Paul opens 2 Corinthians by greeting the church he is writing to (1:1-2) and then moves into a meditation on suffering that serves as the theological foundation for the rest of the book (1:3-11). Paul demonstrates that true power is manifested in weakness, not in the glory of human ingenuity espoused by the “super-apostles” (cf. 12:9). By focusing on what God can do in our lives through suffering, Paul implicitly defends his ministry and apostleship, showing that suffering is not incompatible  with an apostle’s ministry. In fact, in some ways, suffering is a hallmark of an apostle’s ministry. 

Translation

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God and Timothy the brother, write to the church of God which is in Corinth, with all the saints who are throughout Asia. 2 Grace and peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort. 4 This is the God who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we are able to comfort those in all affliction through the comfort with which we ourselves have been comforted with by God. 5 Because just as the sufferings of Christ abound to us, so also our comfort also abounds through Christ. 6 Now if we are afflicted, then it is for your comfort and salvation. And if we are comforted, then it is for your comfort, which is energized by the patient endurance of the same sufferings which we also suffer. And our hope for you is firm, 7 because we know that just as you are partners/fellowshippers of the sufferings so also you are partners/fellowshippers of the comfort. 

8 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, about our affliction that happened in Asia. Let me explain: we were weighed down far beyond even beyond our power so that we despaired of life itself! 9 Indeed, we ourselves had the sentence of death in ourselves, so that we might not trust in ourselves but trust in the God who raises the dead! 10 This God delivered us from so great a death and he will deliver us! And we have set our hope upon him that he will continue to deliver, 11 as you also help us by your prayers, so that the gift given to us through the faces/prayers of many for us  might cause thanksgiving through many

Commentary

Paul begins with a greeting (1:1-2) and then teaches on the power of suffering (1:3-11).

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God and Timothy the brother, write to the church of God which is in Corinth, with all the saints who are throughout Asia.

Paul describes himself as “apostle of Christ Jesus,” which primarily designates those who were on the original 12 disciples or those, like Paul, who had seen the risen Christ. There are some other described as “apostles” such as Andronicus and Junias although little is known about them or what they did (Rom. 16:7). The term is especially critical in 2 Corinthians as Paul battles the “super-apostles” who were disparaging his ministry. The term is used six times in 2 Corinthians. It refers to Paul himself (1:1), other co-laborers in the gospel (8:23), the “super-apostles” (11:5, 13; 12:11), and those who are truly apostles (12:12). The term speaks of someone “sent” as an emissary of Jesus with a mission. For Paul it was to proclaim the message of Christ to the Gentiles.  Paul was made an apostle, not through human ingenuity or consecration (cf. Gal. 1:1) but through the will of God. God chose Paul for the apostolic task in contrast to the “super-apostles.” Paul’s authority doesn’t lie in himself but God. 

2 Grace and peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Paul regularly blessed the churches he wrote to with “grace” and “peace” (Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:3; Gal. 1:3; Eph. 1:2; Phil. 1:2; Col. 1:2; 1 Thess. 1:1; 2 Thess. 1:2; 1 Tim. 1:2; 2 Tim. 1:2; Tit. 1:4 Phlm. 1:3). The greeting in Romans and Ephesians is identical, indicating that it was a standard greeting for Paul to use. The terms “grace” and “peace” are theologically-charged for Paul. Grace undergirds the entire Christian experience: it is what saves us, sanctifies us, and also brings us home to glory. Peace is the experience of the ending of hostility between people and God. There is also an experiential dimension to God’s peace where we are calm in the midst of difficult circumstances (Phil. 4:6). 

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.

Paul wants God to be “blessed” or praised: May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be praised! Implicit Trinitarianism undergirds Paul’s writing as he designates God as Jesus’ “Father,” but its significance also lies in the Old Testament., In the Old Testament, Israel was God’s “son” and Yahweh was their father (Exod. 4:22). Eventually the Father-Son relationship was placed upon the Davidic king (2 Sam. 7:14; Ps. 2:7). God as our good Father has sent his true Son, the one true Davidic King, Jesus, to redeem us and restore us. Further reasons to praise God is that he is the Father of “mercies” and the “God of all comfort.” The mercies of God refers to his compassion and mercy placed upon sinners. He does not give us what we deserve: his wrath. He is also compassionate and slow to anger with us.  He is also the “God of all comfort.” The Old Testament background seems to lie in Isaiah, particularly Isaiah 40. In Isaiah, the messenger of the Lord cries out, “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God” (40:1; cf. Isa. 49:13; 51:3; 51:12; 52:9; 66:13). This verse begins the “Book of Comfort” (Isa. 40–55), where God promises consolation and restoration to Israel after exile. So Paul seems to be indicating that the exile is over in Christ. People who were far from God have now been brought near through the blood of Christ (Eph. 2:13).

4 This is the God who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we are able to comfort those in all affliction through the comfort with which we ourselves have been comforted with by God.

Paul continues to describe God as the one who comforts Paul and his companions in “all our affliction.” The term “affliction” doesn’t just refer to general suffering but to the Messianic “woes” or “tribulations” that would occur. The Old Testament looked forward to a time of “woes” and tribulation (often with labor pain imagery) with the coming day of the Lord (Isa. 13:6-8; 26:17-18; Jer. 30:6-7; Dan. 12:1). Jesus sees the church age as one of “labor pains” escalating up to his return (Matt. 24:8). Paul himself uses the labor pain imagery to speak of the coming of Jesus (1 Thess. 5:3). Yet, these sufferings are not random or pointless. God puts Paul and his companions through these afflictions so that they are able to comfort those who are suffering. They can use the same comfort that God had given to them to minister comfort to others. Most likely, this “comfort” that Paul can pass on is the truth about who God is in the midst of suffering and words of encouragement to keep persevering in faith. 

5 Because just as the sufferings of Christ abound to us, so also our comfort also abounds through Christ. 

Paul can comfort others because suffering deepens his connection to Christ. Being in union with Christ means Paul is “recapitulating” the life of Christ in his own life. Being in union with a crucified Messiah means that Paul (and all believers) will suffer and these sufferings are legion (they “abound” or are multiplied to us). Yet the good news is that comfort also multiplies to us in Christ. 

6 Now if we are afflicted, then it is for your comfort and salvation. And if we are comforted, then it is for your comfort, which is energized by the patient endurance of the same sufferings which we also suffer. 

Paul can comfort others because he receives comfort through his union with Christ. No matter the circumstances, Paul is able to minister to the Corinthians: If he’s suffering, it’s for their comfort and salvation. If he’s suffering, he’s able to pass the comfort he receives from Christ to them. The stakes are high, though, because Paul’s apostolic mission is also for their “salvation.” Most likely, this means that Paul is able to help them persevere in their salvation by providing them comfort. Yet, if Paul is comforted, the Corinthians also benefit because they receive even more comfort from Christ. The comfort they receive, however, is also “activated” or “energized by their patient endurance of suffering.” Enduring suffering with patience leads to comfort from the Lord. Paul clearly highlights that the sufferings the Corinthians endure is the exact same suffering he endures. What a coincidence! the Same Corinthians who were quick to criticize Paul and attempt to distance themselves from him are actually united to him!

And our hope for you is firm, 7 because we know that just as you are partners/fellowshippers of the sufferings so also you are partners/fellowshippers of the comfort. 

Paul has a firm, steady hope for the Corinthians that they will persevere in their faith (and follow him and not the super apostles) because they are “fellowshippers” (the Greek word is kionia) of Christ’s sufferings just like Paul is. And if they have suffered for their faith, they will receive divine comfort, likely referring to end-times salvation. 

8 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, about our affliction that happened in Asia. Let me explain: we were weighed down far beyond even beyond our power so that we despaired of life itself!

Paul, then, uses an example of this comfort-through-suffering paradigm: his experience in Asia. While Paul doesn’t get into the specifics, he piles up the phrases (“far beyond” and “even beyond our power”) to indicate the level of despair and suffering that they experiences. They despaired of life itself! Did Paul have suicidal thoughts? The text doesn’t tell us but he despaired greatly. 

9 Indeed, we ourselves had the sentence of death in ourselves, so that we might not trust in ourselves but trust in the God who raises the dead! 

The suffering and despair that Paul experience made him feel like he was consigned to die. But all of this depsair, and suffering was for the purpose of weaning Paul off of his self-dependence and putting his trust in God. The resurrection of Jesus was the ultimate overturning of despair. When all hope seemed lost, God wrought a miracle in and through Christ to defeat Satan, sin, and death itself. If God can raise the dead, he can certainly carry us through trial we might face. 

10 This God delivered us from so great a death and he will deliver us! And we have set our hope upon him that he will continue to deliver, 

Paul continues to describe God’s work in v. 10 and also looks forward in hope that no matter what will come his way, God will deliver him. Paul has placed all his hope upon the Lord that he will deliver. 

11 as you also help us by your prayers, so that the gift given to us through the faces/prayers of many for us might cause thanksgiving through many.

Paul uses an awkward grammatical construction to indicate that God’s deliverance doesn’t just come to us through divine fiat, as if God snaps his fingers and works a miracle on our behalf. The first half of the verse could be construed as a statement (“you are helping us”), a condition (“if you help us”) or the manner in which they help (“as you help us”). It seems based on context that Paul is speaking of the way, or manner, in which the Corinthians are helping Paul. God works through means, particularly, through the prayers of his people.

As the Corinthians pray for Paul, they work for his deliverance out of many difficult circumstances. The second half of the verse is also very awkward grammatically. Paul speaks of the “gift” given to himself through “faces of many.” He may be using the term “faces” metaphorically to refer to a face upturned in prayer to the Lord. However the verse the translated, mostly likely the idea is that the gift of deliverance that comes to Paul through the prayers of many people will evoke thanksgiving from many believers. Prayer, and its answers, has a multiplying effect, encouraging and building up others.