20 Comforting the Sorrowful Pastor

(2 Corinthians 7:5–16)

For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within. But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus; and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced even more. For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it—for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while—I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything

NOTE: Second Corinthians 7:2–4 is covered in chapter 18.

you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter. So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the offender nor for the sake of the one offended, but that your earnestness on our behalf might be made known to you in the sight of God. For this reason we have been comforted. And besides our comfort, we rejoiced even much more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I was not put to shame; but as we spoke all things to you in truth, so also our boasting before Titus proved to be the truth. His affection abounds all the more toward you, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling. I rejoice that in everything I have confidence in you. (7:5–16)

There are few things in life more painful than broken relationships. Shattered marriages, wayward children, and disrupted friendships produce intense suffering and deep sorrow. When those broken relationships involve fellow believers, the pain is even more severe. Watching believers suffer the consequences of their sinful conduct compounds the grief from the breaking of the relationship.

Though richly rewarding in many ways, the ministry is arduous. To properly interpret the Word of God, understand theology, edify believers, and refute those in error requires diligent, hard labor. Proving to be an example to the flock, developing and training leaders, admonishing the unruly, encouraging the fainthearted, and helping the weak (1 Thess. 5:14) all take their toll. But the most painful aspect of ministry involves difficult relationships between the sheep and the shepherds. All pastors know the hurt that comes when those in whom they have invested the most return the least.

As he penned this epistle, Paul nursed a broken heart over the church he loved and served. He was under severe external pressure, experiencing afflictions (1:4, 6, 8) and suffering (1:5, 7) to the point that he “despaired even of life” (1:8), “had the sentence of death within [himself]” (1:9), and needed to be “delivered … from so great a peril of death” (1:10). In 4:8–12 he described himself as

afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death works in us, but life in you.

In 6:4–10 Paul again spoke of the suffering he endured:

In everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true; as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death, as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.

Chapter 11 records perhaps the most well-known description of the apostle’s trials:

Are they servants of Christ?—I speak as if insane—I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. (11:23–27)

In short, Paul’s life was fraught with “weaknesses … insults … distresses … persecutions [and] difficulties” (12:10).

But what really broke Paul’s heart was not what the world did to him but what the church did to him. In 11:28, after listing the trials he had endured, Paul wrote, “Apart from [of a completely different nature] such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches.” And none caused him more trouble than the church in Corinth. The church in which he had invested nearly two years of his life had repaid him with disloyalty. They had allowed false teachers to come into their assembly and attack Paul’s character and ministry. Even worse, some of the Corinthians believed their lies and joined in a mutiny against him. One of them had apparently verbally assaulted and abused Paul (cf. 2:5–8, 10) during the apostle’s painful, sorrowful visit to Corinth. That the majority in the church had not defended him from those attacks wounded Paul deeply. The visit was so discouraging that he did not want to return to Corinth and expose himself to more pain (2:1). As a result of the visit, he had written a sternly worded letter, rebuking the Corinthians for their disaffection, disloyalty, and lack of love toward him. Writing that letter was extremely painful for Paul, as he noted in 2:4: “For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears.”

Paul sent the letter to Corinth with Titus, his beloved son in the faith (Titus 1:4), who was also to bring the Corinthians’ response back to him. The apostle left Ephesus (where he had written the severe letter) and went to Troas (a seaport on the west coast of Asia Minor), where he hoped to rendezvous with Titus. But Paul was so anxious about the situation in Corinth that he could not minister in Troas (2 Cor. 2:13), even though the Lord opened a door for him there (2:12). Restless, unable to wait any longer, the apostle set off for Macedonia, anxious to meet Titus sooner and find out the Corinthians’ response to the severe letter (2:13).

At that point (2:13) the narrative broke off, and Paul entered into a prolonged digression about his ministry (2:14–7:4). Here, in 7:5, the apostle returned to the events that followed the sending of the severe letter. When he came into Macedonia from Troas in search of Titus, his flesh had no rest (cf. 2:13). Nothing changed; he had no relief from his concern over the situation at Corinth. In fact, he had new concerns. What if the severe letter had made things worse? Was the breach with the Corinthians now irreparable? How would they treat Titus? Corinth, as Paul well knew, could be a hostile environment for a lonely preacher; would the church leave Titus to fend for himself? Lack of relief from the heavy burden of grief and concern Paul bore sapped the joy of his ministry. His experience reflected the truth of Proverbs 13:12, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.”

Instead of the relief he hoped for, Paul found himself afflicted on every side. He described that affliction first as conflicts without. Machē (conflicts) literally means, “fights,” or “strife” and appears to be the source of the word machaira (“sword”). It describes serious quarrels (2 Tim. 2:23), disputes (Titus 3:9), and conflicts (James 4:1). It likely refers to those in Macedonia who wanted to get rid of Paul. They would have remembered him as the troublemaker who sparked a riot in Philippi, was miraculously released from jail by an earthquake, and then humiliated the city’s magistrates by demanding a public apology for being wrong fully imprisoned (Acts 16:16–40). Certainly, they would not have welcomed Paul back into their territory but would have applied great pressure on him to leave.

As he anxiously awaited Titus, Paul was also beset by fears within. Phobos (fears), the source of the English word phobia, describes Paul’s intense anxiety over the situation in the church at Corinth. The external and internal pressures he faced troubled him to the point that he became depressed. Tapeinos (depressed) refers to those who are down cast, downhearted, and down-and-out, whose very condition elicits compassion (cf. Rom. 12:16). But those are precisely the people whom God comforts. In contrast to the cruel gods of paganism, God is by nature a comforter; He is the “God of all comfort” (2 Cor. 1:3; cf. Isa. 49:13; 2 Thess. 2:16).

The narrative does not end with Paul being depressed. God, who comforts the depressed, comforted him by the coming of Titus. This is, therefore, a passage about joy, not depression. In fact, comfort is mentioned six times in these verses and joy or rejoicing five times. In this section God comforts the anxious, grieving pastor and restores his joy.

The coming of Titus brought the joy to Paul’s heart. The apostle rejoiced that he was safe and in the renewal of their fellowship. However, it was not only Titus’s presence that comforted Paul but also the report that he brought about the situation at Corinth. There were still unresolved problems (which Paul addressed in chapters 10–13). But the majority of the Corinthian believers had repented and reaffirmed their loyalty to the apostle and the truth he taught, which brought him immense relief.

This very personal section offers profound insights into restoring broken relationships. It lists seven indicators of a genuine desire for real restoration: loyalty, repentance, purity, spirituality, unity, obedience, and trust. And though the context is the relationship between a pastor and his people, these principles are vital for restoring any broken relationship.

LOYALTY

and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced even more. (7:7)

As noted above, Titus’s return comforted Paul. But the apostle was not only comforted by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by the Corinthians. Titus shared Paul’s concern over the Corinthians’ defection and no doubt viewed his mission to Corinth with some anxiety, not knowing what to expect. But the Corinthians had brought him comfort and joy by their repentant attitude. They had responded properly to the severe letter.

Specifically, Titus reported three characteristics of the Corinthians’ response that revealed their loyalty to Paul: longing, mourning, and zeal. Together they define loyalty—a word that is fast disappearing from the contemporary vocabulary. In a postmodern society where self-centered narcissism reigns supreme, loyalty is seen not as an asset but as a liability. But loyalty is the most desirable virtue in any human relationship. On the other hand, disloyalty devastates a relationship.

The Corinthians’ response to the severe letter was not one of grudging acceptance of Paul’s apostolic authority. Instead, it was one of longing and yearning to see him and have their relationship with him restored. Paul wrote the severe letter “out of much affliction and anguish of heart … with many tears” (2:4). Realizing that their sin had caused him pain and sorrow, the Corinthians responded by mourning. They grieved over the breach in their relationship with Paul and deeply regretted their disloyalty to him. They also expressed zeal, both to restore their relationship with the apostle and to defend him from further attacks. Zeal is a combination of two equally strong emotions: love and hate. It produces a strong love that hates anything that would harm its object. The Lord Jesus Christ expressed both aspects of zeal when He cleansed the temple; it was His passionate love for His Father’s house that caused Him to hate the terrible iniquity that desecrated it (John 2:13–17; cf. Ps. 69:9). The Corinthians’ loyalty to Paul encouraged the apostle so much that he rejoiced even more than he did at Titus’s return.

REPENTANCE

For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it—for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while—I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. (7:8–10)

The Corinthians not only responded correctly to Paul but also to God. They reaffirmed their loyalty to the apostle and acknowledged their disloyalty to him as a sin against God. That recognition is essential to restoring broken relationships.

Paul knew that he had caused the Corinthians sorrow by the strongly confrontational letter he had sent them (2:4). And, as his parenthetical statement I do not regret it; though I did regret it reveals, he did experience temporary remorse over writing that letter. While he anxiously waited for Titus to return with the Corinthians’ response, the apostle worried that the letter might have only made things worse. That letter had in fact caused them sorrow, though only for a while. The Greek text reads “for an hour,” a metaphor for a brief period of time. The pleasure of sin is brief while the sorrow it produces lasts; the sorrow of repentance is brief, while the joy it produces lasts.

Sometimes confronting sin requires going beyond what love and compassion might be comfortable with. But it is necessary to do so, because sin is a deadly killer. Paul was not an abusive, harsh disciplinarian but a reluctant one, and he took no joy in causing even temporary sorrow to the Corinthians. He was like a father who has mixed feelings about disciplining a beloved child. But what motivated him to write the severe letter was his love for them and the truth, and his fear of the consequences of their sin. Despite his temporary regret, Paul knew that rebuking the Corinthians’ sin had to be done.

There are times in the ministry when strong, confrontational words are necessary. Sin crouches at the door; false teachers are everywhere, and Satan constantly seeks to destroy the work of God. The faithful pastor must not shrink from calling his people to obedience to Scripture. That obedience presupposes true repentance, which can only come about when there is sorrow over sin. Therefore, Paul could rejoice, not that the Corinthians were made sorrowful, but that they were made sorrowful to the point of repentance. His regret vanished when he saw the results of the sorrow.

The Corinthians’ remorse was not the sorrow of self-pity, of getting caught, of despair, bitterness, wounded pride, or manipulative remorse. Their sorrow led to repentance (metanoia; a change of heart and life; a turning from sin to holiness), which produced genuine change. They were not defensive; they did not view themselves as victims or seek to justify their sinful behavior. Their sorrow was according to the will of God; it was the healing, transforming sorrow for sin that God intended for them to feel, because it produces repentance.

The Corinthians’ repentance comforted Paul; he was relieved that they might not suffer the loss of anything available through him and his ministry companions. There were many blessings God could pour out on the Corinthians through his ministry. Had they remained alienated from him, they would have forfeited those blessings. The phrase suffer loss also appears in 1 Corinthians 3:15, where it refers to the future judgment of believers’ works. The loss of blessings from Paul’s ministry would have resulted in the Corinthians accumulating valueless “wood, hay, [and] straw,” fit only to be burned (1 Cor. 3:12). Paul’s selfless love made him anxious not only that the Corinthians might experience God’s chastening and lose their present blessings, but also that they might forfeit their future rewards (cf. 2 John 8). His concern was not for his loss, but theirs.

No one who truly repents will ever regret it or the sorrow that led to it, because the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret. The Corinthians’ repentance marked them as genuine believers, in the sphere of salvation. It involved turning from sin to God (1 Thess. 1:9). True biblical repentance is not psychological, emotional human remorse, seeking merely to relieve stress and improve one’s circumstances. Though it inevitably produces the fruit of a changed life (cf. Matt. 3:8; Luke 3:8; Acts 26:20), it is not behavioral, but spiritual. The sorrow of the world—remorse, wounded pride, self-pity, unfulfilled hopes—has no healing power, no transforming, saving, or redeeming capability. It produces guilt, shame, resentment, anguish, despair, depression, hopelessness, even, as in the case of Judas (Matt. 27:3–5), death.

This passage is incompatible with the teaching that repentance is not necessary for salvation. The progression it reveals is obvious: confrontation of sin leads to sorrow, which leads to repentance, which leads to salvation. Nor will this passage allow repentance to be defined as merely changing one’s mind about who Jesus is. The text inextricably connects repentance with sorrow over sin. Repentance is not, of course, a meritorious human work that earns salvation. Like every aspect of salvation, repentance is a gracious work of God in the human heart (Acts 5:31; 11:18; 2 Tim. 2:25). (For a discussion of the necessity of repentance for salvation, see John MacArthur, The Gospel According to Jesus, rev. ed. [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994], and The Gospel According to the Apostles [Nashville: Word, 2000.)

PURITY

For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter. (7:11)

To Paul’s great relief and joy, the Corinthians demonstrated themselves to be innocent in the matter. Hagnos (innocent) has the idea of “pure” (11:2; Phil. 4:8; Titus 2:5; James 3:17; 1 John 3:3), “free from sin” (1 Tim. 5:22), and “chaste” (1 Peter 3:2). The Corinthians demonstrated the genuineness of their repentance by their purity. When John the Baptist called for his hearers to “bear fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matt. 3:8), he was calling them to holiness of life.

This verse lists seven characteristics of the purity true repentance produces and it provides the clearest definition of repentance anywhere in Scripture. Paul introduced those characteristics with the exclamatory phrase for behold, which indicated his overwhelming exhilaration. The apostle was excited by Titus’s report of the improved situation at Corinth. The repeated use of the comparative what before each element underscores the intense emotion Paul felt.

First, the Corinthians’ godly sorrow produced an earnestness or eagerness for righteousness on their part. It ended their indifference toward Paul and their complacency about their sin. They were eager to make things right, to make restitution, to restore their broken relationship with the apostle.

Second, the Corinthians’ genuine repentance manifested itself in a desire for vindication. Apologia (vindication), the source of the English word apologetics, literally means, “a speech in defense.” It describes Paul’s defense of himself before the mob at Jerusalem (Acts 22:1; cf. 25:16), his defense of his rights as an apostle (1 Cor. 9:3), his defense of the gospel (Phil. 1:7, 16), and his defense before the Roman authorities (2 Tim. 4:16). The Corinthians had a strong desire to clear their name, remove the stigma of their sin, rid themselves of their guilt, and prove themselves trustworthy. Therefore, they made sure that all who had known of their sin now knew of their repentance.

Third, their repentance resulted in indignation. Aganaktēsis (indignation) appears only here in the New Testament. It is related to the verb aganakte?, which means, “to be indignant,” or “to be angry” (Matt. 20:24; 21:15; 26:8; Mark 10:14, 41; 14:4; Luke 13:14). The Corinthians were outraged over their sin; they were angry that they had brought shame on themselves, offended Paul, and sinned against God. They now hated the sin they had formerly cherished (cf. Rom. 6:21).

Fourth, the Corinthians’ fear proved the genuineness of their repentance. They had a reverential fear and awe of God as the One who chastens and judges. Their brash, bold sinning had turned into a solicitous concern that they no longer disobey and dishonor Him.

Fifth, the Corinthians’ repentance resulted in a longing or yearning to see their relationship to Paul restored.

Sixth, the Corinthians experienced a renewed zeal for holiness (cf. the discussion of zeal in v. 7 earlier in this chapter).

Seventh, the Corinthians’ avenging of wrong evidenced the reality of their repentance. Truly repentant people have a strong desire to see justice done and to make restitution for the wrongs they have committed (cf. 2 Cor. 2:6–7). Instead of protecting themselves, they accept the consequences of their sins.

Repentance had brought purity to the sinning saints in the Corinthian assembly, and every aspect of their lives reflected it.

SPIRITUALITY

So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the offender nor for the sake of the one offended, but that your earnestness on our behalf might be made known to you in the sight of God. (7:12)

Because of the Corinthians’ immaturity and sinfulness, they were “fleshly … walking like mere men” (1 Cor. 3:3). Consequently, they had lost touch with how they truly felt about Paul. Therefore, one of the apostle’s goals was to strip away their sinful, fleshly attitudes and reveal to the Corinthians their real attitude toward him.

Paul led up to his point by first eliminating other potential reasons for writing. That roundabout approach served to heighten the dramatic impact of his words. When he wrote the severe letter, it was not for the sake of the offender. He did not write primarily to condemn the man who had caused him so much grief during his painful visit to Corinth (2 Cor. 2:1). Nor was his main concern for himself as the one offended; he was not seeking personal vengeance. The most important reason Paul wrote the severe letter was that the Corinthians’ earnestness on his behalf might be made known to them in the sight of God.

Sin’s deceitfulness had caused them to lose sight of their earnestness (eagerness), loyalty, and love for Paul and the truth he preached. They had been so deceived that their outward attitude toward the apostle was inconsistent with how they really felt about him. His letter peeled back the layers of deceit that had encrusted their hearts and made known to them their true feelings for him. It restored their spiritual sight and enabled them to see Paul as the trusted servant of God they had always known him to be.

UNITY

For this reason we have been comforted. And besides our comfort, we rejoiced even much more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. (7:13)

The Corinthians’ repentance, purity, and renewed loyalty to Paul were reason enough for him to have been comforted. But besides his own comfort, Paul rejoiced even much more for the joy of Titus over the Corinthians’ repentance and obedience. Because of their repentance Titus’s spirit had been refreshed. As noted in 2:6, the Corinthians had demonstrated their allegiance to Paul by uniting to discipline the individual who had attacked him. Their unity was especially comforting to both Paul and Titus (cf. Ps. 133:1; John 17:21; Eph. 4:3, 13; Phil. 2:2), since unity was at a premium in the Corinthian assembly. Their many factions (cf. 1 Cor. 1:10–13; 3:3–4; 11:18–19) resulted in the most chaotic church in the New Testament. But now they had come together, seeking to restore their relationship to Paul and hold to his teaching.

Anapauō (refreshed) refers here to temporary relief as opposed to a permanent peace (cf. Matt. 26:45; Mark 6:31; 14:41; Luke 12:19; Rev. 6:11). Though he was overjoyed at what had transpired in Corinth, Paul was wise enough to realize that pockets of dissent still existed. In fact, he addressed those dissenters later in this epistle. But for the moment, there was a truce involving the majority of the Corinthians.

As noted above, a mark of genuine repentance is a desire to make restitution for the harm sin has caused. The repentant Corinthians went to the others who had turned against Paul and encouraged them to repent. The movement spread until it encompassed the majority of the church, producing a unity in the congregation that comforted Paul and Titus.

OBEDIENCE

For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I was not put to shame; but as we spoke all things to you in truth, so also our boasting before Titus proved to be the truth. His affection abounds all the more toward you, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling. (7:14–15)

As a result of their repentance, many of the Corinthians who had rebelled against Paul now submitted to him (cf. Heb. 13:17). He had been confident that they were genuine believers and would repent when confronted with their sin. Therefore, he had hopefully boasted to Titus before sending him to Corinth that the Corinthians would respond obediently. Paul, in a sense, staked his reputation as a man of discernment on the outcome, and he was not put to shame. Just as the apostle spoke all things to the Corinthians in truth (cf. 2 Cor. 2:17; 4:2; 6:7), so also his boasting before Titus proved to be the truth. His truthfulness and discernment were vindicated by the Corinthians’ obedient response. Paul rejoiced in seeing his conviction vindicated because it meant his integrity, and thus his usefulness to them as a servant of God, remained intact.

The Corinthians’ reception of Paul’s representative, Titus, with fear and trembling (cf. 1 Cor. 2:3; Eph. 6:5; Phil. 2:12) was further evidence of their obedience. Their obedience had calmed Titus’s fears and caused him to develop a strong affection for the Corinthian church. It also allowed both Titus and Paul to “keep watch over [their] souls … with joy and not with grief” (Heb. 13:17).

Their willing obedience to the Word of God proved the genuineness of the Corinthians’ repentance. When people are truly repentant, they submit to the commands of Scripture without reluctance, caveat, or qualification. To have a congregation of such obedient people brings great joy to their leaders.

TRUST

I rejoice that in everything I have confidence in you. (7:16)

Paul’s reaffirmation of his trust in the Corinthians brought closure to the issue. Confidence is from tharre?, which means, “to be courageous,” “to be bold,” or “to dare.” Paul had the courage to entrust himself to the Corinthians again and dare to believe they would not fail him.

The apostle’s newly restored confidence is a fitting climax to the first section (chaps. 1–7) of this epistle. The Corinthians’ repentance encouraged Paul to share with them a project that was dear to his heart, the collection for the needy believers in the Jerusalem church (chaps. 8–9). It also gave him the boldness to confront the last remaining pockets of resistance to his apostolic authority (chaps. 10–13).