Introductory remarks:
Paul continues speaking of his visit to them. "Paul tells them if when he visits them again they haven't changed, he will be harsh. He says they know they are of Christ and that should prove that he is of Christ. He urges them to refrain from evil, not to make him look good but for their own benefit. He is writing to get them ready for his visit so that he can build them up instead of having to chasten them for sin" (A Survey of 2 Corinthians - By Brenda). This chapter may be outlined as follows: Final warnings and greetings vv. 1-13.
Final warnings and Greetings
Verse 1, "This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established."
LGT "This third time I am coming to you: In [the] mouth of two witnesses or of three every matter shall be established."
This third time I am coming to you: Paul either made three visits, or this is the third time he planned on visiting them. Only two are recorded. In the mouth of two witnesses or of three every matter shall be established: Paul is quoting Deut. 19:15. It took two or three witnesses to establish the truth to be accepted in matters of dispute. It seems as though Paul is saying that when he comes and has to administer discipline, he would strictly adhere to the Jewish law of justice. Paul will exercise his apostolic office.
Verse 2, "I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare."
LGT "I have said beforehand and I do say beforehand, as being present the second time, and being absent now, to the ones who have before sinned, and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare."
I have said beforehand and I do say beforehand: I told you before and I tell you again that I fully intend to discipline the offenders in the assembly. As being present the second time: as if I were present the second time. And being absent now: I am giving you plenty of warning at the present time. To the ones who have before sinned: Paul says that he will punish the offenders in the assembly who have sinned, and think I am only bold when absent; I say they have a rude awakening. And to all the rest: all the ones who have sinned and think that maybe God winks at sin. That if I come again I will not spare: the offenders shall not escape my discipline.
Verse 3, "Since ye seek proof of Christ speaking to me, which to you-ward is not weak, but he is mighty in you."
LGT "Since ye seek a proof of the Christ speaking in me, who towards you is not weak, but is powerful in you."
Since ye seek a proof of the Christ speaking in me: Paul brings to them the fact that he is inspired by the Holy Spirit in all that he says to them. And now he will show them proof of what type of Christ is speaking in him, certainly not a Christ who will tolerate any sin. Who towards you is not weak, but is powerful in you: Paul had proven his apostleship many times over, and now he will prove the power of Christ in the punishment he will inflict on the offenders. Paul also reminds them of their union with Christ, and that His power dwells in them.
Verse 4, "For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you."
LGT "For indeed He was crucified out of weakness, but He lives by the power of God, for indeed we are weak in Him, but we shall live together with Him by the power of God towards you."
For indeed He was crucified out of weakness: the weakness is that Christ yielded Himself up to be crucified. Christ bore the curse of the cross for all believers, and thus, He was crucified in weakness. In His human nature He allowed Himself to be led as a lamb before the slaughter; Christ chose not to display His real power. But He lives by the power of God: He was raised by God to reign supreme. For we serve a powerful living Savior. For indeed we are weak in Him: Paul says that because of our identification with His death, we are weak. But we shall live together with Him: we will be joined to Christ for all eternity, and if this is not a position of power, I don't know what is. The fact is that we are now positionally in union with the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. By the power of God towards you: This is the means of our spiritual power. Paul says that when the Corinthian believer gets on the right track and realize his or her union with Christ, they will manifest God's power to one another.
Verse 5, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?"
LGT "Try ye yourselves if ye are in the faith, prove yourselves: or do ye not recognize yourselves, that Jesus Christ [is] in you? Unless ye are rejected."
Try ye yourselves: Paul is saying that they should look into themselves and see if they are depending on works for their security, or grace. The false teachers had led many in the assembly away from grace, that he felt it necessary to exhort them to test their faith, and see if they really had assurance. If ye are in the faith: Paul tells them to try themselves to see if they are trusting in their own works, or trusting in the Gospel of grace; do they trust themselves, or do they trust God. They had already been taught the grace Gospel by Paul, now is the time to try themselves to see if they really believe free grace. Or do ye not recognize yourselves: when they trust in their own works they have no assurance; the only way a Christian can have assurance is by trusting the Word of God. That Jesus Christ is in you: this testing of your faith by introspection will prove whether you are in the faith or not. Unless ye are rejected: the KJV has the word reprobate, which is completely wrong, for it means abandoned to hell. Here the word rejected in the context means that by this trying of themselves they might see that they were trusting in the wrong gospel, and that they might understand their unbelief and get straightened out by free grace truth. Remember not all the church was carried away by the false apostles teaching a work salvation, and this is the reason there were factions among them.
Verse 6, "But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates."
LGT "Now I hope ye will know that we are not rejected."
When the church finished their introspection by the Word of God, Paul was assured they would recognize him as one with them. The true spirit of faith in the believer results in unity.
Verse 7, "Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobate."
LGT "But I pray to God [that] ye may do nothing evil; not that we may appear approved, but that ye may do what [is] right, and we be as rejected."
But I pray to God that ye may do nothing evil: Paul is speaking of the church going after the doctrine from the false teachers of working for their salvation, which would be evil in the sight of Paul, by not accepting the doctrine of grace. Not that we may appear approved: not that we may be approved as teaching you the correct doctrine. Paul's emphasis is not on himself, but the church's ultimate growing in grace and the knowledge of truth. But that ye may do what is right: putting to the test the doctrines of grace. And we be as rejected: Paul says that he would rather be rejected as an apostle, if only the church would do what is right; he says that instead of coming to them and performing his apostolic authority in disciplining them, he would rather they apply Bible doctrine and change their minds regarding sin, even it meant his personal rejection.
Verse 8, "For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth."
LGT "For we have not any power against the truth, but for the truth."
Paul uses the exclusive we here meaning he and the other apostles that were inspired by the Holy Spirit. "Your well doing is what we truly aim at. For, if we had any other aim, with a view to approving ourselves, we should fail, because we should be going in the face of truth - the Gospel; and against that we are powerless. In that case we should be unapproved before God" (Vincent).
Verse 9, "For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection."
LGT "For we rejoice when we may be weak, and ye may be powerful: this also we pray for, your perfecting."
For we rejoice when we may be weak: Paul says that he would desire to be weak, in not exercising his apostolic power in administering divine discipline. And ye may be powerful: your good conduct deprives us of using our power against you, and this makes you strong. This also we pray for, your perfection: the spiritual maturity of the Church is Paul's great aim, and their edification is what he prays for.
Verse 10, "Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction."
LGT "On this account these things being absent I write, in order that being present I may not deal with you sharply, according to the authority which the Lord gave me for building up, and not for overthrowing."
On this account these things being absent I write: Paul apologizes for having to write so harshly to them. In order that being present I may not deal with you sharply: the reason he wrote with severity; now he does not want to come with same measures. According to the authority which the Lord gave me for building up: Paul says that God gave him the authority as an apostle to discipline them, but he would much rather come for their building up, for he certainly did not write these harsh words to tear them down; all discipline from God is for the believers edification, and not his or her destruction. Sometimes it is very difficult to accept God taking us to the woodshed, but it is necessary if we are to grow straight. We should not pray for God to stop His discipline, but rather pray that He gives us the grace to endure it, for we will come out the better every time. And not for the overthrowing: "Do not, through your own fault, allow that [discipline] to turn to your destruction, which God has appointed for salvation [eternal benefit]" (Calvin).
Verse 11, "Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you."
LGT "As for the rest, brethren, rejoice, be perfected, be encouraged, mind the same thing, be at peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you."
As for the rest: because of the harshness of the letter. Paul did not to leave them in a state of frustration, so he says, brethren, rejoice: be happy and of good cheer. Be perfected: continue growing in grace and the knowledge of the Truth. Paul wishes they would make the necessary corrections in their assembly in order that they may concentrate on the reason they meet together, and that is, to edify one another. Be encouraged: take the message of the Gospel of Grace to heart, and encourage one another with the blessed hope for the future. Mind the same thing: they had been distracted from doctrine by their splinter groups that caused discord among the fellowship of believers; now Paul says lay this all aside and concentrate on the things you are able to agree on, that is, the Word of God. Be at peace: stop all your useless anxiety and live peaceably with one another. And the God of love and peace will be with you: our God is not the Author of confusion. "There can be no more beautiful expression, and it is as true as it is beautiful, that God is a God of love and of peace. He is infinitely benevolent [compassionate]; He delights in exhibiting His love; and He delights in the love, which His people evince for each other. At the same time He is the Author of peace, and He delights in peace among men. When Christians love each other they have reason to expect that the God of love will be in fellowship with them" (Barnes - italics mine).
Verse 12, "Greet one another with a holy kiss."
LGT "Salute one another with a holy kiss."
"The practice was maintained chiefly at the celebration of the Eucharist [communion]. In the Apostolic Constitution it is enjoined that, before the communion, the clergy kiss the bishop, the laymen amongst each other, and so the women. This latter injunction grew out of the reproach of looseness of manners circulated by the heathen against the Christians. On Good Friday it was omitted in commemoration of Judas' kiss. In the West the practice survives among the Glassites or Sandemanians. In the Latin Church, after the end of the thirteenth century, there was substituted for it a piece of the altar furniture called a Pax (peace), which was given to the deacons with the words Peace to thee and the Church. In the East it is continued in the Coptic and Russian Churches" (Vincent). Today, in our Bible studies we greet one another with a handshake, or with close family members maybe a kiss or hug.
Verse 13, "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost. Be with you all. Amen."
LGT "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit [be] with you all."
Paul leaves them with this beautiful benediction, which includes the entire Trinity, which puts the seal of Divinity on this second letter. Paul could never have written these words without being inspired. This prayer of Paul's includes the facts that (1.) we were saved by grace through faith (2.) The love of God was shed abroad in our hearts (3.) We were placed in fellowship with the Holy Spirit, and He took up residence in our hearts, and now we can rest assured in this wonderful union. God bless you all!
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