On the Height of Christian Revelation, or Gospel Truth (2 Cor. 2:12–13)

Having finished his discourse on the change of travel plan, the Apostle intended to expound what happened to him on this journey, that is, from Ephesus through Macedonia until the return of Titus, and on this occasion, and especially on the occasion of what he communicated, to give necessary instructions (ch. 8, 9) and admonitions (ch. 10–13); but as soon as his account reached his arrival in Macedonia (2 Cor. 2:12, 13), he was taken up by the Spirit into contemplation of the power, glory, brightness, and wonderful workings of Gospel truth, and began to expound his contemplations with fluent and inspired speech, until he poured out all that the Spirit gave him to proclaim at that time (2 Cor. 2:14–7:1). Having finished this, he again begins the interrupted discourse and tells how he was gladdened by the coming of Titus and all that he conveyed to him (2 Cor. 7:2–16). What happened to the Apostle here was the same as what happened to the prophets when the Spirit seized them. “The Spirit took me up” (Ezek. 3:12), they used to say. The Spirit took up Saint Paul and showed him in his mind what he speaks about Christian revelation, or Gospel truth. Anyone sees this immediately upon reading the letter: for the discourse on this begins unexpectedly.

Verses 12–13 will thus be an introduction to the discourse on Gospel truth, as having provided the occasion for it. In content they stand in direct connection with what is written after 7:2 and onward and form one unified whole with it.

2 Cor. 2:12, 13. And when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ, even though a door was opened to me in the Lord, I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find my brother Titus; but taking my leave of them, I went to Macedonia.

The Apostle went to Troas from Ephesus, perhaps both by sea and by land, and, having visited the churches lying on the way, had in mind to engage in the preaching of the Gospel in this city; for in the second journey, when he was led by the Holy Spirit through this city to Macedonia, it does not appear that he stayed in it for preaching. Meanwhile, it was evidently an essential transition point from Asia to Macedonia and back. This disposed the Apostle to plant faith here. The door for preaching was opened: the Apostle was heard willingly and believed with complete submission to the word of grace. If, then, the door was opened, and opened in the Lord, preaching in even one day could accomplish much. It acts immediately, and that same speech, being received by thousands of ears, could convert thousands. Therefore, when the Apostle says immediately after this that, having no rest because of Titus’s non-arrival, he had to leave them, this does not mean that he abandoned the work unfinished, but only that he could not stay long with them. But the work of gospel proclamation was both sown and ripened. It commonly ripens everywhere by itself under the action of grace. The Gospel is not verbose, but contains an all-encompassing system of knowledge, which can then develop by itself in the minds and hearts of those who believe humbly. This truth is confirmed by all the early apostolic preaching. So it was in Troas; therefore, when on his return journey from Greece through Macedonia the Apostle arrived here, he found the faith here in full flourishing and spent whole nights in sweet fellowship with the believers (Acts 20:7).

That Saint Paul had no rest does not at all suggest the kind of anxiety we usually experience because of personal dangers and losses. He was troubled for the sake of God’s work. If Titus had been ordered, after completing all the business in Corinth, to hasten to Troas, and by the reckoning of time he should have already been there, yet he was not there, then the Apostle naturally could suppose misfortunes that would be destructive to the Church’s cause and the Gospel. The Apostle lived only for the welfare of the Church and for the success of the Gospel. To touch on these matters is the same as touching the apple of his eye. That is why he is troubled and has no rest. The uncertainty of what was happening in Corinth tormented him; the Holy Spirit did not deign to reveal it to him or to fill his heart with confidence, leaving him to the natural course of human feelings under the influence of external circumstances. This caused him, not finding Titus in Troas or not waiting for him long, to hasten to meet him himself. Therefore, having said farewell to the Troadians, “taking his leave of them”, he went to Macedonia, for that was his further way, and through that country Saint Titus should return to him.

Thus the narrative here ends. What news Saint Titus brought and how Saint Paul was gladdened by them, he writes about below, at 7:2 and onward; here, just the remembrance of it transported his spirit; and he, before he had even managed to say a word about Titus’s coming or the news which Saint Titus brought, was taken by the Spirit into contemplation of the power and glory of Gospel truth, and, crying out: “Thanks be to God”, began to expound his contemplations with inspired speech.

This discourse can be called a conversation on one and the same subject, but without a definite, carefully planned structure; the presentations in it are replaced by one another, exhausting their subject, but not following the usual custom of one proceeding from another. One can, however, point out three turns in it and thereby designate its division: a) first the Apostle expounds the properties and workings of Gospel truth, or Christian revelation (2 Cor. 2:14–4:6); b) then he tells that despite all the height of this revelation, its bearers and carriers on earth are extremely degraded, are earthen vessels, yet act zealously, being inspired by hope for the future (2 Cor. 4:7–18, 5:1–10); finally, c) he expounds how the very preaching goes, with application of this to the Corinthians (2 Cor. 5:11–7:1).