2 Corinthians1v1and2: AN INTRODUCTION TO 2 CORINTHIANS

(A) Introduction. (Read the reference)

I will refer to 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians as the first and second letter of Paul although it is highly likely that an earlier letter was also written that has been lost.

It is relatively easy to work out what led Paul to write his first letter in the way he did. He received information about the church at Corinth from a variety of sources including:

(a) A verbal report from Chloe's household. See 1Cor1v11.

(b) A letter with lots of questions delivered by Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus. See 1Cor16v17.

1 Corinthians deals with a variety of issues brought to Paul's attention by his different sources.

What happens next is difficult to work out and a variety of views exist. I dealt with Professor W. Barclay's summary of what may have occurred in my introduction to 1 Corinthians. See introduction to 1Corinthians.

Most commentators agree that Paul made a brief visit to Corinth after sending his first letter. This can be deduced from Paul's reference in 2Cor12v14 to making a third visit. So he must have made two visits previous to writing this passage.

It is probable that Paul went a second time to Corinth to gauge reaction to his lengthy, highly critical first letter. This visit was undoubtedly painful. He wrote: So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you! 2Cor2v1.

It seems that while he was a second time at Corinth he promised to make a third visit - a promise he didn't keep and for which the Corinthians criticised him. See 2Cor1v12 to 2Cor2v4.

Paul also referred in this passage to writing to the Corinthians out of great distress and anguish of heart with many tears.

Professor Barclay called this the severe letter and considered that it might be 2Cor10to13 which differs in tone from the middle chapters of the whole epistle. In which case 2 Corinthians has not been put together in chronological order.

Professor A.B. Spencer disagrees with Barclay because papyrus 64 which is only 29 to 144 years older than the original has all 13 chapters of 2 Corinthians in the order we have them. Spencer appears to suggest in her commentary that Paul's letter of tears was lost a view shared by Colin G. Kruse in his Tyndale Commentary on 2 Corinthians.

Another view, one I tend to favour, considers that the letter of tears Paul referred to is his first letter to the Corinthians. This surely was the letter that made his second visit such a painful one - a letter that must have distressed the Corinthian church. Parts of it are extremely severe. See exposition on 1Cor4v6to21. I also think that 2Cor2v5to11 refers to the man in an incestuous relationship with his stepmother who Paul told the Corinthian church members to discipline. See exposition on 1Cor5. It appears the majority, but not all, of the members did as Paul instructed. Now, in this second letter, he takes the opportunity to advise the church to reinstate the repentant sinner. So at least in respect to this issue Paul's first letter and second visit were successful.

However, I can well imagine that some of the other things Paul wrote rankled with the Corinthians. It is also highly likely that Paul was not as authoritarian in the flesh as he was in his letter. See 2Cor10v1and10. So he may have left Corinth the second time knowing that some of the church members were unhappy with him.

In these circumstances Paul sent Titus to see what further progress the Corinthians had made in response to his first letter and second visit. He had given them a lot to think about! When Titus returns Paul is overjoyed by the news he brings. See2Cor7v5to16. Now, this seems a strange place to introduce the good news Titus brought - especially if it is at the end of a third letter written in answer to the letter of tears. Even if 2 Corinthians exists in the form it was originally written it still seems a strange place to introduce the good news of Titus. Why not start with it?

It is possible Paul wrote the first part of 2 Corinthians - chapters 1 to 6 - before he met up with Titus.

Paul's joy at Titus' news also sits uncomfortably with 2Cor10to13, a section of the letter in which Paul vehemently defends his ministry. This difficulty obviously does not exist if 2Cor10to13 is the letter of tears and was taken to Corinth before Paul sent chapters 1 to 6 as a third concilatory letter.

So is there any reason why Paul felt it necessary to defend himself at the end of his second letter if as I believe we have it in our Bibles as it was written?

It may be Paul received yet more news from another source that was altogether more realistic but less flattering than Titus.

Perhaps, a more likely explanation is that Titus' report was mixed. He may have told Paul that the Corinthians were disappointed not to receive a third visit as promised - something Paul dealt with in 2Cor1 to 2Cor2v4. Titus may have informed Paul that although much of his advice was taken and he was well loved the little apostle was not respected as much as he should be. It is possible to be loved but not respected! The Corinthians accepted Paul's letters were powerful but not his presence. A faction was undoubtedly much more impressed by the flamboyant, false, super-apostles.

So whereas in 1 Corinthians Paul spent most of his time correcting errors in the church in his second letter Paul defended his apostleship and ministry in order to re-establish his authority. Paul's second letter is not as coherent as his first.

Paul's greeting to the Corinthians in his second letter is similar to his first and I won't deal with it again. See exposition on 1Cor1v1to3.

REFERENCE BOOKS USED FOR THIS SERIES OF EXPOSITIONS:

(1) Letters to Corinthians by William Barclay - Daily Study Bible

(2) 2 Corinthians by Aida Besancon Spencer - The People's Bible Commentary.

(3) 2 Corinthians by Colin G Kruse in the Tyndale New Testament Series of Commentaries.

(4) Paul for Everyone: 2 Corinthians, by Tom Wright.

(5) Be Encouraged by Warren W. Wiersbee

(6) The Message of 2 Corinthians by Paul Barnett in the Bible Speaks Today series.

ANY COMMENTS FOR JOHN REED: E-mail jfmreed@talktalk.net

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