2 Corinthians 1:3

Blessed (euloghto). From old verb eulogew, to speak well of, but late verbal in LXX and Philo. Used of men in Genesis 24:31 , but only of God in N.T. as in Luke 1:68 and chiefly in Paul ( 2 Corinthians 11:31 ; Romans 1:25 ). Paul has no thanksgiving or prayer as in 1 Corinthians 1:4-9 , but he finds his basis for gratitude in God, not in them. The God and Father (o qeo kai pathr). So rightly, only one article with both substantives as in 2 Peter 1:1 . Paul gives the deity of Jesus Christ as our Lord (Kuriou), but he does not hesitate to use the language here as it occurs. See 1 Peter 1:3 ; Ephesians 1:3 where the language is identical with that here. The father of mercies (o pathr twn oiktirmwn) and God of all comfort (kai qeo pash paraklhsew). Paul adds an item to each word. He is the compassionate Father characterized by mercies (oiktirmwn, old word from oikteirw, to pity, and here in plural, emotions and acts of pity). He is the God of all comfort (paraklhsew, old word from parakalew, to call to one's side, common with Paul). Paul has already used it of God who gave eternal comfort ( 2 Thessalonians 2:16 ). The English word comfort is from the Latin confortis (brave together). The word used by Jesus of the Holy Spirit as the Comforter or Paraklete is this very word ( John 14:16 ; John 16:7 ). Paul makes rich use of the verb parakalew and the substantive paraklhsi in this passage ( John 3-7 ). He urges all sorrowing and troubled hearts to find strength in God.