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2Cor.1:1. Paul, by the will of God an Apostle of Jesus Christ, and Timothy brother, of the church of God located in Corinth, with all the saints throughout all Achaia. 2Cor.1:2. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. “Paul, the messenger of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, and Timothy the brother, to the church of God which is in Corinth, with all the saints who are in all Achaia: grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Both Timothy and Titus were sent to the Corinthians; but the Apostle did not place blessed Titus along with himself in the Scriptures, because he appointed him to be their minister and sent this message with him. He calls the Corinthians “the Church of God,” again bringing them into unanimity and pointing out to them the Lord and Benefactor; joined to them all those who believed in this people, recognizing as one body all those who were worthy of salvation. 2Cor.1:3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort. “Blessed be the God (there must be a punctuation mark here) and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” For our God is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Master taught us this distinction, and in the Holy Gospel he said: “They confess, Father, Lord of heaven and earth” (Luke 10:21), clearly teaching that God is His Father, the Creator and Ruler of creation. “Father of generosity and God of all joy,” that is, pouring out generosity, exuding mercy and dealing with us with paternal bounties. 2Cor.1:4. Comforting us in all our sorrow, so that we too can comfort those who are in any sorrow with the consolation with which God comforts us! “Comfort us in all our sorrow, for it is possible for us to console those who exist in all sorrow, with the consolation with which we ourselves are comforted from God.” The Apostle, describing the temptations that befell them, first presented the means protecting against temptations and shows that the God of all gives equal consolations to temptations. So blessed David said: “Because of the multitude of my illnesses in my heart, Your consolations have made my soul glad” (Ps. 93:19). The Apostle, as usual, led by a humble thought about himself, said that he had consolation not for his own sake, but for the sake of the nations. 2Cor.1:5. For as the sufferings of Christ increase in us, our consolation also increases through Christ. “Just as Christ’s sufferings abound in us, so our consolation also abounds in Christ.” Both about suffering and about consolation he used the word “abundant,” showing the greatness of both suffering and consolation. 2Cor.1:6. Do we grieve, we grieve for your consolation and salvation, which is accomplished by enduring the same suffering that we endure. 2Cor.1:7. And our hope for you is firm. Are we comforted, are we comforted for your consolation and salvation, knowing that you participate both in our suffering and in our consolation. “If we grieve for your consolation and salvation, which works in the patience of the same sufferings that we suffer: and our hope is known in you. If we are consoled by your consolation and salvation, knowingly, like our fellow human beings, we are driven by our passion, so is our consolation.” We are subject to all kinds of temptations for you. For, if we had not wanted to teach you a saving sermon, no one would have caused us suffering. But since we are providing for your salvation, we accept the infliction of sorrows from our opponents, and we take consolation from the Lord God. And thus, for your sake, we have both. Partake of both with us, as those who assimilate all that is ours. 2Cor.1:8. For we do not want to leave you, brethren, ignorant of our sorrow that happened to us in Asia, because we were burdened excessively and beyond our strength, so that we did not hope to survive. “We do not want you, brothers, not to know about our sorrow that happened to us in Asia, for we were burdened with much [and] more than strength, as if we had no hope of living.” The Apostle depicted in many expressions the greatness of the danger, for this is what the words mean: “we are weighed down much more than our strength,” and moreover: “we cannot hope to live.” This Apostle says: such was the danger that, being in extremes, we despaired of life. I think that he means the uprising erected by the silversmith Demetrius (Acts 19:24). 2 Corinthians 1:9. But within themselves they had a sentence of death, in order to rely not on themselves, but on God, who raises the dead. “But we have within ourselves the condemnation of death, so that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God, who raises the dead.” But the Lord did not allow the sentence doomed to despair to be carried out on us; on the contrary, he limited the threat of death to our only assumption, so that we would not rely on ourselves, but would seek His cooperation. He called the death sentence “condemnation of death.” And very opportunely he mentioned the resurrection of the dead, letting them know that liberation from these great dangers meant the same thing as resurrection from the dead. 2 Corinthians 1:10. Who delivered us from such a close death, and delivers us, and in whom we hope that he will also deliver us. “Who has delivered us from so much death, and still does.” Then the Apostle, having what was with him as if he had a guarantee for the future, added: “With hope and hope, he will deliver again.” And teaching according to the custom of modesty, he adds: 2Cor.1:11. With the assistance of your prayer for us, so that for what has been given to us, through the intercession of many, many may give thanks. “To those who help you also, pray for us, so that from many people, the gift that is in us, may be given thanks by many for us.” At this time, many will glorify God for us, seeing that we walk among dangers and, with God’s help, avoid them. 2Cor.1:12. For this praise of ours is evidence of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not by carnal wisdom, but by the grace of God, we lived in the world, especially among you. “For this is our praise, the testimony of our conscience.” Boldness gives us the testimony of conscience. But what do you recognize in yourself? “For in simplicity and purity... [and] not in the wisdom of the flesh, but by the grace of God you live in the world, and you abound in abundance,” that is, what we have been taught by Divine grace, we openly offer to everyone, without mixing in anything of our own. “But by the wisdom of the flesh” the Apostle here calls not eloquence, but wickedness, and means these deceivers as distorting the sermon and preaching whatever they please. 2 Corinthians 1:13. And we write to you nothing other than what you read or understand, and what I hope you will fully understand. 2Cor.1:14. Since you have already partially understood that we will be your praise, just as you will be ours, on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. “It is not otherwise that we write to you, but even as you honor and understand, I trust that you will understand to the end, just as you also understood us in part.” For we do not think otherwise, but preach otherwise, in which others are trying to slander us. And actual experience testifies to this, for what I taught while I was with you, I write the same when I left you, and I hope that I will preach the same in all subsequent times. And this: “Consider us partly,” said the Apostle, not simply, but inflicting a sensitive blow on them for not completely rejecting the slander that had been leveled at him. “For we are to be praised, as you are to us, in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Everywhere he observes the rule of his characteristic way of thinking and here he places both himself and his disciples on the same level, for he said that on the day of the Master’s appearance both they and he will equally boast about him. 2Cor.1:15. And in this confidence I intended to come to you earlier, so that you might receive grace a second time. 2 Corinthians 1:16. And through you to pass to Macedonia, and from Macedonia to come to you again; and you would take me to Judea. “And with this hope I wanted to come to you first, so that you might receive a second grace, and by you go to Macedonia, and again from Macedonia come to you, and by you be carried into Judea.” Others thought that the Apostle said this despite himself, since in the First Epistle he promised to first see the Macedonians, and then come to the Corinthians; but those who believed this did not pay attention to the fact that he promised this to the Corinthians, and here he revealed his own intention. For he said: “I wanted to come to you first, then go with you to Macedonia and again: from there I will come to you... so that you may receive a second grace”: that is, the extreme joy of receiving me at your place twice. But even if I wanted this, some reasons prevented this; and soon after this he announces the reasons for this, citing many things in his justification. 2 Corinthians 1:17. Having such an intention, did I act frivolously? Or, what am I undertaking, am I undertaking according to the flesh, so that I have now “yes, yes”, now “no, no”? “But what about food or ease of action? Or even as I take counsel, I take counsel according to the flesh, so that it may be between me and her and neither." The Apostle presented two objections, the first of which is as follows: “I am not frivolous, I do not have such rapid changes in intention as to choose one thing or another”; the second objection is this: “I do not enslave myself to passion in order to fulfill my desire one way or another”; for this is expressed in the words: “or even if I take counsel, I take counsel in the flesh, so that it may be with me, her, her, and neither, nor.” He who follows the desires of the flesh is carried away by his own thoughts, even if they are extremely absurd; and whoever chastely thinks about something, even if the plan was something good, as soon as he notices that it will not bring benefit to others, he does not bring his intention to fulfillment. And that we, as soon as we see that it is useful for you, with zeal, without hesitation at all, offer you this - the sermon testifies to this, because, having repeatedly offered this to you, we did not change our words. This is what the Apostle added. 2 Corinthians 1:18. God is faithful that our word to you was not either “yes” or “no.” “God is faithful, for our word never came to you.” He said this in response to this: “What is food... with the ease of deeds?” - calling them themselves as a testimony that he always offered them an undoubted sermon, always teaching the same thing, not tolerating any changes. 2 Corinthians 1:19. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, preached among you by us, by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not “yes” and “no”; but in Him there was "yes" “For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached to you by me and by Silvanus and Timothy, neither was she nor was she, but in Himself she was.” The Apostle, instead of preaching, presented Himself as Preached; He says that the word about the Son of God, whom I, Silvanus and Timothy preached, did not contain any disagreement, we never preached one thing or another, but always offered you the same teaching. Silvanus, I think, is called Silas, for he shared bonds with Paul in Philippi (Acts 16:25), leaving him in Beria of Macedonia, Paul went to Athens (Acts 17:14). It was he, together with Timothy, who arrived to Paul in Corinth and became his collaborator in preaching. We find in the Apostle changes in other names; Thus, in the Epistle to the Romans he called Priscilla Priscilla 1. 2Cor.1:20. For all the promises of God are in Him “Yes” and in Him “Amen” - to the glory of God, through us. “For great is the promise of God, in this is it and in this is amen: to God for glory through us.” The promises of God are numerous: the resurrection from the dead, the incorruptibility of the body, endless life, the Kingdom of Heaven. But the God of all has granted this through the Only Begotten Son. Why, through Him, do we offer a song of thanksgiving to God. The Apostle did not just use the word “Amen” here, but teaching that not only the praying priest brings a song, but the one who proclaims “Amen” after him also participates in the praise brought. 2Cor.1:21. He who confirms you and me in Christ and anoints us is God. 2 Corinthians 1:22. Who sealed us and gave the pledge of the Spirit into our hearts. “Know us with you in Christ, and anoint us, O God, who sealed us and gave the betrothal of the Spirit into our hearts.” The author of these blessings is God, for He has given us firm faith in Christ, He has anointed us and made us worthy of the seal of the All-Holy Spirit, He has given us this grace as a kind of “betrothal” to future blessings; with the word “betrothal” he made it clear the greatness of future gifts, because what serves as a pledge for betrothal is some small part of the whole. Then he reveals more clearly why, although he wanted to see them before others, he promised to come to them after he was with the Macedonians. 2 Corinthians 1:23. I call God to be a witness for my soul, that, sparing you, I have not yet come to Corinth. “I call upon my soul God as a witness, because no one came to Corinth to spare you.” The Divine Apostle, wanting to assure that his words were true, called upon the One who sees our thoughts as a testimony. Then he softens the severity of what was said, because this word was strict and full of threat, as if, sparing them, he was postponing the journey to them, and says: 2Cor.1:24. Not because we take power over your faith; but we make you happy: for by faith you are strong. “Not as we possess your faith, but [as] we are companions of your joy.” The Apostle put it this way as if out of precaution. for some were probably saying, “What is this? Did we believe so that we could accept slavery and so that you would punish us as a ruler?” - then, out of necessity, I added: I said this not as one who rules over you, but as an accomplice of your spiritual joy: “By faith you stand.” According to some readings in the Epistle. to the Romans, ch. 16, art. 3. You might be interested in: