2 Corinthians 2:13 Commentary and Bible Study

Titus was going to be travelling to Troas; he had come from Corinth to give Paul news of the Corinthian church. Had they repented of these problems that he raised? Had there been a good response? Paul had come to Troas; a great door was opened. We must assume he spent time there and this was how the church was founded there. But fairly soon, because the Lord moved him through great unrest in his spirit, he went on the road in the direction which Titus would be advancing to Troas to meet him. There when he met Titus he was able to hear about the church at Corinth. He did return to Troas, but for the moment he takes his leave of them. He has written 1 Corinthians – what has become of the church at Corinth? Have they responded to his exhortations? Titus has visited there to find out. Titus was supposed to come back and meet the apostle Paul evidently in Troas, but he is not there. So Paul is filled with anxiety. Yes, the apostle knows real anxiety and concern. That was a tremendous work at Corinth. Many, many were converted. There were total changes in lives. It was a wonderful church, and yet it was being plagued by certain false teachers and there was this great discipline problem. But the apostle is not actually dismayed. He is not in doubt of God and his power. He is not totally distraught. He is anxious. He has a responsibility. Should he, after all, head directly to Corinth or not? What should he do? And he is so concerned that he takes to a vessel and sails to Macedonia and he goes probably to Philippi where probably Luke would have been and that is the route that Titus would have taken and he finds Titus. Later in 2 Corinthians 7:5 he tells us more about this meeting and what an encouragement it was to him. The Corinthians had done everything required of them. They had honoured God and were full of gratitude to Paul.So the apostle deals with his concerns and his anxieties. He feels the woe, he feels the need, he prays, he takes the right measures. He takes responsible action but he does not allow himself to lapse into despair or doubt of God because, though he is deeply anxious, he keeps in view the overall scene. Always he expects to see in some shape or form the hand of God in what he is doing. So it is like a great victory march, the spread of the gospel. ‘You look at us’. says Paul, ‘and you see trials and difficulties, failure of provision, persecution, hostility, but we know the gospel will take root in hearts and people will be changed. So it is a kind of victorious march.’