2 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 7
Paul’s Consolation and Joy because of the Corinthians. 2 Cor. 7, l–16.
The joy of Titus over the good tidings which he brought: V.13. Therefore we were comforted in your comfort; yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all. V.14. For if I have boasted anything to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting which I made before Titus is found a truth. V.15. And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him. V.16. I rejoice, therefore, that I have confidence in you in all things.
The first words of v.13 really are the concluding statement of the previous passage: Wherefore we have been comforted. That was the result of the entire transaction so far as the apostle was concerned. But in addition to his own comfort and consolation he had all the more reason for great joy at the joy of Titus, the bearer of the good news from Corinth. His new joy, which was added to his previous comfort, was more abundant than the comfort itself, because the spirit of Titus had been refreshed by them all. The representative of the apostle had been received well by all the members of the Corinthian congregation and treated with the utmost kindness and respect. There was no trace of a stubborn and conceited behavior, and so his mind was set entirely at rest on their behalf.
This fact pleased the apostle all the more: For if in anything on your behalf I have boasted to him, I was not put to shame.
As Paul had boasted in other cities about the excellence of the Corinthian congregation, so he had praised his present readers also before Titus. If the latter had therefore not found matters as his teacher had pictured them so glowingly, the praise which Paul bestowed on them would have been found empty foolishness, mere vanity.
But now he is pleased: As we spoke all things to you truthfully, so also our boasting before Titus was found to be truth. On this point Paul was very sensitive. When he had sent Titus to Corinth, he had encouraged him by the description he gave of the good qualities of the Corinthian Christians. That is what caused him to be so well satisfied now, since matters turned out, proved to be, in accordance with the facts: the Corinthians had fully lived up to the expectations of their teacher.
The gratification which Paul felt was equaled by the satisfaction which filled the heart of Titus: And his heart is the more abundantly inclined toward you, since he remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received him. Titus had been the bearer of a harsh message, even as Paul’s letter had been uncompromising in its severity on the point of the scandal in their midst. And so they had received him with profound reverence and had shown all obedience to the suggestions which he had to offer as the apostle’s representative.
The entire matter had thus turned out well, and Paul concludes: I rejoice that in everything I have good courage concerning you. The encouragement which he had thus received by finding his confidence not misplaced, gave him a happy boldness before them; there was no further reason to fear that they would again be tossed about by matters of a similar nature. When things in any congregation have progressed to such a point that the first serious crisis is weathered, conditions will usually be favorable to a steady growth in Christian knowledge and sanctification.