2 Corinthians

Introduction

Before we study this letter, it is important to understand the historical background of the interlude between 1 and 2 Corinthians. In fact, we will look closely at the entire timeline regarding Paul’s ministry to the Corinthians, so that we can understand the issues Paul is referring to in 2 Corinthians. (For an extend introduction on the historical background Corinth, see our earlier article “Introduction to 1 Corinthians.”).

BEFORE 1 Corinthians

Paul planted the church in Corinth in the years between AD 50-52 (Acts 18). After Paul left, Apollos served as a leader and teacher in Corinth (Acts 19:1; 1 Cor. 1:12; 3:4-6, 22; 4:6; 16:12). During this time, Paul wrote a lost letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 5:9).

After Paul wrote his lost letter, the Corinthians responded with a letter of their own, asking Paul a number of questions (1 Cor. 7:1, 25; 8:1; 12:1; 16:1). Stephanus, Fortunatus, and Achaicus likely brought this letter to Paul, and he sent them back with the letter of 1 Corinthians (1 Cor. 16:17-18).

DURING 1 Corinthians

Paul wrote 1 Corinthians from Ephesus (1 Cor. 16:8), after several people came from Corinth to inform him about what was happening there (1 Cor. 1:11-12; 16:15-18). In 1 Corinthians, Paul wrote that he was going to come and visit (1 Cor. 4:18-19; 16:5). At this time, the Corinthians were already starting to become cynical or suspicious of Paul’s leadership (1 Cor. 4:18-19; 9:3-4; 14:37-38).

BETWEEN 1 and 2 Corinthians

Paul sent Timothy to Corinth (1 Cor. 4:17; 16:10-11), and Timothy returned before Paul wrote his second letter (2 Cor. 1:1). Paul visited Corinth between the writing of 1 and 2 Corinthians. We know this because Paul writes that it was the “third time” he would be coming to them (2 Cor. 12:14; 13:1), implying a middle visit not mentioned in Acts. This visit did not go well (2 Cor. 2:1-5), and Paul wanted to visit them again on better terms. Paul wrote 2 Corinthians to pave the way for a better meeting with them (2 Cor. 12:14; 13:1-4, 10).

Titus visited Corinth during this time, and reported that false apostles had arisen. These men were accusing Paul’s legitimacy as an apostle, and they were teaching a false gospel (2 Cor. 11:1-20). Titus and Paul met up again in Macedonia (2 Cor. 2:12-13), and Titus revealed that things had only gone from bad to worse in Corinth:

• After Paul’s stern rebuke in 1 Corinthians and his sorrowful visit, the Corinthians began to question if Paul really cared about them, because he changed his travel plans (2 Cor. 1:12, 17).

• The Corinthians continued to fall into immorality and idol worship (2 Cor. 6:14ff).

• The Corinthians criticized Paul for not taking money (1 Cor. 9:1-23; 2 Cor. 11:7-11; 12:13-16). They also may have accused him of taking money after all, because Paul needs to defend his integrity once again (2 Cor. 4:2; 7:2; 12:16-18).

• Worst of all, false teachers had infiltrated this church (2 Cor. 10-13). These men had likely added fuel to the Corinthians’ suspicious fire.

• This resulted in a polarized group: Some were intensely suspicious toward Paul, while others still loved him dearly (2 Cor. 7:6-7).

All of this sets the stage for the writing of 2 Corinthians. Paul picks up his quill pen and parchment to write something that will connect with the readers in Corinth, preparing them for his third visit.

What do we know about the false teachers or “super apostles” in Corinth?

They loved to brag about themselves and their credentials (2 Cor. 10:12; 11:22ff). They were most likely Jewish (2 Cor. 3:1-11; 11:22ff), and they may have claimed to have authority from the Jerusalem church itself. It wasn’t uncommon for false teachers to claim to have authority from the Jerusalem church (Acts 15:24; Gal. 2:12). Indeed, they showed up to Corinth with “letters of commendation” (2 Cor. 3:1) intended to usurp leadership authority from the true apostles (2 Cor. 10:15-16) or at least to place themselves on par with them (2 Cor. 11:12). It’s possible that they called themselves “super apostles” (2 Cor. 11:5; 12:11 NLT), or perhaps this was Paul’s sarcastic term to describe them.

They accused Paul of being aggressive in writing, but not in person. To borrow a modern expression, Paul was “all bark and no bite.” Paul writes, “You think I am timid in person and bold only when I write from far away” (2 Cor. 10:1 NLT). Later, he writes, “Some say, ‘Paul’s letters are demanding and forceful, but in person he is weak, and his speeches are worthless!’” (2 Cor. 10:10 NLT). This would’ve been an easy accusation to make against Paul, because he travelled frequently, and he had recently changed his travel plans. The false teachers likely leveraged this to make Paul look like a weakling.

They taught a false gospel (2 Cor. 11:4). Indeed, Paul considered them “false apostles” (2 Cor. 11:13). Paul compares their deceit with Satan himself (2 Cor. 11:3, 13-14). They were abusive leaders, taking advantage of the Corinthians (2 Cor. 11:20-21).

They accused Paul of being deceitful (2 Cor. 6:8; 12:16). This would’ve placed the Corinthians in a bind: Paul is calling these men liars, but they are calling him a liar. Whom could they trust? Paul was preparing a trip to Corinth to confront these men personally (2 Cor. 13:2; cf. 2 Cor. 10:2, 6, 11; 12:20-21). Garland summarizes the situation well, “The guilty parties did not accept his discipline passively. His bold rebukes caused them to lose face and sparked deep resentment. They counterattacked by impugning his motives, methods, and person to undermine his authority in the church. The result: some members continue as avid supporters of Paul, some waver, and some comprise a determined element of resistance to his leadership.”

How was Paul feeling when he wrote this letter?

The false teachers or “super apostles” had poisoned the minds of many in Corinth. They gave a suspicious and cynical narrative of Paul’s motives. Consequently, many of Paul’s friends had turned against him, or at the very least, they were thinking about it. Thus, we get a window into a particular low-point in Paul’s life.

Paul shares that he had felt “depression” (2 Cor. 7:6), “pressure” (2 Cor. 11:28), “anxiety” (2 Cor. 11:28, merimna), “stress” (2 Cor. 6:4, stenochōria), “conflicts” (2 Cor. 7:5), “fears” (2 Cor. 7:5), “sleeplessness” (2 Cor. 6:5; 11:27), and “no rest for his spirit” (2 Cor. 2:13). Of course, 2 Corinthians reveals how Paul worked through all of these emotions, but we shouldn’t deny that he felt this way in the first place. It is in this stressful and tense setting that we discover some of Paul’s most touching and moving words. He has two central reasons for writing this letter:

Did it work?

We might wonder if 2 Corinthians turned the tide in Corinth away from the false teachers, rebuilding trust in the process. As far as we can tell, it did: “The letter seems to have met with success.” Around AD 95, Clement of Rome wrote to the church of Corinth, citing Paul’s first letter (1 Clem. 47:1) and citing Paul as a godly man to them (1 Clem. 5:5-7). This implies that the Corinthians held both Paul and his letters in high regard.

Despite Paul’s worries about his forthcoming trip to Corinth (2 Cor. 12:21; 13:2), the Paul ended up staying in Corinth for three months (Acts 20:2-3) and wrote the letter to the Romans. Since Paul had the peace of mind to write Romans, we can infer that his final visit went well, and 2 Corinthians helped to pave the way for a peaceful visit. When Paul showed up to Corinth, he likely had to fight with the false teachers. But that didn’t seem to bother him. He was mostly worried about the church (2 Cor. 11:28). And these Corinthians must’ve welcomed him warmly after reading this letter.

Dating 2 Corinthians

Paul writes 2 Corinthians in the winter of AD 55 or possibly AD 56.