2 Corinthians 7:5
Verse
Context
Paul’s Joy in the Corinthians
4Great is my confidence in you; great is my pride in you; I am filled with encouragement; in all our troubles my joy overflows.5For when we arrived in Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were pressed from every direction—conflicts on the outside, fears within.6But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the arrival of Titus,
Sermons
Carter ConlonCarter ConlonSummary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
When we were come into Macedonia - St. Paul, having left Ephesus, came to Troas, where he stopped some time; afterwards he came to Macedonia, whence he wrote this epistle, Our flesh had no rest - So exceedingly anxious was he to know the success of his first epistle to them. Without were fightings - The oppositions of pagans, Jews, and false brethren. Within were fears - Uncertain conjectures relative to the success of his epistle; fears lest the severity of it should alienate their affections utterly from him; fears lest the party of the incestuous person should have prevailed; fears lest the teaching of the false apostle should have perverted their minds from the simplicity of the truth; all was uncertainty, all apprehension; and the Spirit of God did not think proper to remove the causes of these apprehensions in any extraordinary way.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Greek, "For also" (for "even"). This verse is thus connected with Co2 2:12-13, "When I came to Troas, I had no rest in my spirit"; so "also" now, when I came to Macedonia, my "flesh" had no rest (he, by the term "flesh," excepts his spiritual consolations) from "fightings" with adversaries "without" (Co1 5:12), and from fears for the Corinthian believers "within" the Church, owing to "false brethren" (Co2 11:26). Compare Co2 4:8; Deu 32:25, to which he seems to allude.
John Gill Bible Commentary
For when we were come into Macedonia,.... Whither Paul went in quest of Titus, not finding him at Troas, Co2 2:12 and where he met with him, and had the agreeable account from him of the state of this church; but here, as elsewhere, they had their troubles: our flesh had no rest; that is, their outward man, their bodies; they were continually fatigued with preaching, disputing, fighting; what with false teachers, and violent persecutors, they had no rest in their bodies; though, in their souls, they had divine support and spiritual consolation; and it was no small addition to their joy to hear of the flourishing condition of this church: but were troubled on every side; from every quarter, by all sorts of enemies; see Co2 4:8. Without were fightings, within were fears; there seems to be an allusion to Deu 32:25. They had continual combats with false teachers, and furious persecutors, without the church, or in the world, or in their bodies; and within the church, or in themselves, in their own minds, had many fears, lest any should be discouraged by the violence of persecutions, or be drawn aside by the doctrines of the false apostles: and as it was with the apostles in these respects, so it is with private believers: without are fightings; their outward conversation in this life is a warfare; partly with false teachers, with whom they fight the "good fight of faith", contend for the doctrine of faith, using the spiritual weapons of the Scriptures of truth; and partly with the men of the world, to whose rage and contempt they are exposed, and among whom they endure a great fight of afflictions, with patience, and in the exercise of faith, whereby they gain the victory over the world and partly with Satan, their avowed adversary, and implacable enemy, against whom they wrestle in the strength of Christ, making use of the whole armour God provided for them, by the help of which, through divine grace, they come off more than conquerors; and partly with the lusts and corruptions, or open prevailing iniquities which are in the world, to which they oppose themselves, and, by the power of God keeping them, are preserved from: not that their only fightings are thus without; for there is, as it were, a company of two armies within them, sin and grace, flesh and spirit, opposing each other: and hence, as well as from other causes, are "fears within"; about their interest in everlasting love, electing grace, and the covenant of grace; about the presence of God with them, and the truth of grace in them; about their interest in Christ, their sonship, their final perseverance, and enjoyment of the heavenly glory: and though these fears are not their excellencies, but their infirmities, yet this will be more or less their case, till that state takes place, when there will be no more fightings, no more fears.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
There seems to be a connection between Co2 2:13 (where the apostle said he had no rest in his spirit when he found not Titus at Troas) and the fifth verse of this chapter: and so great was his affection to the Corinthians, and his concern about their behaviour in relation to the incestuous person, that, in his further travels, he still had no rest till he heard from them. And now he tells them, I. How he was distressed, Co2 7:5. He was troubled when he did not meet with Titus at Troas, and afterwards when for some time he did not meet with him in Macedonia: this was a grief to him, because he could not hear what reception he met with at Corinth, nor how their affairs went forward. And, besides this, they met with other troubles, with incessant storms of persecutions; there were fightings without, or continual contentions with, and opposition fRom. Jews and Gentiles; and there were fears within, and great concern for such as had embraced the Christian faith, lest they should be corrupted or seduced, and give scandal to others, or be scandalized. II. How he was comforted, Co2 7:6, Co2 7:7. Here observe, 1. The very coming of Titus was some comfort to him. It was matter of joy to see him, whom he long desired and expected to meet with. The very coming of Titus and his company, who was dear to him as his own son in the common faith (Tit 1:4), was a great comfort to the apostle in his travels and troubles. But, 2. The good news which Titus brought concerning the Corinthians was matter of greater consolation. He found Titus to be comforted in them; and this filled the apostle with comfort, especially when he acquainted him with their earnest desire to give good satisfaction in the things about which the apostle had written to them; and of their mourning for the scandal that was found among them and the great grief they had caused to others, and their fervent mind or great affection towards the apostle, who had dealt so faithfully with them in reproving their faults: so true is the observation of Solomon (Pro 28:23), He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with his tongue. 3. He ascribes all his comfort to God as the author. It was God who comforted him by the coming of Titus, even the God of all comfort: God, who comforteth those that are cast down, Co2 7:6. Note, We should look above and beyond all means and instruments, unto God, as the author of all the consolation and the good that we enjoy. III. How greatly he rejoiced at their repentance, and the evidences thereof. The apostle was sorry that he had grieved them, that some pious persons among them laid to heart very greatly what he said in his former epistle, or that it was needful he should make those sorry whom he would rather have made glad, Co2 7:8. But now he rejoiced, when he found they had sorrowed to repentance, Co2 7:9. Their sorrow in itself was not the cause of his rejoicing; but the nature of it, and the effect of it (repentance unto salvation, Co2 7:10), made him rejoice; for now it appeared that they had received damage by him in nothing. Their sorrow was but for a season; it was turned into joy, and that joy was durable. Observe here, 1. The antecedent of true repentance is godly sorrow; this worketh repentance. It is not repentance itself, but it is a good preparative to repentance, and in some sense the cause that produces repentance. The offender had great sorrow, he was in danger of being swallowed up with overmuch sorrow; and the society was greatly sorrowful which before was puffed up: and this sorrow of theirs was after a godly manner, or according to God (as it is in the original), that is, it was according to the will of God, tended to the glory of God, and was wrought by the Spirit of God. It was a godly sorrow, because a sorrow for sin, as an offence against God, an instance of ingratitude, and a forfeiture of God's favour. There is a great difference between this sorrow of a godly sort and the sorrow of this world. Godly sorrow produces repentance and reformation, and will end in salvation; but worldly sorrow worketh death. The sorrows of worldly men for worldly things will bring down gray hairs the sooner to the grave, and such a sorrow even for sin as Judas had will have fatal consequences, as his had, which wrought death. Note, (1.) Repentance will be attended with salvation. Therefore, (2.) True penitents will never repent that they have repented, nor of any thing that was conducive thereto. (3.) Humiliation and godly sorrow are previously necessary in order to repentance, and both of them are from God, the giver of all grace. 2. The happy fruits and consequences of true repentance are mentioned (Co2 7:11); and those fruits that are meet for repentance are the best evidences of it. Where the heart is changed, the life and actions will be changed too. The Corinthians made it evident that their sorrow was a godly sorrow, and such as wrought repentance, because it wrought in them great carefulness about their souls, and to avoid sin, and please God; it wrought also a clearing of themselves, not by insisting upon their own justification before God, especially while they persisted in their sin, but by endeavours to put away the accursed thing, and so free themselves from the just imputation of approving the evil that had been done. It wrought indignation at sin, at themselves, at the tempter and his instruments; it wrought fear, a fear of reverence, a fear of watchfulness, and a fear of distrust, not a distrust of God, but of themselves; an awful fear of God, a cautious fear of sin, and a jealous fear of themselves. It wrought vehement desires after a thorough reformation of what had been amiss, and of reconciliation with God whom they had offended. It wrought zeal, a mixture of love and anger, a zeal for duty, and against sin. It wrought, lastly, revenge against sin and their own folly, by endeavours to make all due satisfaction for injuries that might be done thereby. And thus in all things had they approved themselves to be clear in that matter. Not that they were innocent, but that they were penitent, and therefore clear of guilt before God, who would pardon and not punish them; and they ought no longer to be reproved, much less to be reproached, by men, for what they had truly repented of.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
7:5-7 Paul’s joy leads him to tell about his recent meeting with Titus, whose presence was a joy when he joined Paul in Macedonia (see study note on 2:14–7:4; Acts 20:1-2). • Initially, Paul had no rest (this Greek word is used in 2 Cor 2:13, where it is rendered “peace of mind”) but only conflict, battles, and fear. Paul was deeply discouraged, but he received encouragement from God, who encourages those who are discouraged (cp. Ps 42:5-6). Titus arrived from Corinth with the news that Paul’s letter (see 2 Cor 2:3-4) had done its work (7:8-16). This was the chief cause of Paul’s joy.
2 Corinthians 7:5
Paul’s Joy in the Corinthians
4Great is my confidence in you; great is my pride in you; I am filled with encouragement; in all our troubles my joy overflows.5For when we arrived in Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were pressed from every direction—conflicts on the outside, fears within.6But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the arrival of Titus,
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
Glory of God in Dry Places
By Carter Conlon3.8K48:04DiscouragementEXO 7:16PSA 78:192CO 7:5In this sermon, the preacher discusses the common struggle that believers face when they leave the sanctuary and enter a hostile world. He emphasizes that the devil continuously bombards believers with lies and tries to undermine their confidence in God. The preacher refers to 2 Corinthians 7:5 and describes the struggles that all people face in difficult times. He also mentions Psalm 77, where the psalmist questions if God has forgotten to be gracious and if His promises have failed. However, the preacher reminds the congregation that God has shown His power and brought them out of bondage, and many can testify to experiencing His deliverance.
The Secret War of Every Saint
By Carter Conlon1.0K41:20PSA 3:3JHN 10:27ROM 8:371CO 15:572CO 7:5HEB 3:15HEB 13:5
This sermon focuses on the secret war that every saint faces, emphasizing the mental battles and intense spiritual warfare encountered while walking with God, especially in challenging environments like New York City. It highlights the importance of not giving in to the voices of hopelessness and condemnation, but instead, trusting in God's power to lift our heads and bring victory in the midst of struggles.
Faith in God and His Word, the Establishment and Prosperity of His People.
By John Gill0Spiritual ProsperityFaith2CH 20:20ISA 26:3MAT 11:9MRK 9:24ROM 10:172CO 7:5PHP 1:6HEB 11:1JAS 2:261JN 5:4John Gill emphasizes the significance of faith in God and His Word for the establishment and prosperity of His people, drawing parallels between the challenges faced by Jehoshaphat and the modern church. He illustrates how prayer and reliance on God's promises can lead to spiritual strength and victory over adversities. Gill explains that true faith is not merely intellectual assent but involves a deep trust in God and His prophets, which results in both stability and spiritual prosperity. He encourages believers to seek a deeper faith that is rooted in the grace of God, leading to a fruitful and victorious Christian life. Ultimately, Gill warns against the dangers of unbelief and the importance of nurturing one's faith.
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
When we were come into Macedonia - St. Paul, having left Ephesus, came to Troas, where he stopped some time; afterwards he came to Macedonia, whence he wrote this epistle, Our flesh had no rest - So exceedingly anxious was he to know the success of his first epistle to them. Without were fightings - The oppositions of pagans, Jews, and false brethren. Within were fears - Uncertain conjectures relative to the success of his epistle; fears lest the severity of it should alienate their affections utterly from him; fears lest the party of the incestuous person should have prevailed; fears lest the teaching of the false apostle should have perverted their minds from the simplicity of the truth; all was uncertainty, all apprehension; and the Spirit of God did not think proper to remove the causes of these apprehensions in any extraordinary way.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Greek, "For also" (for "even"). This verse is thus connected with Co2 2:12-13, "When I came to Troas, I had no rest in my spirit"; so "also" now, when I came to Macedonia, my "flesh" had no rest (he, by the term "flesh," excepts his spiritual consolations) from "fightings" with adversaries "without" (Co1 5:12), and from fears for the Corinthian believers "within" the Church, owing to "false brethren" (Co2 11:26). Compare Co2 4:8; Deu 32:25, to which he seems to allude.
John Gill Bible Commentary
For when we were come into Macedonia,.... Whither Paul went in quest of Titus, not finding him at Troas, Co2 2:12 and where he met with him, and had the agreeable account from him of the state of this church; but here, as elsewhere, they had their troubles: our flesh had no rest; that is, their outward man, their bodies; they were continually fatigued with preaching, disputing, fighting; what with false teachers, and violent persecutors, they had no rest in their bodies; though, in their souls, they had divine support and spiritual consolation; and it was no small addition to their joy to hear of the flourishing condition of this church: but were troubled on every side; from every quarter, by all sorts of enemies; see Co2 4:8. Without were fightings, within were fears; there seems to be an allusion to Deu 32:25. They had continual combats with false teachers, and furious persecutors, without the church, or in the world, or in their bodies; and within the church, or in themselves, in their own minds, had many fears, lest any should be discouraged by the violence of persecutions, or be drawn aside by the doctrines of the false apostles: and as it was with the apostles in these respects, so it is with private believers: without are fightings; their outward conversation in this life is a warfare; partly with false teachers, with whom they fight the "good fight of faith", contend for the doctrine of faith, using the spiritual weapons of the Scriptures of truth; and partly with the men of the world, to whose rage and contempt they are exposed, and among whom they endure a great fight of afflictions, with patience, and in the exercise of faith, whereby they gain the victory over the world and partly with Satan, their avowed adversary, and implacable enemy, against whom they wrestle in the strength of Christ, making use of the whole armour God provided for them, by the help of which, through divine grace, they come off more than conquerors; and partly with the lusts and corruptions, or open prevailing iniquities which are in the world, to which they oppose themselves, and, by the power of God keeping them, are preserved from: not that their only fightings are thus without; for there is, as it were, a company of two armies within them, sin and grace, flesh and spirit, opposing each other: and hence, as well as from other causes, are "fears within"; about their interest in everlasting love, electing grace, and the covenant of grace; about the presence of God with them, and the truth of grace in them; about their interest in Christ, their sonship, their final perseverance, and enjoyment of the heavenly glory: and though these fears are not their excellencies, but their infirmities, yet this will be more or less their case, till that state takes place, when there will be no more fightings, no more fears.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
There seems to be a connection between Co2 2:13 (where the apostle said he had no rest in his spirit when he found not Titus at Troas) and the fifth verse of this chapter: and so great was his affection to the Corinthians, and his concern about their behaviour in relation to the incestuous person, that, in his further travels, he still had no rest till he heard from them. And now he tells them, I. How he was distressed, Co2 7:5. He was troubled when he did not meet with Titus at Troas, and afterwards when for some time he did not meet with him in Macedonia: this was a grief to him, because he could not hear what reception he met with at Corinth, nor how their affairs went forward. And, besides this, they met with other troubles, with incessant storms of persecutions; there were fightings without, or continual contentions with, and opposition fRom. Jews and Gentiles; and there were fears within, and great concern for such as had embraced the Christian faith, lest they should be corrupted or seduced, and give scandal to others, or be scandalized. II. How he was comforted, Co2 7:6, Co2 7:7. Here observe, 1. The very coming of Titus was some comfort to him. It was matter of joy to see him, whom he long desired and expected to meet with. The very coming of Titus and his company, who was dear to him as his own son in the common faith (Tit 1:4), was a great comfort to the apostle in his travels and troubles. But, 2. The good news which Titus brought concerning the Corinthians was matter of greater consolation. He found Titus to be comforted in them; and this filled the apostle with comfort, especially when he acquainted him with their earnest desire to give good satisfaction in the things about which the apostle had written to them; and of their mourning for the scandal that was found among them and the great grief they had caused to others, and their fervent mind or great affection towards the apostle, who had dealt so faithfully with them in reproving their faults: so true is the observation of Solomon (Pro 28:23), He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with his tongue. 3. He ascribes all his comfort to God as the author. It was God who comforted him by the coming of Titus, even the God of all comfort: God, who comforteth those that are cast down, Co2 7:6. Note, We should look above and beyond all means and instruments, unto God, as the author of all the consolation and the good that we enjoy. III. How greatly he rejoiced at their repentance, and the evidences thereof. The apostle was sorry that he had grieved them, that some pious persons among them laid to heart very greatly what he said in his former epistle, or that it was needful he should make those sorry whom he would rather have made glad, Co2 7:8. But now he rejoiced, when he found they had sorrowed to repentance, Co2 7:9. Their sorrow in itself was not the cause of his rejoicing; but the nature of it, and the effect of it (repentance unto salvation, Co2 7:10), made him rejoice; for now it appeared that they had received damage by him in nothing. Their sorrow was but for a season; it was turned into joy, and that joy was durable. Observe here, 1. The antecedent of true repentance is godly sorrow; this worketh repentance. It is not repentance itself, but it is a good preparative to repentance, and in some sense the cause that produces repentance. The offender had great sorrow, he was in danger of being swallowed up with overmuch sorrow; and the society was greatly sorrowful which before was puffed up: and this sorrow of theirs was after a godly manner, or according to God (as it is in the original), that is, it was according to the will of God, tended to the glory of God, and was wrought by the Spirit of God. It was a godly sorrow, because a sorrow for sin, as an offence against God, an instance of ingratitude, and a forfeiture of God's favour. There is a great difference between this sorrow of a godly sort and the sorrow of this world. Godly sorrow produces repentance and reformation, and will end in salvation; but worldly sorrow worketh death. The sorrows of worldly men for worldly things will bring down gray hairs the sooner to the grave, and such a sorrow even for sin as Judas had will have fatal consequences, as his had, which wrought death. Note, (1.) Repentance will be attended with salvation. Therefore, (2.) True penitents will never repent that they have repented, nor of any thing that was conducive thereto. (3.) Humiliation and godly sorrow are previously necessary in order to repentance, and both of them are from God, the giver of all grace. 2. The happy fruits and consequences of true repentance are mentioned (Co2 7:11); and those fruits that are meet for repentance are the best evidences of it. Where the heart is changed, the life and actions will be changed too. The Corinthians made it evident that their sorrow was a godly sorrow, and such as wrought repentance, because it wrought in them great carefulness about their souls, and to avoid sin, and please God; it wrought also a clearing of themselves, not by insisting upon their own justification before God, especially while they persisted in their sin, but by endeavours to put away the accursed thing, and so free themselves from the just imputation of approving the evil that had been done. It wrought indignation at sin, at themselves, at the tempter and his instruments; it wrought fear, a fear of reverence, a fear of watchfulness, and a fear of distrust, not a distrust of God, but of themselves; an awful fear of God, a cautious fear of sin, and a jealous fear of themselves. It wrought vehement desires after a thorough reformation of what had been amiss, and of reconciliation with God whom they had offended. It wrought zeal, a mixture of love and anger, a zeal for duty, and against sin. It wrought, lastly, revenge against sin and their own folly, by endeavours to make all due satisfaction for injuries that might be done thereby. And thus in all things had they approved themselves to be clear in that matter. Not that they were innocent, but that they were penitent, and therefore clear of guilt before God, who would pardon and not punish them; and they ought no longer to be reproved, much less to be reproached, by men, for what they had truly repented of.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
7:5-7 Paul’s joy leads him to tell about his recent meeting with Titus, whose presence was a joy when he joined Paul in Macedonia (see study note on 2:14–7:4; Acts 20:1-2). • Initially, Paul had no rest (this Greek word is used in 2 Cor 2:13, where it is rendered “peace of mind”) but only conflict, battles, and fear. Paul was deeply discouraged, but he received encouragement from God, who encourages those who are discouraged (cp. Ps 42:5-6). Titus arrived from Corinth with the news that Paul’s letter (see 2 Cor 2:3-4) had done its work (7:8-16). This was the chief cause of Paul’s joy.