1:3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. 6But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; –2 Cor. 1:3-6
How is God described? (1:3)
- Father of our Lord Jesus
- Father of mercies
- God of all comfort
- Comforts us in our tribulation
(internal causation) Why does God comfort us in our tribulations? So that we may be able to comfort others also in the same way.
1:5 is adding support to this thought (notice the “for”/”because”): both the sufferings and our consolation are through Christ.
1:6 Internal cause and effect:
If we are afflicted it is for your consolation and salvation
If we are comforted it is for your consolation and salvation
Both comfort and affliction are for consolation and salvation (serving God’s purposes). Therefore we should rejoice regardless of whether we are afflicted or comforted.