Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 2 Corinthians 2

In answering this charge, Paul solemnly invokes his faithful God (cf. 1:18) as his own witness to the truth of statements like these: “The reason I postponed my intended visit to Corinth was to spare you a second painful visit (1:23b; 2:1). So far from being unstable in my desires, I have the settled purpose of promoting your highest good and joy (1:24) and of saving you unnecessary pain or sorrow.” That is, Paul wanted to spare the Corinthians and himself further pain by not returning to Corinth from Ephesus after the so-called “painful visit.” “I made up my mind” (2:1) refers to a decision Paul made at Ephesus after hearing of the insult hurled at him or one of his deputies at Corinth by “the one who did wrong” of 7:1 .

He resolved to pay the Corinthians a visit by this letter (2:3–4; 7:8, 12) rather than by another personal visit that might have proved mutually painful.

For Paul to speak of “sparing” (GK 5767) the Corinthians (v.23) implied that he might have punished them. He therefore proceeds in 1:24, which is parenthetical, to reject the inference—probably also an actual Corinthian charge —that he was some tyrannical overlord, seeking to intimidate and domineer in matters of faith and conduct. An apostle was obligated to serve his converts, not dominate them. It was his privilege to work with them to secure their “joy in the faith” , not to lord it over them by causing them unnecessary pain.

Paul acknowledges that his decision not to revisit Corinth had been partially determined by his awareness that to inflict needless pain on the Corinthians at that time would have effectively dried up the only source of his own happiness.

His joy was intimately connected with theirs (1:24). To cause them pain meant he would experience pain himself, a pain that could be relieved and then converted into gladness only by their repentance .

In place of a second painful visit to Corinth, Paul wrote the Corinthians a letter that has come to be known as the “severe letter” (see the introduction). By this letter he wanted to avoid being pained by them when he finally did pay another personal visit (v.3a). It was incongruous to Paul that his converts, who ought to have been a constant source of joy to him (1 Thessalonians 2:19–20), should cause such distress to their spiritual father. Yet in writing that letter, he had had the buoyant assurance that whatever made him glad would give all of them pleasure too, for they were all one in joy, as in sorrow (v.3b).

In v.4a Paul describes the origin and circumstances of this sorrowful letter. It was born “out of great distress and anguish” and had been produced “with many tears.” Since such expressions can hardly be true of 1 Corinthians as a whole, this letter (cf. also 7:8, 12) must be identified with a letter no longer extant, sent to Corinth after 1 Corinthians and after his “painful visit” (see the introduction). A second purpose (cf. vv.3, 9; 7:12) behind this letter is stated in v.4b. Although it actually proved painful to its recipients (7:8), its aim was not vindictive or even vindicative. On the contrary, it sought to convince the Corinthians of the intensity of Paul’s affectionate concern for them.

In place of a second painful visit to Corinth, Paul wrote the Corinthians a letter that has come to be known as the “severe letter” (see the introduction). By this letter he wanted to avoid being pained by them when he finally did pay another personal visit (v.3a). It was incongruous to Paul that his converts, who ought to have been a constant source of joy to him (1 Thessalonians 2:19–20), should cause such distress to their spiritual father. Yet in writing that letter, he had had the buoyant assurance that whatever made him glad would give all of them pleasure too, for they were all one in joy, as in sorrow (v.3b).

In v.4a Paul describes the origin and circumstances of this sorrowful letter. It was born “out of great distress and anguish” and had been produced “with many tears.” Since such expressions can hardly be true of 1 Corinthians as a whole, this letter (cf. also 7:8, 12) must be identified with a letter no longer extant, sent to Corinth after 1 Corinthians and after his “painful visit” (see the introduction). A second purpose (cf. vv.3, 9; 7:12) behind this letter is stated in v.4b. Although it actually proved painful to its recipients (7:8), its aim was not vindictive or even vindicative. On the contrary, it sought to convince the Corinthians of the intensity of Paul’s affectionate concern for them.

The man referred to in these verses is almost certainly not the man guilty of incest (1 Corinthians 5; see comment on vv.10–11). Rather, after Paul’s painful visit some powerful insult had been directed against him or one of his representatives by a visitor to Corinth or by a Corinthian, who perhaps headed the opposition against Paul at Corinth and objected in particular to his disciplinary methods. The apostle here discounts the sorrow caused him by the unfortunate episode.

On the basis of Titus’s report about the Corinthian reaction to the severe letter , Paul counsels the church to terminate the discipline they had inflicted on the man in question. Whether a formal gathering of the church had been held and specific disciplinary measures had been decided on is impossible to say. The words rendered “the majority” (GK 4498) may simply mean “the main body,” referring generally to the membership. But what was the view of the implied minority? In light of v.7a, it seems likely that they were a proPauline clique, the “ultra-Paulinists,” who regarded the penalty as insufficient.