The background to 2 Corinthians is complicated by letters from Paul we do not have as well as visits to Corinth by Paul, Timothy and Titus. An additional problem is that 2 Corinthians is a compilation of several other letters. Perhaps parts of 2 Corinthians contain other letters sent by Paul (the so-called “tearful letter”). Some suggest chapters 8 and 9 are separate letters dealing with the collection, and chapters 10-12 are yet another letter dealing with the super-apostles. I would recommend any serious commentary on 2 Corinthians for an overview of these suggestions or an introduction to the New Testament, such as Raymond Brown. Combining letters around a similar theme is not surprising, but it is also not necessary to understand the overall theme of the whole letter: the need for reconciliation between Paul and the church.
First, Paul must address the damage to his relationship with the Corinthian church (2 Corinthians 1-7). The church did not receive the letter of 1 Corinthians well, and Paul’s attempts to deal with the tensions seem to have created more problems. The reason Paul did not return to Corinth was to spare them another difficult visit (1:23-2:1). Paul admits he has caused the church a great deal of pain, but (with God as his witness) he did not intend it that way. He does admit he may have caused the pain the church felt after 1 Corinthians, the “tearful letter,” and the painful visit.
Paul wanted to gladden those he had pained, but the pain was ultimately necessary. His tough letter was written to enable him to have a “joyful visit” the next time he came to Corinth (2:3). Paul was confident the church would respond to his tearful letter, even if there was some fear that it might cause them pain. But not all grief and pain is bad; in fact, godly grief produces a great deal of positive virtues. If Paul had upset them with his strong challenge, that pain is a positive benefit if they are reconciled to him
Second, Paul must encourage the Corinthian church to make good on their promise to participate in the collection he has made for the poor saints in Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 8-9). Paul’s collection would have looked very suspicious to a resident of a Roman city like Corinth. Public works were not funded through taxation or public fundraising, but by wealthy people seeking honor through public benefaction. There is no honor in putting money into the general fund and sending it off to a distant (non-Roman) city to help poor people. It is no surprise at all that the Corinthian church was slow to participate in the Collection. But it is remarkable (from a modern Christian perspective) that this wealthy Christian church refused to participate in Paul’s collection to help the poor Christians in Jerusalem. But now that Paul and the church have reconciled, it is now time for the church to participate in this important ministry Paul initiated. In fact, for Paul, participating in this gracious gift is an opportunity to render a service to God.
Third, Paul must deal with some competition in the church, the so-called “super-apostles” (2 Corinthians 10-13). Paul probably coined this sarcastic description of his opponents, but it may also reflect the opponents’ own attitude. They consider themselves superior to Paul in terms of honor, use of rhetoric, and perhaps even in blessings from God. Some have argued this is a reference to the apostles in Jerusalem, but it seems unlikely Paul would refer to the Twelve with this snarky title. More likely, the super-apostles are Greeks in Corinth who have accepted the Gospel but are now behaving like Greek intellectuals. As with many other issues in Corinth, Paul is dealing with a pagan worldview in the church. The opponents appear to be trained communicators (v. 6) and accepted patronage from the church (v. 7-9). This would be consistent with any other Greco-Roman philosopher or teacher and was more or less expected by the Corinthian congregation. Rather than superior apostles, the opponents are like Satan, masquerading as true apostles (11:12-15). Rather than boast in his accomplishments, Paul chooses to boast in his suffering as a servant of Jesus Christ. Boasting in beatings and arrests is an outrageous reversal of what the super-apostles consider to be indicators of divine favor. Paul claims in the book’s final chapters that the follower of Christ can expect to suffer as Christ himself did.
The book of 2nd Corinthians contains a complicated background that requires inquiry to the reason Paul wrote the church in Corinth and the text himself. Many scholars suggest that 2nd Corinthians is potentially a few letters combined into one collection, either combined by the church itself or future compilers. As Long notes, some suggest that chapters 8 and 9 were originally separate letters, while others will argue that chapters 10-12 were also separate letters at one point. Regardless of if the book is a collection of separate letters are not, the contents of what Paul attends to should be the focus of any discussion.
In the first seven chapters, Paul addresses the damaged nature of his relationship with the Corinthians. The previous letter, 1st Corinthians, was not received kindly by the church of Corinth, with his actions unintentionally leading to more issues that needed to be dealt with. However, Paul, while saddened, decided to write a “tearful letter” in hopes of clearing up the problems so he could return for a happier visit. He understood that not all grief or pain is bad, it is caused by necessary challenges to the believer’s way of life, it will lead to reconciliation. A second issue addressed is whether or not the church in Corinth would follow through on their contribution to the collection, which was aimed at providing funds to be used by the poor saints in Jerusalem. The third issue worthy of mention is the “super-apostles” who challenged Paul’s authority in the church. These figures were believed to be superior to Paul in their use of rhetoric, language, and speech skills, being similar to the Greek intellectuals of the day. Overall, these three topics dominate the text and display Paul’s need to continue to work on the hearts of the believers in Corinth.
The relationship between Paul and Corinthians believers are having issues for one reason. Some people might think Paul might be going a bit hard on the 1 Corinthians book and the church could not receive. But one reason I see was the different spiritual level between each Pual and Corinthians church. Corinthian churches are known as immature believers. 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 said ‘’I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready’’. In this, Paul is saying that the Corinthians believers were acting like spiritual infants or immature believers because of their divisions and quarrels.
From the side view of Corinthian, this is really hard for them to be mature as well. Because of the business, the location and the population. Corinthian was one of the most important cities at that time and good for business. It’s located between Italy and Asia, so many people travel in and out to the city from east to west. Since many races travel, there are many different kinds of gods as well. As spiritual beings, it is hard to stand firm, for they are surrounded with sin, sexual immorality and adultery and others.
However, Paul, as the spiritual father, must deal with the broken relationship between him and Corinthian believers to be reconciled and encourage the church to grow and mature. So, one reason that causes them is because the churches are infant in spirit and do not know how to deal with the temptation from false teaching and antichrist.
It’s fascinating how the background of 2 Corinthians adds layers to our understanding of Paul’s interactions with the Corinthian church. The complexity arising from missing letters, multiple visits, and the compilation of chapters makes it a puzzle worth solving.
The issue of reconciliation takes center stage in the initial chapters. Paul’s strained relationship with the Corinthians, exacerbated by the reception of 1 Corinthians and his attempts to mend the rift, underscores the relational tension. The “tearful letter” and the painful visit demonstrate the depth of Paul’s commitment to addressing the issues, even if it meant causing temporary pain for the sake of long-term reconciliation. The notion that not all grief and pain are negative is an interesting point. Paul’s challenging words, though causing discomfort, were intended for the ultimate good of the Corinthian church. It’s a reminder that sometimes discomfort is necessary for growth and positive transformation.
I personally enjoy Long’s note about the collection. In Roman culture it was dishonorable to allocate random funds to a poor, non-roman city. Paul understood this and attempted to gain this collection anyway. Ministry would not be possible if it were not for the cheerful giver who is a good steward with what God has gifted them. That goes farther than just finances as well. As Paul put it in his first letter, we as the body of Christ cannot function without properly using all of our “parts” or gifts, properly. The foot needs to do the foot’s job as well as the hand and even the appendix, whatever that thing does. When we as believers are functioning the way God intended, we are living life in the Will of God. With this model, we are able to function as a loving community of Christ followers who, through faith in Christ and proper use of our gifts, can make a difference in the world around us today, just as Paul was urging then.
I think this blog really resonates with today’s culture, since we Christians are constantly rising and falling. And it can also be very encouraging to see the Corinthians and their struggles. Paul shows guilt through the church’s suffering, because they were the group that had really struggled in the conversion process, which made it even more difficult for Paul to teach them. But Paul did not up on them, because God as his witness, they would not fail. And sure enough, with all the encouragement and pushing that Paul did on the church, they eventually were doing a lot better. It was through God’s will that they would push through their hardships, and follow His Word, which is powerful and good.
It really shows that God can work wonders in our lives, and really to flip their lives around. It can be encouraging to Christians today to see what Paul had to deal with when teaching and mentoring the Corinthian church, since they dealt with many sins and struggled to push those away. Just as we struggle to push our own desires and worldly views aside, and put God first and his Word. It was harder for the church too since what kind of culture they were living in, being that the Roman Empire was not merciful, demanding, and had high expectations of its citizens.