2 Letter to Corinthians
Title: Depending on the reading of the
Book of Acts, 1 Cor. 5:9, and 2 Cor. 2:3 this can be a 3rd or 4th letter that
Paul sent to Corinth – not everything that Paul wrote is a part of the New
Testament canon (cp. John 20:30-31; 21:25).
Date of
writing: In his
letter Paul indicates that he intends to come for the third time (12:14; 13:1).
Also, he is looking for/expecting the collection for the suffering church in
Jerusalem (9:1-5). Therefore, knowing that within Luke’s blog (Book of Acts)
Paul visits Corinth only twice, we need to date it between 64 and 70 AD.
Structure:
A. 1:1-2, Greetings
B. 1:3 – 2:17,
Concerns for the Church at Corinth
C. 3 – 4,
Ministers of New Covenant, and their suffering (4:7-12)
D. 5, heavenly reconciliation of God to His
creation
E.
6:1-13, co-working with God
E’.
6:14-18, do not “co-work” with unbelievers
D’. 7 – 9,
connection with Jerusalem church as an example of reconciliation
C’. 10 –
12:10, Paul’s ministry and suffering (11:21-28)
B’. 12:11 –
13:10, Concerns for the Church at Corinth
A’.
13:11-14, Final greetings
Main
themes:
Congregations
in submission to the Church authority
Suffering of
the ministers
Reconciliation
of God and creation (New heaven and new earth idea)
Helping the
suffering brothers
Boasting in
the Lord
Main
Characters:Paul,
Titus, Silvanus (1 Pet. 5:12), Timothy, Macedonians vs. Achaian; he (Paul)
mentions the governor of Damascus and King Aretas.
Reflection
in other parts of the Bible: Paul uses the story of Golden calf – vailed Moses (Ex. 34) as a
typological explanation of the hermeneutical challenge of those who tris to
read the Scriptures without faith that Jesus is the Messiah.
Encouraging
the Achaian believers to gather the financial support for the suffering church
in Jerusalem (ch. 8 – 9), Paul refers to the story of manna given as a gift
from heaven to Israelites in accordance with their needs (Ex. 16:18) and to the
sabbatical blessing of a godly man (Ps. 112) who shares with the poor.
Lutheran
teaching:
The Book of
Concord (the Lutheran confessions) illustrates the deficiency of human will in
regards of salvation relying on 2 Cor. 3:5-6. The conversion of man is the
result of the work of the Holy Spirit using the means of grace – the Word and
the Sacraments. (FC, Epitome, II:3; FC, SD, II:12, 26, 56, 71).
Picking up
the distinction of the Church’s authority and the authority of the State,
Confessions (AC XXVIII:17; Tr.32) make the reference to 2 Cor. 10:4 “the
weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy
strongholds”. At the same time Large Catechism uses these words as an
encouragement to be spiritually “watchful and well armed” with the teaching of
God, prayer, and sacramental reading of God’s Word “that we may not think of
Baptism as a mere empty sign, like the fanatic’s dream” (LC, longer preface:15;
III:30; IV:63).
Lutheran
hymnody:
LSB 644 –
The Church’s one foundation (church as a new creation idea)
LSB 954 – We
all believe in One True God (based on 2 Cor. 4:13-14)
Relevancy
of the Book:
Reading one
of the most personal/emotional letters of Paul, it is important to contemplate
the troubles the ministers of the Gospel undertake for the sake of God’s
people. To the outsiders their lives do not look like an example of success: no
career growth, but huge salary bumps etc. Yet, all of that is to repeat after
Paul: “I am acting with great boldness toward you; I have great pride in you; I
am filled comfort. In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy” (2 Cor. 7:4).
Memory
verses:
5:18-19 “All
this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the
ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to
Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the
message of reconciliation”.
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