2 Corinthians 13:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Apostle first showed that he cannot do this unless compelled. He called the necessity of punishment weeping and humiliation, saying: "That again, when I come, my God may humble me among you, and that I may mourn for many who sinned before and did not repent" (2 Cor 12:21).

He even defended himself before them, saying that he had already warned them once, twice, and three times. He does and devises everything in order to avoid punishment and make them better by frightening them only with words.

Only then does he utter these dreadful and fearful words: "When I come again, I will not spare." He did not say, "I will avenge, I will chastise, I will demand punishment."

Even when speaking of punishment itself, he again speaks in a fatherly way. He shows his mercy and compassion toward them, because of which he has always spared them and deferred punishment.

Yet even to these stern words he again adds a tender-hearted statement: "We pray for your perfection. For this reason I write these things while absent, that when present I may not use severity, according to the authority which the Lord has given me for edification and not for destruction" (2 Cor 13:9-10).

"He acts as he speaks, imitating in this the Lord of all. For God too continually threatens and exhorts many times, yet He does not often punish. So the Apostle also acts."

"'For the third time,' he says, 'behold, I am coming to you. By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.' Instead of witnesses he presents his repeated presence in Corinth and his exhortations."

"His words have this meaning: once and again I spoke to you when I came to you, and now I speak in writing. If you obey, my desire has been fulfilled."

"If you do not obey, then it will be necessary to carry out what I have said and impose punishment. Do not think that my epistle to you is of less weight than my personal presence among you. As I spoke when I was with you, so I write while absent."

"He acts and speaks thus, imitating in this the Lord of all. For God too continually threatens and exhorts many times, yet He does not often punish. So the Apostle also acts."

"'For the third time,' he says, 'behold, I am coming to you. By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.' Instead of witnesses he presents his repeated presence in Corinth and his exhortations."

"His words have this meaning: once and again I spoke to you when I came to you, and now I speak in writing. If you obey me, my desire has been fulfilled."

"If you do not obey, then it will be necessary to carry out what I have said and impose punishment. For if by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall stand, and I have already been with you twice and spoken to you, and now speak in writing, then I must keep my word."

"Do not think that my epistle to you is of less weight than my personal presence among you. As I spoke when I was with you, so I write while absent."

"Do you see the Apostle's fatherly care? Do you see the nature of his teaching, and what provident concern befits a teacher? He neither kept silent nor punished. Several times already he warns them beforehand and does not cease threatening, but he defers punishment."

"If after this they still do not correct themselves, then he threatens actual punishment. What, then, did you say before when you were in Corinth, and what do you now write while absent? 'If I come again, I will not spare.'"

"First he said that he cannot do this unless compelled. He called the necessity of punishing a cause of weeping and humiliation for himself."

"He even defended himself before them, saying that he had already warned them once, twice, and three times. He does and devises everything in order to avoid punishment and correct them by verbal threats alone."

"At last he utters these fearful words and says: 'If I come again, I will not spare.' He did not say, 'I will avenge, punish, deliver over to torment.'"

"Even of the punishment itself he speaks in a fatherly way, showing his love and compassion toward them. Because of these, in sparing them, he has deferred punishment until now."

"Only when compelled does he say, 'I will not spare.' That is, I will no longer postpone punishment if, God forbid, I find you uncorrected. I will certainly punish and fulfill what I said."

"He added this at last, so that even now they would not think that the punishment would again be postponed and the threats would remain only words."