RSV ~ 2 Corinthians 7 Notes

2 Cor 7:1 | ISB Notes

make holiness perfect: The Corinthians are challenged to rededicate their lives to Christ and restore to Paul their full trust and affection. As a consequence, they must withdraw their support from the false apostles who defiled them with their teaching and poisoned them against Paul.

2 Cor 7:2 | ISB Notes

taken advantage: Implies that Paul’s critics accused him of selfishness and even malice (12:17-18). For this reason, he appeals often to God and the conscience of his readers to testify that his ministry among them was always sincere and driven by love (1:12, 23; 4:2; 5:11).

2 Cor 7:3 | ISB Notes

die together . . .live together: An idiom for personal commitment (2 Sam 15:21).

2 Cor 7:4 | ISB Notes

I am overjoyed: Paul ends the long explanation of his apostolic ministry on a high note (2:14-7:4). He is confident that the tensions between him and the Corinthians are finally easing and nearing their end (1:7). News to this effect was delivered by Titus (7:6-7).

2 Cor 7:5-16 | ISB Notes

A summary and conclusion to the first part of the letter (chaps. 1-7). It resumes the report of Titus’ mission to Corinth, which Paul’s digression interrupted at 2:13.

2 Cor 7:5 | ISB Notes

Macedonia: A Roman province in northern Greece. The afflictions that Paul and his company suffered there are unspecified and otherwise unknown. See note on 2 Cor 2:13.

2 Cor 7:6 | ISB Notes

the coming of Titus: Paul was consoled by the arrival of his delegate Titus after sending him on the difficult mission to deliver a letter of rebuke to the Corinthians. His safe return to Macedonia was a cause for joy, as was his glowing report that most of the Corinthians had repented of their wrongdoing and were eager to see Paul (7:7).

2 Cor 7:8 | ISB Notes

my letter: The severe letter that Paul had sent to Corinth by the hand of Titus. Although Paul wrote it with great anxiety (2:4), he was genuinely concerned for the well-being of the Corinthians and used this written form of correction as a loving means to elicit their repentance. He wanted to test their loyalty and see whether they would be “obedient” (2:9) to his fatherly authority by showing “zeal” (7:12) for him again. See note on 2 Cor 2:3.

2 Cor 7:9 | ISB Notes

grieved into repenting: The Corinthians were saddened by Paul’s letter and the crisis that made it necessary (7:8). They nevertheless resolved to amend their ways, repudiate the claims of the false apostles, and resubmit themselves to Paul’s leadership. For his part, Paul was “overjoyed” (7:4) and again expressed “perfect confidence” in them (7:16).

2 Cor 7:10 | ISB Notes

godly grief … worldly grief: A sharp contrast between sorrow that leads to contrition and excessive sorrow that turns away from God and ends in bitterness and despair. In the Gospels, Simon Peter exemplified the former (Mt 26:75; Lk 22:32) and Judas Iscariot the latter (Mt 27:5).

2 Cor 7:12 | ISB Notes

the one who did the wrong: i.e., the unnamed offender who may have confronted Paul during his last visit to Corinth. See note on 2 Cor 2:5-11.