Comfort for the Downcast (2 Corinthians 7:5-6)

by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson
Audio (6:32)

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Comforting child after surgery on the USNS Comfort hospital ship. US Navy. Public domain.

The trouble raging around in the word today us reminds me of a passage from 2nd Corinthians.

"For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies1 had no rest,2 but we were afflicted3 at every turn -- fighting4 without and fear within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus." (2 Corinthians 7:5-6, ESV)

Struggles (2 Corinthians 7:5)

As you may recall, some of Paul's stay in Ephesus had been marked by exceedingly difficult times for him (2 Corinthians 1:8). Even while on a relatively brief trip from Ephesus to visit the churches in Macedonia (Philippi, Thessalonica, etc.), Paul's struggles continued unabated.

"For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies5 had no rest,6 but we were afflicted7 at every turn -- fighting8 without and fear within. " (2 Corinthians 7:5)

It is interesting that Paul readily admits to fear. But that shouldn't surprise us. Fear is one of our very human emotions that God has given us to make us alert in dangerous situations. Fear is not intended by God to paralyze you, but to heighten your senses. He intends that faith from God and courage inspired by the Holy Spirit will become your allies to overcome fear.

Paul describes the paradox of the struggle on the one hand, and the power of the Spirit on the other, in the intense time of spiritual warfare he was going through.

"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." (2 Corinthians 4:8-9, NIV)

The Message paraphrases it this way.

"We've been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we're not demoralized; we're not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we've been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn't left our side; we've been thrown down, but we haven't broken." (2 Corinthians 4:8-9, The Message)

Hallelujah!

In spite of what is raging around us, God does not leave us alone. "I will never leave you nor forsake you!" says the Lord (Hebrews 13:5b).

Comfort (2 Corinthians 7:6)

And in the midst of our struggles, there are the interludes of joy that God sends. For Paul, struggling in Macedonia, the visit of Titus was one of these times.

"But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus." (2 Corinthians 7:6)

Whether Paul had summoned him, or Titus just "happened" to come through Macedonia on his own mission travels, we don't know. But Titus was dear to Paul, a fellow worker, apparently one of his own converts from Paul's days laboring in the Antioch Revival that had brought thousands of Gentiles into kingdom.9 Titus was a comrade from happier days. Titus brought encouragement, comfort from God to his father in Christ, who, in spite of being God's great apostle, was "downcast," brought to a low place in his life.10

"God ... comforts the downcast," Paul writes. Yes, that is what our God does.

"For this is what the high and lofty One says --
he who lives forever, whose name is holy:
'I live in a high and holy place,
but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly
and to revive the heart of the contrite.'" (Isaiah 57:15)

Our Jesus came ...

"to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives,
and release from darkness for the prisoner." (Isaiah 61:1; cf. Luke 4:18-19)

The very Greek word for "comfort" (parakaleō) means, literally, "to call to one's side," and then carries the ideas of exhortation and encouragement, here, "to instill someone with courage or cheer, encourage, cheer up."11

Because our God comes to "comfort the downcast," that is our mission too. We are called to comfort both for the hurting and lost around us, as well as for our own brothers and sisters in Christ who are struggling. Your visit, text, or phone call today might bring God's comfort to someone who is struggling. You, as an emissary of the Most High God of Comfort can carry out his mission of comfort today.

And so, my friends, through you may be surrounded today by "fightings without and fears within," our loving Lord cares for you. He will comfort you in the midst of your struggles with his presence. And you, my friend -- you can be Christ's comforter to someone struggling today.

"We love, because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19).

May his love bring comfort in you and through you today!

References and Abbreviations

[1] "Body" (NIV, NRSV), "flesh" (KJV) is sarx, "the physical body as functioning entity, body, physical body" (BDAG 915, 2a).

[2] "Rest" (NIV) is anesis, "relief from something onerous or troublesome, rest, relaxation, relief" (BDAG 77, 2).

[3] "Harassed" (NIV), "afflicted" (NRSV, ESV), "troubled" (KJV) is thlibō, "to make narrow," here, "to cause to be troubled, oppress, afflict someone" (BDAG 457, 3).

[4] "Conflicts" (NIV), "disputes" (NRSV), "fightings" (ESV, KJV) is machē, in the New Testament only in the plural and only of battles fought without actual weapons: "fighting, quarrels, strife, disputes" (BDAG 622).

[5] "Body" (NIV, NRSV), "flesh" (KJV) is sarx, "the physical body as functioning entity, body, physical body" (BDAG 915, 2a).

[6] "Rest" (NIV) is anesis, "relief from something onerous or troublesome, rest, relaxation, relief" (BDAG 77, 2).

[7] "Harassed" (NIV), "afflicted" (NRSV, ESV), "troubled" (KJV) is thlibō, "to make narrow," here, "to cause to be troubled, oppress, afflict someone" (BDAG 457, 3).

[8] "Conflicts" (NIV), "disputes" (NRSV), "fightings" (ESV, KJV) is machē, in the New Testament only in the plural and only of battles fought without actual weapons: "fighting, quarrels, strife, disputes" (BDAG 622).

[9] Titus 1:4; Galatians 2:1-5; Acts 11:21-26.

[10] "Downcast" is  tapeinos, "low" (from tapeinoō, "to make low, bring low"), here, "pertaining to being unpretentious, humble" (BDAG 990, 3). Of persons, "humbled, abased in power, pride, etc." (Liddell-Scott, 1757, 2).

[11] Parakaleō, BDAG 765, 4.

2 Corinthians Bible Study

Copyright © 2024, Ralph F. Wilson. <pastor@joyfulheart.com> All rights reserved. A single copy of this article is free. Do not put this on a website. See legal, copyright, and reprint information.

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