Note 4 at 2 Cor. 1:4: Paul is describing the distress and anguish in which he wrote his previous letter. In the Greek, the phrase "anguish of heart" means "a compressing, distress, straits." The Hebrew words carry the idea of "agony, dismay, distress," which certainly involves a turmoil. We could paraphrase this by saying, "It was with deep distress and actual crying that Paul had written his previous letter."

Paul's grief was not for himself, but for the Corinthians. He could see what their strife (see note 1 at 1 Cor. 1:10, p. 860) and sin were doing to them and it hurt him. Later in this same letter Paul referred to his daily care of all the churches (2 Cor. 11:28).

Paul was not a minister who was concerned only with the presentation of some doctrines, but rather he was a man who felt sorrow, shed tears, was moved with compassion and love toward others. R.V.G. Tasker in his commentary on 2 Corinthians states, "By its position in the Greek the word LOVE is given the strongest possible emphasis...Paul...shows, he had a very special love for the Corinthians" (Tyndale Commentary). Paul's love is conveyed by his statement, "My purpose (in writing you) was not to make you sad, but to make you realize how much I love you all" (TEV).

Paul genuinely cared for the people he ministered to.

Note 5 at 2 Cor. 1:4: Some people have used this verse to teach that we can't help others unless we have gone through the same thing they are experiencing. That is not true. You don't have to experience rape to help comfort someone who has. You do need to have experiential knowledge of God's comfort, but it doesn't necessarily have to be in that particular area.