"Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you."
2 Corinthians 13:11
“Finally, brethren, farewell.”
“Finally,” Paul has come to the end of his letter and has just a few more things to say.
“Farewell.” Even though the Corinthians’ poor behavior had required a harshness in dealing with them, Paul still wished for them to “rejoice” in the Lord. He told the Thessalonians to “Rejoice evermore” (1 Thessalonians 5:16). And to the Philippians, he wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice” (Philippians 4:4). Believers ought to be rejoicing in their Lord “always.”
“Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace.”
Paul had high hopes for the church in Corinth as he left them with this parting challenge.
“Be perfect.”
This command, given to the immature church, in the ancient language is a product of the same root word as “perfection” in verse 9.
“For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection” (2 Corinthians 13:9).
Paul’s idea, “It was a wish that every disorder might be removed; that all that was out of joint might be restored; that everything might be in its proper place; and that they might be just what they ought to be: A command to be perfect, however, does not prove that it has ever in fact been obeyed…”[1] (Barnes).
Paul made the Lord’s ideals and expectations known to them.
“Be of good comfort.”
Give comfort, receive comfort from the Lord, and each other.
“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
“Be of one mind.”
Be united in the Lord, think His thoughts, do not be selfishly divided.
“Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10).
“Live in peace.”
Believers, have peace with God, and ought to be at peace with each other. Do your part for peace with the brethren.
“If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18).
“And the God of love and peace shall be with you.”
As Paul told the Romans,
“Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen” (Romans 15:33).
And to the Philippians,
“Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you” (Philippians 4:9).
And to these Corinthians, whom he loved and cared for deeply,
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen” (2 Corinthians 13:14a).
Quote: “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace” (James 3:17-18).
[1] Albert Barnes, Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, the electronic version in eSword.