Albert Barnes Commentary 2 Corinthians 1:15

"And in this confidence I was minded to come first unto you, that ye might have a second benefit;" — 2 Corinthians 1:15 (ASV)

And in this confidence. In this confidence in my integrity, and that you held this favourable opinion of me and appreciated the principles of my conduct, I did not doubt that you would receive me kindly and would again give me the tokens of your affection and regard. In this, Paul shows that however some of them might regard him, he nevertheless had no doubt that the majority of the church there would receive him kindly.

I was minded. I willed (eboulomēn); it was my intention.

To come to you before. Tyndale renders this, "the other time." Paul undoubtedly refers to the time when he wrote his former letter, and when it was his serious purpose, as it was his earnest wish, to visit them again (see 1 Corinthians 16:6). He had been disappointed in this purpose, and he now proceeds to state the reasons why he had not visited them as he had planned, and to show that it did not arise from any fickleness of mind.

His purpose had been at first to pass through Corinth on his way to Macedonia and to remain some time with them (see 2 Corinthians 1:16; compare 1 Corinthians 16:5–6). He had now changed this purpose; and instead of passing through Corinth on his way to Macedonia, he had gone to Macedonia by way of Troas (2 Corinthians 2:12). The Corinthians, having, it would seem, become acquainted with this fact, had charged him with insincerity in the promise or fickleness in regard to his plans. Probably, some of his enemies had said that he had never intended to visit them.

That you might have a second benefit. The marginal note says grace. The word used here (charin) is that which is commonly rendered grace and probably means favour, kindness, goodwill, beneficence, and especially favour to the undeserving. Here it is evidently used in the sense of gratification or pleasure. The idea is that they had formerly been gratified and benefited by his residence among them; he had been the means of conferring important favours on them, and he was desirous of being with them again to gratify them by his presence and to be the means of imparting other favours to them.

Paul presumed that his presence with them would be a source of pleasure to them and that his coming would do them good. It is the language of a man who felt assured that he enjoyed, after all, the confidence of the majority of the church there, and that they would regard his being with them as a favour.

He had formerly been with them almost two years. His residence there had been pleasant to them and to him and had been the occasion of important benefits to them. He did not doubt that it would be so again. Tyndale renders this, "that you might have had a double pleasure." It may be remarked here that several manuscripts, instead of charin, grace, read charan, joy.