BIG IDEA:
THE GOAL OF CHURCH DISCIPLINE IS FORGIVENESS AND RESTORATION – NOT EXCESSIVE PUNISHMENT
INTRODUCTION:
George Shillington: This section alludes to the cause of Paul’s pain on his interim visit, and why he wrote the tearful letter in response. Someone in Corinth defamed Paul in some way, causing him personal grief. At the time of the incident, the community as a whole withdrew themselves and let the insult fall on their apostle, who had brought “the truth of the gospel” to them initially (Gal. 2:14). By implication, therefore, the insult was as much on them as it was on their apostle, Paul.
Once Titus returned from Corinth with a good report (2 Cor. 7:5-12), Paul celebrates with the Corinthians, because his letter of tears achieved its desired end. The community has taken the offender to task and placed him under discipline. Paul’s pastoral counsel to them, by the time of writing this passage, is to lift the disciplinary measures. It is time to forgive and console the offender, and to reaffirm their love for him as Paul does.
Charles Swindoll: Sadly, failure to grant forgiveness to a genuinely repentant person can lead to deep wounding, permanent scarring, and an irreparable relationship between two people. Harmonious fellowship is left hanging. This is true for interpersonal relationships, including those among believers in a church. In fact, the Christians in Corinth struggled with this very issue, as one of their festering, unresolved conflicts was leading to painful schism in the body of Christ.
John MacArthur: We live in a culture that views forgiveness not as a virtue, but as a sign of weakness. Our heroes are the vengeful, who challenge their enemies to give them an opportunity to strike; those who proudly see themselves as their enemies’ “worst nightmare.” Some even argue that forgiveness is unhealthy. Self-help books boldly assert that people should cultivate self-esteem and blame others for causing their problems. The victim mentality reigns supreme, and as a result of these and other perspectives, vengeance and retaliation are exalted, not the noble and Christlike virtues of forgiveness and restoration.
Eric Mason: Be Willing to Accept Authentic Repentance (2:5-11).
- Don’t pass blame (2:5).
- Understand the evidence of authentic repentance (2:6-7).
- Reconcile with people who repent, and reaffirm your love for them (2:8-9).
- Don’t fall for Satan’s designs by continuing in division (2:10-11).
Scott Hafemann: Though Paul nowhere mentions the specifics of the offense itself, it must have involved some sort of slander against him and his apostolic relationship with the Corinthians. Perhaps the offender had been a person of influence who had sided with Paul’s opponents and led the opposition against Paul. Whatever the case, most of the Corinthians had initially sided with this slanderer. Later, after the majority had repented as a result of his “tearful letter” (2:4; 7:8–13), they grieved with Paul because of the offender’s influence over them. They consequently punished the offender (2:6), most likely by excluding him from the fellowship of the Christian community in accordance with the precedent set in 1 Corinthians 5:2, 5, 13.
The punishment had its intended, salutary impact. The offender had repented. He was ready to rejoin the congregation. In response, Paul calls the Corinthians to follow in his footsteps not only in pouring out punishment on those who deserve it, but also in showing mercy to the repentant. Paul’s purpose is redemptive, not the re-establishment of reputations. The same desire to extend mercy to others that guided Paul’s relationship with the Corinthians is to guide the Corinthians’ relationships with one another. Paul’s concern is that if forgiveness, comfort, and love are not extended to the offender, that person will be “overwhelmed by excessive sorrow” (2:7–8). As Victor Furnish observes, “any further discipline would be strictly punitive and could only lead to grief of a worldly sort, unrelieved by any redemptive value” (cf. 7:9–11, where such “worldly grief” leads to death).
Raymond Collins: Many people find it difficult to forgive, particularly when they have been personally hurt by someone who is close to them. It is so easy to be judgmental. Many times church communities suffer because their members fail to forgive one another for their perceived faults and feelings. Nonetheless, the Lord’s Prayer and Paul’s forgiveness of the troublemaker are a reminder that forgiveness is a hallmark of Christian existence. A failure to forgive harms the church, harms the world, and harms so many human relationships.
I. (2:5-6) ENOUGH IS ENOUGH — WARNING AGAINST OVER-PUNISHING
A. (:5) There Has Already Been Sufficient Sorrow (difficult verse to exegete)
- To the Apostle Paul
“But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me”
i.e. not to me alone; not just to me
Sin inevitably causes sorrow … whether repented of or not
John MacArthur: One of the chief causes of an unforgiving heart is pride. A prideful reaction to an offense can run the gamut from wallowing in self-pity to violent retaliation, and everything in between. But there was no place in Paul’s heart for self-glory, self-protection, self-pity, a wounded ego, or retaliation. Paul acknowledged that the offender who assaulted him had caused sorrow, but he refused to take it personally (cf. 12:10). By refusing to make an issue out of his personal injury, the apostle intended to soften the animosity toward the repentant offender. The church would deal with him apart from any consideration of Paul.
- To the Majority of the Corinthian Church
“but in some degree—in order not to say too much—to all of you.”
Let’s not compound the situation by adding sorrow upon sorrow . . .
Who is the individual who had sinned, caused such sorrow, had repented and now was deserving of forgiveness and restoration?
- older commentators assumed it was the person committing incest in 1 Cor. 5
- but context here seems to indicate it was some sort of ringleader that had risen up against the authority of Paul or of his missionary team
Anthony Thiselton: In v. 5, Paul says that the offender has caused pain not only to him, but to the whole community. Sin or offence is seldom a merely individual matter. His pastoral sensitivity forbids him to name the man. Barrett and Bultmann suggest that this offence was committed during Paul’s painful visit and has no connection with the sin of immorality mentioned in 1 Cor 5:5. They describe it as a personal insult to Paul; the offender “was a stranger.” “To some extent” (NRSV; Greek, apo merous) is restrictive, i.e., the community was not affected as a whole.
Paul Barnett: The corporate nature of Christianity comes out clearly in the passage. Paul’s words are addressed not only to individuals, but also to the church whose members minister to one another by their gifts (1 Cor. 12:7–11). Lively and open relationships provide the best context for the word of God to work out its purposes among us. This is why the local congregation is so highly regarded and referred to as ‘the church of God’ (1:1).
B. (:6) There Has Already Been Sufficient Punishment
“Sufficient for such a one is this punishment
which was inflicted by the majority.”
Shows that the entire church had not gone along with the prescription of punishment which Paul had laid out in his severe letter (written between first and second Corinthians and subsequently lost)
William Barclay: Punishment should encourage and not discourage. It should aim at producing, not the despair which abandons the struggle of goodness, but the new view which inspires to a greater and a more successful struggle. In the last analysis, this can only happen, when we make it clear that, even when we are punishing a person, we still believe in him.
Charles Swindoll: Even if Paul has in mind a destructive sinner other than the man referenced in 1 Corinthians 5:1-13, the key element of the situation that the apostle addresses is clear: A sinning man had been severely and sufficiently disciplined by the church, resulting in his repentance. Instead of forgiving him, however, they kept him at arm’s length. Instead of extending him gracious pardon, they put him on graceless probation. Paul acknowledges that the sinner had caused sorrow not only to Paul, but also to the whole congregation (2 Cor. 2:5). Yet Paul suggests the punishment he had already endured from the majority in the church is “sufficient” for his particular actions (2:6).
II. (2:7-9) FORGIVE AND RESTORE –
INSTRUCTION REGARDING HOW TO FORGIVE AND REAFFIRM LOVE
A. (:7) The Need for Forgiveness and Restoration
“so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him,
lest somehow such a one be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.”
B. (:8) The Exhortation to Forgiveness and Restoration
“Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him.”
John MacArthur: At its core, unforgiveness is a lack of love. Forgiveness, on the other hand, fulfills the royal law of love (cf. James 2:8). Forgiving love is a precious jewel, a rich treasure in the life of the church. Without it, churches are torn, split, and fragmented. Churches that faithfully practice church discipline must also forgive penitent sinners. The greatest demonstration of love, both by individual believers and the church collectively, is forgiving others.
C. (:9) The Test of Forgiveness and Restoration = Test of Obedience
“For to this end also I wrote that I might put you to the test,
whether you are obedient in all things.”
George Shillington: Does Paul mean obedience to him as an official apostle of the church? Probably not in those terms. His concern, rather, is that the Corinthians follow the “obedience of faith” in relation to Christ (Rom. 1:5). The demand of the gospel requires that they acknowledge wrongdoing and deal with it, as they have now done. But the gift of the gospel calls both apostle and community to forgive the offender in the presence of Christ (2 Cor. 2:10).
Frank Matera: Having urged the community to forgive the offender, Paul explains why he wrote the severe letter: to test their character, which will be proven by their obedience in all things. In writing this, Paul is providing the Corinthians with another reason to forgive the offender. For if they do not forgive him, they will not prove themselves obedient in all things—even though Paul has urged rather than commanded such forgiveness. Moreover, if they are disobedient in this matter, Satan will have outwitted them by using their refusal to forgive as an occasion to snatch a member from their midst. Thus Paul’s reason for writing the harsh letter (to test their obedience) provides further motivation to forgive the offender, since their obedience must be ongoing.
III. (2:10-11) FORGIVENESS PROTECTS AGAINST BITTERNESS –
THE EXAMPLE OF THE APOSTLE PAUL
(Mercy triumphs over Vengeance)
A. (:10) Forgiveness Lies at the Heart of Christian Relationships
“But whom you forgive anything, I forgive also,
for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything,
I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ.”
Tasker: He forgives the offender, however, not merely as a personal act, but because such forgiveness is necessary for the welfare of the Corinthian church, whose apostle he has been called to be.
Charles Swindoll: Paul then presents his own forgiving attitude and actions as an example to emulate (2:10). As their father in the faith, Paul assures them that his own policy of forgiveness for the truly repentant should give them confidence that when they act with the same spirit of grace and mercy, he will have their back. Forgiveness, like discipline, is not self-seeking. In fact, it can be downright difficult. Nevertheless, Paul tells the Corinthians that his pattern of forgiveness is “for your sakes in the presence of Christ,” not for his own personal gain.
John MacArthur: Forgiveness is crucial to maintaining unity in the church fellowship. Without it discord, disharmony, bitterness, and vengeance can destroy unity.
Robert Hughes: Paul forgave in the full “presence of Christ” (2:10), a presence that allows no unforgiving hearts and reflects all of the positive aspects of God’s forgiveness. Paul stressed mutuality in forgiveness to show that he had no hard feelings about the past offense.
B. (:11) Satan Uses Bitterness to Drive a Wedge Between Believers
“In order that no advantage be taken of us by Satan;
for we are not ignorant of his schemes.”
David Guzik: Take advantage (the Greek word pleonekteo) is used in four other verses in the New Testament (2 Corinthians 7:2, 12:17-18, 1 Thessalonians 4:6). It has the idea of cheating someone out of something that belongs to them. When we are ignorant of Satan’s strategies, he is able to take things from us that belong to us in Jesus, things like peace, joy, fellowship, a sense of forgiveness, and victory.
Anthony Thiselton: Christians who are reluctant to forgive not only forget the extent to which they have received God’s forgiveness, but give an advantage to Satan (v. 11), which he may seize and exploit.
Charles Swindoll: Satan’s evil “schemes” and conniving plans involve deception and destruction. In the case of the Corinthians, the adversary had deceived them into thinking that church discipline is all judgment and no mercy, all punishment and no grace. God’s goal is not ridding the church of sinners, but reconciling sinners back to the church. When we forget that, we are no longer pursuing the Lord’s will, but rather the devil’s wiles.
Frank Matera: Consequently, when Paul writes that “we are not unaware of his designs,” he reminds the Corinthians that Satan is continually devising plans to destroy their community, for example, by providing the Corinthians with seemingly good excuses for not forgiving the offender. These references to Satan indicate how real the power of evil was for Paul. Although modem readers may find it difficult to conceive of Satan in such a personal manner as does Paul, they must reckon with the biblical witness that so clearly names and identifies the adversary of God’s people.
IV. (2:12-13) RECONCILIATION TAKES PRIORITY OVER MINISTRY OPPORTUNITY –
THE PASTORAL HEART OF THE APOSTLE PAUL
George Shillington: Paul’s note about his search for Titus, first at Troas and then in Macedonia, adds a finishing touch to the effectiveness of his defense against the Corinthians’ charge of fickleness and duplicity. Titus has gone to Corinth, probably with the Letter of Tears (2:1-4; 7:5-13). Paul’s mind could not rest until he heard how the community at Corinth received Titus and the letter, so he went on to Macedonia. His restlessness accents his concern for the Corinthians and serves to exonerate him from the charge.
Frank Matera: These verses end the first part of Paul’s narrative about what has happened since the painful visit (1:12 – 2:13). After this unit Paul will undertake an extended discussion of his apostolic ministry (2:14 – 7:4). He will then conclude this narrative with an account of Timothy’s report that the Corinthians have repented (7:5–16). The manner in which 7:5–16 picks up the narrative line of 1:12–13 has led many to speculate that the intervening material (2:14 – 7:4) belongs to another letter on apostolic ministry (Bornkamm) or to the severe letter (Bultmann). In the view of others (Allo, Furnish, Lambrecht, Martin, Thrall), Paul is purposely enclosing the discussion of his apostolic ministry by the narrative of the events that transpired between him and the community. . .
This particular unit is the capstone of the narrative Paul has recounted thus far. Its purpose is to show the Corinthians that his love for them (2:4) was so great that he curtailed a fruitful mission in Troas (or the region thereabout) in order to go to Macedonia, where he hoped to meet Titus and learn how the Corinthians had received the severe letter. Though brief, the unit consists of three parts: a temporal clause about the fruitful mission that God granted him in Troas (v. 12); the main clause, in which Paul says that he was ill at ease because he did not find Titus (v. 13a); a concluding statement of Paul’s decision to go to Macedonia (13b).
Robert Hughes: Verses 12-13 provide a stark description of Paul’s passing up a wide-open opportunity to minister the gospel. Why did he move on? The mystery of Titus’s whereabouts caused the apostle inner turmoil, because his concern for Titus’s news from Corinth superceded even Paul’s concern for potential converts in Troas. How could anyone claim Paul had little concern for the Corinthians’ well-being?
A. (:12) An Open Door is Not Always the Right Door
“Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ
and when a door was opened for me in the Lord,”
Robert Hughes: How long he remained in Troas he does not say, but it was sufficiently long for him to discover that there was an open door for the evangelical message. This door of opportunity was apparently still open on his return to Troas the following spring, as the incident recounted in Acts 20:6-12 indicates.
Paul Barnett: His zeal for the gospel brought him to Troas, but his passionate concern for the Corinthians kept him from staying there, despite the opportunities for preaching the gospel which now existed. Significantly, Paul revisited Troas a year later when finally withdrawing from the region. On that occasion he remained for seven days (Acts 20:6). Perhaps God kept the door open?
B. (:13) A Troubled Spirit Must Always be Addressed
“I had no rest for my spirit, not finding Titus my brother;
but taking my leave of them, I went on to Macedonia.”
Charles Swindoll: The word translated “rest” (anesis [425]) can also be interpreted as “a loosening” or “a relaxing.” It is the same word used in Acts 24:23 for “freedom” and in 2 Corinthians 8:13 for “ease.” The idea seems to be that although Paul stood before an open gate leading to a garden of spiritual fruit almost falling from the trees, he felt distracted, disquieted, and dismayed. Some anxiety gripped his spirit and prevented him from focusing on his task of ministry. What should have been a relaxing ministry of ease became a trial and a chore.
Homer Kent: The reason for this restlessness was that Titus had not arrived at Troas. Apparently Titus was the associate who had been sent to Corinth with the severe letter, and Paul had hoped for an early return with good news from the church. Presumably Paul and Titus had planned to meet at Troas. . .
Paul could wait for Titus no longer. His restless spirit drove him to Macedonia, with the plan of encountering Titus on the way. His chief reason for wanting to find Titus was to hear recent news from Corinth. Not even the open door at Troas could entice Paul from his deep desire to meet the needs at Corinth. Surely there was no basis for suspecting his motives or his love for the Corinthians.
John MacArthur: The door that was opened at Troas represented a divinely prepared opportunity, the kind Paul longed for and prayed for. But he was so overwrought and burdened by the situation at Corinth that he found it difficult to focus on the opportunity; he had no rest for his spirit. The turmoil and discontent of his heart were debilitating and threatened to close the door that was opened for ministry at Troas. His intense concern for the Corinthian church raised troubling questions in his mind. Would they affirm their love for him? Or would they follow the false apostles? Would they deal with the specific issues he had rebuked them for: divisions, strife, incest, marriage, singleness, divorce, the role of women, idolatry, spiritual pride, the abuse of the Lord’s Supper, misuse of spiritual gifts? Paul’s heart ached because he did not know the answer to those questions, and as a result he had no freedom to minister. Until he heard from Titus, the apostle feared the worst. He was so burdened by the situation at Corinth that he lost interest in the open door of ministry at Troas. Not finding Titus in Troas, Paul went on to Macedonia. He could wait no longer; he had to find Titus to hear about the response of the Corinthians. So he headed for the province of Macedonia, bordering the northwest shore of the Aegean Sea, north of Achaia.
Robert Gromacki: Thus, Paul ended this section as he began, by intimately expressing his concern. He wanted the church to know how he really felt about them and how those feelings affected his travel plans and treatment of the offender.
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PREACHING CHRIST:
1) Forgiveness and Restoration lie at the heart of the ministry of Christ. He came to pay the ultimate price so that reconciliation might be accomplished. We are out of bounds if we are seeking punishment or revenge on those who have wronged us. Mercy must always triumph over judgment in our personal relationships.
2) In fact Christ is looking on as a witness, motivating us to respond to others with the same spirit of forgiveness and restoration that He has demonstrated to us (vs. 10).
3) What drove Paul relentlessly was the burden of bringing the message of the gospel of Christ to people who had never heard the good news before (vs. 12).
4) The Lord places a priority on relationships over service.