2 Corinthians– Books of the Bible

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Bible Overview is a wonderful resource for anyone interested in Bible study. Each month we feature a book of the Bible (in order) by Bible scholar and lecturer, Mary Jane Chaignot.

This month we continue our exploration of Paul’s letters with II Corinthians. Now, it is likely that after the Corinthians had received Paul’s first letter, they made a few changes in their community life. Paul does not talk about any social issues, or the eating of idol meat in this second letter. However, it also seems that things continued to deteriorate in Corinth. When Paul heard about this, he traveled to Corinth, presumably to straighten things out with them. There is speculation that he was badly treated, possibly insulted during this visit, and that he left heartbroken. That resulted in his “Letter of Tears,” which some scholars think is really II Corinthians 10-13. Upon sending that letter with Titus, he anxiously awaited their response while staying in Macedonia. When Titus brought him good news, he joyously wrote chapters 1-7 of II Corinthians, which scholars refer to as his letter of reconciliation. The remaining chapters (8-9) have to do with miscellaneous matters and the collection. If you want to read some of the history previous to this selection, you can find the earlier books in our archives.

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2 Corinthians

Sometime after receiving the letter known as I Corinthians, the Corinthians were besieged by a group of “super-apostles” whose goal in life (according to Paul) was to discredit Paul and his teachings. Scholars have argued for eons about who these people might have been and exactly what the issues were. Mostly, it’s speculation. They might have been sent from Jerusalem with letters of recommendation. They might have come with better credentials; maybe they were original workers who had been followers of Jesus; they might have focused on different teachings. If we pause for a moment and think about Paul’s impact on Christianity, we must acknowledge the fact that Paul’s teachings are what survived. His was a particular brand of Christianity with its focus on the cross and resurrection. If we only had his letters, we would never even have known that he was an effective healer. It also helps to keep in mind that, at this point, there were as many versions of Christianity as there were teachers to expound upon them. Obviously, there was a core message, but no doubt each individual put his own particular stamp upon his message. We, of course, think Paul’s is accurate, but that is, in part, because Paul is the one we have. We no longer know what the options were, but it is evident that at least these “super-apostles” were not in accord with Paul. And, given the state of mind of the Corinthians, it is not hard to see why they might have been willing listeners. No doubt they were somewhat loyal to Paul, but they were also open to new ideas – ideas that were contrary to what Paul had said.

It is not known how Paul found out about these new teachings, but scholars think that he was so concerned about them that he made a special visit to Corinth, presumably to set them straight. Speculation continues that, at that time, he was openly insulted, but it is unknown whether that might have been by the opponents or the congregation. Paul refers to this as his “painful visit” (see 2 Cor 2:1). He was so upset that he left, went back to Ephesus, and wrote his “tearful” or “severe” letter. Most scholars think that at least a portion of this letter is to be found in II Corinthians 10-13. In this letter, he mocks and attacks the opponents. They boast of their own achievements and offer visions and revelations as signs of their special status. But Paul appeals to his original preaching of the gospel, explains how he supported himself, and basically reminds the Corinthians that they owe him. He also points to the example that Christ was crucified in weakness, but lives by God’s power. The words are a strong rebuke against the revolt led by the opponents. It also contains some of the more spirited words in his defense. (“I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the ‘super-apostles’ even though I am nothing.” 2 Cor 12:11) He’s engaged in a bitter struggle for the heart of this church. No doubt this church was deeply divided over Paul’s contribution, not ready to turn against him, but not sure about wanting to follow him either.

Paul sent this letter to the Corinthians by the hand of Titus, his trusted companion. Whether he gave additional instructions is not recorded, but he no doubt hoped Titus would restore the situation there. In the meantime, Paul had no choice but to wait. He had originally planned to return to Corinth, but apparently felt that the timing was bad and the outcome would be uncertain. Maybe the people needed some space to sort things out and to come to their senses. So he made plans with Titus to meet him in Macedonia. And even though Titus was delayed longer than Paul anticipated (leading to more anxiety), he apparently was successful in his efforts. The church had been convicted by their erroneous thinking, and Paul wrote a letter of reconciliation (II Corinthians 1-7). In this segment, Paul rejoiced over the restoration of relations between the church and him. This part of the letter, then, was written from Macedonia. The remaining fragments in II Corinthians have to do with the collection. The first is a recommendation for Titus on how to organize it; the second concerns the importance of generous giving for the poor in Jerusalem.

All of this, of course, is only one possible scenario. The other popular option affirms the chronology of the book, suggesting that after Paul wrote chapters 1-7, in which he rejoiced over them, the “super apostles” arrived on the scene and relations deteriorated drastically. He then wrote chapters 10-13, indicating the severity of his concern for that church. Though that would leave resolution of the conflict open ended, we do know that Paul wrote Romans from Corinth, possibly as late as 56-57CE. Scholars who favor the first option think that Paul wrote I Corinthians in the spring of 55CE, and then he probably visited them that fall. That would have been the “painful” visit. He might have written the “letter of tears” the following spring (56CE), and sent Titus to Corinth that summer. Continuing with that scenario, he might have written the balance of II Corinthians during the fall of 56. In either case, most scholars would agree that Romans was written later. According to Romans 15:25ff, Paul was writing from Corinth and staying with one of the believers. He also sent greetings from several of the members. Regardless of the order, then, II Corinthians stands as a shining example of Paul’s efforts towards reconciliation. He regarded these people as his coworkers in Christ. Despite all the obstacles, Paul was relentless, comforting and encouraging, yet firm in his authority. This letter is a prime illustration of Paul’s stature.

There are three main sections in this letter, clearly delineated by changes in tone, subject matter. They are: Paul’s Explanation for His Conduct -- 1:1-7:16; The Collection – 8:1-9:15; Paul’s Vindication of Himself -- 10:1-13:13.


I -- Paul’s Explanation for His Conduct – 1:1-7:16

1:1-2		Paul’s Salutation Traditional Greek and Hebrew greeting: Grace and peace

1:3-7		Thanksgiving for divine grace Paul praised God for comfort and compassion in the midst of affliction

1:8-11		Gratitude for deliverance from previous hardships Paul did not describe hardship in detail, but refers to it as “great pressure,” “sentence of death,” “deadly peril” Paul’s point is that just as the Father had delivered him, so he will do likewise for them; their prayers will also be answered

1:12-14		Preface to defending himself against his opponents Paul had been accused of vacillating and dominating He appealed to the testimony of his own conscience

1:15-22		Paul’s answer to the charge of vacillating Plan A and Plan B for visiting them had not panned out Opponents claimed he was being “fickle” and motivated by self-interest Paul maintained the continuity and trustworthiness of God He was consistent, both in his message and in his travel plans Paul acted in accordance with the Spirit, not as a worldly man God had made him stand firm; God had anointed him, set his seal upon him, and put his Spirit in his heart.

1:23-2:4		The cancelled visit Paul cancelled his visit because it would have been too painful Paul called upon God as his witness Paul also rejected their accusation that he was dominating them His only objective was to “serve” them His purpose was to promote their highest good, saving them from sorrow If he lost that, he would lose his only joy Instead of an ugly visit, he wrote them the “letter of tears” (Most likely, all or part of the letter found in chaps 10-13) He hoped for and expected a good outcome He did not send the letter to be vindictive; he sent the letter to show how much he cared for them

2:5-11		Forgiveness for the wrongdoer Paul did not name the offender(s) (This is a flashback to the visit that occasioned the “letter of tears” and subsequently, a positive response on the part of the Corinthians) His response was to say that the offender did not “grieve” Paul as much as he “grieved” everyone else It is possible that they had punished that person in some way Paul asked that they “stop punishing” him, and forgive and comfort him In so doing, they would be affirming Paul’s authority The wrongdoer would know that God had also forgiven him If they could forgive him, Paul would, too (A strong hint that whatever happened was personally directed at him) Forgiveness would be witnessed by Christ, an indication of their unity

2:12-13		Paul had waited in Troas Obviously, Paul did not feel he would be welcomed in Corinth Yet he had no peace of mind When Titus was delayed with news from Corinth, Paul went to Macedonia (Paul might also have been concerned about Titus traveling with a lot of money, i.e. the collection)

2:14-7:4		A digression on Paul’s Apostolic Ministry

		2:14-17 Paul’s privilege in being an apostle (This perhaps begins the letter of reconciliation when Paul heard from Titus that they had repented and renewed their loyalty to Paul) Paul rejoiced that the advance of the gospel is unstoppable Again, Paul appealed to the sincerity, consistency of his message 3:1-3 Letters of recommendation Paul was not boasting of himself; he had no need of letters of recommendation He contrasted this with those who did come with letters and caused havoc The Corinthians themselves were his “letter” of recommendation Each one of them was an advertisement for his success The ink on this “letter” would not fade 3:4-11 Adequacy comes from God and surpassing glory 3:4-6 Whatever Paul had done had come from God Paul was not taking credit for himself, gave the glory to God 3:7-11 A contrast between the old and new covenant Each had their “glory,” but the new is so superior that it overshadowed the old Moses’ face shone when he gave them the law that condemns men How much more glory will there be for the Spirit of righteousness 3:12-18 Moses and the veil Moses put on a veil after talking with God to protect the people from seeing the radiance of his face fade over time This was a parable indicating what they had was not permanent Jews still listen with veiled eyes, not hearing full message Christians, however, see the Lord’s glory with no veil It is the Spirit that gives this freedom 4:1-6 Various players regarding the gospel Paul himself had never lost heart He had been privileged to do the work His opponents had accused him of deceitful methods The accusation was without merit; he did not adulterate God’s word Some people have refused to listen at all “The god of the world had blinded their eyes” Jesus revealed what God is like God made his light shine in our hearts in the face of Christ 4:7-15 The great paradox The trials and rewards of his apostolic ministry The ministry is glorious beyond understanding The ministers are mortal men, “jars of clay” Despite their persecutions and hardships, Paul and company take heart They have never been abandoned by God After every fall, they have been able to rise up again Anyone who lived in Christ must also be ready to die with him All this is possible in the memory of God who raised Jesus from the dead Their trials mean more people are hearing the message More people will be coming to thanksgiving 4:16-18 The secret of endurance While the body gets weary and aged, the spirit (soul) keeps growing Nothing that can happen on earth will compare with what awaits He will fix his eyes, then, not on what is seen but on what is unseen What is “seen” is temporal; what is “unseen” is eternal 5:1-10 Facing death before Christ returns Paul will embrace the day he is done with his human body He saw it as a temporary abode; some day he would have a new body The new body will be spiritual enabling him to continue to serve God Yet, he will be patient while waiting for that time For even now, he possessed God’s Spirit It is a glimpse of what awaits Then he warned, the end may bring both glory and judgment All will receive their reward, for good or for bad 5:11-19 The fear of the Lord This is not piety or terror, but awe and reverence He has no need to persuade them of his sincerity His only concern is how God sees him His motives have been pure – serve God and help them If he looked silly to them, he was prepared to do whatever it took He no longer used the world’s standards but relied on Christ’s He was impelled to do this because Christ died for all Through Christ, God has reconciled the world to himself 5:20-6:2 Ambassadors for Christ (the message of reconciliation) God had sent his invitation to the Corinthians through Paul and company He implored them to be reconciled to God Quoted scripture: “Now is the accepted time” 6:3-10 Litany of hardships Paul reviewed all the stumbling blocks that had been put in his path Internal conflicts had included pressures, weights against his spirit External conflicts included “stripes,” prison, tumults Responsibilities of Christian living included fasting, sleepless nights Against all these, Paul weighed the benefits God-given qualities of the mind included purity, knowledge, and patience God-given qualities of the heart included kindness, the Holy Spirit, love These allowed him to do the work of the gospel He spoke truthfully and in the power of God with weapons of righteousness He concludes with a series of contrasts showing how the “world” might have deterred him or destroyed him, but was powerless against him 6:11-13 A plea for affection The breach has been healed; the discord has ended Paul appealed for their affection 6:14-7:1 A call to holiness (This is quite a digression amidst the joy of everything surrounding it. Most scholars think this section is out of place.) Paul urges them not to be yoked with unbelievers It appears to go well beyond church life and would have had profound implications for church members in society and family life 7:2-4 Paul’s pride and joy Paul continues his plea for their affection, saying he has wronged no one His comfort in them is complete; his joy in them knows no bounds 7:5-16 Reconciliation between Paul and the Corinthians 7:5-7 Report of Titus when he met Paul in Macedonia He described how worried he was while waiting to hear from them He essentially tied the success of his future apostleship to this church The actual arrival of Titus with his positive message brought great joy 7:8-13 More on the severe letter (letter of tears) He learned that his letter had, indeed, caused them pain They had responded by repenting, leading them to salvation At every point, they had proved themselves innocent He had written only so they could see before God how devoted they actually were to their spiritual father 7:14-16 Treatment of Titus They had put Titus at ease Paul had told him of their good qualities; they had lived up to them Paul expressed his complete confidence in them

II -- The Collection – 8:1-9:15

8:1-15		An appeal for generosity regarding the collection (At the Jerusalem Council, Paul had been commissioned to collect money from the Gentiles to be brought to Jerusalem for use in taking care of the poor.) 8:1-5 Macedonian Churches were very generous Paul uses their generosity as an example for the Corinthians They gave more generously than expected They had pleaded with Paul to allow them to share in the privilege First, they gave to the Lord, then to the disciples 8:6-12 The Corinthians should also give generously Paul sent Titus to complete this task He commended the Corinthians for being first in many areas He hoped they would also be first in this area He reminded them how eager they were initially to do this Now he hopes they will complete the process 8:13-15 Paul’s aim is for equality, not to burden any Church over another They have plenty to spare; they cannot be impoverished by giving Paul concluded with a passage from Exodus Each had enough manna every day, regardless how much they gathered

8:16-24		Practical considerations Paul is grateful for Titus; he volunteered of his own accord to do this He shared Paul’s affection and devotion for them He would be accompanied by unnamed companions Paul did not want any impropriety relating to the collection

9:1-5		Their readiness to give Paul had been bragging to the Macedonians about the Corinthians He had been bragging to the Corinthians about the Macedonians Now he’s worried that the Corinthians might let him down Despite their words of willingness, he wanted the task completed

9:6-15		Benefits to the giver He who gives bountifully will reap bountifully and vice versa God loves a cheerful giver God will reward with an overflowing measure of grace Quotes from Psalm 112, description of a good, generous man God gives both the substance of the gift and the spirit in which to give it “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift” Men will see and give even more glory to God

III -- Paul’s Vindication of Himself -- 10:1-13:13

10:1-6		A response to his critics Paul is not speaking from personal anger but from the gentleness of Christ Clearly, the Corinthians had charged Paul with being fickle He was timid when face to face, but bold when apart Paul responded by saying he hoped he wouldn’t have to chastise them like he is capable of doing Whatever he has written, he would say to their faces They also seemed to have charged his motives – based on his self interest Paul responded by saying that everything he did was motivated by God God guides and strengthens him Paul declared he was equipped to deal with cleverness of human wisdom He had heartfelt sincerity on his side He was also equipped to deal with disobedience He brought every intention into captivity to Christ

10:7-18		Further arguments Some of his critics claimed he did not belong to Christ in the same way they did They also taunted him about his appearance They also disparaged his authority in Corinth Paul responded by saying in every way he is the same in person as he is in his letters He then accused them of measuring themselves against other men Paul, on the other hand, measured himself against the Christ Their measures have no weight Self-praise means nothing; only the Lord will commend

11:1-6		Paul’s concern for the Corinthians He has established that self-praise and boasting is distasteful to him Yet he has been compelled to do this over and over He does not like it Yet, it is not his integrity that is at stake, but rather that of the Lord He uses a metaphor of a Jewish wedding The bride and groom are like the Church and Jesus Paul is like the best friend of the groom, the one who makes all the arrangements, makes sure everything is as it should be “Outsiders” are preaching own form of Christianity Since the Corinthians have listened to the outsiders, they should now listen to Paul They might be better orators, but Paul has the better message

11:7-12		Financial independence Paul had not accepted financial support from the Corinthian Church (He had, however, allowed the Philippian Church to support him) Some might have been saying that this was the measure of a true apostle Paul waived his apostolic right; he did not preach the gospel for profit Indeed, Paul preached the gospel free of charge This was not because he did not love them; God knew his heart He hoped this would give them something to think about

11:13-15		Those who masquerade as Christians Paul accused the opponents of being “false Christians” He likened them to Satan who masqueraded as an angel of light In the end, they would get what they deserved

11:16-33		The qualifications of an apostle Against his better judgment, Paul compared himself to the opponents They were trying to makes slaves of Corinthians (Possibly Jewish Christians who insisted on following every aspect of the law, but there were several other opposing groups as well) Whatever claims they had made, Paul could exceed He is a Hebrew, an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham extraordinaire Paul ushered in a catalog of hardships he had endured Three times he’d been beaten by the Romans; five times he’d been flogged by the Jews (Much of what he describes is unknown to us) He ended the discussion by recounting his escape from Damascus

12:1-10		Humility guaranteed by a “thorn in his flesh” Paul writes of himself in the third person He looks at his own experience with a sense of wonder He speaks of having a vision 14 years earlier (The timing of this would coincide with his “silent” years (35-45CE) Lest he ever get arrogant about his vision, he also had a “thorn” (Speculations about the nature of this have not been convincing) He prayed about this several times, but could not heal it Yet his prayer had been answered – “My grace is enough for you” The thorn had not been taken away; Paul was given strength to bear it “In weakness, there is strength”

12:11-18		Paul wraps up his defense He claims he is every bit the apostle as the “super apostles” He knows this because his ministry has been effective His ministry was realized by people’s changed lives He again reiterates that he accepted no money from them He didn’t want money; he wanted them Perhaps some had accused him of misusing the collection money Yet he had sent Titus, who was innocent Therefore, so was Paul

12:19-21		Paul’s concerns about the unrepentant All in all, his defense was not for them; it was for God He only cared what God thought about him, not what people think Everything he had said was for their edification He planned to visit and hoped he wouldn’t find them as he would not want them to be; if he did, he would respond in kind He also listed various qualities that were present in the Church Envy, anger, strife, whisperings, deceit, conceit, disorder If these were present, he would grieve when he came

13:1-10		A warning Paul ends his letter with four main points He will visit again, and will not spare them, if need be Time for talking will be over He wishes that they examine themselves to see if they are in the faith Ultimately they should all do the right thing He hopes they can go forward Each day they should make forward progress and live in peace Lastly, he blesses them He prays for them

The letter, then, ends pretty much the way it started – with words of reconciliation. Paul had hoped to be reconciled with his converts. In the meantime he had had to defend himself, accuse the “super apostles,” and encourage the Corinthians to do some humble self-examination. We can then see how it makes a huge difference as to how one reads the letter. If these last verses precede the beginning ones, we have a record of how they worked out their differences. On the other hand, those who argue for the chronology of the letter and insist these are the final words in the book, raise the possibility that obviously a lot happened of which we have no knowledge. The fact that Romans exists, however, makes a strong case for the fact that somehow they reconnected, and the Corinthians remained Paul’s flagship church. Next month we will continue with Paul’s letter – namely, Galatians.

Bibliography

Barclay, William. “The Letters to the Corinthians.” Daily Bible Study. Edinburgh, Scotland: St. Andrew Press. 1956.

Danker, Frederick. “II Corinthians. Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House. 1989.

Gaebelein, Frank. “II Corinthians.” Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing. 1985.

Mills, Watson and Richard Wilson. Mercer Commentary on the Bible. Macon, GA: Mercer University Press. 1995.

Witherington, Ben III. Conflict and Community in Corinth; A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary on 1 and II Corinthians. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm B Eerdmans. 1995.