2 Corinthians 2:7

Contextual Overview

⁵If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you, to some extent—not to put it too severely. ⁵ If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. ⁵That fellow you all know about sure caused a lot of trouble—not for me, but for you. ⁵ But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but in some degree—in order not to say too much—to all of you. ⁵But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but in some degree—in order not to say too much—to all of you. ⁵ But if anyone has been a cause of sorrow, he has been so, not to me only, but in some measure to all of you (I say this that I may not be over-hard on you). ⁵ But if any one has grieved, he has grieved, not me, but in part (that I may not overcharge [you]) all of you. ⁵ If anyone has caused pain, he has caused pain not so much to me but to some degree—not to exaggerate—to all of you. ⁵ But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow, not to me, but in part (that I not press too heavily) to you all. ⁵ And if any have caused grief, he hath grieved me but in part, that I may not overburden you all.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

ye: Galatians 6:1, Galatians 6:2, Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:13, 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 2 Thessalonians 3:14, 2 Thessalonians 3:15, Hebrews 12:12-15

swallowed: 2 Corinthians 5:4, 2 Samuel 20:19, 2 Samuel 20:20, Psalms 21:9, Psalms 56:1, Psalms 56:2, Psalms 57:3, Psalms 124:3, Proverbs 1:12, Isaiah 28:7, 1 Corinthians 15:54

overmuch: 2 Corinthians 7:10, Proverbs 17:22, Philippians 2:27, 1 Thessalonians 4:13

Reciprocal: Genesis 45:5 - be not grieved Leviticus 13:23 - General 2 Kings 6:33 - this evil is of the Lord Job 4:4 - upholden Proverbs 15:13 - by Proverbs 18:14 - but Isaiah 57:15 - to revive the spirit Matthew 12:20 - bruised Matthew 18:17 - tell Mark 16:7 - tell John 14:1 - not 1 Corinthians 5:5 - that 1 Corinthians 14:3 - comfort Colossians 4:8 - and comfort

Cross-References

Genesis 2:14
The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Asshur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

Genesis 2:14
The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Ashur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

Genesis 2:14
And the name of the third river is Tigris; it is the one that went east of Asshur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

Genesis 2:14
The name of the third river is Tigris; it flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

Genesis 2:14
The name of ye thirde ryuer is Hidekel, & it goeth toward the east side of Assiria: & the fourth ryuer is Euphrates.

Genesis 2:14
The name of the third river was Tigris. This river flowed east of Assyria. The fourth river was the Euphrates.

Genesis 2:14
And the name of the third river is Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

Genesis 2:14
forsothe the name of the thridde ryuer is Tigris, thilke goith ayens Assiriens; sotheli the fourthe ryuer is thilke Eufrates.

Genesis 2:14
And the name of the third riuer is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the East of Assyria: and the fourth riuer is Euphrates.

Genesis 2:14
And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him,.... On the other hand, so far the apostle suggests they should be from inflicting any other punishment on him, or by any means adding to, and increasing what was inflicted, that they ought to forgive him his offence, by taking off the censure from him, which had been sufficient for the purpose, and had continued on him a sufficient time:

and comfort him; by restoring him to the communion of the church, and to an enjoyment of all the privileges and ordinances of the house of God: and this was necessary to be done,

lest perhaps such an one should be swallowed up with over much sorrow: be overwhelmed with trouble, engulfed in despair, and so become unfit for the exercise of grace, and discharge of duty; to prevent therefore such dangerous and pernicious consequences, it is incumbent on the churches of Christ, as soon as ever they observe that censures have answered the end in bringing persons to a sense and acknowledgment of sin and amendment of life, to remove them, and restore such to fellowship.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

So that contrariwise - On the other hand: on the contrary. That is, instead of continuing the punishment. Since the punishment was sufficient, and has answered all the purpose of bearing your testimony against the offence, and of bringing him to repentance, you ought again to admit him to your communion.

Ye ought rather to forgive him - Rather than continue the pain and disgrace of excommunication. It follows from this:

1. That the proper time for restoring an offender is only when the punishment has answered the purpose for which it was designed; that is, has shown the just abhorrence of the church against the sin, and has reformed the offender; and,
2. That when that is done the church ought to forgive the offending brother, and admit him again to their fellowship.

When it can be ascertained that the punishment has been effectual in reforming him, may depend somewhat on the nature of the offence. In this case, it was sufficiently shown by his putting away his wife, and by the manifestations of sorrow. So in other cases, it may be shown by a man’s abandoning a course of sin, and reforming his life. If he has been unjust, by his repairing the evil; if he has been pursuing an unlawful business, by abandoning it; if he has pursued a course of, vice; by his forsaking it, and by giving satisfactory evidences of sorrow and of reformation, for a period sufficiently long to show his sincerity. The time which will be required in each case, must depend, of course, somewhat on the nature of the offence, the previous character of the individual, the temptations to which he may be exposed, and the disgrace which he may have brought on his Christian calling. It is to be observed, also, that then his restoration is to be regarded as an act of “forgiveness,” a favor (χαρίσασθαι charisasthai, that is, χαρις charis, favor, grace) on the part of the church. It is not a matter of justice, or of claim on his part for having once dishonored his calling, he has forfeited his right to a good standing among Christians; but it is a matter of favor, and he should be willing to humble himself before the church, and make suitable acknowledgment for his offences.

And comfort him - There is every reason to think that this man became a sincere penitent. If so, he must have been deeply pained at the remembrance of his sin, and the dishonor which he had brought on his profession, as well as at the consequences in which he had been involved. In this deep distress, Paul tells them that they ought to comfort him. They should receive him kindly, as God receives to his favor a penitent sinnor. They should not cast out his name as evil; they should not reproach him for his sins; they should not harrow up his recollection of the offence by often referring to it; they should be willing to bury it in lasting forgetfulness, and treat him now as a brother. It is a duty of a church to treat with kindness a true penitent, and receive him to their affectionate embrace. The offence should be forgiven and forgotten. The consolations of the gospel, adapted to the condition of penitents, should be freely administered; and all should be done that can be, to make the offender, when penitent, happy and useful in the community.

Lest perhaps such a one - Still forbearing to mention his name; still showing toward him the utmost tenderness and delicacy.

Should be swallowed up ... - Should be overcome with grief, and should be rendered incapable of usefulness by his excessive sorrow. This is a strong expression, denoting intensity of grief. We speak of a man’s being drowned in sorrow; or overwhelmed with grief; of grief preying upon him. The figure here is probably taken from deep waters, or from a whirlpool which seems to swallow up anything that comes within reach. Excessive grief or calamity, in the Scriptures, is often compared to such waters; see Psalms 124:2-5. “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side when men rose up against us, then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us; then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul; then the proud waters had gone over our soul;” see Psalms 69:1. “Save me, O God, for the waters are come into my soul.” Paul apprehended that by excessive grief, the offending brother would be destroyed. His life would waste away under the effect of his excommunication and disgrace, and the remembrance of his offence would prey upon him, and sink him to the grave.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Corinthians 2:7. Ye ought rather to forgive him — He had now suffered enough; for the punishment inflicted had answered the end for which it was inflicted; and there was some danger that, if this poor culprit were not restored to the bosom of the Church, his distress and anguish would destroy his life, or drive him to despair.