2 Corinthians:

Insights into the Life, Ministry, and Challenges of the Apostle Paul

 

by Samuel E. Ward

 

January 16, 2011

 

 

Preface

 

D. Edmond Hiebert comments on 2 Corinthians that it "is the most autobiographical of all Paul's epistles.  In it he bares his heart and life as in none of his other writings.  This prominent personal element in 2  Corinthians makes it especially valuable for an understanding of the character the apostle."[1]

As one reads this letter it is not difficult to come to the conclusion that it could not have been written in any other way.  In eleven of the thirteen chapters Paul sees the need defend himself against critics.  In the first seven chapters he writes in defense of his life and ministry.  In chapters 10-13 he makes a defense of his apostleship.  Between these two defenses is a section composed of chapters 8 and 9 about a collection he is gathering for whom he calls "the poor among the saints in Jerusalem" (Rom 15:26).

 

Hiebert offers the following history of Paul's relationship with the church at Corinth:

 

1.  The founding of the church at Corinth  on his second missionary journey (Acts 18:1-8).  [A.D. 50]*

2.  The three years' ministry of Paul at Ephesus during the third missionary journey (Acts 19:1-20; 20:31).  [A.D. 54-57]

3.  The brief visit of Paul to Corinth from Ephesus. (2 Cor 12:14: 13:1).

4.  The sending of Titus to Corinth to begin the collection for the believers in Jerusalem. (2 Cor 8:6; 1 Cor 16:1)

5.  The writing of a lost letter to Corinth (1 Cor 5:9).

6.  The information about church factions at Corinth received from members of the household of Chloe (1 Cor 1:11).

7.  The sending of Timothy by way Macedonia (1 Cor 4:17; 16:10-11; Acts 19:21-22).

8.  The arrival of the three delegates from Corinth with the letter from the Corinthian church (1 Cor 16:17; 7:1; 8:1; 12:1).

9.  The writing of 1 Corinthians from Ephesus (1 Cor 16:8) [A.D. 55—Spring]

10.  The arrival of Judaizers from Palestine to Corinth to stimulate opposition to Paul (2 Cor 3:1; 10:12-18; 11:22-23),

11.  The return of Timothy from Corinth to Paul at Ephesus (2 Cor 1:1, 3-12).

12.  The sending of Titus to Corinth from Ephesus with plans for him to meet Paul at Troas (2 Cor 2:12-13; 7:6-7).

13.  The arrival of Paul at Troas, his restlessness and departure into Macedonia (2 Cor 2:12-13).

14.  The arrival of Titus in Macedonia and Paul's relief at the report of Titus (2 Cor 7:6-6).

15.  The writing of 2 Corinthians from Macedonia (2 Cor 7:5-15).  [A.D. 56—Fall]

16.  The return of Titus to Corinth with 2 Corinthians to complete the raising of the collection (2 Cor 8:6, 16-18).

17.  The later visit of Paul to Corinth for three months (Acts 20:3).

18.  The writing of Romans at Corinth (Rom 15:22-29; 16:1, 23).  The tranquil atmosphere of Romans reveals that the Corinthian troubles were successfully settled.[2]

 

*Dates are from the The Expositor's Bible Commentary, "2 Corinthians", Murray J. Harris.

 

I.  Paul's Defense of His Conduct and Ministry, 2 Cor 1-7

 

A.  Introduction, 2 Cor 1:1-11

 

1.  Salutation, 2 Cor 1:1-2

 

(2 Cor 1:1-2 NIV)  Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all the saints throughout Achaia: {2} Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

The salutation reveals:

 

a.  He had a calling as an apostle from God.

b.  He had a close ministry partner named Timothy.

c.  He had a desire for God's grace and peace upon the church at Corinth and Achaia.

 

2.  Our God is the God of comfort, 2 Cor 1:3-7.

 

(2 Cor 1:3-7 NIV)  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, {4} who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. {5} For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. {6} If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.  {7} And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

 

As the God of all comfort:

 

a.  God comforts us in all of our troubles.

b.  God uses our troubles to build empathy for others' suffering so that we can give them the same type  of comfort we have received.

c.  Our distresses teaches others how they can overcome distress.

d.  Our patience in suffering teaches others how to exercise patience in suffering.

e.  Our confidence is that when others share in suffering, they will also share in each other's comfort.

 

3.  Our God is a God of deliverance, 2 Cor 1:8-11.

 

(2 Cor 1:8-11 NIV)  We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. {9} Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. {10} He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us.  On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, {11} as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

 

Paul offers a personal testimony of suffering for God and how he and his team came through it.

 

a.  They were under pressure beyond their ability to endure—even despairing of life.

b.  They were driven to rely on God who raises the dead if it came to that.

c.  They were in fact delivered and are confident of future deliverance.

d.  They were depending on the prayers of believers to help them.

e.  They looked forward to the resulting thanks to God for His favor upon them in response to the prayers of believers.

 

B.  The Best Laid Plans Are Subject to Change, 2 Cor 1:12-2:13.

 

What follows is a defense offered by Paul to what appears to have been charges that he was a manipulator who vacillated in his message according to whom he was trying to influence.  Paul was aware of this issue and writes later about it in this epistle.

 

(2 Cor 10:9-10 NIV)  I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. {10} For some say, "His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing."

 

1.  The principles behind the plans, 2 Cor 1:12-14

 

(2 Cor 1:12-14 NIV)  Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God. We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but according to God's grace. {13} For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that, {14} as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.

 

Take note of what he offers as hid modus operandi in his approach to ministry:

 

a.  He must minister in holy conduct.

b.  He must minister in sincerity.

c.  He must minister according to God's grace—not worldly manipulation.

 

2.  The cause for change in the plans, 2 Cor 1:15-2:4

 

a.  The original plan was made with careful consideration, 2 Cor 1:15-17.

 

(2 Cor 1:15-17 NIV)  Because I was confident of this, I planned to visit you first so that you might benefit twice. {16} I planned to visit you on my way to Macedonia and to come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you send me on my way to Judea.  {17} When I planned this, did I do it lightly? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that in the same breath I say, "Yes, yes" and "No, no"?

 

b. The sincerity of the plan, 2 Cor 1:18-22

 

The divine objective of the plan does not change just because the implementation must. 

 

(2 Cor 1:18-22 NIV)  But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not "Yes" and "No." {19} For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not "Yes" and "No," but in him it has always been "Yes."  {20} For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. {21} Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, {22} set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

 

c.  The reason for the change of plans, 2 Cor 1:23-2:4.   

 

(2 Cor 1:23-24 NIV)  I call God as my witness that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth. {24} Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm.  

 

(2 Cor 2:1-4 NIV)  So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you. {2} For if I grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? {3} I wrote as I did so that when I came I should not be distressed by those who ought to make me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would all share my joy. {4} For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you.

 

A summary of the reasons why Paul changed his plans to visit the Corinthians:

 

1)  To spare them a harsh visit   (This was something that Paul evidently felt the Corinthian church did not need at that time.)

2)  To give them an opportunity to deal with their problems internally by writing his concerns and counsel in a letter born of deep love for them and their spiritual health and development

3)  To hope for a joyful reunion later in which everyone could be mutually blessed after God had led them through a resolution

 

Applications

 

1.  If God calls you, you can go through anything.

2.  Suffering and troubles have a deep spiritual purpose that benefits the sufferer and the observers.

3.  God is watching over you in your suffering and will deliver you—here or in eternity.

4.  The prayers of God's people are important to those suffering and God will honor them.

5.  The best defense against your critics is to be holy and sincere in your conduct.

6.  When all has been said and done, what finally matters is what God and you know about your actions and intent. 

 

You cannot please everyone as you seek to please God.  But you must always seek to please God even though others will not be pleased.

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[1] D. Edmond Hiebert, An Introduction to the Pauline Epistles, "Second Corinthians", (1954)

[2] Ibid., pp. 146-147.