Teaching Notes 2 CORINTHIANS 1 to 4
Hugh Wood, Atlanta, Georgia
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The first Quarantine in the USA since 1918 continues. It is Day 32.
April 8 - 16, 2020 is Passover. I pray that the Angel of Death that is out there "passover" me and my house. Amen.
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"The grass withers and the flower [fades], but the word of [the Lord] endures forever.” Isaiah 40:8."
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This Book, the 2nd Letter to the Church at Corinth, was almost certainly written by Paul. It is addressed to the church in Corinth, in Greece. It is in every early accepted copy of the Bible. It is likely written in AD 56.
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2 CORINTHIANS 1 to 4
Paul’s
Vindication of his Apostleship
The
Glory of his Ministry
And
the Long Martyrdom of his Life
Date
and Occasion of Writing
Paul
had spent a year and a half, about 52-53 AD. in the
latter
part of his Second Missionary Journey, in Corinth, and.
made
a multitude of disciples, Acts 18:10,11. Then, on his Third
Missionary
Journey, he had spent: three years at Ephesus, 54-57
AD. In the Spring of 57 AD, while still at
Ephesus, Paul wrote
I
Corinthians, I Cor 16:8. Soon afterward the great Riot occurred,
in
which Paul nearly lost his life, Acts 19.
Leaving
Ephesus, he went into Macedonia, on his way to Cor-
Inth. While in Macedonia, in the Summer and
Fall
of 57 AD, he visited churches in the region of Philippi and
Thessalonica.
In the midst of many anxieties and
sufferings, after
long
waiting to hear from Corinth, he met Titus, returning from
Corinth
with the word that Paul’s Letter had accomplished much
Good
in Corinth, II Cor 7:6. There were still
some of the Leaders
in
the Corinthian Church who were denying that Paul was a
Genuine
Apostle of Christ.
Then
it was that Paul wrote this Letter, and sent it on ahead
by
Titus, 8:6,17, expecting soon himself to reach Corinth.
Its
purpose seems, mainly to have been Paul’s Vindication of
himself
as an Apostle of Christ, and to remind them that, inas-
much
as he himself had founded the Church in Corinth, he did.
have
a right to have а say in its management.
A
little later Paul reached Corinth, and spent the winter there,
Acts
20:2,3, as he had planned, I Cor 16:5,6. While in Corinth he
wrote
his great Epistle to the Romans.
Chapter
1. Paul’s Comfort in his Suffering
The
Comfort, 3,4, to which Paul refers in starting the Letter,
Was
occasioned by his meeting Titus, 7:6‚7, who, returning from
Corinth
brought him the glad news of the Corinthians’ Loyalty.
This,
with his Thankfulness for escape from Death in Ephesus,
8,9;
Acts 19:23-41, accounts for Paul's note of joy in the midst
of
his Sufferings.
Ephesus
and Corinth were only about 200 miles apart, with
ships
plying between constantly. And, it seems, from 2:1; 12:14.
13:1-2,
that Paul had paid a visit from Ephesus to Corinth, with
Sorrow,
2:1, occasioned by a very grave crisis that had arisen in
Paul’s
relation to the Corinthian Church, probably shortly after
he
had written the First Epistle. This may, in part, account for
Paul’s
anxiety to meet Titus.
Chapter
2. The Case of Discipline
This
seems to be the Incestuous Person, whom, in his First
Epistle,
1 Cor 5:3-5, Paul had ordered to be Delivered to Satan.
on
account of which a revolt of considerable proportions against
Paul
had spread in the Church.
So
serious was it, that Paul personally went from Ephesus to
Corinth,
1, but was rebuffed to such an” extent that he here
speaks
of it as a Sorrowful Visit.
Then,
it is thought, from 2:3.9; 7:8,12; 10:10, which passages
imply
things not found in I Corinthians, that Paul wrote another
Letter,
now lost, between the two which we have. It must have
been
quite stern, for it changed the tide in Corinth, to such an
extent
that those Who had been upholding the disciplined person
turned
furiously against him, 7:11. But Paul did not know it until
he
met Titus, 7:6,7.
The
Affliction, Anguish, and Many Tears, were caused, not
only
by the terrible experience he had just passed through in
Ephesus,
1:8,9, but by his bitter Anxiety over the Corinth Situa-
tion.
So distressed was he is not meeting Titus in Troas, accord-
ing
to plan, 2:12,13, that he passed up a grand opportunity for
the
Gospel in Troas, to hurry on to Macedonia, in hope of finding
Titus
whom he knew was on his way with the news from Corinth.
Savour
unto Life and Death, 14-16, is a figure of speech based
on
the incense-scented triumphal processions with which con
quering
emperors returned to Rome with long lines of captives,
of
whom some were to be put to death and others permitted to
live.
So, Paul bore along the Fragrance of God, which, according
to
one’s reaction, meant Death, or Life. Paul. so, to speak, re-
garded
his ministry as a march of triumph.
Chapter
3. The Glory of His Ministry
Epistles
of Commendation, 1. This expression was probably
suggested
by the fact that the Judaizing teachers carried Letters
of
Introduction from Jerusalem. They were always edging in on
Paul’s
work, and were among his chief troublemakers, and
availed
themselves of every possible excuse or opportunity to
fight
him. They were now asking, Who is Paul? Can he show
Letters
from anybody of standing in Jerusalem. Which, on the
face
of it, was absurd. Letters commending Paul to a Church
which
Paul himself had founded? The Church Itself was Paul’s
Letter.
This
led to a Contrast of His ministry with Theirs: the Gospel
with
the Law. One written on Stone, the other on Hearts. One
of
the Letter, the other of the Spirit. One unto Death, the other
unto
Life. One Veiled, the other Unveiled. One unto Condem-
nation,
the other unto Righteousness. One Passes, the other Re-
mains.
Beholding Christ, we are Changed, from Glory to Glory,
into
His Own Image.
Chapter
4. Paul's living Martyrdom
In
this Epistle Paul speaks much of his Sufferings, especially in
chapters
4,6,11. At his conversion the Lord had said, I will show
him
how many things he must Suffer for My Name’s sake, Acts
9:16.
The Sufferings began immediately, and continued in un-
broken
succession for over thirty years.
They
plotted to Kill him in Damascus, Acts 9:24. And in Jeru-
salem,
Acts 9:29. Drove him out of Antioch, Acts 13:50. Attempted
to
Stone him in Iconium, Acts 14:5. They did Stone him, and leave him
'for
Dead, in Lystra, Acts 14:19. In Philippi they Beat him with
Rods,
and put him in Stocks, Acts 16:23,24. In Thessalonica the
Jews
and rabble tried to Mob him, Acts 17:5. They drove him out
of
Berea. Acts 17:13‚14. Plotted against him in Corinth, Acts 18:12.
In
Ephesus they almost Killed him, Acts 19:29; II Cor 128,9. In
Corinth
again, shortly. after he had written this Epistle, they
plotted
his Death, Acts 20:3. In Jerusalem again they ‘would have
made
a quick end of him, except for the Roman soldiers, Acts 22.
Then
he was imprisoned in Caesarea for two years, and two more
in Rome.
And
besides all this, there were unrecorded Beatings, Imprison-
ments,
Shipwrecks, and unceasing Privations of every kind, II
Cor
11:23-27. Then finally he was taken to Rome to be. executed.
as a
Criminal, II Tim 2:9.
He
must have had Amazing Endurance, for he Sang as he
Sufiered,
Acts 16:25. None but an iron constitution could have
lived
through it. Even that Would not have been sufficient, except
for
the Marvelous Grace of God. By the Lord’s help, Paul must
have
felt himself Immortal until his’ work was done.
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From The Bible Project (c)
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2 Corinthians 1 New International Version (NIV)
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
To the church of God in Corinth, together with all his holy people throughout Achaia:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Praise to the God of All Comfort
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6 If we are distressed, 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 we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters,[a] about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
Paul’s Change of Plans
12 Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity[b] and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace. 13 For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that, 14 as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.
15 Because I was confident of this, I wanted to visit you first so that you might benefit twice. 16 I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia and to come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you send me on my way to Judea. 17 Was I fickle when I intended to do this? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that in the same breath I say both “Yes, yes” and “No, no”?
18 But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silas[c] and Timothy—was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always been “Yes.” 20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. 21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
23 I call God as my witness—and I stake my life on it—that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth. 24 Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm.
Footnotes:
2 Corinthians 1:8 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in 8:1; 13:11.
2 Corinthians 1:12 Many manuscripts holiness
2 Corinthians 1:19 Greek Silvanus, a variant of Silas
2 Corinthians 2 New International Version (NIV)
2 1 So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you. 2 For if I grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? 3 I wrote as I did, so that when I came I would not be distressed by those who should have made me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would all share my joy. 4 For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you.
Forgiveness for the Offender
5 If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. 6 The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. 7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. 9 Another reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. 10 Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
Ministers of the New Covenant
12 Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me, 13 I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.
14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? 17 Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.
2 Corinthians 3 New International Version (NIV)
3 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. 3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
4 Such confidence we have through Christ before God. 5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
The Greater Glory of the New Covenant
7 Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9 If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! 10 For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!
12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate[a] the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
Footnotes:
2 Corinthians 3:18 Or reflect
2 Corinthians 4 New International Version (NIV)
Present Weakness and Resurrection Life
4 Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”[a] made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
13 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”[b] Since we have that same spirit of[c] faith, we also believe and therefore speak, 14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. 15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Footnotes:
2 Corinthians 4:6 Gen. 1:3
2 Corinthians 4:13 Psalm 116:10 (see Septuagint)
2 Corinthians 4:13 Or Spirit-given
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The NIV Audio Bible
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New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Some content adapted from Halley, Henry H., Bible Handbook, Grayson Publishing, Minneapolis, MN. © 1927 - 1959, 1964
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Hugh C. Wood, Atlanta, Georgia
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