Chapter Seven

The Apostle’s joy at Titus’ arrival with good news from Corinth (1–16).

Verse 1 is a conclusion to the section contained in verses 14–18 of the preceding chapter. Verses 2–4 are a transition to the following speech about Titus’ arrival. Then from verse 5 onward, the speech concerns how the Apostle was comforted by Titus’ return to him, who had gone to Corinth, and by the joyful news which Titus told him about the condition of the Corinthian church upon his arrival.

2 Corinthians 7:1. Therefore, my beloved, having these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. “Promises”—see verses 17 and 18 of the sixth chapter. “Defilements of flesh and spirit,” that is, from vile vices that defile our very body, and from more subtle sins manifested in our spiritual life. “Perfecting holiness”—more correctly: our sanctification or cleansing, which in baptism only began and should continue throughout our lives. “In the fear of God.” It was said even in the Old Testament that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom (Prov 1:7). For a Christian, perfecting his sanctification, great wisdom is also needed. Clearly, why the Apostle speaks here of the fear of God. The Corinthians could have forgotten about Him altogether, seeing in God only a Father, and by this would have lost the foundation for their work on the path of moral self-perfection.

2 Corinthians 7:2. Receive us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one. 2 Corinthians 7:3. I do not say this to condemn you; for I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. 2 Corinthians 7:4. I have great confidence in you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort, I overflow with joy in all our affliction. The Apostle defends himself against the reproach that he offends the Corinthians and seeks profit from them. He did nothing of the sort. And now he speaks of this not to condemn the Corinthians: on the contrary, he loves them with all his heart. And in general he only rejoices about the Corinthians at the present time (when Titus told him how his first letter to them was received), even forgetting about all the sorrows that oppress him. How could he not rejoice when he is confident that the Corinthians obey him like a father?

2 Corinthians 7:5. For when we came to Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: without were conflicts, within were fears. 2 Corinthians 7:6. But God, who comforts the humbled, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 2 Corinthians 7:7. and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted concerning you, as he told us of your eagerness, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more. Here the Apostle restores the interrupted (see 2 Cor 2:12) speech about the mental state in which he found himself before Titus’ arrival. When he was in Macedonia, dangers surrounded him from all sides. The arrival of Titus was therefore most timely. “Fears.” The Apostle was afraid certainly not for himself but for the believers, whom persecutions might turn from the path of faith. The comfort which he received from God came to him, first, from Titus’ very arrival, and second, from the joyful news which Titus told him. It turned out that the Corinthians expressed their love for the Apostle when they read his letter to them, and sincerely repented of the griefs they had caused him. They showed “zeal” for the Apostle, that is, they competed with each other to fulfill his wishes expressed in the letter.

2 Corinthians 7:8. Therefore, if I made you sorrowful by my letter, I do not regret it; although I did regret it, for I see that that letter made you sorrowful, though only for a time. 2 Corinthians 7:9. Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that your sorrow led to repentance; for you were made sorrowful in a godly way, so that you suffered no loss from us. 2 Corinthians 7:10. For godly sorrow produces a steadfast repentance to salvation, but worldly sorrow produces death. 2 Corinthians 7:11. For see what earnestness this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly way, has produced in you—what earnest defense, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what vindication! In every way you have shown yourselves to be innocent in the matter. 2 Corinthians 7:12. Therefore, if I wrote to you, it was not because of him who committed the offense, nor because of him who suffered the offense, but to show you our care for you before God. There was a time when the Apostle almost regretted sending his first letter to Corinth. So strictly did he speak to them in it! But now he is glad that the letter was received by the Corinthians, because it had the desired effect on them. Let them have been saddened by the reproofs which the Apostle directed at them in his letter, but truly this sorrow or sadness brought them nothing but benefit. This was sorrow “for God’s sake” or in accord with God’s will, and it is the source of saving repentance. There is sorrow of another kind—“worldly,” which plunges a man into hopeless despair and leads to death (example—Judas the Betrayer). If the letter had led the Corinthians to this last sorrow, then one would have reason to regret. But now the situation is quite different. What “offender” does the Apostle mean, and who is the “offended one”? Some commentators (e.g., Busse) see here an allusion to a personal offense committed by some Corinthian against Apostle Paul. But it is more correct and natural to see here, together with blessed Theodoret, an allusion to the incestuous person (1 Cor 5:2) and his father. If the Apostle wrote about this unpleasant circumstance, he had in mind not just the interests of the father and son, but the benefit of the entire Corinthian church. He wanted to show also that it was not indifferent to him—as his enemies slandered him—the true good of the Corinthians, and that he constantly cares for them.

2 Corinthians 7:13. Therefore we are comforted by your comfort; and we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because you have all reassured his spirit. 2 Corinthians 7:14. Therefore I am not ashamed if I have boasted about you to him, but just as all our speech to you was in truth, so also our boasting about you proved true before Titus; 2 Corinthians 7:15. and his heart yearns for you all, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling. 2 Corinthians 7:16. I rejoice because I can rely on you in all things. The Apostle was thus comforted by the comfort of the Corinthians, that is, by the comfort which they gave him. He was also comforted by the fact that Titus, whom he had sent to Corinth, found a good reception there. This was especially pleasing to the Apostle because he had earlier praised the Corinthians to Titus: he therefore did not praise them in vain. This gave the Apostle reason to point out once again his truthfulness in his judgments and actions. He concludes his speech with confidence that the Corinthians will continue to obey him, that mutual trust between him and them will always exist.