The punishment
The Greek word used here is "ἐπιτιμία" (epitimia), which refers to a penalty or disciplinary action. In the context of the early church, this punishment was likely a form of church discipline intended to correct and restore a member who had sinned. Historically, the early Christian communities took seriously the moral and spiritual health of their members, and discipline was a means to maintain purity and unity within the body of Christ. This reflects the biblical principle that discipline, when administered in love, is a tool for growth and restoration.

imposed by the majority
The phrase indicates a collective decision made by the church body. The Greek word for "majority" is "πλείων" (pleion), suggesting that the action was not taken lightly or by a few individuals but was a consensus among the believers. This highlights the communal nature of the early church, where decisions were made together, reflecting the unity and shared responsibility of the congregation. It underscores the importance of community discernment and accountability in the life of the church.

is sufficient
The Greek word "ἱκανός" (hikanos) means adequate or enough. This suggests that the punishment had achieved its intended purpose, which was likely repentance and reconciliation. The sufficiency of the punishment indicates that it was neither too harsh nor too lenient, but just right to bring about the desired outcome. This aligns with the biblical teaching that discipline should be restorative rather than punitive, aiming to bring the sinner back into fellowship with God and the community.

(6) Sufficient to such a man is this punishment.--Better, perhaps, this censure, or rebuke: the Greek word epitimia being different from those in Matthew 25:46, and in Hebrews 10:29. It is natural to infer that this was somewhat after the pattern of the course marked out in 1Corinthians 5:3-5. A meeting of the Church had been held, and the man delivered to Satan. Possibly this was followed by some suffering of body, supernaturally inflicted, or coming as the natural consequence (not less divine because natural) of remorse and shame. It was almost certainly followed by ex-communication and exclusion from religious and social fellowship. St. Paul had clearly heard what it had been, and thought that it had been enough.

Which was inflicted of many.--Actually, by the majority. The decision, then, had not been unanimous. The minority may have been either members of the Judaising "Cephas "party, resenting what they would look upon as St. Paul's dictation, and perhaps falling back on the Jewish casuistry, which taught that all the natural relationships of a proselyte were cancelled by his conversion; or the party of license, against whom the Apostle reasons in 1 Corinthians 6-8, and who boasted of their freedom. The Passover argument and the form of the sentence in 1 Corinthians 5 alike suggest the idea that the offender and those who defended him were Jews. On the other hand, see Note on 2Corinthians 7:12.

Verse 6. - Sufficient to such a man is this punishment. What the punishment was we do not know, but of course the Corinthians knew that what St. Paul had directed them to do was to summon the Church together, and there,by excommunicating the man, "to hand him over to Satan." But this handing over to Satan was, as we have seen, designed solely for a merciful purpose, and to awaken his repentance, so as to secure his ultimate salvation (1 Corinthians 5:4, 5). Whether the Corinthians had done exactly as St. Paul bade them is uncertain; but whatever they had done is here acquiesced in by St. Paul, and even if (as we may suspect) they had dealt more leniently with the offender than he originally intended, he here not only refrains from urging them to use greater severity, but even exhorts them to a still more absolute condonation. St. Paul's object had not been that they should take a particular course of action, but that they should bring about a desired result. The result had been achieved, and now the matter might rest. To such a man. St. Paul mercifully abstains from recording his name or from thrusting him into unnecessary prominence before the assembly in which the letter would be read. The apostle evidently entered into the Jewish feeling that there is a criminal cruelty in needlessly calling a blush of shame into a brother's face. This punishment. The word epitimia, which occurs here only in the New Testament, but is also found in Wisd. 3:10, means "punishment," as in later Greek, and is not used in its classical sense of "rebuke" (Vulgate, objurgatio); but the mildness of the word, perhaps, implies that the Corinthians had not resorted to the severest measures. Which was inflicted of many; rather, by the majority. The verb is expressed in the original, and St. Paul seems to allude to the steps taken, whatever they were, with a certain dignified reticence. It is obvious that there were still some opponents of St. Paul in the Church, who retained in this matter their "inflated" sentiments of spurious independence; and this may, perhaps, have driven others into too rigid an attitude of severity.

Parallel Commentaries ...


The
ἡ (hē)
Article - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

punishment
ἐπιτιμία (epitimia)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2009: Punishment, penalty. From a compound of epi and time; properly, esteem, i.e. Citizenship; used of a penalty.

[imposed on him]
ἡ (hē)
Article - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

by
ὑπὸ (hypo)
Preposition
Strong's 5259: A primary preposition; under, i.e. of place, or with verbs; of place (underneath) or where (below) or time (when).

the
τῶν (tōn)
Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

majority
πλειόνων (pleionōn)
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural - Comparative
Strong's 4119: Or neuter pleion, or pleon comparative of polus; more in quantity, number, or quality; also the major portion.

[is] sufficient
ἱκανὸν (hikanon)
Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2425: From hiko; competent, i.e. Ample or fit.

for
τῷ (tō)
Article - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

him.
τοιούτῳ (toioutō)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5108: (including the other inflections); from toi and houtos; truly this, i.e. Of this sort (to denote character or individuality).


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NT Letters: 2 Corinthians 2:6 Sufficient to such a one is this (2 Cor. 2C iiC 2Cor ii cor iicor)