OPENING GREETING (2 CORINTHIANS 1:1). ‘Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia.' Having again established his reputation in Corinth Paul addresses the believers as... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.' ‘Grace' and ‘peace' were the two terms used in greetings in Paul's world, the former by Gentiles the latter by Jews. But Paul, while taking them over, transforms them and imbues them with new meaning. It is noteworthy that with... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD BOTH AFFLICTS AND COMFORTS ALL WHO ARE HIS FOR THEIR SALVATION (2 CORINTHIANS 1:3). The verses that follow lay the foundation of what he will say throughout the letter. At first sight they might appear to contain simply a message of comfort and strengthening in the face of suffering. And if it... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But whether we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or whether we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which he works in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer, and our hope for you is steadfast (firm, gilt-edged), knowing that, as you are partakers of th... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning our affliction which befell us in Asia, that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, insomuch that we despaired even of life.' Paul now goes on to illustrate this by telling the Corinthians about his more recent difficult experie... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Yes, we ourselves have had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead.' Indeed they had felt themselves under sentence of death, and had accepted the fact that they were probably going to die, but he recognised that this had happen... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Who delivered us out of so great a death, and will deliver. On whom we have set our hope that he will also yet deliver us.' This verse contains a number of significant points. It speaks of ‘so great a death', which in the light of Paul's continued use of ‘death' as the prime way of signifying man's... [ Continue Reading ]
‘You also helping together on our behalf by your supplication, that, for the gift bestowed upon us by means of many, thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf.' Having risen to the heights Paul now returns to earth, and commends ‘many' who had contributed to his deliverance from death. As a... [ Continue Reading ]
HE DECLARES THAT HE HAS BEEN FAITHFUL TO THEM AND TO ALL (2 CORINTHIANS 1:12) ‘For our glorying is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we behaved ourselves in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.' Having... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For we write no other things to you than what you read (anaginosko) or even understand (epignosko), and I hope you will understand (epiginosko) to the end (or ‘completely'), as also you understood (epiginosko) us in part, that we are your glorying, even as you also are ours, in the day of our Lord... [ Continue Reading ]
HE EXPLAINS THAT THE CHANGE OF PLANS HE MADE WAS NOT DUE TO FICKLENESS ‘And in this confidence I was minded to come first to you, that you might have a second benefit, and by you to pass into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and of you to be set forward on my journey to Judea.'... [ Continue Reading ]
‘When I therefore was so minded, did I show fickleness? Or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be the yes, yes, and the no, no?' Was then his failure to visit them in the way that he had promised due to ‘the fickleness' (i.e. ‘the fickleness of... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But as God is faithful, our word toward you is not yes and no. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not yes and no, but in him is yes. For however many be the promises of God, in him is the yes, wherefore also through him is th... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL EXPLAINS HIS REASONS FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE AND CALLS FOR LENIENCY ON THE ONE WHO HAD SINNED AND HAS NOW REPENTED (2 CORINTHIANS 1:23 TO 2 CORINTHIANS 2:11). Paul now explains why he had changed his travel plans after his hurtful visit and then explains the subsequent severe letter he had had to... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Now he who is establishing (‘is confirming') us with you in Christ, and anointed us, is God, who also sealed us, and gave us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.' And this is confirmed by the fact of Who has established them, and how He has done it. Let them recognise Who it is Who is ‘confirmi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But I call God for a witness on my soul, that to spare you I forbore coming to Corinth.' So why then had Paul failed in his promise to come to Corinth? He calls on God to witness to the truth of what he says. It was in order to spare them what would have resulted from his arrival had he come in pe... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Not that we have lordship over your faith, but are helpers of your joy. For in faith you stand fast.' He wants them further to know that he is not suggesting that their faith depended on this, nor that he feels that he has the right to criticise their faith. That is between them and God. (He is no... [ Continue Reading ]