2 Corinthians 4:1–6

¹ Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. ² But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. ³ But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, ⁴ whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. ⁵ For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. ⁶ For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Commentary
Vs. 1 "Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart."

Having been entrusted with the ministry of the New Covenant (which brings remission of sins to every person who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ crucified and risen from dead; and thus brings Holy Spirit regeneration and everlasting life to all who call upon Christ's Name). And so the Apostle Paul having received mercy through Christ, did not lose heart to the at times overwhelming opposition to His preaching the Gospel, and thus making disciples through the New Covenant. For Paul himself had already received God's mercy through Christ, and so the Apostle Paul now lived his new life through that same grace and mercy, extending the same to one and to all, so that they too might repent and believe, and thus receive Christ Jesus for themselves (consider Titus 3:3-7). And so the Apostle Paul did not lose heart when faced with tribulations, or opposition to his preaching the Gospel. Instead Paul remained faithful to the ministry which the Lord Jesus Christ entrusted to him, after He first saved him, and sanctified him, for the expressed purpose of preaching Him everywhere through the Gospel, so as to make disciples in His Name and establish His church in the New Covenant (1 Cor. 11:23-26). Something which the Apostle Paul came to understand was God's purpose for his person and life (Gal 1:15-17), to be Christ's minister everywhere, so as to turn people from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God (Acts 26:16-18). And thus the Apostle Paul knew God's plans would not be thwarted by the hostility or opposition of either Satan or man, but all things that we pass through in this life are working together for our good (Rom. 8:28). 

Vs. 2 "But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God." 

In further defense of his person and ministry the Apostle now says that "we (meaning himself and those who were faithfully ministering the Gospel with him) have renounced the hidden things of shame". Meaning both he and they were not only living lives of Godliness, righteousness, and integrity, but they themselves always strove to be absolutely honest and transparent in their preaching. And so unlike the false apostles, prophets, and teachers whose persons and lives are marked by "craft" and duplicity, by lust and by greed, and thus who only misuse and misrepresent the Word of God for their own ends. The Apostle Paul says of himself and those with him that through their lives and preaching, the manifestation of the truth, was being made known to one and to all. And so the Apostle Paul could rightly and confidently assert that they could commend themselves to every mans conscience in the sight of God. Because they had no secret lives, nor hidden agendas, everything they did and were was easily read and understood by one and by all. 

Vs. 3-4 ³ But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, ⁴ whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 

Here the Apostle Paul makes it clear that if the Gospel is veiled to some, it is only veiled to those who are perishing, ⁴ whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 


Vs. 5 "For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake." 

Unlike the false preachers and teachers who are all about themselves, the Apostle makes it clear that he does not preach himself; that is what he is, or what he has, or what he has done. Paul preached Christ, just as every true minister of God does. For it is Christ alone that saves and brings to life everyone who believes in Him through the Gospel. Now to forward that end the Apostle Paul made himself a servant to not only the church, but to all men, that he might save some (1 Cor 9:22).

Vs. 6 "For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

Just as God commanded light to shine out of darkness at the pre-creation (Gen 1:3-5), so now it is God who has commanded that His light should first shine in the hearts of His Apostles so that the whole world should be illuminated with the glory of His Son Jesus Christ through the Gospel. Thus it is God who has shone in our hearts the light and knowledge and glory of His Person through the Person of His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, so that we ourselves are not only partakers of His promises with them, but we have become His people through whom His light and knowledge and glory is made known to one and to all. And so it is God who takes people who were once bound in darkness and brings them to light and life through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ (consider Matt. 4:16; Luke 1:77-79). The Only question then is have you seen the light of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ (John 8:12), and have you received Him as your Lord and Savior (John 1:12). If you have not then please do that now! If you believe, invite the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart and life to be your Lord and Savior, so that by believing in Him crucified, buried, and then risen from the dead three days later for the remission of all our sins and everlasting life (John 3:16; Acts 10:43) you too might have the reconciliation with God that Jesus brings to everyone who believes in Him and confesses Him as Lord (Rom 10:9-10, 13). Don't delay, have peace with God, and begin a new life with Christ today! 

Scripture Quotation
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Merry Christmas!

    “Glory mto God in the highest,

    And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:14

Wishing you and yours a very merry and love filled Christmas! 

2 Corinthians 3:7-18

⁷ But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, ⁸ how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? ⁹ For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. ¹⁰ For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. ¹¹ For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious. ¹² Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech—¹³ unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. ¹⁴ But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. ¹⁵ But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. ¹⁶ Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. ¹⁷ Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. ¹⁸ But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Commentary

Vs. 7-9 "But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, ⁸ how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? ⁹ For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.

The Apostle Paul now draws a demarcation line between the law given through Moses, which Paul calls here the ministry of death, and the ministry of the Spirit, which in practice is our being led by the Spirit of God, and thus living by the fruits of the Spirit of God, against such there is no law (see Gal. 5:16-23). Now the reason the Apostle Paul calls the law "the ministry of death" is that the law cannot justify anyone in the sight of God by their own obedience to it. The law only shows us all what we have not done, or what we have done wrong, and thus the law will only condemn those who seek salvation through it (Gal. 3:10-14; James 2:10). Thus there is no hope found in the law, because the law has no provisions for sinful and imperfect people, other than providing a animal sacrifice by which it's shed blood would temporally cover ones transgressions so that they could remain in the Old Covenant relationship with God through it. Thus there is no hope found in the law, because there is no way to find lasting righteousness or peace with God through it, there is just the letter of the law which condemns us every time we fail to obey it. The law then not only shows us our own sinfulness, it also and most profoundly reveals to us our own helplessness. Now the law has a glory, as the Apostle Paul recalls here, for when Moses received the law written on the stones by the finger of God on Mount Sinai, and afterward he came down from the mountain his face shone so bright that the children of Israel could not look at him. Now this glory of God that Moses so readily revealed to them then, and later revealed when he met with God in the Tabernacle did not remain, for his face shown for a time, and in time it returned to it's normal state (see Exodus 34:29-35). Thus not even that righteous man Moses when exposed to Glory of God could keep that glory in himself, for by it departing from him God was revealing that the covenant that was being entrusted to him would not be the means of our eternal redemption and change. It was temporary, it revealed the Holy Character and Nature and Requirements of God, which both the Law, and Israel's long history reveals, no mere mortal man has, or can fulfill (Rom 3:23), and so Christ came to do and fulfill all, that we could never have done (Matt. 5:17; Luke 24:44; John 19:30; Acts 3:18-26 etc.). And so the glory of God that shone on Moses face was temporary, because no eternal salvation or permanent change comes to us through Moses or the law. Thus the laws glory was temporary, for all that is in the law was a mere foreshadow of the good things to come (Heb. 9:11-15; 10:1-18 etc.). Therefore in light of all these things the Apostle Paul rhetorically asks us all here, ⁸ how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? ⁹ For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. vs. 8-9 
Therefore if that temporary covenant, the Old Covenant, the Law, or the Law of Moses as people often refer to it, which is represented here to us by the Ten Commandments, and which is here called the "ministry of death and condemnation" had glory, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be so much more glorious. For it is the Spirit that brings everlasting life to us all who believe In Christ. And thus brings and effects the regeneration and renewal of our persons and lives by the Spirit of God dwelling inside each and every one of us who believe In Christ. Therefore the ministry of the Spirit is also called the ministry of righteousness, because we are not only being sanctified by His presence inside of us, but we are also led being by Him to live righteous lives by His transforming work in our persons and lives. It's just a whole better deal to have His Person, Presence and Power at work in and through our lives, which we have in our New Covenant relationship with God through Christ, then be left to our own abilities and strengths to try to keep the commandments of God.

Vs. 10-11 ¹⁰ For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. ¹¹ For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious. 

And so, though the law was made glorious for a season, it had no glory in the regards to it's permanence, for it's expressed purpose was to expose our sinful condition, and thus reveal to us all are inability to redeem ourselves from our sins and transgressions, and ultimately the death that comes through sin. And so the Old Covenant was given till the Promised Seed would come and do for us all what we could never do for ourselves (Gal 3:19-25). Therefore if the law given though Moses had a glory, how much more will the New Covenant which God's own Son Jesus Christ enacted by His death on the cross, and His Resurrection from the dead, so that all who believe in Him will have the glory of God indwelling them forever.

Vs. 12-14 ¹² Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech—¹³ unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. ¹⁴ But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. 

Therefore like the Apostle Paul (we all who believe in Christ) also have such a surpassing hope because we know that through the blood of Christ we have now been redeemed from all our sins and transgressions, the Old Covenant then can never again be used in such a way so as to condemn us. And so we rest in the promises of God given us through the New Covenant, which again the Lord Jesus Christ enacted with His broken body and shed blood by which He has reconciled us who with God (Matt. 26:26-29; 2 Cor 5:21). And thus we use boldness of speech in our declaring the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, both Jews and Gentiles (see Rom 1:16-17). So unlike Moses, who as the Apostle Paul reveals here, veiled his face so that the glory which shone upon him would not be seen fading away as the Israelites looked on him (vs. 13). The Apostle Paul now states that the Old Covenant Israelites minds were blinded to this reality; that is the temporary nature of the Old Covenant, (something which will remain until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in, see Rom 11:25-27). And so the Apostle Paul takes the veil and uses it again, but this time as a metaphor for this spiritual blindness that currently resides on the Jews, and all who hold fast to Old Covenant; that is the Old Testament as the Covenant through which their redemption will come. And so the Apostle says, "For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ." And that is foundational to not only understanding the Scriptures, but becoming a disciple of Christ, to believe and thus receive the Lord Jesus Christ so that the Spirit and glory of God through Christ might reside with you and be in you forever. 

Vs. 15-16 ¹⁵ But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. ¹⁶ Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 

And so the Apostle Paul says that even to this day, meaning not just his own time, but our day as well, a veil lies on their heart, because they refuse to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Scriptures reveal Jesus to be: God's Promised Son, Savior, and Messiah of not only the Jews, but also of the Gentiles (Isaiah 42:6; 49:6; Acts 13:47). Nevertheless as the Apostle Paul also makes clear, when anyone turns to the Lord Jesus Christ, and not just the Scriptures (consider John 5:39-47), the veil is taken away.

Vs. 17 "Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." 

The fact that the Lord is Spirit indicates that the ministry of the Spirit is indeed the ministry of the Lord, especially as this relates to our receiving and understanding His Word from Him. Now the second half of the passage which states "that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." Indicates a foundational distinction between the Old and New Covenants. For the Old Covenant strictly regulated seemingly everything, while in the New Covenant which is given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ and ministered to us by the Spirit of God we have great liberty in just about everything. Food, drink, clothing, days, holy days, and all things "religious", you and I are free to observe and not observe these things as we see fit. Same with our jobs, careers, social contacts, hobbies, sports activities, volunteering, and all manner of interests and pursuits, you and I are at liberty to do and pursue these things as we see fit. No believer then is ever to stand as another believers "conscience" in regards to any non-moral activity, for where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty!   

Vs. 18 "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."

And so it is we all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ with unveiled face not only see the Lord Jesus Christ in all His glory in the Scriptures, but we ourselves also are being transformed into that glory. And so we see this progressive transformation that is taken place in our persons and lives as we are being transformed from one glory to another. For down here we bear the moral image of God; which is greatly heightened and improved with the Lord Jesus Christ indwelling us and transforming our persons by His Spirit; but there we shall bear the full glory of the Lord as He now is in His glorified state. And so what is being stated here is a descriptive metaphor of the ongoing sanctification and thus transformation of our persons, which finds fulfillment with the complete glorification of us with our Lord and Savior when we are with Him forever in His glorified state. 

Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

2 Corinthians 3:4–6

⁴ And we have such trust through Christ toward God. ⁵ Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, ⁶ who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Commentary
Vs. 4 "And we have such trust through Christ toward God."

As the Apostle Paul had trust that Corinthians themselves were Christ's, so he had the same confidence about himself, and his Apostleship from Christ, and thus in the sight of God Paul was sure of it. 

Vs. 5 "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,"

The Apostle Paul was not confident in himself, and or his own abilities, rather Paul's confidence was in God who was making him sufficient for His service and ministry. 

Vs. 6 "who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."

The Apostle Paul now carries his thought forward from verse five, saying, that it is God Himself who has made us, (that is himself, and those who ministered the Gospel with him), sufficient as ministers of the New Covenant. Now this thought is critical because that is the one front that the Apostle Paul was in a constant battle with the false apostles, (especially those who were of Jewish origins) who were always trying to put those believers who believed by grace back under the law, or through the law, and or by distorting the Gospel, bringing them into the bondage of the doctrines and commandments of men (consider Matt. 15:1-20; Acts 15:1-33; Col. 2:16-23; 1 Tim 4:1-3; Titus 1:14-16 etc.), all which brought forth the huge body of N.T. Literature given by the Spirit of God through the Apostle Paul and others to refute such (Rom 3:19-26; 4:1-8; 5:1; 7:1-6; 9:30-33; 10:1-4; Gal. 2:16, 19-21; 3:2-3; 3:19-24; 4:21-31; 5:1-5; Heb. 7:11-28; 8:7-13; 9:11-28 etc.). And so here the Apostle Paul makes it clear that unlike them, he is a minister of the New Covenant, which the Lord Jesus Christ Himself brought forth, and ushered in through the Gospel. 
Therefore the Apostle Paul makes it clear as to what Covenant we who believe In Christ are under, and who it is who makes both him (and us) sufficient as His minister of it. For it is God who first choose the Apostle Paul for this purpose, and who also makes Paul (and every believer who is chosen by God and Spirit equipped for the same work) sufficient in every way to minister the New Covenant of Christ. For it is the New Covenant that is brought forth through the Gospel, which is to govern every believer and every assembly In Christ. Now whereas the Law required strict adherence to the letter of it (see Lev 18:5; Gal 3:10), the New Covenant requires us to be Spirit led, and thus to be able to relate ourselves and others to God through it. And thus we are not to impute peoples sins and transgressions against them as those under the Law would have us do (consider 2 Cor 5:21). Rather we are to extend the grace of God through the Gospel to them, so that they, and all people everywhere might have the opportunity too repent and believe in Christ; and thus receive remission of all their sins and everlasting life for themselves. For as the Apostle Paul makes clear neither the Law, nor the letter of it brings life, rather the letter only brings death to all who fail to keep it (Deut. 27:26; Gal. 3:10). Which raises a question: "Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. 22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe." Gal. 3:21-22 And so we see that righteousness is not by Law, but only by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Who first transforms our persons on the inside, by the indwelling of the Spirit of God, which then makes our transformation on the outside, that is our behavior, possible.
Today then if you have not yet received the grace and love of God that will transform your person and life, then please do that. By receiving the Lord Jesus Christ you too can become a child of God and thus enter into all of the Spirit life, love, joy and peace that God Himself provides, that will not only transform your person and life, but will give you the meaning and significance and fulfillment that we all long for, and that can only be found by following the Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore by a simple prayer of faith you can begin your journey home, by first receiving remission of all your sins and everlasting life through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore begin by praying something like this: Dear Lord Jesus I believe that You suffered Crucifixion death and that three days later you rose from the dead so that remission of sins and everlasting life could be given to all who believe in You, and thus who receive You by faith in Your Person (John 1:12; 3:16). Therefore I now invite You Lord Jesus Christ into my heart and life to be Lord and Savior, amen.  

Scripture Quotations 
The New King James Version. (1982). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

2 Corinthians 3:1–3

¹ Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? ² You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; ³ clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.

Commentary
Preamble: Having declared that the Apostle Paul and all true believers are the fragrance of Christ wherever we go and wherever we are, which is manifest to all through the Spirit of God within us, radiating Christ's life, love, and thus God's Person's Character, and thus fragrance through us. Paul then contrasted that with those who only use the Gospel for their own gain (see 2 Cor 2:17). The Apostle Paul now asks the Corinthians a poignant question about what qualifies someone in their eyes as an Apostle of Christ. Is it merely letters of commendation, (apparently a common first century practice, BBC), which the false apostles and teachers would readily present to validate themselves, and their invalid ministries, or is it something more personal and real. 

Vs. 1 "Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you?" 

And so the Apostle Paul now asks the Corinthians, should he begin to commend himself, and those ministering the Gospel with him, to them again? Had he not already demonstrated in Word and deed his calling from Christ (see 1 Cor 2:1-5) and his love for them (2 Cor 2:4). Or does he now need epistles (i.e letters) of commendation to validate his person and ministry to them? Since that was only the manner of the false apostles and false teachers, who both had these to give, and sought these from those they "ministered" God's Word too. Yet if you took those letters away they were void of Christ's Spirit life and giftedness, and thus they neither had, nor manifested the love and grace of God to anyone. Indeed if you reduce qualifications to preaching the Gospel to letters of commendation (or degrees and letters of academic achievement and such) as validating someone for Gospel ministry, then you have effectively limited all that the Spirit does through God's children, whom the Spirit equips as He chooses with His gifts for that very purpose, so that all glory, praise, and honor may begin and end with God alone. Therefore what qualifies someone for Christian ministry, is it mere letters of commendation, or ones level of academic achievement? Or is it ones Spirit given giftedness, and ones character which can be read and known by all, as the Apostle Paul is saying as much here. And so it is Christ's life inside us, and His character that is being manifested through us, by the Spirit of God enabling and equipping us for His witness and service, that qualifies us for Christian ministry (1 Cor 9:27). 

Vs. 2 "You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men"

And so in contrast to the false apostles whose sole qualification was their letters of commendation, The Apostle Paul doesn't need epistles to commend himself to the Corinthians again, for they themselves are his epistle, written on his heart, and thus they are known and read by all men, because a true Apostle's love and concern for those whom he ministers the Gospel too is far more real and revealing about himself, and them, then any mere letter of commendation. For no letter of commendation can ever take the place of ones own heart and life given in loving service for God's people. Love then for Christ and His people is what sets the true apart from the false (1 John 3:10-18).

Vs. 3 "clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart."

The Corinthians themselves then were an epistle of Christ, ministered by the Apostle and those with him, by which all men and women could also "read" Christ's epistle and see transformed people, and or perceive the Corinthians new born persons and lives, which had first received the grace and love of God through Christ for themselves, and which were now living, ministering, extending and or emanating the same. And so what was written (that commended both them and Paul) was not written by mere ink as if that qualifies anyone, but it was written by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of flesh, that is of the heart. The contrast then of the Law written on stones which transforms no-one, with the epistle of Christ, written on every believing persons heart by the Spirit of God, is both moving and enlightening. 

Scripture Quotation
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Additional Resources
Walvoord, John F., and Roy B. Zuck, Dallas Theological Seminary. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985. 

2 Corinthians 2:12-17

¹² Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord, ¹³ I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia. ¹⁴ Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. ¹⁵ For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. ¹⁶ To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? ¹⁷ For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.

Commentary

Vs. 12-13 ¹² Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord, ¹³ I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia. 

The Apostle Paul now returns to further explain why he did not visit the Corinthians as he had initially planned. Earlier Paul stated it was his not wanting to see them again while they were still working out the various issues of which he wrote them, so that when he came to them again it would not be a time of sadness him (through his having to see and rebuke their waywardness again) but rather a time of joy filled fellowship after they had done the will of God (2:1-4). And so in that vain of no longer wanting to see the Corinthians disobedient, divisive, or disgruntled, but rather well established in the Gospel of God, the Apostle had urged the Corinthians to forgive and restore the repentant offender (2:5-11), something which could also be a catalyst for their own sense of having received it, and or need of the same grace and love of God. For in giving grace to another, one always heightens ones own sense of having received it, or need of it, and thus thanksgiving too God for it. 

And so returning to the context, the Apostle Paul now explains that when he came to Troas, he also had his own internal conflicts. On the one hand a door was opened to him by the Lord to preach the Gospel there, while on the other Paul had no rest (gr. ánesis) in his spirit, because he did not find Titus as they planned to meet up there. And so the Apostle Paul had both the internal issues of the Corinthians weighing heavy on his shoulders, as well as his immediate concern for Titus' well being. And so though wanting to preach the Gospel in Troas, Paul made a decision to seek Titus' first, seeing Titus' welfare as the most pressing and urgent need at that moment. And with that the Apostle took his leave of the brethren there, and headed into Macedonia, so as to find Titus. Now instead of this being an end to the Apostle Paul's Gospel ministry in that region. God took these troubling times and circumstances in the Apostle's ministry and life and continued to pour out His fragrance through the Apostle Paul, wherever the Apostle went (vs. 14). Something which the Apostle Paul became increasingly aware of over time, which leads us to verse fourteen. 

Vs. 14 "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place."

And so the Apostle Paul now exults in the Lord. For as he discovered, it is "God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place." And so though believers maybe moved or shaken by circumstances beyond our control, God's designs and plans to reveal His Son in us, and through us, to bring the Gospel to light to one and to all, is never altered by these. For we who believe are always being led by God in the triumph of Christ wherever we are, and wherever we go. Therefore through us God always diffuses a fragrance of His knowledge in every place. And so whether by Word, or by deed, or simply by Christ's Spirit fragrance emanating through us all who believe, we are the fragrance of Christ and His victory to one and to all. 

Vs. 15-16 ¹⁵ For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. ¹⁶ To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? 

Every believer is a chosen vessel of God through whom God brings forth the fragrance of Christ to others. The reality then of Jesus' Christ's Person is undeniable as we are His vessels through whom He pours out His fragrance of His Person to one and to all. And so it is to the one we are the aroma of death, leading to death, that is Christ's Presence within us signifies to them the reality of God's wrath and judgment that is coming on this unbelieving and unrepentant world. While to the other we are the fragrance of life leading to life, that is Christ's life within us signifies to all those longing souls God's salvation In Christ that is freely available to all. Now the Apostle's historical analogy here is likely lost on us unless we have access to a well versed Bible Commentary, such as the Believer’s Bible Commentary which states in 2:15: "In the triumphal processions to which Paul refers, the fragrance of the incense meant glorious victory to the conquerors, but it spoke of doom for the captives. Thus the apostle notes that the preaching of the gospel has a twofold effect. It signifies one thing among those who are being saved, and something altogether different among those who are perishing. To those who accept it, it is a pledge of a glorious future; to others it is an omen of doom. But God is glorified in either case, for to Him it is the fragrance of grace in the one case and of justice in the other."  

Therefore we will be welcomed and loved by the one, and hated and reject by the other. Now for those who receive the Lord Jesus Christ through us it will be to their eternal salvation (John 1:12), and thus their victory over sin, Satan and death. But for those who reject Christ, it will be to their own eternal condemnation (Matt. 10:14-15; 11:40-42; Luke 10:16; Rev 21:8). 

Vs. 17 "For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ."  

The Apostle Paul now makes it clear that he and those who with him were qualified to be Christ's fragrance everywhere and in everyplace because they were not peddling the Word of God; that is using it to make profit for themselves; instead their preaching of the Gospel, or teaching of the Word of God was to make disciples for Christ, and or build up the church. And so the Apostle Paul here wants the Corinthians to know that what he did, and what he wrote to them, was from pure motives. Thus neither Paul's person, nor his Gospel was adulterated by either a desire for financial gain, or by wanting to sow into the Gospel of God his own ideas or preferences. For the Apostle Paul's Gospel was from God, and thus it, like his own person was transparent, easily read by one and by all. Now Paul also says "we speak in the sight of God in Christ." Meaning when Paul preached and taught he did so in God's authority, and in the knowledge that He was speaking in the sight of God and Christ, to whom he, and we all must give an account, and thus he took his responsibility very seriously. Something which everyone who Names Christ as Lord should do when they are given opportunity to do so, whether this is the public reading of the Scriptures, or teaching a Sunday school class, or leading a small group, in the home or church, everyone who Names Christ as Lord should take their God given opportunities to serve Him, and or share the Word of God seriously and reverently (Heb 12:28-29). 

Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Additional Resources Consulted 

MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 1826). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

2 Corinthians 2:3-11

³ And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all. ⁴ For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you. ⁵ But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent—not to be too severe. ⁶ This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, ⁷ so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. ⁸ Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. ⁹ For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. ¹⁰ Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, ¹¹ lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Commentary

Vs. 3 "And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all."

The Apostle Paul is essentially saying is that in his previous epistle (1 Corinthians) Paul wrote with the intention of moving the Corinthians to take the necessary steps to deal with the sin (see 1 Cor 5), and the other pressing issues that needed to be addressed amongst them, so that when he visited them again it would not be for their rebuke and correction (something which really affected him and them during his last visit). Rather Paul would visit them for their mutual fellowship, joy, and edification. For as Paul states here he did not want to have sorrow over those whom he ought to have joy. Rather his confidence (in their doing what was right) and his joy in the Lord was also the joy of them all. Thus the Apostle Paul believed that the Corinthians were also wanting to do what was right, yet as we will see in their seeking to do what was right they had overstepped in their correction of the offender, and had potentially opened themselves up to attack from Satan on another front (vs. 11). 

Vs. 4 "For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you."

Here we see just how deeply the Apostle Paul was grieved by the Corinthians tolerating the sin amongst them, having to write to them in many tears. Now the Apostle revealing as much to them was not to grieve them, rather to reveal his abundant love and deep concern for them all.

Vs. 5 "But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent—not to be too severe." 

The Apostle Paul in not wanting to discourage the Corinthians from doing what is right now says in regards to their having put the offender out, though this may have grived some amongst them it did not grieve him. For as the Apostle Paul teaches us later, "Godly sorrow leads to repentance, not to be regretted, but the sorrow of the world produces death." 2 Cor 7:10 And so it is that the mans repentance had been accomplished after he had been put out of the assembly, as the Apostle Paul had initially commanded them to do (see 1 Cor. 5:12-13). And so what grieved the Apostle Paul now was their not being willing to restore him after he had repented. For that was not being Godly, it was only being too severe. Therefore the Apostle Paul now urges the Corinthians not to be to severe in exercising church discipline, for though he initially spoke to them to put the offender away, the offender having now repented there needs to be restoration so that Godly justice maybe established amongst them. 

Word Studies: The word translated as grief and grieved in verse five is the same word used of our not grieving the Holy Spirit (see Eph. 4:30). Now this word is to convey a sense of deep sadness; of being heart broken at lose or potential lose; of seeing or hearing about evil events or occurrences; or seeing unjust or unfair practices; or of being vexed in ones spirit. In Matt. 17:22-23 it is rendered "sorrowful" to describe the disciples response when Jesus' tells them of His upcoming betrayal and Crucifixion at the hand of the religious leaders and authorities. In Matt 18:31 Jesus uses it in His Parable of the Unforgiving Servant to describe the disposition of the servants who seeing and hearing their fellow servant, who having already been fully and freely pardoned of all of his offenses when he asked God for His forgiveness, would not forgive the one who sinned against him, and instead mercilessly demanded full repayment from him, even invoking law and justice to get his vengeance on him. It is used again in the Gospel to describe Jesus' very own disposition in Gethsemane on the night of His Crucifixion when He took Peter and the brothers James and John aside to be with Him (Matt 26:37). It is used twice in John's Gospel; once by Jesus to describe the worlds rejoicing, and the disciples deep sorrow that will be felt over His death (see John 16:20-22). Later it is used to describe Peter's disposition in John 21:17 when Jesus for the third time asks him if he loves Him. The Apostle Paul uses it in Romans 14:15 warning us all not to grieve our brethren by misusing our liberties in the Lord, rather we are to remember the principal of love and act accordingly out of consideration of them in regards to things in which we all have liberty. The Apostle Paul uses it here in 2 Corinthians chapter two in verses 2, 4, 5. Then Paul uses it again in 6:10 to describe himself, who at times has been made sorrowful and yet in his own sorrow makes many joyful, the passage speaks to the endless hope, life and joy that is in us, and can be manifested through us, regardless of our circumstances (see 2 Cor. 6:4-10). The Apostle uses it again in 7:8, 9, 11 to the describe the Godly sorrow that leads to repentance, which is contrasted with the sorrow of the world that only ends in death (see 2 Cor 7:8-12). As already mentioned it used by the Apostle in Eph. 4:30 to warn of our not grieving the Holy Spirit. Paul uses it again in 1 Thess. 4:13 to encourage the brethren not to sorrow as those who have no hope. Finally it's last occurrence in the N.T. is in 1 Peter 1:6 where Peter uses it to describe our being grieved by various trials as a testing of our faith, serving to verify it, as well as refine it. 

Vs. 6-8 ⁶ This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, ⁷ so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. ⁸ Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. 

The Apostle Paul now reaffirms the Corinthians that they did the right thing in exercising church discipline as he commanded them. And so now they must move to the next step and that is reconciliation. For the offender having been punished, and through it come to repentance, there is by necessity the need for reconciliation. For what parent chastens it's child/children and then not forgive and lovingly reaffirm them after they have acknowledged their offense and received their correction? And so it is in the house of faith, God chastens us, but He does not cast us away after He does so (consider Heb 12:3-11). Therefore church discipline must also entail reconciliation to the repentant in order to be just. Otherwise one is just being unforgiving and cruel as the Lord warns us all against in His parable of the unforgiving servant, saying there that such a one is only being wicked, not Godly, if they do not do so (see Matt. 18:15-35). Therefore the Apostle Paul now commands the Corinthians to forgive and comfort the offender, lest such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. For church discipline, like all Godly discipline is not vengeful, it does not seek too harm, it only seeks to bring about change, so that restoration can be secured. Therefore the Apostle urges that they all reaffirm their love for him, so that neither he is swallowed up by too much sorrow, and they themselves do not become people of cruelty, rather people through which God's grace and love flows. For as the Apostle James warns: "Judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy, therefore mercy triumphs over judgment." James 2:13  We too then must show and practice mercy.

Vs. 9 "For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things."

And so here the Apostle makes it clear that just as they obeyed in dealing with the offense, and the offender, so now they must obey in comforting and reaffirming their love for him. For obeying the Scriptures when they command our judgment, and yet not obeying them when they command our forgiveness and reconciliation is not what any Christian assembly or individual is to do. Note: judgment here is only in the context of exercising church discipline, it is not following the judgments that God commanded the Israelites to render in their keeping the Law of Moses. 

Vs. 10-11 ¹⁰ Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, ¹¹ lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. 

If the Corinthians had any worries that the Apostle Paul would not stand with them in their forgiving the offender, the Apostle Paul now lays that to rest in verse ten, essentially saying, whom you forgive I also forgive for your sakes in the presence of Christ. And so here the Apostle is reassuring the Corinthians that forgiving the repentant offender, is without a doubt, the right thing to do. 
For the Apostle Paul new the danger in not forgiving the offender, since Satan is ever ready to sow the seeds of bitterness, dissension, or wrath, wherever and whenever he can. Thus the Apostle Paul did not want this to become a point of contention amongst them all. Rather in keeping the Apostle's Word they all would grow in grace and truth. For as we are warned in 1 John 2:11 harboring wrath leaves us vulnerable to making some very unsound and potentially personally harmful decisions. And so by practicing forgiveness, mercy, grace etc. we can disarm Satan and undermine his desires to do more harm to us, or anyone else through us, after a wrong has already occured.  

Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Word Studies
Vs. 5 λυπέω; Str. 3076; GK 3382; TDNT 4:313; TDNTA 540; LN 25.274, 275 also see 25.272, 273

Additional Resources Consulted
Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 317). New York: United Bible Societies.

2 Corinthians 1:15-2:2

¹⁵ And in this confidence I intended to come to you before, that you might have a second benefit—¹⁶ to pass by way of you to Macedonia, to come again from Macedonia to you, and be helped by you on my way to Judea. ¹⁷ Therefore, when I was planning this, did I do it lightly? Or the things I plan, do I plan according to the flesh, that with me there should be Yes, Yes, and No, No? ¹⁸ But as God is faithful, our word to you was not Yes and No. ¹⁹ For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me, Silvanus, and Timothy—was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. ²⁰ For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. ²¹ Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, ²² who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. ²³ Moreover I call God as witness against my soul, that to spare you I came no more to Corinth. ²⁴ Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are fellow workers for your joy; for by faith you stand. ¹ But I determined this within myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow. ² For if I make you sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me?

Commentary 

Vs. 15-16 ¹⁵ And in this confidence I intended to come to you before, that you might have a second benefit—¹⁶ to pass by way of you to Macedonia, to come again from Macedonia to you, and be helped by you on my way to Judea. 

Because the Apostle Paul had changed his plans in regards to when he would visit Corinth his detractors seized upon this and accused him of being disingenuous, of not keeping his word. And thus they were not only assailing the Apostle Paul as being untrustworthy, but also God's Word which was spoken through him. And so in response to this the Apostle Paul begins by stating that in this confidence he had intended to come to them, which is referring back to the Apostle Paul's own clear conscience and sincerity in which he had conducted himself towards them all (see 2 Cor 1:12-14). As well as knowing the promises of God to be unalterable the Apostle Paul wanted the Corinthians to see that though his itinerary had to change, God's Word towards them does not (vs. 18-20). And so in that confidence of knowing his own conduct and motives towards the Corinthians, as well as knowing the Corinthians themselves to be true disciples as Christ who believed and received the Word of God from him as such, the Apostle Paul had intended to come to them. But unfortunately Paul's circumstances did not permit him to complete this desired visit as he had initially planned. And so whatever else the Apostle Paul's detractors were now saying about him, in not visiting them as he had initially planned, Paul lays to rest. Now the second benefit which the Apostle mentions here is referring to the visitation itself; the mutual joy and blessing that it would've been to them and to him while he came to them from Ephesus before passing through Macedonia while on route to Judea, and then on his return he would've made a second stop to visit them. And so they themselves would've also been partakers of the Apostle Paul's work in Judea by supporting him while on his way there, then hearing the results of the good work that occurred there when he returned to them from there.

Vs. 17 "Therefore, when I was planning this, did I do it lightly? Or the things I plan, do I plan according to the flesh, that with me there should be Yes, Yes, and No, No?" 

Here the Apostle Paul wants the Corinthians to know that much thought and prayer goes into his decisions regarding his ministry, and that ultimately his itinerary is guided by the will of God through the Spirit of God (consider Acts 16:6-10). Therefore when Paul plans something he does not do it lightly (as his detractors were saying of him), nor does he plan things according to the flesh, that is in consideration of how it may personally benefit or profit him. For the Apostle Paul does not say yes one minute than change to a no the next because some sort of advantage to himself may be had by his doing so. Instead Paul here reaffirms that his plans to visit them were not altered by selfish or misleading motives. "Paul’s original plan never came to pass. He journeyed from Ephesus to Troas, and when he did not find Titus, he went directly to Macedonia, omitting Corinth from his itinerary."BBC

Vs. 18-20 ¹⁸ But as God is faithful, our word to you was not Yes and No. ¹⁹ For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me, Silvanus, and Timothy—was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. ²⁰ For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. 

Therefore the Apostle Paul now reaffirms God's Word's faithfulness, as well as his own (vs. 18). For the Son of God Jesus Christ is not yes and no, but Yes. That is God's Word and salvation which was preached to the Corinthians by Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy is not given one day and then withdrawn the next, it is everlasting to all who repent and believe in Him, and thus receive the Lord Jesus Christ by faith. So then also are the Apostle's Words given him through Christ (vs. 19). Therefore the Apostle Paul stating as much is making sure the Corinthians understand that the Word that was preached to them by himself, Silvanus, and Timothy is absolutely sure and steadfast. For what they preached, they preached by God. That is they preached all the promises of God which finding fulfillment In the Son of God Jesus Christ are Yes (vs. 20), and thus cannot and will not be broken. Therefore those who were using the Apostle Paul having changed his itinerary to now try to undermine the Corinthians faith in Paul's Word, and thus God's salvation to them, were of the lowest nature of men, and there deceitful persons and words should be disregarded as such. For all the Promises of God are In Christ and these were faithfully preached to the Corinthians through Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the glory of the Father, who chose them to preach His truth to them as such. Therefore though there are those who will always seek to undermine a believers faith In Christ we must always remember that God's Promises to us all who believe and hope in His Son are not Yes and No, but In Christ they are and will always be Yes, and thus neither they, nor we will be removed from Him (John 10:28-30; Rom 8:28-39; 11:29; Heb 6:17-19).

Vs. 21-22 ²¹ Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, ²² who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

If the Corinthians had any lingering doubts about God's Word spoken to them through the Apostle Paul, Silvanus, or Timothy's and thus their salvation from God; the Apostle Paul now lays it all to rest by stating that it is God who has not only established us with you, that is Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy with the Corinthians In Christ, but it is God who has anointed them as His Apostles, preachers, and ministers, who "has also sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee" (vs. 22). Therefore both they and we can be fully assured of our own eternal redemption, because God has sealed us and given us all who believe in Christ the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee (Also see Eph. 1:13-14; 4:30).

Vs. 23 "Moreover I call God as witness against my soul, that to spare you I came no more to Corinth." 

The Apostle Paul now gives us the reason for why he deferred his visit to the Corinthians. It was so that he might spare them the inevitable sense of sadness and discouragement that would've come over them when the Apostle Paul in person would've had to rebuke the misdeeds amongst them that they themselves had not yet addressed. And so whatever else the Apostle Paul's detractors were saying about Paul's not visiting them at this time, Paul makes it is clear by calling God as a witness against his own soul, his delaying his visit was in consideration of their own joy. Clearly then Paul had a certain level of confidence in the Corinthians maturity to deal with these matters themselves.  

Vs. 24 "Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are fellow workers for your joy; for by faith you stand."

The Apostle Paul's conciliatory tone here is the mark of a true leader. Yes there were issues in Corinth that needed to be addressed, and Paul was doing his utmost to tactfully guide the Corinthians through them by his epistles to them. Yet at no time does the Apostle Paul uses his authority in Christ to run roughshod over the Corinthians feelings or faith. Instead Paul affirms the Corinthians own autonomy, and places himself alongside of them as a fellow worker for their joy, rather than a autocratic ruler over them. And so with the preservation of their faith in mind, Paul now reminds them (and us all) that "by faith you stand". For though we stress good and Godly conduct everywhere, ultimately we do not stand on our own merits, rather Christ's, and our faith in Him, from which all true obedience flourishes and grows. 

Vs. 1-2 ¹ But I determined this within myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow. ² For if I make you sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me?

Thus not wanting to be heavy handed with the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul recalls his previous visit to the Corinthians which had brought much sorrow to his own heart and theirs. And so having already come to them, and given them instructions on how to set in order the things that needed to be set in order, whether now through his epistles, or directly during that visit, the Apostle Paul did not want to return to them until they had set themselves in order, so that this visit could be one of celebratory joy in the faith, of mutual encouragement and blessing to them and to him. And not be one where the Apostle would again have to rebuke and set in order those things which needed to be set in order.


Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Additional Resources Consulted
Vs. 15-16 Wiersbe, Warren W. Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the New Testament. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1992.

Vs. 17 *MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 1822). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 2339). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Note: Draft Version

2 Corinthians 1:12–14

¹² For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you. ¹³ For we are not writing any other things to you than what you read or understand. Now I trust you will understand, even to the end ¹⁴ (as also you have understood us in part), that we are your boast as you also are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Commentary

Vs. 12 "For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you."

The Apostle Paul boasting here is not some sort of personal boast in himself of what he was, had, or had done, rather Paul's boast (and the brethren who ministered the Gospel with him) was simply, ..."the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you." vs. 12 
And so though his detractors would often assail his person, motives, or character to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul's conscience was absolutely clear in regards to all his dealings with them. Now simplicity here means an absolute honesty and transparency in ones dealings, (the NKJ says of the word rendered simplicity here that it is the opposite of duplicity, which means deceitfulness, double dealing). While the NIV through the manuscript tradition it is based on renders this word as integrity, being drawn from a word in the original that stresses holiness. While godly sincerity means that what Paul did he did with unadulterated motives. Thus both Paul's conduct in this world, as well as his dealings with the Corinthians was all done in simplicity. People didn't have to second guess his person or his motives, because Paul wasn't trying to profit, exploit, or mislead anyone through his ministering the Gospel to them (see 2 Cor 2:17). Nor was Paul's preaching the Gospel done with fleshly wisdom (see 1 Cor 2:4), that is with the craft and devices of carnal men who try to appear "spiritually wise". Instead Paul was only concerned with presenting the Gospel with simplicity and in sincerity of heart, so as to open the Kingdom of heaven to everyone who will believe in Christ. And so when Paul ministered the Gospel, it was by and through the grace of God, (and not by the doctrines and commandments of men), which he extended even more abundantly to the Corinthians.  

Vs. 13-14 ¹³ For we are not writing any other things to you than what you read or understand. Now I trust you will understand, even to the end ¹⁴ (as also you have understood us in part), that we are your boast as you also are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus.

And so just as the Apostle Paul conducted himself in this world with simplicity and Godly sincerity so he wrote his Epistles. There is then nothing held back in them, nor is there anything secret about what is contained within them, they are all transparent and easily understood by all who believe and want to obey the truth. Thus the Apostle Paul has much confidence that the Corinthians will understand what he has written to them, and to us all, even to the end (vs. 13). The notion then that one needs to know Greek, or be much learned in order to understand the Word of God for themselves is a fallacy of unbelieving man, All one needs is the Spirit of God who illuminates and enlarges every believers understanding who seeks the truth through God's Word (1 Cor 2; 1 John 2:27). Now that the Apostle says that he is the Corinthians boast, and that they are his boast in the day of the Lord Jesus is both their vindication; the Corinthians because they received and believed the Word of God preached to them through the Apostle, while the Corinthians are the Apostle's boast because he will confidently present them to the Lord as true disciples in the Day of the Lord Jesus Christ (see 1 Thess. 2:19). Therefore though there will always be those external forces that oppose the unity and peaceable fellowship of brethren everywhere, no one will ever destroy what God has made for Himself, and now joined to Himself through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ in one Body of believers everywhere and for all time, and that is us all who believe in Him through His Son (John 10:28-30).

Scripture Quotation
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Additional Resources Consulted
MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 1822). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Word Studies 

Simplicity: Str 572; GK 605; LN 88.44; TDNT 1.386; TDNTA 65 

Sincerity: Str 1505; GK 1636; LN 88:42; TDNT 2.397; TDNTA 206

2 Corinthians 1:8-11

⁸ For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. ⁹ Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, ¹⁰ who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us, ¹¹ you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many.

Commentary

Vs. 8-10 Having spoken of the comfort and consolation that we who believe have in Christ. The Apostle Paul now moves into the realm of his own personal troubles to declare how the Lord used them to teach him not to trust in himself, but in the Lord Himself, who delivered him from them all. And so Paul begins by saying that while he was in Asia ( i.e. Asia Minor) some very severe trouble (gr. thlipsis; tribulation, trouble, affliction see John 16:33) came to him. Now this trouble was of such a severe nature that Paul says of it, "...we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life" (Vs. 8). So severe then was Paul's trouble that Paul says it took him beyond all measure of his own strengths and resources to endure it. Indeed Paul says because of it, he even despaired of life itself! An incredible statement given what we know the Apostle Paul willingly went through in His love motivated and joy filled commitment to Christ (see Acts 9:15-16, 20:22-24; 2 Cor 11:22-33). Thus what Paul is writing here is not giving testimony to his own resiliency or abilities to endure or overcome some overwhelming circumstances, troubles, or opposition. Rather as Paul will go on to say in verses nine and ten of all the trouble that came to him in Asia, ⁹ Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, ¹⁰ who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us,  (vs. 9-10). 

Now this sentence of death that the Lord permitted in Paul's life was not meant to bring Paul to the grave, rather through it God would bring Paul to a much closer place of trusting Him than he could have if Paul did not undergo it. And so it was through it Paul would have too completely trust Him to deliver him from it. And thus through it Paul would also be the agent by which we all could see the deliverance that God worked in Paul's life, He can also work in our own lives. Thus the sentence of death was so that Paul (and us all) will not trust in ourselves in our darkest hours, but in God who raises the dead (vs. 9). The picture then of being under the inescapable judgment of death, and yet by God's Sovereign hand being delivered from it, is exactly what Jesus went though when He went to the cross to pay the redemption price set on us all, first suffering Crucifixion death for all our sins and transgressions, before being raised from the dead, by the power of God for the salvation of us all. And that is where the Apostle Paul is drawing his analogy from, relating it to his own deliverance from the sentence of death that was hanging over him. For it's one thing too know that the Lord was delivered from death by power of God, yet it's quite another to personally experience it. To have had the sentence of death in oneself, and yet by the power of God been delivered from it all. Thus this sentence of death instead of defeating Paul's faith, has been the catalyst by which Paul's trust in the Lord has grown and abounds exponentially as he experiences the power of God in ways yet unknown to him. And so now he confidently expounds that God who delivered us from so great a death (past), and does deliver us (present), and in whom we trust will deliver us (future), is the God who is also working out all our salvation in all our lives circumstances. Thus neither Paul's faith, nor his hope, nor his joy, would ever be linked to his circumstances of life, (or his own abilities to overcome them), for whether in life or death, God has, does, and will deliver us all who believe in His Son. 

Vs. 11 "you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many."

The Apostle Paul closes out his thought and thanksgivings by acknowledging the Corinthians and their many prayers on his behalf, for though there were those critical of him, the Apostle Paul never wavered in his commitment too, and love for them all. And so here Paul encourages their prayers for him and for all, because through their prayers the Apostle Paul sees a direct link to his own deliverance. For truly deliverance from death (whether from sin and death, i.e. eternal salvation, or afterwards) is a gift of God; which the Lord graciously granted Paul in delivering him from his sentence of death, so that thanksgiving would abound to Him, by both Paul and them all. 

Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Additional Resources Consulted 
Vs. 9-10 Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 2337). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Vs. 11 MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 1822). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Kittel, Gerhard, Gerhard Friedrich, and Geoffrey William Bromiley. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans, 1985.