Albert Barnes Commentary 2 Corinthians 1:23

"But I call God for a witness upon my soul, that to spare you I forbare to come unto Corinth." — 2 Corinthians 1:23 (ASV)

Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul. It is well remarked by Rosenmuller that the second chapter should have begun here, since there is a transition in the subject here more distinct than where the second chapter actually is made to begin. Here Tyndale begins the second chapter.

This verse, with the subsequent statements, is designed to show them the true reason why Paul had changed his purpose and had not visited them according to his first proposal. That reason was not that he was fickle and inconstant; rather, it was that he feared that if he were to go to them in their irregular and disorderly state, he would be under a necessity of resorting to harsh measures and to a severity of discipline that would be equally painful to them and to him.

Dr. Paley has shown with great plausibility, if not with moral certainty, that Paul's change of purpose about visiting them was made before he wrote his first epistle. According to Paley, Paul had initially resolved to visit them. However, upon subsequent reflection, he thought it would be better to try the effect of a faithful letter to them, admonishing them for their errors and entreating them to exercise proper discipline themselves on the principal offender. With this in mind, Paul wrote his first epistle, in which he does not yet state to them his change of purpose or the reason for it. But now, after that letter had been written and had achieved all the desired effect, Paul states the true reason why he had not visited them.

It was now proper for Paul to do so. The reason was that he desired to spare them the severity of discipline and had resorted to the milder and more affectionate measure of sending them a letter, thus not making it necessary to administer discipline personally. (See Paley's Horae Paulinae on 2 Corinthians 4 and 2 Corinthians 5).

The phrase I call God for a record upon my soul is, in Greek, "I call God for a witness against my soul." It is a solemn oath, or appeal to God, and implies that if the writer did not in that case declare the truth, he desired that God would be a witness against him and would punish him accordingly. The reason Paul made this solemn appeal to God was the importance of his vindicating his own character before the church from the charges that had been brought against him.

That to spare you. This means to avoid the necessity of inflicting punishment on you or of exercising severe and painful discipline. If Paul went among them in the state of irregularity and disorder that prevailed there, he would feel it necessary to exert his authority as an apostle and remove the offending members from the church at once. He expected to avoid the necessity of these painful acts of discipline by sending them a faithful and affectionate epistle, thereby inducing them to reform and to avoid the need for measures that would have been so trying to him and to them.

It was not, then, a disregard for them or a lack of attachment to them that had led Paul to change his purpose; rather, it was the result of tender affection. This reason for the change of his purpose, of course, he would not make known to them in his first epistle. But now that that letter had accomplished all he had desired, it was proper that they should be informed of why he had resorted to this measure instead of visiting them personally.