Second Epistle to the Corinthians
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The Second Epistle to the Corinthians is a book in the New Testament, written by Paul the Apostle.

II Corinthians is only 13 pages long, but it is the book in which the transformation of Christianity into a religion incompatible with its Jewish genesis is completed. It recounts Paul’s wrestle with the Christian Judaizers from Palestine whose touchstone of continuity was Mosaic Law. It is in this letter that Paul abandons the concept of Jesus’ fulfillment of the Law to its destruction, with emissaries from the Jerusalem church scurrying along behind, attempting to undo the damage.

“There is a consensus on two points: the intruders were Jewish Christians, and they attacked Paul’s apostolic authority. Disagreement, however, persists concerning the adversaries’ origins and role at Corinth, because the evidence points in different directions. Some hints indicate Judaizers of Palestinian origin, whose attitude toward the law was more positive than Paul found palatable. Other clues, however, are thought to suggest Hellenistic Jewish wandering preachers, who were convinced that their possession of the Spirit showed itself in their eloquence, their ecstatic experiences, and their power to work miracles.” TNJBC 1990 p. 817

Textual issues

While there is little doubt among scholars that Paul is the author, there is discussion over whether the letter was originally one letter or a combination of two or more of Paul's letters.

Although the New Testament only contains two letters to the Corinthians, the evidence from the letters themselves is that he wrote at least four:

1. 1 Cor 5:9 ("I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people", NIV) refers to an early letter, sometimes called the "warning letter".
2. 1 Corinthians
3. Paul refers to an earlier "letter of tears" in 2 Corinthians 2:3-4 and 7:8. 1 Corinthians does not match that description; so this "letter of tears" must be between 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians.
4. 2 Corinthians

The abrupt change of tone from being previously harmonious to bitterly reproachful in 2 Corinthians 10-13 has led many to speculate that chapters 10-13 form part of the "letter of tears" which were in some way tagged on to Paul's main letter.^[1] Those who disagree with this assessment usually say that the "letter of tears" is no longer extant.^[2]

Some scholars also find fragments of the "warning letter", or of other letters, in chapters 1-9,^[3] for instance that part of the "warning letter" is preserved in 2 Cor 6:14-7:1,^[4] but these hypotheses are less popular.^[5]

Much of the commentaries has to do with different theories on the compilation of the book and the number of visits Paul made to Corinth. Jerome Murphy-O’Connor, O.P. who wrote TNJBC commentary for the Second Letter to the Corinthians explains:

“With the exception of 6:14-7:1, which many consider a post-Pauline interpolation, the authenticity of 2 Cor [Corinthians] is unquestioned. Its unity, however, is a matter of some controversy. Although the integrity of 2 Cor has its defenders …, the majority of commentators see it as a collection of Pauline letters. The most influential view is that of G. Bornkamm … who divides 2 Cor into five letters … This hypothesis is based on what are viewed as hard transitions in the present text of 2 Cor. ...but with many interpreters I do not find that the breaks in chaps. [chapters] 1-9 involve such a degree of discontinuity as to demand a partition hypothesis. Chaps. 10-13, however, cannot be the continuation of chaps. 1-9; it is psychologically impossible that Paul should suddenly switch from the celebration of reconciliation (1-9) to a savage reproach and sarcastic self vindication (10-13). Thus, 2 Cor is certainly a combination of two letters.” P. 816

Background

Paul's contacts with the Corinthian church can be reconstructed as follows:^[6]

1. Paul visits Corinth for the first time, spending about 18 months there (Acts 18:11). He then leaves Corinth and spends about 3 years in Ephesus (Acts 19:8, 19:10, 20:31). (Roughly from 53 to 57 AD, see 1 Corinthians article).
2. Paul writes the "warning letter", probably from Ephesus.
3. Paul writes 1 Corinthians from Ephesus (1 Corinthians 16:8).
4. Paul visits the Corinthian church a second time, as he indicated he would in 1 Corinthians 16:6. This is probably still during his 3 years based in Ephesus. 2 Corinthians 2:1 calls this a "painful visit".
5. Paul writes the "letter of tears".
6. Paul writes 2 Corinthians, indicating his desire to visit the Corinthian church a third time (2 Cor 12:14, 2 Cor 13:1). The letter doesn't indicate where he is writing from, but it is usually dated after Paul left Ephesus for Macedonia (Acts 20), from either Philippi Thessalonica in Macedonia.^[7]
7. Paul presumably made the third visit after writing 2 Corinthians, because Acts 20:2-3 indicates he spent 3 months in Greece. In his letter to Rome, written at this time, he sent salutations from some of the principal members of the church to the Romans.^[8]

Structure

The book is usually divided as follows:^[9]

• 1:1-11 - Greeting
• 1:12 - 7:16 - Paul defends his actions and apostleship, affirming his affection for the Corinthians.
• 8:1 - 9:15 - Instructions for the collection for the poor in the Jerusalem church.
• 10:1 - 13:10 - A polemic defense of his apostleship
• 13:11-14 - Closing greetings

Content

In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians he again refers to himself as an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God and reassures the people of Corinth will not have another painful visit but what he has to say is not to cause pain but to reassure them the love he has for them. It was shorter in length in comparison to the first and a little confusing if the reader is unaware of the social, religious, and economic situation of the community. Paul felt the situation in Corinth was still complicated and felt attacked. Some challenged his authority as an apostle and compares the level of difficulty to other cities he has visited who had embraced it, like the Galatians. He is criticized for the way he speaks and writes and finds it just to defend himself with some of his important teachings. He states the importance of forgiving others, and God’s new agreement that comes from the Spirit of the living God (2 Cor. 3:3), and the importance of being a person of Christ and giving generously to God’s people in Jerusalem, and ends with his own experience of how God changed his life (Sandmel, 1979).

Chapter 1

“1. From Paul, emissary [αποστολος ~ apostolos ~ apostle] of the Anointed [χριστος ~ Christos ~ Christend] Jesus …”

• “The word ‘Christ’ (χριστος) was originally an adjective, meaning, as did ‘Messiah’ in Hebrew, ‘anointed’. It was used with the article as a title of Jesus; he was ‘the anointed one’ promised by God to his people as their redeemer and leader.” TIB 1955 X p. 277

“11. Partake also you in prayer on our behalf, that many will know, because of us, the gift of grace that comforts us with many benefits.”

• “As yet no one has succeeded in unraveling the syntax of this verse. Paul hopes that the Corinthians’ intercessory prayer and his own in view of a future deliverance will be transformed into thanksgiving for a successful rescue.” TNJBC1990 p. 818

“19. … behold the son of God, the anointed Jesus”

• “Only here is this traditional title (Rom 1:4; Gal 2:20) combined with the name of Jesus Christ …” TNJBC 1990 p. 818

Chapter 2

“14. … Thank God, who led our victorious expedition for the Anointed one, and through us spread the scent of the knowledge of God in every place. 15. Are we not the savor of the Anointed one to God, among the saved and the perishing? 16. To the latter the fragrance of death, to the former the fragrance of life upon life? And who is worthy of it?”

• “The apostle’s meaning is plain; those who believe and receive the Gospel are saved; those who reject it, perish. The meaning of the rabbis is not less plain: the Israelites received the law and the prophets as from God; and thus possessed the means of salvation. The Gentiles ridiculed and despised them, and thus continued in the path of death.” A.C. 1831 VI p. 308

• “who is competent [worthy]?: A resigned reaction (cf. Joel 2:11) to the awesome responsibility thrust on Paul (I Cor 9:16-18).” TNJBC 1990 p. 819

Chapter 3

“3. … you are the epistle of the Anointed one, whom we helped – written not in ink, but in the spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but upon slates of fleshly hearts. 5. … our ability came from God. 6. He enabled us to be ministers [διαχονια ~ deaconea of the new covenant, not of the written letter, but of the spirit; for the letter kills, but the spirit revives. 7. And if service in the regime of death, letters carved in stone, was filled with glory, such that the children of Israel could not look upon the face of Moses, for the passing brilliance of his face, 8. should not service in the regime of the spirit be all the more so filled with glory?”

• “The misleading English translation ‘new testament’ in the King James Version comes from the fact that the Greek διαθηκη, which, everywhere in the N.T., except Hebrews 9:16-17, means covenant, was translated into Latin by the word ‘testamentum’” TIB 1955 X p. 306

• “In unusually impersonal language Paul contrasts the splendor (doxa) of his ministry … with that represented by Moses. … the Jews’ understanding of the role of the law (Rom 7:10) made them existentially ‘dead’. 7b fading: With the exception of the splendor of Moses’ face, what Paul says contradicts Exod [Exodus] 34:29-35. ” TNJBC 1990 p. 820

• The concept of the New Covenant emerged out of the growing realization that the old one was not to be fulfilled. A Georgian (talk) 18:01, 6 August 2008 (UTC)

“11. And if that which is transient wore glory, how much more glorious is that which is intransient?”

• “Moses’ fading glory is here transferred to the whole dispensation he represented.” TNJBC 1990 p. 820

“13. … we are not like Moses, who put a mask on his face so that the children of Israel could not perceive the fate of the word, that it was to be cancelled.”

• i.e. “Moses did not let Israel see that the order he was establishing was inadequate and transient.” TIB X 1955 p. 309

“14. … their hearts are dulled, because to this day, when they call upon the old covenant [the only occurrence of this phrase], the same mask remains unlifted, because in the Anointed one it ceased.”

• “the old covenant: This term for the law was invented by Paul to underline the outdated character of Mosaic dispensation.” TNJBC 1990 p. 820

“15. To this day, when they read the words of Moses, the mask resides upon their heart. 16. But, when they turn their heart to YHVH, the mask is removed. 17. YHVH is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of YHVH is, there is freedom.”

• “Opinion is divided, but it is probable that Paul has God directly in view… God is identified with the Spirit in order to deny that he still operates through the letter of the law… Those who are led by the Spirit are no longer under the law.” TNJBC 1990 p. 820

Chapter 4

“4. The god of this world blinded the intelligence of the unbelievers, that the light of the tidings of the glory of the Anointed one, the image of God, should not shine on them.”

• “the image of God: The definition of authentic humanity (Gen 1:26-27) is applied only to Christ and to Adam before the Fall (1 Cor 12:3).” TNJBC 1990 p. 820
  • Actually, the OT text referenced above (Gen 1:26-27) reads:
    • “26. And the Gods [האלהים] said, “Let us make Adam [אדם ~ man or Man] in our images, like unto us, and they will come down on the fish of the sea, and on the birds of the heavens, and on animals, and on the whole land, and on all the crawlers that crawl upon the land.
    • 27. And the Gods created the man [אדם] in his image, in the image of Gods created He him, male and female He created them.”
    • The papist missed Eve, unless he thinks Adam is a hermaphrodite, which would be an error, because of the plural third person pronoun. A Georgian (talk) 18:01, 6 August 2008 (UTC)

“6. The God who says, ‘Shine forth light from darkness”, He shines light into our hearts, to enlighten doctrine regarding the glory of God, which is in the face of the Anointed one.” … 14. … He who raised to life the lord Jesus, will raise us too, with Jesus, and present us with you.”

• “Although in I Thess. [Thessalonians] 4:16-17 and I Cor. 15:51-52 Paul writes as though he expects to be alive when the last day comes, he here either ignores that question or inclines to think that he may no longer be alive at that time (cf. 5:1-8). TIB 1955 X p. 322

“16. Therefore, we do not lose heart, even though our outward man wastes away, our inner man is renewed daily.”

• “It was an opinion among the Jews, that even the spirits stood in need of continual renovation. They say that ‘God renews the angles daily, by putting them in the fiery river from which they proceed, and then gives them the same name they had before.’” A.C. VI p. 318

“17. Thus our light, momentary, anguish prepares us [for] eternal and very weighty glory.”

• “It is everywhere visible what influence St. Paul’s Hebrew had on his Greek: כבד [KhaBeD]signifies to be heavy, and to be glorious; the apostle in his Greek, unites the two significations and says ‘weight of glory’.” A.C. VI p. 308

Chapter 5

“1. We know that if our earthly dwelling is destroyed, we have a building of God, a house that is not the work of hands, and it is in heaven forever. 2. So in this, our earthly dwelling, we groan, and our longing is strengthened to also wear our house that is from heaven - 3. if, in fact, we will be found clothed and not naked.”

• “This verse explains why Paul longs to receive the spiritual body as soon as possible. He does not want to die and continue for a time in a bodiless, intermediate state that he describes as naked; if the end comes before he dies, he will escape the imperfect intermediate existence.” TIB 1955 X p. 328

“4. For, although while in our present dwelling we groan from the weight of the burden, we hope not to be undressed, but to continue to wear it until that which is subject to death is swallowed up by life.”

• “He hopes that the Parousia will arrive before he is killed.” TNJBC 1990 p. 801

“17. … Whoever is found in the Anointed one, he is a new creature.”

• “The conversion of a man from idolatry and wickedness was among the Jews denominated a new creation. ‘He who converts a man to the true religion is the same,’ says R. Eliezer, ‘as if he had created him.’” A.C. 1831 VI p. 323

“21. He who knew not sin was made sin for our sakes, so that we could wear the righteousness of God in him.”

• “This verse tells how such reconciliation is possible. Christ never yielded to temptation and so ‘knew no sin’ that was his own evil doing. This conviction Paul shared with the entire apostolic church; cf. Matt. 4:1-13, John 86, Acts 3:14, Heb. 4:15, I Peter 2:22; I John 3:5 … this gift of good standing before God includes a real transformation of life by the power of God.” TIB X 1955 pp. 343-347

Chapter 6

“2. Thus He said, ‘In the time of need I answered you, and in the day of salvation I helped you’ [Isaiah 49:8]. This is the time of need, now is the day of salvation.”

• Now means while the gospel is being preached and before the end comes.” TIB 1955 X p. 346

“4. Through everything we present ourselves as ministers of God, with great patience, anxiety, poverty, distress, blows, 5. imprisonment, riots, toil, sleepless nights, hunger, 6. purification, doctrine, long suffering, generosity, the holy spirit,”

• “Shoetgen quotes a passage from Rabbi Bechai … ‘Rab. Pinchas, the son of Jair, said, “Reflection leads to sedulity; sedulity to innocence; innocence to abstinence; abstinence to cleanliness; cleanliness to sanctity; sanctity to fear of sin; fear of sin to humility; humility to piety; and piety to the Holy Spirit”’… it appears to me plain enough that the rabbi means the constant, indwelling of the Holy Spirit; and St. Paul, in this place, may have the same thing in view.” A.C. 1831 VI p. 327

“7. truth, the power of God, the weapon of righteousness in our right and left hands, 8. glory and disgrace, and good reputation and bad.” …

“14. Do not hitch to one yoke with unbelievers, for what relations do the righteous have with the unjust, and what fellowship does light have with darkness? 15. What agreement has the Anointed one with Beliar ? 16. And what connection is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God

‘And I dwelled among them’; [~Ezekiel 37:27a ‘And I walked in their midst’; [Leviticus 26:12a] ‘And I was God to them, and they were a people to me’ [~Leviticus 26:12b, Ezekiel 37:27b]”

• “Note that for Paul the Church is now the people of God.” TIB 1955 X p. 351

Chapter 7

“9. Now I am happy, not that you were aggrieved, but that this grief brought you to salvation; for we aggrieved you according to God’s will, in a manner not to cause you any injury at our hands.”

• “Your repentance prevented that exercise of my apostolic duty which would have consigned your bodies to destruction, that your souls might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” A.C. 1831VI p. 313

Chapter 9

“11. and be enriched in all the ways of liberality, that you bring thanksgiving to God because of us, 12. so that doing this service not only fills the needs of the sanctified, but arouses great thanksgiving to God. 13. Because of this service, that stood the test, God is praised for your obedience to the tidings of the Anointed one, and your thankfulness in it, and for your liberal participation in helping them and all.”

• “Paul hoped that the collection would prove to Jerusalem believers that Gentiles were as Christian as they. Such optimism had somewhat abated by the time he wrote Rom [Romans] 15:31 in Corinth.” TNTBC 1990 p. 825

“14. And they, from longing for you, pray thanks for the grace of God that is poured out among you.”

• “In a day when the Church threatened to split into two groups, Jewish and Gentile, Paul made every effort to bind the two parts of the one Church of Christ together in active brotherhood.” TIB 1955 X p. 380

Chapter 10

“2. I ask that when I come to you I will not need to drive in strength, with the same confidence with which I expect to sally forth against some men, those who think of us as adversaries according to flesh and blood thinking. 3. Although we live as flesh and blood, we do not battle according to the way of flesh and blood.”

• “… life is regarded as a battle field; war is being waged between the cause of Christ and the forces of evil. Paul is a general in this war.” TIB 1955 X p. 384

“4. For the weapons of our battle are not of flesh and blood, but have the strength of God in them for destroying fortresses. 5. We knock down the wiles of every haughty thing that goes against the doctrine of God, and subdue every thought in the name of obedience to the Anointed one, 6. and we are ready to punish every violation of obedience, so that your obedience is perfected. 7. Examine these things for yourselves, according to the radical view. If someone is sure of himself, that he is related to the Anointed one, he should remember and give thought to this: as he is related to the Anointed one, so also am I.”

• “The opponents must have claimed a unique relation to the Christ … possibly based on acquaintance with the historical Jesus … or on their commissioning by those who had known him. … Jerusalem opposition to Paul was centered on James (Gal. 2:12) whose status vis-à-vis the earthly Jesus was identical with that of Paul.” TNJBC 1955 p. 826 Unless one takes the phrase, "James, the brother of the Lord" (Galatians 1:19), literally; in which case Paul is drawing a distinction between being a flesh and blood relative of Jesus, and being “in the Anointed one”. A Georgian (talk) 18:01, 6 August 2008 (UTC)

Chapter 11

“1. Who will give [in] and bear with my folly? Indeed, bear with me.”

• “Paul’s apprehension regarding the dangers of the tactic he has chosen is betrayed by the ‘nervous prolixity’ (Furnish) of this introduction to the ‘fool’s speech’ proper (11:21b-12:10). He in fact digresses to the point that he has to begin again in 11:16.” TNJBC 1990 p. 826

“2. I am jealous of you with the jealousy of God, because I betrothed you to one man, to the Anointed one, in order to present you to him a pure virgin.”

• “This seems to be a reference to Lev. xxi.14, that the high priest must not marry anyone that was not a pure virgin.” A.C. 1831 VI p. 344

“3. But I am afraid that your thoughts will be seduced from the simplicity that is the Anointed one, as happened to Eve when the snake seduced her with his cunning.”

• “The reference to the serpent (Satan) may have in mind the Jewish legend that in the Garden of Eden the serpent seduced Eve, and that Cain was their son.” TIB 1955 X p. 393

• “In Jewish tradition … the serpent is identified with the devil (Wis[dom] 2:24, Rev 12:9), whose interest in Eve was sexual (II Enoch 31:6). TNJBC 1990 p. 826

“13. See, these kinds of people are emissaries of deceit, workers in lies, disguising themselves as emissaries of the Anointed one. 14. And there is nothing surprising in this; in as much as the Adversary [the Satan] himself was disguised as the King of Light.”

• “In Jewish tradition … Satan transformed himself into a shining angel in order to seduce Eve. (Apoc[alypse of] Mos[es] 19:-2; Adam & Eve 9:1).” TNJBC 1990 p. 827

“16. I repeat and say, do not think me a foolish man, but if, for all that, I am that in your eyes, receive me as a fool, so that I might also boast a little.” … “22. Hebrews are they? So am I. Israelites are they? So am I. Descendents of Abraham? So am I. 23. Ministers of the Anointed are they? Like a fool I say, I am more so. In toil I am more. In jail, I am more often. In floggings I am much more. In danger of death, many times. 24. Five times the Jews gave me forty-minus-one lashes. 25. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned with rocks, three times ship wrecked, and once I was in the sea a full day. “

• “Beating with rods was a Roman punishment ... It was not lawful to beat or scourge Roman citizens, and Paul later, at Jerusalem, stopped preparations to examine him by life-endangering scourging (Acts 22:24). The three beatings by Roman officials indicate that the relation of the church to the empire was more of a problem than Acts admits.” TIB 1955 X p. 401

“26. I was tested in many journeys, in dangers on rivers, in dangers from bandits, in dangers from my own people, in dangers from the gentiles, in dangers in cities, in wilderness, and in sea, in dangers among my lying brethren,”

• “The journey from Corinth to Jerusalem and back was about 3,000 miles.” TNJBC 1990 p. 827

“27. in toil and hardship, and many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, in much fasting, in cold and nakedness.”

• “The problems of a traveler in rough country who fails to make it to an inn before nightfall.” TNJBC 1990 p. 827

Chapter 12

“2. I know a man in the Anointed one, who, 14 years ago, was taken to the third firmament. I do not know if in his body or without his body; God knows.”

• “As verse seven shows, Paul was the ‘man in Christ’ … because they are not his own achievement, he chooses to refer to them in this indirect way … since ancient Jewish writings varied the number of heavens pictured (three and seven were the most usual suggestions, we cannot be sure; it generally means the place of the blessed, or the state of separate spirits.” A.C. 1831 VI p. 352

• “The Jews talk of seven heavens: and Mohammed has received the same from them; but these are not only fabulous but absurd. I shall enumerate those of the Jews. 1. The velum or curtain, וילון [ViYLOoN], ‘which in the morning is folded up; and in the evening stretched out.’ Isai.[Isaai] xi.22 ‘He stretched out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in. 2. The firmament, or expanse, רקיע [RaKiY'a], ‘in which the sun, moon, stars and constellations are fixed.’ Gen. 1:17 ‘And God placed them in the firmament of heaven. 3. The clouds, or ether,... ‘where the millstones are which grind the manna for the righteous,’ Psal.[Psalms] lxxviii.23, ‘though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven; and had rained down manna.’ 5. The dwelling place, מעון [Ma'ON], ‘where the troops of angels sing throughout the night, but are silent in the day time, because of the glory of the Israelites’ … 6. The fixed residence, מכון [MaKhON], ‘where are the treasures of snow and hail; the repository of noxious dews, of drops and whirlwind; the grotto of exhalations’ … 7. The Araboth, ערבות ['aRaBOT], ‘where are justice, judgment, mercy, the treasures of life; peace and blessedness; the souls of the righteous which are reserved for the bodies yet to formed; and the dew by which God is to vivify the dead … Psal. lxvii.4 “Extol him who riddeth on the heavens בערבות ba-araboth, by his name Jah.

• “All this is sufficiently unphilosophical and in several cases ridiculous.

• “In the Sacred Writings, three heavens only are mentioned, the first is the atmosphere, what appears to be intended by רקיע rakia, the firmament or expansion, Gen. 1.6. The second is the starry heaven; where are the sun, moon, planets, and stars, but these two are often expressed in the one term שמים shamayim, the two heavens, or expansion; and in Gen. 1.17 they appear to be both expressed by רקיע השמים, rakia hasamayim, the firmament of heaven. And, thirdly, the place of the blessed, or the throne of the divine glory probably expressed by the words שמים השמים shamayim hashamayim; the heaven of heavens.

• “Much more may be seen in Schoetgen, who has exhausted the subject; and who has shown that ascending to heaven, or being caught up to heaven, is a form of speech among the Jewish writers, to express the highest degree of inspiration.” A.C 1831 VI pp. 351-352

“3. I know a man like this - I do not know if in his body or without it, God knows - 4. who was taken to the Garden of Eden,”

• “The Jewish writers have no less than four paradises: as they have seven heavens … The Mohammedans call it جنت الفردوس jennet alferdos, the garden of paradise: and say that God created it out of light, and that it is the habitation of the prophets and wise men.

• “Among Christian writers, it generally means the place of the blessed; or the state of separate spirits. Whether the third heaven and paradise be the same place we cannot absolutely say; they probably are not.” A.C. 1831 VI p. 352

“and heard unspeakable words, that are forbidden to man to utter.”

• “The Jews thought, that the divine name, the Tetragrammaton יהוה Yehovah, should not be uttered; and that it is absolutely unlawful to pronounce it; indeed they say that the true pronunciation is utterly lost, and cannot be recovered without express revelation. Not one of them, to the present day, ever attempts to utter it; and when they meet with it in their reading, always supply its place with אדני Adonai, Lord.” A.C. 1831 VI p. 352

“7. And so that I do not become haughty because of the lofty revelations, I was given a thorn in my flesh – the Adversary’s [Satan] message – to harass me, so that I do not become haughty.”

• “What must he have suffered on account of an eminent Church being perverted and torn to pieces by a false teacher?” A.C. VI 1831 p. 353 “Satan, the adversary of God’s truth, sent a man to preach lies … and turn the Church of God into his own synagogue.” Ibid

“8. I implored the Lord three times about this”

• “`I besought the Lord’ That is, Christ, as the next verse absolutely proves: and the Socinians themselves confess. And if Christ be an object of prayer, in it is a sure proof of his divinity; for only an omniscient being can be made an object of prayer. A.C. 1831 VI p. 353

“12. Behold the signifying signs of the mission were performed in your midst, in full patience, in signs, wonders, and powers.”

• “The study of the N.T. miracles may best begin with this passage, Rom. 15:19, and Gal. 3:5. Writing to churches that would have challenged him had he falsified the facts, Paul refers unhesitatingly to such miracles; he knows that even his enemies cannot deny their occurrence … Moreover this verse implies clearly that other true apostles were doing similar mighty works.” TIB 1955 X. 411

“15. And I happily give what I have and myself also for the sake of your souls. If I love you more, will you love me less?”

• “If I be asked, ‘Should Christian parents lay up money for their children?’ I answer – It is the duty of every parent, who can, to lay up what is necessary to put every child in a condition to earn its bread. If he neglect this, he undoubtedly sins against God and nature. ‘But should not a man lay up besides this, a fortune for his children, if he can honestly?’ I answer, Yes, if there be no poor within his reach: no good work which he can assist; no heathen region on the earth to which he can contribute to send the Gospel of Jesus; but not otherwise. God shows, in the course of his providence, that this laying up of fortunes for children is not right; for there is scarcely ever a case where money has been saved up to make the children independent, and gentlemen, in which God has not cursed the blessing. It was saved from the poor; from the ignorant; from the cause of God; and the canker of his displeasure consumed this ill saved property.” A.C. VI 1831 p. 355

• “From St. Paul we receive two remarkable sayings of our Lord, which are of infinite value to the welfare and salvation of man; which are properly parts of the Gospel but are not mentioned by any evangelist… The first is in Acts xx.25 ‘I have showed you the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, “it is more blessed to give than to receive”’… the second is recorded in the ninth verse of this chapter, ‘He said unto me, “My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”’… of these two most blessed sayings, St. Paul is the only evangelist.” A.C. 1831 p. 356

Chapter 13

“1. This is the third time I come to you. ‘By the mouth of two witnesses, or by three witnesses, a thing is established.’”

• “He quotes Deut. 19:15 to warn that trials will be held, witnesses heard, and penalties imposed; as 12:21 indicates, this will mean exclusion from the Church if there is no repentance.” TIB 1955 X p.407

“2. I already told you, when I was here the second time, and now that I am no longer with you, I anticipate and say to the same people who sinned in the pass, and the all the rest”

• “It was from the O.T. and the Jews, rather than from the Greeks, that the Christian faith inherited the strong standard of pure living.” TIB 1955 X p. 417

“- that if I come again, I will not have pity. … “14. The grace of he lord Jesus, the anointed and beloved of God, and participation in the Holy Sprit, be with all of you.”

• “This text, as well as that of Matt. lii.16, and that other, Matt. xxviii.19 strongly mark the doctrine of the Holy Trinity … and had not the apostle been convinced that a there was a personality in this ever blessed and undivided Trinity, he could not have expressed himself thus.” A.C. 1831 VI p. 357

• “Only Eph 5:23 is comparable to this triadic benediction, which is not a Trinitarian formula in the dogmatic sense.” TNJBC 1990 p. 829

Uniqueness

Easton's Bible Dictionary writes,

This epistle, it has been well said, shows the individuality of the apostle more than any other. "Human weakness, spiritual strength, the deepest tenderness of affection, wounded feeling, sternness, irony, rebuke, impassioned self-vindication, humility, a just self-respect, zeal for the welfare of the weak and suffering, as well as for the progress of the church of Christ and for the spiritual advancement of its members, are all displayed in turn in the course of his appeal."--Lias, Second Corinthians.^[10]

Scholars

• George H. Guthrie - professor at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee

See also

• First Epistle to the Corinthians
• Third Epistle to the Corinthians
• Authorship of the Pauline Epistles

References

1. ^ THE SECOND LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS, from "An Introduction to the New Testament", By Edgar J. Goodspeed, 1937
2. ^ 2 Corinthians: Introduction, Argument, and Outline, by Daniel Wallace at bible.org
3. ^ New Testament Letter Structure, from Catholic Resources by Felix Just, S.J.
4. ^ THE SECOND LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS, from "An Introduction to the New Testament", By Edgar J. Goodspeed, 1937
5. ^ "An Introduction to the Bible", by John Drane (Lion, 1990), p.654
6. ^ 2 Corinthians: Introduction, Argument, and Outline, by Daniel Wallace at bible.org
7. ^ Corinthians, Second Epistle to the, in Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897
8. ^ Corinthians, Second Epistle to the, in Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897
9. ^ 2 Corinthians: Introduction, Argument, and Outline, by Daniel Wallace at bible.org
10. ^ Corinthians, Second Epistle to the, in Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897

TNJBC = The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, edited by Raymond E. Brown, S.S., Union Theological Seminary, New York, NY, Joseph A Fitzmyer, S. J. (emeritus) Catholic University of America, Washington DC, and Roland E. Murphey, O. Carm. (emeritus) The Divinity School, Duke University, Durham, NC, with a foreword by His Eminence Carlo Maria Cardinal martini, S.J., Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1990

A.C. = The New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The text carefully printed from the most correct copies of the present Authorized Version. Including the marginal readings and parallel texts. With a Commentary and Critical Notes. Designed as a help to a better understanding of the sacred writings. By Adam Clarke, LL.D. F.S.A. M.R.I.A. With a complete alphabetical index. Royal Octavo Stereotype Edition. Vol. II. [Vol. VI together with the O.T.] New York, Published by J. Emory and B. Waugh, for the Methodist Episcopal Church, at the conference office, 13 Crosby-Street. J. Collord, Printer. 1831.

TIB = The Interpreter’s Bible, The Holy Scriptures in the King James and Revised Standard versions with general articles and introduction, exegesis, [and] exposition for each book of the Bible in twelve volumes, George Arthur Buttrick, Commentary Editor, Walter Russell Bowie, Associate Editor of Exposition, Paul Scherer, Associate Editor of Exposition, John Knox Associate Editor of New Testament Introduction and Exegesis, Samuel Terrien, Associate Editor of Old Testament Introduction and Exegesis, Nolan B. Harmon Editor, Abingdon Press, copyright 1954 by Pierce and Washabaugh, set up printed, and bound by the Parthenon Press, at Nashville, Tennessee, Volume X

External links

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

2 Corinthians

Online translations of Second Epistle to the Corinthians:

• Online Bible at GospelHall.org

Commentary articles by J. P. Meyer on Second Corinthians, by chapter: 1-2, 3, 4:1-6:10, 6:11–7:16, 8-9, 10-13