2nd Corinthians
The Opening Statement
A. This book, more than any other letter of Paul, shows us the heart and mind of the apostle to the Gentiles. It is truly his autobiography.
B. This book is a strange combination, like Paul himself, of spiritual highs and lows, of free flowing emotions ranging from anger to great joy.
C. This book is truly a letter and as a letter it is only one half of a conversation. Many of the logical antecedents and circumstances have been lost. This is a good example of the truth that the epistles of the New Testament were originally written as correspondence to specific needs, not theological dissertations.
D. This book has been neglected by scholarship and in preaching. This is unfortunate because it is the source of some of Paul’s most striking metaphors. It is also Paul’s most definitive discussion of the suffering of the Christian.
E. For pastors this book offers some help on how to deal with problems related to local churches. Paul gives us all an example to follow amidst personal attacks and misunderstandings.
B. This book is a strange combination, like Paul himself, of spiritual highs and lows, of free flowing emotions ranging from anger to great joy.
C. This book is truly a letter and as a letter it is only one half of a conversation. Many of the logical antecedents and circumstances have been lost. This is a good example of the truth that the epistles of the New Testament were originally written as correspondence to specific needs, not theological dissertations.
D. This book has been neglected by scholarship and in preaching. This is unfortunate because it is the source of some of Paul’s most striking metaphors. It is also Paul’s most definitive discussion of the suffering of the Christian.
E. For pastors this book offers some help on how to deal with problems related to local churches. Paul gives us all an example to follow amidst personal attacks and misunderstandings.
The Historical Setting
A. Author
1. Even amidst all of the modern denials of the traditional authorship of biblical books, this book has never been denied to Paul.
2. It is so autobiographical and so difficult to understand some of its phrases that the possibility of someone trying to mimic Paul by writing a book like this is highly improbable. Its difficulty speaks of its genuineness.
3. Paul is stated to be the author in 1:1 ("Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy {our} brother, To the church of God which is at Corinth with all the saints who are throughout Achaia..." (NASB)) and 10:1 ("Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ--I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent!" (NASB)). In my opinion this settles the question of Authorship.
B. Date
1. The date of 2nd Corinthians is inseparably linked to 1 Corinthians and the book of Acts.
2. Acts 18:1 – 18 and 20:2 – 3 relate Paul’s being in Corinth, but there also seems to have been at least one unrecorded trip...
2nd Corinthians 2:1..."But I determined this for my own sake, that I would not come to you in sorrow again." (NASB)
with a third visit mentioned in...
2nd Corinthians 12:14..."Here for this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I do not seek what is yours, but you; for children are not responsible to save up for {their} parents, but parents for {their} children." (NASB)
and
2nd Corinthians 13:1 – 2..."This is the third time I am coming to you. EVERY FACT IS TO BE CONFIRMED BY THE TESTIMONY OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES. I have previously said when present the second time, and though now absent I say in advance to those who have sinned in the past and to all the rest {as well,} that if I come again I will not spare {anyone,}..." (NASB)
3. The major question is the time relationship between Paul’s visits and his letters to Corinth.
4. The real problem with dating the events related to Corinth is that we have no external evidence or information between Acts 18:1 – 18 and Acts 20:2 – 3 except the ambiguous internal evidence of the Corinthian letters themselves.
C. Paul’s enemies at Corinth
1. Initially the problem seems to be with native Corinthians. Their immoral pagan and Greek philosophical background seems to be the source (2nd Corinthians 2:1 – 11; 6:14 – 7:1).
2. The arrival of Jewish trouble-makers from Palestine were the other enemies of Paul. They are different from the Judaizers of Galatians and the Jewish/Greek legalists of Colossians (2nd Corinthians 10 – 13).
D. The 3-fold Purpose of 2nd Corinthians
1. thankfulness for church’s positive response to Paul’s leadership (7:11 – 16..."For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter. So although I wrote to you, {it was} not for the sake of the offender nor for the sake of the one offended, but that your earnestness on our behalf might be made known to you in the sight of God. For this reason we have been comforted. And besides our comfort, we rejoiced even much more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I was not put to shame; but as we spoke all things to you in truth, so also our boasting before Titus proved to be {the} truth. His affection abounds all the more toward you, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling. I rejoice that in everything I have confidence in you." (NASB))
2. for the church to prepare for Paul’s third visit (10:1 – 11..."Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ--I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent! I ask that when I am present I {need} not be bold with the confidence with which I propose to be courageous against some, who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. {We are} destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and {we are} taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete. You are looking at things as they are outwardly. If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ's, so also are we. For even if I boast somewhat further about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be put to shame, for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters. For they say, "His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible." Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when absent, such persons {we are} also in deed when present." (NASB))
3. to refute the itinerant Jewish false teachers (10 – 12) who had rejected Paul
E. Brief Outline
1. Outlining this book is extremely difficult because of
a. mood swings
b. variety of subjects
c. extended parentheses (2:14 – 7:1 or 7:4)
d. our limited knowledge of the local situation
2. However, there are obviously three major subject divisions
a. Paul responds to Titus’ message, chapters 1 – 7
b. Paul’s encouragement for the completion of the contribution for the Jerusalem church, chapters 8 – 9
c. Paul’s defense of his apostolic authority, chapters 10 – 13
3. Although it apparently is unknown to Clement of Rome in 96 A.D. it is quoted by Polycarp in 105 A.D.
4. The book is understandable as a unit. There seems to be certain themes which show its unity, like “suffering.”
5. The internal evidence is too limited to defend a radical separation of 2nd Corinthians.
1. Even amidst all of the modern denials of the traditional authorship of biblical books, this book has never been denied to Paul.
2. It is so autobiographical and so difficult to understand some of its phrases that the possibility of someone trying to mimic Paul by writing a book like this is highly improbable. Its difficulty speaks of its genuineness.
3. Paul is stated to be the author in 1:1 ("Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy {our} brother, To the church of God which is at Corinth with all the saints who are throughout Achaia..." (NASB)) and 10:1 ("Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ--I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent!" (NASB)). In my opinion this settles the question of Authorship.
B. Date
1. The date of 2nd Corinthians is inseparably linked to 1 Corinthians and the book of Acts.
2. Acts 18:1 – 18 and 20:2 – 3 relate Paul’s being in Corinth, but there also seems to have been at least one unrecorded trip...
2nd Corinthians 2:1..."But I determined this for my own sake, that I would not come to you in sorrow again." (NASB)
with a third visit mentioned in...
2nd Corinthians 12:14..."Here for this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I do not seek what is yours, but you; for children are not responsible to save up for {their} parents, but parents for {their} children." (NASB)
and
2nd Corinthians 13:1 – 2..."This is the third time I am coming to you. EVERY FACT IS TO BE CONFIRMED BY THE TESTIMONY OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES. I have previously said when present the second time, and though now absent I say in advance to those who have sinned in the past and to all the rest {as well,} that if I come again I will not spare {anyone,}..." (NASB)
3. The major question is the time relationship between Paul’s visits and his letters to Corinth.
4. The real problem with dating the events related to Corinth is that we have no external evidence or information between Acts 18:1 – 18 and Acts 20:2 – 3 except the ambiguous internal evidence of the Corinthian letters themselves.
C. Paul’s enemies at Corinth
1. Initially the problem seems to be with native Corinthians. Their immoral pagan and Greek philosophical background seems to be the source (2nd Corinthians 2:1 – 11; 6:14 – 7:1).
2. The arrival of Jewish trouble-makers from Palestine were the other enemies of Paul. They are different from the Judaizers of Galatians and the Jewish/Greek legalists of Colossians (2nd Corinthians 10 – 13).
D. The 3-fold Purpose of 2nd Corinthians
1. thankfulness for church’s positive response to Paul’s leadership (7:11 – 16..."For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter. So although I wrote to you, {it was} not for the sake of the offender nor for the sake of the one offended, but that your earnestness on our behalf might be made known to you in the sight of God. For this reason we have been comforted. And besides our comfort, we rejoiced even much more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I was not put to shame; but as we spoke all things to you in truth, so also our boasting before Titus proved to be {the} truth. His affection abounds all the more toward you, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling. I rejoice that in everything I have confidence in you." (NASB))
2. for the church to prepare for Paul’s third visit (10:1 – 11..."Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ--I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent! I ask that when I am present I {need} not be bold with the confidence with which I propose to be courageous against some, who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. {We are} destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and {we are} taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete. You are looking at things as they are outwardly. If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ's, so also are we. For even if I boast somewhat further about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be put to shame, for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters. For they say, "His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible." Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when absent, such persons {we are} also in deed when present." (NASB))
3. to refute the itinerant Jewish false teachers (10 – 12) who had rejected Paul
E. Brief Outline
1. Outlining this book is extremely difficult because of
a. mood swings
b. variety of subjects
c. extended parentheses (2:14 – 7:1 or 7:4)
d. our limited knowledge of the local situation
2. However, there are obviously three major subject divisions
a. Paul responds to Titus’ message, chapters 1 – 7
b. Paul’s encouragement for the completion of the contribution for the Jerusalem church, chapters 8 – 9
c. Paul’s defense of his apostolic authority, chapters 10 – 13
3. Although it apparently is unknown to Clement of Rome in 96 A.D. it is quoted by Polycarp in 105 A.D.
4. The book is understandable as a unit. There seems to be certain themes which show its unity, like “suffering.”
5. The internal evidence is too limited to defend a radical separation of 2nd Corinthians.
The Outline
**COMING SOON**
Map Locations to Plot
1. Achaia, 1:1..."Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy {our} brother, To the church of God which is at Corinth with all the saints who are throughout Achaia..." (NASB)
2. Asia, 1:8..."For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came {to us} in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life..." (NASB)
3. Judea and Macedonia, 1:16..."...that is, to pass your way into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and by you to be helped on my journey to Judea." (NASB)
4. Corinth, 1:23..."But I call God as witness to my soul, that to spare you I did not come again to Corinth." (NASB)
5. Troas, 2:12..."Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ and when a door was opened for me in the Lord..." (NASB)
6. Damascus, 11:32..."In Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me..." (NASB)
2. Asia, 1:8..."For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came {to us} in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life..." (NASB)
3. Judea and Macedonia, 1:16..."...that is, to pass your way into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and by you to be helped on my journey to Judea." (NASB)
4. Corinth, 1:23..."But I call God as witness to my soul, that to spare you I did not come again to Corinth." (NASB)
5. Troas, 2:12..."Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ and when a door was opened for me in the Lord..." (NASB)
6. Damascus, 11:32..."In Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me..." (NASB)