Introduction to 2 Corinthians
Review Paul’s visits to Corinth and review Paul’s letters to the church at Corinth.
(3 visits and 4 letters)
Four Letters, Three Visits
1st visit
A.D. 48-51 1 ½ years
Acts 18:1 (NLT)
Paul Meets Priscilla and Aquila in Corinth
Then Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
1st letter – now lost From Ephesus – misunderstood by the Corinthians
1 Corinthians 5:9 (NLT)
9 When I wrote to you before, I told you …
2nd letter (1st Corinthians) From Ephesus – A.D 53-55
2nd visit A painful visit
3rd letter – now lost Tearful, severe letter
2 Corinthians 2:3-4 (NLT)
3 That is why I wrote to you as I did, so that when I do come, I won’t be grieved by the very ones who ought to give me the greatest joy. Surely you all know that my joy comes from your being joyful. 4 I wrote that letter in great anguish, with a troubled heart and many tears. I didn’t want to grieve you, but I wanted to let you know how much love I have for you.
2 Corinthians 7:8-9 (NLT)
8 I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while. 9 Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way.
4th letter (2nd Corinthians) From Macedonia A.D. 55/56
3rd visit A.D. 56 -57
Acts 20:2-3 (NLT)
2 While there, he encouraged the believers in all the towns he passed through. Then he traveled down to Greece, 3 where he stayed for three months. He was preparing to sail back to Syria when he discovered a plot by some Jews against his life, so he decided to return through Macedonia.
References:
ESV Study Bible NIV Study Bible The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Lindsell Study Bible The MacArthur Bible Commentary
2 Corinthians 1:1-2 (NLT)
Greetings from Paul
1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy.
I am writing to God’s church in Corinth and to all of his holy people throughout Greece.
2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
Examine the scriptures:
This greeting is very much like the greeting from 1 Corinthians.
1 Corinthians 1:1-3 (NLT)
Greetings from Paul
1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Sosthenes.
2 I am writing to God’s church in Corinth, to you who have been called by God to be his own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus, just as he did for all people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.
3 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
- Paul does not use empty words! This greeting is genuine and sincere.
2 Corinthians 1:1-2 (NLT)
Greetings from Paul
1 This letter is from Paul,
This letter is from Paul, no question about the authorship. (Written in 55/56 A.D.)
- Paul is in Macedonia, about to travel to Corinth for a third visit. Paul is preparing the Corinthian Church for his visit.
chosen by the will of God
Acts 9:15 (NLT)
15 But the Lord said (speaking to Ananias), “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.
This was not of Paul’s own choosing.
to be an apostle of Christ Jesus,
Acts 22:14 (NLT)
14 “Then he (the voice from Heaven speaking to Paul) told me, ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and hear him speak.
A specific calling (for Paul)
Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
This was not a position that Paul had earned.
- Paul was chosen by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. This was not a position Paul had earned.
Paul’s message was corrective and he wanted the church at Corinth to know that his calling and assignment was from God. If the people resisted his message, they were resisting God.
and from our brother Timothy.
1 Corinthians had Sos-then-es here rather than Timothy. Sosthenes was most likely Paul’s secretary.
Timothy- like a son, with a mentoring relationship, a companion and co-worker.
I am writing to God’s church in Corinth
This church was founded by Paul on his second missionary journey (Acts 18:1). A.D. 48-51
He was assisted by Priscilla and Aquila as well as Silas and Timothy.
Paul spent about 1 ½ years in Corinth.
Apollos continued the work after Paul left.
- The church in Corinth is God’s church.
Acts 18:9-11 (NLT)
9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! 10 For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.” 11 So Paul stayed there for the next year and a half, teaching the word of God.
A brief description of Corinth.
Corinth is near the middle of the 4-mile wide isthmus
North –south land traffic passed through or by the city.
*Most sea captains carried their ships on skids or rollers past Corinth. (saving 250 miles)
The city prospered. An important center of culture and trade.
Roman colony 100 years
Hosted the Isth-mi-an games (The Isthmian games and the Olympics were the two most famous events of that time.)
Even by the pagan standards of its own culture Corinth became so morally corrupt that its very name became synonymous with debauchery and moral depravity.
Some of the sins Corinth was noted for:
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (NLT)
9 Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.
Corinth had an acropolis (a settlement, especially a citadel, built upon an area of elevated ground) which rose 2000 feet and was used for both defense and worship. It had a temple for the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite. This temple housed 1000 priestesses who were religious prostitutes who lived and worked there. They came down into the city in the evenings to offer their services to citizens and foreign visitors.
Worshipped many Gods.
When Plato (Plato’s Republic) referred to a prostitute, he used the expression “Corinthian girl”.
In the church itself:
1 Corinthians 5:1 (NLT)
I can hardly believe the report about the sexual immorality going on among you—something that even pagans don’t do. I am told that a man in your church is living in sin with his stepmother.
The Corinthian church had difficulty breaking from the culture of the city. Sound familiar?
and to all of his holy people throughout Greece.
Holy people, people called by God.
John 6:44 (NLT)
For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up.
- This letter was not intended exclusively for the Christians in Corinth, but also for all the believers scattered through the province who were connected with the church in Corinth.
2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
Grace- God’s love in action with peace it’s result.
Think of this as a prayer Paul had for the people.
