Grace Institute: The Pauline Epistles: 2 Corinthians: Introduction

2 Corinthians Survey of the New Testament: The Pauline Epistles Winter 2006

Introduction (1:1-11)

Author: The apostle Paul (1:1a).

Audience: The church in Corinth (1:1b)

Date: AD 56.

Occasion for the Writing

Fee and Stewart, in their book How to Read the Bible Book by Book summarize the difficulty in studying the book of 2 nd Corinthians:

“Reading 2 Corinthians is something like turning on the television in the middle of a very complicated play. People are talking and things are happening, but we're not sure who some of the characters are or what the plot is.

This letter from Paul to the church in Corinth is intensely personal and deals with issues of conflict and correction between the apostle who founded the church and the church. But the issues in the book are not readily apparent, so to gain any understanding of the book, therefore requires us to understand the plot of the “play” and a few of the characters in the play.

The Plot

Chronology of Paul's Relationship with the Corinthian Church [1]

• AD 51 - 1st Visit - Paul first visits Corinth in the spring of AD 51. He establishes the church and stays for 18 months as part of his second missionary journey.
• AD 53 - 1st Letter - Paul writes his first letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 5:9) from Ephesus during his third missionary journey early in his 2-year stay in Ephesus. This letter has been lost.
• AD 53-54 - 2nd Letter - Paul learns from Chloe's household and from a letter written by the Corinthians of problems within the church. Paul writes his second letter to the Corinthians (known as 1 st Corinthians).
• AD 54 - 2nd Visit - Paul makes his second visit to Corinth, sailing directly from Ephesus to Corinth rather than traveling through Macedonia as expected. This was the “painful visit” referred to in 2 Corinthians 2:1.
• AD 54-55 - 3rd Letter - Paul returns to Ephesus and follows up his visit with a third (now lost) letter to the church. This letter grieved Paul greatly because of its highly disciplinary nature. This letter was probably carried by Titus.
• AD 56 - 4th Letter - Paul fled Ephesus in the spring of AD56, heading towards Troas, where he hoped to run into Titus, returning with a report from Corinth. Not finding Titus, he continues to Macedonia where he meets Titus and learns that the Corinthians have responded positively to his letter. Paul writes his fourth letter to the Corinthians (known to us as 2 nd Corinthians) in response to this news.
• AD 56-57 - 3rd Visit - Paul makes his third and final visit to Corinth in the winter of AD 56-67.

After Paul write his 1st letter to the Corinthians, Paul relationship with the Corinthians has taken a turn for the worse. We don't know exactly what the issue which caused the relationship to sour, but Paul changes his plan and makes an unexpected visit to Corinth, not traveling through Macedonia as expected, but sailing straight from Ephesus to Corinth. This visit is called the “painful visit” in 2 Corinthians 2:1. Following this visit, Paul writes a scathing letter in which he is highly critical of the Corinthians. The letter has been lost to history, so any speculation as to the issue is just conjecture.

Paul, very likely, sent this letter by the hand of Titus. Knowing that Titus would return to Ephesus through Macedonia and Troas, Paul travels first to Troas then to Macedonia, hoping to meet Titus to see how the letter was received. Paul meets up with Titus in Macedonia, where the report is good. The Corinthians took the letter well and repented.

Paul writes a third letter in response to this good report. This is the book of 2 nd Corinthians.

Paul's Opponents

Clearly from 2 nd Corinthians, Paul faces some vocal and persistent opponents in the church in Corinth. These opponents doubt his apostolic authority and find his style weak and unworthy of his status. What we know of these opponents, however, only comes from Paul's reaction to them in 2 nd Corinthians. Nonetheless, we can piece together the following profile:

• They were Jews from Israel (11:22).
• They claimed to have apostolic authority. Paul says they claimed to be the “most eminent” apostles, or as the ESV translates it, “super-apostles” (11:5, 12:11). They had letters of recommendation from prominent church letters backing this authority (3:1).
• They claimed to be disciples of Jesus (5:!6, 10:7)
• They had a high view of Moses (3:7-16)
• They claimed to have visions and revelations (5:13, 12:1, 7).
• They performed miracles (12:12)
• They accepted payment by the Corinthians for their service as apostles (11:12)
• They very eloquent and full of wisdom and knowledge (11:6).

They did not appear to require the Gentiles to be circumcised or follow all aspects the Jewish law, except perhaps Jewish dietary laws. While they seemed to dazzle the Corinthians with the logic and rhetoric, they probably were not Greek philosophers. Nonetheless, they boasted in themselves and their inflated view of spirituality, and seem to believe that they had become partakers of God's eternal kingdom already (5:1-10).

Unity of the Book

The book of 2 nd Corinthians has some sharp divisions in its structure. This leads most biblical scholars to believe that the book was actually at least two separate books which were later placed together. Most scholars see chapters 1-9 as one book, dealing with the Corinthians acceptance of Paul's rebuke, while chapters 10-13 require Paul to openly rebuke the Corinthians.

Those who believe this two be two separate letters disagree as to when chapters 10-13 were written. Some believe these chapters to be the third “sorrowful letter” which Paul mentions in 2 Corinthians 2:4. Others see these chapters as a fifth letter Paul writes after he hears that his opponents had again gained the upper hand after Titus had left with the positive report.

However, while the book has multiple topics and occasions, there is nothing in the text to suggest that chapters 10-13 stand alone as its own letter and the tradition of this book's unity is sufficient for us to assume that the entire book was delivered to the Corinthians as a unified letter.

Theme of the Book (1:3-12)

Paul had suffered greatly in Ephesus (which is located in Asia) just prior to writing this letter (1:8, Acts 19:23ff). The Corinthians had been praying for Paul's deliverance from this persecution, and God had indeed delivered Paul (1:10-11).

But for Paul, while difficult, the persecution was something of which he found comfort (1:4). For Paul, to suffer is to share in the suffering of Christ (1:5). This introduces the theme of 2 Corinthians. Throughout the book, Paul will boast not in his accomplishments, but in his suffering. For Paul, the gospel is found through weakness and suffering.

Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weakness, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Structure of the Book

He writes how glad he is that they have properly responded (chapters 1-7). He also reminds them that he still plans to come to receive the collection for the poor saints in Jerusalem, as he told them in 1 Corinthians 16. Finally, he finishes the letter with a rebuke of those in Corinth who are still in rebellion against Paul's teaching.

• Salutation (1:1-11)
• Paul Explains His Conduct (1:12-7:16)
  • Paul's Change of Plans (1:12-2:13)
  • Superiority of Paul's Spirituality (2:14-7:4)
  • Reconciliation with the Corinthians (7:5-16)
• The Collection (8:1-9:15)
• Paul's Defense (10:1-13:10)
• Conclusion (13:11-13)

Footnotes

1. Source: David K. Lowry. “2 Corinthians.” The Bible Knowledge Commentary. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, ed. Victor Books, 1988.

[Next: Paul Explains His Conduct]