And again, in his second letter to the Corinthians, the same apostle says, “When I had come to Troas for the gospel of Christ, and a door was opened to me in the Lord, I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother, but bidding them farewell, I went into Macedonia.” To whom did he declare farewell except to those who had believed, that is to say, to those in whose hearts a door was opened for him to preach the gospel? But note well what he adds: “Now thanks be to God, who always makes us triumph in Christ and manifests the aroma of Christ to God, in those who are saved and in those who perish; to some indeed the odor of death to death but to others the fragrance of life to life.” Behold why this most intrepid soldier, this most invincible defender of grace, gives thanks. Behold why he gives thanks—that the apostles are the good odor of Christ to God, both in those who are saved by his grace and in those who perish in virtue of his judgment.
In Acts [:] it says that a man of Macedonia appeared to Paul in a dream and asked him to come over and help them. Paul does not mention this incident in his letter, evidently because he realized that this was not the right time to say such things about himself. .
When I was come to Troas. And a door was opened to me, towards promoting the gospel, which I never neglect, yet I had no rest in my spirit; I remained still in a great concern for you, not meeting with Titus, from whom I expected with impatience to hear how all things went with you at Corinth: I went on, therefore, bidding them farewell at that time, and deferred the good I might do by a longer stay with them till another time. (Witham)
Troas is the same town as the ancient Troy or Ilium, famous for its ten years' siege, when it was destroyed by the Greeks in the year 1184, B. Christ . (Estius)
Here, though there was a great promise of abundant fruit, St. Paul's solicitude to meet Titus, that he might learn from him the effect of his letter, made him depart from Macedonia, where he had much to suffer. (Bible de Vence)
Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ, and when a door was opened unto me in the Lord, I had no relief for my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother.
These words seem on the one hand to be unworthy of Paul, if because of a brother's absence he threw away so great an opportunity of saving; and on the other, to hang apart from the context. What then? Will ye that we should first prove that they hang upon the context, or, that he has said nothing unworthy of himself? As I think, the second , for so the other point also will be easier and clearer.
How then do these (words) hang upon those before them? Let us recall to mind what those were, and so we shall perceive this. What then were those before? What he said at the beginning. I would not have you, says he, ignorant concerning our affliction which befell us in Asia, that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power. 2 Corinthians 1:8 Now having shown the manner of his deliverance, and inserted the intermedia...
