THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS
AUTHOR: Paul.
DATE: A.D. 55–56
THEME: Powerful Ministry Through Weak Vessels
KEY WORDS: Comfort, Suffering, Ministry, Glory, Power, Weakness
BACKGROUND AND DATE
In various ways 2 Corinthians reflects Paul’s dealings with the church in Corinth during the period from the founding of the church in about A.D. 50 until the writing of this letter in A.D. 55 or 56. The various episodes in the interactions between Paul and the Corinthians can be summarized as follows:
1.The founding visit to Corinth lasted about eighteen months (see Acts 18).
2.Paul wrote an earlier letter than 1 Corinthians (see 1 Cor. 5:9).
3.Paul wrote 1 Corinthians from Ephesus, about A.D. 55.
4.A brief but painful visit to Corinth caused “sorrow” for Paul and the church (see 2 Cor. 2:1; 13:2).
5.Following the painful visit, Paul wrote a severe letter, delivered by Titus (see 2 Cor. 2:4; 7:6–8).
6.Paul wrote 2 Corinthians from Macedonia, while on his way to Corinth again, in A.D. 55 or 56.
7.Paul’s final visit to Corinth (Acts 20) was probably when he wrote Romans, just before returning to Jerusalem. The painful visit, which Acts does not record, and the severe letter provide immediate background for the writing of 2 Corinthians.
We do not possess the severe letter, although some scholars have suggested that 2 Corinthians 10–13 may have been part of that epistle. There is no manuscript evidence to support this view, however.
OCCASION AND PURPOSE
First Corinthians was not as effective as Paul had hoped in settling the crisis at Corinth. The party opposing Paul gained strength, and its leader was particularly obnoxious to him (2:5–11; 10:7–12). Paul hurriedly traveled to Corinth from Ephesus in an attempt to meet the situation. Although this visit is not mentioned in Acts, it is implied in 2 Corinthians 12:14.
Paul failed to achieve his desired objective (2:1; 12:14, 21; 13:1, 2), and experienced open hostility from the leader of the opposition (2:5–8; 7:12). Paul then returned to Ephesus, where he wrote a severe letter to the Corinthians, putting into it the full weight of his apostolic authority. He sent the letter by Titus, and then made his way to Macedonia, where Titus met him with an encouraging report (2:12, 13; 7:6–16).
The majority had been won back to Paul and had taken disciplinary action against the offender (2:5–11). However, there was still a rebellious minority (chs. 10–13). Paul wrote to express a message of conciliation to the loyal majority and to rebuke the rebellious minority. He also gave instructions concerning the offering he was collecting for the impoverished church in Jerusalem.
CHARACTERISTICS
Second Corinthians is the most autobiographical of Paul’s letters, containing numerous references to the hardships he endured in the course of his ministry (see 11:23–33). Paul mentioned these to establish the legitimacy of his ministry and to illustrate the nature of true spirituality.
In defending his ministry, Paul opens his heart, showing his deep emotion. He reveals his strong love for the Corinthians, his ardent zeal for the glory of God, his uncompromising loyalty to the truth of the gospel, and his stern indignation in confronting those who disrupt the fellowship of the church. His life was bound up in the life of his converts, and he was not coldly professional in his ministry (see 1:6; 5:13; 7:3–7; 11:2; 12:14, 15).
CONTENT
Second Corinthians consists of three main parts. The first seven chapters contain Paul’s defense of his conduct and his ministry. He explains the change in his plans to visit Corinth and responds to a charge of fickleness. In discussing the Christian ministry, he expounds on its nature, its problems, its motivating principles, and its responsibilities.
The second unit, chapters 8 and 9, deals with the offering being raised by Paul for the poor saints in Judea. Paul urged the Corinthians to be liberal and cheerful in giving so that God might bless them in every way.
Chapters 10 through 13 form the third segment of the letter and contain a message of rebuke to the remaining detractors in the church. Paul responds to the jibes and slanders of his critics and fully vindicates his authority as an apostle.
PERSONAL APPLICATION
Second Corinthians is a valuable guide in examining our own motives for serving the Lord, whether as lay people or as ordained pastors and evangelists. As an instrument of the Holy Spirit, this letter can refine our motives until we reflect the kind of selfless giving best exemplified in Christ, but also found in His servant Paul. The instructions concerning the collection for Jerusalem (chs. 8 and 9) emphasize generosity in the area of financial resources, just as Paul emphasized generosity in self-giving throughout the book.
CHRIST REVEALED
Jesus Christ is the focus of our relationship with God. All God’s promises to us are Yes in Jesus, and we say “Amen” to God’s promises in Jesus (1:19, 20). Jesus is God’s Yes to us and our Yes to God. Only in Christ do we see the glory of God, and only in Him are we transformed by that glory (3:14, 18), for Christ is the very image of God (4:4–6). God came to us in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself (5:19). Thus, it is “in Christ” that we have become new creatures (5:17). This change was accomplished through the marvelous act of God’s grace in which Christ, “who knew no sin,” became “sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (5:21).
Jesus is also the focus of our service to God. We proclaim Jesus as Lord and ourselves as servants for His sake (4:5). We willingly share not only Christ’s life and glory but also His dying (4:10–12), His willingness to be weak so that others might experience the power of God (13:3, 4, 9), and His willingness to be impoverished so that others might be enriched (8:9). We experience His weakness but also His strength as we seek to bring “every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (10:5).
Again, Jesus is the focus of our present life in this world, where we simultaneously experience in our mortal bodies both “the dying of the Lord Jesus” and His life (4:10, 11).
Finally, Jesus is the focus of our future life, for we will be raised up with Jesus (4:14), who is the “betrothed … husband” of the church (11:2) and the judge of all men (5:10).
THE HOLY SPIRIT AT WORK
The Holy Spirit is the power of the New Covenant (3:6), because He makes real to us the present and future provisions of our salvation in Christ. By the gift of “the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee,” we are assured that all God’s promises are Yes in Christ, and that we are anointed and “sealed” as belonging to Him (1:20–22). The present experience of the Spirit is specifically “a guarantee” of the glorified bodies we will one day receive (5:1–5).
We do not merely read about the will of God in the “letter” of Scripture, for “the letter [alone] kills.” The Spirit who gives life (3:6) changes our way of living by opening our eyes to the living reality of what we read. Thus, we progressively experience and embody the will of God, and we ourselves become epistles of Christ, “known and read by all men” (3:2).
When we submit ourselves to the work of the Spirit, we experience a miracle. We find that “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (3:17). There is liberty to behold the unveiled glory of the Lord and to be changed more and more into the likeness of what we behold. The Holy Spirit gives us freedom to see and freedom to be what God wants us to be (3:16–18).
The work of the Holy Spirit is evident in daily inward renewal (4:16), spiritual warfare (10:3–5), and the “signs and wonders and mighty deeds” of Paul’s ministry in Corinth (12:12). Paul ended his letter with a blessing, which included “the communion [fellowship] of the Holy Spirit” (13:14). This could indicate a sense of the Spirit’s presence or, more likely, an enjoyment of the fellowship the Spirit gives us with Christ and with all people who love Christ.
OUTLINE OF 2 CORINTHIANS
I. Greeting 1:1, 2
II. Explanation of Paul’s ministry 1:3–7:16
A. Comfort and suffering 1:3–11
B. Changes in plans 1:12–2:4
C. Forgiving the offender 2:5–11
D. Distraction in Troas 2:12, 13
E. Nature of Christian ministry 2:14–7:4
1. Life and death issues 2:14–17
2. Living letters of commendation 3:1–3
3. Sufficiency from God 3:4–6
4. Unveiled in the New Covenant 3:7–18
5. Integrity and openness 4:1–6
6. Dying and living with Jesus 4:7–15
7. Eternal perspective 4:16–5:11
8. Reconciled and reconciling 5:12–6:2
9. Paying the price to minister 6:3–10
10. Heartfelt appeal for holiness 6:11–7:4
F. Rejoicing over the report from Corinth 7:5–16
III. Generosity in giving 8:1–9:15
A. Macedonians and Jesus as examples 8:1–9
B. Fulfilling good intentions 8:10–12
C. Sharing resources 8:13–15
D. A trustworthy delegation 8:16–24
E. Timely preparation of the gift 9:1–5
F. Blessings of giving 9:6–15
IV. Defense and use of apostolic authority 10:1–13:10
A. Rebuke of superficial assessment 10:1–11
B. Rebuke of foolish comparisons 10:12–18
C. Godly jealousy for the church 11:1–4
D. Comparison with false apostles 11:5–15
E. Corinthians’ misguided tolerance 11:16–21
F. Paul’s reluctant boasting 11:22–12:13
G. Announcement of third visit 12:14–13:10
1. Integrity of Paul’s motives 12:14–19
2. Warning to remaining rebels 12:20–13:4
3. Call to self-examination 13:5–10
V. Concluding greetings 13:11–14
AUTHOR: Paul.
DATE: A.D. 55–56
THEME: Powerful Ministry Through Weak Vessels
KEY WORDS: Comfort, Suffering, Ministry, Glory, Power, Weakness
BACKGROUND AND DATE
In various ways 2 Corinthians reflects Paul’s dealings with the church in Corinth during the period from the founding of the church in about A.D. 50 until the writing of this letter in A.D. 55 or 56. The various episodes in the interactions between Paul and the Corinthians can be summarized as follows:
1.The founding visit to Corinth lasted about eighteen months (see Acts 18).
2.Paul wrote an earlier letter than 1 Corinthians (see 1 Cor. 5:9).
3.Paul wrote 1 Corinthians from Ephesus, about A.D. 55.
4.A brief but painful visit to Corinth caused “sorrow” for Paul and the church (see 2 Cor. 2:1; 13:2).
5.Following the painful visit, Paul wrote a severe letter, delivered by Titus (see 2 Cor. 2:4; 7:6–8).
6.Paul wrote 2 Corinthians from Macedonia, while on his way to Corinth again, in A.D. 55 or 56.
7.Paul’s final visit to Corinth (Acts 20) was probably when he wrote Romans, just before returning to Jerusalem. The painful visit, which Acts does not record, and the severe letter provide immediate background for the writing of 2 Corinthians.
We do not possess the severe letter, although some scholars have suggested that 2 Corinthians 10–13 may have been part of that epistle. There is no manuscript evidence to support this view, however.
OCCASION AND PURPOSE
First Corinthians was not as effective as Paul had hoped in settling the crisis at Corinth. The party opposing Paul gained strength, and its leader was particularly obnoxious to him (2:5–11; 10:7–12). Paul hurriedly traveled to Corinth from Ephesus in an attempt to meet the situation. Although this visit is not mentioned in Acts, it is implied in 2 Corinthians 12:14.
Paul failed to achieve his desired objective (2:1; 12:14, 21; 13:1, 2), and experienced open hostility from the leader of the opposition (2:5–8; 7:12). Paul then returned to Ephesus, where he wrote a severe letter to the Corinthians, putting into it the full weight of his apostolic authority. He sent the letter by Titus, and then made his way to Macedonia, where Titus met him with an encouraging report (2:12, 13; 7:6–16).
The majority had been won back to Paul and had taken disciplinary action against the offender (2:5–11). However, there was still a rebellious minority (chs. 10–13). Paul wrote to express a message of conciliation to the loyal majority and to rebuke the rebellious minority. He also gave instructions concerning the offering he was collecting for the impoverished church in Jerusalem.
CHARACTERISTICS
Second Corinthians is the most autobiographical of Paul’s letters, containing numerous references to the hardships he endured in the course of his ministry (see 11:23–33). Paul mentioned these to establish the legitimacy of his ministry and to illustrate the nature of true spirituality.
In defending his ministry, Paul opens his heart, showing his deep emotion. He reveals his strong love for the Corinthians, his ardent zeal for the glory of God, his uncompromising loyalty to the truth of the gospel, and his stern indignation in confronting those who disrupt the fellowship of the church. His life was bound up in the life of his converts, and he was not coldly professional in his ministry (see 1:6; 5:13; 7:3–7; 11:2; 12:14, 15).
CONTENT
Second Corinthians consists of three main parts. The first seven chapters contain Paul’s defense of his conduct and his ministry. He explains the change in his plans to visit Corinth and responds to a charge of fickleness. In discussing the Christian ministry, he expounds on its nature, its problems, its motivating principles, and its responsibilities.
The second unit, chapters 8 and 9, deals with the offering being raised by Paul for the poor saints in Judea. Paul urged the Corinthians to be liberal and cheerful in giving so that God might bless them in every way.
Chapters 10 through 13 form the third segment of the letter and contain a message of rebuke to the remaining detractors in the church. Paul responds to the jibes and slanders of his critics and fully vindicates his authority as an apostle.
PERSONAL APPLICATION
Second Corinthians is a valuable guide in examining our own motives for serving the Lord, whether as lay people or as ordained pastors and evangelists. As an instrument of the Holy Spirit, this letter can refine our motives until we reflect the kind of selfless giving best exemplified in Christ, but also found in His servant Paul. The instructions concerning the collection for Jerusalem (chs. 8 and 9) emphasize generosity in the area of financial resources, just as Paul emphasized generosity in self-giving throughout the book.
CHRIST REVEALED
Jesus Christ is the focus of our relationship with God. All God’s promises to us are Yes in Jesus, and we say “Amen” to God’s promises in Jesus (1:19, 20). Jesus is God’s Yes to us and our Yes to God. Only in Christ do we see the glory of God, and only in Him are we transformed by that glory (3:14, 18), for Christ is the very image of God (4:4–6). God came to us in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself (5:19). Thus, it is “in Christ” that we have become new creatures (5:17). This change was accomplished through the marvelous act of God’s grace in which Christ, “who knew no sin,” became “sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (5:21).
Jesus is also the focus of our service to God. We proclaim Jesus as Lord and ourselves as servants for His sake (4:5). We willingly share not only Christ’s life and glory but also His dying (4:10–12), His willingness to be weak so that others might experience the power of God (13:3, 4, 9), and His willingness to be impoverished so that others might be enriched (8:9). We experience His weakness but also His strength as we seek to bring “every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (10:5).
Again, Jesus is the focus of our present life in this world, where we simultaneously experience in our mortal bodies both “the dying of the Lord Jesus” and His life (4:10, 11).
Finally, Jesus is the focus of our future life, for we will be raised up with Jesus (4:14), who is the “betrothed … husband” of the church (11:2) and the judge of all men (5:10).
THE HOLY SPIRIT AT WORK
The Holy Spirit is the power of the New Covenant (3:6), because He makes real to us the present and future provisions of our salvation in Christ. By the gift of “the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee,” we are assured that all God’s promises are Yes in Christ, and that we are anointed and “sealed” as belonging to Him (1:20–22). The present experience of the Spirit is specifically “a guarantee” of the glorified bodies we will one day receive (5:1–5).
We do not merely read about the will of God in the “letter” of Scripture, for “the letter [alone] kills.” The Spirit who gives life (3:6) changes our way of living by opening our eyes to the living reality of what we read. Thus, we progressively experience and embody the will of God, and we ourselves become epistles of Christ, “known and read by all men” (3:2).
When we submit ourselves to the work of the Spirit, we experience a miracle. We find that “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (3:17). There is liberty to behold the unveiled glory of the Lord and to be changed more and more into the likeness of what we behold. The Holy Spirit gives us freedom to see and freedom to be what God wants us to be (3:16–18).
The work of the Holy Spirit is evident in daily inward renewal (4:16), spiritual warfare (10:3–5), and the “signs and wonders and mighty deeds” of Paul’s ministry in Corinth (12:12). Paul ended his letter with a blessing, which included “the communion [fellowship] of the Holy Spirit” (13:14). This could indicate a sense of the Spirit’s presence or, more likely, an enjoyment of the fellowship the Spirit gives us with Christ and with all people who love Christ.
OUTLINE OF 2 CORINTHIANS
I. Greeting 1:1, 2
II. Explanation of Paul’s ministry 1:3–7:16
A. Comfort and suffering 1:3–11
B. Changes in plans 1:12–2:4
C. Forgiving the offender 2:5–11
D. Distraction in Troas 2:12, 13
E. Nature of Christian ministry 2:14–7:4
1. Life and death issues 2:14–17
2. Living letters of commendation 3:1–3
3. Sufficiency from God 3:4–6
4. Unveiled in the New Covenant 3:7–18
5. Integrity and openness 4:1–6
6. Dying and living with Jesus 4:7–15
7. Eternal perspective 4:16–5:11
8. Reconciled and reconciling 5:12–6:2
9. Paying the price to minister 6:3–10
10. Heartfelt appeal for holiness 6:11–7:4
F. Rejoicing over the report from Corinth 7:5–16
III. Generosity in giving 8:1–9:15
A. Macedonians and Jesus as examples 8:1–9
B. Fulfilling good intentions 8:10–12
C. Sharing resources 8:13–15
D. A trustworthy delegation 8:16–24
E. Timely preparation of the gift 9:1–5
F. Blessings of giving 9:6–15
IV. Defense and use of apostolic authority 10:1–13:10
A. Rebuke of superficial assessment 10:1–11
B. Rebuke of foolish comparisons 10:12–18
C. Godly jealousy for the church 11:1–4
D. Comparison with false apostles 11:5–15
E. Corinthians’ misguided tolerance 11:16–21
F. Paul’s reluctant boasting 11:22–12:13
G. Announcement of third visit 12:14–13:10
1. Integrity of Paul’s motives 12:14–19
2. Warning to remaining rebels 12:20–13:4
3. Call to self-examination 13:5–10
V. Concluding greetings 13:11–14