Themes in 2 Corinthians: Comfort, Grace, and Boasting
The study of 2 Corinthians delves into various themes such as comfort, grace, boasting, ministry, and sincerity. The timeline of events from AD 52-57 sheds light on Paul's interactions with the Corinthians, including his letters, visits, and challenges faced. The abundance of comfort and grace, alongside the concept of boasting in the Lord, are central to the discussions in this epistle.
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2 Corinthians Study 1 Our consolation aboundeth by Christ Chapters 1 & 2
Timing of events (Bro W.F.Barling The Letters to Corinth) Year? AD 52- 53 53 Season? Event Proof? Winter or Spring Spring Paul settles in Ephesus Despatch of Hortatory Letter 1 Cor 5:9 I wrote unto you an epistle Acts 19:22, 1 Cor 4:17; 16,10,11 1 Cor 16:8,19 (after Timothy leaves) 54 Summer Timothy & Erastus visit Macedonia Despatch of 1 Corinthians 54 Autumn 55 55 55 Spring Summer Autumn Paul detained at Ephesus Judaizers reach Corinth Paul makes brief painful visit to Corinth (& a second visit?) 2 Cor 1:23 & 2:1 & Acts 19:21?
Timing of events (Bro W.F.Barling The Letters to Corinth) Year? AD 56 Season? Event Proof? Late spring Despatch of Admonitory Letter & departure from Ephesus (after uproar?) Evangelization of Troas Reunion of Titus. Despatch of 2 Corinthians Tour of Macedonia Acts 19:23-41 56 56 Summer Late summer Early autumn Late autumn Early spring Acts 20:1 and 2 Cor 2:12,13 2 Cor 7:13-15 and 8:6-8, 16- 24; 9:1-5 Acts 20:1 56 56 Arrival in Corinth (3rdvisit for 3 months) Despatch of Romans. Departure for Jerusalem (arrested) Acts 20:2 he came into Greece 57
2 Corinthians Themes Comfort/consolation 1:4; 2:7; 7:6,7,13 and 13:11; besought/beseech 2:8; 5:20; 10:1; 12:8; desired 8:6; exhort 9:5 Abounding or super abounding 1:5; 3:9 exceed; 4:15; 8:2,7,14; 9:1 superfluous; 9:8,12 abundant; 10:15 Ministration service of righteousness (& of condemnation) 3:9; ministry of the spirit & glory 4:1; reconciliation 5:18 & 6:3; of fellowship 8:4; of he gift (charis) 8:19,20 & 9:1, 12,13 + seed to sower 9:10; service 11:8
2 Corinthians Themes Grace (charis) 1:2,12; 4:15; 8:1,6,7,9,19; 9:8,14; 12:9 and 13:14 + thanks 2:14; 8:16 and 9:15; + benefit 1:15; + gift 8:4; + liberality 1 Cor 16:3 Boasting/confidence 9:2; 10:8,13,15,16 OR glory 5:12; 10:17; 1:12,18,30 and 12:5,6,9,11 Commend 3:1; 6:4; 7:11; 10:12,18 and 12:11
2 Corinthians Themes Minds 2:11; 3:14; 4:4; 10:5 and 11:3 Face (person) 1:11, 2:10; 3:7,13,18; 4:10,5:12; 8:24; 10:1,7 and 11:20 Simplicity/sincerity 1:12; 8:2; 9:11,13 and 11:3 Joy 1:24; 2:3; 6:10; 7:4,7,9; 8:2 and 13:9,11 contrasted to Sorrow/heaviness 2:1,3,7; 7:10 and 9:7
THEME Grace Salutation Personal Jerusalem welfare fund
THEME Comfort God is in control God cares God saves
THEME Tribulation Essential for salvation Triggers empathy God s grace is seen
THEME Above strength To throw beyond Answered in 4:17, 12:7
THEME Rejoicing In God Of God Of them
THEME Simplicity Singleness No dissimulation
Chapter 2 He explains why he couldn t come to them vv1,2 He didn t want ANOTHER bad reception! v9 He wanted to hear of their repentance and acceptance of his rebuke v12 His preaching was successful
THEME Heaviness Implies mutual pain 2:3,7; 7:10 & 9:7
2:2,3 The purpose of the letter Paul sought a positive response and outcome HOW? Wrong doer(s) repent Ecclesia understood the need for this process The individuals/ecclesia agree with Paul
THEME Overmuch sorrow Non beneficial
THEME Proof A test passed!
THEME Person Face of Christ Jesus perfect advocate! Jesus perfect judge!
2:14-17 Gods grace positive outcomes Preaching in Troas continued with great success Paul hears of their repentance and acceptance Titus is buoyant Paul s spirit is enlivened God s work who is sufficient for these things cp v6 and 3:5,6
2 Corinthians Study 2 The ministration of righteousness Chapters 3 & 4
THEME Commend Credibility challenged Focus on self (enemies)
3:3 But in Not with Spirit of the Living God 6:16 But flesh tables of the heart Ink Tables of stone
THEME Exceeds abound Right focus not human adequacies but God s righteousness, mercy & love
4:13 same spirit of faith = the gospel of God = the ministry of righteousness Cited from Psalm 116:10 Christ s motivation and therefore Paul s motivation v3 trouble unto death v4 delivered v7 God s mercy v8 delivered soul from death v16 God s minister
4:16 inward man renewed day by day How? v15 grace v13 faith vv17,18 hope
2 Corinthians Study 3 The ministration of reconciliation Chapters 5 & 6
5:6-8 v6 current situation confidence in God v7 current attitude walk by faith v8 preferred situation with Christ
6:1,2 Cited from Isaiah 49:8 Context v4 Is God s work in vain? v6 God saves Jew and Gentile (cp vv8,9)
6:4-6 Patience seen in tribulations distresses (choice) labours sleeplessness foodlessness necessities (no choice) stripes imprisonments tumults Endurance characteristics v5 IN purity, IN knowledge, IN longsuffering IN kindness, IN a spirit of holiness, IN undissembled love Motivational qualities v6 v8 How seen? IN truth (honesty) IN God s authority through God s armour (on right and left)
6:14,15 Important to know who you are! Fellowship (sharing) righteousness with unrighteousness Communion (partners) light and darkness Concord (harmony) Christ and Belial (worthless or vain) These are incompatible - one party MUST change!
6:16 be their God cited Leviticus 26:12 v1 No idols vv2-10 Blessings if they kept God s laws v11 Tabernacle in their midst v12 Curses if they didn t keep separate v42 God s blessings for repentance!
6:17 be ye separate cited Isaiah 52:11 v7 beautiful feet preaching good tidings v9 Joy God redeems His people v10 God s salvation HOW? Through God s suffering servant Isa 53
6:18 Father my sons & daughters cited 2 Samuel 7:8-14 1 Chronicles 28:6 Isaiah 43:6 Jeremiah 31:1,9 Revelation 21:3,7
2 Corinthians Study 4 The grace of God Chapters 7, 8 & 9
7:2 Paul hadnt Wronged no man hurt socially or emotionally Corrupted no man ruined (depraved in a moral sense) Defrauded no man gained no advantage over
7:11 Seven steps to repentance 1. Swift action 2. Apology 3. Acceptance of guilt 4. Understands consequences 5. Repentant motive (want to change) 6. Implement change 7. Acceptance of the need for this process! Lesson learnt!
8:1,2 Gods grace evident 1. 2. Focus in the face of poverty 3. Generosity & gratitude which exceeds expectations in the face of reality Joy in the face of trial
8:10-15 Gods example of giving cited Exodus 16:18 1. 2. God provided manna in wilderness 3. No benefit if you collected more than need 4. Shared with others any excess! No burden to them just any excess
8:16-22 Other examples of giving Titus vv16,17 Another brother vv19,20 & another in v22 Paul (he couldn t be accused of defrauding the Jerusalem Poor Fund or doing things to advantage himself) vv20,21 Other ecclesias v23 And, hopefully, THEM v24.
9:8-10 The eternal benefits of giving The seed is eternal & its benefit is ongoing God s supply God s work God s fruitfulness God feeds you, you feed others, there is seed for future = ALL reaping eternal benefits
9:15 Gods unspeakable gift Gift = gratuity (Gk dores) Jesus sacrifice Romans 5:15 Jesus righteousness Romans 5:17 Tasted the heavenly gift Hebrews 6:4 The living water John 4:10 The gift = God s grace in Jesus Christ (v13 cp 8:9) and his gospel was about submission & selflessness
2 Corinthians Study 5 but he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord Chapters 10 & 11
10:4,5 God to pull down fleshly strongholds Strongholds = fleshly confidence/lusts Imaginations = fleshly thinking Exalteth = fleshly pride Against the knowledge of God
10:13-18 Gods standard v13 God requested that Paul preach to them (they were his children) v14 Paul hadn t overstepped his God-given charge v15 The fruit of his preaching was abundant v15 (therefore God endorsed) So, let God be the judge of authority vv16,17 (had satan forged new ground?)
11:6-9 Pauls credentials He did no sin Isaiah 53 He abased himself that they may be exalted Isaiah 40:1,4 He preached (to them, the Gentiles) Isaiah 52:7 At no cost Isaiah 55:1 God, through Paul, called out a people for His name Isaiah 55:5
11:18-21 The satan vs Paul Spiritual Bullying Bind you to them or to the Law Set them free Desire their goods or person Take these from them Christ-like example Fed them at no cost Gave of himself & provided for others Humbled himself so that they could be exalted Treated them with love and gentleness Elevated themselves above them Treat distainfully
2 Corinthians Study 6 my grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness Chapters 12 & 13
Possible timeline? above 14 years ago therefore around 43AD around the 2nd trip to Jerusalem 1. Paul was converted preached in Damascus 2. He spent 3 years in the wilderness (Arabia?) 3. Back to Damascus preaches, is targeted and flees down wall in basket 4. Paul goes to Jerusalem Acts 22:17-21 Galatians 1:17,18 Acts 9:29 Acts 9:26-28, Gal 1:18-19 5. He receives visions Acts 22:17-21 6. Believers send him to Syria (Caesarea) & then to Tarsus (Cilicia) Acts 9:30, 22:18-21
12:9 the power of Christ may REST upon me John 1:14 the word of God was made flesh and DWELT among us, and behold his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace (v9) and truth (v6) Revelation 21:3 Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. (context of vv1-5) v1 New heavens & earth cp 2 Cor 12:2 v2 Prepared as a bride cp 2 Cor 11:2 v4 No tears, sorrow or death cp 2 Cor 2 and 7 v5 All things new cp 1 Corinthians theme
12:14,15 Pauls motive and priorities I seek not yours but you Parents lay up for children Spend and be spent for you abundantly THEME the more he loved the less he was loved!
