2 Corinthians 7

Volume 1

2 Corinthians Chapter 7

1891 words

2Co 7:1-16.

SELF-PURIFICATION

THEIR

DUTY

RESULTING FROM THE

FOREGOING.

HIS

LOVE TO

THEM, AND

JOY AT THE

GOOD

EFFECTS ON

THEM OF

HIS

FORMER

EPISTLE, AS

REPORTED BY

TITUS.

1. cleanse ourselves--This is the conclusion of the exhortation

(2Co 6:1, 14;

1Jo 3:3;

Re 22:11).

filthiness--"the unclean thing"

(2Co 6:17).

of the flesh--for instance, fornication, prevalent at Corinth

(1Co 6:15-18).

and spirit--for instance, idolatry, direct or indirect

(1Co 6:9; 8:1, 7; 10:7, 21, 22).

The spirit

(Ps 32:2)

receives pollution through the flesh, the instrument of uncleanness.

perfecting holiness--The cleansing away impurity is a positive

step towards holiness

(2Co 6:17).

It is not enough to begin; the end crowns the work

(Ga 3:3; 5:7;

Php 1:6).

fear of God--often conjoined with the consideration of the most

glorious promises

(2Co 5:11;

Heb 4:1).

Privilege and promise go hand in hand.

2. Receive us--with enlarged hearts

(2Co 6:13).

we have wronged . . . corrupter . . . defrauded

no man--(compare

2Co 7:9).

This is the ground on which he asks their reception of (making room

for) him in their hearts. We wronged none by an undue exercise

of apostolic authority;

2Co 7:13

gives an instance in point. We have corrupted none, namely, by

beguilements and flatteries, while preaching "another Gospel," as the

false teachers did

(2Co 11:3, 4).

We have defrauded none by "making a gain" of you

(2Co 12:17).

Modestly he leaves them to supply the positive good which he had

done; suffering all things himself that they might be benefited

(2Co 7:9, 12;

2Co 12:13).

3. In excusing myself, I do not accuse you, as though you suspected

me of such things [MENOCHIUS], or as though you were guilty of such

things; for I speak only of the false apostles [ESTIUS and

Greek commentators]. Rather, "as though you were ungrateful and

treacherous" [BEZA].

I have said before--in

2Co 6:11, 12;

compare

Php 1:7.

die and live with you--the height of friendship. I am ready to die

and live with you and for you

(Php 1:7, 20, 24; 2:17, 18).

Compare as to Christ,

Joh 10:11.

4. boldness of speech--(compare

2Co 6:11).

glorying of you--Not only do I speak with unreserved openness

to you, but I glory (boast) greatly to others in your behalf, in speaking of you.

filled with comfort--at the report of Titus

(2Co 7:6, 7, 9, 13;

2Co 1:4).

exceeding joyful--Greek, I overabound with joy

(2Co 7:7, 9, 16).

our tribulation--described in

2Co 7:5;

also in

2Co 4:7, 8; 6:4, 5.

5. Greek, "For also" (for "even"). This verse is

thus connected with

2Co 2:12, 13,

"When I came to Troas, I had no rest in my spirit"; so

"also" now, when I came to Macedonia, my "flesh" had no

rest (he, by the term "flesh," excepts his spiritual

consolations) from "fightings" with adversaries "without"

(1Co 5:12),

and from fears for the Corinthian believers "within" the Church, owing

to "false brethren"

(2Co 11:26).

Compare

2Co 4:8;

De 32:25,

to which he seems to allude.

6. Translate in the order required by the Greek, "But he that

comforteth those that are cast down, even God." Those that are of an

high spirit are not susceptible of such comfort.

7. when he told us--Greek, "telling us." We shared in the comfort

which Titus felt in recording your desire

(2Co 7:13).

He rejoiced in telling the news; we in hearing them

[ALFORD].

earnest desire--Greek, "longing desire," namely, to see me

[GROTIUS]; or, in general, towards me, to please me.

mourning--over your own remissness in not having immediately punished

the sin

(1Co 5:1,

&c.) which called forth my rebuke.

fervent mind--Greek, "zeal" (compare

2Co 7:11;

Joh 2:17).

toward me--Greek, "for me"; for my sake. They in Paul's behalf showed the zeal against the sin which Paul would have shown had he been

present.

rejoiced the more--more than before, at the mere coming of Titus.

8. with a letter--Greek, "in the letter" namely, the first Epistle

to the Corinthians.

I do not repent, though I did repent--Translate, "I do not regret it, though I did regret it." The Greek words for regret and

repent are distinct. Paul was almost regretting, through parental

tenderness, his having used rebukes calculated to grieve the

Corinthians; but now that he has learned from Titus the salutary effect

produced on them, he no longer regrets it.

for I perceive, &c.--This is explanatory of "I did repent" or "regret

it," and is parenthetical ("for I perceive that that Epistle did

make you sorry, though it was but for a season").

9. Now I rejoice--Whereas "I did repent" or regret having made you

sorry by my letter, I rejoice NOW, not that ye were caused sorrow, but

that your sorrow resulted in your repentance.

ye sorrowed--rather, as before, "ye were made sorry."

after a godly manner--literally, "according to God," that is, your

sorrow having regard to God, and rendering your mind conformable to God

(Ro 14:22;

1Pe 4:6).

that--Translate in Greek order, "to the end that (compare

2Co 11:9)

ye might in nothing receive damage from us," which ye would have

received, had your sorrow been other than that "after a godly manner"

(2Co 7:10).

10. worketh . . . worketh--In the best Greek

reading the translation is, "worketh (simply) . . . worketh

out." "Sorrow" is not repentance, but, where it is "godly,"

"worketh" it; that is, contributes or tends to it (the

same Greek word is in

Ro 13:10).

The "sorrow of the world" (that is, such as is felt by the worldly)

"worketh out," as its result at last, (eternal) death

(the same Greek verb is in

2Co 4:17;

also see on

2Co 4:17).

repentance . . . not to be repented of--There is not

in the Greek this play on words, so that the word qualified is

not "repentance" merely, but "repentance unto salvation"; this, he

says, none will ever regret, however attended with "sorrow" at

the time. "Repentance" implies a coming to a right mind;

"regret" implies merely uneasiness of feeling at the past or present,

and is applied even to the remorse of Judas

(Mt 27:3;

Greek, "stricken with remorse," not as English Version,

"repented himself"); so that, though always accompanying repentance, it

is not always accompanied by repentance. "Repentance" removes the

impediments in the way of "salvation" (to which "death," namely, of the

soul, is opposed). "The sorrow of the world" is not at the sin

itself, but at its penal consequences: so that the tears of pain

are no sooner dried up, than the pleasures of ungodliness are renewed.

So Pharaoh,

Ex 9:27, 28-30;

and Saul,

1Sa 15:23-30.

Compare

Isa 9:13;

Re 16:10, 11.

Contrast David's "godly sorrow,"

2Sa 12:13,

and Peter's,

Mt 26:75.

11. Confirmation of

2Co 7:10

from the Corinthians' own experience.

carefulness--solicitude, literally, "diligence"; opposed to their past

negligence in the matter.

in you--Greek "for you."

yea--not only "carefulness" or diligence, but also "clearing of

yourselves," namely, to me by Titus: anxiety to show you disapproved of

the deed.

indignation--against the offender.

fear--of the wrath of God, and of sinning any more [SCLATER and CALVIN]; fear of Paul

[GROTIUS],

(1Co 4:2, 19-21).

vehement desire--longing for restoration to Paul's approval

[CONYBEARE and HOWSON].

"Fear" is in spite of one's self. "Longing desire" is spontaneous, and

implies strong love and an aspiration for correction [CALVIN]. "Desire" for the presence of Paul, as he

had given them the hope of it

(1Co 4:19;

16:5)

[GROTIUS and

ESTIUS].

zeal--for right and for God's honor against what is wrong. Or, "for

the good of the soul of the offender" [BENGEL].

revenge--Translate, "Exacting of punishment"

(1Co 5:2, 3).

Their "carefulness" was exhibited in the six points just specified:

"clearing of themselves," and "indignation" in relation to themselves;

"fear" and "vehement desire" in respect to the apostle; "zeal" and

"revenge" in respect to the offender [BENGEL]; (compare

2Co 7:7).

In all--the respects just stated.

clear--Greek, "pure," namely, from complicity in the guilty deed.

"Approved yourselves," Greek, "commended yourselves." Whatever

suspicion of complicity rested on you

(1Co 5:2, 6)

through your former remissness, you have cleared off by your present

strenuousness in reprobating the deed.

12. though I wrote unto you--"making you sorry with my letter"

(2Co 7:8).

his cause that suffered wrong--the father of the incestuous person

who had his father's wife

(1Co 5:1).

The father, thus it seems, was alive.

that our care for you, &c.--Some of the oldest manuscripts read

thus, "That YOUR

care for us might be made manifest unto you," &c. But

the words, "unto you," thus, would be rather obscure; still the

obscurity of the genuine reading may have been the very reason for the

change being made by correctors into the reading of English Version.

ALFORD explains the reading: "He wrote in order to bring out their zeal

on his behalf (that is, to obey his command), and make it manifest

to themselves in God's sight, that is, to bring out among them their zeal to regard and obey him." But some of the oldest manuscripts

and versions (including the Vulgate and old Italian) support

English Version. And the words, "to you," suit it better than the