, and have not repented as to the uncleanness and fornication and licentiousness which they have practised.
On this account I write these things being absent, that being present I may not use severity according to the authority which the Lord has given me for building up, and not for overthrowing.
And they determined, according as any one of the disciples was well off, each of them to send to the brethren who dwelt in Judaea, to minister [to them];
A commotion therefore having taken place, and no small discussion on the part of Paul and Barnabas against them, they arranged that Paul and Barnabas, and certain others from amongst them, should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question.
For I did not judge [it well] to know anything among you save Jesus Christ, and *him* crucified.
For *I*, [as] absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged as present,
And with this confidence I purposed to come to you previously, that ye might have a second favour; and to pass through to Macedonia by you, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and to be set forward by you to Judaea. Having therefore this purpose, did I then use lightness? Or what I purpose, do I purpose according to flesh, that there should be with me yea yea, and nay nay?
For out of much tribulation and distress of heart I wrote to you, with many tears; not that ye may be grieved, but that ye may know the love which I have very abundantly towards you.
For indeed, when we came into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but [we were] afflicted in every way; without combats, within fears. But he who encourages those that are [brought] low, [even] God, encouraged us by the coming of Titus; and not by his coming only, but also through the encouragement with which he was encouraged as to you; relating to us your ardent desire, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I the more rejoiced. For if also I grieved you in the letter, I do not regret [it], if even I have regretted it; for I see that that letter, if even [it were] only for a time, grieved you.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Corinthians 2
Commentary on 2 Corinthians 2 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 2
In this chapter the apostle proceeds in the account of the reasons why he did not come to Corinth (v. 1-4). Then he writes concerning the incestuous person who lay under censure; and gives direction for restoring him, together with the reasons for their so doing (v. 5-11), and afterwards informs them of his labours and success in preaching the gospel in several places (v. 12-17).
2Cr 2:1-4
In these verses,
2Cr 2:5-11
In these verses the apostle treats concerning the incestuous person who had been excommunicated, which seems to be one principal cause of his writing this epistle. Here observe,
2Cr 2:12-17
After these directions concerning the excommunicated person the apostle makes a long digression, to give the Corinthians an account of his travels and labours for the furtherance of the gospel, and what success he had therein, declaring at the same time how much he was concerned for them in their affairs, how he had no rest in his spirit, when he found not Titus at Troas (v. 13), as he expected, from whom he hoped to have understood more perfectly how it fared with them. And we find afterwards (ch. 7:5-7) that when the apostle had come into Macedonia he was comforted by the coming of Titus, and the information he gave him concerning them. So that we may look upon all that we read from this second chapter, v. 12, to ch. 7:5, as a kind of parenthesis. Observe here,