2 Corinthians 2:4

2Co 2:4-5. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart — The word συνοχης, here rendered anguish, “denotes the pain which a person feels, who is pressed on every side, without any possibility of disengaging himself, Luk 21:25. I wrote unto you with many tears — So it seems he frequently did: see Php 3:18. Not so much that ye should be grieved — I did not design, in writing, to cause you to grieve more than was necessary in order to your repentance and reformation; but that ye might know — By one of the most genuine tokens which it was possible for me to give, namely, by my faithful admonitions and reproofs, my abundant love toward you. But if any — Or if a certain person, have caused grief — To me and others; he hath not grieved me but in part — Who still rejoice over the greater part of you. That I may not overcharge you all — That I may not lay a load of accusation on you all indiscriminately, as having encouraged him in his crime, or having taken part with such an offender in afflicting me. In this and the following verses, the apostle gave a remarkable proof of that love which, in 2Co 2:4, he had expressed toward the Corinthians. 1st, Making a distinction between the guilty and the innocent; 2d, Forgiving the incestuous person, who, it appears, had repented of his crimes; 2Co 2:6; and, 3d, Ordering the church likewise to forgive him, and confirm their love to him, that he might not be swallowed up by excessive grief.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Co 2:4. Ἐκ γὰρ, for out of) I wished to stir you up before I went to you, that afterwards it might not be necessary. Anguish of heart produced tears, much anguish produced many tears. The Corinthians might have seen the marks of tears on his letter, if he himself wrote it—a proof of anguish.—οὐ ἵνα), not so much that, etc. The fruit of sorrow is not sorrow, but the fruit of love is love.—λυπηθῆτε, you should be grieved) He is easily made sorry, who is admonished by a friend himself weeping.—τὴν ἀγάπην, love) The source of sincere reproof and of joy derived from it.—γνῶτε, you might know) according to my faithful admonition.—περισσοτέρως εἰς ὑμᾶς, more abundantly to you) who have been particularly commended to me by God, Act 18:10.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Co_2:4. Reason assigned for the πεποιθὼς κ.τ.λ … For if I in writing the Epistle had not had that confidence, the Epistle would not have caused me so much grief and so many tears. In the very contrast of this confidence with the necessity of having to write in such a manner lay the great pai.

ἐκ and διά vividly represent the origin of the letter as a going forth and a pressing through: out of much affliction and anxiety of heart I wrote to you through many tears. And this Paul might say, even if he had not himself held the pe.

θλίψις and συνοχή (anxiety, Luk_21:25 : not so among the Greeks, but see Schleusner, Thes. V. p. 212) do not refer to outward, but to inward suffering, as both are defined by καρδίας. Rückert concludes from the calm tone of the first Epistle that Paul had from prudent consideration known how to impose such restraint on his state of feeling, that the Epistle might not reflect any faithful picture of it. But this would have been cunning dissimulation, not in keeping with the apostles character. No; it was just his specially tender care for the Corinthians which on the one hand increased his pain that he needed to write such rebukes, and on the other hand did not allow his vehement emotion to emerge in that Epistle; hence we must not say that the quiet character of our first Epistle is not psychologically in keeping with the utterance of this passage. In particular, 5 might have caused the apostle anxiety and tears enough, without our needing to suppose an intermediate letter (see on 2Co_2:3).

δακρύων] Comp. Act_20:19; Act_20:31. Calvin aptly says: mollitiem testantur, sed magis heroicam, quam fuerit illa ferrea Stoicorum durities.

οὐχ ἵνα λυπηθῆτε, ἀλλὰ κ.τ.λ.] This added explanation regarding the purpose of his letter, to him so painful, is intended also to corroborate the πεποιθὼς κ.τ.λ., of which he has given assuranc.

τὴν ἀγάπην] placed first for emphasi.

περισσοτ.] ἢ (εἰς) τοὺς ἄλλους μαθητάς, Theophylact, who, following Chrysostom, also directs attention to the winning tenderness of the words (καταγλυκαίνει δὲ τὸν λόγον βουλόμενος ἐπισπάσασθαι αὐτούς). Comp. 2Co_1:12. The love of the apostle for his churches has along with its universality its various degrees, just as the love of a father for his children. The Philippians also were specially dear to him.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Co 2:4 . ἐκ γὰρ πολλῆς θλίψεως κ . τ . λ .: for out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears . This describes the state of mind in which he wrote 1 Cor. , if the view of the situation which has been adopted in this commentary be correct (see Introd. , p. 13). διὰ πολλῶν δακρύων : we have διά used, somewhat similarly, with the genitive of the attendant circumstances, in Rom 2:27 ; Rom 4:11 ; Rom 8:25 ; Rom 14:20 , chap. 2Co 5:7 , Heb 12:1 , Rev 21:24 , etc. οὐχ ἵνα λυπηθῆτε κ . τ . λ .: not that ye should be made sorry, but that ye should know the love which I have so abundantly to you . ἀγάπη , as a grace especially to be exhibited in Christian intercourse, is repeatedly dwelt on by St. Paul. The word has been described as “ecclesiastical” and as having been first introduced to literature in the LXX. But it has been recently found in papyri of the Ptolemaic period (Deissmann, Bibel-studien , p. 81), and it thus appears that the LXX only took over a word already current in the speech of Greek Egypt. Here the position of ἀγάπην before ἵνα gives it special emphasis; cf. , for a like order, Act 19:4 , Rom 11:31 . περισσοτέρως may mean “more abundantly,” sc. , than to other Churches; but it is quite legitimate to take it as used without any special comparative force ( cf. 2Co 10:8 ).

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

So far from my change of purpose being due to "lightness" (Co2 1:17), I wrote my letter to you (Co2 2:3) "out of much affliction (Greek, 'trouble') and anguish of heart, and with many tears."

not that ye should be grieved--Translate, "be made sorry," to accord with the translation, Co2 2:2. My ultimate and main object was, "not that ye might be made sorry," but that through sorrow you might be led to repentance, and so to joy, redounding both to you and me (Co2 2:2-3). I made you sorry before going to you, that when I went it might not be necessary. He is easily made sorry, who is admonished by a friend himself weeping [BENGEL].

that ye might know the love--of which it is a proof to rebuke sins openly and in season [ESTIUS], (Psa 141:5; Pro 27:6). "Love" is the source from which sincere reproof springs; that the Corinthians might ultimately recognize this as his motive, was the apostle's aim.

which I have more abundantly unto you--who have been particularly committed to me by God (Act 18:10; Co1 4:15; Co1 9:2).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 4. For out of much affliction, c.] It is very likely that the apostle's enemies had represented him as a harsh, austere, authoritative man who was better pleased with inflicting wounds than in healing them. But he vindicates himself from this charge by solemnly asserting that this was the most painful part of his office; and that the writing of his first epistle to them cost him much affliction and anguish of heart, and many tears.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

4. For out of much affliction Here he brings forward another reason with the view of softening the harshness which he had employed. For those who smilingly take delight in seeing others weep, inasmuch as they discover thereby their cruelty, cannot and ought not to be borne with. Paul, however, declares that his feeling was very different. “Intensity of grief,” says he, “has extorted from me every thing that I have written.” Who would not excuse, and take in good part what springs from such a temper of mind, more especially as it was not on his own account or through his own fault, that he suffered grief, and farther, he does not give vent to his grief, with the view of lightning himself by burdening them, but rather, for the purpose of shewing his affection for them? On these accounts, it did not become the Corinthians to be offended at this somewhat severe reproof.

He adds, tears — which, in a man that is brave and magnanimous are a token of intense grief. Hence we see, from what emotions of mind pious and holy admonitions and reproofs must of necessity proceed. For there are many noisy reprovers, who, by declaiming, or rather, fulminating against vices, display a surprising ardour of zeal, while in the mean time they are at ease in their mind, so that it might seem as if they exercised their throat and sides by way of sport. It is, however, the part of a pious pastor, to weep within himself, before he calls upon others to weep: to feel tortured in silent musings, before he shows any token of displeasure; and to keep within his own breast more grief, than he causes to others. We must, also, take notice of Paul’s tears, which, by their abundance, shew tenderness of heart, but it is of a more heroical character than was the iron-hearted hardness of the Stoics. For the more tender the affections of love are, they are so much the more praiseworthy.

The adverb more abundantly may be explained in a comparative sense; and, in that case, it would be a tacit complaint — that the Corinthians do not make an equal return in respect of affection, inasmuch as they love but coldly one by whom they are ardently loved. I take it, however, in a more simple way, as meaning that Paul commends his affection towards them, in order that this assurance may soften down every thing of harshness that might be in his words.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(4) Out of much affliction and anguish.—Men might think that it had cost him little to write sharp words like those which he has in his mind. He remembers well what he felt as he dictated them—the intensity of his feelings, pain that such words should be needed, anxiety as to their issue, the very tears which then, as at other times (Act_20:19; Act_20:31; 2Ti_1:4), were the outflow of strong emotion. Those who were indignant at his stern words should remember, or at least learn to believe this, and so to see in them the strongest proof of his abounding love for them. The heart of St. Paul was in this matter as the heart of Him who said, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten” (Rev_3:19). The motive in such a case is not to give pain, but to lead those whom we reprove to feel how much we love them. On the word for “anguish,” see Note on Luk_21:25. Looking to the fact that it is used only by St. Luke and St. Paul in the New Testament, we may, perhaps, see in it another example of medical terminology. The anguish was like that of a tight pressure or constriction of the heart.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

4. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart] The word here translated anguish denotes a drawing or holding together, as we say, a spasm. It is only found here and in Luk_21:25. It was from no proud consciousness of superiority that St Paul wrote the rebukes of his former Epistle. He was no Pharisee who ‘thanked God that he was not as other men are.’ Neither did he take pleasure in grieving them, except so far as it tended to their profit. Therefore he wrote out of (i.e. they were the source from which his Epistle proceeded) much affliction and anguish of heart, not to distress them, but in order to shew his love, which took the shape of an anxious desire for their perfection. “It is the truest mark of affection,” says Estius, “not to cloke the sins of those who are entrusted to your care, to rebuke them openly and plainly, even at the risk of causing considerable distress.”

with many tears] “Which,” says Calvin, “in the case of a brave and high-spirited man, are a token of intense grief.”

not that you should be grieved] Cf. ch. 2Co_7:12.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For out of much affliction and anguish of heart,.... Being greatly pressed in his spirit, and grieved at his heart, for the abominable iniquities among them, which they seemed to take no notice of, and to be unconcerned about, yea, rather to be puffed up with:

I wrote to you with many tears; as signs and expressions of, and by which were vented, the inward anguish and distress of his soul; and the letter he sent to them in some measure bore witness to it: which was written,

not that you should be grieved; that is, not merely for the sake of grieving of them, in which he took no pleasure; not but that the apostle designed and desired to affect their minds with a holy grief and godly sorrow for sin, and hereby their amendment; but his chief view was, next to their spiritual good, and God's glory, to express the greatness of his love to them: as he says,

that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you; as his love was very vehement towards them, he was desirous they should know it, and how exceeding abundant it was; and that it was even greater towards them, than to others; and he thought he could not give a greater proof and evidence of it, than by reproving them faithfully, and that sharply too, as the necessity of the case required.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.

Ver. 4. With many tears] Non tam atramento, quam lachrymis chartas illevit, saith Lorinus. {in Act 22:19} St Paul’s Epistles were written rather with tears than with ink.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For out of much affliction - Possibly Paul’s enemies had charged him with being harsh and overbearing. They may have said that there was much needless severity in his letter. He here meets that, and says, that it was with much pain and many tears that he was constrained to write as he did. He was pained at their conduct, and at the necessity which existed for such an epistle. This is an eminently beautiful instance of Paul’s kindness of heart, and his susceptibility to tender impressions. The evil conduct of others gives pain to a good man; and the necessity of administering reproof and discipline is often as painful to him who does it, as it is to those who are the subjects of it.

And anguish of heart - The word rendered “anguish” (συνοχὴ sunochē) means, properly, “a holding together or shutting up”; and then, “pressure, distress, anguish” - an affliction of the heart by which one feels tightened or constrained; such a pressure as great grief causes at the heart.

I wrote unto you with many tears - With much weeping and grief that I was constrained to write such a letter. This was an instance of Paul’s great tenderness of heart - a trait of character which, he uniformly evinced. With all his strength of mind, and all His courage and readiness to face danger, Paul was not ashamed to weep; and especially if he had any occasion of censuring his Christian brethren, or administering discipline; compare Phi 3:18; Act 20:31. This is also a specimen of the manner in which Paul met the faults of his Christian brethren. It was not with bitter denunciation. It was not with sarcasm and ridicule. It was not by emblazoning those faults abroad to others. It was not with the spirit of rejoicing that they had committed errors, and had been guilty of sin. It was not as if he was glad of the opportunity of administering rebuke, and took pleasure in denunciation and in the language of reproof. All this is often done by others; but Paul pursued a different course. He sent an affectionate letter to the offenders themselves; and he did it with many tears. it was done weeping. Admonition would always be done right if it was done with tears. Discipline would always be right, and would be effectual, if it were administered with tears. Any man will receive an admonition kindly, if he who administers it does it weeping; and the heart of an offender will be melted, if he who attempts to reprove him comes to him with tears. How happy would it be if all who attempt to reprove should do it with Paul’s spirit. How happy, if all discipline should be administered in the church in his manner. But, we may add, how seldom is this done! How few are there who feel themselves called on to reprove an offending brother, or to charge a brother with heresy or crime, that do it with tears!

Not that ye should be grieved - It was not my object to give you pain.

But that ye might know the love ... - This was one of the best evidences of his great love to them which he could possibly give. It is proof of genuine friendship for another, when we faithfully and affectionately admonish him of the error of his course; it is the highest proof of affection when we do it with tears. It is cruelty to suffer a brother to remain in sin unadmonished; it is cruel to admonish him of it in a harsh, severe, and authoritative tone; but it is proof of tender attachment when we go to him with tears, and entreat him to repent and reform. No one gives higher proof of attachment to another than he who affectionately admonishes him of his sin and danger.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Every man that deriveth from God, is in this made partaker of the Divine nature, that like as God doth not grieve willingly, nor willingly afflict the children of men, so neither will he; but if, by reason of his office or trust reposed in him, he be under an obligation sometimes to speak smartly, or to chastise and punish others for their errors, yet he will so do it as one that hath no pleasure and delight in it. Thus the good judge weepeth, or at least showeth sorrow and compassion, when he giveth sentence against malefactors. So, this great apostle, to whom God had committed a care over all the Christian churches, saw a necessity of reproving this church that was at Corinth, for enduring the incestuous person in their communion, and not casting him out; for their errors about the resurrection, for their divisions, schisms, and contentions, &c.: but he professeth that he did this

with many tears; and those not shed in hypocrisy, but forced from the anguish and affliction of his heart; that he had nothing less in his design, than to put them to any excessive grief or trouble, but what he wrote was out of a principle of love and good will, both to the welfare of their whole church, and to the good of the particular souls of those that were the members of that church. Ministers or others do no good by their censures or reproofs, if they do not so dispense them, as people may see that what they do, or say, is out of their abundant love to their souls.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

4. Anguish of heart—Arising from the scandal of the Corinthian disorders and the necessity of stern discipline.

Many tears—Even of tenderness for those he rebuked.

That ye should be grieved—Was the unavoidable result, but not the object desired. But that ye might have the moral elevation and high Christian magnanimity to know that even my severity was but a form of love.

This whole section is expressed in Paul’s most terse and sententious style, indicating a penetrative quickness in his readers at understanding his closely-wrapped meaning. Not less remarkable is the deep tenderness and delicacy of feeling, and the high moral platform on which Paul assumes that both he and his Corinthian readers stand. The same tenderness suffuses his words in regard to the incestuous offender, whose image now individualizes itself to his view.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For. He proceeds to assign the anguish which his First Epistle had caused him as a proof of his confidence that, as a body, they loved him as he loved them. If they had regarded each other with indifference, his letter would not have been written to them, as it were. in his heart"s blood. Out of much affliction and anguish of heart. The word for "anguish" means "contraction," "pressure," "spasm". (Luk_21:25) The expression may seem far too strong to be accounted for by the tone of the first letter. Hence some have supposed that he is referring to some other letter now last; and others that ch. 10-13. of this letter, where the whole tone of affection and tenderness suddenly changes into one of impassioned irony and indignation, really belonged to this intermediate letter. There is no need, however, for these hypotheses. In 1Co_5:1-13; 1Co_6:1-11 he had spoken of the errors of the Church with strong reprobation, and the anguish with which he wrote the letter may have been all the more deeply felt because, in expressing it, he put on his feelings a strong restraint. With many tears. I wrote "out of" anguish, and that anguish showed itself through the tears which bathed my cheeks as I wrote. Such tears, says Calvin, "show weakness, but a weakness more heroic than would have been the iron apathy of a Stoic." It must, however, be remembered that, in ancient times, and in Southern and Eastern lands, men yielded to tears more readily than among Northern nations, who take pride in suppressing as far as possible all outward signs of emotion. In Homer the bravest heroes do not blush to weep in public, and the nervous, afflicted temperament of St. Paul seems to have been often overwhelmed with weeping (Act_20:19, Act_20:31; 2Ti_1:4) Not that ye should be grieved. The "not," by a common Hebrew idiom, means "not only," "not exclusively." His object in inflicting pain was not the pain itself, but the results of godly repentance which it produced. (2Co_7:11) The love. In the Greek this word is placed very emphatically at the beginning of the clause. More abundantly. I loved you more than I loved other converts, and the abundance of my love will give you a measure of the pain I felt. The Philippians were St. Paul"s best-beloved converts; but next to them he seems to have felt more personal tenderness for the members of this inflated, wayward, erring Church than for any other community, just as a father sometimes loves best his least-deserving son. There was something in the brightness and keenness of the Greek nature which won over St. Paul, in spite of its many faults.

HOMILIES BY E. HURNDALL

Ver. 4.

The pains of rebuking.

I THESE ARE VERY REAL TO GRACIOUS NATURES. Some delight to castigate; but they are not gracious or noble they are rather fitted to feel the rod than to wield it. An affectionate parent often suffers more than his chastened child; a faithful pastor than the rebuked Church member. Paul said that if he came to Corinth he would not spare; before he came, he did not spare himself. There was grief at Corinth, but as much or more in Macedonia. Joy in causing suffering is a mark f degradation. We condemn pleasure obtained from cruel sports; pleasure obtained from wounding minds is even more barbaric and revolting. We may feel compelled to rebuke, and that sharply. We can never be justified in extracting joy from the suffering occasioned.

II WHEN REBUKE IS PAINFUL TO THE REBUKER IT IS MORE LIKELY TO PROVE EFFICACIOUS TO THE REBUKED.

1. There is evidence of qualification to rebuke. The rebuke does not spring from personal feeling.

2. Undue harshness will be avoided.

3. A gracious tenderness is likely to permeate the severest rebuke.

4. If known to the rebuked, a salutary influence will be exercised. Nothing is more irritating or hardening than to be rebuked by one who evidently enjoys his office. But if the one who points out our fault is evidently deeply pained himself, we must be very obdurate if we are insensible to such an appeal. The wayward child is conquered, not by the rod in his mother"s hand, but by the tears in her eyes.

III THE OBJECT OF RIGHT REBUKING IS NOT THE PAIN OF THE REBUKED. This should ever be kept in mind. We are not judges to pass sentences of mere punishment. We may grieve our fellows, but only for their good. We may cause pain, but only as a means to something else. Castigation is a beginning, not an end. We have effected nothing except failure if we have merely caused sorrow. It is a thankless task indeed merely to make men sad. It is a noble one to make them sad that we may make them holier.

IV RIGHT REBUKING IS EVIDENCE OF MUCH LOVE. Not to suffer sin upon our neighbour is a great duty; but the best natures are apt to shrink from reproving. Great love will compel them, as it did Paul. We often cannot show our love more conclusively. It may not at once be apparent to men, but it will to God and to men by and by. The strongest evidence of Paul"s love for the Corinthian Church was exhibited in the rod which he held over it. So of God himself: those whom he loves he chastens. H. (Heb_12:6)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

From much anguish I wrote to you, not so much that ye might be grieved, as that ye might know by my faithful admonition my abundant love toward you.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Here our compassionate apostle tells them, That what he had wrote in his former epistle with some severity and sharpness, concerning the incestuous person, was so far from being written with any intention to grieve them, that it was a real affliction to him, a very heavy pressure upon his heart, which fetched abundance of tears from his eyes, and consequently was an effect of the greatest love imaginable.

Hence note, That when the ministers of Christ do execute church-censures, if they do not dispense them with tenderness and compassion, so as to let the offenders see that what is done is out of abundant love unto them, they will never be the better for them, nor be bettered or reclaimed by them. Doth a civil judge weep when he passes sentence upon a malefactor? much more should an ecclesiastical judge mourn, when he pronounceth the censures of the church upon notorious offenders. Behold the apostle here declaring with what anguish of spirit and grief of heart he wrote to have the sentence of excommunication executed and inflicted on the incestuous Corinthian; Out of much affliction and anguish of heart, I wrote unto you with many tears.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be made sorry, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you . [I wrote this very thing to you (viz.: how my coming endangered your joy, and how you must repent before I came ( 1Co_4:21 ); and how I would delay my coming, and come by the long and not the short route ( 1Co_16:5-8 ), lest when I came I should have sorrow from those to whom I looked for joy. And I do look for joy from you, for I have this confidence in you all, that, though many of you oppose me, yet there is none of you that does not desire my personal happiness. Moreover, my feelings at the time of writing are a witness unto God of the spirit in which I wrote, for I wrote out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, which shows that I took no pleasure in thus administering correction. I did not correct you to cause you grief, but that you might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you, and which can not keep quiet when it sees you injuring yourself ( Psa_141:5 ; Pro_27:6 ). By referring to 1Co_4:21 and 1Co_5:1 ; it will be found that the threat of correction at his coming, and the case of the incestuous person, were twin thoughts in the apostle's mind. The punishment of this offender was one of the principal items that Paul wished them to attend to before he came; in fact, the whole subject of visits, delays, corrections, etc., centered in this offender, and very naturally, therefore, while here explaining the causes for his delay, the case of this incestuous person comes to mind, and the apostle uses him to flood the entire situation with light.]

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

4. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote. The First Epistle, which rebuked their divisions and immorality. He wrote sharply, but in great sorrow, not to grieve them, but to demonstrate his love by his assiduous care of them and rebuke of their sins.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

4. ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀγάπην ἵνα γνῶτε. Strong emphasis on τὴν ἀγάπην. No doubt some had called his severe letter cruel. But had he not loved them so much, he either would have done nothing, or would not have abstained from coming and inflicting heavy punishment.

ἥν ἔχω περισσοτέρως εἰς ὑμᾶς. Not only are they dear to him; few of his converts are so dear: and he wishes them to know this. Βούλεται γὰρ αὐτοὺς καὶ ταύτῃ ἐπισπάσασθαι, τῷ δεῖξαι ὅτι πλέον πάντων αὐτοὺς φιλεῖ, καὶ ὡς περὶ ἐξαιρέτους μαθητὰς διάκειται (Chrysostom).

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

4.] Explanation (γάρ) that he did not write in levity of purpose, but under great trouble of mind,—not to grieve them, but to testify his love. ἐκ, of the inducement—διὰ, of the condition: he wrote, out of much tribulation (inward, of spirit, not outward) and anguish (συνοχή, ‘angustiæ’) of heart, with (q. ‘through,’—the state being the vehicle of the action, see reff.) many tears.

τ. ἀγάπην, before the conjunction ἵνα, for special emphasis: see reff.

περισσοτέρως—‘than to other churches (?)’—so Chrys. (referring to 1Co 4:15; 1Co 9:2), Theophyl.: Estius thinks, the comparative is not to be pressed, but understood as [some take the adjective] in ver. 7,—‘exceedingly.’

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

4. ἐκ γὰρ πολλῆς θλίψεως … διὰ πολλῶν δακρύων. These strong words, expressive of deep emotion and intense distress, are quite in place, if they refer to a letter of which 10-13. formed a chief part. That passionate outburst of feeling might well have been written in ‘deep affliction and anguish of heart amid a flood of tears.’ But, as a description of the state of his mind when he wrote 1 Cor., the language is extravagant.* It might apply to the short section about the incestuous person, but that is only a fragment of the Epistle; and nowhere in the range of his extant letters can we find any considerable portion to which this statement would so fitly apply as to 10-13.

It is interesting and instructive to compare the Apostle’s description of his own condition during the writing of this vindication of his own authority with J. H. Newman’s statements respecting himself, while he was writing the marvellous Apologia pro Vita sua in the spring of 1864. He wrote to Sir F. Rogers on April 22; “During the writing and reading of my Part 3 I could not get from beginning to end for crying.” He wrote to Mr. Hope-Scott on May 2; “I have been writing without interruption of Sundays five weeks. I have been constantly in tears, and constantly crying out with distress.”

The Apostle’s statement explains (γάρ) how it came about that one whose function it was to be a ‘helper of their joy’ (1:24) should write a letter which was sure to cause great sorrow. That incongruity was only too keenly felt by the writer, and it caused him intense distress. Yet the object of the letter was not to spare himself and inflict pain on them, but to prove the reality of his affection. He had had more than enough of λύπη.

The change from ἐκ to διά has significance. It was out of a condition of affliction that the letter was written, and it passed through a flood of tears. We should more naturally say ‘amid many tears.’ There is a similar change from ἐκ to διά in Rom 2:27: for διά of “attendant circumstances,” cf. Rom 4:2, Rom 8:25, Rom 16:20. Both πολλῆς and καρδίας may be taken with both substantives; ‘out of much affliction of heart and much anguish of heart.’ In class. Grk. συνοχή is nearly always literal, of actual contraction, junction or check. It occurs Luk 21:25 and nowhere else in N.T. In LXX it occurs Jdg 2:3; Job 30:3; Jer 52:5; Mic 5:1 (4:14), with a variety of meanings. Jerome’s carelessness in revision is seen again in his rendering of the word. In Luk 23:25 he has pressura for both ἀνάγκη and συνοχή, although Lat. Vet. distinguishes with compressio and necessitas, and here he has angustia for συνοχή.

In his speech to the Ephesian elders at Miletus, St Paul twice mentions his frequent tears (Act 20:19, Act 20:31). One may call it softness, as Calvin remarks, but it is more worthy of a hero than illa ferrea durities Stoicorum would have been. The Apostle was no Stoic, and for him the suppression of all emotion was no road to perfection. The sympathy which he felt he showed, with utter disregard for Stoical ἀπάθεια and ἠρεμία, and Epicurean ἀταραξία: ἄλογος καὶ παρὰ φύσιν ψυχῆς κίνησις is a doctrine to which he could never subscribe.

ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀγάπην ἵνα γνῶτε. Placing τ. ἀγάπην in front of ἲνα throws great emphasis on the word; cf. τῶν πτωχῶν ἵνα μνημονεύωμεν (Gal 2:10). He could have spared himself the pain of writing such a letter; he could have come at once and used severity, without giving them time to return to their obedience: but his love for them would not allow him to do either. As Chrys. points out, the run of the sentence requires ‘not that you should be made sorrowful, but that you should be induced to repent.’ Instead of this he substitutes ‘that you should know the exceptional love which I have for you.’ It was affection, not cold or cruel severity which made him write. He bears ‘Corinth’ written on his heart; 1:12, 3:2; 12:15; 1Co 4:15, 1Co 9:2: καταγλυκαίνει τὸν λόγον βουλόμενος ἐπισπάσασθαι αὐτούς (Theophyl.). That ἀγάπη is not a word of Biblical origin has been shown by Deissmann (Bible Studies, p. 199). It has been found in Egypt in papyri of the Ptolemaic period.

2:5-17. The Treatment of the Great Offender and the Result of the Severe Letter

The offender ought now to be freely forgiven. And for the intense relief caused by the report of you brought by Titus I thank God who does not allow ministers that work in sincerity to fail.

5As regards him who has been the cause of the sorrow, it is not so much to me that he has caused it (I do not wish to be considered at all) as to all of you; and perhaps not to all of you, for there may be exceptions, and I do not wish to be hard upon any one. 6I think, therefore, that the punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient in the circumstances, and those who thought it inadequate need not insist upon anything more; 7on the contrary, you may now turn round and forgive and encourage him. 8If you fail to do this, a person in his circumstances may sink down in despair in the excess of his grief. I therefore implore you to leave him no longer in suspense, but at once, by some formal act, put into execution, not any sentence of further punishment, but the renewal of your love for him. 9This request that you should forgive him is not at all inconsistent with the letter which I sent instead of coming, for I wrote that letter, not so much in order to be severe on him, as to have a sure test whether in all respects you are prepared to obey me. 10You have proved your loyalty by punishing where punishment was due; but now, if you decide to forgive, you may rest assured that I agree with that decision; for—and this is one more point—if there has been anything for me to forgive, it is for your sakes that I have forgiven it, not thoughtlessly, but as in the presence of Christ. 11Satan is always on the watch to get an advantage over us. He did get an advantage when he caused this member of our body to sin so grievously. Are we to let him have another advantage—over a sinner that has repented?

12My disturbing anxiety about you is now removed; but it was so intense that, although, when I came to Troas to preach the Gospel, God gave me openings there which were very favourable, 18yet I could not settle to any fruitful work, because Titus, who was to bring me news of you, was not to be found there. In my eagerness to learn what success he had had among you I said good-bye to Troas and went on to Macedonia to meet him the sooner. 14But, God be thanked, all has turned out for the best. God, as always, led us along in His triumphal train with Christ, using us as His instruments to diffuse the sweet odour of His Gospel in every place. 15For it is of the fragrance of Christ that we ourselves are a sweet savour to God among both those who are in the way to deliverance and those who are in the way to destruction, 16to the one being a savour exhaled from death and breathing death, to the other a savour exhaled from life and breathing life. It is an awful charge, and what ministers are competent to undertake it? 17Some are not, but by God’s grace we are. For, unlike most teachers, we are not men who for their own ends corrupt God’s message. No; with sincerity in our hearts, nay with God in our hearts, and with His eye upon us, as befits those who are members of Christ, we deliver our message.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Anguish [συνοχης] . Only here and Luk 21:25. Lit., a holding together, constraining, or compressing. See on taken, Luk 4:38. So anguish, from the Latin, angere to choke : anger, which, in earlier English, means affiction, mental torture : anxious : the Latin anguis a snake, marking the serpent by his throttling. In Sanscrit, anhas, from the same root, was the name for sin, the throttler. It reappears obscurely in our medical term quinsy, which was originally quinancy, Greek kunagkh dog - throttling, med., cynanche.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.