The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament (199 page)

2:7 or he may be overwhelmed:
Paul warns that "Satan" (2:11) can turn the experience of church discipline into an occasion for despair. For this reason, remedial punishment for sinners should not be excessively harsh or indefinitely prolonged but should always leave the door open for sincere repentance. Paul warns believers of the devil's schemes more often in 2 Cor than in any of his other letters (4:4; 6:15; 11:3, 14; 12:7). 
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2:12 Troas:
A port city on the Aegean coast of modern Turkey (Acts 16:8-10; 20:5-6). 
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2:13 Titus:
One of Paul's trusted companions. He was sent to Corinth by the apostle to deliver the letter of "tears" (2:4) and to help resolve the crisis in the Church there. Because Paul was anxious to hear back from Titus, he went to
Macedonia
(northern Greece) in hopes of intercepting him on his way back to Asia Minor. According to 7:5-16, Titus brought encouraging news. Most of the Corinthians responded to Paul's letter with contrition and returned to him their full confidence and support. 
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2:14-7:4
Paul makes a long digression to explain the significance of his apostolic ministry. He resumes the story of Titus' mission and return in 7:5. Some take this digression as evidence that a separate letter has been incorporated into the text; however, there is no evidence for such an insertion in the surviving manuscripts of 2 Cor, and digressions are common enough in ancient letters to suffice as an explanation for the momentary shift in subject matter. 
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2:14-16
Paul rejoices that the gospel is being disseminated, like the fragrance of incense, throughout the world as a result of his ministry. It emits the sweet aroma of eternal
life
to believers on the way to salvation and the stench of
death
to those who are headed for spiritual ruin. • The terms
fragrance
and
aroma
are drawn from OT passages that describe the pleasing odor of sacrifices offered to the Lord (Gen 8:21; Ex 29:18; Lev 1:9; Num 15:3). They are also used together in Sir 24:15 to illustrate how the wisdom of Yahweh, embodied in the Mosaic Law, spreads throughout Israel. Paul reinterprets this in light of the New Covenant, where the ministers of the gospel offer themselves as living sacrifices to God (Rom 12:1) and spread the wisdom of the gospel throughout the world (Col 1:23) (CCC 1294). 
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2:16 Who is sufficient
 . . .
?:
Implied answer: Paul, but only on the basis of God's commission (1:21; 2:17; 3:5-6). 
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2:17 not, like so many, peddlers:
Refers to the missionary intruders in Corinth, later called "false apostles" (11:13). Paul exposes their hidden agenda, calling them salesmen of the gospel who preach, not for the glory of God, but for the sake of personal profit. Paul is exempt from such a charge since he accepts no financial support at all from the Corinthians (11:711; 1 Cor 9:7-15). See introduction:
Destination.
 
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3:1 letters of recommendation:
Written referrals were sometimes sent ahead of traveling missionaries to prepare for their arrival in a new Church (Acts 18:27; Rom 16:1; 1 Cor 16:3). Apparently Paul's opponents furnished such resumes for themselves and misled the Corinthians into thinking they were genuine apostles (2 Cor 10:12). In contrast, Paul does not need to reestablish rapport in Corinth by written statements (5:12) but can point to the Church's conversion as proof that his ministry is authentic (Acts 18:1-18). 
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Word Study

Leads Us in Triumph
(
2 Cor 2:14
)

Thriambeuō
(Gk.): means "to lead in triumphal procession". The verb is used twice in the NT and has its background in the Roman practice of marching prisoners of war through city streets following a successful military campaign. Spoils of war were displayed during the parade while captives were led along in disgrace and sometimes executed at the end of the march. These ceremonies were intended to honor the god (Jupiter) who gave them victory and the Roman general responsible for commanding the troops. Paul's use of the triumphal imagery is twofold. In Col 2:15, the demonic powers are disarmed and disgraced by the conquering Christ like prisoners of war. In 2 Cor 2:14, the metaphor is more difficult to interpret, since apostles rather than enemies are led forth in triumph. Either Paul pictures the apostles as captives of Christ who are taunted and sometimes killed in the streets of the unbelieving world, or perhaps they are the soldiers who participate in the celebration of Christ's triumph over sin and evil.

3:2 on your hearts:
The very lives of the Corinthians are a legible witness that Paul is a true apostle who mediates the Spirit (1:22; Gal 3:2-5). Some scholars prefer the variant reading "on our hearts" (textual note
c
). 
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3:3 the Spirit:
Engraved on the tablet of the believing heart. This divine work is even more magnificent than the writing of the Ten Commandments on stone (Ex 31:18). • Paul is drawing from two prophecies about the messianic age. Writing on the heart evokes Jeremiah's promise that God will ratify a new covenant and inscribe his law on the hearts of his people (Jer 31:31-34). The contrast between stone and human hearts evokes Ezekiel's promise that God will replace the stony hearts of his people with fleshly hearts that are ready to obey him through the Spirit (Ezek 11:19; 36:26-27). 
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3:5 our sufficiency is from God:
Paul makes no claim to be qualified for apostleship apart from God's grace (2:17). This is in marked contrast to the false apostles, who display their credentials with written documentation (3:1; 10:12). • Paul is alluding to the call of Moses in the Greek version of Ex 4:10. Like Moses, who complains that his poor speaking ability makes him unfit to be a prophet, Paul sees himself as "unskilled in speaking" (2 Cor 11:6). Nevertheless, he is confident that the grace of God more than compensates for his personal weaknesses (12:9-10). See word study:
Unskilled
at 2 Cor 11:6. 
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3:6 new covenant:
Sealed by the redeeming work of Jesus and made present in the Eucharist (Lk 22:20; 1 Cor 11:25).
the written code:
Literally, "the letter", set in contrast to "the Spirit". • Tradition has understood the Pauline antithesis between letter and Spirit in two different ways.
(1)
Some read it as a
historical
contrast between two economies of salvation. The Law of Moses is the letter, which commands us but does not assist us, bringing death and condemnation upon the disobedient. But the Spirit, by a supernatural action of grace, gives us life and blessing along with the moral help we need to obey the Law. Proponents of this view include Tertullian, St. John Chrysostom, St. Augustine, and St. Ephrem.
(2)
Others read it as a
hermeneutical
contrast between the literal and spiritual senses of Scripture. The literal sense of the OT describes things and events of the past, which are shadows and types of the gospel, but these remain lifeless apart from their fulfillmen in Christ. The spiritual sense reveals the spiritual realities of the messianic age that bring us life and grace, realities foretold by the letter but now made present through the Spirit of Christ. Proponents of this view include Origen, St. Athanasius, St. Gregory of Nyssa, and St. Cyril of Alexandria (CCC 115-18, 1094). 
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3:7-18
The New Covenant ministry of Paul supersedes the Old Covenant ministry of Moses, for he mediates righteousness through the Spirit, not condemnation through the uncompromising standards of the Law. Note that a single Greek term is translated by several different English words throughout this chapter (splendor, 3:7-11; brightness, 3:7; glory, 3:18). 
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3:7 Moses' face
: A reference to Ex 34:29-35, where the glory of God shone from the face of Moses and frightened the Israelites. Most scholars understand Paul this way: Moses veiled himself to prevent Israel from seeing the radiance of his face fade away over time. The gradual disappearance of this brightness, hidden behind the veil, symbolizes the destiny of the Old Covenant, which will itself pass away (2 Cor 3:13). 
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3:11 permanent:
Only the glory of the New Covenant is everlasting. It makes all previous covenants comparatively "old" (3:14). 
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3:14 that same veil:
The divine meaning of Scripture is veiled from unbelieving Israel, just as the divine radiance was veiled from wayward Israel back in Moses' day. The idea is that Paul's kinsmen read the OT without understanding that it points the way to Christ (Lk 24:44-47; Rom 10:1-4). 
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3:15 Moses is read:
I.e., the Torah is read weekly in the synagogues (Acts 15:21). 
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3:16 turns to the Lord:
Recalls how Moses removed the L veil every time he turned to the Lord to receive a new revelation (Ex 34:34). For Paul, this prefigures Christian conversion, which involves turning to the Lord to embrace the new revelation of the gospel. 
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