2nd Corinthians Chapter 1

From The Open Bible Project

Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians

1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the assembly of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia:

• (1) See the declaration of such salutations in the former epistles.

1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort;

• (2) He begins after this manner with thanksgiving, which nonetheless (otherwise than he was accustomed to) he applies to himself: beginning his epistle with the setting forth of the dignity of his apostleship, forced (as it should seem) by their importunity which took an occasion to despise him, by reason of his miseries. But he answers, that he is not so afflicted but that his comforts do exceed his afflictions, showing the ground of them, even the mercy of God the Father in Jesus Christ.
• (a) To him be praise and glory given.
• (b) Most merciful.

1:4 who comforts us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

• (3) The Lord comforts us to this end and purpose, that we may so much the more surely comfort others.

1:5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound to us, even so our comfort also abounds through Christ.

• (c) The miseries which we suffer for Christ, or which Christ suffers in us.

1:6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer.

• (4) He denies that either his afflictions with which he was often afflicted, or the consolations which he received of God, may justly be despised, seeing that the Corinthians both ought and might take great occasion to be strengthened and encouraged by either of them.
• (d) Although salvation is given to us freely, yet because there is a way appointed to us by which we must come to it, which is the race of an innocent and upright life which we must run, therefore we are said to work our salvation; (Philippians 2:12). And because it is God alone that of his free good will works all things in us, therefore is he said to work the salvation in us by that very same way by which we must pass to everlasting life, after we have once overcome all incumbrances.

1:7 Our hope for you is steadfast, knowing that, since you are partakers of the sufferings, so also are you of the comfort.

1:8 For we don't desire to have you uninformed, [1] brothers, [See 2nd Corinthians Footnotes 1] concerning our affliction which happened to us in Asia, that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, so much that we despaired even of life.

• (5) He witnesses that he is not ashamed of his afflictions, and further that he desires also to have all men know the greatness of them, and also his delivery from them, although it is not yet perfect.
• (e) I did not know at all what to do, neither did I see by man’s help which way to save my life.

1:9 Yes, we ourselves have had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead,

• (f) I was resolved within myself to die.

1:10 who delivered us out of so great a death, and does deliver; on whom we have set our hope that he will also still deliver us;

• (g) From these great dangers.

1:11 you also helping together on our behalf by your supplication; that, for the gift bestowed on us by means of many, thanks may be given by many persons on your behalf.

• (6) That he may not seem to boast of himself, he attributes all to God, and in so doing also confesses that he attributes much to the prayers of the faithful.
• (7) The end of the afflictions of the saints is the glory of God, and therefore they ought to be precious to us.

1:12 For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God we behaved ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you.

• (8) Secondly, he dismisses another slander, that is, that he was a light man, and such a one as was not lightly to be trusted, seeing that he promised to come to them, and did not come. And first he speaks of the singleness of his mind, and sincerity, which they knew both by his voice when he was present, and they ought to acknowledge it also in his letters, being absent: and moreover he protests that he will never be otherwise.
• (h) With clearness, and holy and true plainness of mind, as God himself can witness.
• (i) Trusting to that very wisdom which God of his free goodness has given me from heaven.

1:13 For we write no other things to you, than what you read or even acknowledge, and I hope you will acknowledge to the end;

• (k) He says that he writes plainly and simply: for he that writes in an elaborate way, is rightly said to write otherwise than we read. And this, he says, the Corinthians will truly know and like very well.
• (l) Perfectly.

1:14 as also you acknowledged us in part, that we are your boasting, even as you also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus.

• (m) Paul’s rejoicing in the Lord was that he had won the Corinthians: and they themselves rejoiced that such an apostle was their instructor, and taught them so purely and sincerely.
• (n) When he will sit as judge.

1:15 In this confidence, I was determined to come first to you, that you might have a second benefit;

• (o) Another benefit.

1:16 and by you to pass into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and to be sent forward by you on my journey to Judea.

1:17 When I therefore was thus determined, did I show fickleness? Or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be the "Yes, yes" and the "No, no?"

• (9) He dismisses their slander and false report by denying it, and first of all in that different ones went about to persuade the Corinthians, that in the preaching of the Gospel, Paul agreed not to himself: for this was the matter and the case.
• (p) As men do who will rashly promise anything, and change their purpose constantly.
• (q) That I should say and not say a thing?

1:18 But as God is faithful, our word toward you was not "Yes and no."

• (10) He calls God as witness and as judge of his constancy in preaching and teaching one self same Gospel.
• (r) True, and of whose faithful witness it would be horribly wicked to doubt.

1:19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me, Silvanus, and Timothy, was not "Yes and no," but in him is "Yes."

• (11) He adds also with himself his companions, as witnesses with whom he fully consented in teaching the same thing, that is, the same Christ.
• (s) Was not different and wavering.
• (t) That is, in God.

1:20 For however many are the promises of God, in him is the "Yes." Therefore also through him is the "Amen," to the glory of God through us.

• (12) Last of all he declares the sum of his doctrine, that is, that all the promises of salvation are sure and ratified in Christ.
• (u) Christ is set also forth to exhibit and fulfil them most assuredly, and without any doubt.
• (x) Through our ministry.

1:21 Now he who establishes us with you in Christ, and anointed us, is God;

• (13) He attributes the praise of this constancy only to the grace of God, through the Holy Spirit. In addition he concludes that they cannot doubt of his faith and his fellows, without doing injury to the Spirit of God, seeing that they themselves know all this to be true.

1:22 who also sealed us, and gave us the down payment of the Spirit in our hearts.

• (y) An earnest is whatever is given to confirm a promise.

1:23 But I call God for a witness to my soul, that I didn't come to Corinth to spare you.

• (14) Now coming to the matter, he swears that he did not lightly alter his purpose of coming to them, but rather that he did not come to them for this reason, that he, being present, might not be forced to deal more sharply with them than he would like.
• (z) Against myself, and to the danger of my own life.

1:24 Not that we have lordship over your faith, but are fellow workers with you for your joy. For you stand firm in faith.

• (15) He removes all suspicion of arrogance, declaring that he speaks not as a lord to them, but as a servant, appointed by God to comfort them.
• (a) He sets the joy and peace of conscience, which God is author of, as opposed to tyrannous fear, and in addition shows the result of the Gospel.