Yes—Paul despaired of life itself when the pressure of persecution, severe sickness, and the unresolved absence of Titus left him feeling he would not live to finish his ministry.
Paul's trouble in Asia pressed him 'out of measure, above strength' so that he 'despaired even of life' (2 Corinthians 1:8). Les Feldick shows this happened after Paul left Ephesus under persecution, became deathly sick, and had no rest because Titus never arrived at Troas. Les adds that the Lord who permitted the affliction was the one who supplied strength to bring Paul through it.
2 Corinthians 1:8-10 — Paul plainly describes the trouble in Asia as beyond his strength and says he despaired of life, which is the very question being asked.
2 Corinthians 2:13 — Paul names one immediate source of inner turmoil: he had no rest in his spirit because Titus was not there.
2 Corinthians 11:28 — Paul lists the daily pressure of the care of all the churches, which Les describes as mental and spiritual pressure on top of physical suffering.
In 2 Corinthians 1:8 Paul tells the Corinthians that he did not want them to be ignorant of 'our trouble which came to us in Asia,' adding that he and his companions were 'pressed out of measure, above strength' and despaired 'even of life.' The very next verse says they 'had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead' (2 Corinthians 1:9). At Troas Paul says, 'I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia' (2 Corinthians 2:13). He also describes burdens beyond physical hardship: 'Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches' (2 Corinthians 11:28). He expressed confidence that he was willing 'rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord' (2 Corinthians 5:8).
Les Feldick shows that Paul's despair did not happen in a vacuum. Leaving Ephesus because of 'tremendous hatred for the gospel from the pagan followers of Diana,' Paul went to Troas expecting to meet Titus. When Titus did not come, Paul had no way to know what had happened to him, yet he obeyed the Lord's call into Macedonia. Les says this is part of what kept Paul under 'such constant satanic attack.' Les interprets 'we despaired of life' to mean Paul did not think he would live to finish his ministry. He pictures Paul becoming 'deathly sick' after leaving Ephesus, and later lying on a sickbed in Philippi, having 'almost escaped' with his life. Adversaries attacked him from within the church and without, while mental and spiritual pressures—the care of all the churches—added to the physical pain. In this state, Les says, death almost became 'a welcome escape.' Yet Les also draws the spiritual lesson: God was using it so Paul would 'not trust in ourselves but in God which raiseth the dead.' The Lord who permitted the affliction was the Lord who had the strength to bring Paul through it, and Paul realized there was still unfinished gospel work, so he kept pressing on. Les reminds readers that Paul was 'just as human as we are,' able to get down and also able to rejoice.
Both. Les says whether it was physical sickness or outside pressure from the Romans or the Judaizers, Paul would almost come to the place where he would despair even of life. After leaving Ephesus under persecution from the silversmiths, he gets deathly sick. On top of that he suffered pain from beatings and scourgings, increasing pressure from the Roman authorities, and the mental and spiritual pressure of the care of all the churches.
Paul was supposed to meet Titus at Troas, but Titus did not arrive. Paul had no way of knowing what had happened to him. He says, 'I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother' (2 Corinthians 2:13). Les notes that even though Paul had lost track of Titus, he kept obeying the Lord's call and went across the Aegean to begin his ministry in Macedonia.
Les says that on the sickbed in Philippi, with constant attacks from adversaries within the church and without, death almost became 'a welcome escape.' Paul was willing to be absent from the body and present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). But Les also stresses that Paul realized there was unfinished business—people still to be reached with the gospel—so he kept laboring.
Paul says he had 'the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead' (2 Corinthians 1:9). Les teaches that the Lord who permitted the affliction and pressure was the same Lord who had the strength to bring him through it. Paul's despair was real, but God's strength was what carried him.
Leaving Ephesus for Troas
Les explains Paul's forced departure from Ephesus and his intended meeting with Titus to show why Paul was under constant satanic attack.
Loss of Titus at Troas
Paul had no rest in his spirit when Titus did not appear; Les notes Paul still obeyed the Lord's call into Macedonia.
Despair Even of Life and the Sentence of Death
Les identifies physical sickness and outside pressure as things that brought Paul close to despair, with the purpose that he would trust God who raises the dead.
Deathly Sick After Leaving Ephesus
Les describes Paul becoming deathly sick after leaving Ephesus under persecution, suffering not only from enemies but also from sickness.
Pressed Out of Measure
Les weighs the text where Paul was pressed out of measure above strength and despaired of life, concluding Paul thought he would not live to finish his ministry; God who permitted the affliction also provided strength.
Suffering and Longing for Heaven
Les places Paul's sickness and beatings in context and sees why Paul was anxious to be absent from the body and present with the Lord.
Sickbed in Philippi and Unfinished Work
Les pictures Paul on a sickbed in Philippi, where death became almost welcome, yet Paul realized there was still unfinished gospel work and his life was not his own.
Care of All the Churches
Les emphasizes the mental and spiritual pressure Paul carried daily—the care of the churches—on top of outward persecution.
2 Corinthians 1:8: For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
This is the verse that names the despair itself and defines it as 'out of measure, above strength.'
2 Corinthians 1:9: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
Paul explains the purpose of the sentence of death: reliance on God's raising power.
2 Corinthians 1:10: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
Paul describes how God had already delivered him and would deliver him again.
2 Corinthians 2:13: I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.
At Troas, Paul's spirit had no rest because his expected meeting with Titus never happened.
2 Corinthians 5:8: We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
Paul states his willingness to leave this life and be with Christ, the desire Les ties to his suffering.
2 Corinthians 11:28: Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
Paul lists the daily pressure of all the churches as a burden on top of outward conflicts.
Paul says his trouble came in Asia, where he was pressed out of measure and above strength (2 Corinthians 1:8). Les places him in Philippi on a sickbed shortly after barely escaping Ephesus with his life.
Les teaches that Paul did not think he would live to finish his ministry. The phrase describes the point where life itself seemed beyond endurance.
Les says the Lord who permitted the affliction also had the strength to bring Paul through it. Paul kept laboring because he knew there was still unfinished gospel work.
The transcripts do not explain why Titus never arrived. Paul simply had no way of knowing what had happened to him, and he left Troas for Macedonia in obedience to the Lord's call.
Watch the Teaching: Why the Gospel Is Hidden From Some People — 2 Corinthians 4:1-4