For, when we were come into Macedonia, our body had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.
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Ambrosiaster
AD 400
It is because the flesh is irrational that Paul says that it has no rest from its suffering. But the soul, although it was suffering in the body, did have rest. This is because of the hope that God would reward them for the tribulations inflicted on them by unbelievers. Fightings were inflicted on the body, and fears attacked the soul, but Paul was not at all afflicted in the Spirit, who was given to him so that he might endure such things. Commentary on Paul’s Epistles.
Without were fightings. Unbelievers were openly hostile.
Within were fears. I was inwardly anxious, both because of false brethren and of weak Christians, lest they should be led to fall away through our persecutions (Anselm and Ambrose).
Our flesh, that is, I myself, had no rest, because of the concern I was in about you, after I had written my last letter. (Witham)
Combats without, fears within. Openly persecuted by the pagans, by the Jews, and by false brethren, I was tormented in my interior, by the apprehensions and fears I have just related to you. I was under continual apprehension, that my letter had been written in too severe a tone. I was in doubt whether the incestuous man would submit to the sentence of excommunication, and censure pronounced against him. And I said with myself, will not false teachers undo, and render fruitless all my endeavours to benefit the Church? Will not my letter alienate their minds from me? (Calmet)
Our body had no ease, assailed with a deluge of evils from without, by the enemies of the gospel from within, by fears of new persecutions. (Menochius)
For since he said, our tribulation; he both explains of what sort it was, and magnifies it by his words, in order to show that the consolation and joys received from them was great, seeing it had repelled so great a sorrow. But we were afflicted on every side.
How on every side? For without were fightings, from the unbelievers; within were fears; because of the weak among the believers, lest they should be drawn aside. For not among the Corinthians only did these things happen, but elsewhere also.
Accordingly, when he is going to assign afflictions to the flesh as its especial liability-according to the statement he had already made-he says, "When we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest; "
