(2 Corinthians 1 and 12)
The contrast between Paul’s circumstances in this chapter and in chapter 12 of this epistle is very striking. Here he is, we may say, in human circumstances, surrounded by straits, difficulties and dangers, which came upon him from without, and to which no doubt he was subjected in a peculiar way because of his service. But in chapter 12 he is seen altogether in Gods circumstances, if I may so say, taken up into the third heavens, into Paradise, the subject, as he tells us, of “abundance of the revelations,” or “exceeding greatness of the revelations”—and then, and as a consequence, crippled by a thorn in the flesh given him, and sent back into this world to go through it as a poor, broken, shattered vessel: yet never so efficient for God’s purpose as when in this cripplement, so much so that when his first thoughts are set aside by communion, he bows to the stroke and says, “Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” This was when he reached the sanctuary, as it were. It is marvelous to see clearly how this alters everything with us all; even a Paul is changed from beseeching the Lord thrice that it might depart from him, to not only accepting it, but taking pleasure in it—glorying in it!
But to return to our chapter (observe v. 3), it is striking how he begins in the very opposite way to that which marks us generally. It is natural to us to start with our own troubles and pressure, and then perhaps to go on to tell of the comfort and consolation ministered by God to us; but the apostle begins with the “Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies”; thus beginning, not at the stream, but the blessed fountain head Himself. Then he comes down to the stream, “that we may be able to comfort,” &c. It was not a going up to God from that, but from God Himself, he comes down to the comfort ministered. It makes an immense difference at what end we begin. This poor world has ever been the place wherein to find broken hearts and weeping eyes; who can dry those tears or bind up those hearts but God Himself! Still, the human need, however great, is no measure of His comfort.
It is an immense stay to the heart in such a scene to know God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, as the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; it is in very truth exactly the title that suits a poor tempest tossed pilgrim on his way to glory; it suits, too, the one who is reduced by this God-sent- and-given weakness. It is blessed, amid all that we meet with in the wilderness, to know there was One, but only One, who tasted unmeasured trouble and sorrow; in our case it is all measured, and oh, with what skill and care too. He does not place on the vessel any weight beyond what it can bear: He knows exactly its capacity as to this, He allots the weight, and He gives also His power, His strength, to sustain. All goes on under His hands; no amount even of God-given consolation in the midst of the troubles here could ever be the measure of His heart.
Observe how the apostle rises to the source here: “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.” He is the spring and source of every mercy—it is all mercy every step of the way; every trouble even is in mercy, all His blessed way with us is mercy; Paul starts from the source of all, even from the blessed God Himself, in whom is perfect fullness and divine sufficiency. Then he comes down to what is ministered from this source through vessels of sovereign choice; that which he himself had passed through was the needed preparation for this ministry through him. What a ministry! Exercises of heart within, pressure and difficulty without, all made tributary to its discharge.
But, further, see how the Corinthians were in the mind of the blessed God, hence the servant is afflicted, is passed through heights and depths of trial, through every variety of circumstance (2 Cor. 11), in order that in him thus, there might be displayed the power of the Christ, and that the very same power might go out through him and reach them. A true servant is ready for everything: stands as an ox between the altar and the plough—ready for either! How different from the world’s, and our own natural thoughts; to be bowed down to, made something of, applauded, is what the flesh craves and the world accords; but to SUFFER for His blessed name’s sake, is the divine way, and full of present and eternal glory.
Thus, too, the servant himself learns what God is to him in such moments, both what the Lord can be and do. So the apostle—“at my first answer no man stood with me,” he was forsaken by all; not a hard thought rested in his breast, “I pray God it may not be laid to their charge”—but then, mark well what follows, “nevertheless the Lord stood with me and strengthened me.” How blessed but His presence comes first—“the Lord stood with me”—afterwards what the Lord did for His servant: “and strengthened me.”
Then, besides, there is a reason, a needs be for all these afflictings and conflicts. First, on our side, it is “that we should not trust in ourselves”; this is a great point, those who know their own hearts,—know the deep-seated confidence in self which lies rooted there. Oh, nothing but the displacing power of death can get rid of that; then that very death removes the hindrances to confidence in Him, “in God which raiseth the dead.” What an issue! What meat from the eater! We must go into the gloomy night, into the darkness of the grave, be invested, as it were, with the shroud, and pass into the tomb, that we may come forth in the bloom and beauty of resurrection. Thus we sow in tears to reap in joy, heaviness endures for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
Then, further, there is a needs be on God’s side for all these siftings and trials, they are His opportunities or occasions to display Himself in the love that never overlooks or forgets His own. He draws near at such moments and makes Himself known as “the God of all comfort”; as “God who comforteth those that are cast down”; “as one whom his mother comforteth so will I comfort you”—these are His own gracious words in a past day, not less true to-day. Thus He turns the sorrows and afflictions of these poor scenes to His own account, displaying in them a tenderness and a com- passion that overlooks none. He delights to show how He can heal a broken heart, as well as sustain a weak body. The first is not beyond Him, the second is not beneath Him.
You will, no doubt, call to mind the touching scene in the history of Joseph and his brethren, how when their father Jacob was dead, they doubted Joseph and gave him no credit for any affection beyond that which connection with Jacob might secure to them; his brethren reasoned thus: “they said Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him”—their thoughts of him were governed by what was in their own hearts—they credited him with feelings and motives which would have actuated them in like circumstances. How does Joseph meet this? Does he resent it in any wise? “Joseph wept when they spake to him”—his heart was broken; and then listen to his gracious words: “I will nourish you and your little ones, and he comforted them and spake kindly unto them,” or as in the margin “spake to their hearts.” How it brings to mind the scene in the future when the words of Hosea 2:1414Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. (Hosea 2:14) will be made good:
I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness and speak comfortably unto her, and I will give her her vineyards from thence and the valley of Achor for a door of hope; and she shall sing there as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.
Thus we see how that as death literally will be Jehovah’s way of dealing with Israel in the future, so it is the way of the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ with His saints morally now. And thus it is that we are educated and trained in God’s school, in order that as servants and vessels of His own, we may be fit for His use. Everything must be fully tested and proved. If we are walking with God in the secret life of our souls within, we must be conscious how little we are able to help one another, it is painful to observe how well able we appear to be to find out the weak points in one another, the halting and blemishes which alas abound; but the ability through grace to remove these is another thing, and to do it in all the tenderness of one who as “a nurse cherisheth her children,” being affectionately desirous of them and willing to impart also our own souls, because they are dear unto us. How blessed the service which has such an object and is rendered in such a spirit; and so it is that, whatever be the call or demand, whether what we have spoken of, or whether comfort or consolation, all alike flows in the grace of Christ, from him who has learned it in God’s school, from one who has as it were walked the great hospital of suffering which this present world is, and having tasted the balm of consolation himself which the Father of mercies and God of all comfort has ministered to him, is able to comfort those who are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith he himself is comforted of God: thus and thus alone out of the eater came forth meat and out of the strong sweetness. May our hearts, by His Spirit’s power be divinely receptive of such blessed ways of our Father God for Christ’s sake.