Chapter VII.
(Vers. 1.)
(Verse 1.) Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. It is clear what he is saying; however, the defilement of the flesh is understood in many ways. Therefore, he did not say, from the defilement of the flesh, but from all defilement; so that we may flee from all carnal vices; for everything that the law prohibits is carnal. In order to perfect holiness of the spirit in the fear of God. We perfect holiness in this way, if we follow the straight path in the fear of God; so that, abstaining from sins, we may be holy under the name of Christ. For those who seem to refrain from vices without professing Christ are sanctified according to the world, not according to the spirit of God; because those who are faithful are worldly in the eyes of God. But the rest, whatever they may be, are unclean. For whatever is without Christ is unclean, as it says in the letter to Titus: 'To the unbelieving, nothing is clean; their mind and conscience are defiled.'
(Vers. 2.)
(Verse 2) Be aware of us. We have harmed no one, we have burdened no one, we have deceived no one. He wants them to consider what he says, so that they may realize that what he speaks is true. And disregarding those whom he touches, they should redirect their attention to those whom they see truly loving them. For they were false apostles who not only harmed them but also corrupted their senses and burdened their pockets with the deceitful cunning of the serpent.
(Vers. 3.)
(Version 3.) I do not say this to condemn you. That is, I do not reject you, but I warn you in order to correct you; for the one who condemns someone does not forgive them. I have already told you that you are in our hearts to live and to die together. From what has been said, he wants to know them, to understand what attitude he should have towards them. For those whom he wants to have as partners in present sufferings for Christ and in the future life, he does not reject them, but encourages them to make themselves worthy of participation.
(Vers. 4.)
(Version 4.) I have much confidence in you, I have much boasting about you: I am filled with consolation, I abound with joy in all our affliction. This confidence is due to the correction of the first letter, which they did not receive harshly, but gave me confidence that they were willing to be admonished; for they seemed to want to correct themselves, which is a reason for boasting. He also declares his own spirit consoled by this, to the extent that he testifies to abound with joy in all our affliction; for he sees hope in those for whom he suffers tribulations, and rejoices when he is troubled; certain that he will receive the reward from God for their acquired salvation.
(Vers. 5.)
(Verse 5.) Indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our flesh had no rest. He recounts the pressures and persecutions that believers endured, in order to provoke them to greater love. Our flesh had no rest, he says, so that they would have compassion on them, knowing that they were surrendering their lives for the salvation of the faithful, even to death. For before one tribulation and physical injury was digested, another came; so that there would be no rest for the patient. But since all flesh is devoid of understanding, therefore not having or obtaining any rest in this passion signifies: however, the soul, although it was suffering in the body; it still had rest in this aspect, in which it hopes for the reward that God will give for these tribulations inflicted by the faithless. Finally, in the very midst of affliction, they were singing hymns to God.
(Acts 16:9 et seq.) But we were afflicted in all things. According to the story, when the Lord called, they entered into Macedonia: and when many had believed, and Lydia, a woman who believed with all her household, had found consolation, it happened that a spirit of divination, that is, a python, went out of a certain girl, whom her masters seeing well that they had lost the hope of their gain, caught Paul and Silas, and brought them into the marketplace to the rulers: who having laid many stripes upon them, cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them diligently. And when he had received such a charge, he thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. This is the affliction that they suffered in Macedonia. And hence it is said: Our flesh had no rest.
Outside the battle, inside the fears. The battles were for the body, while it was being beaten: the fears were for the mind. For there is fear there where there is understanding: but fear was here because of those who believed, lest they be scandalized by his suffering. For what did he have to fear who was suffering? Furthermore, when he says in the Acts of the Apostles, not only to be bound, but also to be ready to die for the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 21:13). Therefore, it seems that he signified the whole person as afflicted in the flesh, so that in part the spirit, which is given to man, may remain, since it is impassible, it is not to be understood to have been able to be afflicted: but that the whole person may be said to be afflicted in the flesh, in part indeed impassible in spirit. It can also be understood in this way, that outside of battles, that is, in public, the treacherous ones would act against the faithful ones, while filled with rage, resisting the truth: the news of which would generate fear inside, where the Apostle was. For what man would not fear difficulties? But because he was more inclined to God's matters, he overcame this fear with hope.
(Vers. 6.)
(Verse 6.) But God, who comforts the humble, comforted us by the coming of Titus. For God is not forgetful of his own, but always gives them comfort in tribulation. He hastened the coming of Titus, so that he would be a relief to those who were weary. For great is the consolation of the patient, if he has someone who sympathizes with him.
(Vers. 7.)
(Verse 7.) And not only in his coming, he says, but also in the consolation by which he himself was consoled among you. He adds more to the consolation; because he heard from Titus the prompt willingness of their conversion, to the extent that Titus, who was sorrowful for their disobedience, received consolation from their repentance. The Apostle shows the extent of his affection towards them, that he did not consider the lowest depths of the prison, nor the pain of wounds from a torn body, nor the nerves by which his feet were bound, but upon hearing of their correction, he rejoiced, and forgetting his own sufferings, he gave thanks to God for their salvation, considering it as if it were a recompense for his tribulations. Announcing to us your desire. Titus announced that he desired to correct himself; those who are learning what has been promised to those who live well are motivated by a desire for these things. Your weeping. They were overcome with weeping, sorrowful because they have sinned, and they can offer no excuse; hence the Apostle boasts in these things. Your zeal for me; those who are learning the love of the Apostle for themselves have begun to defend him against adversaries.
(Vers. 8.)
(Ch. 8.) So that I might rejoice more; hence, although I saddened you in the letter, I do not regret it. It is clear that I should not regret this matter, which had such an effect; since he rebuked their errors more severely in the first letter. No, he says, I do not regret having written too harshly; because the situation demanded it.
(Vers. 9.)
(Verse 9.) And if he felt sorry, I see that although that letter, even though it saddened you for a while, now I rejoice. He says this, because if I were sorry, he says, out of love; because I saddened you, consolation would follow joy; it was advantageous that I saddened you. Not because you were saddened, but because you were saddened to repentance; for you were saddened according to God. Therefore, he says that he rejoiced; because they were saddened with shame, not with anger. For anyone who feels shame, they promise to correct themselves; but anyone who gets angry shows that they will become worse. So that you may not suffer any harm from us. So that all our actions have an effect on you, even the ones that have saddened you, are for your benefit.
(Vers. 10.)
(Verse 10) For the sorrow that is according to God works a stable repentance unto salvation. It is clear that whoever is sorrowful because they have sinned, is sorrowful according to God; for they are grieved because they have done what God hates. This pertains to the stability of salvation. However, the sorrow of this world brings about death. This means, just as sorrow according to God works life, for they have repented and hope for God's mercy; so sorrow according to the world works death. For a detected sinner, he is sad as if he is to be punished, not having anyone to hope for mercy from; and if by chance there is currently no one to take revenge, he will not be able to escape the judgment of God.
(Vers. 11.)
(Verse 11) For behold, this very thing, according to God, causes great concern in you. Indeed, it is true that one who repents is anxious lest they sin again. But excuse. It is right, for penitence has no excuse, but confession. But fear. It shows fear in the sinner who seeks forgiveness for their offense. But desire. One desires to be reformed, who knows themselves to be deformed by sin. But emulation. Zeal begins to endure the completion of good works, which he understands to be for himself, that for which he is rebuked. But revenge. It is necessary for one to avenge him, who feels affection towards himself: and he avenges himself, who afflicts himself as the cause of the offense. In all things, you have shown yourselves chaste in that matter. When all things that pertain to the progress of a better hope seem to be meditated upon, having zeal as the Apostles and their teacher in all the duties of human behavior, they strive to appear upright, guided by faith.
(Vers. 12.)
(Verse 12) Therefore, even if I wrote to you, it was not because of the one who acted wickedly. By 'acting wickedly,' I mean the one who committed incest. It also applies to those who committed injustice and fraud against their brothers, as mentioned in the first letter. But it was not because of the one who was treated unjustly (I Corinthians VI, 7). They were treated unjustly because they suffered the opposite of what they did to their brothers. This is the meaning mentioned in the beginning of the letter, where it says: 'If you have given anything to anyone, so have I' (II Corinthians II, 10). For he shows that the reason why those who have sinned write that they ought to be forgiven by them, is not merely for their own sake, but rather for the sake of the Church; for when one member acts improperly, many are confused, and when one member suffers insult or harm, many are indignant; for if one part suffers, all the members suffer with it. But in order to demonstrate our concern, which we have for you before God. By correcting the unjust and sanctifying the polluted, and reconciling them to the Church, he shows that he has the concern for the whole people, as I mentioned above.
(Vers. 13.)
(Verse 13.) Therefore, we have also received consolation. He says that he received, and through this, gives consolation. But he received it when he learned to correct himself, those whom he was arguing with, so that they would reform themselves through repentance. And he gives it while calling them back to the Church, so that they would not remain sorrowful for long, despairing of themselves and turning to a public and destructive way of life. But in our consolation, we rejoiced more and more over the joy of Titus, because his spirit has found rest in all of you. Having heard that they wanted to correct themselves through the first letter, he received consolation. But upon learning from Titus that they were suffering from the pain of their mistake, he was increased in consolation, filled with joy; because the work he had begun to be desired by them began to be approved, with Titus as a suitable witness, joyfully reporting it.
(Vers. 14.)
(Verse 14) For in whatever matter I have boasted to any of you, I have not been put to shame. Before Titus came to the Corinthians, he heard from them, that is, from the Apostle and those who were with him, that the Corinthians had a good intention in correcting their vices; and when Titus returned and reported the same, the Apostle was not at all put to shame, but rather became eager; because Titus found nothing different from what he had heard from them.
But just as we have spoken everything to you in truth, so also our boasting to Titus has become truth. Rejoicing in the spirit, the Apostle writes this, rejoicing in these things so that he may prove the effectiveness of them as true as his preaching, only for their correction. For the truth of the one who rebukes seems to be made evident in the very act, if those who are rebuked begin to amend themselves; for when they are corrected, they bear witness to the rebuker.
(Vers. 15.)
(Verse 15.) And his affections are more abundantly for you. He says that the mind and affection of Titus are in them, because he has seen their progress; for a holy mind is in all good. Remembering the obedience of all of you, how with fear and trembling you received him. The Corinthians, knowing that Titus was sent to them by the Apostle, were terrified at his arrival, for they had already been rebuked by him for their great vices. And because they had begun to reform their lives, they were anxious to listen to his instructions; so that when he returned, the Apostle could help calm their minds: therefore, he indicates that he praised Titus, for they respected him as an Apostle in Titus.
(Vers. 16.)
(Verse 16.) I am glad that I trust in you in all things. Not only was he delighted in their good will, but also in their good works, by which they corrected what they had sinned. Therefore, in all things, he says, I trust in you.