2:1 But I determined this with myself, that I would not come
again to you in a heaviness.
(a) Causing grief among you, which he would have done if he
had come to them before they had repented.
2:3 And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should
have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having b
confidence in you all, that my joy is [the joy] of you all.
(b) For I trusted that you would immediately take that out
of the way which you knew I was discontented with,
considering how you are persuaded that my joy is your
joy.
2:51 But if any have caused grief, he hath not c grieved
me, but d in part: that I may not e overcharge you all.
(1) He passes to another part of this epistle: which
nonetheless is put among the first, and to which he returns
afterwards: and he handles the releasing and unloosing of
the incestuous person, because he seemed to have been given
sufficient testimony of his repentance. And this shows the
true use of excommunication, that is, that it proceeds not
from hatred, but from love, and so end, lest if we keep it
up, we serve Satan the devil.
(c) As if he said, "All that sorrow is so completely wiped
away, that I have never felt it."
(d) As for me, says Paul, I have no more to do with him.
(e) Lest I should overcharge him who is burdened enough as
it is, which burden I would be glad if it were taken
from him.
2:7 So that contrariwise ye [ought] rather to f forgive [him],
and comfort [him], lest perhaps such a one should be
swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
(f) That whereas before you punished him sharply, you should
now forgive him.
2:8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would g confirm [your]
love toward him.
(g) That at my entreaty you would declare by the consent of
the whole church, that you take him again as a brother.
2:10 To 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 h person of Christ;
(h) Truly, and from the heart.
2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant
of his i devices.
(i) Of his mischievous counsel and devilish will.
2:122 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to [preach] Christ's
gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,
(2) He returns to the confirmation of his apostleship, and
brings forth both the testimonies of his labours, and also
of God's blessing.
2:14 Now thanks [be] unto God, which always causeth us to
triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the k savour of
his knowledge by us in every place.
(k) He alludes to the anointing of the priests, and the
incense of the sacrifices.
2:153 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them
that are saved, and in them that perish:
(3) He denies that anything should be taken away from the
dignity of his apostleship, because they saw that it was
not received with like success in every place. But rather
very many rejected and detested him, seeing that he
preached Christ not only as a saviour of those that
believe, but also as a judge of those that condemn him.
2:16 To the one [we are] the savour of death unto death; and to
the other the savour of life unto life. 4 And who [is]
sufficient for these things?
(4) Again, he dismisses all suspicion of arrogance, attributing
all things that he did to the power of God, whom he serves
sincerely, and with honest affection. And he makes them
witnesses of this, even to the sixth verse of the next
chapter (2Co 2:17 - 3:6).
2:17 For we are not as many, which l corrupt the word of God:
but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God
speak we in Christ.
(l) We do not handle it craftily and covetously, or less
sincerely than we ought. And he uses a metaphor, which
is taken from hucksters, who used to play the false
harlot with whatever came into their hands.
