2 Corinthians 1:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He feared for them, and therefore said: "We sent Timothy to you, to establish you and comfort you in your faith, that no one should be shaken by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are appointed to this." Again: "Therefore, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, lest somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor should be in vain" (1 Thess 3:2, 3, 5).

Concerning the Corinthians, however, he says nothing of this kind. On the contrary, he writes: "And our hope for you is firm. Whether we are comforted, it is for your comfort and salvation, knowing that you are partakers both of our sufferings and of the comfort."

That the Apostles endured afflictions for their sake he already showed above, when he said: "Whether we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation." Now he wishes to show that the Apostles were also comforted for their sake.

He had spoken of this above as well, though not so explicitly, when he said: "Blessed be God, who comforts us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort those who are in every affliction." Here he says the same again in other words, but much more clearly and edifyingly.

"Whether we are comforted," he says, "it is for your comfort and salvation." The meaning of these words is this: "Our comfort becomes rest for you, even when we do not happen to comfort you with words.

"If we receive only a little relief, this is enough for your comfort. Even if it should happen that we alone receive comfort, this already comforts you, because you receive our sufferings exactly as your own.

"So you must also count our comfort as your own. If you take part in our afflictions, why will you not take part in our joys?

"If, then, you have communion with us in everything, both in affliction and in comfort, do not accuse me because I have delayed so long in coming to you. We are afflicted for you, and we are comforted for you."

Lest what he said should seem burdensome to anyone, namely, that we endure afflictions for your sake, he adds that "for your sake we are also comforted." Nor are we alone in enduring calamities, because, he says, you too share with us in the same sufferings.

Thus, by accepting them as fellow participants in his calamities and by assigning to them the cause of his own calamity, the Apostle softens his word.

"Therefore," he says, "if plots are laid against us, be firm in spirit, because we endure this so that your faith may become stronger. If comfort is given to us, rejoice in this also, because we receive it for your sake.

"From this some comfort may also come to you, since you are participants in our joy."

That he truly speaks now of the kind of comfort he received not only by being comforted by the Corinthians, but also by learning that they felt relief in afflictions, listen further, where he clearly reveals this, saying: "knowing that you are partakers both of our sufferings and of the comfort."

That is, just as, when we are persecuted, you grieve as though you yourselves endured persecution, so we are confident that, when we receive comfort, you receive it as though you yourselves enjoyed it.

What could be humbler than such a soul? The one who endured so many calamities calls those who did not endure even the smallest part of them his fellow participants. And when he speaks of comfort, he attributes its whole cause to them, not to his own labors.

He keeps them from condemning the manner of his activity. At the same time, he interests them in the course of that activity, since their sorrow and joy concerning salvation depend on it.

Consolation removes the destructive action from afflictions. It does not allow them to hinder the ordering of salvation, and even positively accomplishes salvation through participation in the sufferings of Christ.

From Him, as One Who is in divine glory, grace-filled consolation immediately pours forth. It awakens greater zeal, first in the Apostles, and through them in all believers.

St. John Chrysostom presents the Apostle as speaking here in this way: “We are not the only authors of your salvation; you are also authors of it yourselves.

For just as we, while preaching, endure afflictions, so you, while receiving our word, endure the same. We suffer in order to transmit to you what we ourselves received; you suffer in order to receive what is given and not lose it.

Salvation is accomplished not only by your believing, but also by your suffering and enduring as we do. From this it is clear that the true power of salvation consists not only in not doing evil.

It also consists in bravely enduring evil oneself.”

“Our consolation turns to your rest, even if we should not happen to comfort you with words. Even if only we receive consolation, this already comforts you.

For as you receive our sufferings as your own, so you must count every consolation of ours as your own. As you share in our afflictions, so we are confident that, when we receive consolation, you receive it as though you yourselves enjoyed it.”

Having prepared the Corinthians to hear worthily about his afflictions, the Apostle proceeds to tell them of them.

It is worthy of mention that in his prayer of thanksgiving, the holy Apostle Paul calls the Father the God of Jesus Christ and speaks of Him as Comforter.

Regarding the first point, blessed Theophylact observes: “There is nothing novel in these words. Of one and the same Christ, according to His humanity He is God, and according to His divinity He is Father.”

The prophet David had already presented God as the source of consolation, saying, “Thy consolations have gladdened my soul” (Ps 93:19).

From God the Father proceeds the Spirit, the Comforter. He is love (1 Jn 4:16). Therefore the Father is the God of all comfort.

This comfort is given both through the Spirit consubstantial with the Father, and by the Father Himself directly, as the Father of mercies (Isa 63:7).

Those sufferings assured that salvation was being worked. And comfort is inseparable from salvation. Yet that salvation was being worked in them came from the Apostles, who preached the good tidings and suffered for the Gospel.

Here, too, the fact that they are comforted for the same comfort and salvation is mediated by their sufferings. We suffer for the Gospel; you suffer for receiving the Gospel. It would be grievous for us to see you suffer as though through our fault.

But this does not crush us. Why? Because in us comfort unmistakably coincides with sufferings. As it is in us, so it must be in you. Our sufferings pour forth comfort for us through Christ the Lord and our Savior.

The same must certainly be true in you, for Christ the Lord is the same for you as for us. You too are doing His work, as we are.

Knowing this, we are not troubled by your sufferings, which accompany your reception of our Gospel. We know that, as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you are partakers of the comfort.

But what came first was this: amid the very sufferings, the Lord filled the Apostles with every comfort. Experiencing this, and knowing that the faithful would certainly also undergo sufferings, the Apostles foretold everything to them.

They foretold both that they would inevitably undergo sufferings and that, in the very sufferings, they would receive comfort. Knowing this, the faithful also met sufferings courageously. By bearing them patiently, they were established in salvation and were counted worthy of comfort.

Had the Apostles not forewarned them of everything, they would not have entered the struggle. Consequently, they would not have entered the path of salvation and comfort. And how would the Apostles have warned them, had they not themselves experienced comforts in sufferings?

Thus it follows that God sent them comfort for the sake of the comfort and salvation of the faithful. For this had already become the inevitable path: to believe, and after believing, to suffer.

Sufferings would have driven people away from the faith if they had not poured forth comfort. They did pour it forth, but experiences were needed in order to believe this. God manifested these experiences in the persons of the Apostles.

Afterward, with boldness, they assured everyone: you will suffer; do not be troubled. In the sufferings themselves you will receive comfort. This always happens with us, and so it will happen with you. Partakers of our sufferings are also partakers of our comfort.

Yet the words "we are comforted for your comfort" and "partakers of the sufferings, partakers of the comfort" may be understood as referring to sympathy. The faithful see the Apostles suffering and suffer themselves. They see them comforted and are themselves comforted.

In this way they are still more firmly established in the work of salvation.

Thus Saint Chrysostom says: "Our comfort becomes rest for you, even when we do not happen to comfort you with words. If we receive only a little relief, this too is enough for your comfort.

"Even if it should happen that we alone receive comfort, this already comforts you. For as you receive our sufferings as your own, so you must also count every comfort of ours as your own.

"If you take part in our afflictions, why will you not take part in our joys? No. As, when we are persecuted, you grieve as though you yourselves endured persecution, so we are confident that, when we receive comfort, you receive it as though you yourselves enjoyed it."