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2 Corinthians 7:1. Therefore, beloved, having these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. “Sitseva, having the promise, O beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, creating holiness in the passion of God.” The Apostle here calls the soul "spirit", "defilement of the spirit" - communication with idols, and "defilement of the flesh" - lawless deeds. 2 Corinthians 7:2. Accommodate us. We did not offend anyone, we did not harm anyone, we did not seek gain from anyone. “Contain us; not a single wrongdoer, not a single spoiler, not a single covetous one.” He does not contradict himself if he sometimes praises them and sometimes condemns them, because they both had merits and sinned as people, and praises them for the former, but condemns them for the latter. His goal is to teach them, through both praise and censure, the highest wisdom. But here it means some who were carried away by these deceivers and accepted slander against the Apostle. Why, in justifying himself, he said: “not a single one with greed, not a single one with covetousness,” that is, we did not use flattering words, embellishing lies out of malice, and we did not preach for money. And this: “encompass” - he speaks to those who were oppressed and did not acquire love; for this was also said above: “be expanded also” (2 Cor. 6:13). Since he said: “not a single one is covetous,” then of necessity he added: 2 Corinthians 7:3. I don’t say this as a condemnation; for I said before that you are in our hearts, so that we can die and live together. “I do not speak to condemnation,” that is, not reproaching you for stinginess, I said this. “Before we decided, as in our hearts, to die and live together with you” And he continues to express himself in a way that is pleasant for them. 2 Cor.7:4. I hope a lot in you, I boast a lot about you; I am filled with consolation, overflowing with joy, despite all our sorrow. “I have much confidence in you,” as a father to his children, as a teacher to his students. “I have much praise for you”: for I boast in you and proclaim your faith everywhere. “I am filled with joy, overflowing with joy over all our sorrow”; because remembering you is the reason for all consolation for me. Then the Apostle again describes temptations. 2 Cor.7:5. For when we came to Macedonia, our flesh had no peace, but we were oppressed from everywhere: attacks from without, fears from within. “For when we came to Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but in everything it was sorrowful: without war, within with fear.” Not only did the struggle with our opponents embarrass us, but caring for the weak also exhausted us, because I was afraid that they would change for the worse. 2 Cor.7:6. But God, who comforts the humble, comforted us with the arrival of Titus. “But God, comfort the humble, comfort us with the coming of Titus.” Here the Apostle’s goal is to show the virtue of blessed Titus and to ignite love for him in the Corinthians, because he served to send this message. That is why the Apostle said that as soon as Titus appeared, this was enough to dispel the afflicted sorrows. 2 Cor.7:7. And not only by his arrival, but also by the consolation with which he consoled himself about you, telling us about your zeal, about your crying, about your jealousy for me, so that I rejoiced even more. 2 Cor.7:8. Therefore, if I saddened you with the message, I do not regret it, although I did regret it; for I see that that message saddened you, but only for a while. 2 Cor.7:9. Now I rejoice, not because you were saddened, but because you were saddened to repentance; for they grieved for God's sake, so that they suffered no harm from us. “Not only by his coming, but also by the consolation with which we were comforted about you, your desire, your sobbing, your jealousy for me was told to us.” He increased my joy with stories about you, for he informed me how you wish to see us, mourn the sins committed and what jealousy you had against my opponents for me. “Let us rejoice even more. Even if I offended you with my message, I will not repent, even if I did.” Having learned this, I came to great joy, although I was extremely painful about it. that I was forced to sadden you with my previous message. “I see that it is a message, even at the right time, to insult you. Now I rejoice, not because the sorrow was quickened, but because I was offended in repentance. You are insulted by God, but you will get nothing out of us.” Even if this message saddened you for a long time, it nevertheless brought you very great benefit. And I rejoice, seeing not the sadness itself, but the fruit of sadness, because this sadness produced praiseworthy repentance. 2 Cor.7:10. For sorrow for the sake of God produces unchanging repentance leading to salvation, but worldly sorrow produces death. “For, according to God, sorrow brings unrepentant repentance to salvation, but the sadness of this world brings death.” For sorrow over the Falls produces true salvation; “The sadness of the world” the Apostle called sadness about the loss of money, about the death of children or a wife - sadness, the immoderation of which leads to death. That is why those who have cried about this beyond measure often repent. But those who mourn about sin, although they cry immensely, have joy as a fruit and do not repent. 2 Cor.7:11. For the very fact that you were saddened for the sake of God, look what zeal has produced in you, what apologies, what indignation at the guilty party, what fear, what desire, what jealousy, what retribution! By all accounts, you have shown yourself to be clean in this matter. “Behold, this very thing, even if you were offended by God, how much diligence did you put into it? But response, but indignation, but fear, but lust, but jealousy, but vengeance? Having received the accusatory message, you applied all diligence to your justification, and armed yourself with indignation against those who sinned, came into the fear of God and loved us more ardently than “before”; Filled with just jealousy, they mourned the broken laws. “In everything, imagine the purity of being in things”; They clearly showed that you do not rejoice at the bad things they have done. For the Apostle understands this in the words: “be pure.” 2 Cor.7:12. So, if I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the offender and not for the sake of the insulted, but so that our care for you before God would be revealed to you. “Even if I wrote to you, not for the sake of the one who offended, nor for the sake of the one who was offended, but for the sake of showing our diligence in you, even for you before God.” As the outcome of the case showed, we wrote this message for your sake, in order to reveal our affection for you. The Apostle calls the one guilty of fornication “offended,” and his father “offended,” because even after death he was offended by the desecration of his bed. 2 Corinthians 7:13. Therefore we have been comforted by your consolation; and we are even more delighted with the joy of Titus that you all calmed his spirit. 2 Cor.7:14. So I was not left in shame if I boasted of anything about you before him, but just as we told you everything the truth, so before Titus our praise turned out to be true. “For this reason, we were comforted by your consolation: we rejoiced even more over Tito’s joy, for his spirit may rest from all of you. As if they boasted about you, they would not be put to shame.” Mostly, I was delighted that Titus kept the memory of you in his soul, proclaiming the love of you all, and learned from experience that everything that was often said to him a lot about you was true: “But just as everything was truly said to you, so is our praise to Titus true.” For we never tolerated telling lies, but we also taught you true teaching, and adorned your praises with truth. 2 Corinthians 7:15. And his heart is very disposed towards you, remembering the obedience of all of you, how you accepted him with fear and trembling. “And his belly is overflowing to you, remembering all of you obedience, as if you received it with fear and trembling.” And he is very kind to you and keeps an unforgettable memory of you, telling how you submitted to his advice and what respect you paid to him, honoring him as a father and fearing him as a spiritual superior. 2 Corinthians 7:16. So I am glad that I can rely on you in everything. “I rejoice because I am confident in you in everything.” And I am filled with joy that I dare to strike you and reprimand you, but also, while praising you, I do not sin against the truth. Therefore, we - both those who are taught and those who teach - should borrow from this a useful example - and teachers should imitate the teacher of the universe, reproach at the right time, reprimand for what is necessary, reprove, exhort, convince, excite with praise; and those who use the teaching must obey those who teach, with love and fear accept the streams of the teaching and, as a result of this irrigation, bear fruit to the Savior Christ. With Him to the Father in the All-Holy Spirit be glory, honor, power now and always and unto the ages of ages! Amen. You might be interested in: