Chapter Thirteen
Exhortation to repentance (1–10). Conclusion (11–13).
2 Cor 13:1-10. Preparing to visit Corinth for the third time, the Apostle urges the Corinthians to reform themselves — otherwise he will deal with them with full severity. He will appear before them in the full power of an Apostle of Christ, though he would prefer not to apply strict measures to them.
2 Corinthians 13:1. This is the third time I am coming to you. Every matter must be established by the mouth of two or three witnesses. It is not known when the Apostle visited Corinth for the second time. But in any case such a visit did genuinely take place, and there is no basis for interpreting the Apostle’s words otherwise. By mentioning his three visits to Corinth, the Apostle wishes to impress upon the Corinthians that he has sufficiently, from the standpoint of Old Testament law, testified to them about their departure from the strict requirements of Christian morality: the law required for the reliability of testimony no more than three persons who were present at a given event needing to be proved (Deut 17:6).
2 Corinthians 13:2. I have said before, and I say in advance, as if I were present the second time, and though absent now I write beforehand to those who sinned before and to all the rest, that when I come again I will not spare anyone. This verse is better translated as follows: “I said before, and now I say in advance — at my second presence with you, and now while not being with you — specifically to those who sinned before and to all the rest together: when I come again, I will not spare!”
2 Corinthians 13:3. Since you seek proof that Christ speaks in me — He is not weak toward you, but is powerful among you. Let the Corinthians not think that the Apostle threatens them while utterly lacking the power to carry out his threats. No, Christ Himself speaks through him, and Christ has already shown His power among them, or will show it.
2 Corinthians 13:4. For indeed He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God; and we also are weak in Him, yet we shall live with Him by the power of God in relation to you. The Apostle grounds this point. Yes, the Lord formerly appeared as a weak human being, and people did with Him as they wished. But now He has risen and lives by the power of God. In exactly the same way, the Apostle — who previously appeared in Corinth in fear and trembling (1 Cor 2:1-2) — will soon appear there armed with power from God, which he will exercise toward the Corinthians if they prove to be disobedient.
2 Corinthians 13:5. Test yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; examine yourselves. Or do you not recognize about yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you? — unless indeed you fail the test. 2 Corinthians 13:6. But I hope you will know that we are what we ought to be. Instead of testing whether Christ dwells in Paul, the Corinthians should test themselves — are they in the faith? Of course, it cannot be that they would confirm the sad fact that Christ is not in them: this could happen only if they were, in practice, not what they ought to be as Christians. But this may happen — they are too stubborn in their sins. As for the Apostle, let them not worry about him: he remembers his obligations toward Christ!
2 Corinthians 13:7. Now I pray to God that you do no evil — not that we may appear as approved, but that you may do what is good, even though we may seem to have failed. This verse is unclear in the Russian translation. It is better translated in accordance with the interpretation of Chrysostom and Theophylact as follows: “We pray to God that you may do no evil — we pray not about this (here ἵνα points to the content of the prayer), so that we ourselves may appear” and so on. The Apostle loves the Corinthians so much that he willingly, for their well-being, renounces the possibility of demonstrating his power and authority in Corinth.
2 Corinthians 13:8. For we are not able to do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. Explaining his thought, the Apostle says that he will have nothing against the Corinthians if they stand in the truth: he himself always stands for the truth. Why would he punish them if they genuinely have faith?
2 Corinthians 13:9. For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong; and this also we pray for: your restoration. 2 Corinthians 13:10. This is why I write these things while absent, so that when present I may not have to deal harshly, according to the authority the Lord has given me — for building up and not for tearing down. In addition to what he said about prayer (verse 7), the Apostle remarks that it is actually pleasant for him to appear “weak” — that is, not to exercise his punitive authority over the Corinthians. If they are “strong” — that is, if they abide in the true faith and walk the path of Christian perfection — the Apostle can only rejoice in this. He writes his epistle to them precisely to strengthen them in the faith: he does not want to be a destroyer of the Corinthian church’s well-being — which he would be if he found the Corinthians continuing in their sinful life. No, he wants to build up and not tear down their church. 2 Cor 13:11-13. The Apostle concludes his epistle with a wish of joy to the Corinthians, a call to unity, and a request to convey greetings from all the saints.
2 Corinthians 13:11. Finally, brothers, rejoice, be restored, be encouraged, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. “Finally” — more precisely: as for the rest of what I would like to say to you... “The God of love and peace” — that is, the One who bestows love and peace.
2 Corinthians 13:12. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. The holy kiss is the customary ancient symbol of brotherly communion (cf. 1 Pet 5:14).
2 Corinthians 13:13. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. The Apostle enumerates the persons of the Holy Trinity not in the usual order, thereby showing that they are all equal to one another (the blessed Theodoret).