2 Cor. 7:11. In everything you have shown yourselves to be pure in this matter.
You, he says, not only did not do anything such as the fornicator did, but you did not even show indulgence toward him. In the former epistle he said: "and you are puffed up" (1 Cor. 5:2), which made them partakers of the transgression; therefore here he says: now you have cleansed yourselves even from this suspicion, and have shown yourselves to be pure from reproach.
2 Cor. 7:12. So then, if I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the offender, nor for the sake of the offended, but that our care for you might be revealed to you before God.
Lest they should say to him: why then did you rebuke us, if we were clean of transgression? he says: I so respect what was previously written by me and do not repent of rebuking you, that I say: I wrote that so that my love for you and my care for you might be revealed "before God," that is, before God, who sees that this is just. I was afraid lest the infection should spread to you as well. Whom does he mean by "the one who did the wrong" and "the one who suffered the wrong"? The fornicators; because both he and she wronged each other. How then does he say that he wrote not for their sake? That is, although I wrote for their sake as well, it was not exclusively for their sake, but also for your sake, taking care that the whole community not be corrupted. So also when he says: "Does God take care of oxen?" (1 Cor. 9:9), he does not mean that God does not care for them; otherwise why were they created? but rather that God gave the law not primarily for the sake of oxen.
2 Cor. 7:13. Therefore we were comforted
I showed my care for you, and my hopes did not deceive me; therefore, he says, I was greatly comforted.
2 Cor. 7:13. your consolation; and still more were we gladdened by the joy of Titus,
Now to the consolation with which you consoled me, as I said, a great joy was added — the joy of Titus. And this joy and consolation is on your account and for your sake. Therefore he goes on to say.
2 Cor. 7:13. that you all set his spirit at rest.
2 Cor. 7:14. So I was not put to shame, if I boasted anything about you before him,
I, he says, rejoiced at this, that Titus found you to be such as I had described you to him in words. And he himself was comforted when he found you to be such and encountered nothing rude or unpleasant from you. And the fact that Paul boasts about his disciples shows that they were virtuous and that he was loving toward his children. Such should disciples and teachers be even now.
2 Cor. 7:14. But just as we spoke all truth to you, so also our boasting before Titus proved to be true,
As everything I preached to you was true (or, perhaps, he speaks of the praises he expressed about Titus), so also everything I boasted about you turned out to be true.
2 Cor. 7:15. And his heart is exceedingly affectionate toward you.
With these words he praises Titus, so that they too might come to love him, as one bound to him and ardently loving them. Therefore he also said: "his heart," in order to show the strength and fervor of his disposition and sincere love for them.
2 Cor. 7:15. At the remembrance of the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling.
He sets forth the reasons for Titus's such love for them, showing that they themselves gave occasion for such love, and at the same time urging them also to greater love. For you did not simply show love toward him or care for him, but also obedience, receiving him as children receive a father and at the same time as a superior — "with fear" and even "trembling." By this very thing he testifies to their twofold virtue: love, as toward a father, and fear, as toward a superior, so that in them neither did love weaken fear, nor did fear poison love.
2 Cor. 7:16. Therefore I rejoice that in everything I can have confidence in you.
I rejoice not only about Titus, that you honored him, but also that I find you to be such people – not shaming me, but giving me boldness to speak about you openly in every matter and at every time. And in another sense, "I can rely on you," because whether I do something for you or speak to you, you will readily accept it, whether it be necessary to rebuke or praise you for your correction, or to prescribe something difficult to you.