• Paul has been writing about authentic ministry since 2:14.

THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL
2 CORINTHIANS 4
1 Therefore, since we have this ministry because we were shown mercy, we do not give up.

• Not because he was funded, appointed or had the abilities.
• The reason for having ministry is because they have been shown mercy.
• His mercy happened on Road to Damascus.
• He did not give up when he was challenged in Ephesus.

2 Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful things, not acting deceitfully or distorting the word of God, but commending ourselves before God to everyone’s conscience by an open display of the truth.

• Once again, discrediting the false teachers based upon their own tactics and agendas.
• The reason for discrediting is not to constantly speak out against the false teachers but to show the difference between Paul’s ministry and their ministry.
• Paul is speaking more his credibility for a reason.

3 But if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

• Some people are not going to see this Truth because they have been deceived from what is actually the truth.
• Think about it… one of the best ploys of the evil one (the god of this age) is to convince this world there is no absolute truth.
• We are watching a generation grow up writing their own narratives and declaring what truth is based upon what they want it to be.
• The Church is a huge part of this issue.
• There is a reason that people don’t want what the Church is selling because it is a false Gospel.
• It is based upon their own selves more than it is on Jesus Christ.

5 For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

• Paul constantly indicates the things that have occurred in his ministry… but it was never based upon what he did, but what Jesus did.
• Paul’s foundation of ministry is based upon Jesus.

6 For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.

• I can produce numbers for the public.
• I can manipulate people to pray a prayer of salvation.
• There are ministries that survive on this standard.
• I’m not the one to question a person’s heart and whether it was just words or a real heart change.
• I used to feel pressure to sit next to someone on a plane or a ski lift and present the Gospel to a captive audience.
• Now I understand more of who I am in Christ and learning what I actually have as a child of God.
• With that, comes the removal of pressure to “save people”. Just tell them about the goodness of God.
• It is not my responsibility to save others… that is Jesus. The pressure is off of me.
• I’m just supposed to naturally be a light in the darkness.
• If they see the glory of God in me, maybe they will desire what I am sharing with them.

 
TREASURE IN CLAY JARS
7 Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us.

• Clay jars were used on the daily and often broke.
• They are to us almost as Solo red cups are.
• They were easily broken.
• But don’t focus on the clay jars… focus on the “treasure”
• The “treasure” is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
• We are simply the fragile vessels to carry the Good News.

8 We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; 9 we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed.

• Our flesh suits are the clay jars.
• We become broken… sometimes even shattered.
• Many times over, glued back together.
• We can suffer physically, but it still doesn’t stop us from living a good life in Jesus.
• We don’t understand why things happen like they do, but we have our faith that keeps us from giving up on life.
• We can be hated and isolated but we know He is always with us.
• We can come to the end of ourselves and know that there is still hope.

10 We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be displayed in our body. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’s sake, so that Jesus’s life may also be displayed in our mortal flesh.

• Paul said he is willing to sacrifice his earth suit for the ability to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

12 So then, death is at work in us, but life in you.

• We may suffer and even die, but it is for the purpose of you finding eternal life.
• Braveheart – “Every man dies… but not every man lives.”

13 And since we have the same spirit of faith in keeping with what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke, (Psalm 116:10 - I believed, even when I said, “I am severely oppressed.”[1]
we also believe, and therefore speak.

• It may seem as though I have nothing and suffered much which is true, but I also have much more than you can actually see.
• So let me tell you about it!

14 For we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you.

• This is when we are done with the flesh suit (jars of clay) and we have our glorified bodies.

15 Indeed, everything is for your benefit so that, as grace extends through more and more people, it may cause thanksgiving to increase to the glory of God.

• Did anyone ask you what you were thankful for this week?
• As we give more grace to more people, we will have more to be thankful for.
• We can continue to go down the “Cancel Culture” path and we will have less and less to be thankful for.
• We want justice more than we want grace.
• Trust me… at some point, you will want more grace than you do justice.

 
16 Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day.

• It gets harder and harder for me to do things every year.
• Putting Christmas lights on the house.
• Doing ski trips…
• Answering the phone… to whatever is on the other side.
• But every day… I have this inner motivation that wakes my soul to the daily adventure.
• I know in the midst of the hard work and hopelessness in the world that there will be opportunity to talk about Jesus.
• Every day, the Spirit inside of me (that raised Jesus from the dead) raises me up for the adventure of the day.
• I walk into meetings with people and have no idea what is going to unfold.
• I have no idea what the next phone call, text message or e-mail is going to include but I trust the Spirit inside of me.

17 For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory.

• I can fly Spirit airlines for $40 round trip vs $400 on the big jet airliner.
• It’s only 2 hours each way to Orlando.
• Then I saved me enough money to have Mickey Mouse ice cream every day!
• Mickey Mouse ice cream = incomparable eternal weight of glory?
• Momentary light affliction… I’m on whole 14?

18 So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.[2]

• This world’s focus is on what is seen.
• Prove to me by showing me.
• But the real world, the eternal everlasting, is based upon faith.
• If you have no faith… The Word of God is written by men.
• If you have faith… The Word of God is written by God through faithful men.
• It is the ability to see things from a spiritual perspective rather than human perspective.
• It takes more for person to believe in faith than it does for a person to believe out of sight.
• You can’t escape this world without suffering.
• And if that is all you see… you miss the glory that is all around you.
• Christ in us is the joy in a fallen world.
• Christ in us is the hope for dying people.
• Christ in us is the light for a dark world.
• Christ in us is the glory for a world that is killing each other.
• Christ in us is the answer for people who are searching.

“So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen.”
Stay focused on what is unseen.

[1] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ps 116:10). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (2 Co 4:1–18). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

LIVING LETTERS
2 CORINTHIANS
1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some, 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 Christ’s letter, delivered by us, not written with ink but with the Spirit of the living God—not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

• Paul is saying that “Really, even though it sounds like I’m starting to commend myself to you again, we really don’t need that, and you don’t need letters of recommendation to me or from me.
• We don’t need you to validate my ministry.
• You know why? Because you are our letter. You are our letter of recommendation.”
• “Look. What has been written on your hearts in the gospel is all the validation I need for my ministry.”[1]

 
PAUL’S COMPETENCE
4 Such is the confidence we have through Christ before God. 5 It is not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God. 6 He has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

• The false teachers were actually coming, and they were standing up publicly and saying, “Look how competent we are; look how qualified we are. We are great speakers; we are powerful leaders.”
• And Paul says, “Look, we’re not competent in ourselves as if anything is coming from us.
• Our competence comes from God, who made us competent as ministers of the new covenant.
• And it’s not of the letter, but it is of the Spirit.”
• Paul says that “my ministry is validated by the powerful work of the Spirit in your lives.”
• Paul is saying [that] when you look at Christian ministers, you can tell authentic Christian ministers by the impact that they have had on the lives of people.[2]

 
NEW COVENANT MINISTRY

• The purpose of this passage is for Paul to contrast his form of new covenant ministry to another type of ministry, and we might call it the “ministry of the glowing face,” where you have the leader who has been in the presence of God, and he is the focus.
• But Paul is not contrasting new covenant over against old covenant here as the primary thing he’s doing.
• He’s contrasting new covenant ministry—his type of ministry—to another type of ministry, so that’s the purpose of what he’s doing.[3]

7 Now if the ministry that brought death, chiseled in letters on stones, came with glory, so that the Israelites were not able to gaze steadily at Moses’s face because of its glory, which was set aside, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry that brought condemnation had glory, the ministry that brings righteousness overflows with even more glory. 10 In fact, what had been glorious is not glorious now by comparison because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if what was set aside was glorious, what endures will be even more glorious.

• In secular Greek, the idea of glory could communicate fame or esteem or honor [or] even talk about a person’s reputation.[4]
• Exodus 34:29-35 - As Moses descended from Mount Sinai—with the two tablets of the testimony in his hands as he descended the mountain—he did not realize that the skin of his face shone as a result of his speaking with the Lord., 30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face shone! They were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called out to them, so Aaron and all the leaders of the community returned to him, and Moses spoke to them. 32 Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he commanded them to do everything the Lord had told him on Mount Sinai. 33 When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. 34 But whenever Moses went before the Lord to speak with him, he would remove the veil until he came out. After he came out, he would tell the Israelites what he had been commanded, 35 and the Israelites would see that Moses’s face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil over his face again until he went to speak with the Lord. [5]

 

• katargeō. (cot-ar-geh-o) - This word, in the ancient world, could be translated as “to use up,” “to exhaust,” “to make ineffective,” “to invalidate,” [or] “to call something to be abolished or set aside.”
• Paul uses this word pretty extensively to mean something like “to be canceled” or “to be made inoperative.”
• Now, it’s been popular in recent years to render this word in certain English translations as “fade”—that it was a fading glory.
• But recently, scholars have shown that there’s no case in the ancient world where this word means for something to fade.
• It means that it has been made inoperative—the switch has been turned off; it’s been nullified—and that’s the way that I’ve translated the passage here.
  - In this passage, he’s using an argument from lesser to greater.
• This was a common rabbinic technique in which the rabbi would say, “If something was true in a lesser situation, it certainly is true in a greater situation and has greater implications.”
• So that is the type of argument Paul is giving here.
• He is saying that in that OT context in Exodus 34, Moses’ face was glowing, but the people of Israel didn’t get to keep looking at his face because he kept covering it up.
• He is saying, if that was the situation where God’s presence was manifested through glory there, (verse 8) “how could the ministry of the Spirit not be attended by glory to a greater degree?”
• In other words, if you had that in the old covenant, how could the glory of God not be manifested to a much greater degree in the new covenant?
• “For if the ministry characterized by condemnation [had] glory, to a much greater degree the ministry characterized by righteousness overflows with glory.”
• Well, what’s he talking about?
• Well, you had glory under the old covenant; it was just the face of Moses that was glowing.
• But under the new covenant, think about the fact that all believers manifest the presence of God.
• He’s saying that every believer under the new covenant knows the presence of God and manifests the glory of God.
• Manifest - clear or obvious to the eye or mind.
• So, whereas you had one person manifesting the presence and the glory of God under the old covenant situation, now you have glory to a much greater degree because all of us manifest the glory of God in the new covenant.
• Paul is saying here that under the new covenant, the glory of God is so much greater because it’s manifested among all the people of God.[6]

12 Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness. 13 We are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from gazing steadily until the end of the glory of what was being set aside, 14 but their minds were hardened. For to this day, at the reading of the old covenant, the same veil remains; it is not lifted, because it is set aside only in Christ.

• He says, “but their minds were hardened. For, to this day, when the old covenant is read, that same veil remains unmoved, because it can only be made inoperative by Christ.”
• Christ makes the veil over people’s hearts inoperative.
• He snuffs the glory snuffer, if you will;
• He takes that veil and rips it from people’s hearts so that they can have this open-face relationship with God and know the glory of God.
• He says it can only be made inoperative by Christ.[7]

15 Yet still today, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts, 16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at, the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.[8]

• What Paul is contrasting in the big picture here is that type of new covenant ministry to the false ministry of the false teachers in Corinth who are all about the leader of the glowing face.
• Real Christian ministry is about being transformed by the presence of Christ in a way that you then manifest the glory of Christ in the world.[9]

 

• It’s not “One day… when the glory comes”
• The Glory is here… here in this very room.

[1] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[2] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[3] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[4] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[5] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ex 34:29–35). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[6] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[7] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[8] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (2 Co 3:1–18). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[9] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

A SINNER FORGIVEN
2 CORINTHIANS
5 If anyone has caused pain, he has caused pain not so much to me but to some degree—not to exaggerate—to all of you.

• Some believe Paul is referring to man in 1 Corinthians (10/12/20)
• 1 Corinthians 5:1-2 - It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and the kind of sexual immorality that is not even tolerated among the Gentiles—a man is sleeping with his father’s wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Shouldn’t you be filled with grief and remove from your congregation the one who did this?[1]
• “Hand that one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh.” (v 5)
• Let him choose his own path.
• Logical negative consequences
• Sounds cruel…
• “destruction of the flesh” – Selfishness; his own strength.
• This no different than the “Cancel Culture”
• The difference is… you discuss the issue and give a chance for repentance and forgiveness to occur before you cut them off.

 

• Others believe that Paul is referring to someone who confronted Paul in a public situation.
• Then the division in the church caused people to choose sides.
• Opinions vs Truth
• This crushed Paul and possibly the reason for his severe and harsh letter that we don’t have.

6 This punishment by the majority is sufficient for that person.

• Not everyone participated in the punishment.
• Again, showing division the church.
• But sufficient because the man repented (changed his mind)

7 As a result, you should instead forgive and comfort him. Otherwise, he may be overwhelmed by excessive grief.

• Don’t give up on this man.
• “Cancel Culture” is cool until it is you getting cancelled.
• This is grace.
• All believers have received grace.
• Not all believers give grace.
• When you understand what has been given to you, then you are able to give to others.
• It is almost a way of measuring the spiritual maturity of a believer.
• If Jesus died for all sin and anyone who believes in Jesus can be forgiven for all their sin, then why shouldn’t we be able to forgive?
• We could easily go down a dark path of terrible sins that seem unforgiveable… but in Truth, we know they have already been dealt with at the cross.
• “excessive grief” – There are logical natural consequences that occur with sin.
• But consequences can still occur at the same time that grace and forgiveness is given.

8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him.

• It’s OK to freely give love.
• Sometimes we want to protect who we give love to because it makes it seem like it is more valuable.
• I can love others because I have been loved much.
• The more love you give away… the more you have.
• Do you really think you don’t have enough love to give to your barber or salon person? Or your wait staff? Or your tax person?
• You have plenty of love because you have been loved much.
• It doesn’t make it any less worth… it actually does quite the opposite. It multiplies.
• What great love it is… to be able to look someone in the eye who has done you wrong and tell them “I love you”.

9 I wrote for this purpose: to test your character to see if you are obedient in everything.

• Paul refers to his severe letter he sent.
• He is still licking his wounds for sending it.

10 Anyone you forgive, I do too. For what I have forgiven—if I have forgiven anything—it is for your benefit in the presence of Christ, 11 so that we may not be taken advantage of by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his schemes.

• If you live in a state of unforgiveness… you are miserable.
• And the person you can’t forgive may have moved passed it.
• But you are still stuck in something you don’t have to be.
• Feelings and emotions occur… but you have the ability to impact them based upon what you believe.
• What you believe impacts what you do.

 

• This is the part of “church discipline” that rarely occurs.
• The relationship has been severed by actions.

 
A TRIP TO MACEDONIA
12 When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though the Lord opened a door for me, 13 I had no rest in my spirit because I did not find my brother Titus. Instead, I said good-bye to them and left for Macedonia.

• Show map – (3rd Missionary Trip)
• Now, one thing I want you to think about with this passage is the fact that being right where you’re supposed to be in terms of ministry doesn’t mean that you’re always going to have emotional peace.
• In fact, at times, because you’re right where God has called you to be, you face some type of inner turmoil.
• What Paul does is he ends here, on a very tense moment in his life and ministry and it kind of leaves the tension hanging in the air.
• Then he’s going to go through a long section in the center of the book where he lays out a theological explanation of what authentic ministry looks like.
• Paul is saying, “As an authentic minister of Jesus Christ, I am under orders by God Himself, and God moves me around the world.”[2]

 
A MINISTRY OF LIFE OR DEATH
14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in Christ’s triumphal procession and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of him in every place.

• Triumphal procession
• Rome defeated many regions/countries during this time period in history.
• The general who led the great defeat would come in on his chariot.
• Wagon loads of wealth from the defeated country
• Loads of armor of defeated warriors
• Slaves in chains from the defeated region
• Paintings of the region now claimed by the empire
• The Roman Army
• The Braves just won the World Series
• Paul is just following Christ through the world in His victory, and as he does that he is proclaiming the gospel.

 
15 For to God we are the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.

• “aroma” – Good and bad smells
• Wednesday night we had chicken sandwiches that were cooked over the open fire. Can you smell it?
• Yesterday, I got in my car sitting in garage with the trash cans that had Weds chicken scraps. Can you smell it?
• Two distinct and different smells.
• In these parades, they had incense burners walking along the route.
• To the Romans, it was the beautiful smell of victory.
• To the slaves in the parade it was the nasty smell of defeat.
• The blood sacrifices at the temple had an awful bloody smell but it was the sweet aroma of the sacrifice being made.
• The Gospel… it is a sweet aroma to those who believe and it makes sense… but to the rest of the world, it stinks.

16 To some we are an aroma of death leading to death, but to others, an aroma of life leading to life.

• In these parades, you had slaves who were taken captive but you also those who had been oppressed and were now liberated because of the defeat.
• Sometimes, when the gospel goes out, people don’t respond well.
• That’s why so much of 2 Corinthians is filled with Paul’s suffering.
• He is being persecuted for the cause of Christ.
• But, celebrating here, Paul says there are those who do respond positively.
• They are the ones who are being saved.
• Their whole lives are opening up in front of them.[3]

Who is adequate for these things?

• Paul questions who is qualified for what he does.
• Even himself… the man who once opposed Jesus… now celebrates Jesus.

17 For we do not market the word of God for profit like so many. On the contrary, we speak with sincerity in Christ, as from God and before God.[4]

• Paul was having to deal false teachers who were coming to town to pedal their message.
• These were false teachers.
• An issue Paul had to deal with on the regular in Corinth.
• “When we proclaim the Word of God, we are doing it in a way with real integrity.
• We are sincere proclaimers of the Word who are preaching the Word of God in the world as people who are sent by God.

God has sent us.”[5]

[1] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (1 Co 5:1–2). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[3] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[4] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (2 Co 2:5–17). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

2 Corinthians was written by Paul about twenty years after he came to Christ on the Damascus Road.

• 57 AD ( show chart)
• While in Macedonia (show map)
• Paul was a tentmaker.
• As he did manual labor, that would have carried a social stigma with people who were rich and powerful in the Corinthian culture, and that’s going to have an effect on 2 Corinthians.
• Now, when you think about Corinth at this time, think economic powerhouse.
• It was a mix of Roman political power and values.
• The Corinthians saw themselves as profoundly connected to the city of Rome itself.
• But it also embodied Greek cultural values, which is going to be very important as we think about the leadership values of Corinth.[1]
• Things that were important for Corinth leadership:

1) Power – politics and influence on people
2) Ability to speak; skill in rhetoric
3) Education
4) Wealth
 
GREETING
2 Corinthians 1:1-24
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will, and Timothy our brother:

• God’s will is the “trump card”
• Timothy was going to deliver the letter to the Church in Corinth.

To the church of God at Corinth, with all the saints who are throughout Achaia.

• Small house churches w/ different leadership, opinions and interpretations.
• Majority were following Paul every step.
• Minority that had different but similar agendas.

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

• Grace is always first because it leads to peace.
• Grace and peace always come from God/Jesus.
• To call Jesus “Lord” really brought Him into conflict with Caesar, who was seen as the lord of the whole world.[2]​

 
THE GOD OF COMFORT (ENCOURAGEMENT)

• Paul’s prologue – Formal with some theological processing.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort (encouragement). 4 He comforts (encourages) us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort (encourage) those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort (encouragement) we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort (encouragement) overflows. 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort (encouragement) and salvation. If we are comforted (encouraged), it is for your comfort (encouragement), which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that as you share in the sufferings, so you will also share in the comfort (encouragement).

• The Greek term here is paraklēsis.
• What is the difference between encouragement and comfort?
• As we look at the use of the book here as Paul is trying to write to them about this idea of comfort or encouragement, really, “encouragement” fits a bit better.[3]
• 9 times – read again with “encouragement”
• Suffering is difficult… but you get to the point where we can sympathize and comfort or encourage others who have suffered in similar circumstances.
• I grew up in a single parent home.
• I’ve experienced suicide in my family.
• My mother had dementia.
• It is not used as a comparison or competition, but one of experience and understanding.
• We comfort through our sympathy.
• It’s hard to sympathize with someone when you have been through what they have been through.

 
8 We don’t want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our affliction that took place in Asia. We were completely overwhelmed—beyond our strength—so that we even despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead. 10 He has delivered us from such a terrible death, and he will deliver us. We have put our hope in him that he will deliver us again 11 while you join in helping us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gift that came to us through the prayers of many.

• Remember that one of the purposes of a prologue was to kind of update people on what had been going on with the author, and that’s exactly what we find here.
• Paul gives the Corinthians an update on something that has really affected his life and ministry recently.
• Now, part of the reason why he’s doing that is to get their sympathy.
• He wants them to know that some of his change in plans has been due to unexpected and very, very difficult circumstances.[4]
• What was Paul’s affliction?
• 1) Psychological – regretted sending that harsh letter to Corinth?
• 2) Potential fatal illness?
• 3) Persecution – Mob mentality – He had just left Ephesus where he was in the middle of a major riot.

 
A CLEAR CONSCIENCE
12 Indeed, this is our boast: The testimony of our conscience is that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, with godly sincerity and purity, not by human wisdom but by God’s grace. 13 For we are writing nothing to you other than what you can read and also understand. I hope you will understand completely--14 just as you have partially understood us—that we are your reason for pride (boasting, rejoicing), just as you also are ours in the day of our Lord Jesus.

• Affirming his own integrity.
• If Paul loses his integrity… he loses his audience.
• Boasting is seen as prideful.
• But we can also boast about what the Lord is doing.
• Pinheads… giving… boast in things beyond human comprehension
• Are we “growing”? Numbers or spiritually

 
A VISIT POSTPONED
15 Because of this confidence, I planned to come to you first, so that you could have a second benefit, 16 and to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and then come to you again from Macedonia and be helped by you on my journey to Judea. 17 Now when I planned this, was I of two minds? Or what I plan, do I plan in a purely human, way so that I say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time?

• Paul’s plans changed and he tries to explain why.
• Paul is trying to explain to them that he is not being “wishy-washy”
• Paul is not “walking according to the flesh”

18 As God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes and no.”

• Paul says, “That same faithfulness and integrity is reflected in all of our actions as we are carrying out our ministry to you.”[5]

19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you—Silvanus, Timothy, and I—did not become “Yes and no.” On the contrary, in him it is always “Yes.”

• Even though our plans changed, we still commit to come visit.

20 For every one of God’s promises is “Yes” in him. Therefore, through him we also say “Amen” to the glory of God. 21 Now it is God who strengthens us together with you in Christ, and who has anointed us. 22 He has also put his seal on us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a down payment.

• What he does is he explains his situation.
• He appeals to theological principles as the foundation of what he is doing.
• And so Paul approaches a difficult moment in his ministry by doing clear communication with theological reflection, and that’s a good pattern for us to follow as well when we are being accused falsely of lacking integrity.[6]
• It’s God’s plan… not ours… we are just following it.
• Integrity is important to ministry as well as clear communication.

 
23 I call on God as a witness, on my life, that it was to spare you that I did not come to Corinth. 24 I do not mean that we lord it over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because you stand firm in your faith.[7]
 
2 Corinthians 2
1 In fact, I made up my mind about this: I would not come to you on another painful visit. 2 For if I cause you pain, then who will cheer me other than the one being hurt by me? 3 I wrote this very thing so that when I came I wouldn’t have pain from those who ought to give me joy, because I am confident about all of you that my joy will also be yours. 4 For I wrote to you with many tears out of an extremely troubled and anguished heart—not to cause you pain, but that you should know the abundant love I have for you.[8]
 

• Here Paul begins to explain why he didn’t come straight to Corinth.
• He agonized through writing a painful letter and even became afflicted when he hit the send button.
• But he also needed to address the situation so when he did come they could be past the situation and experience in each other’s presence.
• He says, “My motive was not to hurt you but that you might know the very great love that I have for you.”
• So, in terms of motive, Paul says, “I don’t want to make you sad. I don’t want to grieve you. I want to do this though because you need it at this moment.”[9]
• Let’s just be honest here…

[1] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[2] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[3] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[4] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[5] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[6] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[7] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (2 Co 1:1–24). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[8] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (2 Co 2:1–4). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[9] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.