"This no longer shows arrogance or magisterial authority, but fatherly care. He fears more than those who have sinned, and approaches their correction with trembling. Yet even then he does not attack them. He does not speak directly, but as though in doubt: 'lest perhaps, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish.' He did not say, 'virtuous,' but, 'such as I wish,' everywhere using words that express friendliness. The word 'find' also indicates something unexpected by them, as does 'be found by you.' Both, he says, depend upon you" (Chrysostom).
"'I fear,' he says. Do you see fatherly concern? Others have sinned, and Paul fears. 'Lest perhaps, when I come.' He does not affirm, but fears as though he knew nothing, lest he encounter something disordered among them. 'I shall not find you such as I wish,' that is, disordered and harmed in character and thought. As a result, I myself will necessarily be found by you such as you do not wish, that is, a strict punisher of those who prove incurably sick" (Oecumenius).
"He could have said, 'such as I myself do not wish to be found among you,' and thereby shown his love. But he does not wish the hearer to become lax. Besides, his speech would then have been much harsher. As it is, he made them feel the matter more strongly and showed himself more gentle. For it belongs to prudence to act so that the wound is deeper, yet the blow lighter" (Chrysostom).
What, then, did he not wish to find among them? Discord and works of lust. He speaks of discord in this verse and of lustful works in the next.
"Lest perhaps there be contentions," ερεις, disputes, zeal to have one’s own way, and efforts to outtalk everyone. Beneath this there is always contempt, not only for the opinions of others, but for the persons themselves: "I do not wish to recognize anyone."
"Jealousies," ζηλοι, envy, a distorted rivalry. This is the first daughter of self-conceit and pride, when people, lacking the strength to equal or surpass others, are consumed with vexation because others are such and succeed so well.
"Wraths," θυμοι, fits of anger, outbursts of wrath and irritation when encounters with others do not go in one’s favor. These come and go, because the accidental inflammation of self-love is overcome by the sympathetic disposition of the heart.
Yet there is a danger that frequent outbursts of anger may turn into a settled state, which is evil hatred.
"Strifes," εριθειαι, contentious rivalries, "when someone challenges another to rivalry in some matter" (Theophylact). Or it is when one strains with all one’s strength to overtake others and leave them behind.
In such a case, of course, there is no strict examination of the means. Little attention is paid to whether any good will come from it to oneself or to others.
"Slanders," καταλαλιαι, evil speaking. This is not only condemnation secretly formed in the heart, but also the tongue’s spreading of evil about others, without certainty of its truth, on mere conjecture, and often from malicious falsehood.
"Whisperings," ψιθυρισμοι, timid slander. Not daring to speak openly, it whispers evil about others into the ears of more influential people, who, if they believe it, can do something unpleasant to the person spoken of. Here false slander is the more fitting sense (Theophylact).
"Swellings up," φυσιωσεις, puffed-up arrogance, haughtiness, and loftiness of heart. Without examining whether they possess any merits, such people exalt themselves above others and treat them contemptuously, not even concealing it. This is a soap bubble.
"Disorders," ακαταστασιαι, disturbances and disarray, when everything is out of place. This is the direct consequence of all that came before.
Chrysostom derives all these evil deeds from envy alone, saying, "All this, slanders, accusations, and disagreements, was begotten by envy. Envy, like a harmful root, produced irritation, condemnation, and pride. Through them it itself increased."
In the first epistle, when beginning his rebuke of the Corinthians, the Apostle says, "There are contentions among you" (1 Cor 1:11). Because of some empty considerations, they began to divide into parties, standing under the banners of a few persons distinguished among them.
From this came disputes, oppositions, and disorders (1 Cor 1:10). Having instructed them properly in the first epistle, and having learned from Titus that his instruction was not without effect, he nevertheless supposed that some remnants of that disorder might still remain.
Therefore he again urges them that nothing of the kind, not even traces of it, should remain among them. He warns them beforehand that he will not look upon this indulgently.
THEOSIS