2 Corinthians, Chapter 2, verses 4-15
1 Having showed the reason why he came not to them, 6 he requireth them to forgive and to comfort that excommunicated person, 10 even as himself also upon his true repentance had forgiven him, 12 declaring withal why he departeth from Troas to Macedonia, 14 and the happy success which God gave to his preaching in all placesMatthew, Chapter 23, verses 13-22
13 He denounceth eight woes against their hypocrisy and blindness23
23:13 Wo to you - Our Lord pronounced eight blessings upon the mount: he pronounces eight woes here; not as imprecations, but solemn, compassionate declarations of the misery, which these stubborn sinners were bringing upon themselves. Ye go not in - For ye are not poor in spirit; and ye hinder those that would be so.
23:16 Wo to you, ye blind guides - Before he had styled them hypocrites, from their personal character: now he gives them another title, respecting their influence upon others. Both these appellations are severely put together in Mat 23:23 and Mat 23:25; and this severity rises to the height in the Mat 23:33. The gold of the temple - The treasure kept there. He is bound - To keep his oath.
23:20 He that sweareth by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon - Not only by the gift, but by the holy fire, and the sacrifice; and above all, by that God to whom they belong; inasmuch as every oath by a creature is an implicit appeal to God.
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2:4 From much anguish I wrote to you, not so much that ye might be grieved, as that ye might know by my faithful admonition my abundant love toward you.
2:5 He hath grieved me but in part - Who still rejoice over the greater part of you. Otherwise I might burden you all.
2:6 Sufficient for such an one - With what a remarkable tenderness does St. Paul treat this offender! He never once mentions his name. Nor does he here so much as mention his crime. By many - Not only by the rulers of the church: the whole congregation acquiesced in the sentence.
2:10 To whom ye forgive - He makes no question of their complying with his direction. Anything - So mildly does he speak even of that heinous sin, after it was repented of.In the person of Christ - By the authority wherewith he has invested me.
2:11 Lest Satan - To whom he had been delivered, and who sought to destroy not only his flesh, but his soul also. Get an advantage over us - For the loss of one soul is a common loss.
2:12 Now when I came to Troas - It seems, in that passage from Asia to Macedonia, of which a short account is given, Act 20:1-2. Even thougha door was opened to me - That is, there was free liberty to speak, and many were willing to hear: yet,
2:13 I had no rest in my spirit - From an earnest desire to know how my letter had been received. Because I did not find Titus - In his return from you. So I went forth into Macedonia - Where being much nearer, I might more easily be informed concerning you. The apostle resumes the thread of his discourse, Co2 7:2, interposing an admirable digression concerning what he had done and suffered elsewhere, the profit of which he by this means derives to the Corinthians also; and as a prelude to his apology against the false apostles.
2:14 To triumph, implies not only victory, but an open manifestation of it. And as in triumphal processions, especially in the east, incense and perfumes were burned near the conqueror, the apostle beautifully alludes to this circumstance in the following verse: as likewise to the different effects which strong perfumes have upon different persons; some of whom they revive, while they throw others into the most violent disorders.
2:15 For we - The preachers of the gospel. Are to God a sweet odour of Christ - God is well - pleased with this perfume diffused by us, both in them that believe and are saved, treated of, Co2 3:1; Co2 4:2; and in them that obstinately disbelieve and, consequently, perish, treated of, Co2 4:3-6.