![]() His chief reason for wanting to find Titus was to hear recent news from Corinth. His restless spirit drove him to Macedonia, with the plan of encountering Titus on the way. Presumably Paul and Titus had planned to meet 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. Kent: The reason for this restlessness was that Titus had not arrived at Troas. “I had no rest for my spirit, not finding Titus my brother but taking my leave of them, I went on to Macedonia.” (:13) A Troubled Spirit Must Always be Addressed 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.ī. 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. “Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ and when a door was opened for me in the Lord,” (:12) An Open Door is Not Always the Right Door (2:12-13) RECONCILIATION TAKES PRIORITY OVER MINISTRY OPPORTUNITY – THE PASTORAL HEART OF THE APOSTLE PAULĪ. 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. It has the idea of cheating someone out of something that belongs to them. 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). “In order that no advantage be taken of us by Satan for we are not ignorant of his schemes.” (:11) Satan Uses Bitterness to Drive a Wedge Between Believers 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.ī. “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.” (:10) Forgiveness Lies at the Heart of Christian Relationships (2:10-11) FORGIVENESS PROTECTS AGAINST BITTERNESS - THE EXAMPLE OF THE APOSTLE PAULĪ. “For to this end also I wrote that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things.” (:9) The Test of Forgiveness and Restoration = Test of Obedience “Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him.”Ĭ. (:8) The Exhortation to 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.”ī. (:7) The Need for Forgiveness and Restoration (2:7-9) FORGIVE AND RESTORE - INSTRUCTION REGARDING HOW TO FORGIVE AND REAFFIRM LOVEĪ. 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. 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. 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)īarclay: Punishment should encourage and not discourage. “Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority.” (:6) There Has Already Been Sufficient Punishment ![]() – 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 teamī. – older commentators assumed it was the person committing incest in 1 Cor. Who is the individual who had sinned, caused such sorrow, had repented and now was deserving of forgiveness and restoration? Let’s not compound the situation by adding sorrow upon sorrow. “but in some degree-in order not to say too much-to all of you.” Sin inevitably causes sorrow … whether repented of or notĢ. “But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me” (:5) There Has Already Been Sufficient Sorrow (difficult verse to exegete) ![]() (2:5-6) ENOUGH IS ENOUGH - WARNING AGAINST OVER-PUNISHINGĪ. THE GOAL OF CHURCH DISCIPLINE IS FORGIVENESS AND RESTORATION – NOT EXCESSIVE PUNISHMENT
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