The body of Paul’s letter begins with a defense of his change of plans (1:12-17). Despite the charge of being fickle and duplicitous, Paul’s behavior stemmed from God’s faithfulness (1:18-22). He continues a defense of his changed travel plans by arguing that it was actually a good thing he changed his mind about visiting (1:23-2:4). The letter he sent in his absence provided the Corinthians an opportunity to obey his words without him being physically present, which ended up resulting in a good outcome (2:5-11). Their acceptance of Paul’s letter demonstrates some willingness to accept Paul’s apostolic authority, which Paul will amplify in a long section in 2:17-7:4. 

Translation

23 Now, I call upon God as witness upon my soul: I did not come to Corinth in order that I might spare you. 24 It is not that we lord it over your faith but we are workers of your joy, for you are standing firm in your faith. 2:1 But I determined for myself that I would not again to you in sorrow. 2 For if I made you sorrowful, then who will be the one who makes me glad except the one whom I made sorrowful? 3 And I wrote this very thing—because I have confidence in all of you that my joy is all of yours joy—so that, when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice. 4 For I wrote out of much tribulation and anguish of heart with many tears, so that I would not cause you sorrow. But I wrote so that you would know the love that I have especially for you. 

5 But if anyone caused sorrow, then this person did not cause sorrow to me but, to some degree, this person caused sorrow to all of you (in order not to say too much). 6 This punishment, which was by the majority, is sufficient against this person. 7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him so that this person would not be overwhelmed with excessive sorrow. 8 Therefore, I urge you to reaffirm your love for him. 9 For I also wrote this so that I would know your tested and approved character, whether you would be obedient in all things. 10 But I also forgive the person whom you have forgiven. For what I have forgiven—if I have forgiven anything—I also have forgiven through you by the authority of Christ. 11 So that no advantage would be taken by Satan, because we are not ignorant of his schemes. 12 But when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ and when a door was opened for me in Christ, 13 I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother. But after I had left them, I went on to Macedonia. 

Commentary

While the Corinthians accused Paul of being wishy-washy in his approach to them, he actually changed his plans for the benefit of the Corinthians (1:23-2:4). In fact, Paul’s absence and subsequent letter was a test for the Corinthians, which, surprisingly, they mostly passed (2:5-11)! 

23 Now, I call upon God as witness upon my soul: I did not come to Corinth in order that I might spare you. 

The Corinthians were upset that Paul had changed his plans, causing Paul to defend himself. Yet asserts now that his delay in coming to them was actually a mercy (1:23-2:4). Paul delayed his visit in order that he might spare them further pain by having to enact severe discipline on them in person. Paul wants to send them a letter to test them and see if they would respond positively to the letter first. If the Corinthians failed to follow his admonitions in letter form, then he would escalate his response by coming to them in person. 

24 It is not that we lord it over your faith but we are workers of your joy, for you stand firm by faith

Paul reiterates that he is not better than the Corinthians. He is not pulling a “power move” by refusing to come to them. Instead, he and his co-laborers are “workers for [their] joy.” The only thing Paul desires for the Corinthians is to experience the joy of fellowship with Christ and with himself. But even if Paul is the most excellent minister to them, the Corinthians will only stand “by faith.” It is ultimately the nurturing of their faith, not any other human being, who can cause the Corinthians to fulfill the mission that God has for them. 

2:1 But I determined for myself that I would not again to you in sorrow.

Paul wanted nothing more than to return to the Corinthians in joy not sorrow. Paul introduces a key word in the section, “sorrow.” He makes it clear that he works for their joy, but sometimes, the only way to joy is through sorrow. 

 2 For if I made you sorrowful, then who will be the one who makes me glad except the one whom I made sorrowful? 

Paul had caused sorrow among the Corinthians by sending them his “Severe Letter.” But Paul also realizes that he can really only be made happy again if the Corinthians respond positively and bring him joy. Paul realizes that he made the Corinthians sad through his stern rebuke. But Paul had to send the Severe Letter because the Corinthians weren’t living in accordance with Christ. Yet, the Corinthians were really the only ones who could make Paul happy again. Paul did not want the strained relationship to last; he wanted reconciliations. 

3 And I wrote this very thing—because I have confidence in all of you that my joy is all of yours joy—so that, when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice. 

Paul wrote the “Severe Letter” so that the Corinthians would respond in repentance and correct their behavior. Paul wrote his scathing rebuke because he had confidence in the connection between himself and the Corinthians: his joy was their joy, and their joy was his joy. Paul wanted to send the “Severe Letter” ahead of his visit so that when he came to them, the Corinthians would be repentant and thus make Paul “rejoice” due to their response to his letter. 

4 For I wrote out of much tribulation and anguish of heart with many tears, so that I would not cause you sorrow. But I wrote so that you would know the love that I have especially for you. 

Paul reassures them of his motives and intention for writing to them the “Severe Letter.” He was pained in his heart to have to write such a scathing rebuke. He didn’t really want to cause them sorrow, but he knew he must be beholden to the truth more than their feelings. Paul’s core motivation was so that the Corinthians would know how much Paul loved them, even if it was a hard letter to read. Paul demonstrates that sometimes Christian ministry necessitates speaking hard truths, even ones that a minister knows that his audience will not want to hear. The Corinthians weren’t the only ones, however, that Paul confronted. Paul was even so bold as to confront another apostle as well. When the apostle Peter was separating himself from Gentile believers, Paul directly confronted and rebuked him (Gal. 2:11-15). In all things, Paul desired to fulfill his own words when he instructed the Ephesian believers about “speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15). Confrontation is never easy, but it is necessary. In fact, one of the functions of an Elder/Pastor in a local church is to confront error and ungodly living (Titus 1:9, 13; 1 Tim. 5:20; 2 Tim. 4:2). Even all believers, according to the instructions of Jesus, are to rebuke one another when someone is caught in sin (Lk. 17:3). 

5 But if anyone caused sorrow, then this person did not cause sorrow to me but, to some degree, this person caused sorrow to all of you (in order not to say too much). 

Sometimes parents will tell their children when they have done wrong, “You didn’t hurt me, you’re really hurting yourself.” That’s essentially the same thing that Paul is telling the Corinthians. Obviously, the perpetrator who was slandering Paul hurt Paul to some degree. But in a greater sense, this perpetrator was hurting the entire community. The perpetrator’s actions hurt the Corinthian church because his actions necessitated Paul sending the “Severe Letter,” which was a scathing rebuke to the entire community. The perpetrator was also causing alienation between Paul and the Corinthians, robbing them of Paul’s full attention and ministry. Who the person who causes Paul sorrow is debated among scholars. Some scholars believe the person is the same man who was sleeping with his step-mother in 1 Corinthians 5. Others believe it is an unnamed rabble-rouser, who was slandering Paul and causing division in the Corinthian body. Either way, it was someone who was causing major issues. 

6 This punishment, which was by the majority, is sufficient against this person. 

Eventually, the Corinthian community enacted church discipline against this unnamed perpetrator. Church discipline, while sometimes necessary, is meant to be restorative, not punitive. Jesus’ instructions on church discipline indicate that it is meant to “win” your brother (Matt. 18:15). Yet, at times, the sinning person within the church will refuse to repent even after exhaustive measures have been taken to have them be restored (Matt. 18:15-18). If all measures for restoration have been taken and the person still does not repent, then the church must “remove” the person from their midst (1 Cor. 5:2). 

7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him so that this person would not be overwhelmed with excessive sorrow. 8 Therefore, I urge you to reaffirm your love for him.

The situation in Corinthian apparently turned out to have a happy ending because the perpetrator eventually repented. Now Paul instructs the church to “forgive and comfort” him. Paul does not want the fragile faith of this newly repentant believer to be damaged by overly punitive discipline. Paul reiterates the goal of church discipline: restoration. 

9 For I also wrote this so that I would know your tested and approved character, whether you would be obedient in all things.

Paul wrote his “Severe Letter” as a test to the Corinthians. He wanted to know if they would listen to his admonitions. He explains that he desired to see if they “would be obedient in all things.” Such a test was necessary, and probably even more necessary in the context of 2 Corinthians, as the Corinthians are being inundated by the false teaching of the “super-apostles.” In a sense, Paul is vying for their heart and affection amongst competing interests and so he is asking, “Are you still really with me?”  

10 But I also forgive the person whom you have forgiven. For what I have forgiven—if I have forgiven anything—I also have forgiven through you by the authority of Christ. 

Paul exerts his apostolic authority through the actions of the Corinthian congregation. It is the church as a whole which seems to exert the final authority of church discipline in the New Testament. The final step of discipline according to Jesus is to tell the matter to the church (Matt. 18:17). Paul instructs the Corinthians to remove unrepentant sinners from “among all of you” (plural form of “you” in 1 Cor. 5:2). Just as the church as a whole renders a verdict to discipline this person, so also the church as a whole forgives the repentant offender and amidst them back into fellowship. Yet, it is not really the church that is rendering forgiveness but Christ! Paul forgives the offenders through the church’s action by Christ’s authority. 

11 So that no advantage would be taken by Satan, because we are not ignorant of his schemes. 

The Corinthians must forgive the offender so that Satan cannot take advantage of the situation. But how exactly could Satan take advantage of their lack of forgiveness? Paul’s teaching in Ephesians may illuminate the text. In Ephesians 4:26-27, Paul instructs believers to be quick to deal with their anger so that they do not have the devil an opportunity, or foothold, in their life. It seems that in Paul’s teaching, unresolved issues within the community provide an opportunity for the devil to wreak havoc within the church. Paul knows how the devil works. Where Christ seeks peace, Satan glories in conflict and strife. Where Christ desires unity, Satan works for division. Paul instructs the Corinthians to forgive the man because it will re-unite the “majority” who inflicted the punishment with the “minority” within the church (Barnett, 132). 

12 But when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ and when a door was opened for me in Christ, 13 I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother. But after I had left them, I went on to Macedonia. 

Paul closes the section with another catalogue of his ministry exploits. Even though Paul had ample ministry opportunities in Troas, he confesses that he couldn’t focus or concentrate out of his concern for Titus. Most likely, Paul was in deep distress over not finding Titus because Titus was going to bring him news of the Corinthians response to the “Severe Letter” he had written (Barnett, 133). When Paul did not find Titus there, he was left with a cliff-hanger: how are the Corinthians doing? Paul probably references these events to underscore his care and concern for the Corinthians. He is not aloof and distant from them. Even when he is traveling in other countries, the Corinthians are on Paul’s mind.