2 Corinthians 2

2 Corinthians 2:1-17 . REASON WHY HE HAD NOT VISITED THEM ON HIS WAY TO MACEDONIA; THE INCESTUOUS PERSON OUGHT NOW TO BE FORGIVEN; HIS ANXIETY TO HEAR TIDINGS OF THEIR STATE FROM TITUS, AND HIS JOY WHEN AT LAST THE GOOD NEWS REACHES HIM.

1. with myself--in contrast to "you" ( 2 Corinthians 1:23 ). The same antithesis between Paul and them appears in 2 Corinthians 2:2 .
not come again . . . in heaviness--"sorrow"; implying that he had already paid them one visit in sorrow since his coming for the first time to Corinth. At that visit he had warned them "he would not spare if he should come again" 2 Corinthians 12:14 , 13:1 ). to the first Epistle. The "in heaviness" implies mutual pain; they grieving him, and he them. Compare 2 Corinthians 2:2 , "I make you sorry," and 2 Corinthians 2:5 , "If any have caused grief (sorrow)." In this verse he accounts for having postponed his visit, following up 2 Corinthians 1:23 .

2. For--proof that he shrinks from causing them sorrow ("heaviness").
if I--The "I" is emphatic. Some detractor may say that this ( 2 Corinthians 2:1 ) is not my reason for not coming as I proposed; since I showed no scruple in causing "heaviness," or sorrow, in my Epistle (the first Epistle to the Corinthians). But I answer, If I be the one to cause you sorrow, it is not that I have any pleasure in doing so. Nay, my object was that he "who was made sorry by me" (namely, the Corinthians in general, 2 Corinthians 2:3 ; but with tacit reference to the incestuous person in particular) should repent, and so "make me glad," as has actually taken place; "for . . . who is he then that?" &c.

3. I wrote this same unto you--namely, that I would not come to you then ( 2 Corinthians 2:1 ), as, if I were to come then, it would have to be "in heaviness" (causing sorrow both to him and them, owing to their impenitent state). He refers to the first Epistle (compare 1 Corinthians 16:7 ; compare 1 Corinthians 4:19 1 Corinthians 4:21 , 1 Corinthians 5:2-7 1 Corinthians 5:13 ).
sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice--that is, sorrow from their impenitence, when he ought, on the contrary, to have joy from their penitent obedience. The latter happy effect was produced by his first Epistle, whereas the former would have been the result, had he then visited them as he had originally proposed.
having confidence . . . that my joy is the joy of you all--trusting that you, too, would feel that there was sufficient reason for the postponement, if it interfered with our mutual joy [ALFORD]. The communion of saints, he feels confident in them "ALL" (his charity overlooking, for the moment the small section of his detractors at Corinth, 1 Corinthians 13:7 ), will make his joy ( 2 Corinthians 2:2 ) their joy.