2 Corinthians

7:2-16

6. Paul's meeting with Titus, 7:2-16

Paul is overjoyed by the tidings brought by Titus

Paul was very concerned about the state of the Corinthian church. He had just been thrown out of Ephesus (56AD), and while on the run, wondered if his letter, carried by Titus to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians), would be accepted, or rejected. Titus now reports that the church has reaffirmed Paul as their apostle. This fills his heart with joy and drives him to pen this final letter to them (2 Corinthians). In the passage before us Paul expresses his feelings of joy and pride in a church that again affirms his ministry.

"In this section Paul declares his joy that the Corinthians have repented of the wrongs which had led him to write a harsh letter to them. Paul also expresses his joy over the way in which the Corinthians had received Titus on his recent visit to them", TH.

Verses 2-4 pick up on "the need for warm reciprocal relations between Paul and the Corinthians that was expressed in 6:11-13". Then "verses 5-16 recount: i] the consummate relief and deep joy felt by Paul when he learned from Titus that the Corinthians had responded positively to the `severe letter', v5-7, 9, 13, 16; ii] the Corinthians' response to this letter, v8-11; iii] Paul's purpose in sending the letter, v12; and iv] Titus' reaction to his encounter with the Corinthians, v13b-15", Barnett. Since verses 2-4 are pivotal, the division of this section is in some dispute. For example, Thrall argues that v2-4 conclude the section 6:14-7:4, a section titled Paul's "ethical exhortation and conclusion of direct appeal", so also Furnish, Barrett, Plummer.

In v2-4 Paul resumes the appeal he began in 6:11-13, finishes the outline of his apostolic ministry commenced in 2:14, and introduces his observations with regard the response of the Corinthians to his "severe letter", 7:5-16.

cwrhsate (cwrew) aor. imp. "make room for [us] in your hearts" - make room, provide a place for, receive. The imperative is aorist expressing punctiliar action. The word "make room for" is incomplete in itself, but presumably Paul is recalling his words in 6:11-12, a thought he expresses again in 7:3, so "make room for us in your hearts", "in your innermost private feelings." "Accept us as we are", Junkins.

hJmaV "us" - In this letter Paul has generally used 1st per. pl. "we", used, not as a royal plural, but as inclusive of Paul and his missionary team. In v2-4 Paul moves between the singular and plural: v2, "we"; v3a, "I"; v3b, "we"; v4, "I / me". The singular often represents a more personal tone in Paul's writings. Barnett suggests that the oscillation here indicates that verses 2-4 are transitional.

oudena "[we have wronged] no one" - Emphatic position, followed by three aorist verbs implying "that there has not been a single case in which he has wronged, ruined, defrauded, any of them", Plumber. "We haven't ill-treated or hurt anyone. We haven't cheated anyone", CEV.

proV + acc. "[I do not say this] to .." - The preposition "to / toward" takes a final sense here, "in order to condemn you", cf. BAGD.

katakrisin "condemn [you]" - [I do not say] condemnation. With legw "I say" = "I do not accuse", Zerwick. Referring to his words in v2 Paul is saying "I am not looking to find fault in you"; "I am not censuring you", Berkeley.

"you" - The objective genitive uJmwn is understood.

gar "-" - Expressing cause/reason. The reason why Paul would not condemn the Corinthians is because they hold a special place in his heart; "I am not saying this to condemn you. Condemn you? Why I repeat, you are in my very heart ....", Moffatt.

proeirhka (proeipon) perf. "I have said before" - I have said before time. The perfect is consummative where the emphasis of the action falls on its past completion rather than its ongoing consequences.

oJti "that" - Introducing a dependent statement expressing what Paul has already made clear to the Corinthians, namely "that you are so dear to us", Barclay.

este (eimi) pres. "you have [such a place in our hearts]" - you are [in the hearts of us]. The present tense of the verb to-be expresses durative action. The Corinthians have an ongoing place in Paul's heart, they are always dear to him, "you have a secure place", Harris.

eiV to + inf. "that [we would live or die with you]" - This construction, the preposition with an articular infinitive, usually forms either a purpose, or result clause. Result is obviously intended, "so that / with the result that".

to sunapaqanein kai suzhn "we would live or die with you" - to die with and to live with. The unexpressed subject, "we" is unclear. The NIV takes the "we" to refer to Paul and his mission team, so "we live or die with you", that is, "you" Corinthians. Of course, the sense may be "we together live or die". The point is clear enough, although the living and dying is not so clear. Barnett suggests both a literal and a spiritual sense is in Paul's mind. Harris suggest that the spiritual sense can either be christological, ie. our present spiritual life with Christ, or eschatological, ie. our future life with Christ, or both. Harris opts for "future physical death and future physical life", as do most commentators. "I have told you before, that, come death, come life, your place in our hearts is secure", REB.

parrhsia (a) "[I have great] confidence" - [I great/much] boldness, confidence / openness, freedom of speech. The sense of "confidence in" is adopted by many, so NIV, Barnett, Martin, even "I often boast about you", NRSV, but also possibly "I am totally frank with you", Harris, also Furnish, expressing "candor of speech", Thrall.

proV uJmaV "in you" - Either "in relation to/with you", or "toward you".

kauxhsiV (iV ewV) "pride" - pride, boasting, confidence. "He assures them, moreover, that he speaks with pride about them", Thrall.

uJper "in [you]" - on behalf of, for [you]. "About you", an overlap with the preposition peri, Zerwick #96.

peplhrwmai (plhrow) perf. pas. "I am greatly" - I have been filled, overflow. Often followed by the dative (sometimes gen.) of that which fills. The perfect expresses a past filling with ongoing consequences, "I was then and am still filled with the comfort", Plummer.

th/ paraklhsei (iV ewV) "encouraged" - with encouragement, comfort. The dative is instrumental. The pride Paul has for the Corinthians encourages him greatly and fills him with joy.

epi + dat. "in [all our troubles]" - at [all the affliction of us]. "Amid all my afflictions", Plummer.

th/ cara/ (a) "my joy" - with joy. The dative is instrumental. Note that both "encouragement" and "joy" take the definite article possibly indicating a particular experience is in Paul's mind, so Plummer, eg. the news from Titus, cf. Harris. "You fill me with boundless encouragement", Junkins.

uJperperisseuomai (uJperperisseuw) pres. pas. "knows no bounds" - I am filled to overflowing [with joy]. "The thought of you has filled me with comfort and deep happiness", Phillips.

Paul now speaks of his joy at meeting Titus in Macedonia, probably in the town of Philippi. He is particularly happy when he hears that the Corinthian believers have accepted his criticisms detailed in the "severe letter", v5-7.

kai gar "for" - and for. Possibly causal, "for indeed", ie. how it was that Paul found joy in the midst of all his troubles, but better forming a connective as Paul begins to relate again his movements from 2:13, "indeed, even after we came to Macedonia", Harris.

elqontwn (ercomai) gen. aor. part. "when we came" - having come. The genitive absolute participle forms a temporal clause, as NIV.

hJ sarx (sarx sarkoV) "this body [of ours]" - the flesh. Referring to the fleshly self, the physical self subject to the difficulties of life; "we were physically exhausted", TH.

eschken (ecw) perf. "had [no rest]" - The perfect is probably aoristic were the action is stated without reference to its consequence.

qlibomenoi (qlibw) pres. pas. part. "we were harassed [at every turn]" - [in every] being afflicted, troubled, oppressed, harassed. Given the proceeding clause "our body had no rest", a finite verb would be expect in this following clause rather than a nominative participle. For this reason most commentators suggest an anacoluthon (an irregular syntactical construction), although these "irregularities" are often stylistic. Paul sometimes uses a participle for coordinate action, "we had no rest, we were harassed", a kind of attendant circumstance participle, cf. MHT iii p343. Participles are commonly used in Hebrew as finite verbs and imperatives and this practice has influenced NT Gk. and is quite Pauline, cf. Moule IB p179. Taken this way we may describe the participle as an absolute participle with the force of an imperfect indicative, so Zerwick. It can even be argued that a paraphrastic construction was intended and so the verb to-be must be supplied. Of course, given the preceding construction elqontwn hJmwn, "we having come", it is not unreasonable for Paul to write "[we] being afflicted", ie. "a construction according to sense", cf. Harris. ref. BDF#468(i), Robertson 415, 439, 1135. However we classify the construction, Paul's meaning is clear; "we were persecuted relentlessly", Junkins.

exwqen maxai eswqen foboi "conflicts on the outside, fears within" - outside battles inside fears. "While we struggled with other people, we also had to struggle with the fears in our minds", TH.

alla "but" - Adversative.

oJ parakalwn (parakalew) pres. part. "[God] who comforts" - the one encouraging, comforting, consoling. The participle can be treated as an adjective, as NIV, or as an appositional substantive, "but God, namely the comforter of the downcast, ..."

touV tapeinouV adj. "the downcast" - the humble. With the psychological meaning here, "downcast / depressed", rather than a moral sense, "lowly, humble." "Dejected", Moffatt.

en "in [the coming of Titus]" - by. Instrumental sense is most likely intended, as NIV, although a local/temporal sense is possible, "when Titus arrived", "with the coming of Titus", Furnish. Paul's meeting with Titus probably took place in Philippi, although we are only given the general area, namely, Macedonia. The meeting obviously encourages Paul in that Titus is a good friend and colleague. Paul is also encouraged (v7) by the report Titus gives concerning the Corinthian church, primarily that they had accepted his "severe letter". There is though, some bad news: the collection has not been finalized; there are factional issues within the church; there remain some moral issues; and still some negative views toward Paul himself (spiritually ineffective, 10:1-7).

ou monon "not only" - As noted above, Paul is also encouraged by Titus' report, ie. "the comfort you gave him" = his being welcomed and accepted in his capacity as Paul's representative.

en "by [his coming]" - in. Instrumental, as NIV.

alla "but" - Adversative / contrastive.

h|/ dat. "-" - [the encouragement] by which [he had been comforted]. Instrumental dative.

ef + dat. "[you] had given him" - [by which he was encouraged] by [you]. "At your hands".

anaggellwn (anggellw) "he told [us]" - reporting. Introducing a causal clause, "for he gave me such a report", Moffatt, or even explanatory, "as [Titus] told us of your longing, ...", Barnett.

uJmwn pro. "your" - Repeated three times and placed in an emphatic position in the Gk. "He told us of your longing to see us, of how you mourned for us while we were away, and of your unbridled zeal for me", Junkins.

wJste + inf. "so that" - so that [me more to rejoice]. This construction forms a consecutive (result) clause, as NIV. "All this made me happier yet", Barclay.

In v8-12 Paul expresses how happy he is that the Corinthian believers had accepted his criticisms detailed in the "severe letter". He is not sad he sent it, but is sad that it hurt them, although the outcome, their repentance, is good news indeed. It should be noted that the identity of the "severe/painful letter", 2:3-4, 7:8, 12, is open to some debate. Some commentators argue that it is a letter sent to the Corinthian believers specifically addressing sexual and cultic problems in the congregation, a letter now lost, so Barnett, Thrall, Furnish. Others identify this letter with 1 Corinthians (the traditional view), so Naylor. Others suggest the "severe letter" has been attached to 2 Corinthians and is wholly, or in part, to be identified with 2 Corinthians 10-13. Although it is no longer widely held that chapters 10-13 are the "severe letter", it is none the less accepted by many commentators that these chapters were originally a separate letter to the church, so Barrett, Bruce. For a counter view see Nicoll p33, Expositors Gk. The sample sermon aligns the "severe letter" with 1 Corinthians.

The variants blepw gar, blepw, blepwn and the difficult syntax caused by two conditional / concessive clauses introduced by ei kai, makes for a complex sentence, v8-9a. The NIV translation of the second conditional clause broken by a parenthesis, which itself contains a conditional / concessive phrase introduced by ei kai, identified by dashes (bracketed by NAB, Cassirer..), is certainly faithful to the Gk. See Thrall 491, Harris 534. The sense is "although I grieved you by the letter, I do not regret [it]. Although I was regretting [imperf. = durative] (I see that the letter grieved you, although [only] for an hour), now I rejoice ....." See Knox who carries the sense nicely, although not necessarily the original syntax.

oJti "-" - that. Here functioning as a loose connective, "in fact", Moffatt.

ei kai + ind. "if" - even if. Syntactically forming a conditional sentence 1st class where the condition is assumed to be a reality, but more likely concessive where the concession is assumed to be a reality. In such a sentence the "protasis states a supposition the fulfilment of which is thought of ... as unfavorable to the fulfilment of the apodosis", Burton #278. "Although (as is the case / as is true) I may have made you feel uncomfortable by what I wrote in my letter, I am not sorry that I sent it", Junkins.

oJti "[I see] that ..." - that. Introducing a dependent statement of perception.

proV wJran "for a little while" - for an hour.

ouc oJti "not because [you were made sorrow]" - Causal, as with alla oJti, "but because your sorrow led to repentance".

eluphqhte (lupew) aor. pas. "you were made sorry" - "You were distressed", Barclay, rather than just had their feelings hurt.

metanoian (a) "repentance" - Cranfield notes that Paul does not use this word very often since the idea of repentance / turning to Christ it is incorporated in the act of "believing / exercising faith". Here of "a radical change of outlook that produced `grieving'", Harris.

kata qeon "[you became sorrowful] as God intended" - according to God. Paul states that this grief was according to God's will, cf. Barrett, "a grief that leads individuals to view their conduct as God does", Martin, ie. "a godly sorrow", a grief that God uses.

iJna + subj. "so [were not harmed]" - that. Here probably forming a consecutive / result clause, "with the result that / so that". "You were not in any respect losers through what we had done", Cassirer.

The sense of "godly sorrow" is sharpened by comparing it with "worldly sorrow". Godly sorrow is a grief prompted by an awareness of wrong/loss before God. Such leads to repentance and thus salvation. "Worldly sorrow" is an awareness of wrong/loss without reference to God and so achieves nothing but death.

gar "-" - for [the grief according to God (godly sorrow) works repentance to salvation without regret. Explanatory, expounding the thought expressed in v9.

ergazetai (ergazomai) pres. "[godly sorrow] brings [repentance]" - works. "Brings about / gives rise to repentance", Harris.

eiV "that leads to" - to, toward. "Whose fruit is salvation", Plummer.

swtherian (a) "salvation" - "The fullness of life promised to those who believe", Furnish.

ametamelhton adj. "and leaves no regret" - not to be regretted, without regret. If the adjective modifies "repentance" we are left with an oxymoron, "repentance not to be repented of", but as Barrett points out it probably applies to the compound thought repentance-unto-salvation, certainly something not to be regretted.

de "but" - but, and. Here obviously adversative.

tou kosmou (oV) gen. "worldly sorrow" - [the grief] of the world. The genitive "of the world" is probably adjectival limiting grief, a worldly type of grief, a grief that is characterized by the attitudes of the world, a grief that is without reference to God.

katergazetai (katergazetai) pres. "brings [death]" - works [death]. "The angry pain suffered by a guilty, secular society only widens the gulf between them and God, certifying their spiritual death", Junkins. "Produces death", NRSV.

idou "see" - behold, look. Interjection. "Mark well, then", Cassirer.

auto touto "what this" - this thing. The subject = "the effect of this very thing", Cassirer.

to ... luphqhnai (lupew) aor. pas. inf. "godly sorrow" - the to be grieved = this being made to grieve [according to God]. The articular infinitive forms an appositional substantive clause defining "this thing", so "your having come to feel sorrow in God's way", Cassirer.

poshn "-" - how much, how great.

kateirgasato (katergazomai) "produced" - [what diligence / earnestness] it produced / worked [in you]. "It made you take the matter seriously", REB.

alla "what" - but, and. Obviously not adversative, but copulative, emphatic and sequential.

apologian (a) "[what] defence" - and defence. Their defence "to defend themselves against Paul's charge that they had not shown a proper regard for him??", Barrett.

aganakthsin (iV ewV) "[what] indignation" - A hapax legomenon, once only use in the NT. "Indignation at the shame brought upon the church", Plummer.

fobon (oV) "[what] alarm" - fear. Possibly fear of God's judgment, or even Paul's judgment, but probably something more general, "it (the letter) made you indignant and apprehensive", REB.

epipoqhsin (iV ewV) "longing" - longing, yearning. Probably in the terms of affection, "a yearning to see Paul in person", Harris.

zhlon (oV) "concern" - zeal. "A zeal to comply with Paul's wishes", Harris.

ekdikhsin (iV ewV) "readiness to see justice done" - vengeance. Probably in the sense that the Corinthians have now acted against the immoral members in the congregations, so Thrall. "How ready it made you to punish the offender", Phillips.

sunesthsate (sunisthmi) aor. "your have proved" - [in everything] you recommend, commend, show. "In all this you have proved yourselves"; "cleared yourselves of blame", NJB.

einai (eimi) pres. inf. "to be [innocent]" - [yourselves] to be. An accusative infinitive construction - the accusative subject "yourselves" followed by the infinitive of the verb to-be. The infinitive is best treated as an object complement making a statement about the reflexive pronoun "yourselves"; "in every sense you have proved yourselves faithful before God (as regards this matter)", Junkins. Plummer notes the durative nature of the present tense of the infinitive as if Paul is confirming their ongoing faithfulness, but Martin thinks it is a "real" present. "The Corinthians had been guilty of complacency but now, after having taken the action described in 7:11a, they were `established' as being on Paul's side", Martin.

tw/ pragmati (a atoV) "in this matter" - [pure/blameless] in the/this matter. Dative of respect, "with respect to this matter".

ara "so" - therefore. In Paul's letters always expressing consequence, "so then / as a result / consequently", Thrall.

ei kai "even though" - Introducing a conditional / concessive clause. See v8 above.

eJneken + gen. "[not] on account of" - because of, on account of. This preposition is primarily used to form a causal clause, but there is some doubt as to its intended meaning here. It appears three times in this verse. Most commentators take the third use as final, rather than causal, eg. Barrett; "it was not on account of the one who did wrong ..... but in order that your zeal for us might be made known", NRSV. Harris suggests that all three express purpose/result. Paul's primary purpose in writing was not to set upon the wrongdoer, nor to encourage the person who was wronged, rather to "make clear to the Corinthians the reality of their devotion to him", Harris.

to adikhsantoV aor. part. "the one who did the wrong" - the one having done wrong. The participle functions as a substantive; "the person who did wrong / the wrongdoer". This designation seems rather pointed, as does the following "injured party", and is used to support the argument for a lost letter, a letter that refers to these persons directly. None-the-less, these descriptors could easily refer to the individuals whose behavior is criticized in 1 Corinthians.

tou adikhqentoV (adikew) aor. pas. part. "of the injured party" - the one having been wronged. "The wronged person". enwpion tou qeou "before God" - "In the sight of God". The position is emphatic aligning with the phrase "to be made manifest". The phrase may serve to "underline the Corinthian's responsibility to God for their attitude to Paul as God's apostle", Thrall ref. Bultman.

tou adikhqentoV (adikew) aor. pas. inf. "you could see [for yourselves]" - to be manifest [to you before God the zeal of you for us]. The Gk. = "that your earnestness which was on our behalf might be openly shown among you in the sight of God", Wuest. The genitive articular infinitive forms a purpose clause, "in order that". This, of course, renders the third use of eJneken redundant. See Moule 1st ed. p83, 140 for similar redundant uses.

thn spoudhn (h) "devoted [... you are]" - the zeal, earnestness [of you]. The Corinthian's "zeal" is best understood as their wholehearted willingness, under God, to obey their apostle, cf. Barnett.

Now, in v13-16, Paul expresses how his confidence in the Corinthians believers has been proved correct in that they welcomed the visit of Titus and heard him out.

dia + acc. "by [all this]" - through, by means of. Instrumental - by means of the positive response of the Corinthians to the visit of Titus and their willing acceptance of Paul's apostolic authority, he has been greatly encouraged. Often simplified to "therefore we are comforted", RSV, attaching v13a to v12 and commencing a new paragraph with v13b. This is probably unnecessary; "We felt better when you felt better; rejoicing uproariously in delight that Titus had been treated so well by you", Junkins.

parakeklhmeqa (parakalew) perf. pas. "we are encouraged" - we have been comforted. The perfect tense expressing "have been comforted" and "are comforted continually."

epi + dat. "in addition to [our own encouragement]" - to, on, upon. Here with the sense "over and above / in addition to."

ecarhmen (cairw) aor. pas. "we were [especially] delighted" - [exceedingly more] we rejoiced. "We were made even more joyful", NJB.

epi th/ cara/ Titou "to see how happy Titus was" - at the joy of Titus. This second use of the preposition seems to take a different sense to its first use in this verse. Probably it identifies the object of Paul's delight, he was delighted "at" the joy of Titus, so Barnett, but possibly causal, "because of", so Thrall, even possibly identifying the basis of Paul's delight, "on the basis of". "We rejoiced even more at the joy of Titus", Barnett.

oJti "because" - that. Here introducing a causal clause establishing the basis of Paul's joy; "because Titus' spirit was refreshed by all of you", Barnett.

anapepautai (anapauw) perf. pas. "he has been refreshed" - [the spirit of him] has been set at rest. Titus' "spirit", his "human faculty, ... inward life, ... the self", Thrall, "has been refreshed" in the sense of "a lasting cessation from a burden of personal interest", Martin, ie. the Corinthians welcomed him when he had expected the worst.

apo + gen. "by" - As Martin notes, one would expect uJpo + gen. to express agency = "by", but obviously Paul intends a causal sense "because of".

oJti "-" - that. Most likely expressing cause/reason, "because / for", in which case Paul is providing "a further reason for the joy he has spoken of in v13", namely, that "he has not been made to feel ashamed of his boasting to Titus about the Corinthians", Thrall.

ei + ind. "-" - if. Again Paul forms a 1st class conditional clause which is more concessive than conditional, see v8. It's as if Paul is underplaying the condition (the protasis), "does not want to make too much of it", Barnett. "Because, although I did boast somewhat about you to Titus, the important fact is that you did not in any way embarrass me." kekauchmai (kakaomai) perf. "I had boasted [to them about you]" - Paul's "boast" is certainly not "faint praise", on the contrary, he "must have been aware of their limitations [but] on the whole he had confidence in them, and therefore told Titus that they were fundamentally sound", Barrett.

alla "but" - but, and. Adversative, "on the contrary", Harris.

panta "[but just as] everything [we said to you]" - all things. Variant pantote "always", but better, "all things" = all Paul has said on his visits to Corinth and the content of all the letters he has written to the church. "Every word we addressed to you bore the mark of truth", REB.

ouJtwV "so" - thus, so, in this way. "And in the same way the boast we made to Titus has proved true", TEV.

The Corinthians have brought Titus great joy due to their acceptance of his ministry among them and so naturally, he reciprocates with love.

ta splagcna (on) "[his] affection" - the bowls [of him]. Meaning "inward affection"; "his heart goes out all the more to you", TEV.

anamimhnskomenou (anamimnhskw) gen. pres. part. "when he remembers" - remembering. The genitive participle forms a temporal clause, as NIV.

thn ... uJpakohn (h) "[that you were all] obedient" - the obedience [of you all]. The "obedience" of the Corinthians is to Titus as Paul's representative and therefore serves as an acceptance of Paul's apostolic authority. It is this response which fills both Titus and Paul with great joy. "How ready you all were to do what he asked", REB.

wJV "[receiving him]" - as, like, while. The sense of this particle is unclear. It may be temporal, Titus remembers how obedient the Corinthians were "while/when" they received him in fear and trembling, cf. NAB. It may be explanatory, he remembers how obedient they were "in that" they received him in fear and trembling, cf. Barnett. It may be causal, he remembers how obedient they were "because" they received him in fear and trembling.

meta "with" - with [fear and trembling you received him]. Expressing accompaniment, "along with". "The respect and reverence with which you treated him", Phillips.

oJti "-" - [I rejoice] that. Introducing an object clause expressing the content of Paul's joy, "that", or possibly a causal clause, "because". Either way "the translation of qarrw is more important", Plummer.

qarrw (qarrew) pres. "I have [complete] confidence" - [in everything] I have confidence [in you]. "I am able to depend", BAGD, followed by en = "confidence in". Not just "confidence", but "complete confidence"; "you have earned my utmost confidence in you, personally", Junkins.

2 Corinthians Introduction

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