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Introduction to 2 Corinthians
As usual, we're going to be combining the first few days of posts with some introductory material about the book. There will be more introduction this time because of the close relationship between 1 and 2 Corinthians and some other issues/questions about how 1 and 2 Corinthians fit together with other possible writings/visits. Let's just start with some helpful information for understanding the letter in a broad sense:
"A. II Corinthians was written about six to eighteen months after I Corinthians, following Paul’s visit in Macedonia with Titus, who reported the church’s response to Paul’s overtures (cf. 2:12–12; 7:11–16).
B. This is a very intense personal letter. Paul’s emotional state can even be observed in the grammar (lack of conjunctions and incomplete sentences).
C. Paul was being viciously attacked by a minority within the church. The minority seems to be both from the local Corinthian congregation and an itinerant Jewish group. Their charges were:
1. Paul had impure motives, 1:12
2. Paul was fickle, 1:15ff
3. Paul was weak, 10:10
4. Paul was physically ugly, 10:10
5. Paul was not a good orator, 10:10; 11:16
6. Paul preached for money 11:7ff; 12:13ff
7. Paul was not a true apostle, 11:5, 13; 12:4
8. Paul was not an orthodox Jew, 11:21ff
9. they had direct revelation, but Paul did not, 12:1ff." [1]
This is an intense letter. But notice how Paul starts - look at the repeated words: affliction and comfort. Take some time to read the beginning slowly and understand how affliction, comfort, God, us, and others all relate to each other, because it's a very important and very applicable concept.
Why do you think Paul starts such an emotional and painful letter this way? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Introduction to 2 Corinthians
As usual, we're going to be combining the first few days of posts with some introductory material about the book. There will be more introduction this time because of the close relationship between 1 and 2 Corinthians and some other issues/questions about how 1 and 2 Corinthians fit together with other possible writings/visits. Let's just start with some helpful information for understanding the letter in a broad sense:
"A. II Corinthians was written about six to eighteen months after I Corinthians, following Paul’s visit in Macedonia with Titus, who reported the church’s response to Paul’s overtures (cf. 2:12–12; 7:11–16).
B. This is a very intense personal letter. Paul’s emotional state can even be observed in the grammar (lack of conjunctions and incomplete sentences).
C. Paul was being viciously attacked by a minority within the church. The minority seems to be both from the local Corinthian congregation and an itinerant Jewish group. Their charges were:
1. Paul had impure motives, 1:12
2. Paul was fickle, 1:15ff
3. Paul was weak, 10:10
4. Paul was physically ugly, 10:10
5. Paul was not a good orator, 10:10; 11:16
6. Paul preached for money 11:7ff; 12:13ff
7. Paul was not a true apostle, 11:5, 13; 12:4
8. Paul was not an orthodox Jew, 11:21ff
9. they had direct revelation, but Paul did not, 12:1ff." [1]
This is an intense letter. But notice how Paul starts - look at the repeated words: affliction and comfort. Take some time to read the beginning slowly and understand how affliction, comfort, God, us, and others all relate to each other, because it's a very important and very applicable concept.
Why do you think Paul starts such an emotional and painful letter this way? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
[1] Robert James Utley, vol. Volume 6, Paul’s Letters to a Troubled Church: I and II Corinthians, Study Guide Commentary Series (Marshall, TX: Bible Lessons International, 2002), 200.
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