Thomas Aquinas Commentary 2 Corinthians 7:9-11

"I now rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye were made sorry unto repentance; for ye were made sorry after a godly sort, that ye might suffer loss by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation, [a repentance] which bringeth no regret: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold, this selfsame thing, that ye were made sorry after a godly sort, what earnest care it wrought in you, yea what clearing of yourselves, yea what indignation, yea what fear, yea what longing, yea what zeal, yea what avenging! In everything ye approved yourselves to be pure in the matter." — 2 Corinthians 7:9-11 (ASV)

Having mentioned the comfort the Apostle and Titus experienced because the Corinthians’ grief ended in repentance and not in despair, he now gives the reason for his comfort by commending their sorrow. In this regard, he does two things. First, he commends their sorrow; secondly, from this he arrives at his main point (in verse 12). Concerning the first part, he commends their sorrow based on its cause, and then based on its effect (in verse 10).

The cause for which he commends their sorrow is that it was "according to God." Therefore, he says that although he was sorry for a time about the letter, he now rejoices because they felt a godly grief. It should be noted here that sorrow, joy, and every emotion in general arise from love, for a person is sad when he lacks what he loves. The kind of love determines the kind of sorrow it causes.

There are two kinds of love: one by which God is loved, which gives rise to a sorrow that is "according to God," and another by which the world is loved, which gives rise to a worldly sorrow. The love by which we love God makes us serve Him gladly, honor Him carefully, and joyfully set time apart for Him. But because sin hinders us from serving God—so that we devote no time to Him or seek His honor—the love of God causes sorrow for sin. This is sorrow "according to God."

This sorrow was not in you to produce evil and loss, but rather fruit and merit. Therefore, he says that you suffered no loss through us, because you profit not only from the good and pleasant things we bestow on you but also from our correction that saddens you: For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant; later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it (Hebrews 12:11).

Then, when he says, For godly grief, he commends their sorrow because of its effect, which is the reward of eternal life. In this regard, he does two things. First, he mentions the effect in general; secondly, he discusses what their own experience teaches (in verse 11). Concerning the first point, he mentions the effect of sorrow that is according to God, and then the effect of sorrow that is according to the world (in verse 10b).

He says, therefore: I say that our sorrow was not a loss for you, because godly grief produces a repentance—I say, a repentance that leads to salvation. This is the eternal salvation that is steadfast and belongs to the blessed: But my salvation will be for ever, and my deliverance will never be ended (Isaiah 51:6). This is the work of penance: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 3:2). He says "steadfast" to exclude temporal salvation, which is transitory and common to both humans and animals: Man and beasts you save, O Lord (Psalms 36:6).

However, an objection might be raised against his statement that sorrow according to God "works penance." It would seem that sorrow according to God is penance itself, for penance is sorrow over evil and is "according to God." Therefore, it does not "work" penance.

I answer that penance has three parts. The first is sorrow (namely, grief and compunction over sins), while the other two are confession and satisfaction. Therefore, when he says that sorrow "works penance," it should be understood that compunction, or sorrow for sin, works the other parts of penance in us—namely, confession and satisfaction.

Alternatively, we might say that "sorrow according to God" is a broader category than penance. Penance concerns one's own sins, whereas one can feel sorrow according to God for both one's own sins and the sins of others. Thus, the effect of sorrow according to God is eternal salvation, but the effect of worldly sorrow is death. Since a person who loves the world is made an enemy of God, as it says in James 4:4, the love of the world causes death. A person is sorrowful according to the world not because he has offended God, but because, having been caught in his sin, he is punished and exposed for it. This is the kind of sadness that should be avoided (Sirach 30:24, Vulgate).

Then, in verse 11, he explains this effect based on what was learned from their experience. It is as if he is saying: This is a truly steadfast salvation, because it is clear from experience that it produces in us many things that lead to salvation. He mentions six of these effects, the first of which is general: carefulness. When a person is free from care, it is easy to become negligent; but when one is sad and fearful, one becomes careful. Hence he says, For see—that is, you have experienced in your own case—what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you to avoid evil and do good: He has shown you, O man, what is good (Micah 6:8); and then, walk carefully with your God.

The other five effects are more specific, pertaining either to internal feeling or external action. Regarding those that pertain to inward feeling, some are for the removal of sin and others for the attainment of good, for a true penitent must depart from evil and do good. For the removal of evil, he lists three effects. First is an eagerness to desist from evil, about which he says, what eagerness to clear yourselves, which is directed against those who tempt us to evil: Resist him, firm in your faith (1 Peter 5:9). Or, according to a gloss, it means an eagerness to defend me against the false apostle: Take the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:13). The second is that a person becomes indignant with himself for the sins he has committed; concerning this, he says, what indignation. For indignation at oneself produces sorrow according to God: And my wrath upheld me (Isaiah 63:5). The third is that he lives in continual fear of the future, so as to be wary; on this point, he says, what alarm at falling again—that is, fear that the same thing might happen in the future: The fear of God came upon all (Sirach 25:14, Vulgate).

For the attainment of good, he lists two things. The first is a desire for what is good, about which he says, what longing, by which a person is inclined to do good: The desire of the righteous ends only in good (Proverbs 11:23). The second is a righteous zeal, by which one strives to imitate those who are good; regarding this, he says, what zeal to imitate me and other good men: But earnestly desire the higher gifts (1 Corinthians 12:31).

Regarding the effects that pertain to outward action, he mentions two. The first is that they take revenge on themselves for having sinned, and this is useful. Since every evil must be punished either by man or by God, it is better for a person to punish the evil he has done in himself than for God to do it, because as it says in Hebrews 10:31: It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Concerning this, he says, what punishment, because you punish sinners and even yourselves: But I pommel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified (1 Corinthians 9:27); (Isaiah 26:18).

The second is that he refrains from sin altogether. Hence, he says, At every point you have proved yourselves... guiltless in the matter—that is, in the matter of being a Christian, with faith leading you: But as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way (2 Corinthians 6:4); He chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him (Ephesians 1:4); He who walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me (Psalms 101:6). Alternatively, "in the matter" about which you were corrected, regarding the favor you showed to the fornicator. But later, by punishing and condemning him, you showed that you were undefiled in this.