2 Corinthians 1: Better Late Than Never
Many people consider 2 Corinthians to be Paul’s most personal and emotional letter(s). Now I say “letter(s)” because there is the possibility that 2 Corinthians represents two separate letters, commonly referred to as Letter D—chapters 1-9—and Letter E—chapters 10-13, due to the sudden development of a noticeably strained relationship between Paul and the Corinthians after the appearance of certain outsiders. This shift only make sense—scholars argue—if some time has passed between chapters nine and ten. I’ll let you be the judge when we get there. If this is the case, it means that at least four or, possibly, five letters have been exchanged between Paul and the Corinthians. So, maybe that’s a church we should be paying closer attention to.
Paul’s first letter to Corinth, Letter A, is lost; perhaps it will be discovered someday. 1 Corinthians represents Letter B and was written from Ephesus, as was Letter C or E, the “harsh letter” (2 Cor 2:4). It was sent to them via Titus, quite possibly. Afterward, when Paul meets Titus in Macedonia the apostle is met with good news from his padawan: The Corinthians had amended their ways. In response, Paul pens 2 Corinthians and has it sent to them. In it, he justifies the change he made concerning an announced future visit to the church he made in 1 Corinthians 16: a visit that did not occur. Interestingly, some scholars theorize that Paul may have made a short, impromptu trip to the church while he was living in Ephesus, during which he was attacked by someone in the church and had received no aid from its others members—thus providing the reason for his “harsh letter.” And don’t worry, we’ll revisit this timeline when we get to chapter two.
As usual, please forgive any typos.
As usual, please forgive any typos.
Chapter One (CSB)
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will, and Timothy our brother: To the church of God at Corinth, with all the saints who are throughout Achaia. 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul says hello. His greeting does remind us, however, that we are all one in the Lord. He and Timothy are greeting the Corinthian church not only on for themselves alone but on behalf of “all the saints who are throughout Achaia.” Maybe this is something that we need to remember here in America in the twenty-first century, that we are all one in the Lord. I admit that I am guilty of drawing distinctions from time-to-time, but this practice is likely contributing to the Church’s decline in our communities.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
We see clearly here a pastoral emphasis in this letter. “God…the Father of mercies and…all comfort,” this is how Paul describes God’s character. Of course, there are other descriptions of the divine character—and these, too, cannot be ignored—but oft times I fear that we Western Christians living in our highly politicized and divisive society forget to “read the room”. We end up choosing the wrong face for the wrong emotion. Paul is trying to mend fences with the Corinthians and heal the hurt that has occurred between them.
He reminds the church that God “comforts us in our affliction” for a specific purpose: “so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction”. I have believed for some time that the primary reason why the Church is struggling so much in our world today, why there is apparently unmendable division in the Body of Christ today is not doctrinal disagreement—notice that I gave the caveat of “primary”—but is the lack of empathy and compassion. We have allowed our cultural differences to impact, shape, and direct the Church that we have received from Christ.
The comfort that we have received from God, we have reserved it for ourselves and our friends rather than utilize it for the purpose that God has given it. Patrick’s rule of ministry number two, “There is infinite grace for one’s own sin and swift and sure condemnation for another’s.” We would rather prove a point or justify a decision or “be on the right side of history” than “to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction.”
5 For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that as you share in the sufferings, so you will also share in the comfort.
Is this not Paul’s way of expressing Jesus’s command to take up our crosses and follow Him? “For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.” Here is an unpopular and avoided fact of faith, one that none of us want to hear: to have faith in Christ is to have suffering. In His daily interactions with others during His earthly ministry, does Jesus once condemn a sinner, or to be specific dies Jesus ever condemn a person who the religious of his day has labeled “sinner”? Does He excuse that person’s sin or redefine it to be no sin? Does His willing self-sacrifice free that sinner from the penalty sin? And does His resurrection offer to that person a life transformed by grace and love? To be faithful means to be willing to die for your enemies. I don’t think I can put more succinctly.
Paul tells the Corinthians that as he suffers for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ, he also receives comfort and salvation from Christ to share with them. The Corinthians, in turn, will receive comfort as they, too, suffer for the sake of the gospel. Paul mentions a recent, personal experience to illustrate this teaching.
8 We don’t want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our affliction that took place in Asia. We were completely overwhelmed—beyond our strength—so that we even despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead. 10 He has delivered us from such a terrible death, and he will deliver us. We have put our hope in him that he will deliver us again 11 while you join in helping us by your prayers.
Although the Corinthians are not made privy to any specifics, that hasn’t stopped Christians from trying to discover them: In 1 Corinthians 15:32 Paul mentions that he had fought wild beasts, or in Acts 19:23-40 we learn of the apostle’s involvement in the riot at Ephesus. The truth is, if the details were important, I’m convinced that he would have provided them. As Paul chose to inform the Corinthians of sufferings, who can’t relate to being “completely overwhelmed” with affliction in those times in life when a righteous choice has led to our suffering? Wild animals and riots are details that could hinder empathy.
In this moment, Paul says in verse nine, he was convinced of the certainty of death; he was powerless to avert it. Yet this was that he might not have anywhere to turn except to a God who can raise the dead from the grave into new life. If God can do that, certainly He can see us through even the direst circumstances! What better example of this is there than Jesus’s own crucifixion at the hands of the religious authority and the most powerful nation to exist at that time and his subsequent resurrection? And Paul fully expects that is will happen again: “He has delivered us…and he will deliver us again.” You see, the mission is not complete until all things are brought into subjection under Christ: “See my second letter to you,” Paul would say.
In verse eleven, Paul includes the Corinthians in God’s gracious act when he tells them that they are aiding in God’s deliverance by their prayers. What an incredible message. Most people feel the need for deliverance most of time—or they think that they are responsible for only for their own deliverance. Yet here, Paul tells the faithful that we are part of the solution and are not the cause of troubles or even victims. And in this, through the power of their prayers, the Corinthians will be a positive example to all the people of God. The image that immediately comes to mind is Jesus’ time in Gethsemane. What was his request of Peter, James, and John? “Stay away, keep watch, and pray.”
Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gift that came to us through the prayers of many. 12 Indeed, this is our boast: The testimony of our conscience is that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, with godly sincerity and purity, not by human wisdom but by God’s grace. 13 For we are writing nothing to you other than what you can read and also understand. I hope you will understand completely— 14 just as you have partially understood us—that we are your reason for pride, just as you also are ours in the day of our Lord Jesus.
People will witness the power of prayer and give thanks to God because of it. It will happen because Paul has “…conducted [himself] in the world, and especially toward [the Corinthians], with godly sincerity and purity, not by human wisdom but by God’s grace.” Just as Jesus said in the garden so, too, does Paul say: God’s will be done and not his own. When we act for the sake of God’s kingdom, for the sake of the gospel, for the sake of His will, for the sake of agape, it will change people’s lives. This is evident, according to verse thirteen. The faith that makes an example and brings people to salvation is a faith comes from the willingness to lay down one’s very life for the sake of another. Paul’s willingness to do that for them, and their willingness to do that for him, will serve as a witness and be a “reason for pride.” If God is first, there is surety.
15 Because of this confidence, I planned to come to you first, so that you could have a second benefit, 16 and to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and then come to you again from Macedonia and be helped by you on my journey to Judea.
Paul had promised to visit the Corinthians again but that had not happened; we will discover the reason in the next chapter, however. As it turns out, thus far in the letter, Paul has been explaining to the Corinthians why he had not fulfilled this promise that he made at the end of 1 Corinthians. He had had every intention to, but the work of the gospel happened.
17 Now when I planned this, was I of two minds? Or what I plan, do I plan in a purely human way so that I say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time? 18 As God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes and no.” 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you—Silvanus, Timothy, and I—did not become “Yes and no.” On the contrary, in him it is always “Yes.” 20 For every one of God’s promises is “Yes” in him. Therefore, through him we also say “Amen” to the glory of God. 21 Now it is God who strengthens us together with you in Christ, and who has anointed us. 22 He has also put his seal on us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a down payment.
Was Paul being deceitful? Was he of two minds when he made that promise? If he was not firstly thinking about God, if his intentions toward the Corinthians were earthly and impure—if his motivations were his own and not God’s—then they would have grounds to complain. “For every one of God’s promises is ‘Yes’ in him. Therefore, through him we also say ‘Amen’ to the glory of God.” Amen—so be it.
As the faithful God’s call takes precedence in our lives, and whatever is called is a “Yes”, it must be done. Everything aspect of Paul’s relationship with the Corinthians was as God desired; it is always ‘Yes.’” When we respond to the call affirmatively, then every promise that God makes is also “’Yes’”. “Therefore, through him we also say ‘Amen’ to the glory of God;” use me as you see fit. Paul tells the Corinthians that all that has happened—since is has occurred at God’s initiative—to strengthen their relationship with one another, and the Spirit is present to prove it.
23 I call on God as a witness, on my life, that it was to spare you that I did not come to Corinth. 24 I do not mean that we lord it over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because you stand firm in your faith.
Paul believes that it is because of these reasons why he has yet to return to the Corinthians. God was concerned with theirs and the apostle’s relationship and ministry and interceded. Because of this, they are co-workers and will remain faithful.