2 Corinthians 1:23

I call God for a record upon my soul - The apostle here resumes the subject which he left 2 Corinthians 1:16 , and in the most solemn manner calls God to witness, and consequently to punish, if he asserted any thing false, that it was through tenderness to them that he did not visit Corinth at the time proposed. As there were so many scandals among them, the apostle had reason to believe that he should be obliged to use the severe and authoritative part of his function in the excommunication of those who had sinned, and delivering them over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, etc.; but to give them space to amend, and to see what effect his epistle might produce, (not having heard as yet from them), he proposed to delay his coming. It is plain, as several commentators have observed,

1. That St. Paul's doctrine had been opposed by some of Corinth, 1 Corinthians 15:12 . His apostleship questioned, 1 Corinthians 9:1 , 1 Corinthians 9:2 , and 2 Corinthians 12:13 .

Himself despised, and treated as a person who, because of the consciousness he had of his own worthlessness, dared not to come, 1 Corinthians 4:18 . His letters, say they, are weighty and powerful - full of boastings of what he can and what he will do; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible, 2 Corinthians 10:10 .

3. This being the state in which his reputation was then at Corinth, and he having promised to come to them, 1 Corinthians 16:5 , he could not but think it necessary to vindicate his failing them by reasons which should be both convincing and kind, such as those contained in the preceding verses. See Dodd and others.