Letters to Encourage and Correct: Studies in 2 Corinthians and Galatians

By Don Stormer

Paul had a deep concern for the Christians in the churches, which he planted. This is something that is very obvious in the second letter to the church in Corinth and the letter to the Galatian churches. Pauls integrity was being attacked by intruders in Corinth, and he needed to defend himself in order that Christians there would not be destabilized in their faith. One of the things that stands out very clearly is Pauls pastoral heart and care for these Corinthian believers. The letter to the churches in Galatia was also written, following the unsettling effects of intruders into the churches. Wrong doctrine was being taught, and the Christians were in danger of being completely led away from the fundamental message of the gospel that salvation is by grace through faith. As we look back from our position in the twenty-first century, we can be thankful for Pauls uncompromising approach to the gospel.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Jul 19, 2017
• ISBN: 9781524683283

Don Stormer

Don Stormer continues to be active in a teaching ministry. After several years as a secondary school teacher in New Zealand, he and his wife, Helen, went to Fiji in 1976 where Don served as Principal of Gospel High School. After a further period in New Zealand and a second term of service in Fiji, they went in the late 1980s to Sydney, Australia, where Don was appointed Academic Dean of Emmaus Bible College, later serving as Principal for a number of years. Since then, Don has been involved in an itinerant teaching ministry in different local churches and has had many opportunities to teach by interpretation in South Korea, Romania, Moldova, and Armenia.

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INTRODUCTION

2 Corinthians is not as well-known as 1 Corinthians. Suggestions as to why this is so are probably only guesses! However, the reason may be that the problems discussed in 1 Corinthians are ongoing church problems needing constant attention. 1 Corinthians contains information on divisions in the church and the matter of going (or not going) to law with another brother. There are questions about immorality as well as questions about charismatic gifts and the conduct of the Lord’s Supper. Also, it contains two of the best known chapters in the Bible: chapter 13, on love, and chapter 15, on the resurrection. Consequently, we keep coming back to 1 Corinthians, but there does not appear to be the same demand to return to 2 Corinthians.

It is unfortunate that 2 Corinthians is not taught more often in our churches since it contains important teaching on both Christian ministry and principles of Christian living and giving. It shows the Apostle Paul pastoring those he had led to Christ, explaining, encouraging, praising and, when necessary, correcting his children in the faith. As he does this, he reveals his heart to us more fully than anywhere else.

Author and place of writing

There is very little, if any, disagreement that the apostle Paul wrote this letter. In fact, it is one of seven books (Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians and Philemon) accepted by the majority of scholars of all shades of interpretation as the genuine writings of the apostle – the seven-book critical canon of current scholarship.

Internally the letter claims to be the work of the apostle and the evidence from the Acts of the Apostles confirms this. External evidence also confirms Paul as the author. Polycarp (about AD 105), Irenaeus (about AD 185) and Clement of Alexandria and Tertullian (early in the third century) all refer to the letter as Paul’s.

The letter was written from Macedonia. This is established particularly from 7:5, but passages like 8:1 and 9:24 also imply that the letter was written from there.

Historical background

Paul first went to Corinth during his second missionary journey. He had been forced out of Thessalonica and Berea and had not been well received in Athens. After this, he went to Corinth where he met and worked with Priscilla and Aquila. He was soon joined by Silas and Timothy and together they laboured there for about 18 months.

Corinth is located on a peninsula joining the Peloponnesus to the mainland of Greece. In Paul’s day it was the capital of the Roman province of Achaia. Achaia had been defeated by Rome in BC 146 and Corinth had been completely demolished. About 100 years later, the city was rebuilt under directions from Julius Caesar. It was re-populated with ex-slaves and military veterans.

Corinth’s location on a peninsula was of great commercial importance. With the uncertainty of the weather to the south of the country, many ships sailed into one side of the isthmus. From there, the smaller ships were dragged across country while the larger ships were unloaded and the goods were reloaded onto another ship on the other side. Because of its location, the city became very wealthy.

The population was very cosmopolitan with each group bringing its particular culture and religion. The city contained many temples and of these, the temple erected to Aphrodite was the best known. Unfortunately this was also the home of a large number of temple prostitutes.

Paul’s visits and letters to Corinth

After 18 months in Corinth, Paul returned to Antioch. After visiting Jerusalem, he made his way through Asia Minor and arrived in Ephesus where he spent three years. From there he wrote 1 Corinthians; 2 Corinthians was written some months later when he was in Macedonia.

There is disagreement over the number of letters which the apostle wrote to Corinth and also about the number of visits he made. There is definitely a lost letter mentioned in 1 Corinthians 5:9. After he wrote the lost letter, the church sent him a letter asking several questions. He also had a visit from some of Chloe’s people. His response was the first canonical letter. Up to this point scholars agree.

Disagreement exists when questions about a severe or sorrowful letter (sometimes even referred to as a letter of tears!) and a second visit are discussed. When, in 2 Corinthians 2:4, Paul says that he wrote out of much affliction and anguish of heart, was he referring to 1 Corinthians or to another letter that has also been lost? When he says (in chapter 13) this is the third time I am coming to you, does he mean that this was the actual third visit or merely the third time that he had been prepared to come to them? Some argue that the first canonical letter was the sorrowful letter and that Paul had been prepared to make a visit, but didn’t. Others argue, I believe correctly, that Paul did make a second visit to Corinth but was rebuffed and withdrew from the city. He then wrote another letter that has also been lost (the sorrowful letter) and bided his time until a visit could be made that would be a blessing to all believers, and also to the apostle himself.

There are two reasons for saying this. First, it is very difficult to argue that Paul’s first visit to Corinth, the time when the church was planted, was a painful visit or that 1 Corinthians is a sorrowful letter. True, when we read 1 Corinthians we sense that there were many things that Paul had to correct, but the letter does not read like one reflecting deep affliction and anguish of heart.

This means that Paul wrote at least four letters to Corinth: the lost letter, 1 Corinthians, the sorrowful letter (also lost), and 2 Corinthians.

The problem in Corinth

Second Corinthians reflects problems in Corinth that caused the apostle intense pain. However, Paul doesn’t outline the problem in any detail. Some ideas can be gleaned from the comments he makes. The fact that we cannot say with certainty what happened means that when we read the letter today we should think about the principles involved and how we should apply them. We certainly should not read it as just an interesting record of a past problem!

What appears likely is that Judaising missionaries had arrived in Corinth and had begun denigrating the apostle. They apparently came with letters from Judea recommending them, and claimed that Paul did not have a similar introduction to the church in Corinth. They were preaching the old covenant, and Paul had to remind the believers that the letter of the old covenant killed. They were accusing Paul of being unreliable and not true to his word, so Paul had to explain the reasons for his change of plans. These new teachers made great claims for themselves, thinking of themselves as super-apostles (this is the term used by the NIV for these Judaising teachers) and Paul had to show that he was not inferior to them or to the original apostles in Jerusalem.

A possible order of events:

These suggestions are made by reading between the lines and must be treated as tentative; it is impossible to prove beyond all doubt what actually happened.

• Paul wrote a letter which has been lost. Part of its contents may be gleaned from 1 Corinthians 5:9-10.

• Paul received a visit from Chloe’s people and a letter from the church requesting information on certain matters. These two events may not be connected, but at least they happened close to each other.

• To deal with the matters that had been raised, 1 Corinthians was written in the spring. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 16:8 that he would stay in Ephesus until Pentecost. This may have been in AD 55.

• Judaising intruders arrived in Corinth and a serious problem arose. What the problem was, Paul does not say. However, we do know that the situation in the church deteriorated.

• Paul made his painful visit to Corinth (2 Corinthians 2:58). This may have been mid or late AD 55.

• In the church in Corinth, there was an offending person who should have been placed under discipline. However, instead of this person being disciplined, an antiPaul group openly insulted the apostle to such a degree that he deemed it wise to withdraw from Corinth.

• Paul next wrote what has been called his sorrowful letter, possibly in early AD 56. It is possible that Titus carried this letter to Corinth and that Paul planned to meet Titus in Troas after the letter had been delivered.

• Paul’s original intention, before he went to Troas, had been to visit Corinth on his way to Macedonia. His intention was to visit Corinth again as he returned from Macedonia on his way to Judea.

• However, he changed his plans because he deemed it unwise to return to Corinth so soon after the painful visit. Instead he went from Ephesus to Troas before going to Macedonia where he finally met Titus.

• Though Paul had an open door to preach the gospel in Troas, he had no rest of mind because Titus had not arrived, and so he left for Macedonia. An explanation for this may be that it was becoming too late in the season for safe sea travel. Because of this, Paul crossed over to Macedonia hoping to meet Titus there.

• Titus arrived in Macedonia with good news from Corinth. Paul’s letter had been well received, disciplinary action had been taken and loyalty to Paul on the part of most believers had been re-established.

• Soon after Titus arrived in Macedonia, Paul wrote 2 Corinthians. This was possibly in late AD 56.

Occasion and purpose

The immediate occasion for the letter was the arrival of Titus from Corinth with the news that the church had taken the disciplinary action it should have taken earlier. Paul also wrote to express relief at the good response to the sorrowful letter, to encourage the believers to complete the collection, and to prepare them for his third visit.

Behind the first seven chapters, we see Paul’s intense concern about the attitude of many of the believers in Corinth. The comments that were being made against him needed to be addressed to avoid people saying that his silence confirmed his guilt. At the same time he was able to show the depths of his pastoral heart as he wrote to guide the believers back to right thinking and right acting.

The collection for the poor saints was something of special concern to the apostle and was an important reason for the letter. Years earlier, he had assured the leaders in Jerusalem that he had a deep concern for the poor in Judea and in fact was in Jerusalem on that occasion to deliver aid to the poor saints (Acts 11:27-30). Now his concern came to the fore again. He had mentioned the collection for the poor in his first letter to Corinth, but apparently the enthusiasm for the project had lapsed. Paul aroused the saints to the importance of completing what they had promised. He used the example of poor believers in Macedonia and their gifts to awaken the Corinthians to their responsibility to complete what they had started. For Paul this would have been an expression of brotherly love, a symbol of the unity of Jew and Gentile, and an acknowledgement in material terms of spiritual indebtedness to Jerusalem.

Finally there was a need for the apostle to defend himself against his detractors. Titus possibly had also brought news about the super-apostles who had arrived in Corinth and were denigrating the apostle. This would explain the severity of the final four chapters.

Unity or integrity of the letter

Most conservative commentators are convinced that this letter is a unit. However, the unity and integrity of the letter have been questioned. Doubts have been raised about four passages: 2:14–7:4; 6:14–7:1; 8–9 and 10–13. The argument is that these passages do not fit into the general flow of the letter. However, it must be remembered that the only form in which we have the letter is the form we know today, and this argues strongly for its unity. There is no concrete evidence to suggest that the letter was pieced together from two or more letters. In any case, with the tradition in the early church of the unity of the letter, the burden of proof must rest with those who challenge traditional beliefs. This is something that they have not done successfully; fully acceptable answers may be given to all their objections.

• Some believe that logically 7:5 follows 2:13. In one sense this is true, but that does not rule out the way in which the next section, 2:14–6:13 also follows logically from 2:13. There is no need to conclude that 2:14–7:4 is a separate letter.

• 6:14–7:1 is distinct in one sense, but Paul may well be talking about one of the factors causing them to withhold their affection. Some of the believers may still have been trying to maintain their association with their past way of life, something that is implied in 1 Corinthians 8:10. If so, their affection for the apostle would not have been as strong as it might have been.

• Chapters 8–9 refer to a different subject, but this does not necessitate a separate letter. It was simply the next topic to be discussed. There is a similar abrupt change from one subject to another at the end of 1 Corinthians 14 where Paul changes from talking about church behaviour to a defence of the resurrection. Furthermore, the apostle is still exercising his pastoral concern for the believers in Corinth.

• It is claimed that chapters 10–13 are so different in tone that they cannot be part of the same letter. Some argue these chapters were written earlier as part of the severe letter while others claim they were written later and were, in effect, a fifth letter. We take the position that the letter is a unity. It seems that Paul referred to the super-apostles only as much as was necessary until he had covered his major topics. Then he dealt with them more fully.

With all these things in mind, the letter can easily be read as a unit.

Structure and themes

The letter is in three parts. In the first, from chapters 1–7, Paul covers a number of issues that had arisen between him and the church. He had planned to visit the church on his way to Macedonia but he decided against going at that time. Some of those who opposed the apostle were insisting on letters of recommendation and therefore Paul had to address that situation. He explained the principles on which he conducted his ministry, acknowledging that he was a servant of the Lord and was guided by Him. In these chapters he gives us a clear picture of his pastoral heart and his concern for the Christians in Corinth.

In the second section, chapters 8–9, Paul discusses the collection for the poor. In this he gives very important practical instructions about Christian giving.

In the third section, the final four chapters, Paul defends his claims to apostleship against his detractors who claimed to have abilities beyond those of the apostle to the Gentiles.

Special problems

The letter has a number of special problems. The first is the painful visit. This is a visit that Luke does not mention in Acts and to a large extent the occasion and the outcome of the painful visit remain conjecture. In the commentary it will be suggested that the visit occurred between the writing of 1 and 2 Corinthians.

The second problem is the sorrowful letter. Again, many of the suggestions that have been offered about the identity of this letter are little more than conjecture. These have already been discussed. However, the purpose of the letter seems to have been to arouse the church to act in a godly manner when discipline had become necessary. The letter was also designed to avoid another painful visit, to show Paul’s love, to test the obedience of the Corinthian believers and to make them aware of his concern. The effect of the letter was a profound change of attitude on the part of the Christians in Corinth.

Third, who were Paul’s opponents at Corinth? If they came from Judea, did they have any connection with the Twelve? In 1 Corinthians, Paul had raised the question of people who either questioned what he did or who believed that he didn’t have the same rights as the other apostles. From 11:22 of this letter it appears that they were Jews. However, there is no mention of circumcision. This causes some to suggest they may not have been Judaisers. What was their relation to Jerusalem? Were they an official delegation, a semi-official group or a group of self-appointed men? The third possibility is most likely. This letter is also not as concerned as the first letter was with wisdom, knowledge and charismata. This suggests that Gnosticism was not a serious problem.

Whoever these intruders were, and whatever their teaching was, it is certain that they aimed to undermine Paul. They claimed an authority of their own.

Theological values

2 Corinthians is a pastoral letter without equal. In it the apostle unburdens himself to the church in Corinth and demonstrates his deep love for the saints who lived there. In no other letter do we gain such an insight into the care that the apostle had for those whom he had led to faith in Christ.

The letter is also important for its teaching on Christian living. The first seven chapters are replete with instructions about the way Christians should live. Even where the instruction is indirect, the actions of the apostle clearly teach godly principles of behaviour.

The letter also teaches that, if people come claiming to have some special abilities, we should examine their claims carefully and not accept them on their own testimonies. Claims need to be carefully assessed before we accept a person on his own recommendation and place him in a position of responsibility. Paul’s instruction to Timothy to lay hands on no man suddenly is sound advice.

Outline

The outline of the letter follows the structure mentioned above.

CHAPTER 1:1 – 2:2

Paul first sends his greetings.

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

[1] Paul begins his letter as he normally does, giving his name and stating his qualifications in the Lord’s service. He was also following normal first century practice by first naming himself as the writer. He had been appointed as an apostle of Christ Jesus; it was important to emphasise this as some people in Corinth were questioning his authority. His appointment was by the will of God; it was not something originating in human or personal authority. This will be significant in the later chapters of the letter when he has to defend himself against those who apparently thought of themselves as super-apostles. He links himself with Timothy, described as our brother. What part Timothy had in writing the letter, if any, is not stated.

A first century letter writer next gave the names of those to whom he was writing. Paul wrote to the church, or ecclesia, of God in Corinth, along with all the saints in Achaia. In the first century the word ecclesia was used of people who had been called out of the community for a particular purpose and the word could refer to a wide range of groups. However, it became the way the church referred to itself: those in the community whom God called out to be His people. Those to whom Paul wrote were also called saints, people set apart for God and His purposes. We do not know how many believers there were in the province, and to what extent they were organised into churches in different localities. We do know, from Romans 16:1, that there was a church in the neighbouring town of Cenchrea.

[2] The third part of normal first century greetings was an expression of a blessing from the gods. Paul naturally prayed that the believers would experience the grace and peace of God the Father and of the Lord Jesus Christ. Here he combines an amended Greek greeting (charis, grace, instead of chairein, greetings) with the Hebrew greeting of peace.

The God of all comfort; comfort in the midst of suffering

Paul’s first concern is to teach about the comfort which God gives and the reasons for His comfort. Every blessing we receive is not just for ourselves but is to be used to help fellow believers and to bring glory to God.

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, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound to us, even so our comfort also abounds through Christ. But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer. Our hope for you is steadfast, knowing that, since you are partakers of the sufferings, so also are you of the comfort.

(1:3-7)

[3-4] Paul’s normal practice after greeting his readers was to commend them for some aspect of their Christian lives or witness. The major exception to this practice is the letter to the Galatians where he launched immediately into combating a heresy that needed urgent correction. In this letter to Corinth he doesn’t commend or blame in his opening greetings. Instead, he begins with an ascription of praise to God the Father which leads us immediately into his reason for writing. He discusses God’s comfort in our tribulations, and the way we are to encourage others who face similar troubles.

God is described as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies (or in some translations, the Father of all compassion) and God of all comfort. The familiar Jewish Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God and God of our Fathers is changed to emphasise the deity of Christ.

God’s characteristics, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, are emphasised. Is there a difference between mercies and comfort? Because God is a compassionate God, He is merciful, bestowing on us His eternal blessings which we do not deserve. Yet the passage implies more than this; there are also temporal blessings. We talk of the mercies we receive day by day. We are in better health than we expected and we say this is a mercy. We are blessed with better circumstances than we thought would be our lot and we regard this as a mercy. When a past generation gave thanks for their food they were likely to say for these and all Your mercies we give thanks. Perhaps we are freed from the consequences of a foolish action and we look on this as a mercy. Daily we receive mercies from the hand of God, blessings we could not claim that we deserved. And Paul emphasises that all this comes from God; He is the Father of mercies.

Not only do we experience the mercies of our God, we also receive His comfort. The word translated as comfort could also be translated as encouragement. It is from the same word group as paraclete: comforter, advocate, counsellor. In John 14–15 we are introduced to the Holy Spirit as a comforter or advocate whom the Lord Jesus would send in His place. In 1 John 2 we read that we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. Here, God is the God of all comfort. Our God is a comforting God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. When we are distressed or sorrowing, God comforts and encourages us. When the Lord Jesus saw Mary of Bethany weeping, He wept with her. He entered into her sorrow in order to bring comfort.

God is the source of both mercy and comfort. Paul therefore draws attention to the comfort God gives and the reason for that comfort. Normally Paul doesn’t appear to be greatly concerned about his own comfort, but here he wants to teach valuable lessons. The comfort that we receive from God is for our blessing, but it is not meant to