“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.”
My Notes
What Does 2 Corinthians 2:3 Mean?
Paul explains why he wrote his painful letter instead of visiting in person: he wanted to spare them the sorrow of a face-to-face confrontation. The letter gave them time to respond before Paul arrived. His confidence in them — "my joy is the joy of you all" — reveals that even the painful writing was motivated by love, not anger.
The phrase "I wrote this same unto you" references the severe, now-lost letter mentioned in 2 Corinthians 7:8 — a letter Paul admits made him temporarily regret writing because of the sorrow it caused. The letter addressed a specific offense (likely the man in 1 Corinthians 5 or a personal insult to Paul), and its purpose was correction, not punishment.
Paul's pastoral logic is precise: if I came in person while the problem was unresolved, my visit would be dominated by sorrow instead of joy. By writing first, I give you the chance to repent before I arrive so that my coming can be a celebration rather than a confrontation.
Reflection Questions
- 1.When is a written word better than an in-person confrontation — and how do you decide?
- 2.How does Paul's timing (letter first, visit second) model pastoral wisdom you could apply?
- 3.What does 'my joy is your joy' teach about the mutual nature of healthy spiritual relationships?
- 4.Where are you avoiding necessary correction that, if delivered wisely, could lead to restoration?
Devotional
Paul wrote the hard letter instead of making the hard visit. Not because he was avoiding confrontation — because he was timing it. He wanted them to have space to respond before he showed up. The letter did the painful work so the visit could do the joyful work.
The pastoral intelligence here is worth studying. Paul knew that arriving in Corinth with unresolved conflict would make the visit about the problem instead of about the relationship. So he wrote first. He said what needed to be said on paper, gave them time to process, and planned to arrive after the correction had taken effect. The letter absorbs the sorrow; the visit celebrates the restoration.
The confidence — "my joy is the joy of you all" — reveals Paul's assumption: your joy and mine are connected. When you're right with God, I'm joyful. When I'm joyful about you, you feel that joy. The relationship is mutual enough that the emotional state travels in both directions. Paul isn't detached from the Corinthians' spiritual condition. Their health is his happiness.
The temporary sorrow of the letter (acknowledged in 7:8) was the necessary precursor to lasting joy. Paul chose short-term pain for long-term restoration. He'd rather make them cry with a letter than arrive to a community he couldn't enjoy. The hard word now enables the good visit later.
Is there a conversation you're avoiding that might be better as a letter — not to dodge the relationship but to give it room to heal before the next face-to-face?
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
And I wrote this same unto you,.... Not what he had written in the preceding verse, or in Co2 1:23, where he says, that…
And I wrote this same unto you - The words “this same” (τοῦτο αὐτὸ (touto auto) refer to what he had written to them…
And I wrote this same unto you - This I particularly marked in my first epistle to you; earnestly desiring your…
In these verses, 1. The apostle proceeds in giving an account of the reason why he did not come to Corinth, as was…
And I wrote this same unto you Either (1) the announcement in 1Co 16:7 of the Apostle's change of purpose, or (2) the…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture