Chapter II.
(Vers. 1.)
(Verse 1.) However, I decided this within myself, so that I would not come to you again in sorrow. It is clear that he did not want to come, lest by rebuking a few, he might sadden many, being saddened himself; for all the members sympathize with one another's sorrow.
(Vers. 2.)
(Verse 2.) For if I cause you sorrow, who is there to make me glad except the one who is made sorrowful by me? This is said because he does not want to cause them sorrow, but because they had striven with sins, it was necessary for them to be made sorrowful, even against the Apostle's will; in such a way, however, that having become obedient afterwards, they would make glad those who were made sorrowful along with them, so that the one who had made them sorrowful by admonishing them would then be made glad by them while they are being corrected.
(Vers. 3.)
(Verse 3.) Therefore, I also wrote this very thing, so that when I came, I would not have sorrow from those whom I ought to rejoice, having confidence that my joy is the joy of all of you. Therefore, he says that he wrote these things so that when he comes later, there would be no reason for him to be saddened, with vices having been removed, but he would rejoice with them as if with beloved children, so that because he was afflicted by unbelieving tribulations, he would certainly rejoice with those who had believed. For the joy of the Apostles is the purification of the people; therefore they rejoice, because there is no condemnation in those who must rejoice together.
(Vers. 4.)
(Verse 4) For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not to cause you sorrow but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you. It is evident that when someone rebukes another out of this affection, they suffer more for that person's sins; they do not rebuke them in order to cause them sorrow, but to show them how much they love them. For the one who rebukes without this affection only causes sadness to their brother; indeed, they insult him who does not grieve for his brother.
(Vers. 5.)
(Verse 5.) But if anyone has caused me grief, he has not grieved me, but in a measure, so that I may not burden you all. All those whom he mentions here in part are holy; for there are two parts in the people, as I have mentioned in the previous letter. Therefore, these are in part the holy ones, whom he signifies as being saddened by the error of their brother, just as he is himself. By saying this, he burdens the sinner, or the one who has sinned. For the one in whose fault many are troubled is more guilty: and by this he says:
(Vers. 6, 7.)
(Verse 6, 7.) It is enough for him who is such, this reproach, which is done by many. He will surely suffer great pain, who sees his fault disgust many. So in order to give more, and console; lest he who is of such a kind be absorbed by greater sadness. The advice is to help a troubled man for the sake of his own sin; because repentance, if it is from a true heart, that is, if he immediately feels pain when admonished, at once, it bears fruit. Finally, in the Book of Kings, it is stated that when the prophet accused Ahab, he was immediately moved and deserved forgiveness (3 Kings 2:20). And David, in the case of Uriah the Hittite, was rebuked because he recognized that he had sinned, and his sin was forgiven (2 Kings 12:13). Likewise, the Apostle ordered that he who had committed incest, having his father's wife, be reproved and rejected, but also called to repentance; so that, not seeing himself rejected for long, despairing of himself, he would give his mind to enjoying the world, as if he no longer had a place before God. For to be swallowed up in greater sorrow, to despair of oneself, to turn to the admission of sins, by which one burdened is swallowed up by the second death. For this is true repentance, to cease from sin; for thus one proves oneself to grieve for oneself, if one should cease from now on.
(Vers. 8, 9.)
(Vers. 8, 9.) Therefore, I urge you to confirm your love for him; for this is why I wrote, to test whether you are obedient in everything. As it is evident, they have proven themselves obedient in all other matters, especially those concerning ecclesiastical order. Therefore, they should also be obedient in this, to affirm their brother in love and welcome him into communion.
(Vers. 10.)
(Verse 10). But if you have given anything to anyone, so have I. It is clear that he who commands it to be done, himself does it; nor can he refuse what he himself also begs to be done, as he writes, since he had the power to command. But in his first letter he brought a serious charge against him, so that everyone would be horrified by him; now when he wants to receive him, he prays that it would not be too harsh for them to have communion with him while his mind is still inflamed against him. For they did not have as much foresight as the Apostle did; so that they would immediately understand that what the Apostle said must be done in this particular case: therefore he beseeches them to forgive him, indicating that God had also forgiven him; because the Apostle was doing nothing without the Spirit of God. Indeed, what I have given, if I have given anything, I have given for your sake in the person of Christ. Saying this burdens them; for if the master, when asked by the disciples, gave to whom they wanted, it was a sin; how much more should the disciples obey the master? And in order to show that what he had given was ratified by God, he said that he had given in the person of Christ what he had given: that is, he said that he had carried out the mission of Christ, by accepting it; so that the action of the Apostle might be the action of Christ, as he said: 'Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven' (Matthew 18:18). If therefore Christ forgave this person for whom they sought through the Apostle, how much more was he already unknown to whom he himself also exhorts to give?
(Vers. 11.)
(Verse 11) Let us not be possessed by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his cunning. This says what I mentioned above, that consolation should follow a brother who is weeping for his sin; so that he may not be sorrowful for long, and be despised by the love of the Church, and begin to despair of himself, and seeing that the subtle devil is always lying in wait, may his mind be made vile, approach, and suggest to him; so that he may enjoy what is present, who has been cast down from hope of future reward; and may the brother possessed by the devil perish, to whom this opportunity for repentance was given, so that he might turn and reform himself, as the prophet Ezekiel says: I do not want the death of the one dying, but rather that he should turn back and live (Ezekiel 18:23). And again: 'Convertatur, inquit, et replantabo illos' (Ibid., 6).
(Vers. 12, 13.)
(Verses 12, 13.) But when I came to Troas for the sake of the Gospel of Christ, and a door was opened for me in the Lord, I had no rest for my spirit, because I did not find my brother Titus. So, saying goodbye to them, I went on to Macedonia. The fact that he had gone to Troas indicates that he went there to preach the Gospel of Christ to them, and when he began to preach, there were those who accepted the word of faith. But because Titus was not there to comfort him, the labor was unbearable due to the incessant noise. For although some of them had opened their hearts to receive the word of God, yet the impudence of the unbelievers was not insignificant, rising up against the Apostle with the zeal of the believers; and these two things could not be fulfilled by one person, namely, to instruct the faithful and to contradict the unbelievers. Therefore, bidding farewell to those who had accepted him, he set out for Macedonia.
(Vers. 14.)
(Verse 14.) But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ Jesus. This is God triumphant through the apostles in Christ, making them victorious in the faith of Christ, so that faith may have a triumph over perfidy, while the unfaithful become believers and the malicious do not succeed in pursuing the faithful.
(Vers. 15.)
(Verse 15) And to manifest the fragrance of his knowledge through us in every place. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. The fragrance of the knowledge of God is in Christ, and it is through Christ. He said 'fragrance' because just as certain things, which cannot be seen, are known by their smell, and you understand that they are present in a place even though you cannot see them, so too God, because he is invisible, wanted to be understood through Christ. And the preaching of Christ (which, like a scent, reaches not only the nostrils but also the ears) hinted at God the Father as the creator and his only-begotten Son. The apostles, acting as ambassadors of this matter (as the Lord says to God, the Son to the Father: As you sent me into this world, so I send them into this world) manifest the fragrance of the knowledge of God and Christ through signs and wonders. The preaching of these things as true about God and Christ is proven by the testimony of power: which is why it is signified by fragrance, because while God is not seen, it is understood to be in the apostles through this invisible working, so that the truth of the doctrine may be made manifest. Therefore, he who rightly affirms Christ is a good odor to God, worthy of praise in those who believe and not to be blamed in those who do not believe. But he who wrongly affirms Christ is a bad odor to God, both in those who are faithful and in those who doubt; for he will be guilty in both cases. For he who doubts appears not to believe, because he finds fault with what he hears; and he who believes, believes wrongly. Therefore, the Apostle spoke of the reason of the Law, that just as in the Law he who offered sacrifices with good intentions was a good odor to God and acceptable, so now the power of preaching and the doctrine gives off a burning odor to God. For this reason, God provided the apostles with his help, so that they could impart the words of his knowledge to open ears, whether to Jews or Gentiles, along with the sacrament of the birth of the Lord Jesus according to the will of God and his Father, in the unity of saving faith, for the salvation of believers and the condemnation of the unbelievers.
(Vers. 16.)
(Verse 16.) To some indeed we are the odor of death unto death. He says this because to the unbelievers the preaching of the cross of Christ is an odor of death; for when they hear the word of God, they receive it as if it were a pestilence, from which death arises: and it must necessarily happen to them according to their faith. But to others the odor of life unto life. It is true, because to the faithful the hearing of God's word is the messenger of eternal salvation, and it will happen to them according to their faith. Therefore, whether in those who perish or in those who are saved, the apostles were a good odor of Christ to God; because they preached sincerely and without flattery. For those who did not believe, they themselves laid a snare for themselves and their children, as the Lord says to the prophet Ezekiel: You preach, if they listen to you, you will gain their souls; but if not, they themselves will see it; however, you will be saved from their destruction (Ezek. III, 19).
(Vers. 17.)
(Verse 17.) And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, as from God, we speak in Christ before God. Here the verse touches upon false apostles who adulterated the word of God with corrupt teaching and a wicked interpretation, removing the divine meaning and replacing it with human ideas. Among them were those who zealously held to Jewish traditions and did not teach about Christ properly. Therefore, he says that these people are not worthy. But the apostles preached sincerely, as it was given to them by God, in front of God, that is, just as God gave it, with God himself as a witness, they spoke in Christ, not seeking their own glory, but the glory of God. This is to speak in Christ, to proclaim his honor and power.