Глава II

Continuation of the speech about the reason for his non-arrival in Corinth (1–4). About the incestuous one (5–11). The Apostle's joy at the end of misunderstandings between him and the Corinthians (12–17). 2 Corinthians 2:1–4. Ap. He firmly decided not to come to the Corinthians a second time with sorrow, that is, upsetting them with his just reproaches. After all, the Corinthians are his only joy. How can he upset those from whom he expects joy? He decided it was best to communicate with them in writing, although his message was not written with the purpose of upsetting the Corinthians, but to testify to the Apostle’s love for the Corinthian church. 2Cor.2:1. So I decided within myself not to come to you again with grief. “Again” should be related to the expression “to come” (Theodoret). Ap. visited Corinth for the first time during his second apostolic journey and left there in a joyful mood. He did not want to spoil this mood and therefore postponed his second visit to Corinth. - “With disappointment.” Here is Ap. He understands both the grief that his reproaches should have caused the Corinthians, and his own grief, which he should have felt at the same time. 2Cor.2:2. For if I grieve you, who will make me happy if not the one who grieves me? If the Apostle had to upset the Corinthians with his reproaches, then, understandably, he himself would have remained upset, for who in Corinth, besides the Christians, could give him any joy? But these Christians would have been upset by the Apostle, and they no longer cared about his joy. 2Cor.2:3. This is what I wrote to you, so that when I came, I would not have grief from those about whom I should have rejoiced: for I am confident in all of you that my joy is joy for all of you. In view of this Ap. and wrote this message to them 3, expressing everything that occupied his thoughts. Let the Corinthians read his instructions with attention and try to correct their shortcomings. Then the Apostle, when he visits Corinth, will no longer have to endure grief. Ap. I am confident that the Corinthians will hasten to eliminate all these shortcomings before his arrival - after all, they love him and want him to always be happy. 2Cor.2:4. Out of great sorrow and a constricted heart, I wrote to you with many tears, not to upset you, but so that you would know the love that I have in abundance for you. Therefore, the Apostle feels deep sorrow now when he has to address the Corinthians with accusations, even in writing. In fact, he would like not to upset his beloved Corinthians in any way. 2 Corinthians 2:5–11. This statement of the Apostle about the love that he has for the Corinthians is not contradicted by the severity that he discovered in relation to the Corinthian incest (1 Cor. 5). Ap. in this case, he was guided by the desire to protect the true interests of the Corinthian church, and now that this unfortunate outcast has repented, he agrees to accept him again into church communion, if only the Corinthians want it. 2Cor.2:5. If anyone upset, then he did not upset me, but partly, not to say much, and all of you. “If anyone has upset you.” Ap. here he means the incestuous one, about whom he speaks in the 1st last. (Chapter 5). There is no reason to assume that he is referring here to some Corinthian who insulted him personally. - “It wasn’t me who upset me.” Ap. does not want to make his personal feelings visible and therefore says that the incest did not seem to cause him grief. In fact, of course, and Ap. I was upset when I heard about his misdeed. - “So as not to say too much” - more correctly: “so as not to burden too much” (him, the criminal). Ap. explains here why he said that the incestuous one insulted all the Corinthians in part or in part. His responsibility would be too heavy if he really insulted every member of the Corinthian church - besides, of course, in fact, not all Corinthians were able to feel the insult inflicted on their Christian dignity by the criminal, so Ap. here he speaks completely in accordance with the actual state of affairs. 2Cor.2:6. For such a one this punishment from many is enough, “Enough”, i.e. sufficient for the purpose that Ap had in mind. Paul, assigning punishment to an incestuous man. – “Punishments” (ή έπιτιμία). – This expression is found in the book. Prem. Sol. (Wis.3:10). What kind of punishment it was - readers, of course, knew. - “From many.” It is clear that not all, but only many Corinthians broke off communication with the incestuous man after his excommunication from the Church. Some Christians have more liberal views, and some are opponents of Ap. Pavel, continued to maintain communication with him. 2Cor.2:7. so it is better for you to forgive him and console him, so that he is not consumed by excessive sadness. The incestuous man obviously repented of his sin and was very sad about his excommunication from the Church. - “Consumed by excessive sadness.” Sadness is conceived here as a force hostile to man, completely filling him and robbing him of all interest in life, all hope. 2Cor.2:8. And therefore I ask you to show him love. “To show love,” that is, to draw up a new, favorable for the sinner, church definition that would give him access to church communion. 2Cor.2:9. For this is why I wrote, to find out from experience whether you are obedient in everything. Apostle, when writing his 1st epistle, had in mind, among other things, to test how obedient the Corinthians were to him. This test ended successfully for them - they excommunicated the incestuous man, as Apostle demanded, and the Apostle no longer wants to test them. - So. Thus, this verse contains the idea of ​​​​the motive for which the Corinthians should now forgive the incestuous man. 2Cor.2:10. And whomever you forgive for anything, I also forgive him; for if I have forgiven anyone for anything, I have forgiven you on behalf of Christ, 2 Corinthians 2:11. so that Satan does not harm us, for we are not unaware of his plans. Another motive for forgiving a sinner is the spiritual unity that exists between the Apostle and the Corinthians. Forgiveness can take place because both sides - both St. Apostle and the Corinthians - think the same way in this regard. Ap. forgets about his grief so that the Corinthian church, which was still troubled by the incestuous affair, could calm down (“for you”). – “On the face of Christ” – more precisely: being in the presence of Christ (έν προσώπφ Χριστοσ). Forgiveness must be completely sincere, not having any extraneous goals: Christ is here, as it were, an all-seeing witness. (Cf. 1 Pet 5:8; Eph 6:11). Some (Bousset) see here an indication of Ap’s opponents. Paul, who could take advantage of the excessive severity of the Corinthians towards the sinner in order to attract people close to him to their side. 2 Corinthians 2:12–17. Ap. depicts here his state of mind immediately preceding the writing of the 2nd epistle. Ap. He was impatiently waiting for what Titus, sent to Corinth, would say to him, and therefore he himself went to meet him in Macedonia from Troas. However, let not the Corinthians think that he is losing heart. On the contrary, he is confident that God has made him a winner everywhere. If his activity is not saving for everyone, then this is not his fault: He preaches only the pure gospel truth. 2Cor.2:12. Having come to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, although the door was opened to me by the Lord, 2 Corinthians 2:13. I had no rest for my spirit, because I did not find my brother Titus there; but, having said goodbye to them, I went to Macedonia. The apostle, with benefit for the cause of Christ, could have remained in Troas, where he came from Ephesus (cf. 1 Cor 16:5-9). But his spirit could not be calm for the Corinthians and he felt unable to devote himself wholeheartedly to the work of spreading the Gospel in Troas. Since Titus had to go through Macedonia, returning to the Apostle in Troas, then Ap. It was to this area that I went to meet him. 2Cor.2:14. But thanks be to God, who always allows us to triumph in Christ and spreads the fragrance of knowledge of Himself to us in every place. In Macedonia he met Titus and received news from him that 1 Epistle had made a good impression in Corinth. He thanks God for this success with all his heart, relieved from the unknown. - “Who always allows us to triumph.” A more correct translation of the Greek expression (τφ πάντοτε θριαμβευοντι ημάς) should be: “always performing His triumph over us” or: “always leading us with Him in His triumph.” God is a triumphant, a winner. The apostles, and especially Paul, are His captives, whom He leads behind Him as conquered ones, just as the Roman general led his captives after his victory. Ap. recalls here his calling on the road to Damascus, when Christ told him: “It’s hard for you to go against the pricks!” (Acts 9:5). The Apostle Paul, indeed, through his activities glorified God, who forced him to serve Him. - In Christ. Everything in the Apostle’s activity has the closest relation to Christ. - “The Fragrance of Knowledge.” Incense was smoked before the triumphant, and Ap. probably has this custom in mind here. - “About Himself” - better: “about Him,” i.e., about Christ (cf. v. 15). 2 Corinthians 2:15. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing: Now Ap. changes the image somewhat. Previously he said that the Apostles serve as instruments for spreading the fragrance of Christ, but here he calls them themselves the fragrance of Christ. The meaning of this figurative expression is this: “your activity stands in a certain relation to God, like a fragrance permeated with the breath of Christ.” Of course, this indicates the godly nature of the apostolic activity. 2 Corinthians 2:16. For some it is a smell of death unto death, and for others a smell of life unto life. And who is capable of this? The apostolic preaching, however, is not life-giving for everyone. For others, who, due to their stubborn nature, do not want to accept salvation from Christ and therefore follow the direct path to eternal destruction, the apostolic teaching is deadly. – And who is capable of this?, that is, of such activity when the preacher consciously brings eternal life to some, and eternal death to others. 2 Corinthians 2:17. For we do not corrupt the word of God, as many do, but we preach sincerely, as from God, before God, in Christ. There are such people - these are the Apostles, of whom there are very few. Others (“many”) are incapable of such activity. They damage the word of God or present the teaching of Christ not in its present form (the verb καπηλεύειν used here by the Apostle means: to let money grow for the purpose of profit). They, of course, want to gather more disciples around them, and they keep around them those who are incapable of believing in Christ as they should. - “As from God”, i.e. as inspired by God. - “Before God,” that is, realizing that God sees everything. - “In Christ”, i.e. in the closest union with Christ (cf. Rom 9:1). Most interpreters, for some unknown reason, see here an indication of 1 Corinthians. You might be interested in: