2 Corinthians 2:1  “…I would not come again to you in sorrow”
Continuation of thought from chapter 1.  Paul didn’t want to see them with the last thought being his rebuke of them.

4  “…out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you…the love which I have”
Paul didn’t consider himself a lord over them, but a loving father figure who wanted what was best for them, and only corrected them for their good.  Doing so wasn’t easy, but necessary for their benefit.

5  “…if anyone has caused grief…”
Commentary suggests the anyone referred to is the one mentioned in the last epistle who was having the incestuous affair with his father’s wife.

5  “…has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent”
Our sin doesn’t just affect us, but those around us.

6-11  “…punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man”
Church discipline is not destruction.  Putting a person who has committed sin out of the fellowship is not supposed to be an end unto itself, but only a temporary condition so that God can fix the problem.  Paul urged them to now forgive the person and remind him that the fellowship still loved and cared for him.  There is also the reminder that the adversary looks for any way to destroy.  If we don’t have an attitude of forgiveness toward others, Satan can use that as an opportunity to cause division.

12-13  Further explanation of his reason for moving on to Macedonia.

16  “To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life…”
As much as the gospel is the good news of life in Christ, it is also bad news to those who will not believe.  Those who hear and reject have brought condemnation on themselves.

16-17  “…who is sufficient for these things?…we are not…peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity…”
Having the good news of Christ is not only a tremendous blessing, but also a great responsibility, one I’m afraid we don’t take seriously enough.  In our own strength, we are not able to do this.  It is only our love for Christ and our desire to serve Him which allows His strength to flow through us for such a task.  We don’t do it for our own gain, but for His glory and love of others and He loves us.

I hope you enjoy reading and studying His word.  May it accomplish what He desires.  Please feel free to comment or post questions.  Thanks for reading!

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.