The Letters · New Testament
2 Corinthians 2
2 Corinthians 2: a letter written in tears and a call to forgive
General context
Paul explains his decision not to come again in heaviness, since the people he would grieve are the same people who make him glad. Instead of visiting he wrote, and he describes that letter as written out of much affliction and anguish of heart with many tears, meant not to grieve them but to show his love. He turns to a man who has caused grief, says the grief was not his alone, and judges that the punishment inflicted of many is now enough. He asks them to forgive and comfort the man so he is not swallowed up with overmuch sorrow, and to confirm their love toward him. Paul says he wrote to test their obedience, adds that he forgives whatever they forgive, and gives a reason: Satan should not get an advantage. The chapter then returns to travel. At Troas a door was opened to him, but he had no rest in his spirit because he did not find Titus, so he left for Macedonia. He breaks into thanks to God who causes him to triumph in Christ and spreads the savour of his knowledge everywhere, a savour of death to some and of life to others. He ends by asking who is sufficient for these things and by distinguishing himself from many who corrupt the word of God.
Cited passages: 2 Corinthians 2:1, 2 Corinthians 2:2, 2 Corinthians 2:3, 2 Corinthians 2:4, 2 Corinthians 2:5, 2 Corinthians 2:6, 2 Corinthians 2:7, 2 Corinthians 2:8, 2 Corinthians 2:9, 2 Corinthians 2:10, 2 Corinthians 2:11, 2 Corinthians 2:12, 2 Corinthians 2:13, 2 Corinthians 2:14, 2 Corinthians 2:15, 2 Corinthians 2:16, 2 Corinthians 2:17
2 Corinthians 2 (KJV)
1But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.
2For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?
3And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.
4For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.
5But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.
6Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
7So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
8Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.
9For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.
10To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;
11Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
12Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,
13I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.
14Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
15For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
16To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
17For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
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Historical context
The chapter establishes that an earlier letter exists and that it caused pain, written with many tears, though its contents are not reproduced here. It establishes that someone caused grief and that a punishment was inflicted of many, but it never names the man, never says what he did, and never says who else was involved. Paul states that he forgave in the person of Christ, and he ties the forgiveness to the readers' own. Two places are named as stages of a journey, Troas and Macedonia, and one companion is named, Titus my brother, whose absence at Troas is given as the reason Paul left. The chapter quotes no Old Testament passage, gives no dates, and does not say what the opened door at Troas produced.
Cited passages: 2 Corinthians 2:3, 2 Corinthians 2:4, 2 Corinthians 2:5, 2 Corinthians 2:6, 2 Corinthians 2:7, 2 Corinthians 2:9, 2 Corinthians 2:10, 2 Corinthians 2:11, 2 Corinthians 2:12, 2 Corinthians 2:13, 2 Corinthians 2:17
Literary context
The argument runs on a single pair of words, sorrow and joy, and keeps reversing which one is the point. Paul stayed away to avoid heaviness, wrote in tears so they would not be grieved, and now asks for forgiveness so the offender will not drown in sorrow. The offender is kept anonymous throughout, described only by what he did to the church rather than by name, which keeps the appeal about the community's response. The travel note at Troas is left unfinished. Paul reports the open door and his own unrest, then drops the itinerary and does not pick it up again until chapter seven, where the arrival of Titus finally answers it. In between stands a burst of thanksgiving built on smell rather than sight, in which the same savour divides those who are saved and those who perish, and the chapter closes on an unanswered question.
Cited passages: 2 Corinthians 2:1, 2 Corinthians 2:2, 2 Corinthians 2:4, 2 Corinthians 2:5, 2 Corinthians 2:6, 2 Corinthians 2:7, 2 Corinthians 2:12, 2 Corinthians 2:13, 2 Corinthians 2:14, 2 Corinthians 2:15, 2 Corinthians 2:16, 2 Corinthians 2:17
Key moments
- A letter written in tears (2 Corinthians 2:4). Paul says he wrote out of affliction and anguish with many tears to show his love.
- The punishment is enough (2 Corinthians 2:6). He judges the punishment inflicted by the majority sufficient for the man.
- Confirm your love (2 Corinthians 2:8). Paul asks the church to confirm their love toward the offender.
- No rest without Titus (2 Corinthians 2:13). Paul leaves Troas for Macedonia because he did not find Titus there.
- The savour of his knowledge (2 Corinthians 2:14). Paul thanks God for a triumph that spreads the savour of the knowledge of Christ.
- Who is sufficient (2 Corinthians 2:16). He asks who is sufficient for a message that divides life from death.
For reflection
Paul argues that a punishment already given is sufficient, and that the next danger is a man swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. When is the harder task ending a correction rather than making it?
