(7:1) “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
Because God has provided in these ways through his Spirit (6:16) and our new identity as children of God (6:18), our role is to “cleanse ourselves” (katharisōmen), which means “to make physically clean… to heal a person of a disease that makes one ceremonially unclean… to purify through ritual cleansing, make clean, declare clean” (BDAG). Since Paul was just using the language of the temple (6:16-18), this could be an allusion back to that concept for the believer’s life. In other words, believers should pursue sanctification.
“Defilement of flesh and spirit” could refer to sexual sin (1 Cor. 6:15-18) or to idolatry (10:19-21). Contrary to the Gnostic dualism in Corinth, Paul states that both the material body and immaterial soul could be polluted by sin.
“Perfecting holiness” (epitelein) means to “bring to completion” or to “bring to its intended goal.”[] This “does not imply a process of perfection in moral holiness,” but is “developmental or processive in character.”[] We were already made holy in our position (1 Cor. 6:11), and from this, we can grow in holiness in our condition.
The “fear of God” refers to a “reverential awe.”[]
(7:2) “Make room for us in your hearts; we wronged no one, we corrupted no one, we took advantage of no one.”
“Make room for us in your hearts.” Paul asks them to reciprocate the love that he has for them (2 Cor. 6:11).
“We wronged no one.” Some of Paul’s critics must have been accusing him of wronging the people. In fact, Paul was the one who was “wronged” (see 2 Cor. 7:12).
“We corrupted no one.” In 1 Corinthians 3:17, Paul uses the term “corrupted” (phtheirei) to refer to people who “destroy” the church. Paul didn’t corrupt the church, but the false teachers did.
“We took advantage of no one.” This is one of four places where Paul uses this language of “taking advantage.” One refers to Satan “taking advantage” of believers (2 Cor. 2:11), and two instances refer to false teachers “taking advantage” of people through financial gain (2 Cor. 12:17-18).
(7:3) “I do not speak to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts to die together and to live together.”
Paul needs to correct and rebuke these people, but he doesn’t want this to be a crippling rebuke. To explain this, he states that his health and happiness is tied up with theirs. He would no more intentionally harm them than he would himself.[] This relates to how “death works in us, but life in you” (2 Cor. 4:12).
“To die together and to live together.” Barnett holds that this could refer to literal death from persecution or spiritual “death to oneself.”[] However, the evidence is not strong that the Corinthians were being persecuted. Indeed, just the opposite is the case: They were guilty of blending into the culture too much (1 Cor. 1:18-25; 8:10; 10:27; 14:24-25[]).
(7:4) “Great is my confidence in you; great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort; I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction.”
Even though Paul was going through a malicious character assassination, he was still experiencing the joy of the Lord.
Paul ends the “great digression” (2:14-7:4) by stating that he is “overflowing with joy in all our affliction.” How does this compare to how he was feeling before the “great digression”? (read 1:1-2:13.)
(7:5) “For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within.”
Paul has already written about this anguish (cf. 2 Cor. 2:12-13). It sounds like the focus of his fear was with regard to Titus’ safety while he was (most likely) in Philippi.[] This is the cost of caring for others: Our hearts are intertwined with those of others. When we invest our lives in others, it can lead to deep worry when they are in danger.
(7:6) “But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus.”
“Comforts the depressed.” Paul is open and honest about his feelings—even talking about his depression to a wide audience.
How did God bring comfort for Paul’s depression? The psalmist writes, “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Ps. 34:18). He often does this through other believers—in this case, Titus. God uses us to comfort others (cf. 2 Cor. 1:3ff).
(7:7) “And not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced even more.”
This church had a major turnaround. What caused such a dramatic change? Paul explains that his earlier letter (1 Corinthians) played a major role.
(7:8) “For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it—for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while.”
According to Solomon, the fool cannot take a rebuke:
(Prov. 9:8-9) Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you. 9 Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.
(Prov. 10:17) He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.
(Prov. 12:1) Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.
(Prov. 12:15) The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.
(Prov. 13:1) A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke.
(Prov. 13:10) Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.
(Prov. 13:13) He who scorns instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command is rewarded.
(Prov. 13:18) He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored.
(Prov. 13:24) He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.
(Prov. 15:5) A fool spurns his father’s discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.
(Prov. 15:10) Stern discipline awaits him who leaves the path; he who hates correction will die.
(Prov. 15:12) A mocker resents correction; he will not consult the wise.
(Prov. 15:31-32) He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise. 32 He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding.
(Prov. 17:10) A rebuke impresses a man of discernment more than a hundred lashes a fool.
(Prov. 19:18) Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death.
(Prov. 19:20) Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.
(Prov. 19:25) Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke a discerning man, and he will gain knowledge.
(Prov. 19:27) Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
(Prov. 22:19) Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.
(Prov. 23:13-14) Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die. 14 Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death.
(Prov. 25:12) Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man’s rebuke to a listening ear.
(Prov. 25:15) Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.
(Prov. 27:5-6) Better is open rebuke than hidden love. 6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.
(Prov. 28:23) He who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favor than he who has a flattering tongue.
(Eccl. 4:13) Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take warning.
(Eccl. 7:5) It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man than for one to listen to the song of fools.
Fools dish out criticism to others, but cannot receive it. The Bible extols those who speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15). In our culture, it seems that the worst thing you could ever do is make someone feel bad. Sometimes, the truth hurts, but it can result in a life-giving transformation if accompanied by repentance (v.9).
We don’t want to go over the top in speaking or acting sternly. Kruse writes, “It is worth noting that Paul acted to head off the possibility of mere worldly grief in the case of the ‘offender’, when in 2:7 he urged his readers to reaffirm their love to him so that he might not be overcome with grief and so be lost to the church.”[]
(7:9) “I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us.”
Paul spoke the truth in love (Eph. 4:15), and apparently, this brought pain to the Corinthians. But because they turned to God in repentance, it produced a total change of life. See our earlier article, “Repentance.”
“You were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss.” Paul’s words fly in the face of our therapeutic culture. The notion of feeling bad or “sorrowful” seems unjustifiable—even if God approves of this in his good and perfect will (Rom. 12:2). In the end, the Corinthians felt “sorrowful” for a greater purpose—that they would avoid suffering loss. Emotional distress can be a deterrent from an even worse outcome (“suffering loss”).
(7:10) “For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.”
Not all sorrow leads to a changed life (cf. Rev. 18:12-13; Mt. 27:3-5; Heb. 12:17). Some sorrow can lead to “death” in the life of the believer. In extreme cases, it can even include physical death (e.g. Judas; Mt. 27:3-5).
“Without regret” (ametamelēton) is the reversal of the “regret” (metamelomai) mentioned earlier in verse 8.
(7:11) “For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter.”
Whatever their sin was (e.g. sympathizing with false teachers or being overly critical of Paul?), Paul says that they had a radical change of heart. The Corinthians showed their repentance not just through words, but through their works.
(7:12) “So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the offender nor for the sake of the one offended, but that your earnestness on our behalf might be made known to you in the sight of God.”
Paul wrote his words so that they could get their minds cleared up on the matter.
(7:13) “For this reason we have been comforted. And besides our comfort, we rejoiced even much more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.”
The Corinthians turned from being antagonistic to being a source of refreshment to Titus.
(7:14) “For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I was not put to shame; but as we spoke all things to you in truth, so also our boasting before Titus proved to be the truth.”
Paul engaged in “good gossip” to Titus about the Corinthians. Since Paul was a straight-shooter in his admonishment (“spoke all things to you in truth”), this would have had the effect of validating and empowering his encouraging words. Titus will later return to pick up their financial gift (2 Cor. 8:16-24).
(7:15) “His affection abounds all the more toward you, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling.”
“[Titus] remembers the obedience of you all.” Titus was able to witness the change in this church firsthand.
There is something deeply ironic about the Corinthians being in a state of “fear and trembling,” because this is how Paul originally felt when he had come to them (cf. 1 Cor. 2:3). The Corinthians treated Titus with a new, repentant perspective. When he came, they wanted to do whatever they could to make things right.
(7:16) “I rejoice that in everything I have confidence in you.”
This meeting with Titus boosted Paul’s confidence in this group.
How did God treat Paul’s depression? (v.6)
What do you think the false teachers were saying about Paul from reading this section?
What do we learn about authentic repentance from this section?
David E. Garland, 2 Corinthians, vol. 29, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 342.
Paul Barnett, The Second Epistle to the Corinthians, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997), 357.
Colin G. Kruse, 2 Corinthians: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 8, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 137.
David E. Garland, 2 Corinthians, vol. 29, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 344.
Paul Barnett, The Second Epistle to the Corinthians, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997), 362.
The purpose of this citation is to show that unbelievers were visiting their meetings without fear of persecution.
Paul Barnett, The Second Epistle to the Corinthians, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997), 368.
Colin G. Kruse, 2 Corinthians: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 8, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 143.
James is an elder at Dwell Community Church, where he teaches classes in theology, apologetics, and weekly Bible studies.
