2 Corinthians 1

2 Corinthians 1:1-24 . THE HEADING; PAUL'S CONSOLATIONS IN RECENT TRIALS IN ASIA; HIS SINCERITY TOWARDS THE CORINTHIANS; EXPLANATION OF HIS NOT HAVING VISITED THEM AS HE HAD PURPOSED.

1. Timothy our brother--When writing to Timothy himself, he calls him "my son" ( 1 Timothy 1:18 ). Writing of him, "brother," and "my beloved son" ( 1 Corinthians 4:17 ). He had been sent before to Macedonia, and had met Paul at Philippi, when the apostle passed over from Troas to Macedonia (compare 2 Corinthians 2:12 2 Corinthians 2:13 ;
in all Achaia--comprising Hellas and the Peloponnese. The Gentiles themselves, and Annæus Gallio, the proconsul ( Acts 18:12-16 ), strongly testified their disapproval of the accusation brought by the Jews against Paul. Hence, the apostle was enabled to labor in the whole province of Achaia with such success as to establish several churches there ( 1 Thessalonians 1:8 , 2 Thessalonians 1:4 ), where, writing from Corinth, he speaks of the "churches," namely, not only the Corinthian, but others also--Athens, Cenchrea, and, perhaps, Sicyon, Argos, &c. He addresses "the Church in Corinth," directly, and all "the saints" in the province, indirectly. In Galatians 1:2 all the "churches" are addressed directly in the same circular Epistle. Hence, here he does not say, all the churches, but "all the saints."

3. This thanksgiving for his late deliverance forms a suitable introduction for conciliating their favorable reception of his reasons for not having fulfilled his promise of visiting them ( 2 Corinthians 1:15-24 ).
Father of mercies--that is, the SOURCE of all mercies (compare 1:17 , Romans 12:1 ).
comfort--which flows from His "mercies" experienced. Like a true man of faith, he mentions "mercies" and "comfort," before he proceeds to speak of afflictions ( 2 Corinthians 1:4-6 ). The "tribulation" of believers is not inconsistent with God's mercy, and does not beget in them suspicion of it; nay, in the end they feel that He is "the God of ALL comfort," that is, who imparts the only true and perfect comfort in every instance ( Psalms 146:3 Psalms 146:5 Psalms 146:8 , 5:11 ).

4. us--idiomatic for me ( 1 Thessalonians 2:18 ).
that we may . . . comfort them which are in any trouble--Translate, as the Greek is the same as before, "tribulation." The apostle lived, not to himself, but to the Church; so, whatever graces God conferred on him, he considered granted not for himself alone, but that he might have the greater ability to help others [CALVIN]. So participation in all the afflictions of man peculiarly qualified Jesus to be man's comforter in all his various afflictions ( Isaiah 50:4-6 Hebrews 4:15 ).