2 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 7
Paul’s Consolation and Joy because of the Corinthians. 2 Cor. 7, l–16.
Paul’s rejoicing over the result of his measures: V.11. For, behold, this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter. v.12. Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.
The Corinthians themselves offer an example of the value of godly sorrow: For behold this same thing, your being made sorry after a godly sort.
Their own case was an excellent illustration of the point which the apostle was trying to make: What diligence it worked in you; how quickly their previous inactivity and slothfullness had given way to activity, especially as to the case of the discipline then in hand!
And not only so, but also defense; how they had hurried to clear themselves of the fault found in their midst, to justify themselves before Titus, and thus before the apostle!
What indignation; how angry they were at themselves for having ignored and tolerated this matter in their midst for so long a time!
What fear; how they had dreaded the coming of the apostle with a rod, 1 Cor. 4, 21!
What longing desire; how they had felt the need of him and of his apostolic counsel as soon as they had realized their condition!
What zeal; how jealous they had become on behalf of God and His honor in their congregation!
What avenging, or, infliction of punishment; how they had hastened to make good their wrong by inflicting upon the offender the punishment demanded by Paul!
Thus had the Corinthians given evidence of the godliness of their sorrow; thus had they given proof, approved themselves to be pure in this matter, by clearing themselves from the guilt of this affair.
But the very fact that they had acted so promptly upon all his suggestions, that his admonitions had brought forth such rich fruits in their midst, would cause the Corinthians also to acknowledge the loving purpose of the writer: Accordingly, although I wrote to you, I did it not for his sake that did the wrong, nor for his sake that suffered the wrong, but in order that your zeal in our behalf might be made manifest to yourselves before God.
The sin to which Paul referred had indeed been one of abominable wickedness, the son living with his stepmother in a relation permitted only in marriage, and that, apparently, while his father was still living! But though Paul also had in mind the putting away of the sin of the one and the repairing of the injury done to the other, his chief reason for writing was to stimulate the Corinthian congregation to a realization of what was due to its founder, the apostle, and to its Lord. He had not been wrong in his estimate of them; the discipline employed by them had strengthened the feeling of fellowship among themselves and had bound them more closely to the apostle. They had vindicated themselves in their own eyes and in his.
And it had not been a vain, empty form, a mere pretense, since their deliberations and resolutions had taken place in the sight, in the presence, of God.
Note: This last point should be remembered in all cases of church discipline.