Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and God of all encouragement, 4 who encourages us in our every affliction, so that we may be able to encourage those who are in any affliction with the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged by God. 5 For as Christ’s sufferings overflow to us, so through Christ does our encouragement also overflow. 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your encouragement and salvation; if we are encouraged, it is for your encouragement, which enables you to endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is firm, for we know that as you share in the sufferings, you also share in the encouragement. 8 We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction that came to us in the province of Asia; we were utterly weighed down beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life. 9 Indeed, we had accepted within ourselves the sentence of death, that we might trust not in ourselves but in God who raises the dead. 10 He rescued us from such great danger of death, and he will continue to rescue us; in him we have put our hope [that] he will also rescue us again, 11 as you help us with prayer, so that thanks may be given by many on our behalf for the gift granted us through the prayers of many.
Paul begins his letter with a blessing, typical of Jewish benedictions but now fully Christianized by invoking the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He highlights the relationship between God the Father and Jesus Christ and emphasizes God’s compassionate and comforting nature. God’s comfort, received in affliction, equips believers to extend that same comfort to others. Suffering often accompanies those who participate in God's work (Phil. 3:10; Mt. 16:24) and serve others. By sharing in Christ’s afflictions (Col. 1:24), believers also share in the overflow of divine consolation. This "overflow" reflects the abundance of God’s grace, which is both sustaining for the afflicted and a source of strength for others (cf. John 1:16).
Paul and his co-workers who share in the apostolic mission of spreading the Gospel experience suffering and encouragement in the context of their apostolic mission. Their afflictions and consolation enable them to relate to and support the Corinthians, while their encouragement becomes a source of strength for the community. He expresses confidence in the Corinthians’ ability to persevere. Sharing in Christ’s sufferings is inseparable from sharing in his comfort and eventual glory (Rom. 8:17). Paul also views their suffering as having a redemptive dimension, benefiting the Church and deepening its communion with Christ (cf. Col. 1:24).
Paul experienced a severe trial in Asia which brought him and his companions to the brink of despair. He discerned that his suffering was a call to deeper trust in God, particularly in His power over life and death. Suffering is an occasion to abandon self-reliance and embrace faith in God's omnipotence. The reference to "the God who raises the dead" alludes to both Christ’s resurrection (Rom. 6:4) and the hope of the believer’s future resurrection (1 Cor. 15:20–22). Paul asserts that God’s past deliverance is his basis for confidence in God’s future saving work in the lives of believers (cf. Psalm 34:19). Paul’s faith in God’s deliverance underscores how divine power transforms human weakness into an opportunity for grace and trust (2 Cor. 12:9).
Paul highlights the importance of intercessory prayer within the community. The Corinthians’ prayers contribute to Paul’s deliverance, emphasizing the communal responsibility of believers to support one another in faith. This reflects the interconnectedness of the Body of Christ, where the prayers and actions of one member affect the entire community (cf. James 5:16; 1 Tim. 2:1). Through prayer, believers participate in the saving work of God, supporting each other in trials and giving thanks for His deliverance.
Heavenly Father, You are the God of all compassion and comfort. In our trials, may we trust in Your power to deliver and rely on Your grace to sustain us. Help us to share the consolation we receive with others, bearing one another’s burdens in love. Strengthen our faith, deepen our hope, and unite us through prayer as one Body in Christ, sharing in His sufferings and His glory. This we pray through Christ our Lord who, by his resurrection, overcame suffering and death forever. Amen!
Sources
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
Comments