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.
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.
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