Verse by Verse

1 Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you.

² But I beg you that when I am present I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

³ For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.

⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,

⁵ casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

⁶ and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

The Epistle proper closes at the last verse of the previous chapter, but the Apostle in his anxious love for his converts at Corinth adds a personal postscript (chapters 10-13)—marked by the words “I,” “Me,” and “My”— to enforce his Apostleship, to expose the self-made and false apostles who were corrupting the faith of the converts, and to save them from the destructive teaching of these ministers of Satan (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

The postscript throbs with entreaty and severity—both vehemently expressed because of the vehemence of Paul’s love for his children in the Gospel. — Williams, page 905

lowly (v.1) = humble — inner lowliness describing the person who depends on the Lord rather than self

confidence (v.2) — with the punitive authority that was Paul’s due to his apostleship.

walk in the flesh (v.3) — are men physically

strongholds (v.4) — philosophic strongholds (v.5)

In Chapter 10 the apostle appears to turn from dealing with the backslidden Corinthians as a whole, to answer the legalizers and Judaizers among them who were belittling his apostleship and ministry, for these were exerting a profound influence on the Corinthian congregation. But how humbly and lovingly he protests! …

Recall the touching story recorded for us in John 13. Imagine the Creator of the universe washing His disciples’ feet! Paul partook of this divine humility. He did not come with self-importance or pomp, but in love he sought to show them the truth. He even got a job making tents to support himself and his co-workers while establishing the vast assembly at Corinth. — Stam, page 191.

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The apostle had come to the Corinthians in humble simplicity (2 Corinthians 1:12). He readily acknowledges that as as to his appearance, when among them, it was “base,” (lit., lowly). Indeed, the Corinthian critics voiced this as one of their objections: “For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible” [lit., unimpressive].”

They did not realize that it was what he said that was so effective. Corinth was a great seat of learning, and the Greek philosophers who held forth there were masters of oratory, yes, and sophistry. But Paul, though their peer intellectually, had renounced all this display of wisdom and had come to Corinth in the power of truth.

Thus he beseeches them that he may not need to be bold when he appears among them, certainly not with that “confidence” with which he had contemplated being bold against those who considered him as “walking according to the flesh,” i.e. not being led by the Spirit. Some of these had in fact understood all the apostle’s talk about coming to Corinth, as mere bluff, as though he wouldn’t dare to appear among them.

Paul readily agreed that he was still “in the flesh,” but denied that his spiritual warfare was waged “after the flesh.” “For the weapons of our warfare,” he says, “are not carnal [lit., physical], but [they are] mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.”

Strong language this, and followed by a statement as to how, specifically, God used these “mighty weapons” to “pull down strongholds”: “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

On several occasions Paul says, as it were, that it would be up to them whether he came to them “with a rod” or “in love and in the spirit of meekness.” [For example]: “What will ye, shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love and in the spirit of meekness?” (1 Corinthians 4:21). And, “If I come again I will not spare, since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me” (2 Corinthians 13:2-3). — Stam, pages 192-193

the obedience of Christ (v.5) — obedience to Christ. Paul was using an analogy of warfare. The strongholds of false doctrine, pride, and sin would be torn down, and all the reason, philosophy, imagination and sin of the false teachers would be led in triumph like the inhabitants of a captured city to the will of Christ.

Note it was when their obedience had been fulfilled and their gift had gone to Judaea (v.6), that there would be time enough to punish all the “disobedience” of those who were causing such distress at the Corinthian church. — Stam, page 194.

Paul was exerting and defending his apostolic authority—he didn’t look or sound like an apostle in person, but his words were bold. He intended to use that authority to punish disobedience if it was needed, but he begged the Corinthian believers to behave in such a way that they wouldn’t need it. He would punish those who mocked him for his physical appearance and used that to discredit his authority. By the power given to him by God, he would destroy the arguments of his opponents who thought they could stand against the truth of God.

¹⁰ Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness,

¹¹ while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.

¹² For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God,

¹³ while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men,

¹⁴ and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you.

¹⁵ Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

liberality (v.11) = lit. “simplicity,” “sincerity.” Openness of heart manifesting itself by benefactions, without self-seeking.

administration (v.12) = waiting at a table; in a wider sense, service done with a willing attitude

abounding (v.12) = exceeding the ordinary, overflowing,

The clause in verse 14 could be translated, “for the obedience you render (present, give) to what you profess concerning the gospel.”

liberal (v.13) — same as liberality in v.11 above

indescribable (v.15) — words fail to adequately describe and commemorate it.

God gives a crop to the farmer sufficient to feed him and his family, and to provide seed for the next season, and to help the necessitous and the poor.

Christian benevolence not only supplies the wants of the needy but also motives a great thanksgiving chorus to God from the hearts and lips of the needy. It also fortifies the faith of the Christian recipients, for it is a demonstration to them of the reality of the Gospel and its moral power in the heart of the believer. It also awakens and deepens Christian love, for the recipients of the bounty feel an affection for the donors and desire to meet them and to know them.

Man’s gifts are measurable in language but God’s great gift of His Son—the best thing in heaven for the worst thing on earth—is [indescribable]. — Williams, page 905.

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God does not save us just to make us happy forever. He says in v.11, “Being enriched in everything to all bountifulness.” True, we are not saved by good works, but we are saved “unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). These good works cause many to thank God, bringing glory to His name. — Stam, page 188.

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The word “experiment” (v.13) is dokime in the Greek, having to do with proof. Thus the proof given by your diakonias, service, or ministry, of your acknowledged subjection to the gospel of Christ, will bring glory to God. We take it that the sense here is that the impoverished saints in Judaea were praying and longing that the grace of God might work in the Corinthians “exceedingly,” for their need was indeed great. The Corinthian believers may have expected this, but did they realize how truly valuable were these Judaean prayers in their behalf? Perhaps unwittingly, these poverty-stricken saints were praying the same prayer for the Corinthians as was Paul: that the grace of God might abound in them. — Stam, pages 188-189.

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This gift [of Christ], he says, is indescribable, not “unspeakable.” In 2 Corinthians 12:4, we find Paul, “caught up into Paradise,” where he “heard unspeakable words, which it is not permitted to a man to utter,” but this “unspeakable” is a different word altogether. God’s gracious gift to us is rather beyond our comprehension and certainly beyond our ability to describe in words. — Stam, page 189.

In short, by giving unselfishly to the believers in Judea, the Corinthians would

• be helping them (the believers in Judea) physically.
• be enriching themselves (the Corinthians) spiritually.
• causing Paul and many others to thank God for them (the Corinthians).
• causing the Judean believers to glorify God for the evidence of the Corinthians’ adherence to the gospel
• causing the Judeans to pray for the Corinthians because of the evidence of God’s grace demonstrated by their giving.

All that from simply giving of their abundance to fellow believers in need.

⁶ But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

⁷ So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

⁹ As it is written: “He has dispersed abroad, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”

But [although I am not pressing you to give] this [is true] — he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly, and he who sows in a beneficent, generous spirit, with a view to the blessing of the recipient, shall also reap blessings given in a beneficent, generous manner. Let each one give according as he has purposed in his heart, not out of an annoyed and troubled heart, nor because of necessity, for God loves a cheerful, ready giver. Moreover, God is powerful to make every grace superabound to you in order that, having always an all-sufficiency in all things, you may superabound to every good work, even as it stands written, He [the liberal person] scattered abroad, he gave to those who are poor, his righteousness abides forever. — Wuest, page 430.

sparingly (v.6) = abstemiously, stingily

bountifully (v.6) = “with blessing,” with the idea of benefit

Facts in the spiritual realm harmonize with those in the physical (v.6). Many a farmer has a poor crop because he sows sparingly, and many a Christian suffers inward poverty because of outward illiberality. God loves a cheerful believer; but few people believe it. — Williams, page 905.

purposes (v.7) = prefer, to choose for oneself before another thing, to intend

grudgingly (v.7) = with a sour, reluctant mind

necessity (v.7) = compulsion

cheerful (v.7) = joyful, not grudging, prompt, willing

abound and abundance (v.8) = exceed the ordinary, overflow, to be over and above

sufficiency (v.8) = independence, contentment

The quote in verse 9 is from Psalm 112:9 — He has dispersed abroad, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn will be exalted with honor.

dispersed (v.9) = scatter abroad

The apostle does not say that God will recompense generous contributors with material things. We cannot use God in this way … but He surely will enrich their lives and make them more rewarding than they ever were.

Whatever we do, we should avoid giving “grudgingly,” or “of necessity,” i.e. because we don’t know how to avoid it. … God knows our hearts and knows whether we do or do not really want to make a sacrifice for Him. This is why Paul goes on to say in v.7, “for God loveth a cheerful giver.” (The Greek word here is hilaros, our “hilarious.”) We have a good example of this in the Macedonians. They gave gleefully, happily. They really wanted to help the poor saints in Jerusalem. — Stam, page 186.

1 Now concerning the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you;

² for I know your willingness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal has stirred up the majority.

³ Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this respect, that, as I said, you may be ready;

⁴ lest if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you!) should be ashamed of this confident boasting

⁵ Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation.

What! Must we belabour this subject still further? Hasn’t the apostle said quite enough about it by now? Yea, and he acknowledges: “It is superfluous for me to write to you”—in the sense that he should not need to write them further about this subject since they already knew the facts. — Stam, page 184

Macedonians (v.2) — A Roman province in the northern part of Greece. It included the cities of Berea, Thessalonica (the capital), Philippi, Amphipolis, Appollonia, Neapolis, and Nicopolis, all mentioned in the New Testament.

Achaia (v.2) — Greece, the area of the Corinthian church and other churches in the area like the one in Cenchrea (see Romans 16:1).

A year before (see 2 Corinthians 8:10), Paul had asked the members of the church in Corinth for contributions to bring to the believers in Jerusalem who were suffering. They immediately, enthusiastically agreed (see 2 Corinthians 8:11).

Paul took the story of their willingness to give and used to it encourage other churches located in Macedonia to give also. These other churches also agreed to give, even though their members were suffering persecution and were very poor (see 2 Corinthians 8:2).

The distinction was that the Macedonian churches agreed to give—and then actually took up a collection and gave. The Corinthian church, on the other hand, had stopped with agreeing. They still hadn’t collected any money. The time was coming to take the money to Jerusalem. Paul appointed a delegation led by Titus to travel to Corinth and collect the money so that, when Paul himself arrived, it would be ready.

Paul reminded the Corinthians what an embarrassment it would be to Paul (and to them) to find them unprepared—especially since several Macedonians would be traveling with Paul. These are the same Macedonians who gave—largely—because Paul had told them the Corinthians were giving.

Paul was determined to get the money. It would be much better if they willingly collected it themselves and had it ready when he arrived than if he had to scold them for it when he came.

¹⁶ But thanks be to God who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus.

¹⁷ For he not only accepted the exhortation, but being more diligent, he went to you of his own accord.

¹⁸ And we have sent with him the brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches,

¹⁹ and not only that, but who was also chosen by the churches to travel with us with this gift, which is administered by us to the glory of the Lord Himself and to show your ready mind,

²⁰ avoiding this: that anyone should blame us in this lavish gift which is administered by us—

²¹ providing honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

²² And we have sent with them our brother whom we have often proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, because of the great confidence which we have in you.

²³ If anyone inquires about Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker concerning you. Or if our brethren are inquired about, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.

²⁴ Therefore show to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love and of our boasting on your behalf.

Paul arranged that the purse of money for Judea should not be entrusted to him alone but that he should have companions in the trust, so as to avoid the possibility of a suspicion or accusation of mal-administration and personal profit.

Who Titus’ companions were is not stated but they are supposed to be Luke and Trophimus. — Williams, page 905

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Due to the large number of Gentile churches participating and the size of the offering for the Judaean poor, the gift was to be delivered by delegates, two or more from every church. These delegates would be men approved in writing by the congregations (1 Corinthians 16:3) “and,” says the apostle, “if it is meet that I go also, they shall go with me” (1 Corinthians 16:4).

In the case of Corinth Paul himself had provided three trusted men in addition to any whom they might wish to appoint (for there was much strife among them—1 Corinthians 3:3; 2 Corinthians 12:20).

Titus they knew well, and trusted. Indeed, he had shown his great affection for them often, and again now as he was not only sent by Paul, but went to them “of his own accord.” With Titus, Paul sent “the brother,” also known “throughout all the churches” as a consecrated man of God. In fact “all the churches,” as a Christian fellowship, had chosen him to travel with the other delegates to watch over and deliver the collection. Many believe that this was Luke and, indeed, he would have been an appropriate choice for this position. — Stam, pages 179-180.

messengers (v.23) — Paul uses the word for “apostle,” but most likely just in its general sense of “sent ones.”

In verse 24, Paul makes a pointed statement encouraging the Corinthians to give the money they had promised to give in order to show “proof of your love” and evidence that they deserved the kind things Paul had said about them. It was time for them to do the right thing. Paul was giving them no more opportunity to delay.

⁸ I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others.

⁹ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.

¹⁰ And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago;

¹¹ but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have.

¹² For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.

¹³ For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened;

¹⁴ but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack—that there may be equality.

¹⁵ As it is written, “He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.”

I speak not by commandment (v.8) — God did not tell Paul to write this part of the letter. Paul goes on to give the Corinthians his advice beginning in verse 10.

Verse 9 expresses the same thought as that in Philippians 2:6-7, and especially the words “He emptied Himself.” Christ was rich in divinity and glory, but took on the nature of man. He also became a poor man and lived in poverty.

More than a year previous the Corinthian Christians had enthusiastically agreed to participate in this great offering for the impoverished Judaean saints. But, as with many of God’s people today, the nearer the time for the redemption of their pledge drew near, the less they felt like doing it. Therefore Paul “advised” them that it was “expedient” for them to do their part without further delay, for it would be embarrassing to him, not to mention them, if all the Gentile churches, with a veritable army of their delegates, were forced to proceed to Jerusalem without a representation from the largest church of all. — Stam, page 177.

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The sense of the above [vs. 12-15] we perceive to be as follows: “No one is asking  you to do more than you can or to give more than you can afford.”

The policy of Christian giving was set at Antioch, the Gentile city where “the disciples were first called Christians” (Acts 11:26) and Saul, recently saved, was called to be their leader (Acts 11:25-26). The Bible law of “first mention” looms important here.

And exactly what was “Christian giving”? It was a distinct break from giving as taught in the Sermon on the Mount and at Pentecost. When the Judean believers who had practiced the program of “all things common” and “sell that ye have and give alms,”—when these began to experience serious lack, they appealed for help to the brethren at Antioch with the result that: “… the disciples [at Antioch] every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea: “Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul” (Acts 11:29-30).

This has remained the policy for Christian giving ever since (see 1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 8:1-5, 12-14). —Stam, page 178

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Notice how tactfully Paul says, “I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened” as though the Corinthians were being burdened and the Macedonians eased! Indeed, he even suggests that some day they, the Corinthians, might be poor and the Macedonians well off! As for Paul, his desire was for all to do their part, “that there may be equality.” —Stam, page 179

The quote in verse 15 is from Exodus 16:18, from the time God sent manna to the Israelites: So when they measured it by omers, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one’s need.

1 Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia:

² that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality.

³ For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing,

⁴ imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

⁵ And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.

⁶ So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well.

⁷ But as you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—see that you abound in this grace also.

The grace that is not received in vain delights to minister to the needs of the necessitous; and hence it is that in this and the following chapter, money thus used is called a “grace,” and those who give it are declared to be themselves recipients of the grace of God. Thus the giver of such grace is regarded as a receiver. To give and to receive is the one verb in Hebrew.

The famine predicted by Agabus (Acts 11:28) appears to have particularly affected the believers in Judea (v.29), and Paul when at Jerusalem (Galatians 2:10) promised that he would help to get money for them. Hence his activity in the matter in these two chapters; and his prayer (Romans 15:25-27) that the money so collected might be acceptable to the Judean saints (v.31).

It was in the fulfilling of this promise (Acts 24:17) that the Apostle met with violence at Jerusalem and imprisonment in Rome … — Williams, page 904.

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As the kingdom program with its “all things common” gave place to the dispensation of the mystery, and those who had disposed of their goods to enter the kingdom began to lack, Paul was used more than once “to send relief” to these needy saints (Acts 11:29-30; Romans 15:25-26). Indeed, after his agreement with the apostles at Jerusalem to help their poor (Galatians 2:10), he made an organized effort to raise funds for their poor saints from among the Gentile churches of Macedonia; Achaia (Greece), Galatia, and the rest of Asia Minor (See Romans 15:25-26; 1 Corinthians 16:1; Acts 15:23-29; Acts 16:4).

Twice the apostle sent emissaries to awaken the wealthy but greedy Corinthians to their financial responsibilities and in his letters to them he did not refrain from informing them of poor churches who were doing better than they or from reminding them of their good intentions of the year previous, urging them to fulfill their promises without further delay, lest he and they should both be embarrassed by their failure to do their part (2 Corinthians 8:1-11; 9:2-5). — Stam, page 171.

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While there is a great abundance of Scripture passages that describe the character of the Macedonian churches (especially that of the church of Philippi, the city from which Paul had undoubtedly written this letter to the Corinthians saints), the first five verses of 2 Corinthians 8 provides us with an amazingly comprehensive description of their character. And all of them together were as one.

1. As a church they were bitterly persecuted. The apostle refers to their “great trial of afflictions” (v.2) especially from the apostate Jews, who had persecuted Paul and had sought to kill him (Acts 20:3; 21:31; 23:15; 23:30). Who knows what “stripes,” “imprisonments,” yes, and executions had taken place among them? Doubtless many bore in their bodies the evidences of these persecutions.

2. They were a joyful church. The apostle bears witness to “the abundance of their joy” (v.2). Few were the criticisms or complaints at the Macedonian churches. They expressed the joy of victorious living in the midst of vicious persecution. …

3. They were not merely a poor church but a very poor one. Paul refers to “their deep poverty” in v.2.

4. Their “great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality” (v.2). Persecution, poverty—and joy had made out of them a generous assembly (vs.1-4), so that they begged Paul, “with much entreaty” to receive the gift they had collected for “the poor saints at Jerusalem,” a gift which Paul testifies, was all they could afford, yes, and more than they could afford (v.3).

5. Finally, they did not give as Paul had hoped; merely in response to his appeals, “but first gave their own selves to the Lord and to [Paul] by the will of God” (v.5). Is there anything else we can do? Is there some way in which we can be of greater help? —Stam, pages 173-174.

¹³ Therefore we have been comforted in your comfort. And we rejoiced exceedingly more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.

¹⁴ For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I am not ashamed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting to Titus was found true.

¹⁵ And his affections are greater for you as he remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received him.

¹⁶ Therefore I rejoice that I have confidence in you in everything.

boasted (v.14) = lit. “living with head up high”

In the above passage we find two men rejoicing exceedingly: Paul and Titus. But of Titus we read that his “inward affection” for the Corinthians was the “more abundant” as he remembered their “obedience,” how “with fear and trembling” they had received him.

This was no doubt partly due to their own failures, which he had come to discuss with them. However, it must also have been partly due to Titus’ own strength of character.

It is interesting that in Paul’s letter to him he addressed him as a general in the army might address his lieutenant, directing him to set in order the things that are wanting, to exhort and convince the gainsayers, to stop the mouths of the unruly and vain talkers, to rebuke sharply those who live in sin and to reject wilful heretics (Titus 1:5, 9, 11, 13; 3:10). …

The reader will recall that Titus had specially been taken, with Paul, to Jerusalem as a test case for Gentile liberty from the Law, and regarding his firm stand there we read that Titus was not compelled to be circumcised either as he, with Paul “gave place by subjection, no not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with [the Gentile believers]” (Galatians 2:3, 5).

Paul [also] chose him to be the pastor at Crete, whose inhabitants are described as “always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons” (Titus 1:12) —  Stam, pages 168-169.

As I understand this passage, Paul had sent Titus to Corinth to help the church members there get back on track after their many shortcomings (as explained in 1 Corinthians). But while he did this, Paul was also boasting to Titus that the Corinthians had gotten their act together. Titus found this to be true. The members of the church met him with fear (of admonishment) and obeyed his instructions. It cheered Titus to find out that what Paul said about them was true, which, in turn, cheered Paul. Paul now had confidence that they wouldn’t fail again.

⁹ Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing.

¹⁰ For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

¹¹ For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

¹² Therefore, although I wrote to you, I did not do it for the sake of him who had done the wrong, nor for the sake of him who suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear to you.

I now am rejoicing, not because you were made to grieve but because you were made to grieve resulting in your repentance, for you were made to grieve in accordance with the will of God, in order that in not even one thing would you sustain injury or damage by reasons of us, for the grief which is according to the will of God achieves a repentance which leads to salvation, a repentance which has no regret. But the grief which is exercised by the world in its outworking results in death. For, look. This very same thing, this being made to grieve in accordance with God’s will, to what extent it produced earnestness in you, yes, verbal defense of yourselves, in fact, indignation, yes, fear, in fact, longing, yes, zeal, in fact, the meting out of disciplinary punishment. In everything, you showed yourselves to be immaculate in the aforementioned matter. [They had cleared themselves from the guilt of connivance with the case of incest by disciplining the guilty brother.] Therefore also I wrote to you, not on account of the one who committed the wrong [the incestuous son] nor even on account of the one who was wronged [his father], but that your earnestness which was on our behalf might be openly shown among you in the sight of God. — Wuest, page 427

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Paul rejoiced at their earnest desire to carry out his commands; their grief because of the misconduct committed amongst them; their zeal against evil through affection for him (v.7); their carefulness in searching out the evil; their separation from it; their indignation against the evildoer; their fear of the anger of God; their desire for restoration; their zeal for holiness; and their exacting of punishment—all filled him with an overflowing of joy which was still further increased by union with the joy of Titus (v.13). — Williams, page 904.

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To be “sorry after a godly manner” is to repent and this causes “damage … in nothing.” Indeed, such sorrow eventuates in “salvation,” not from sin but from the problems into which we have gotten ourselves by sin. This broad use of the word “salvation” is found in Philippians 2:12.

The Philippians, too, had gotten themselves into a difficult situation through their own sin. There was a division between two women, and everybody began to take sides until the church was seriously divided. it was with respect to this division that Paul wrote, “My beloved … work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” He was not about to go to Philippi and take sides with one or the other. Much less would he do this from a distance for there was doubtless right and wrong on both sides. Thus he exhorts them to “work out [their] own salvation with fear and trembling,” knowing what the results would be if the breach were not healed.

The repentance referred to in this passage never need be repented of. We will always look back with gratitude at the sorrow it wrought “for a season.”

The sorrow of the world, by contrast, “worketh death,” says the apostle. Think it through: the sinners’ guilty remorse can cause him nothing but fear, tension, worry, and those other attitudes of mind that can be so devastating. Certainly, none of them can produce “salvation” from his depraved state. They can only end in death. — Stam, page 166.

⁵ For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears.

⁶ Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus,

⁷ and not only by his coming, but also by the consolation with which he was comforted in you, when he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more.

⁸ For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while.

For even after we came into Macedonia our frail humanity experienced no relaxing from the oppression and tension of tribulation, but I was having pressure brought to bear upon me from every side, on the outside, contentions [with adversaries], within, fears. Nevertheless, He who encourages those who are downcast, encouraged us, our God, in the coming and personal presence of Titus, and not only in his coming and personal presence but also by the encouragement with which he was encouraged over you, bringing back tidings to us of your longing [to see me], your mourning [at the rebuke I sent you], your zeal on my behalf, so that I rejoiced yet more; for though I caused you grief by my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it, for I see that that letter caused you to grieve, though but for a season. — Wuest, pages 426-427.

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Titus was a buoyant, refreshing person, but in this case it was more than Titus’ appearance that encouraged Paul; it was the news that Titus brought from Corinth. When Paul had come into Macedonia and had failed to find Titus he was “troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears,” for the apostate Jews continued to hound him wherever he went. Ah, but finally Titus appeared and Paul was “comforted,” “not by his coming only” but by the news from Corinth. Their “earnest desire,” their “mourning” and their “fervent mind” toward him had caused his heart to rejoice. — Stam, page 165.

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What a difference between the repentance of the believer and the remorse of an unbeliever! Believers who have fallen into sin and have repented thereof have changed their attitude. This, indeed, is what the word “repentance” means. But the lost can only look back with guilty remorse at their sinful past. Thus Paul could say in effect, “I’m glad no damage was done by that letter of rebuke, it evidently did a great deal of good.” — Stam, page 165-166