August 7, 2005

THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT

2 Corinthians 1:1-12

 

   This second letter of Paul to the Corinthians is by far the most personal of all. They had "not many fathers," and none so concerned with their spiritual welfare as he. His opening words give evidence of the extreme pressure under which he wrote.

   Paul included Timothy in the salutation. He had been sent by Paul to Corinth with the first epistle to "bring [them] into remembrance of my ways in Christ" (1 Cor. 4:17). Apparently there were some good results from that letter but problems persisted.

   Paul's own circumstances must have been exceeding perilous when he spoke of God as the "Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort," which comfort and mercies he had personally needed and experienced. How bad was it? Their "trouble which came...in Asia " was such that they were "pressed out of measure, beyond our strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life" (2 Cor. 1:8). But as God had "comforted us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God" (1:3). This lesson is evident for the Greek words for comfort, as a noun and verb, appear 29 times in this epistle alone! In no other letter did Paul detail the extent of his suffering and itemize his persecutions as here.

One can hardly express sympathy or give advice unless you can speak from experience. In this matter, Paul had no peer, other than the Lord. He wrote, "For as the sufferings of Christ abound is us, so our comfort also abounds by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same suffering which we also suffer: or whether we be com-forted, it is for your comfort and salvation" (1:6-7). Of course, this "salvation" is in the matter of deliverance while suffering, not the evangelical salvation which deals with forgiveness and peace.

   Later Paul listed their trials "...weariness ...painfulness ...watchings ...hunger ...thirst ...fastings ...cold ...and nakednesss. Beside those things that are without, that which comes on me daily, the care of all the churches" (11:27-28). What a true shepherd of the Lord's flock!

 

Ivan L. Burgener