Sorrow from Them Whom I Ought to Rejoice 2 Corinthians 2:3

Paul the apostle asked the church members in Corinth, “if I make you sorry, who is he then that makes me glad”, and he added, “but the same which is made sorry by me?”. In chapter two and verse three of Second Corinthians, Paul shared with the church members how he might, “have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice”, where we read:

And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.

The verse begins, “And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice;” Paul began with the words, “and I wrote” which means “and Paul delineated information with letters on a tablet, parchment, paper or other material” “this same” or “the idea of making people sorry who should make him glad” “unto you” which means “to the church members”, “lest” or “in order that”, “I should have sorrow” or “Paul would hold, own and possess pain, grief, annoyance and affliction” “from them” which refers to “from those persons” “of whom” or “who” “I ought” which means “Paul should, has necessity, command and duty of” “to rejoice” or “to be glad, well, thrive, greet, salute and hail”. Paul “wrote” to the Corinthians because he did not want to come to them and be “sorrowful” rather than “joyful” with them.

The verse continues, “having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.” Paul added the words, “having confidence” which means “believing and trusting” “in you all” or “in each, every, the whole and everyone of the church members”, “that my joy” or “since or because Paul's gladness, cheerfulness and calm delight” “is the joy” which means “is the gladness, cheerfulness and clam delight” “of you all” which refers to “each, every, the whole and everyone of the church members”. Paul trusted in each of the church members because he knew his “gladness, cheerfulness and calm delight” was based upon their “joy”.

When we think through these words of Paul, we note his care and concern for the church members in Corinth. Paul had no desire to come to them to correct all their mistakes as he did in “First Corinthians”, and by writing to them, they were able to make adjustments to their lives with Jesus Christ both personally and collectively. Paul “rejoiced” over the “joy” that was within them, and he knew they would benefit more by his visit later rather than sooner. Jesus Christ has perfect “timing” for us, and we bring greater “joy” to Him when we circumspectly observe what He points out and directs for our lives. Paul knew “joy” within the church members brought him “joy”, and we may be assured that God Almighty knows those with whom He “ought to rejoice” as well.

Next time we begin a new chapter and see how Paul, “determined this with” himself, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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