•
In this second letter he makes
direct reference such a possible visit, also with indirect references
(10:2, 12:20,21, 13:10).
It
would appear, therefore, from 2 Corinthians that he made a second
visit which had proved very painful, even though there is no named
second visit in Acts.
B.
Paul's Letters
We
refer to 1 & 2 Corinthians but 1 Cor 5:9 seems to indicate
a prior letter which they misunderstood and
which would have been written after his initial visit in AD52,
after which he composed what we now call 1 Corinthians.
It
would seem, therefore, he followed this up with a second visit
that felt very painful and after he left, he composed 2
Corinthians , which is very much first an apologetic
for all he had said and then, second, a challenge to prepare for
a third visit.
C.
Why Read 2 Corinthians
Well
to be honest it is not a very easy letter to read in that
Paul seems to bend over backwards to appease his readers in the
earlier chapters. Let's try and lay out again what happened:
•
he made a first visit
to Corinth that lasted two years.
•
after he left they appear to have
written to him asking about sexual conduct (1 Cor 7:1) and he
had replied (1 Cor 5:9) – his first letter
which no longer exists.
•
he seems to have followed this
up with his second letter that we know of
as 1 Corinthians after he received word that
all was not going well in Corinth.
•
following this he seems to have
made the second visit which did not go well.
•
after he left, he wrote his third
letter that we know as 2 Corinthians .
Yes,
it is a somewhat confusing history but it shows
•
the success of the missionary
ventures (the first extended visit),
•
the problems the church faced
and needed help with (their letter and his first letter),
•
the ongoing nature of such difficulties
(needing him to write 1 Corinthians with much extended and corrective
teaching),
•
the further ongoing nature of
those difficulties which necessitated a second visit,
•
the volatile nature of humans
who make up church that meant Paul was fairly heavy handed and
was probably rebuffed, needing him to write 2 Corinthians with
a heavy sense of conciliatory exposition while at the same time
maintaining his authority as an apostle.
Further
comment and interest may be generated by looking at the overall
structure of the letter:
D.
Contents:
Part
1: Explanatory
Ch.
1: Explanations and
Apologies
•
he shares the life-threatening
difficulties they went through in Macedonia
•
also why they had not managed
to come to them again
Part
2: Defensive in respect of his MINISTRY
Ch.
2: Aspects of Ministry
•
he had written to them before,
out of anguish of heart
•
he refers to the sinner who has
now repented
•
the ministry of the gospel is
like sharing a life-bringing scent
•
yet sometimes it is a hard ministry
when it is rejected
Ch.
3: Qualifications & the nature of the new covenant
•
the Corinthians who are the fruit
of their ministry are also proof of it
•
it is a wonderful ministry in
that it brings the glory of the Lord to believers
•
the Law brought a fading glory
but this glory of the Spirit is lasting
Ch.
4: Preaching & Apostolic Weakness
•
this ministry is delivered with
integrity and brings light to believers
•
unbelievers are blinded by Satan
who prevents them believing
•
the apostles were like clay pots
that contained God's glory
•
although they frequently felt
exhausted God renewed them
Ch.
5: Perspectives from Heaven
•
the strains
on the human body from their ministry turns Paul's thoughts
to the new heavenly body he will one day receive
•
once he thinks
like that, he views others from that perspective
•
the pathway
to that is the ministry of reconciliation, us to God
Ch.
6: Apostolic Hardships & calls to respond
•
realising
that produces a call to realise that ‘today' is the time of
God's favour
•
to maximise
that call they seek to avoid any hindrances in themselves
•
he expresses
the hardships they've gone through to do that
•
the end result
is to be a pure, holy and distinct people
Ch.
7
:
Bridge Building
•
as part of
that avoiding hindrances, he seeks to build a bridge to their
hearts
•
he shares
the comfort they have received by hearing of their love for
them
•
he realised
his previous letter was hard, but it was worth it having brought
forth repentance and change
•
and further
shares how blessed they were by Titus's report on his return.
Part
3: Administrative
Ch.
8: About the Collection
•
approaching
the plan for a collection to help Jerusalem, he tells of how
the Macedonians gave
•
he hoped
they would now give in the same way
•
they would
shortly be sending Titus with two others to take the collection
Ch.
9: More about the Collection
•
Paul
explains why the team is coming – to help out with last minute
admin.
•
He spells out spiritual principles
of giving – be generous and give from the heart – and that will
bless the givers, the receivers and God and the church generally.
Part
4: Defensive & Challenging in respect of his AUTHORITY (in
Preparation for a further visit)
Ch.
10: Appearances & Boasting
•
(In preparation for coming again
v.2) His detractors will see he is the same face to face as
he is in his letters, wielding God's authority
•
he will not go beyond what God
has given them to do and what they have achieved in his defence
against such people.
Ch.11:
Folly & Boasting
•
Paul distinguish himself from
the workers of the enemy
•
he does it by boasting of the
way of life he has lived, serving without payment, coping with
counterfeit ministries, and coping with perils of all sorts.
Ch.12:
Power for ministry, grace for weakness
Ch.13:
Get ready for a third visit
•
He envisages a potential third
visit whereby the truth about the church can be ascertained
by him and he can deal with rebels
•
he expects them to check themselves
out and put their house in order so he does not have to exercise
Christ's authority when he comes.
Note:
Some commentators
refer to the difference in feeling between chapters 2 to 7 and
10 to 13, the latter feeling less apologetic and more challenging.
It has to be speculation, as we are not told the reason, but it
may be that this letter was written over weeks if not months and
in such time, a) Paul could have had time to reflect and pray
over the situation more fully, or b) with the comings and goings
of others in the apostolic team, news may have come to him of
changes in some at least back in Corinth and c) such news indicated
a third visit would be advisable so he tunes the latter chapters
accordingly.
Despite
all of this, there is no clear record that he ever made that third
journey and so the letter remains as a monument to the trials
and tribulations of the life of an apostle and the corresponding
upsets that can occur in church life. We should not forget in
all this that the cause of Paul's anguish over this church is
twofold:
•
the fact of things that were wrong
in the church that ought to have been sorted out, and,
•
the bad attitudes of some members
of the church who didn't like being corrected and who therefore
stirred up false accusations against Paul.
We
may think these things are alien to us, but the same truths remain
and should be considered today: God calls His Church to be holy,
and leaders to put right things that are wrong, countering with
God's authority those who would act hostilely against such teaching
and direction. It is a letter that needs reading more than once
to fully appreciate the nature of these things.
Continue
to Chapter 1