Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 2 Corinthians 1:4

"who comforteth us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort them that are in any affliction, through the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." — 2 Corinthians 1:4 (ASV)

Paul generally follows his salutation with thanksgiving for the divine grace evident in the lives of his converts and a summary of his prayers for them. Here, however, he offers praise to God for consoling and encouraging him, while later (v.11) he solicits their prayers for himself. This atypical preoccupation with his own circumstances shows the distressing nature of the experience in Asia from which he had so recently been delivered (vv.8–10). He highlights the aspects of God’s character he had come to value in deeper measure as a result of personal need and divine response, namely, God’s limitless compassion (cf. Psalms 145:9; Micah 7:19) and never-failing comfort (cf. Isaiah 40:1; 51:3, 12; 66:13).

Paul sees his suffering not merely as personally beneficial, driving him to trust God alone (v.9; 12:7), but also as directly benefiting those he ministered to: “God... comforts [GK 4151] us... so that we can comfort....” To experience God’s help, consolation, and encouragement in the midst of all one’s affliction is to become indebted and equipped to communicate the divine comfort to others in any kind of affliction or distress.