Fathers

2 Corinthians 7

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Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man. I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you. Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation. For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears. Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus; And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more. For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter. Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you. Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all. For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth. And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him. I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.

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What the Fathers say

2 Corinthians 7:10

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

'Therefore.' he says, 'though I did regret before I saw the fruit and the gain, how great they were I do not regret now.' For such a thing is godly sorrow. And then he philosophizeth about it, showing that sorrow is not in all cases a grievous thing, but when it is worldly. And what is worldly? If thou be in sorrow for money, for reputation, for him that is departed, all these are worldly. Wherefore also they work death. …

Homily 15 on 2 Corinthians ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

He discusses sorrow and shows that sorrow is not always an evil, but only when it is according to the world, that is, over possessions, glory, or the dead. For such sorrow "produces death," assuredly already of the soul, and often of the body as well, for through this many have perished. …

Commentary on 2 Corinthians ↗

Desert Fathers

[Syncletica] also said, 'There is a useful sorrow, and a destructive sorrow. Sorrow is useful when we weep for our sins, and for our neighbour's ignorance, and so that we may not relax our purpose to attain to true goodness, these are the real kinds of sorrow. Our enemy adds something to this. For he sends sorrow without reason, which is something called lethargy. We ought always to drive out a sadness like that with prayers and psalms.'

The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks ↗

Western Saints

Thomas Aquinas

Then when he says, For godly grief, he commends their sorrow because of its effect, which is the reward of eternal life. In regard to this he does two things. First, he mentions the effect in general; secondly, what their experience teaches (v. 11). In regard to the first he does two things. First, he mentions the effect of sorrow which is according to God; secondly, of sorrow which is according to the world (v. 10b). …

Commentary on 2 Corinthians ↗