2 Corinthians 1:1-2

Applebury's Comments

Salutation
Scripture

2 Corinthians 1:1-2. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints that are in the whole of Achaia: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Comments

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus.In the first epistle to the Corinthians, Paul spoke of himself as a called or summoned apostle. Since the Corinthians were already familiar with this fact, it seemed unnecessary to repeat it in the second letter. They knew that they had heard the Word of God through him and that their position as Christians depended upon the fact that he was an apostle of Christ. He had made this known to them in the first epistle, but they were to be reminded of it again in this letter.

Paul wrote First Corinthians to correct certain problems that were present in the church. They were (1) those reported to him by members of the household of Chloe and (2) those about which they had written requesting information and instruction.
The second epistle was written to complete the reformation which he had begun through the first letter. Following a brief introduction, it tells (1) about the sincerity of his ministry in their behalf, and defends his change of plans that had caused him to delay his return visit to Corinth; (2) it gives further instruction about completing the offering for the saints in Judea; and (3) it defends his apostleship against the claims of those whom he called false apostles.

the will of God.Because of the rebellious attitude of some who were disturbing the faith of the Corinthian Christians, it was necessary for Paul to remind them in both of his epistles that he had received his apostleship through the will of God. The teaching, correction, and instruction which he wrote to them was given by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. To rebel against the inspired writing was to rebel against the will of God.

and Timothy.Sosthenes was associated with Paul in the writing of First Corinthians, but Timothy is in that place of honor in the second epistle. There is no reason to suppose that either of them had anything to do with the content of the messages other than being associated with Paul who wrote them under the direction of the Holy Spirit. Timothy is mentioned again in 2 Corinthians 1:19 along with Silvanus who was another of Paul's helpers.

After having learned about the problems in the church at Corinth, Paul sent Timothy, his beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind them of the things which he taught everywhere in every church. He instructed them to receive him with respect what was due one performing the work of the Lord even as Paul himself was doing. See 1 Corinthians 4:17; 1 Corinthians 16:10-11.

unto the church of God.It was necessary to remind the Corinthians again that they were of the church of God, not of men. Paul had made it clear to them in the first epistle that the church was the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelt in it. Anyone attempting to destroy that temple would be destroyed, for God's temple is holy. The Corinthian Christians were to conduct themselves in a manner befitting the saints of God. See 1 Corinthians 3:16-17.

with all the saints.As the church is holy because it is separated from sin and dedicated to the service of God so those who are members of that holy body are called saints. The Corinthians were reminded that they had gotten their sins washed away in baptism. They had been separated from sinful practices and set apart to the holy service of God. All this had been done in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in accord with the instruction given to them through the Spirit of God. See 1 Corinthians 6:11.

All of this was intended to remind the church at Corinth that God would tolerate no false teaching nor conduct that fell below the standard presented by His inspired apostle. The apostle Paul had set the example of holy living for them. See 1 Corinthians 4:16; 1 Corinthians 11:1.

in the whole of Achaia.This suggests that, while the letter was addressed primarily to Corinth, there were other congregations in the area also. There was one church of God, but many congregations. There was one divine standard of teaching to regulate the life and conduct of all.

Grace to you and peace.This conforms to the standard of greeting in all of Paul's epistles, but it is more than a mere greeting. Paul was aware of the hardships through which the church was passing. He knew about the ones who were troubling the saints of God. He knew how very much they needed the grace of God, His unmerited favor. The church had been torn by strife and faction; he knew how they needed peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The salutation was like a prayer that God's grace and peace from the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ might rest upon this congregation.