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

And yet, though I came to Troas with such an intention and found very much work there, "although a door had been opened to me by the Lord, I had no rest in my spirit," he says.

However, this did not hinder the work of preaching. How then does he say, "But taking leave of them, I went out"?

That is, "I could not remain there for a long time because of constriction and sorrow of heart."

Perhaps also the very absence of Titus served as an obstacle to the work.

This too served in no small way to calm the Corinthians.

"If," he says, "only because I did not find the brother in Troas, I had to withdraw from there hastily, though a door for preaching had been opened to me there, and for this I had come,

"I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother there." Why, then, though you preached, did you not preach long? Because I did not find Titus.

"I had no rest in my spirit," that is, I was sad and grieved because of his absence.

Did you therefore abandon the work of God? Not for that reason, but because, owing to his absence, the work of preaching encountered an obstacle.

Paul greatly desired to preach, but the absence of Titus hindered him. Titus helped him greatly when he was with him.

"But taking leave of them, I went into Macedonia." That is, I was not there for a long time because of difficult circumstances.

For although a great door had been opened, that is, there was much work, the absence of a helper obstructed it.

Then I had no perfect rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother there. But after taking leave of those whom I had gained for myself as disciples, I departed for Macedonia.

Deprived of the consolation of Titus's company, he was forced to find his labor there unbearable because of the opposition shown to him. Yet among the locals there were also some who opened their hearts to receive the preaching of God, though the boldness of the unbelievers was great, as they rose up against apostolic zeal for the faithful. Both tasks could not be fulfilled by the strength of one man, so that he could both instruct those who first believed and resist the unbelievers. Therefore, after bidding farewell to those who received him, the Apostle went on to Macedonia.

"When I came to Troas for the Gospel of Christ, and a door was opened to me in the Lord, I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother.

But taking leave of them, I went out into Macedonia." That is, having come to Troas for no other reason, but solely for preaching, I was greatly grieved in soul.

I saw many who had come to the preaching and had no fellow worker to care for them, because Titus had not yet come to us.

I had sent him to you, providing for your benefit. Therefore, since there was no one to share the labors with me, I left them and set out on my way.

The Apostle did not mention the most blessed Titus here in vain.

Since he intended to send this epistle with him, he resolved to show the virtue of this man.

The Holy Apostle Paul was moved by the Spirit of God to reflect on this subject as though suddenly.

In the outpouring of his heart, he had only just reached the news of the favorable outcome of his first epistle to the Corinthians.

After hearing Titus, for whom he had waited so long with such impatience and anxiety, the Apostle of Christ cried out in rapture:

"Thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Himself in every place" (2 Cor 2:14).

In this section he discusses three things. First, the properties and actions of the evangelical revelation.

Second, the properties and actions of the proclaimers of the revelation themselves. Third, how the preaching of the Gospel itself is carried on by these proclaimers.

As though continuing the discourse about the change in his travel plan, which had been interrupted for a time, the Apostle begins to report the circumstances of this journey.

But after briefly speaking of his sorrows and of the consolation sent by God, he again turns aside from this subject.

He continues it only in chapter 7.

The circumstances of this journey were these. The Apostle, coming from Ephesus to Troas, did not find Titus there.

This cast him into great sorrow. First, he remained in uncertainty about the state of the Corinthians, for whom he was so deeply concerned.

Second, he had to leave Troas, although a great door had been opened to him there.

That is, the door of the sheepfold, into which many of those who heard the apostolic teaching there were striving to enter.

The fact that Saint Paul had no rest presents not even a shadow of the anxieties which we usually experience because of personal dangers or losses.

He was anxious for the work of God. If Titus had been instructed to hasten to Troas after completing everything entrusted to him in Corinth, then by calculation of time he should already have been there.

Since he was not there, the Apostle naturally could suppose that there had been events destructive to the work of the Church and the Gospel.

The Apostle lived only for the well-being of the Church and for the progress of the Gospel. To touch these things was the same as touching the apple of his eye.

So he was troubled and had no rest.