2 CORINTHIANS
The context of 1 Corinthians basically applies to understanding 2 Corinthians; so just review the blog entry dealing with the background to Corinth. But let me say a little something about the approx. 1 year-interim between Paul’s writing of 1 and 2 Corinthians (you can pick this up from what Paul says in 2 Cor 1:15-16; 2:1-11).
Paul was planning on visiting his Corinthian friends twice: once on the way to Macedonia and once on the way back. In his first visit, however, he had a traumatic confrontation with one of the church members, who publicly humiliated Paul, while no one in the church stood by the apostle. So rather than return for a 2nd visit, Paul wrote what he calls a “tearful” letter to them about his mistreatment during his previous visit. In the aftermath of Paul’s traumatic visit and his tearful letter, the Corinthians tried and do right by Paul, who hears of their efforts and so writes them another letter: 2 Corinthians.
1 way of understanding the basic structure of the letter is as follows: the Introduction (1:1-11), Paul’s Previous Plans for Corinth (1:12-2:13), Paul’s Apostolic Ministry (2:14-6:10), Paul’s Apostolic Appeals (6:11-7:16), the Church and their Giving (chaps. 8-9), Paul’s Apostolic Warnings (chaps. 10-13), and the Conclusion (13:11-14).
Paul opens his Introduction by extolling the God who offers abundant comfort for those who are afflicted (1:3-11; cf. Jesus’ words in Matt 5:4). What I find interesting here is that Paul says that there’s always a “for others” element to our suffering. On the one hand, when we suffer and God comforts us, it is for our own sanctification—to make us more like Jesus. But on the other hand, our trials and God’s comfort is for the sake of others: God will bring afflicted people into our lives whom we will be able to help more effectively—having emerged from our suffering more like Jesus—lead through their trials so they too can become more like Jesus (or even come to know him personally if they are not yet believers). So, suffering and divine comfort is for our sanctification and for the sanctification of others.
In the first large section of his letter Paul focuses on his Apostolic Service (2:14-6:10). He contrasts his motives for ministry with those of his opponents: they preach for personal profit but he preaches from pure motives (2 Cor 2:17). Paul says that his apostolic service is rooted in the New Covenant rather than in the Old Covenant. The OC focused on the outside but the NC focuses on the inside (2 Cor 3:1-3). Thus, whereas the emphasis under the OC was to follow a set of external laws, under the NC these external laws have now, by virtue of the new birth (cf. John 3:3-5), been written on our hearts by the Holy Spirit; hence, we no longer obey God b/c we have to—we obey him b/c we want to! This chiseling of the Law on our hearts is foretold by the prophets, e.g., Ezekiel (Ezek 36:26). The OC produced some measure of glory, but far greater glory resides under the NC (3:7-11). Furthermore, NC ministry is marked by the Holy Spirit’s personal presence (2 Cor 3:6, 17). Question: How is this different from the work of the Holy Spirit under the Old Covenant?
This tone of contrast extends into the next chapters. Paul writes how unbelievers cannot see/understand God’s gospel but believers can (2 Cor 4:1-4). The treasure of God’s indwelling presence is hidden behind outward afflictions, but these afflictions serve to put the focus of bystanders on Jesus (2 Cor 4:7-11). Therefore, we need not become depressed or lose heart b/c of any suffering we might be enduring (4:16-17). Paul then goes on to contrast the temporal with the eternal, the latter being far greater and far more important to the believer’s perspective than the former. Because of this truth, Paul states that his purpose is to “persuade people” (2 Cor 5:11). He recasts this purpose of persuasion as “reconciliation”: he is Christ’s ambassador, through whom God makes his divine appeal that people need to be reconciled to himself through Christ (2 Cor 5:18-20).
But Paul’s apostolic ministry of persuasion and reconciliation includes us church folk, too. Hence, he makes Apostolic Appeals in chaps. 6-7. He appeals for a moral separation from unbelievers (6:14-7:1). That is, believers should not allow themselves to live in intimate fellowship with unbelievers—especially marriage. Question: What other unions might this include? Paul also appeals for apostolic reconciliation (7:2-16). Because of what had happened during his previous visit, some distance has formed in the church’s relationship to the apostle. Paul, for his part, wants this to be water under the proverbial bridge, i.e., he wants reconciliation (an immediate application of 5:18-20). For true reconciliation, though, there must be repentance. Paul’s teaching on the nature of repentance here needs to be understood even by us today! According to 2 Cor 7:9-10, true repentance has an emotional component: godly sorrow. Sorrow-less repentance amounts to false, fruitless repentance (cf. Matt 3:8). Judas experienced this type of “repentance” and it led to his ultimate demise (Matt 27:3-5; John 17:12). Peter, however, experienced godly sorrow, leading to true repentance, leading to life (Matt 26:75; John 21:15-17). A lot of people confess their sin and say “sorry”, but they haven’t truly repented; consequently, they continue to walk in the very sin they were supposedly sorry about doing.
The theme of suffering and affliction that has run throughout most of the first 7 chapters comes to expression in a decidedly different way in chapter 8 . . . Next time.