Paul returned to his appeal for the Corinthians" full affection ( 2 Corinthians 6:11-13) claiming no fault toward the Corinthians on three counts ( 2 Corinthians 7:2). He had done no wrong to anyone, had not led anyone astray, nor had he deceived anyone for his own advantage. Paul used the literary devices of anaphoria (beginning each of the three clauses with the same word in Greek) and homoioptoton (using verbs that have the same ending, here amen). This wordplay added emotional force to his affirmation. [source][source][source]
Context Summary
2 Corinthians 7:1-4 - Separate From All Uncleanness
Paul's love failed to be appreciated by his converts because the channel of receptiveness, that is, of their faith and love, was so straitened. How often is this the case between Christ and us! Let us dredge the channel. Be ye enlarged! Open your mouth wide and He will fill it.
The best method of doing this is to be only, always, and all for Him. We must not offer Him a share of our heart and devotion. There must be no division between Him and others. Whenever iniquity, darkness, Belial, and unbelievers seek to share our nature with the Holy Spirit, and we permit the partnership, He withdraws. No idols must be permitted in any hidden shrine of the heart. The whole nature-spirit (that is, the Holy of Holies) soul (that is, the seat of our individuality), and body-must be the temple of the Eternal, who rules it from the Shekinah, which is enthroned on the Ark of the Covenant. God still walks the world in those who love Him and are wholly yielded to His indwelling. The loneliest spirit finds Him to be father, mother, brother, sister, all. What an incentive to cleanliness not only of flesh but of spirit! Hebrews 10:22. The Apostle concludes by expressing his intense thankfulness that his converts had not misunderstood the urgency of his former letter. [source]
Chapter Summary: 2 Corinthians 7
1He proceeds in exhorting them to purity of life; 2and to bear him like affection as he does to them 3Whereof lest he might seem to doubt, he declares what comfort he took in his afflictions 6by the report which Titus gave of their godly sorrow, 8which his former epistle had wrought in them; 13and of their loving-kindness and obedience toward Titus, answerable to his former boastings of them
Greek Commentary for 2 Corinthians 7:2
Open your hearts to us [χωρησατε ημας] Old verb (from χωρος chōros place), to leave a space, to make a space for, and transitive here as in Matthew 19:11. He wishes no further στενοχωρια stenochōria tightness of heart, in them (2 Corinthians 6:12). “Make room for us in your hearts.” He makes this plea to all, even the stubborn minority. [source]
We wronged no man [ουδενα ηδικησαμεν] A thing that every preacher ought to be able to say. Cf. 2 Corinthians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 2:3; Acts 20:26. We corrupted no man (ουδενα επτειραμεν oudena ephtheiramen). We ruined no one. “It may refer to money, or morals, or doctrine” (Plummer). He is answering the Judaizers. We took advantage of no man That charge was made in Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 4:6) which see for this late verb and also on 2 Corinthians 2:11. He got the best of (note πλεον pleon more in the root) no one in any evil way. [source]
We corrupted no man [ουδενα επτειραμεν] We ruined no one. “It may refer to money, or morals, or doctrine” (Plummer). He is answering the Judaizers. [source]
We took advantage of no man [ουδενα επλεονεκτησαμεν] That charge was made in Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 4:6) which see for this late verb and also on 2 Corinthians 2:11. He got the best of (note πλεον pleon more in the root) no one in any evil way. [source]
Receive [χωρήσατε] From χῶρος placeor space. Primarily, to leave a space, make room for. See on containing, John 2:6; see on John 8:37. The meaning here is make room for us. Rev., open your hearts to us, which is felicitous in view of the reference to 2 Corinthians 6:12. It is equivalent to saying enlarge your hearts to take us in, as our heart is enlarged (2 Corinthians 6:11). [source]
Defrauded [ἐπλεονεκτήσαμεν] Used by Paul only. It adds the idea of wrong for the sake of gain, which is not necessarily implied in either of the other verbs. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 2 Corinthians 7:2
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: χωρέω
Sense: to leave space (which may be filled or occupied by another), to make room, give place, yield.
Greek Commentary for 2 Corinthians 7:2
Old verb (from χωρος chōros place), to leave a space, to make a space for, and transitive here as in Matthew 19:11. He wishes no further στενοχωρια stenochōria tightness of heart, in them (2 Corinthians 6:12). “Make room for us in your hearts.” He makes this plea to all, even the stubborn minority. [source]
A thing that every preacher ought to be able to say. Cf. 2 Corinthians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 2:3; Acts 20:26. We corrupted no man (ουδενα επτειραμεν oudena ephtheiramen). We ruined no one. “It may refer to money, or morals, or doctrine” (Plummer). He is answering the Judaizers. We took advantage of no man That charge was made in Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 4:6) which see for this late verb and also on 2 Corinthians 2:11. He got the best of (note πλεον pleon more in the root) no one in any evil way. [source]
We ruined no one. “It may refer to money, or morals, or doctrine” (Plummer). He is answering the Judaizers. [source]
That charge was made in Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 4:6) which see for this late verb and also on 2 Corinthians 2:11. He got the best of (note πλεον pleon more in the root) no one in any evil way. [source]
From χῶρος placeor space. Primarily, to leave a space, make room for. See on containing, John 2:6; see on John 8:37. The meaning here is make room for us. Rev., open your hearts to us, which is felicitous in view of the reference to 2 Corinthians 6:12. It is equivalent to saying enlarge your hearts to take us in, as our heart is enlarged (2 Corinthians 6:11). [source]
Used by Paul only. It adds the idea of wrong for the sake of gain, which is not necessarily implied in either of the other verbs. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 2 Corinthians 7:2
Paul goes right to the point without hedging. For this verb from πλεον pleon and εχω echō to have more, see note on 2 Corinthians 2:11, note on 2 Corinthians 7:2. [source]
First aorist passive subjunctive after ινα μη hina mē (negative purpose) of πλεονεκτεω pleonekteō old verb from πλεονεκτης pleonektēs a covetous man (1 Corinthians 5:10.), to take advantage of, to gain, to overreach. In N.T. only in 1 Thessalonians 4:6; 2 Corinthians 2:11; 2 Corinthians 7:2; 2 Corinthians 12:17. “That we may not be overreached by Satan.” [source]