2 Corinthians 7:5

Into Macedonia. See chapter 2:12, 13.

We were troubled. Paul resumes the narrative from which he has digressed since chapter 2:13. No church that Paul had founded gave him so much cause for anxiety and suffering as that at Corinth. Much of this was due to the false apostles (see on chapter 11:22), who had followed Paul to Corinth and deliberately set about to destroy his work, to discredit his apostleship, to ridicule his gospel and his person (chapter 10:10-12), to assail his character, and to charge him with mishandling money, with cowardice and insincerity, with usurpation of authority. They may also have sought to impose certain ritual requirements on the Gentile converts, contrary to the decision of the church (cf. Acts 15:1-5; 19-24; Galatians 2:1-8).

Furthermore, the membership at Corinth was divided into four factions (1 Corinthians 1:10-12). In addition, one of the members was guilty of the most despicable immorality (1 Corinthians 5:1-5), and the church had failed to deal with him. Some were guilty of going to law with their brethren in pagan courts (1 Corinthians 6:1-8). Some had debased the Lord’s Supper, and were guilty of desecrating this sacred service (1 Corinthians 11:20-30). Some had manifested a false zeal for spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 14:1, 2, 39, 40).

In spite of all this, Paul did not wish to relinquish his claim to being their spiritual father. He had founded the church at Corinth on his Second Missionary Journey (Acts 18:1-11), and ever since had labored earnestly for them by letter and through personal representatives.

Without were fighting. Thus Paul refers to the struggles listed in greater detail in chapter 11:23-28; cf. chapter 4:8-10.

Within were fears. That is, uncertainty as to how things would work out. This does not mean that Paul suffered abject fear, as he makes plain in chapter 4:8-10.