Two Corinthians Two

by Dr. Henry M. Morris

(taken from the Defender's Study Bible)

Navigate to Verse

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17

2 Corinthians 2:1 But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.

2 Corinthians 2:2 For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?

2 Corinthians 2:3 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.

2 Corinthians 2:4 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.

2 Corinthians 2:5 But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.

2 Corinthians 2:6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.

2 Corinthians 2:7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.

comfort him. Paul had rebuked the Corinthians for condoning the sin of incest in their midst, commanding them to put the one guilty of the sin out of the church (1 Corinthians 5:7). The discipline had brought him to repentance, so now Paul urges forgiveness and restoration to fellowship.

2 Corinthians 2:8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.

2 Corinthians 2:9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.

2 Corinthians 2:10 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;

2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

advantage of us. Satan can defeat a Christian (or a congregation) either through that Christian condoning sin or his refusal to forgive a repentant sinner.

2 Corinthians 2:12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,

2 Corinthians 2:13 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.

2 Corinthians 2:14 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.

2 Corinthians 2:15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:

2 Corinthians 2:16 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?

savour. The “savour” of the burnt offerings, when offered in sincere repentance and faith, was described as a sweet-smelling savour to God (e.g., Genesis 8:21; Leviticus 1:9; Ephesians 5:2). The surrendered life and witness of a Christian (Romans 12:1) is likewise pleasing to God and will be used to bring others also to spiritual life in Christ. Those who reject its message, on the other hand, will be hardened yet further by that rejection. The message of Christ is both unto the fall of many and the rising of many (Luke 2:34). The preaching and living of God's truth is never in vain, and its results bear eternal consequences, one way or the other.

sufficient. Not even Paul would claim sufficiency in himself for the awesome responsibility of conveying a message of such eternal import. It is infinitely important that the Christian witness expound and preach God's Word truthfully and faithfully; God will take care of the results.

2 Corinthians 2:17 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.

as many. Even in Paul's day, there already were many false prophets and false teachers, who were corrupting the sincere teaching of God's Word with various elements of paganism. One of Paul's main purposes in writing this epistle was to warn against these compromising teachers.