Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does 2nd Corinthians Chapter 2 mean?

In this chapter, Paul explains the reason he delayed his return to Corinth from Macedonia. His first visit had ended painfully. An influential man in Corinth had apparently challenged Paul, perhaps about his authority over the church as a true apostle of Jesus. Paul left. He knew that if he returned as scheduled, it would create another painful visit.

Paul did not know if the rest of the church would side with the man who had sinfully rejected his authority or would side with him and correct the man with some form of discipline. So Paul stayed away until he could find out. He did not want to cause the Corinthians pain or for them to cause him pain, at least not until it was necessary. Instead, he wrote a painful letter to them in great sadness and distress, describing what they must do to make things right (2 Corinthians 2:1–4).

It becomes clear that the Corinthians did, in fact, side with Paul and against the man. The man’s sin in rejecting God’s authority through Paul was significant. They punished him, and he repented in sorrow. Some interpreters suggest the term used here might be better rendered as saying the church “scolded” or “reprimanded” the man. Paul urges them now to end the punishment, to forgive and comfort the man, and to reaffirm their love for him. Paul insists that forgiveness must happen in each direction in order to keep them from being tricked by Satan (2 Corinthians 2:5–11).

Paul briefly resumes the story of why he was delayed in returning to them. He sent the agonized letter to them with his co-worker Titus. They planned to meet up in Troas, so Titus could describe to Paul whether the Corinthians were with him or against him. Paul found an open door to the gospel in Troas, but he did not find Titus. Since his spirit was not at rest, he returned to Macedonia (2 Corinthians 2:12–13).

Paul suddenly breaks off the story to describe how Christians are like captives of a Roman general carrying incense in a victory parade through Rome. Christians, metaphorically, are “the aroma of Christ.” Those watching a Roman victory parade would interpret the incense differently, depending on whether they saw it as victory or defeat. In the same way, the “aroma” of Christ’s influence smells of death to those headed for eternal death in unbelief, and smells of life to those being saved by forgiveness of sin through faith in Christ.

Paul insists that only those who are truly Christians are sufficient to carry the aroma of Christ. He insists he and his co-workers are not false apostles, but sincere and truthful men sent by God to deliver His message (2 Corinthians 2:14–17).

Chapter Context
Second Corinthians continues uninterrupted from the previous chapter. Paul is explaining why he waited to come to Corinth. He wanted to see if they would side with him, or with the man who challenged his authority. They disciplined the man. He repented. Paul commands restoration and forgiveness. He then tells of failing to find Titus in Troas with news about them before transitioning into teaching that Christians are the aroma of Christ on earth, smelling of death to the perishing and life to those being saved. This brings Paul back to the subject of his own authority in chapter 3.

Chapter Context
Second Corinthians continues uninterrupted from the previous chapter. Paul is explaining why he waited to come to Corinth. He wanted to see if they would side with him, or with the man who challenged his authority. They disciplined the man. He repented. Paul commands restoration and forgiveness. He then tells of failing to find Titus in Troas with news about them before transitioning into teaching that Christians are the aroma of Christ on earth, smelling of death to the perishing and life to those being saved. This brings Paul back to the subject of his own authority in chapter 3.

Verse by Verse

Verse 1. For I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you.

Once again, readers of Scripture should keep in mind that chapter and verse divisions were not part of the original writing. What’s said here is not meant to be a separate thought from the prior words. In fact, Paul is completing a statement begun in the previous two verses. He is explaining why he delayed a second planned visit to Corinth instead of arriving when he initially said he would. He has written that this change was to spare the Corinthians in some way, likely from his own discipline for their potential sinfulness (2 Corinthians 1:23).

Now he describes his decision—”I made up my mind”—not to make another upsetting visit to them. That begs the question of what’s causing this controversy. Most interpreters look at the context of 2 Corinthians and determine that Paul traveled directly to Corinth from Ephesus after writing 1 Corinthians. This would have been instead of first traveling to Macedonia as described in that earlier letter (1 Corinthians 16:5–9). Perhaps Paul received news from Timothy about issues in Corinth that needed his immediate attention.

In any case, that visit with them is the one Paul now describes as “painful.” It seems there was a confrontation of some kind between Paul and one of the Corinthians. Given the earlier divisions in the church (1 Corinthians 1:10–12), this may have been about Paul’s qualifications to be an apostle in the first place. In challenging Paul’s authority, this man was challenging the spiritual foundation of the entire church. Despite this, it seems the rest of the Christians in Corinth did not intervene.

So, Paul left and continued to Macedonia. From there, he wrote a painful letter to them about the incident and about their responsibility to stand for what was right and true, including his authority as an apostle. Paul may have sent that letter with Titus and then waited for Titus to return with news about their response. The text of that letter has not been conserved; we don’t know exactly what was said.

That incident and its aftermath is why Paul did not return to Corinth as quickly as he had said. He did not want to put anyone through another painful visit until he learned how they had responded to his letter.

Context Summary
Second Corinthians 2:1–4 finds Paul explaining with great emotion how he decided not to return to Corinth until he learned whether they would side with or against him. He did not want to cause mutual needless pain with another difficult visit. Instead, he wrote to them in great anguish. That letter—now lost—told them to correct the man and to remain loyal to God’s authority in and through him. He did not write to hurt them but out of abundant love for them.

Verse 2. For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained?

In the previous verse, Paul wrote that he chose not to return to Corinth as soon as he had previously planned because he did not want to have another painful visit with them. His previous visit had been uncomfortable, perhaps as the result of a challenge to his authority by one particular man. Paul knew that when he returned, unless there was a change in the man or his status in the church, he would have to confront the issue. This likely would have involved discipline of some kind.

Simply put, Paul did not want to come and exercise his authority in this way until he knew that he must. He did not want to cause pain for them—or himself. Now he reveals that one reason for not wanting to do this is that it would cause a break in his relationship with them. If he was to hurt them, even out of love for them, who would he find in Corinth to make him glad?

Paul clearly cared deeply for the Christians in Corinth. They were far more than just a problem for him to manage. They were people he loved. He had declared his love for them in the final verse of 1 Corinthians and he does so again in verse 4.

Verse 3. And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all.

Paul is explaining why he chose not to return to Corinth from Macedonia as soon as he had apparently said he would. His previous visit with them had been “painful,” likely the result of confrontation with one of the men in the church. Paul knew that when he returned, he would have to exercise his authority as an apostle to correct the man and maybe even the entire church if they sided with this person.

So, Paul put the trip off. He wanted to hear first if there had been a change of heart in Corinth. If not, he knew he would cause them pain when he arrived, and he knew they would cause him to suffer, as well. Their relationship would be strained to the breaking point if they did not agree with him and side against this man who may have been challenging his authority as an apostle of Jesus.

Paul writes that the Corinthians should cause him to rejoice. They were the ones he looked forward to boasting about in the Lord, since they had trusted in Christ and had grown in their faith as a result of his ministry. He wanted only to enjoy them and not to have to confront them. He was sure they felt the same about him, as well, and that his joy in their change of heart would bring them joy, too.

Verse 4. For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.

Many Bible scholars believe that what’s described here is a now-lost letter of Paul. This would have been sent between what we now know as 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians. Some suggest the mystery letter was actually written prior to 1 Corinthians, but that’s not as clean a fit with the context of those two letters.

Instead, the sequence seems to be that Paul visited the Corinthians briefly following the writing of 1 Corinthians. During that painful visit, a confrontation took place. This appears to have been with a church member challenging Paul’s authority as an apostle. It is unclear if most in the church sided with Paul or with this other man. Paul wrote the now-lost letter to them in order to urge the church to deal with this man and make clear their support for Paul’s authority as an apostle of Jesus.

Writing that letter, Paul now says, caused him great pain. He wrote it out of affliction and anguish of heart, shedding tears as he sent it. He did not write it in order to cause them pain. That’s the last thing Paul wanted for them. Instead, he wrote it because he loved them so deeply. He knew that hearing the truth might hurt them, but he also hoped it would bring healing to everyone involved. Apparently, that’s exactly what has happened.

Verse 5. Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure — not to put it too severely — to all of you.

Since his last painful visit with the Corinthians, Paul has written them a letter which caused him great anguish to send. The letter, apparently, called on them to correct a man in the church who seems to have challenged Paul’s status as an apostle. Paul hated to write it because he knew it might hurt them. Also, he feared it might bring pain to their shared relationship. Whatever hurt it might have caused, it appears the Corinthians responded well to his letter and set about to deal with the man who was wrongly challenging Paul’s authority over the church.

Now Paul writes about this man, carefully describing him as “anyone.” If anyone has caused pain, Paul writes, it was not so much to Paul, personally, as to everyone in the church. Paul wants the Corinthians to recognize that this man’s sinful challenge to Paul’s authority caused a division that hurt them all, as a group. This is often the case with sin. When one believer in a group commits sin, even if it seems like the sin is directed at only one other person, everyone can suffer.

Paul wants to maintain the proper proportion about what has happened, however. He does not want to state things too severely. Apparently, the man had repented. In the following verses, Paul will encourage them to forgive and restore this previously rebellious individual.

Context Summary
Second Corinthians 2:5–11 contains Paul’s agreement that a sinful man’s offense was serious. Now that this man has repented in sorrow, however, Paul tells the Corinthians to stop his punishment and to forgive, comfort, and affirm their love for him. Paul knows now that they remain obedient. Forgiveness among Christians is essential in order to not be outwitted by the designs of Satan.

Verse 6. For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough,

We have no details about what went on between one of the men in the Corinthian church and Paul. Putting things together from the context of 1 and 2 Corinthians, Bible scholars speculate this man confronted Paul and challenged his authority as an apostle. The rest of the church either did not know about it or stood by and did nothing. Paul left and then wrote back to them a painful letter, which has not been kept. In it, he explained this man was in sin for rejecting Paul’s God-given authority and leading the church astray. Paul apparently insisted the believers of Corinth must correct the man.

Paul has written that the man’s offense was serious. He brought pain to the entire church. He was wrong. Now Paul writes, though, that it is time to turn and forgive the man. Paul says that punishment by the majority of the church is adequate. The term translated “punishment” here is epitimia, which only appears in the New Testament in this verse. Given the tone Paul uses here, it’s possible that a softer word, such as “reprimand” or “scorn” might be more accurate.

A minority of interpreters suggested the man referred to here is the one sleeping with his father’s wife, or stepmother, from 1 Corinthians 5. Paul told them to turn that man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh (1 Corinthians 5:5). Most scholars do not believe that man to be the one Paul is talking about in this passage, however. The “punishment” given to the man who challenged Paul does not seem to have been as severe as being turned over to Satan, or excommunication. We are not told what the punishment was, but the man has apparently repented. Paul believes the time for any kind of censure or church discipline has come to an end.

Verse 7. so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.

A man in the church in Corinth had apparently confronted Paul in some way. Given the divisions of that church (1 Corinthians 1:10–12) he probably challenged Paul’s authority as apostle and whether he had authority over the church in Corinth. In any case, this made for a painful visit for Paul when he was last in Corinth. In fact, it had brought hurt to the entire congregation (2 Corinthians 2:5). Paul had written a painful letter to the believers, explaining the need for the church to confront and deal with this sinful man. They had done so using some kind of “punishment by the majority” (2 Corinthians 2:6), and the man seems to have repented from his sin. Paul now writes that the time has come for forgiveness.

Church discipline is a difficult issue. It has been handled poorly by many well-intentioned congregations. Such discipline often involves removing the person from the community and having nothing to do with him or her, if not turning the person over to Satan as described in 1 Corinthians 5. It requires the congregation to be consistent, motivated by love, and led by men who are above reproach themselves. Based on passages like this, many churches feel led by God to exercise discipline when someone among them is involved in clear and obvious sin and refuses to repent. The goal of such discipline is first to protect the church from the sin involved and, second, to restore the individual once repentance has occurred. That’s what Paul is describing in this verse.

Paul urges the Corinthians to turn back to the man who has sinned against them and to forgive and comfort him. If they don’t, the man may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. If that were to happen, a main reason for the discipline would be missed. The goal is to build the man back up and welcome him into full participation in the family of faith.

Verse 8. So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him.

Paul’s last visit to the Corinthians was uncomfortable because of the actions of one individual. This man’s sin caused Paul great distress and brought even more pain to the rest of the church in Corinth. It kept Paul away from Corinth for longer than he planned, required him to write a corrective letter to the church with great sadness and tears, and strained his relationship with the Corinthians even more than it had already been.

It’s both surprising and unsurprising to hear Paul now begging the Corinthians to affirm their love for this very man. They had apparently received Paul’s heartsick letter in the right spirit (2 Corinthians 2:2–3). They had responded by disciplining this man, and he had apparently repented. Paul now urges them to forgive the man; he even asks them to comfort him to keep his sorrow over his own sin from overwhelming him.

Paul’s insistence that this man now receive expressions of love from the church community is surprising only because it is not a normal human reaction. It is—or at least, it should be—normal for Christ followers. Those who have been forgiven ought to embrace those who have truly repented from their sin. It’s exactly what God does for all who come to Him through faith in Christ.

Verse 9. For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything.

This refers to the painful letter Paul sent previously to the church in Corinth, sometime after the writing of what we now call 1 Corinthians. The text of that letter is lost to us, meaning God never intended it to be part of the preserved Scriptures. Instead, it served a very specific purpose in this relationship between Paul and the Corinthians and between them and the man who had wronged Paul.

We can see why this was a tricky letter for Paul to write. He had been wronged by a single individual, apparently; that’s something he might have normally overlooked. In this case, it seems the offending man was a believer and influential in the church at Corinth. Also, this man’s sin seems to have involved challenging Paul’s God-given authority as an apostle over the church. In that way, the man was challenging God’s authority over the church, as well. Such a sin could not be allowed to stand, especially if any others in the church might follow the man’s lead.

Paul says here that he wrote the letter telling the church to correct and discipline this man in order to see if they would be obedient or not. Ultimately, it was a test of their obedience to God’s authority, though it was Paul issuing the instructions. The Corinthians passed that test, and now Paul wanted them to pass the next one by forgiving and restoring the repentant sinner.

Verse 10. Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ,

Paul said his previous letter—a now-lost text written after his letter of 1 Corinthians—and now this one provided a test to see whether the Corinthians would obey him, and ultimately God. Their charge was to first correct a sinful man in their midst, then to restore him once he repented.

Now Paul adds that he will affirm their right response. Though he is the one who was personally wronged by the man, he will follow their lead and forgive anyone they choose to forgive. Paul shows that his connection to them is not simply that of an authority and his subjects. He loves them and wants to share with them in this expression of forgiveness and love.

What he adds in this verse shows just how high the stake were when it comes to forgiveness. Paul said his choice to forgive—anyone, not just this man—is for their sake. He says this “in the presence of Christ,” meaning that Christ would agree he is speaking the truth.

The following verse shows why this forgiveness is such a big deal. Satan uses unforgiveness and bitterness between Christians to divide. This destroys closeness, ministry, and the church’s example to the world. That’s why Paul will join with the Corinthians in forgiving this man and anyone else he needs to in the church.

Verse 11. so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.

Satan is a liar and a schemer, and he has designs for tripping up Christians. Paul has insisted in the previous verse that he is ready and willing to forgive the man who has sinned against him, along with anyone else he needs to, in order to keep them all from being outwitted by Satan. For this reason, the Corinthians must also forgive the man.

Satan cannot steal the souls of true believers in Jesus away from God. In the previous chapter, Paul wrote that God places the seal of the Holy Spirit on every believer, guaranteeing our future with him (2 Corinthians 1:22). Jesus said of those He gives eternal life that nobody can snatch them out of His or His Father’s hand (John 10:28–30). Christians are eternally secure from suffering the ultimate fate of Satan (Revelation 20:10).

However, Satan’s attacks on believers can result in broken relationships, ineffective ministry, and wasted years on this side of eternity. One of his best strategies is unforgiveness and the longstanding bitterness that follows. That’s why Paul always urges quick forgiveness of those who have sinned against us:

“Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil” (Ephesians 4:26–27).

Likewise,

“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:31–32).

Verse 12. When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though a door was opened for me in the Lord,

Paul has been explaining why he delayed his return to Corinth beyond the time he had apparently planned. In short, his previous visit ended awkwardly, and he sent a painful letter to the church to correct the sinfulness of an influential man among them. Paul could not know whether this would result in the Corinthian church siding with the man and turning against him and God. Or, if they would obey and make things right.

Paul sent his co-worker Titus with the agonizing letter to Corinth and eagerly waited for his return with some indication about the Corinthians’ response. The plan was to meet Titus in Troas before returning to Macedonia. Paul did not want to return to Corinth until he heard Titus’ report.

Now Paul resumes his story, only to break it off again shortly. When he arrived in Troas to preach the gospel, Paul found an open door from the Lord. In other words, some people were ready to hear about Christ. Paul, though, did not stay and minister to them, after all.

Context Summary
Second Corinthians 2:12–17 briefly continues Paul’s story of deciding not to come to Corinth until learning whether they were ready. He hoped to learn of their response in Troas, but his co-worker Titus did not show up with the news. Feeling unrestful in his spirit, Paul left. He then transitions into powerfully describing Christians as the aroma of Christ on earth: evoking death to those perishing and life to those being saved. Paul insists that he and his co-workers are sent by God.

Verse 13. my spirit was not at rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia.

Paul has resumed his story to the Corinthians about why he delayed his return to them. In short, he wanted to hear about their response to his prior challenge. Would they side with him, or the man who was sinfully standing against his authority in the Lord? Paul sent Titus with an anguished letter, expecting to meet Titus in the town of Troas to learn the Corinthians’ response.

Arriving in Troas, Paul found an open door to the gospel. Some people were ready to hear about Jesus and respond. Paul did not find Titus, however. His co-worker in ministry was missing, causing Paul to feel restless in his spirit. Were things going badly in Corinth? Was Titus hurt?

Unable to concentrate on the ministry, Paul left to return to Macedonia. He would return to Troas later, however, and God would use him in a powerful way there (Acts 20:5–11). Still, this was highly unusual for Paul, who often refused to leave a place where people were receptive to the gospel even at the risk of his own life. He must have been deeply disturbed, and heavily convicted by the Holy Spirit, to leave behind the opportunity for new converts in Troas.

Verse 14. But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.

Paul suddenly breaks off the story of why he delayed so long in returning to Corinth. He leaves it at a tense moment, not to pick it up again until much later in this letter (2 Corinthians 7:5). Paul was so disturbed at that point that he left behind Troas, where God had opened the door to the gospel, to return to Macedonia. Apparently, he wanted to get back and find Titus, if possible, to learn about what had happened in Corinth.

Paul’s description of his restless spirit in the previous verse, however, turns to a sudden exclamation of victory. He declares, “Thanks be to God” and describes God’s work as something many of his readers would have been familiar with: a Roman victory procession. This was a parade in which a victorious Roman general would march his soldiers and captured enemies through the streets in triumph. Paul compares that to what God does for believers in Christ. He leads us in a triumphal procession, making use of us as prisoners captured from the enemy, in a sense, now available to accomplish His purposes.

In the Roman victory parades, incense was burned in celebration of the defeat of Rome’s enemies. In that way, people could both see and smell the evidence of a captured foe as it passed by. Paul describes God’s use of His willing captives, Christians, in a similar way. He uses us to spread the fragrance of His knowledge everywhere we go. We serve His purpose of spreading the truth of the gospel down every street He leads us along.

Verse 15. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,

Scripture has described the Christian life using an unusual metaphor in the previous verse. Paul pictured believers as captives of a Roman general returning in victory from war. In that era, generals would parade the conquered enemy through the streets while burning incense in celebration of the victory. This made the procession a combination of sight, sound, and smell, all of which proclaimed the victory of that commander.

Paul wrote that God parades Christians in this way, except that the spreading fragrance is not incense. It is the “smell” of the knowledge of God. Now Paul gets more specific: Christians are the aroma of Christ in the world. In a very real sense, believers make Christ present on earth, as He is in them. Everywhere they travel, they symbolically “give off the smell” of the Savior to fellow Christians and unbelievers alike. It’s an aroma that is received differently depending on one’s eternal status. This attitude greatly differs between “those who are being saved” and forgiven for sin in Christ, versus “those who are perishing” in sin without forgiveness because they lack faith in Christ.

Verse 16. to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?

Prior verses have painted a beautiful and startling word picture—or, perhaps, something more accurately called a “nose picture.” Paul has described Christians as “the aroma of Christ” on earth. He so permeates our being that the essence of Him travels with believers into their relationships with everyone they know. This is true whether those who a believer knows “are being saved” from hell—through faith in Christ for the forgiveness of sin—or “perishing”—on the road to eternal destruction in punishment for sin. Those are the only two options—there is no middle ground (John 3:16–18).

One origin for this metaphor was the use of incense during Roman victory parades, when captives would be marched to give evidence of triumph. To those in the crowd who hated and feared Rome, that smell would evoke thoughts of death and defeat. For those who allied with Rome, it was the smell of victory.

In that vein, Paul adds that “the aroma of Christ” smells differently to these two opposed groups. To those on the path to hell, “the aroma of Christ” is the odor of death. Their rejection of Him is the rejection of the opportunity to move from eternal death to eternal life. Evidence of the reality of Christ’s influence is, to them, a source of condemnation and conviction. Believers, on the other hand, sense from each other a reassurance of life in “the aroma of Christ.” He is the source of all life and faith in Him is the path to eternal life.

Paul expresses that this influence—this unseen impression—which Christians carry is a privileged burden. “Who is sufficient for these things?” is Paul’s rhetorical statement about how potent this idea really is. In other words, who is worthy to carry such a fragrance? Arguably, nobody is truly worthy (Romans 3:10), but in this sense Paul implies that such influence is only appropriate for those truly sent by God—not the false teachers or false Christians who had infiltrated the church (2 Corinthians 2:17).

Verse 17. For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God ‘s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.

Paul has described Christians as “the aroma of Christ.” As God leads us through our lives, we carry Christ to everyone we contact, Christians and unbelievers alike. Whether we know it or not, and whether we intend to or not, we’re influencing others in some way when it comes to their perception of Jesus. What a privilege this is! Who is qualified to represent Christ in this way?

Paul answers that question in this verse. The short answer is this: Only actual Christians are qualified to represent Christ. False teachers, and fake Christians, had moved in among the true believers in many places. Paul describes some of them as “peddlers of God’s word,” meaning those pretending to be spiritual merely so they could profit from teaching about God. Perhaps some in Corinth had accused Paul of being one of these false apostles.

Paul declares that he and his co-workers are not this, not peddlers of God’s Word. Instead, they are honest men, sent out by God. They speak in Christ, and they speak in the sight of God. Their message is trustworthy, because it comes from God, who sent them.

End of Chapter 2.

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